Under the trees

Spent some wonderful moments in the past few days lying under trees. I visited a friend (from Inuvik!) on Vancouver Island over the weekend. We went kayaking from Cowichan Bay to Genoa Bay and back. Then, we gathered some goodies from a local bakery and cheese shop before winding up the hill to the “butter church,” a local legend. We sat in the graveyard under an oak tree and had our afternoon picnic/nap. I don't know what it is about sitting under the shade of a tree that makes me feel like a child again, with the wide world of possibility and potential completely infinite and yet all within my grasp.

Did the Grouse Grind with another friend yesterday. I felt as though I would die by the time we were a quarter of the way up the mountain, but I did manage to reach the top! I suppose it is good incentive to get into shape this coming year up in Inuvik. I'm going to force myself to go swimming more, and am even seriously contemplating going to the gym (imagine that!!). The woods on the side of Grouse were absolutely magical and spiritual. I could have just stood there and stared up at the light filtering through the branches forever. After a Greek meal, our reward for doing the Grind, we lay underneath the shade of a tree in the park, and walked around Deer Lake to take photos.

Let's see.... What else has been happening here? The weather has been absolutely gorgeous since my return to Vancouver. We've had only a couple of days of drizzle altogether. I've done my share of eating and shopping. Got my haircut this afternoon, and I'm not sure if I like it. I've been getting accustomed to having long hair again, and numerous people had commented over the past few months that long hair suited me. Oh well, it'll grow back. At least the fried and brittle and strangely orange (always happens in the summer) ends are now gone.

Summer is winding down. There are still a few friends I have to see before leaving to go back north. I also need to mentally prepare myself for another year in Inuvik. I think that this is the year that I must look for alternatives to staying up there and being complacent. This is the year to devote myself to personal projects outside of work. I should seriously take up my writing again. I should bludgeon (and yes, I mean bludgeon) my friend into teaching me the fiddle. I should dust off my French. I should buy that digital piano, cost be damned.