In the arms of an angel.

I find the first few days back after a visit home are always the hardest.  

When I'm relieved to be back in my own space, cooking in my own kitchen and sleeping in my own bed..but there's a small void in my heart knowing that I am once again a country's distance from my parents, from the safe cocoon that seems a lifetime away from the realities of day to day living.

But as I sit here in the pale, early morning light filtering through the window, the snow is falling silently outside.  

I know how blessed I am to be here.  

Our home is cozy and warm, the house smells of home baked goodness as the blueberry muffins bake in the oven.  

It's a snow day here today and I think the muffins will go perfectly with a day of tea drinking, Sachi belly rubs and watching movies.

And to top it off, a lovely surprise from a dear friend!

So adorable..so delicate..and what perfect timing.  

From the butterfly in her hair to the amazing detail in her angel wings, she is absolutely perfect in every little way.  

And I love her open arms.  

We're going to be good friends, she and I.  

Because everyone needs an angel of their own and handcrafted is the best there is.  

So to A, thank you, thank you, thank you!

Hope this blustery day finds you in the arms of an angel as well.

Keep warm and safe today!

xo Blue Gnome

Home Is Where The Heart Is

Photo credit: Yoshiko & Kasturo Kaji

We are home for a couple of weeks - and by home, I mean the place I come back to, time and time again to seek shelter from the storms and to escape from the hustle and bustle of "big city living".  Despite the growing popularity and booming population of this once sleepy town in the Okanagan valley, this place will always be a quiet, safe haven for me, a place where no matter how old I get, I will always be my parents daughter first, and whatever other identity I am out there, second.  

I suppose then that it's not so much the geographic location I call home, but home to me is truly where my heart is; 

with my family.

I've been experiencing an interesting bit of identity crisis since my arrival here - I've found myself on numerous occasions referring to my mother as "mama" to Leo..

then I catch myself and think, "wait a sec..that's your grand-mama..I'm your mama!" which even after 8 months is still a strange thought to me.  

When in random conversations I'm asked if I have any children, the knee-jerk reactive answer is usually no..

then a pause..and then the embarrassing, 

actually, um, yes, I have a son..

which you can imagine results in some very strange looks.  And because of all of this, I am forever paranoid that I might forget Leo somewhere..on a park bench, at the store..and have on more than one occasion had momentary panic attacks when I've had a sitter for the day and been out and about on my own, convinced that I've left him next to the back door, in his car seat, wondering where the heck his feather-brained mother's taken off to without him.  

Thankfully nothing of the sort has happened..yet.  And even if it had, I certainly wouldn't be admitting it on a blog!

And this trip has been an indulgent one with great food, great family, great friends.  

What more can a girl ask for?  And the scenery hasn't been bad either.

  Photo credit: Yoshiko & Katsuro Kaji

With fall just around the corner, I hope you're all getting outside and enjoying the last of the sun drenched days and crimson sunsets.  

If only I could bottle up a little of this Okanagan summer magic to take home with me..

xo Blue Gnome

Can't See The Forest For The Trees

My holidays are sadly coming to an end, the past little while in beautiful British Columbia has been a refreshing change from the daily ritual of domestic duties and the humidity of the hectic, city air.

Coming home truly is about rejuvenating your soul; the endearing family banter, home grown comforts that you never tire of no matter how old you are.  We all seem to fall right back into our family roles, even a high ranking executive working in a busy, fast paced city becomes someone's son or daughter, older or younger sibling, granddaughter or grandson.   No one here cares how important you are at work, you still do the dishes after dinner and get yelled at for forgetting to turn your parents sprinkler off all night.  It's where that dish you made out of paper mache in the first grade still holds the spare car keys and paper clips in the kitchen drawer, where you still find yourself calling your friends parents "Mr & Mrs Gray".

CHBC News, August 2003

There was a huge forest fire here in 2003 caused by a lightening strike during a hot August day when the forests were tinder dry.  Although the landscape here is slowly and surely recovering, it saddens me to know that things will never look the same in my lifetime.  The fire seems to have cleared the way for rapid development in these parts, the old secret campgrounds have been replaced by new roads trying to keep up with the ever growing population here.  Faint noises of construction equipment can be heard above the sound of the trickling stream in the early morning air.

Things are changing..times are changing.

My parents are thinking of moving on, not unlike the wildlife on this mountain who are being forced onto higher ground and into the slowly diminishing cluster of forest to escape the blanket of residential communities slowly making its way into what once used to be dense pine habitats.

I hope that this city never forgets how beautiful it is here.  I hope they realize before it's too late that what they're tearing down on these mountains is what makes this place heaven on earth.

But nature will persevere.  The lake is still cool, clear and pristine, the mountains majestic and proud.  I've seen a couple of bald eagle nests on this trip, claiming real estate with the best 180 degree lake views this side of the Rockies Mountains.  The quails still criss cross the mountain roads with their mind boggling number of chicks in tow and my parents have woken up to find moose in their backyard.

Folklore Series:  Sterling, Labradorite

With this in mind, I've created a distinctly Canadiana pendant.  The labradorite was first found in Labrador, Canada in 1770 and this sterling pendant houses a particularly gorgeous, flashy labradorite specimen.  Part of my Folklore Series, available in my shop.

xo Blue Gnome