Experiencing: Conifer Connect

Learning all about conifer trees at the VanDusen Botanical Garden Conifer Connect exhibit. Conifer Connect Did you know the oldest, tallest and largest trees on Earth are all conifers? Conifers are also critical in our fight against climate change with research showing coniferous forests absorb two and a half times...

Reading: Freedom Seeker by Yvonne Winkler

A dear friend and colleague of mine, Yvonne Winkler, wrote a book: Freedom Seeker. So much of her story deeply resonated with me, as I am sure will with so many other women who’ve been through the burnout cycle, drowning ourselves in whatever our vice we choose while in denial...

Poem: Fear

Fear It is said that before entering the sea a river trembles with fear. She looks back at the path she has traveled, from the peaks of the mountains, the long winding road crossing forests and villages. And in front of her, she sees an ocean so vast, that to...

Poem: The Moment

The Moment The moment when, after many yearsof hard work and a long voyageyou stand in the centre of your room,house, half-acre, square mile, island, country,knowing at last how you got there,and say, I own this,is the same moment when the trees unloosetheir soft arms from around you,the birds take...

December 18, 2022 Snowy Beauty

[envira-gallery id='13464'] Japanese barberryBerbers thunbergiiBerbers thunbergii, colloquially known asjapanese barberry, is a flowering deciduousshrub commonly cultivated as an ornamentalplant. Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea isthe most popular cultivar of this species,known for its characteristic dark red to violetfoliage and bright red berries Scarlet firethornPyracantha coccineaScarlet firethorn (Pyracantha coccinea) is asemi-evergreen shrub...

December 14, 2022 Impressions of False Creek

[envira-gallery id='13346'] Plants Devil's darning needles Clematis virginiana Devil's darning needles is a climbing vine native to the Southeastern United States. This vine attaches by delicate tendrils and therefore does not harm its supporting structure. It is attractive to bees and hummingbirds while being deer resistant. The flowers on this...

December 10, 2022 Holly & Japanese Skimmia

[envira-gallery id='13252'] Common holly Ilex aquifolium Common holly (Ilex aquifolium) is an evergreen tree or shrub, recognized by the characteristic shape of its leaves and bright red berries. Its natural habitat is understories of oak and beech forests. Common holly is widely used in landscaping in temperate regions. Thick crown...

December 9, 2022 Dog Rose

[envira-gallery id='13232'] Dog rose Rosa canina The dog rose is a pale pink type of rose. The plant is known for "climbing" as it grows and can even be found climbing up different trees. References to dog rose date back at least to ancient Rome, and it is featured in...

December 6, 2022 Cold December Vibes

[envira-gallery id='13203'] Wintergreen Gaultheria procumbens Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) is a plant species also referred to as the following names: “American Wintergreen,” “Checkerberry,” “Boxberry,” and “Spreading Wintergreen." This plant is a member of the blueberry family. It’s mostly found in hardwood forests that have acidic soil and moderate shade. When crushed,...

Listening: The Utang Clan (Code Switch)

Podcast: Code Switch - The Utang Clan Utang na loob is the Filipino concept of an eternal debt to others, be it family or friends, who do a favor for you. It goes back to pre-colonial times in the Philippines, and can pass from one generation to another. And some...

Quote: Intergenerational Patterns – Hima Batavia

We had little to no idea on how to break the intergenerational patterns bestowed on us. It all sounds grating even now, but as third culture kids in our early twenties, swimming in pools of unprocessed trauma, and bouncing between conceptions of tradition and preservation, of progress and self-definition, we...

Experiencing: The Spirituality of Motherhood

In June, my university put on a colloquium (which they do a few times a year). They are always an incredible experience, as it is a gathering of the community – not just students, but also faculty and alumni. I always walk away having learned much, exploring areas that I...

December 5, 2022 Snowberries

[envira-gallery id='13174'] Common snowberry Symphoricarpos albus Common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) is a flowering deciduous shrub related to honeysuckle. Common snowberry grows in floodplains and woodlands throughout Canada and the United States. In these areas, it's important as a source of food for the ecosystems of deer, bears, and longhorn sheep. Common...

Reading: The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult

Finished reading the novel The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult About the Book “As the story unfolds, Dawn’s two possible futures unspool side by side, as do the secrets and doubts long buried beside them. Dawn must confront the questions she’s never truly asked: What does a life...

Reading: Midnight’s Children

North Vancouver City Library Adult book club November book Excerpts “I am the sum total of everything that went before me, of all I have been seen done, of everything done-to-me. I am everyone everything whose being-in-the-world affected was affected by mine. I am anything that happens after I'm gone which...

December 1, 2022 Winter Berries

[envira-gallery id='13118'] Evergreen huckleberry Vaccinium ovatum A prized fruit in summer, evergreen huckleberry is native to the Western Pacific United States and British Columbia. The small, round fruit is similar in taste to a blueberry but with a more intense and sweet flavor. This makes them a perfect choice for...

Garden Retrospective 2022

Vegetables The three sister’s trellis patch was the absolute winner. The squash will probably do much better with more frequent attention, especially with the trellis. We were delightfully surprised the corn did so well! We’re excited to do more corn next year. As well, the pole beans and sweet peas...

Reading: Protect the Flame (Otto Scharmer)

Circles of Radical Presence in Times of Collapse Otto Scharmer Sep 6 Reflections by Scharmer on gatherings he had been to recently and the themes he was noticing. Both gatherings were convened with the intention to reimagine our path to a future that is regenerative, peaceful, and just. Otto Scharmer...

Listening: Andrew Explains the Commons (It Could Happen Here)

It Could Happen Here Podcast - Andrew Explains The Commons Oct 30, 2022 • 28 min Andrew walks James and Gare through the history and theory of the institution of the Commons. Andrew Explains the Commons (on Youtube as Andrewism) Based off Elinor Ostrom's research on the Tragedy of the...

Listening: Connect with Your Ancestors (Life Kit)

Podcast: Life Kit - Connect with Your Ancestors (Ancestral altars are for everybody. Here's how to create one at home) Camara says learning about your ancestors can be joyful and surprising that getting to know the people who came before you can help you understand yourself. Marielle Segarra, Host of...