This beautiful highway is etched in my memory. So grateful last summer my family and I took a trip out west to BC. We landed in Vancouver spent a few amazing days exploring with a family member who toured us around the city. We saw beautiful gardens, hiked Lynn Canon Falls, Grouse Mountain, biked around Stanley Park and more.

We then took the ferry to Vancouver Island and stayed a week at the most quaint little place ever, Maple Bay. Our sundeck looked out on the scenic Maple Bay with Mountains and the ocean at our doorstep. Highlights included, sailboats, sun, mountains, ocean and the most amazing sunsets. We toured around up and down the magnificent mountains and toured a lot of the island.

We went to Victoria one day, I love that place it is so beautiful. We parked the car walked around a bit, took a cool little boat / ferry from the docks of the coolest little colorful water houses across the bay to the oldest China Town in Canada and had a memorable lunch.

We took a lot of day trips from our base of Maple Bay and toured the West coast of the Island, stunning scenery making stops along the way to visit Botanical Beach and so many other little places along the way. Lots of hiking and stops to take photos, we will never forget the many sights including a baby cub & deer walking along the remote highways.

We came back to Vancouver and were sad to fly out the next day. My kids and I still reminisce about what an amazing trip we had. We still cannot believe how much we saw & did whilst we were there.

More memories include whale watching, time spent in Whistler for a week, going up the gondolas and walking down part of the mountain as we found out we were fearful of taking the open air down.

This trip was definitely was one for the “memory bank”, as my Dad liked to say. So grateful for such a wonderful time with so many incredible memories to last a lifetime. The photo is an encaustic photo collage I created from my trip to remember the beautiful adventure on that famous Sea to Sky Highway.

Talk soon ~

Nancy

My son and I pretended we were tourists in Elora / Fergus today.  We are so blessed to live in Wellington County with so many wonderful places to explore.  There are so many fun adventures to do literally in our backyard.  

Today my son Noah and I got up early, ok not so early he slept in as it was a PD day.  I semi planned out day prior to our adventures with a prebooking of a  timeslot at the Fergus Tennis Club for 11:30.  We are newbies this year to the club, we rallied the ball, sweated and had lots of giggles.   I have to say we did okay and are looking forward to our next tee time, oh wait that is golf.  

Our next stop was a last minute reservation to the Lafontanna Elora restaurant.  My son is a bit of a picky eater and I thought perhaps he would like a wood oven fired pizza.  He didn’t like it, he loved it!  Yeah for Mom, he also loved sharing our sausage & pasta entree.  

We had an amazing view, I called it the million dollar view.  Together we watched the swans, baby geese and even a blue heron fly over the beautiful grand river.  We giggled together watching the robin who was flying over us and nesting on the canopy nearby.  My son wanted to tell the table of women next to us about the nest but they were too busy chatting and not paying attention, we then giggled more when he loudly said, “mom look at that nest!”, trying to get a response from the women.

Dessert was simply sinful when a 7 or 8 layered chocolate plate arrived in front of us, more giggling as we split yummiest chocolate ever.  

After watching a canoe and kayak floating in the river we decided we would end our date with a paddle on the grand river.  A new canoe rental business, Elora Paddle Co. two doors away from us was the perfect ending to our day.

This is the view of our restaurant from the canoe ride, the weather was perfect with a sprinkling of rain when we got out of the canoe.  We went to the waterfalls by Bissel Park and then paddled our way towards the main bridge in Elora.  

One of my most favorite moments of the day was when my son Noah held my hand crossing the street and said, “thanks for a great day I love you Mom!”  This absolutely melted my heart, he is 12 and still wants to hold my hand.  I know this will not last forever as my Daughter who is now a high schooler does not like to acknowledge me when I drop her off at school.

I am going to hold on to this memory for a very long time. My Dad would say, “this was one for the memory bank” – PA

 

Talk soon 

 

Nancy

 

 

My Father always told me from an early age, “find something you love and you will never work a day in your life!”

My Dad didn’t just say this, he lived it.  He started his own construction business in his early 20’s than later apprenticed and became an owner/operator of standard bred race horses in his mid 40’s.  He was lucky to have two passionate ventures in his life.

I have tried many career pathways in my lifetime and have never seemed to follow a traditional pathway both personally or professionally. I am a bit of a late bloomer, still trying new things and finding out my likes and dislikes along the way; striving for more happy days.

Thanks Dad for your wise words.  I shared this with your Granddaughter Megs yesterday while driving home from the “Girls Can Fly Event” which took place at the Waterloo Regional Airport. 

My 15 year old daughter recently took a career and civics course in grade 10 this year and had identified an interest in becoming a pilot.  Wow, honestly how cool is that at 15 to think you want to be a pilot. 

I commend all professional career persons who have had the dedication, ability and support it takes to turn a dream into a reality.  How does that happen? 

Perhaps this is what her great grandfather Len Ariss a pilot had felt his calling at such an early age. He later went on to build the Guelph airport, a small airport which he owned and operated for over 50 years in the community. Many successful pilots learned to fly on the two runways, one of my childhood friends Susie lived out on the airport strip of houses.  She always knew she would be a pilot from a very young age.

Susie later became a fighter pilot and a graduate of the Royal Military College.  I have fond memories of looking up at her bedroom ceiling during sleepovers watching the glow of a space galaxy.  I watched her take all of the necessary steps to do all of the things she needed to do to achieve her goals.  I admired her tenacity, hard work and knowing what she wanted to do when she grew up from a very early age.

I find it so interesting to see how people find their paths.

Whilst talking with one of the captain women pilots at the event yesterday she said one of the most valued skills in piloting is common sense.  I shook my head in agreement as I would certainly want my pilot flying my jet in the skies to be well equipped with common sense.  I thought she would have said the most important thing would have been strong math and sciences, important but not more important than a good head on your shoulders.

I have always wanted to take my daughter to the event.  What a thrill to see the big smile of hers when she put on the captains hat and coat and stood beside the big jet to have her proud Momma take a photo.  Perhaps one day she will fly that plane and take me as a passenger what a thrill that would be for our family. 

I would also be happy if she stayed on land and worked a local retail outlet or whatever occupation she chooses that pays the bills and puts a smile on her face.  I honestly get what my parents have said to me all along.  They just wanted me to be happy with whatever I did!

Another sage piece of advice my Dad gave me along the way was “happiness is an inside job!”

I pray my children will be happy and healthy and will find their happy in whatever they decide to do.  They have our 100% support with whatever they do, I just hope they choose wisely.  I am now sounding like my Mother, I know this is something she would have said to me.  Funny how when your growing up you never want to be like your parents, and now looking back I am truly honored to have pieces of them in me.

Sadly both my parents passed away last year, their memories, advice and love shine bright in the stars above.  I asked my Dad shortly before he passed how would I know he made it to my Mom.  He took a few moments to answer and then said, “dancing with the stars.”  I didn’t really understand what he meant. 

I know without a doubt it is my parents dancing in the stars, they are reunited and are now dancing in the stars together.  

I hope you will enjoy your day either flying the skies or with both feet firmly planted in the ground.

Talk soon 

Nancy ~