Our winters here in Newfoundland are very long. Right about now, in other places around the earth, people are getting excited as the first signs of spring come to town. Here, we are half way through the winter, and are still preparing for the odd snow storm and bracing ourselves for the frosty mornings as we make our way to work.
So, we have to do all we can to cope. Some of us go down south; some of us just embrace it and find ways to have some fun in the snow.
Every year we have a Winter Carnival here in the Corner Brook area. The carnival includes lots of fun things for the kiddies, like skating and sliding, talent shows, community breakfasts, snow mobile races, snow sculpture contests and.... the most fun of all this year... the ice fishing derby!!!
This year the derby was a whole family affair. I'm not particularly fond of ice fishing but when you have about 150 people on the pond, and add in some hot chocolate and warm moose soup, it somehow becomes fun. Snowshoeing to the pond with my grandmother was also an added bonus.
Here is the view of the pond as we snowshoed away. This pond, Larkin's pond, is one of my favourite places in the world. Growing up, I spent many hours here with my friends, having fires, catching frogs and relaxing in the rubber dingy.
The eyeless derby mascot.
Here is Jonny. He made me get up at 9:30 so we could drive to Cox's Cove and he could be there by the 11:00am start time. He was very dedicated, unfortunately he didn't win (but he caught five fish)
Sister and Nicholas (my cousin). One looking very bored and one looking very interested.
Mom, Adrianna and I. Oh, and Danny down in the corner.
Am I more interested in the hot chocolate, or fishing? I'm not really sure. I fished for about the total of five minutes.
Measuring the catch. The biggest fish caught is the winner of the derby.
Mom off by herself, chair and all. She ended up winning third place!!!
It was so nice to see all the kids outside enjoying the festivities. Seeing children doing things like ice fishing always does my heart good. I guess I'll always be a Newfoundlander at heart.
I can't wait until Spring, although I do have to admit crisp, sunny winter days like this always make me feel refreshed.
It is no secret that music is a big part of my life. And I don't mean big as in pumping out some dubstep as I'm driving down the freeway, or crying my eyes out as Eric Carmen heart-feltly sings "All By Myself" on the CD player. No, those things are amazing, but for me music reaches all the way to my inner being, holds the very foundation of my soul, adds the depth and quality to my life. To me, songs are memories- each one causing my brain to flood with sights, smells and emotions from another time. To me, music is all the things that we other wise wouldn't be able to possess, process or express.
I have many favourite songs, I have many favourite albums and many favourite artists. However, there are very few songs that mean so much to me, and have moved me in such a way that I could listen to it tomorrow, next year or the next decade and it still transports me in time and fills me up to the brim with happiness just because it exists, and I get to listen to it. Each one of these songs are like old friends, all with a different story to tell. I didn't choose them, they chose me.
here are their stories, in order of appearance:
1. Douglas Mountain- Raffi
A love for music has to start somewhere, and mine started with this song. Douglas Mountain is on Raffi's Singable Songs album, which I had on cassette tape. I would listen to it and then rewind back to the beginning and listen again and again. As far as music goes, this was my very first love. When I graduated from high school my mom gave me the sheet music so I could play it on piano, and now I play and sing it to my Goddaughter as she goes to sleep.
2. Human Nature- Michael Jackson
I was born in the eighties, and was around when the infamous "thriller" album was in its prime. When I was only around five years old I can remember practicing the moon walk and trying not to be scared of Michael's yellow contacts at the end of the Thriller video. My favourite song from the album was human Nature. I have no idea why. Today when ever I hear it I picture bright city lights and feel warm wind blowing through my hair. I remember riding down the 401 with my Uncle Todd as a little girl, feeling even at that young age, that I wanted to go places and do things that my little home town couldn't offer. I think it brings back the discovery of the world being big, and me being small- but that I have the power to fill in the gap. If I ever need inspiration or self-assurance, I listen to this song.
3. Southern Accents- Tom Petty
Growing up I can remember my dad listening to two things- Tom Petty and Pink Floyd. While Pink Floyd's Final Cut album is probably the music that will always remind me of my dad the most, it is Tom Petty's Southern Accents album that will always remain one of the most influential albums of my life. The song Southern Accents is the first song that made me sad. It still makes me sad, and I love it.
4. Wild horses- The Sundays
Though this is a very famous song by the Rolling Stones, I found it in a very strange way. As a kid I was a huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan- I think at one point I actually wanted to BE a vampire slayer. This song appeared on an episode of the show, only it was a cover by The Sundays. Though I grew to love the original version, and nothing can compare to it musically, The Sunday's version is the one that reminds me of sleepovers at my best friend's house, crushes on boys that probably didn't even know my name, and not quite fitting in.
5. Wheat Kings- The Tragically Hip
Sometimes fate happens, and that is what happened the day I found this song. This song reminds me of one of the most special people in my life, my best friend Antoine. During one of our countless adventures we found a CD in the player of his parent's rental car, and what should be on it but this mesmerizing, echoing, enchanting (enough ings?) piece of Canadiana. It took us a while to figure out what it was (Google was not yet a big hit), but we did! I can remember spending hours at the Oxford's house, making them put this song on repeat. It doesn't only make me think of Antoine, and how I sold my soul to him for bottled atlantic muscles (I am a true Newfoundlander), and how he offered me a friendship so profound I worry every day that I somehow took it all for granted- it also reminds me of the whole family, of having friends that people would give everything for, of having a second family that loves me as much as my first one do. Though it makes me sad for those days, this song ultimately makes me realize how blessed I am to have so many awesome people in my life.
6. What it is to Burn- Finch
During high school I almost went through a punk rock phase. Though I still love The Used (Smother Me was actually our wedding song), this song is pretty much the best thing that came from the almost phase.
7. Africa- Toto
My first day of university, the clock radio wakes me up as Africa is playing on the station. I knew I loved the song before then, but for some reason I always remembered that moment as being significant. Five years later, as I drove to my convocation, Africa came on the radio again. Coincidence? I think not!
8. 1000 Oceans- Tori Amos
This song doesn't remind me of anyone, despite the lyrics. This one is all for myself. Though I knew it before hand, the time in my life that it became important was during university, when it is so hard to grasp hold of your self, and just be happy with who you are. I'd like to say there is some profound reason why this song means as much to me as it does, but there isn't. Maybe a psychiatrist would tell me that I subconsciously chose it for myself because I feel like I have lost myself in the shuffle- but I doubt that's really the case.
9. Hallelujah- Rufus Wainwright
This was the first song I learned to play on guitar (yes, I know the Lenard Cohen version, and the Jeff Buckley version, but I'm a piano person after all). Since then I have had to play it for everyone. My dear friend Joan made me sing it for her every time I'd have a guitar in my arms. I sang it for the first class I ever taught. I sang it for a boy I had a crush on for like FIVE years and he finally asked me on a date. I sang it for contractors from London. Most importantly of all, my grandfather asked me to sing it for him on his 80th birthday, and he cried, and a moment was born.
10. The River Flows in You- Yiruma
I have a weakness for piano, obviously. When you dedicate a million hours of your life to something it tends to form a weak spot. I love this song, not because it reminds me of anyone or any time or any place. It's because I mastered it now, on my own, years after piano lessons and piano competitions. It's something I accomplished during a time when it seemed like I wasn't accomplishing much. In ten years time, it will remind me of my first real post-post-secondary job as a music teacher. It will remind me that I planed and executed a Christmas concert, by myself, and people loved it. It will remind me that I am still cool enough for grade eight students to appreciate me as a teacher. It will remind me that by playing it I started a music revolution in my home town and got kids involved in music, and it will remind me how awesome it is for me to have something I love so much it can change lives.
Jonny and I are keeping Valentine's day low key this year (though I am still dragging him to see "The Vow" on Friday) So my grand Vday celebrations happened tonight, with my three spirited 4Hers at the house.
This is what a Valentine's day party looks like with three seven year old girls:
First off, cupcakes. I baked- they decorated...
Here are the decorations:
And trust me, the table didn't look this neat and tidy when we were done.
Here is our finished product:
And now to enjoy them
Let's see how Spongebob Squarepants celebrates Valentine's Day (Apparently, Patrick gets really mad at him because he thinks he forgot his Valentine)
And what would a Valentine's Day party be without making some authentic Vday cards for Mom and Dad (and Jonny)
And... the grand finale. I, me, Mrs. Saunders.. the ex-music teacher/sub/4H leader, received my very own Justin Beiber Valentine (complete with sticker). Oh how his casual "un-tied" bow tie and slightly tousled hair makes me swoon (hahaha).
In between all the turmoil and stress of life, sometimes it's great just to be a seven year old girl for one hour a week. Along with cupcakes, Spongebob and folded paper comes a carefree happiness Hallmark cannot supply.
I am a substitute teacher, and what that means is... sometimes I have to spend A LOT of time at home. While my pooch is my number one most favourite thing lingering around the residents on a lonely week day, it's nice to be surrounded by lots of things that make you smile.
I love favourites lists... they are about taking the things you already experienced and laying them all out in front of yourself. These aren't things you want, they are things that are already you. It's about wanting what you already have right?
So, my first top ten list is about all those priceless things I have hoarded up at home with me, on cold winter days when work didn't call and on hot summer days while I wait for Jonny to get home and strike up the bbq. I hope you enjoy my instagram photos!!
1. My beloved Macbook Pro. I don't know how I lived with out it. And, it's true what they say... once you go Mac you never go back!! Ha!
2. Tree of Life wall hanging from India. This was a gift from my mom, and was purchased at 10000 Villages.
3. 1950s sock monkey. I came across this guy while Jonny and I were honeymooning in Maine. I fell in love with him instantly and held him very tightly to me as I explored the rest of the antique shop. The cashier basically had to pry him from my fingers to ring him in.
4. Wallflower nightlight from Bath and Body Works. It smells great and helps those that are afraid of the dark when they go to pee during the night. The best part about it was that I got it FOR FREE during a BBW promotion!!!!
5. Wooden Cookbook holder from Indigo. Jonny always gives the best surprises, I really don't know how he does it. I got this puppy along with a Michael Smith cookbook one year for Christmas. Maybe he just wanted to make it easier for me to whip him up a gourmet meal.
6. Handmade owl from the Yukon. This guy was a wedding present from my very very dear friends Antoine and Patti. He came all the way from the North West to sit upon my bedroom shelf- and I love him!
7. My vintage Yamaha. This guitar has a story, which makes it awesome! My uncle bought a house in Ontario many years ago, and what should be left in a closet but this lovely sounding music maker. I inherited it shortly after, being the musically inclined one in the family. After a little TLC it was in perfect condition, and I will never part with it!! All I know of it's origin is the name Al painted on the case.
8. My up cycled thrift store dresser. It's amazing what a coat of paint and some new hardware can do to a 10 dollar piece of furniture. I would take this over a "bedroom set" dresser any day.
9. Vintage desk over looking the front yard. This desk appeared to us as a dresser in the local Salvation Army, with a 15 dollar price tag. We bought it as part of our wedding decor, and used it to place programs and birdseed bags on. Now its a desk, complete with an old school chair, a colourful pier 1 chair cushion and an owl mug pencil holder. Who could not be happy checking their email in such a spot?
10. I have a lot of my own artwork around the house, but this tree is my favourite. My art may not be the greatest, or the most interesting- but looking at it everyday does give me a certain sense of self satisfaction. Every piece contains a lot of love.
So there you have it. 10 things that make me smile. My house may not be the matchiest, the tidiest, or the trendiest- but it's my home, and it is a little bit of the inside of me displayed on my outside!!
