My Motto...

......................................................

RR

Dear Summer.....So long for now...

Another summer has flown by.... I'm literally sitting here thinking to myself.."where the heck have the past few months gone!?"....

I was sitting on the patio the other morning with a latte and a magazine, there was a slight chill in the air as black walnuts fell around me..a sure sign that Fall is well on its way.

A last 'pop' of summer colour...

One of the last bonfires....

My back deck bounty....it's harvest time!

The Sea Buckthorn is ready to be picked!

Even the sunsets take on a different glow at this time of year....

Sunflowers...the PERFECT Fall flower!

Beautiful bouquets at the market...perfect for a Fall table scape.

I've already started Fall wreaths for clients....let me know if you'd like me to put one together for you!

Charlie and I went for a walk this long weekend...the morning mist and colours look like Fall is just around the corner.

YEAH!! It's sweater and jeans time again! Love this ensemble from Blushshop!

As much as I love the long, sunny days of summer, I am ready for Fall....the cooler days/nights, the changing leaves, the bounty from the summer's growth....You'll still find me on the deck/patio/beach....I'll just have a nice warm sweater and quilt with me!

I have to say, I think Fall may be my favourite time of year!

RR

P.S. I've also 'claimed my blog..Follow my blog with Bloglovin

The allure.....

....of the majestic boathouse...

There is something romantic about a boathouse....being right on the water, hearing the water lap against the hull of the boat, the hours spent on the dock soaking up the sun or wrapped up in a blanket looking at the stars...

They are a key part of the quintessential cottage experience...

To me...a cottage just doesn't feel quite complete without one.

Our boat house at 'camp' on Clearwater Bay, just west of Kenora,  held many memories of bombing off the end of the dock into the quite chilly waters of Lake of the Woods, the many fish that were cleaned and filleted by my Grampa/Dad/Uncles, the boats it housed that pulled us water skiing or that we lounged in as we fished and the HUGE Snapping Turtle and Musky that called it home.

If I am ever lucky enough to one day have a cottage, I really, really hope it has a boathouse...the feeling of pulling up in the boat, getting the angle just right to moor, climbing out onto the dock...it's just the perfect welcome to the cottage from the water.

Hope you have a wonderful long weekend!

RR

Some words for the week ahead....

Happy Sunday and hope you have a wonderful week!

RR

**Photos can be found in my Pinterest folder "Words to Live By' but was unable to locate sources.

Faux Bois Reveal...

Remember these..??

And this....?

I had plans to have these chairs (with great bones) re-upholstered with this faux bois fabric from Tonic Living.

Well...

They're done.....

FINALLY!!

And here is the finished product!...

It may have taken a bit of time, but I am soooo happy with the end result! I really do love how they turned out!

Now....to find the perfect pillows for them ;) .....

RR

Pyrrha and FIG

I'm a HUGE fan of shopping locally and even more so of purchasing/supporting a truly Canadian product!

I was downtown Guelph with some gal pals a while back and we walked into a shop called POD Designs. It is SUCH a funky shop, with amazing selection and variety of products...I didn't know where to start!

The two main items that caught my eye were the Pyrrha Jewelery and the FIG Clothing.

Here is  the bio on the designers and creators of Pyrrha Jewelery:

DESIGNER BIO

From their Vancouver studio, jewelry designers Wade Papin and Danielle Wilmore handcraft the heraldic talismans cast from 18th and 19th century wax seals that have become the Pyrrha signature. “Jewelers traditionally try to make everything look perfect, say Danielle and Wade, “but we like to show the maker’s hand. We celebrate the original cracks in the waxes.”

The pair designed the Pyrrha Talisman collection after they came across a box of 19th century wax seals. “Making jewelry out of them was inspired by a desire to give the fragile waxes new life and permanence.” say Danielle and Wade. The handcrafted, thoughtful pieces are a striking contrast to the glut of overseas factory made, mass produced jewelry that is so common in their industry. Wade and Danielle explain, “everything seems to be cranked out at a staggering pace and then left for dead. Because we live in such a throwaway society, it’s necessary to create some things that can be kept."

The story behind this jewelry is incredible! Each piece is so unique and inspiring, I am still having difficulty choosing which one I would like for myself! 

This is one of their new pieces that I am really leaning towards....

Follow Your Dreams Talisman Necklace

This handcrafted talisman necklace features an eagle with wings spread, which is symbolic of the freedom obtained by following your dreams. The rose signifies the passion that is ignited by doing what you were meant for.

The other great find I came across was FIG Clothing!

From their website:

"FIG Clothing is a Canadian sportswear brand for active, urban and elegant women who love to travel. The collection is inspired by adventure and practicality. It is designed for those in need of versatility. Each mini-collection is made of its own unique fabric to provide maximum freedom of movement. FIG is essential for travelling in comfort!"

This is their Fall 2013 Safari Collection.

The Guelph and Elora POD stores are holding a contest today (Friday) that if you go in and try on a FIG item, you could win $150!

I have a few pieces of their clothing already and I LOVE them for their comfort, style and durability! They are my new 'go-to' for outdoor wear, travel and sports gear!

Pyrrha is based in Vancouver and FIG is based in Montreal, so they truly do encompass both coasts of this country and it is so good to see amazing products being produced right here at home!!

If you have a chance this weekend...get out and explore your town/city and see what other Canadian businesses you can support and let more people know about!

 SPREAD THE CANADIAN LOVE! SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS!

RR

Slight Change In Plans....

So...we had a cottage booked for a weeks vacation that my friend, her kids and I had planned for almost 2 months...or...at least we thought we did. When she called to confirm pick up of the keys, she got the news....we had been double booked and the people who they had also booked were already there ....

Needless to say...after our anger subsided (we do have a free weekend coming our way though after this complete mess up on their part) we hopped online to see what else we could find.

Most cottages were already booked for the week (of course) but I did find this great cottage rental website via Cottage Life.... I also found some cottages in the Bayfield area that I would realllly like to go to this Fall!

My friend and I are outdoorsy types so we decided to have a look at some of the Provincial Parks to see what they had available for campsites...

Well...we were in luck! I had heard about how some of the Parks have permanent camping structures called Yurts and we were able to reserve one for 2 nights at MacGregor Point, just south of Port Elgin (and literally right around the corner from the cottage we were to have rented)!! I enjoy tent camping as well, but the thought of having a bed, electricity and a solid structure overhead helped to soften the blow of going from a week at a cottage to a few days of camping. 

As you can see, the Yurts are PERFECT for winter camping too  as they're quite well insulated (no, it did not snow while we were there) and we plan on going back for a weekend of cross country skiing and snowshoeing. 

The change in plans also meant a trip to Canadian Tire for some camping supplies...and the great thing about this time of year is that a lot of the gear is on sale!! I'm a BIG fan of Coleman products (they even have a Lantern App for your smartphone) and my new set of pots and pans sure came in handy!

So we packed up the vehicles and off we went. First stop in Port was for lunch down by the lake, a walk around the harbour (see below) and then for groceries that needed to be kept cold...and ice! 

Then,.. off to the Park to check in, get our permits and get set up! Once we were set up, we set off on a hike around a wetland called the Tower Trail.

 

There was literally a tower we could climb and take pictures of the beautiful and serene setting...we saw turtles, a variety of birds, frogs etc... The kids loved it!

Then, it was back to the site to get dinner ready...I was a camp counsellor 'back in the day' and those fire making skills came in handy!

Camping food porn!!

We settled in for the night and kept cozy around the fire.....

The next day was filled with more hiking (we did the 6km Old Shore Road Trail) and we also headed to the beach for some relaxation (I also had a conference call from the shore as well).

We had a picnic here while hiking the Old Shore Road Trail....

My friend and her kids...

Amazing views and scenery...

The Beach....the Lake.....Time to just relax...

We took what could have been a very upsetting situation and turned it into an adventure...We have also started a great new tradition...let alone finding all of these new places to explore and come back to!!

I'm thinking maybe Algonquin next summer......

Hope you all had a great long weekend and if you're on vacation this week like I am...ENJOY!!!

RR

Long Weekends = Weekends Outdoors

I take every excuse I can to get outdoors (if you're a regular reader of my blog you already know this), but even more so on a summer long weekend.

Whether it's walking the beach at sunset, rollerblading a lakeside trail, horseback riding through the forest, or sitting on a patio having drinks with friends we really do need to take advantage of the short summer season we have!

We can't all get away for the weekend or a holiday and  taking that into account, why not turn your back yard into your own retreat?

Lonny Magazine has an amazing gallery of patio, deck and outdoor spaces. I have included some of my favorite and hope these inspire you to turn your home/space into your own holiday getaway space..that you get to enjoy everyday!

LOVE everything about this space...literally EVERYTHING!

The chairs, the brick wall, the coziness....and of course the Hermes blankets!

Love the idea of using tall shutters for privacy....and the wicker/rattan furniture, animal print rug & french doors....

That pool....

An outdoor fireplace!

The greenery, the brick patio and the huge expanse of windows to let the outdoors in...

Rustic stonework...

Wow....I could just wander and lounge in this atmosphere all day....

So fresh and lush....

Beachy....can almost hear the waves crashing!

A great day to night setting....

The modern pergola - like structure mixed in with the rustic details like the brick shed....

Have a seat and enjoy a latte while reading the morning paper...

Modern, Cali style....that enormous daybed!



Another perfect place for the perfect cup of coffee!



Literally a melding of the indoors and outdoors...feels like a Tuscan villa.

Cheers to a long weekend....I'm off to the lake and I hope you have the opportunity to get outdoors, relax and enjoy yourself!

RR

Sunny...

I was flipping through the thesaurus, looking for synonyms for the word "Happy"...

Words like 'contented', 'joyous', 'blissful', 'sparkling', 'jubilant', 'delighted' and 'elated' jumped off the page.

The word 'sunny' was also on the list and I felt that it really is the perfect word to use in place of 'happy'....

Sunny = Happy

As I think of things that bring me happiness, sunshine filled days are very close to the top of the list.....

When one feels happy, you exude your own sunshine.

What brings sunshine or happiness to your life??

For me....it's the little things....that fleeting moment...that natural element...anything that brings "that" smile or grin to my face and adds that sunshine to my day...

A sunrise through the trees...

Moments of inspiration....

Nature's beauty...

Sunsets at the lake....

..and more sunsets..

Quiet moments with this guy...

Candlelight and nights spent under the stars wrapped up in blankets..

Evenings spent with friends over a good bottle of wine...

Living in a part of the world where we can enjoy all 4 seasons....

Memories of dancing at Camp...

Sand between my toes....

Mountain air and views....

Quiet time at the lake...

Remember to....

Wishing you sunshine and happiness always...

RR

Uncommon Decency

After today (and more days then normal recently), this just seems even more true.......

It seems lately that common decency is becoming more and more uncommon...

My line of work is always full of challenges but some days bring more than others.

The way I was brought up...private property is private property. You do not enter onto it without permission and if you do happen to enter unknowingly and encounter someone who asks you to leave, you do so...expediently while apologizing.

The way some children today seem to have been brought up (and I preface that as some...not all), they feel that they can do whatever they please, whenever they please, have zero accountability...and when they are asked to do something they feel they do not want or need to do...LOOK OUT!

Take today for example...

I'm sitting in my truck on the phone in the parking lot at my office (trying to wrap up my day) when three young boys on their silly little BMX-like bikes decide they want to do their silly little stunts on the railings of the front entry ramp of our building. 

I sit there, watching as they continue trying their 'moves' but more often then not, they're wiping out. I do Health & Safety based work for a living and this was not sitting well with me for mannnyyy reasons. I start the truck, roll down my window, ask the Manager I am on the phone with to please hold for a minute and ask these three children to please stop what they were doing and vacate the premises....

WELL....you would swear I asked them to cut off each others heads! I was met with a barrage of these little boys asking me who the hell did I think I was, how dare I even suggest that they not do what they were doing and that what they were doing was fun so I could just 'screw off'.....I asked one more time for them to leave and if they didn't, I would call the police as they were on private property. They continued on what they were doing, saying they didn't care if I called the police, I could go right ahead, they had every right to be there. A few other comments were thrown my way and one of them got much too close to the open passenger window of my vehicle to 'chirp' at me...and that was it....I pulled my other phone out (all the while the Manager is still on hold and I could hear him chuckling on the other end as how ridiculous this situation was) and called the police. I was just finishing giving the operator the information and these 3 'big boys' quickly turned into little cowards and took off, again, mouthing off as they pedaled away....all the while, one of the guys from the office had just come out to do the same thing I had already been trying to do. He just stood there...shaking his head.....and by that time, I was...well...to try and put it nicely...I was BEYOND ticked off!

I don't know what stunned me more....the fact that A) they felt that they could do what they were doing to begin with or B) that when they were asked to stop what they were doing, they responded the way they did.

Believe me, I'm farrrrrr from perfect...but one thing I will never, ever, EVER put up with is an entitlement attitude...or...attitude..period......NEVER! 

I know...I know...BIG PICTURE...this is a little blip on the radar....sometimes I think the saying below is true about certain things...

But then I also take a step back and it hits me....I turn on the news every night and this same type of behaviour, attitude, approach is not a minor thing....these kids from today will grow into the so-called-adults tomorrow that feel society owes them everything, that rules/laws don't apply to them, that they shouldn't have to do anything they don't want to do..and worst of all...if they are asked to actually just do their basic share of being a part of society, they 'go-off'....making it their full time job to do as little as possible, coming up with excuses and just causing s*&t.......SO SCAREY!!

Ok...deep breath.....I'm good now.....venting session is over..

Needless to say..after my anger dissipated today, I became disappointed....I just shook my head, packed up the truck as I watched 2 police cruisers drive by in the direction the kids had taken off and I drove home....To my home I have worked hard to make for myself and no matter what, I will continue to give my all every single day as interactions such as this remind me to be thankful I was raised so well, that I have had manners instilled in me, that I believe in being a good and descent person...and most of all, that that type of behaviour is sooooo foreign to me, I know I could never, ever be 'that' person!

I'm actually smiling as I finish this post as I was able to find these 3 'take-aways' from today's events...

Let's all just be descent human beings and treat each other with respect...I don't think that is too much to ask!

RR