Stress reducing

The last three days have been over-the-top stressful.  Every day, I've found something good to help me remember that "this too shall pass" .

I'm most proud of how I've moved away from stress eating. Vegetables first has been the mantra that fills me before I reach for cookies or chips. I need to be healthier and that's starting to stick.

Threading my fingers through Ky's fur grounds me. Today, I left an angry, non-productive interaction and took the dogs for a drive. We got out and walked alongside the Niagara River. The rush of water over the Falls rarely fails to put things into perspective.

Finn saw ducks and geese and nearly lost his puppy mind. That seemed to amuse Ky.

We stopped at my favourite tree by an old stone fence. The garbage scow still rests where it ran aground 90 years ago.

There's new graffiti since my last visit over a month ago. I took it to heart.

Change of pace

Two and a half weeks since I lasted posted.  Hard to believe that much time has gone by.  Nothing weird or exciting happened but nothing bad either so that's good.

I spent one long afternoon walking along the Niagara Parkway from Dufferin Islands to the Tesla statue by the Victoria restaurant (or whatever it is called these days).  It was a week day so the tourists were minimal.  The air was crisp and clear, little wind to blow the mist around and the bright sun to dry out the clothes.  There were a few spots I stood where the rush of the river was so loud it drowned out all thoughts.  That alone made the day perfect.

I sat under the tree right here, my favourite tree, and actually wrote for a while.  There were lots of problems with the story but that day I remembered some key elements about my characters.  I let the fresh air and scent of the water fill my soul while my brain absorbed everything around me. I made two pages of notes on the setting.  Silly, really, because this story never goes near the falls but the connection to nature is very strong, elemental.

It is good to take yourself out of the routine, hie off to a change of scenery.  While it might be familiar, you never know what you might find. I found peace, the germ of an idea, and wild yarrow growing at the edge of the falls.