A Weekend in the Country...

I escaped to the country over the long weekend ... A weekend for family, being outside and welcoming Spring with outstretched arms!

As you can see in the photo above however, Winter was still lingering, but that did not deter Charlie from a swim in the pond. Every patch of snow he could find, he rolled in like there was no tomorrow. This time of year seems to be filled with thousands of new smells, at least from Charlie's perspective, and he stopped every few steps to take them allllll in!

I love to get outside this time of year (well anytime of year really) and take in all of the 'new'....the Spring flowers poking through the thawing soil, the birds that have returned form their winters in the south are chirping up a storm, the buds on the trees ready to pop open, where the sun is now rising and setting....It is an exciting time of year that reminds us of all of the potential that surrounds us!!

I also find it's a good time of year to reflect....as we start a new season, I also take the time to relax and look back on the events that have occurred the last few months....and also find myself perplexed as to how fast time seems to be flying by!

Our evening walk greeted us with this....

A sunny corner to curl up in, relax and reflect....

So fresh and bright...a true sign that Spring is right around the corner!

We aren't really a dessert family (I would rather have my cupcake/dessert for breakfast it would seem OR we have our 2am kitchen parties when we then feel the need to have our dessert), but how can you resist a Strawberry Shortcake!?

Another activity I realllllly enjoy this time of year is getting a jump start on the outdoor living season...ie. time to head to the local Garden Centre!!! My Mom and I (after getting my snow tires taken off), headed to one of my favourite landscaping supply stores just outside of Walkerton called Folmer Gardens.

I would have needed about 5 patios/decks and 5 acres for all of the furniture, urns, flowers and decor pieces I wanted to bring home with me, but in the end we decided on some hearty spring flowers to freshen up the planters/urns. I also got some flowers and new urns for my patio (more to come on those...let's just say, they're definitely going to add a "pop" to my back yard!  *wink wink*).

The photo above is the finished product of my parent's from porch....pansies, lanterns, willow branches (that I cut from their willow tree) and a handsome chocolate furry pooch (he just loves posing for pictures).

So....this was just Friday and Saturday of the long weekend.....stay tuned for the events of living a Bucolic Lifestyle on Sunday and Monday in an upcoming post!

BU·COL·IC

byo͞oˈkälik/

adjective

1. of or relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life.

   "the stone house is lovely for its bucolic setting"

   synonyms:rustic, rural, pastoral, country, countryside; 

RR

So Worth Loving..

BU·COL·IC

byo͞oˈkälik/

adjective

1. of or relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life.

   "the stone house is lovely for its bucolic setting"

   synonyms:rustic, rural, pastoral, country, countryside; 

What does it mean to live a Bucolic Lifestyle??

A lifestyle is all encompassing.... The physical and the emotional aspects. 

The country life includes the visual beauty of the surroundings, but also the emotional reaction to that beauty.  Living a Bucolic Lifestyle could and should include a sense of being at peace....of taking in what surrounds you and embracing it. It could and should mean being at one with yourself. It is a combination of the environment and how you react to that environment...and when you surround yourself with those and what you love....it should allow you to then love yourself and the life you have built for yourself. 

It should...that is the key thing...it should. However, one's reaction to their surroundings and their lifestyle is not always a direct correlation.

I stumbled across the website So Worth Loving on Instagram and immediately related to their message of loving ones self and empowerment! It is such an important message, yet, it is a message that can be extremely difficult to enact in ones own life. 

Their story is as follows:

"Before I founded So Worth Loving, before I had ever thought of customizing t-shirts or realized I could empower people with a simple message, I was just a little girl in a small town where everyone had an opinion of who you should be. As the youngest of three girls, I saw the struggle to meet the impossible standards for success set by the media and reinforced through peer pressure; but I also saw the strength that can be drawn from the support of your family and people who love you. Years later, it was that same support system that encouraged me to spurn conventional wisdom and pursue my passion for music, which ultimately provided me with a platform to spread this positive message. Struggling with the unfair expectations put on you is something you don’t have to do alone. And So Worth Loving is a community of people dedicated to spreading that message and helping empower people to pursue their dreams."

I sent an email to this amazing company after I wrote my last blog post, reaching out to them to share my story, but also to be sure it would be alright for me to share theirs. What a beautiful,supportive, appreciative and empowering response I received, thanking me for sharing their passion and encouraging me to spread their message.

And spread it I shall!!! I've written other posts about putting yourself first and it really is the truth....you must love yourself before you can love anyone else!

These are just some of their inspiring items that are available (just 'click' on the image to go directly to their store). I also love how they've partnered with Kal Barteski for the 'free to be' print (be sure to check out her work too)! 

What better way to spread the word of self worth then to wear those words or hang those words in your home for a daily reminder?!

Whatever lifestyle you choose to lead and embrace as your own, I truly hope that lifestyle starts with your being at peace with yourself.... YOU ARE SO WORTH LOVING!!

RR

**All images (excluding the tulips) are property of So Worth Loving

2014 - The Year of the Bucolic Lifestyle!

I'm so excited for 2014 and all the opportunities and possibilities yet to unfold! 

A fresh start...A clean slate... This is the year I've decided to get back to basics and get back to being me! 

I went downstairs, dusted off my vintage chalkboard and started to put together what 2014 will be for me... Words, phrases, ideas, lifestyle choices.... All things I currently try to embody and want to continue to, to keep improving on, to holistically integrate into my life!

Bucolic: of or relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life. 

The country life...the life I grew up in and with.  Rolling fields, acres of trees, babbling brooks, horseback rides, long walks, lying in the grass under the stars....A life of quality, not quantity...where less truly is more.

A life of happiness, laughter, dreaming and believing....Calm.......

I will continue to purge the unnecessary, to set goals, to believe, to breathe....to LIVE!

Ancora Imparo...still I am learning...but... Tout Sera Incoyables...everything is amazing!

As I'm still learning, still hunting for who I've not yet become....I decided it was time to take the next step and launch this new website. It is a work in progress and it has been the perfect opportunity for me to look inside myself and re-visit who I am....the true and honest ME!

I welcome you along on my journey this year....and I encourage you to continue on your own journey....

Orenda: a mystical force present in all people that empowers them to effect the world, or to effect change in their own lives.

Embrace that force, effect change in your life..... 2014 is going to be an AMAZING year...I can just feel it!

RR