I got up early this morning while the sun was just coming out, to grab a coffee and check out the neighbourhood. By the time I got back to my street the sun was shining and people were just coming out of their houses to excavate their cars from the snow piles. This is what I love about winter here, that even though it’s -11ËšC, and everything is covered in snow, the sun still comes out. Maybe not everyday, but at least a few times a week.

My friend Kate got new skates and gave me her old ones. I like the waxy pink laces. I don’t actually skate, but whatever. I’m just air skating in that last photo. There’s a rink near my house where people (mostly kids) who can’t skate will go around holding onto a chair/walker type thing. Maybe I’ll try to find myself a shopping cart. That might be more fun. You know, put some dogs in it and stuff . . . Thanks Kate!

Years ago I spent some time in Taiwan which is where my plant obsession began. I would go through phases of weekly plant shopping and pick up amazing and strange tropical species. Some grew out of tree bark in odd shapes, some would open and close with sunlight and darkness, others were just the most beautiful colours . . . I love plants!

This past Christmas I received some wall planters by Woolly Pocket, so I’ve been looking around online for some ideas. I’ve always liked the look of live walls and never really thought they were that doable at home, but now with these wall planters my dream of living in a jungle may actually come true this year. To fully complete my dream I would also have to get a Bengal cat. They look like scaled down leopards with the same rosette markings and they love to play in water. To have a couple of those roaming around the plants would be just perfect!

The first photo is from the Woolly Pocket site, and the last two are from Flora Grubb.

Winter is most definitely here, but some friends and I have decided to go north of the wall. As if -15ËšC isn’t cold enough, we’ll be heading to Mont Tremblant where it is -30ËšC, not including windchill! Secretly, I don’t think I’m as excited as everyone else is for this death wish ski/snowboard trip. Shhhhh! But I do have a plan B, and it’s called Scandinave Spa. Quoi? Oh yes!

So what do you bring when you go north of the wall? I’m thinking some merino base layers from Icebreaker and definitely this merino balaclava. It will also be the perfect addition to my slowly accumulating ninja wardrobe. Can’t wait to be warm!

Obviously this is not my photo. Source: HBO

“There’s only one very good life and that’s the life you know you want and you make it yourself”. 

Diana Vreeland

Saw The Eye Has to Travel the other day. It’s one of those movies that makes the loud, crazy person in you want to come out and make all kinds of declarations about anything and everything. One, because it’s fun, and two, because why not?

D.V. you’re so awesome!

Photo via Diana Vreeland

Several days ago I came across some weavings by New Friends via Sight Unseen. They really kind of blew my mind. But since then something happened to their website and it seems to have just disappeared. I’m a little sad because I can’t find any images of my favourite ones. Hopefully they’ll be back up soon, but here’s one I found reposted on the Textile Arts Center site. Beside the weaving is a plant I’ve been obsessed with for the past 2 years. It’s called Purple Heart or Purple Queen. I have them all over my house right now, because I’ve just pulled them in for the winter. I feel like a bit of a crazy plant lady. Kind of like a crazy cat lady, but with plants. They exist. I know they do. And they would have plants hanging from macrame baskets everywhere. I don’t have those yet . . .

Anyway, come on New Friends, get your site back up!

Image via Textile Arts Center

Sometimes bad things happen in summer.  Note to self, or anyone else with a clear top record player placed near a window: Don’t do it!

We drove out to Sauble beach while at the farm this past weekend and Lake Huron was frozen as far as the eye could see.  It was like the Arctic tundra, or what I imagine it to look like.  I could just see myself wandering in slow motion out into the middle of nowhere, cold winds blowing, and slowly crumbling and falling onto one of those big sand dune things and freezing to death.

I’ve been trying to hold onto the feeling of South American summer at least until spring, but I think I’m losing the battle.  We just got about half a foot of snow today . . .  and the winter boots have come back out.  Sad face.

None of this for 3 weeks!  Today we shed our blah winter uniforms (and dry skin) and fly to Argentina, where it’s summer!  There will be heat!  We will eat steaks!  I’m not sure what else we are looking for, but I’m sure we will find it!