Familiarization

I have lived in Victoria for almost five months. And it seems as if the move occurred just yesterday. I must admit I remember little of the ordeal; one day after another required some detail, some mundane task related to moving, that absolutely took priority over any time to myself.

Service shed across the road

The last tie to the Cariboo was broken, when we sold our home there within a couple of days of listing it. Again, I felt conflicting emotions...even as the climate attacked my body, I loved it there. I am so grateful for the opportunity I took years ago to live in that wild land of contrasts, where I learned so much. But...it is done.

And so. Now I go on.

Water everywhere...this feeds our little Stream

It is as if I have moved to a different dimension. As I write, the garden is filled with the greenery of rising Bulbs...oh! so many! It is a delight, one filled with surprises, since I am not familiar with this Garden. I greet each sprig of green with celebratory happiness...up North, Mother Earth will still be sleeping for a few months yet...and, on the Saanich peninsula, Spring is making her slow way there, by touching the land here with a fine brush first, as the consummate Artist she is.

There are Puddles everywhere on this morning's walk

Once again, I have Moss, a great companion for me from the Plant Kingdom, growing everywhere, in a glowing green that touches my heart and cracks it a bit, leaving lovely streaming green tendrils... 

It is one of the earliest of Plants to show new growth in the Spring and I have always considered Moss to be a true herald. I look out over the little garden shed roof, which is covered in Moss, from the porch and marvel at the tiny Worlds that inhabit each soft pillow of growth.

Cross fencing and Blackberries

All Winter long, Lucky and I go for our morning walks, only missing a few colder days. We do not beat any time clock, the two of us, since Lucky will insist on sniffing every Leaf, Log or 'suspicious Thing', in our path. But I don't mind. I take note of the changes each day, becoming a part of this place, knowing it.

Greening Fields and red Barns and White Fences

We greet the Horses from the training school. One, whose colouring is very similar to Lucky's, thereby establishing some sort of bond, gives a soft nicker each day when she sees us and wanders close to the electric fence. She places her nose as close as she can to the fence, her nostrils widening as she takes in our scent. She knows us now, too.

Many of the Bird species we had visiting our Bird feeder North of us have been here all Winter. Listening to the Bird song in the late afternoon takes me away to the late May days of recent years, when just this sound had my heart soaring. It still soars...it is just, joyfully, earlier in the year.

Horses next door waiting for breakfast

Speaking of soaring, Eagle has made his presence felt in many ways. I smile as I write this. 

At first, I was so entranced. Eagle would fly over at around the same time each morning and settle himself at the tip of one of the giant Firs growing right next to our home. I would watch him watching us and the surrounding World, until duties called when I'd leave him to it.

More Blackberries...closer to Home now

But then, I discovered the gifts he left behind. On the cobbled stones, the cars and even splashed against the gate were the amazing results of an Eagle's digestive system. They were all quite awesome renditions of abstract art...

I also discovered once all those splashes, a few indicating fur and tiny bones, dried...they hardened. It required some scrubbing to remove them from the gate and stones. And I imagine I can look forward to more of this exercise...just this morning I found a new 'painting'!

For those who are interested, I found a website wherein the author explains about Eagle's habits in this regard. You can find it here. I had no idea Eagles "shoot their poop", for one thing...No wonder the gate managed to be targeted!

The Camellia Bush, outside the fence, was filled with Blossoms. I had not seen so many on any Bush in years and each day, I would marvel anew...until the morning arrived when suddenly, there were hardly any. 

Deer and I have begun our association in a bad way...

It's all about who you know, I've been told. In my case, I know their larger cousins, the Mule Deer from the Cariboo very, very well...and I am not above calling for reinforcements. I warn off these tiny Island Deer, in my imagination, at any rate! 

The message will be received...and I will look forward to Camellia Blossoms next year. Ever the optimist!

Lucky begins to drag his feet...Home is just around the corner

By the little Stream, Frogs are beginning to croak and sing. I hope Water in the Stream-bed will continue to flow long enough for any  Eggs to hatch. What a treat that will be for the grandkids!

In this dimension, we visited the family in Port Alberni for lunch last week. Next week, we'll go to the twin's birthday party.

In this paradigm, Milk is delivered once a week...in glass bottles. And there are farm stands up and down the road, selling everything and anything...even bags of aged Horse manure for the garden!

When we moved North, many of the conveniences which were a matter of course were no longer available. We grew accustomed to it...and so now, I am amazed at the quality and amount of service available here, in an urban setting.

Here, there are old friends to connect with, visits to arrange. Life is busy, in a different way...a more social way, perhaps, than in previous years. 

Mossy Maples across the street from Home

Over the past five months, pain from Fibromyalgia and Arthritis has greatly diminished. The extremes of pain, the knuckle-under kind, have disappeared, and in its place, a rather benign kind of pain has surfaced. Sounds strange, I know, but whatever it is, I am intensely grateful for it!

And this is how it is. Day by day, I know more and more about this latest transition in my life and understand more and more why it has occurred.

It's time, now, to rejoin the living. Time to play, time to find out who I am and what I want to manifest further in my life. I'm careful with my thoughts now; thoughts are creation and very quickly, too! 

Life is good.