VICTORIA DAY WEEKEND IN CANADA

Monday is a holiday. Victoria Day! For most people it is just exciting to have a long weekend when the weather is nice. There are some seasonal rules. Can't wear white until the Victoria Day weekend. The farmers warn don't plant your garden or crops until after the long weekend. This year it is a few days earlier than normal. So do we delay the rules??? It is a busy time for all the garden centers across the country as many people do attack their gardens for the next few days. Plants, bushes, potting soil, and stones for the paths are major purchases. Those with cottages, pack up the cars to go and open the cottages for the coming cottage season. Fireworks on Monday are a must. There are many places to go and see them. I just look out my windows to try to find one that I can see from a distance. Wonderland in Vaughan always has a good display! Hopefully some good eating with backyard barbecues! So what are you doing this weekend? Enjoy! Queen Victoria would love it!

KEEPING FEELINGS CONTAINED

Keeping your feelings contained can take effort. There are days with too much happening. Home, personal and work can be overwhelming. So how to manage it all. The old saying for work, leave your personal stuff at the door. Concentrating on the job at hand can help to manage the many stresses in a day. Remember worrying or trying to do too much does not help any situation. Rest, eat healthy and take breaks as needed are important too. Know your own limits. If feeling overwhelmed, try not to spill those feelings onto others. Walks and breaks at lunch help to clear the head. Find ways to identify why you are feeling what you are feeling. Are current events triggering old memories? Is it a time of year that had been difficult previously? For example, old grief issues may resurface. Something in the present brings up those old feelings. So what to do. Go with them. Identify them and find ways that work for you to deal with them. Brooding may not work. So a physical activity gently approached may help to burn some energy. Weeding a garden for example is a good metaphorical way to work through many things. As you pull out the weeds often it can coincide with weeding some of your thinking or feelings. Putting your feelings in "nice pots of flowers" allow growth and room to enjoy the day. Being human means there are good, bad and ugly days. Being happy does not mean one feels happy all the time. But finding happy activities does help. So how are you feeling today? Are you finding it difficult to enjoy the life around you? Start with something small! Allow those positive feelings to emerge!

NANA SAYS GET OUTSIDE FOR FAMILY FUN

With nicer weather, outdoor activities can be on the agenda. Children and adults alike need the fresh air. Even though lots of sunscreen is used, some Vitamin D from sunshine is good for our health too. Using all the venues available to you- a backyard, a local park, the community centre pool or in the really warm weather those wonderful splash pads. Picnic lunches or dinners can be fun too. Lots of lovely picnic dishes available which are reusable or use environmentally friendly paper plates, cups and napkins. Those with cottage properties lots of adventures can happen there. The campers are gearing up for late spring and summer adventures. Consolidating those swimming lessons with pool or lake swims make it fun for all. With boating, life jackets please!! Evening bike rides or long walks are easy opportunities to explore an area and leave the gadgets at home so some real talking can occur. My favourite thing is eating outside as much as possible. Using some strategies to deter the bugs and wasps are necessary as there is nothing worse than batting them away during a meal. Often little people do not like them and want to go inside. The outdoors calls.

HYACINTHS ARE BLOOMING IN CANADIAN GARDENS

The hyacinth is the fragrant spring flower that brings colour to the garden. From Mythology named after the Greek hero whose blood shed- Hyacinth. In some cultures like Persian, it is a flower used at Nirooz and can be found at weddings.

The garden with its colour.

 

 

Can't you just smell the marvelous fragrance of the hyacinth?

 

RELIEF BRINGS A TIME FOR RENEWAL

Relief comes in many forms. A test is over. The weekend arrives. A long drive has a restful end. A hard day is over. Sometimes there are months or even years of difficulty. Like the war in Europe and the end of World War Two. The cost of day care. The teen years. When an end finally comes, there is the rebuilding, the renewing, the beginning of the next phase. Often just burning and crashing. Stopping and getting off the treadmill. Reviewing the world around us. Deciding what worked and what needs fixing. Spring and summer months with the call to go somewhere to relax give us some time to enjoy the relief. Renewal! Hopefully enjoying the relief for a time before the next crisis begins. But really hoping there will not be one for a very long time! So am I feeling relieved today! Well yes! Have you been through some hard times and are now relieved? Oh life's trials and tribulations!!

WHAT IS A MOTHER?

A Mother carries you for up to 40 weeks just under her heart. The pain of childbirth gives way to a new life. She feeds, holds, cleans and loves her babies that grow into big people eventually. She always cares and worries about her children. Letting go to grow is a difficult mother's task but she does it. Then an amazing thing happens. Her own children can become amazing parents. So to all the mothers out there, those who lost their mothers, those women who are just motherly- Happy Mother's Day!

TULIPS IN A MAY GARDEN

Taking a few pictures of my tulips in the garden has given me some inspiration to find larger beds with these beautiful spring bulbs.

The variety and colours are always inviting.

Of course, many purple varieties!

One of my favourite pictures from the trip to Ottawa during the Tulip Festival in 2011. A gift from the Dutch- the many tulip bulbs for every spring. So if you can't get to the Netherlands then go to Ottawa in the next couple of weeks or just walk around your neighbourhood looking for the beautiful tulips. Do you have tulips in your garden?