the power of one

Tonight is crisp and clear. One of those true Autumn nights for sweaters, scarves and gloves; for walking through leaves and the wafting smell of woodsmoke. There is something in the air. More than the vibrancy of Fall. There is a buzz.
It has taken over social media, coffee shops, offices, grocery store line-ups.
It is the topic on the lips of many citizens.

It is election night in Canada.

The road to this night has been long- the longest in Canadian election history. It was a battle. We are tired and bloody. But we didn't sit in apathetic trenches, my friends. Oh no. We fucking fought back.
Somewhere, somehow, some time ago, Canadians had become apathetic to the democratic process. Some said it was the youth vote that was missing. Voter turn-outs have been dried to a mere trickle.
And we had a man in power that left us feeling powerless.
But the cry went out, and we didn't turn our heads back to the Blue Jays game. We stood and we voted.

I have never been so proud to be a Canadian.
I have never been so proud of us


For 10 years we had a Prime Minister who did great damage to our country.
Steven Harper brought out the worst in us. He played on our fears and turned us against ourselves. We became suspicious. We placed blame. But sadly, it didn't take much.

We lived the fairytale that had gone wrong.
As in all fairytales there is a smiling villain. And as all good-hearted villagers, we succumbed to the curse that turned us into mindless sleepwalkers. Of course we knew that things were wrong but the villain just turned his mouth up at the corners and ignored our protests. But as all villains, his downfall was his arrogance and he underestimated us.

And we stood up at the voting booths. And we are being heard.

Steve didn't count on the people he discounted, banding together. Each group he overlooked, deemed no threat, unimportant.. Aboriginals, women, Muslims, artists, students, the poor.. all united with a common goal.
A feeling emerged: Don't get mad, get Stephen.

And we did.

As I sit here watching election results there is a red surge- The Liberal Party is sweeping across the country. It's greater than any of us could imagine. A majority government.

Honestly, I would have preferred to see a minority government with an NDP opposition, but I'll take what we can get. One thing at a time.


There's a huge mess to clean up and I hope that Justin Trudeau can reverse some of the damage, from environmental to economic. But for now we can all just breathe in relief. The oppressive regime is dead. We the people have spoken.

We may be polite, we may be peaceful, but don't ever underestimate us.
Don't ever disregard The Power Of One.

summer lovin'

Life has handed me a glorious opportunity this year.
I have been able to take the summer off.

There were a couple of days here and there to which I had committed but for the most part, me and the Summer were gonna make out in the tall grass. We were gonna frolic in the sand, exchange salty kisses in the ocean.

Winter was like a bad long-term relationship and once we finally broke up, I flirted with Spring, but really, Spring is just a fling... but Summer.. oh we had something special.
We had plans.

It couldn't have been simpler . There were only 2 things on the list:

1. Swim

2. Write


I swam

1 out of 2 ain't bad.


Sorry, Unfinished Novel, perhaps you and I will snuggle when it gets a bit cooler.  But Summer and I still have a lot of hot dates.

and there it was

Spring came in a breath.
It flew in. Or rather, I flew in to Spring.
And it was as lovely as I had hoped.

Washington DC played host to millions of people for the Cherry Blossom Festival.

It truly is a wonderful city. The last two times I have been in DC I've didn't have a chance to explore and appreciate it as I did this time. It is so wonderful to see in person the monuments and landmarks that appear in so many movies, television shows and photographs. And history.

And seeing it through the blossoms of thousands of cherry trees made it even better.
It was a photog's dream.

Everywhere was a cloud of pink and white. 

The majority of the trees are around the Tidal Basin, accented with the sight of many familiar landmarks and monuments. 

nothing says spring like blossoms bursting around a great phallic symbol 

millions come to see the blossoms.. I believe they were all there on this day

It was so uplifting to be where everything was growing 

When I left Halifax there was three feet of ice. A few hours later it was soft spring perfectly popping pinks.

Instantly joyous. 

springing spring

a real snow bird

This morning it snowed. Again.

It started in January and it hasn't stopped. 

Piles and banks of snow.

And this morning it snowed again. 

Many Nova Scotians woke up bitter at the sight.

As for me,  I've done what I've done for the last two months- I've decided to see the beauty in it.
And then I take photos. 

even the birds be like "what the f-??"

But there is another reason I'm not bitter about the weather. 

Tomorrow I won't have to worry about the snow. 

Tomorrow I will see Spring. 

Tomorrow I will head to Washington, DC for the Cherry Blossom Festival. 

I realize I may sound smug. That is not my intent. 

We've all hated those people hitting the tanning beds for trips to Cuba, DR or Jamaica this winter.
I don't mean to rub it in. 

But at this point it is every snowman for himself.
It's not about a Caribbean vacation, it's about seeing something bloom. 

Although I've been to DC before, I have never been during cherry blossom time and I look forward to taking so many many pictures.

not my picture, but I hope to take lots more like it

The last time I was there I lost all my photos of the monuments so I look forward to getting those shots again.  But mostly, I'm looking forward to the smell. The fragrance of grass and mud and blossoms. The smell of Spring. 

I'm also looking forward to not wearing boots. Or coats. Or layers of clothing.
And temperatures above 0 °C

um.. I'll take the one on the right please... my right.. 

So Spring, if you won't come to me, I will come to you.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow it will be Spring. 

want to spring ahead but keep falling back

This is the winter that doesn't end.

Today is the first day of Spring, and yet here in Halifax we are still digging out from a series of colossal snow storms. We are now called Snova Scotia.

It's interesting to see the effect that winter has on the psyche- the psyche of people and of place.
It is apparent in how people act, speak, move.

this bus stop ad doubles as instructions.. climb the other side? YOU climb the other side- I'm done

you don't say

The heavy snowfall and bad weather take tolls on our moods as well. Personally, I have noticed a sadness, a discontent, a crankiness and a fatigue that I know is climate induced. We live part of the year in winter, so I try to embrace it as much as I can. Photography helps see the beauty in it. But even that can only go so far

yes, yes, it is pretty..

Now I am tired.

I am tired of boots and coats and layers of clothing. I am weary of feeling weighted down in body, mind and spirit. The urge to hibernate, to stay in bed or in the house is so strong. But that only breeds more sadness. Even I know that too much time spent in my own head is not good. Even my solitary nature  says ENOUGH.


I want to feel grass. I want to wear sandals and feel the air on my feet, to see my pink painted toenails peeking up at me. I long to hear sounds that are not the sliding of car tires spinning in snow and on ice. Or the scraping of the snow plow shovels hitting pavement. I long to feel light, not claustrophobic to the point of panic.

yes, yes, it can be inspiring..

In two weeks time I will take a trip. This is not to a tropical place, but a more moderate one.
Washington DC will be treated to nearly 4000 cherry trees in blossom, and I'm going to be there. I'm going to feel warm spring and smell fragrant air and leave my coat and boots and baggage behind.







But for the next two weeks I will try to breathe and think warm thoughts and hope it is enough to melt the snow.

challenging channeling changing

Being a writer is a bit like being a schizophrenic. There are alway so many voices in your head.

Mine won't shut up. They are in some limbo yard, chattering and running and jumping at the walls to try to climb over and and jump for a chance to live a life on the page. They just want to be heard.

It's easy to see how writers are prone to maladies and madness. 

The solitude from which you feed also feeds from you. 

Nourish and deplete.

These self imposed writer retreats are much that way. 

When I spend a lot of time in the head of my characters it starts to affect my mood. I can become dark if their stories are dark ones. 

This is why it takes me so long to commit to sit. 

I know that once I do, it will spread like an ink drop in a glass of water. That's how I see the darkness enter me- swirling slowly down in a beautifully hypnotic process

But if I don't let it come out through my tapping fingers, the voices won't stop. 

The only way to make them quiet is to tell their stories. It's hard to say if it is an channeling or performing an exorcism. Chapters write themselves in my head, but only seeing the words in physical form will do. 

So that's what I am doing in my little retreat by the ocean in a winter storm- trying to free some souls and quiet some voices.

And walk that thin dark line.

my sweet retreat

storm stayed stay

There is something so lovely about being storm-stayed.

As children we long for storm days (only on school days of course) and even as adults we find ourselves saying that little wish before we go to bed the night before.

It provides that permission we don't often afford ourselves, that allowance to just do nothing. Or at least, not be held to any obligations. An official No Pants Day.  

Since before this day saw light, the Atlantic region has been getting the weather that was promised. A winter storm with icy breath sharing its snow and rain in many different forms. 

We Maritimers take our weather seriously.

The day before a storm always sees line ups at grocery and liquor stores. Many times the storms don't amount to much as the ocean can cause the forecast to change, but no one wants to take the risk of being storm-stayed without the essentials. 

I am cozy.

I'm sitting in a cottage by the ocean watching the storm hit the sea and the sea throw it back. Inside, the smell of the wood fire mixes with the aroma of simmering corn chowder and freshly ground coffee. CBC fills the air with classical music in the day and jazz in the night. 

Not a bad way to spend a stormy weekend. It was my hope to get stranded here, to use this as a writer's retreat. 

Sure I have solitude in my city apartment, but for some reason I feel more like a writer out here. I am definitely more inspired. At home there are always distractions- I should clean this, rearrange that.

But here, inspired by nature's ocean and elements, I find I can get more done.
Don't get me wrong, I love my little desk in the city, overlooking the downtown street, but a change of scenery is always good to reboost the creative process. 

febuary blew in

February 1 had winds so strong they could blow a wave right off the ocean

I don't care if it hurts to stand here

mind games

January 25 was a lovely day to visit the Halifax Central Library. I love this new space, and enjoy seeing so many use it in so many ways. I didn't ask for permission to take this shot, because I didn't want to interrupt the obvious intense concentration

I'd let you watch, I would invite you
But the queens we use would not excite you

just a little green

January 24 and it's always in the winter that I am drawn to green things. Perhaps because it is what we crave in this season. Also this bowl of limes and avacados made a very lovely guacomole

fresh faced flower found me foolishly fawning

January 20 came with a reminder that Spring isn't really that far away. This fresh faced flower brought some brightness to the day

what a difference a day makes

January 18 falls into the" what a difference a day makes" category. 

Yesterday's frigid, unbelievably cold (and painful!) temperature was replaced by a day dressed as Spring. 
It won't be long now before we can return to the ocean...

nothing can keep us apart

keep your brass monkeys in today

January 17 was beautiful, crisp, and so cold that my phone showed me a thermometer and refused to budge until it was warmer. 
But the sunset seem to paint the trees in the south end and as far as winter days go, this was a pretty lovely one

behind the news

My current contract is with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
CBC Halifax has recently moved into swanky new digs with a big open concept studio.
As I was walking by the news camera today I was treated to a different and interesting perspective.

everybody loves the sound of a train in the distance

sweet endings

January 12 ended with a lovely dinner at 2 Doors Down in Halifax with two dear and beautiful friends. 

Since time is now our hottest and hardest commodity, it's sweet to spend it connecting and catching up .. Made even sweeter by this salted caramel cheesecake with chocolate cornflakes on top

you had me at salty & sweet

not so bleak mid-winter

Oh how I miss you.

just a few more months and we'll be together again

so long sunday

January 11 was a beautiful day spent out of the city, returning in time to catch the sun setting over the harbour

panoramic of Halifax Harbour taken from Dartmouth

socializing and sinking balls

January 10 was a very busy day. 
As someone can find social situations quite uncomfortable, I have to say, I think I did my yearly quota of socializing today.

They were hello's and goodbyes and lining up shots

moments of magic

January 9 was a pretty ordinary day.
As I sat writing at my desk in the early morning, I happened to glance up to see the outside reflected; a snowglobe inside a snowglobe. It looked so pretty I had to stop to take a picture.

I love how the tiniest moments can insert little pieces of wonder into an ordinary day.