Vancouver Island is filled with amazing little pockets of greatness. Being born and raised in Campbell River, I've been privy to extra special locations such as this one. Menzies lookout. The dirt logging road straight up a mountain didn't seem like much to me as a footloose and fancy free teen, however travelling up the road now requires some pretty intense anxiety self talk and yoga breathing techniques. Luckily I was safe with Kelsey and Cody, (Kelsey a yoga instructor and Cody a total mountain man) These two are just my kinda people. Can't wait for their Dolphins Resort wedding later on this summer. Bring on all the beautiful moments and memories. xo
Hummingbird Whisperer
Hummingbird Zen.
A mind at peace, a mind centred and not focused on harming others, is stronger than any physical force in the universe. ~Wayne Dyer
Our sweet neighbour let us know that she had been feeding the hummingbirds in the area, and that we should come over and get Maisie to try it (Elliot lasted about 2 seconds of "trying to be still") But Maisie was focused, calm and determined. We would talk about calming her energy, opening her heart, softening her energy. Letting the sweet little creatures know she would never harm them. The first night she waited about 40 minutes before one landed near her. (BW below). The next night we tried at our house, we kept Elliot inside (way too bouncy and unpredictable) and she went ahead with her calming and softening practise. They were all around her and all over her in a matter of moments. It was truly mesmerizing. (Second night colour photo below) We will be making this a regular practice. She absolutely loves it, it is so peaceful and filled with magic. Deep gratitude to our sweet neighbour Sue for enlightening us to her special practice. ox
2019: UPDATE New videos and photos added here from this year. 3 years of hummingbird magic. Every year has gotten more intense. I love reflecting on the journey of how this all come to be part of our lives. This year things really got exciting and even more amazing. What joy this brings to our lives. ox
The hummingbird whispering is getting out of hand. Actual hummingbird zen this gal. So! Crazy!!!
I am so lucky that my previous neighbor Sue was feeding them for years before we moved here in 2016. She showed me her feeders (she had 5 hanging off her deck) and I was instantly hooked and blown away. We started with one feeder and now I have 8 of them. I feed them a mix of sugar and water. When the feeders are the most crazy I am refilling 6-8 feeders twice a day. So Wild! These are migrating rufous hummingbirds that travel from Mexico to Alaska annually and have been coming here for years. I’ve read that they have remarkable memories so they remember feeders/flowers along the way and they are said to also recognize faces as well. Judging by their reaction to Maisie and I, I know they remember her and trust her. Look at them!! We have been feeding them for 3 years here and I have always been amazed by them but tonight... on the eve of this gals 9th birthday they totally blew our minds!!!!
*** update many of you ask what we feed them, and we feed sugar and water. Dissolve 1 cup of sugar to 4 cups of water. NO RED DYE. And clean feeders every few days. As mould grows quickly on the feeders.
The future is female.
If you're anything like me, you crave light. Crave it streaming in through your windows, the sky, the darkness. We all need to see something or someone spreading light even when all signs point to gloom. A rainbow glowing through the clouds after a never ending storm, the sun rising after a long night, a beautiful sunset after a hard conversation or finding a flash light in a power outage. All tend to feel like candles burning brightly for hope. These girls, they do that for me. Shine on soul sisters and love warriors. We can always use more light.
The future is female. xo
Halloween Photos for Cystic Fibrosis
Halloween Photos for Cystic Fibrosis!!!
In a few hours yesterday we raised close to $3,000. This did not happen by me alone.
This year my creative partner and I decided to rekindle the Halloween photos for donations concept with hopes of creating a little joyful spirit in the meantime while doing the event at Berwick retirement community here in Campbell River. The Berwick team headed up by Lynn and Wendy were the most amazing, accommodating, enthusiastic group we could ever hope to partner up with for this event. When we said "we might get close to 300 kids" Their response was "sounds like fun!". They so graciously opened up their space and homes to us and we are forever grateful. Thank you Berwick!
In fact, anyone we talked to about donating treasures, photos, pumpkins, time and energy to the event were instantly on board with an "anything you need" sort of attitude. This makes an event like this so much more amazing.
Our amazing sponsors included:
Most beautiful Harvest Pumpkins donated by SHAMROCK FARM
Decor Treasures donated by ART KNAPP, RALLY CO. , PIER STREET TRADING POST,
Balloons lovingly donated by BALLOONS 'N' MORE PARTY SHOP
Absolutely ALL printed material generously donated by RH PRINTING AND GRAPHIC DESIGN
Book prize packs sweetly donated by SAVE ON FOODS
Crayons and Coloring supplies graciously donated by Monk Office
Our story being printed in the paper by the fabulous folks at The Mirror
Your Photos can be be printed FREE from this event at PHOTO TECH (ABSOLUTELY LOVE THESE GUYS HERE!!)
All of our amazing graphic design was SELFLESSLY donated by my partner in crime SHANNON LIM who is an unreal force and the most amazing partner in creative crime that I would ever imagine. Together, the two of us are definitely better. Creativity shared is truly my favourite thing. Collaborating with this gem just never gets old, This event would have been utterly IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT SHANNON. Impossible. She makes it all make sense, thinks of things I never would and even DREW our colouring contest... HERSELF. Ya, she made them. WHAT?? No clip art needed, this artist is truly the real deal. Thank you Shannon for so generously jumping on board with a cause so close to my heart. It means more to me than anything. So grateful for YOU.
Thank you to the amazing Campbell River Cystic Fibrosis Chapter. These humans, these AMAZING volunteers get nothing in return. Barely a thank you, although we try... but without the entire crew of volunteers guiding the trick or treaters, taking donations, organizing the masses, the event would not happen without them. SO THANK YOU. Thank you all so very much for helping us make this event such a huge success.
AND FINALLY BUT NOT WITHOUT THE BIGGEST HUGS AND KISSES to each and every one of you who knew you would be standing in a potentially hour long line up... BUT YOU DRESSED UP YOUR WILD TRICK OR TREATERS AND CAME ANYWAYS. You knew! But you still came! I don't even know how to express my sincere gratitude for this amazing community I have surrounding me who SHOW UP for me, for us, for this cause, for photos, for love. THANK YOU. My uncle died of this vile disease and my good friend Kim Wood struggles to breathe every. single. moment. of every single day. You came. YOU SHOWED UP. I am so freaking grateful. I've been crying off and on all day, at everything, at nothing, and just thinking of how long that line was... but you stayed in it. You waiting, your kids were amazing. Not a cranky horrible line (from what I hear) no kids crying even. YOU ARE EVERYTHING.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.
I hope you enjoy a few of my faves from our event, and hope you all have a safe, fun Halloween.
Quadra Island Wedding Dreams
This year (and always) I have been blessed with the most amazing brides. Seriously. This amazing soul has been dreaming of her wedding since Grade 9. Every detail was so carefully thought out. Not painfully... but lovingly. Truly. Not only that but Mandy and Brad both... just oozed happiness and joy. That kind of wedding, that kind of love... really gets me excited to be a wedding photographer. Not only that, but this wedding was held at Gowlland Harbour Resort on Quadra Island and for any of you who don't have the pleasure of knowing Carmen.... she is the mastermind and powerhouse creative wedding magic maker behind making this all come together so flawlessly. This wedding was last night, (and no, I didn't really sleep last night) but I just wanted to share some of what I saw as their wedding highlights (I haven't even looked through all of their images yet) but I just HAVE to share. xo
Much love and thank you beyond words to Mandy and Brad, for choosing me. xo I am the lucky one.
