5 Daily Practices to Help You Live in the Moment

Each day, many people are struck with feelings of anxiety,
worry, guilt, and fear; these are all related to the way
in which we approach the world. If we cannot get past what
is lurking in our minds, how will we ever be able to move
forward in a positive manner with our lives? What follows
is a list of some things you can do every day in your life that
will help you live happily in the moment.

Be Here, Now

While quantum physics may suggest otherwise, there is no
physical way for you to be in two places at once. Stop
reliving the low points of your life or anticipating the
coming day with worry. Open your eyes, your ears, and your
heart so that you can live in total awareness each day.
There is no reason to burden yourself with the problems of
the past or the uncertainties of the future. The only time
you truly have is now, so spend it wisely.

Stay Curious

As children, we lived in the moment and were deeply curious
about the world around us. Next time you are outside, try
looking at everything with a sense of curiosity. As the leaves
fall from the trees or the rain begins to drip on your front
porch, consider whence this all came. Curiosity in the
present moment helps to recapture that childlike innocence
we all once possessed.

Breathe Deeply

Monitor your breathing, especially when things feel like
they’re getting out of control. Try taking your breath in
through your nose and exhale through your mouth for twice
as long — as long as it’s comfortable. Simply saying, “in”
to yourself as you breathe in and “out” as you breathe out
can be very effective and calming. This activity returns
you to the present moment and helps you be aware of that
fact.

Practice Mindful Living

All of the things stated before lead up to this practice. To
live mindfully, you must reside in the present moment. Don’t
get caught up in things that are outside of your control.
Instead, do everything you can to ensure that you are living
fully and intentionally in all areas of your life, from taking
a walk to washing the dishes. Relish in the present moment;
own the present moment and you are living mindfully.

Be Compassionate

Life is full of suffering; this is a fact that all Buddhists
are aware of. Don’t let your problems become more important
than caring for all sentient beings. Have compassion for your
fellow beings in this world, and know that there is something
that can be done every day to help better this world. Use your
curiosity to find a way.

By-line:
This post was contributed by Kelly Kilpatrick, who writes on the
subject of medical code online training. She invites your
feedback at kellykilpatrick24 at gmail dot com

Strategies for A Healing Journey

To some extent, we are all on a healing journey. While
some of us have healing paths that are quite similar,
others journey a unique path. This healing journey is
part of the earth walk that each of us are fashioning at
this point in time.

In this article, I will give some suggestions on strategies
you can implement, to guide your personal healing
journey.

First of all, let's consider desperation and despair. To
some extent, we've all felt those emotions in our lives.
They aren't pretty! Yet, they can be the final straw that
moves us to begin our healing journey. In other words,
in hitting bottom, we are thrown deep inside ourselves,
where we come face to face with the core of our being.
If we listen to this core part of ourselves, this spirit or
spark, it can be the special seed from which hope
rises, and then somehow we will find a way to move
forward again.

So, "hope" can play a major role in our healing efforts.
In fact, research suggests that hope and expectation
stimulate the immune system functioning, and can
protect us from illness. Hope can act like a powerful
placebo response. It gives us a glimmer of light, and
a way forward from the darkness of our dis-ease.

Another important factor is self-awareness, and with it
the knowledge and power to know where we are going
on our healing journey. You see, most of us spend our
lives in a form of psychological sleep, steeped in
habitual behaviour and thought patterns. We seek the
solutions that consumer society generally offers, and
many of those solutions are made for the masses -- a
one size fits all mentality.

Waking up into self-awareness, we see that we are
unique, and that we must find and walk our own healing
path. This is the first stage of empowerment, and the
beginning of the removal of dis-ease. Take the time
now to analyse how you are thinking, what you are
feeling, and consider what you can do about it. This
is a way to break free from habit, into greater self-
awareness, and the discovery of your healing path.

Good medicine always,
Laurie

Note: This article was taken from the 15 November 2008
issue of the Natural Healing Talk newsletter.

I Photographed An Orb Hovering Above My Field

Hi Everyone,

I trust all of you are well and looking forward to
the Christmas season.

One evening last spring, as I was examining the
herb garden, I noticed an Owl sitting on a post
about thirty feet from where I stood. It was likely
watching for field mice, and other things moving
about in the old dry grass on the field.

I went back to the house and fetched my digital
camera, so I could photograph the Owl. It was
dusk and fast approaching full darkness, as you
can tell from the photo, below. Well, I failed in
my attempt to capture the Owl, but discovered
that I had gotten an Orb, instead!

You can see the moon-like Orb on the right side
of the photo. It's floating about three to five feet
above the field, and silhouetted against the
treeline, behind.

Quite interesting, and a fascinating image, if
I do say so myself! :) If you have a comment or
opinion about Orbs, I'd like to hear about it. Have
you ever photographed one, or seen an Orb?

All the best, and I'll return, soon.

Laurie

Canada in The Great War: Passchendaele, The Movie

I went to see the Canadian film, Passchendaele,
tonight. It's a terrific movie, and touching, in many
ways. It brings home the terrible conditions under
which World War I was fought, and the sacrifices made
by soldiers, as well as the nurses and doctors who
attended to the wounded.

It was Canadian troops who were finally able to take
Passchendaele and the high ground. However, this
was done at the cost of almost 16,000 casualities
over a three month period.

From what I've read, the German forces feared
Canadian soldiers to such an extent, that they named
them, "Storm Troopers".

If you want to read about the battle, go to this link:
Canada In The Great War

As I said earlier, this film touched me deeply, and
increased my awareness of the dreadful folly, waste,
hopelessness, and evil, criminal nature, of war.

I'll return soon, with a regular nature post. I simply
had to write about Passchendaele, after seeing the
movie.

I rate the movie as a 9 out of 10. Excellent!

All the best,
Laurie

Autumn Social and Old Growth Forest Walk Photo

Hi,

Well the Autumn Social went off very well. We
had an enjoyable visit to the old forest area,
and later, to Minamkeak Lake. The group then
returned to my place, to enjoy and feast on a
variety of foods, including homemade soups and
pies!

Here is a photo of the event.



All the best,
Laurie

Autumn Social & Old Growth Forest Walk

Hi Everyone,

Here's a Special Event Notice!

Date: 12 October 2008
Time: Afternoon - 12:30 following - we'll walk at about 1:30
Bring: Food Contribution
Location: 352 Mines Road # 2, Hebbs Cross, Lunenburg
County, Nova Scotia
Contact me: event@naturalhealingtalk.com

Join me for a walk to the Old Forest area on the property
that has been in my family since about 1898. We'll walk to
the old forest, where you can spend time looking about or
meditating or examining the trees, or sketching, searching
for medicinal plants, or following your inspiration.

Later, we'll return and share food with good conversation!
We can even have fire in my ceremonially dedicated fire
pit -- perhaps steep both black spruce tea and labrador
tea in pots above the open fire!

Contact me for directions!

All the best,
Laurie

p.s. Oh yes, parking is limited, so carpool, if you can.

p.p.s Will someone please bring a pie? I have a sweet
tooth;)

The Mystery of Medicine

The term "medicine" as used in this article, refers
to the word in its broadest sense, meaning those
things that both relieve and heal illness and dis-ease,
and maintain or restore balance to our lives.

I use the word, "mystery," because to some extent,
both medicine and the world are mysterious and full
of surprises.

Consider the "placebo effect," for instance. I've always
considered the placebo effect as good medicine in
its own right, because it demonstrates the deep
connection and inter-relationship between mind and
body, or, if you like, between consciousness and
matter at a cellular level.

Then, of course, there are many systems of faith
healing, and energy healing -- the latter includes
reiki, tai chi, and acupuncture. Those systems are all
remarkable and illustrate to some extent, this "mystery"
called medicine.

I think we should respect and learn from all systems of
medicine, both traditional and modern. For instance,
the modern allopathic system of medicine is amazing
in situations where emergency intervention is required.
The technical advances of modern medicine are
astounding, as are many of its powerful, disease
intervention drugs. However, it is an expensive system
to maintain, and can be very intrusive to mind and body.

We can learn much from traditional medicine systems.
For instance, shamanism offers valuable insight into
mind, consciousness, the physical body, and how
they react to ceremony and ritual. As well, we can
learn a great deal from shamans who wish to share
their knowledge about the use of plants and trees as
medicines.

We must never close our minds to learning about
the mysteries of life and of medicine. For instance,
what fascinates you the most about life? What are
the things that bring joy into your life, and give you a
sense of well-being and contentment? Those things
are your personal medicine -- they keep you well,
and you don't have to get a prescription for them.
This is part of your personal medicine power.

Down the road, I plan to write a special report about
personal medicine power.

Good medicine always,
Laurie

P.S. This article appeared in the 15 June 2008 issue
of my Natural Healing Talk Newsletter. If you're
interested, you can Subscribe at the Website.

A New Beginning

Hi Everyone,

Well, this post marks the beginning of a new effort
to post regularly to The Nature Writer's Digs. I've
been in a real slump with my blogging efforts,
generally, and look forward to posting with renewed
enthusiasm!

I plan to tie this blog closer to my Natural Healing
Talk website and newsletter. I'll be posting some
items from the newsletter, including the occasional
article. I'll also keep you posted on what I'm doing
in the natural healing, wellness, self-growth, and
spiritual fields.

In other news, I plan to hold my 3rd annual "Plant
Walk for a Pie" event, on Sunday, October 12th.
The event will take place at my residence, here on
Mines Road # 2, Hebbs Cross, Nova Scotia. I'll post
further updates in my newsletter and on this blog.
It'll be a fun day!

All the best, for this time,
Laurie

Mother's Passing

Well, my mother passed away on Thursday morning,
August 14th, at the ripe old age of 93. She had been
gradually declining for some time prior to her
passing. She ate little and her fluid intake had
dropped significantly.

We suspected that the end was near, but we also
wondered whether dehydration was the main cause
of her condition. As a last resort, we sent her to the
hospital for fluids, which did seem to revive her,
but she suddenly passed away the following morning.

I went walking in the moonlight late last night. I spent
much of the walk thinking about my mother, and, how,
in some respects, she is closer to me than ever.

For instance, yesterday afternoon, I sat outside on
the grassy field, when suddenly I felt a warmth on the
back of my head and neck. At the same moment, I
suddenly thought of my mother, and felt very close
to her presence. It was as thought she was offering
support and a comforting solace.

I also had the impression that she was revelling in
her new found freedom, and had returned home to
move freely about the property where she had lived
for so many years of her life.

It was a beautiful experience, indeed!

At some point next week, I intend to visit the
Leipsigaek Gold Fields, to camp and to roam about
for a spell. I'll do it to honour my mother and as a
vision quest of sorts.

Until next time, may the Great Spirit Bless all of you.

Laurie

A Return to Painting

Hi Everyone,

I'm sorry for the long delay between posts.
However, lots has happened, and one thing
involves painting.

This past weekend, I participated in an
Art Workshop, which was based in Lunenburg,
Nova Scotia, a designated World Heritage
Site.

We painted on location in a couple of small
coastal villages, as well as on the waterfront,
in Lunenburg. Now, I must admit that I'm not
often inspired by fish houses, boats, or cove
scenes. However, the workshop was quite
wonderful, in that I got to interact with
other painters, and with my good friends,
Graham "Buz" Baker and Heather Beaton. I
first took a workshop from them, and the late
Al Riggs, way back in 1982!

So, the workshop was like a home-coming
event! :)


Oh yes, you can visit Graham's homepage,
by Clicking Here.

If you'd like to see some fun, interesting
photos from the workshop, Click Here.
I'm the guy with the Corona beer -- oh yes,
I also won a yellow Corona cap that evening! :)

The workshop showed me how rusty I was,
in terms of painting on location! But, I
felt some skills returning to me, on the
final day of the event. Now, I'm determined
to get out there and paint landscapes on
location. I love to paint, woodsy, landscape
scenes.

Well, all the best for this time. I'll return
soon . . . promise!

Laurie

Herb Fair

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to touch base again, briefly,
to inform you that the workshop schedule for
the Herb Fair, is now posted on the Herbal
Association of Nova Scotia website. Visit:
Workshop Sessions.

It should be a fun and interesting time on
Saturday! Also, RiverView Herbs will be
having special events, and selling their
products, as well.

All the best,
Laurie

Announcing Herb Fest 2008!

Hi Everyone,

Well, I'm back to announce Herb Fest 2008,
which will take place at RiverView Herbs in
Maitland, Hants County, Nova Scotia, on
Saturday, the 19 July 2008.

This year, RiverView Herbs and the Herbal
Association of Nova Scotia, are having their
events together, as one giant Herbal Love-In
Festival. :)

RiverView Herbs will be having a giant plant
sale, and will have Display Gardens, a Picnic
Area, Greenhouse Tours, and you'll also be
able to view the Tidal Bore.

The Herbal Association of Nova Scotia will
be hosting workshops on a variety of topics,
including Plant Spirit Medicine, Herb ID
Walks, Clinical Herbalism, and Medicine
Making. I will be giving a Medicine Walk,
as part of the second session of workshops,
starting at 1:30 p.m.

There will be three workshop sessions during
the day, starting at 10:30, 1:30, and 3:30 --
each session will last for approximately
an hour.

If you have any questions about the event,
leave me a comment with this post, and I'll
get back to you promptly. Another option is
to visit the Herbal Association website,
and the RiverView Herb site, as well.

All the best, and I hope to meet you at the
Festival!

Laurie

Last Week I Created A Fire-Pit

Hi,

Well, I'm pleased to say that I now have a fire-pit on my
property. You see, last week I went to work and mowed
a large circular area of grass, removing the sod and
digging a shallow pit in the centre of the mowed-over
area.

When I finished that task, I jumped in my little Toyota
and headed off in search of rocks. Within a short while
I had returned with enough rocks to build a neat wall
around the fire-pit. Job well done!

I now have an excellent fire-pit, and one that I can use
when I feel like preparing an outdoor meal, or simply
feel like enjoying a camp fire -- also, it'll be great when
I have visitors or give weekend workshops.

Soon, I plan to place rocks along the perimeter of the
mowed-over circle, and place larger rocks at each of
the four compass or primary direction points. I may even
paint a circle on each rock with the colour that correlates
or corresponds with each primary direction.

All the best to you and yours!
Laurie

Walking in the Moonlight, Again...

Hi Everyone,

I just returned from a splendid late evening walk along
the old Mines Road. The temperature is perfect for
walking, while the Summer Solstice Moon to the south,
is still fairly high above the treeline.

I heard a lot of activity tonight. At one point, there was
a bird chirping off to my right, in the bushes. Unfortunately,
I wasn't able to identify its call, as birding isn't one of my
strong points. Then, later, aside from the usual peepers
in the ponds and ditches, I also heard the movement of
bushes and the breaking of twigs, but a short distance
from the road.

I stood listening, thinking it was probably a small animal,
and likely a porcupine. However, I suddenly heard the
snap of what sounded like a fairly large stick, so now
I'm thinking it might have been a bear or even a deer.
In any case, I decided to be merrily on my way! :)

So, that's it for tonight -- I'm now back home and about
to make myself a tea, before retiring for the night. I'm
hoping to be in bed a bit earlier than last night, when
I hit the sack at 4:30 A.M.

Best wishes!
Laurie

The Potato Garden

I checked my garden yesterday morning to discover that
almost an entire row of potatoes had popped up through
the soil overnight! I'm excited, partly because this is the
first time I've planted potatoes in a number of years. The
other reason I'm excited, is that the potatoes I planted are
an old variety that's been a personal favourite of mine
since childhood.

This old variety is called, "Green Mountain," and they are
an excellent, dry, baking potato.

Some varieties of potatoes will rot easier than others.
Unfortunately, the Green Mountain potato is prone to rot,
if they are planted in wet soil (Soil that tends to retain its
moisture for long periods.).

I also enjoy red and blue/black potatoes. I'm speaking of
the outer layer of the potato -- the part that's generally
peeled. Here on the south shore of Nova Scotia, those
varieties were called "fish potatoes," because they are
dry potatoes that go well with a fish dish. They were the
potatoes of choice in such traditional meals as "Salt
Herring and potatoes," or with fresh fried mackerel.

Yummy, indeed!

All the best,
Laurie

Romancing the Rain in Nova Scotia

Hi,

We're having some rain here on the south shore of
Nova Scotia. As I've said on several occasions in the
past, I enjoy the rain at night. In fact, right after I make
this post, I intend to make myself a cup of tea and sit
in my porch to romance the rain. :)

Oh yes, I'll relax and listen to it hitting against the roof
and windows of the porch. There isn't any wind at the
moment, so it'll be just me and the rain. Mind you, I
don't mind when the wind joins us. In fact, there are
times when I like to hear it blowing the rain against
the window panes.

Anyhow, for those of you who haven't been to Nova
Scotia, you really should plan a visit. It's a beautiful
province with lots of beaches contrasting with rocky
ocean shoreline. Also, the pace is slower than in
many other areas of North America, and that's the
way we like it.

If you have any questions about the province, just
leave me a comment. I'll answer them, if I can.

All the best!
Laurie

Walking in Nova Scotia on a Misty Night

Hi,

I arrived home a few nights ago at about 11 o'clock.
The weather was misty and overcast, blanketing the
landscape in a deep darkness. Even so, the frogs
were calling loudly up along the old mines road,
inviting me to walk out into the night.

So, away I went, feeling my way along the road, and
through the mass of pot holes that appear at this
time of the year. Soon, my imagination got the best
of me, and I fancied myself tripping over a porcupine,
and wondering what damage its quills would inflict
as they punctured my legs.

This imagination might have gotten the better of me,
except, that, adjusting to the darkness, I was soon
able to perceive the faint outline of the road ahead
of me. Mind you, it was barely visible, and I must
say that I've rarely experienced such deep, heavy
darkness.

Arriving home, I felt refreshed, and ready for an
evening tea. Later, as I made my way to bed, the
rain started and played off the roof as I fell asleep.

Altogether, a terrific evening!

Catch you later,
Laurie

This Evening I Went Walking at Dusk

Well, you know, I love walking in the moonlight,
but I think I'm developing a new habit of walking
at dusk. This is an interesting time to be out and
about the countryside. I mean, this evening, when
I left the house at dusk, I could hear the robins
chirping on the field and in the trees, the songs
of other birds, and the singing of peepers in the
pond, nearby.

Oh yes, I had a wonderful walk!

In shamanic terms, "dusk" is the crack between
worlds. This is a time when it's possible to step
through the crack separating realms or worlds. I
always like to think about such things when I'm
walking at dusk.

However, returning to mundane things, the black
flies will soon be making their appearance, and
dusk is when they, too, like to be out and about!
So, I may have to resort to some kind of oil, to
keep them at bay. When you walk late at night,
you don't have to contend with them.

In any event, it's 1:25 at night, so I must post this
message, and then make myself a cup of tea before
retiring to bed.

All the best!
Laurie

Walking With the Full Moon

Hi,

Well, it's 12:53 in the morning. I just returned from
a walk on this beautiful full moon night. It's rather
cool here on the south shore of Nova Scotia, with
the temperature hovering slightly above the freezing
mark.

There were lots of creatures out and about tonight,
aside from myself. For instance, on one occasion I
heard movement in the bushes that sounded like a
porcupine. I've often seen porcupines in this particular
area. And, frogs were croaking at various locations
near the road. Loons were calling out in the lake, and
there were times when the frogs and loons were in
perfect harmony. What a night!

As I walked home, I realized what a blessing it is to
live in an area that brings me in touch with the natural
world. Things are constantly happening here, that makes
one aware and sensitive to the natural flow of life.

I must be off now, and do a few things before retiring
for the night.

May you all realize a greater awareness of the natural
flow of life.

All the best,
Laurie

Experience This Beautiful Moon!

Just a quick note to comment on this
beautiful moon period.

I went walking last night in the bright
light of the moon. As I walked near
Minamkeak Lake, I heard the loons calling
back and forth over the water.

It was wonderful -- the moon, the lake,
the loons -- all those things expand our
lives and conscious experiences.

Go outside at night and enjoy this moon....

All the best,
Laurie

The Early Spring is Like A Winter Wonderland!

Hi Everyone,

Well, it's pretty magical around my place. We've
had a late winter/early spring snowstorm. :)

As the snow accumulated, I felt like I was living
in a fairy tale. So, I grabbed my camera and went
walking. The large, wet snowflakes, quickly covered
the trees and buildings, and other objects in the
environment.

I noticed small birds snuggled in my cedar bushes.
They were cozy and warm as the bushes were smothered
in a blanket of snow.

Enjoy the photos!

All the best,
Laurie

A Scene Looking Across My Field.




My Home In A Fairy Tale Setting.




Walking The Old Mines Road On A Snowy
Evening.




A Magical Swamp Covered In Snow.




A Second Picture Of The Magical Swamp.

A Cool, Windy, Moonlight Night in Nova Scotia

I went walking at about 11:45 tonight, and what a
terrific walk it was!

The sky was largely clear, except for fast moving
clouds that would, on occasion, block out the light
of the moon until, moments later, when it would
again burst forth from those clouds, lighting up the
road and surrounding landscape.

The temperature was a cool -4 Celsius, with a
wind chill factor of about -12, I would estimate. It
was cold for the middle of March, and I noticed that
puddles of water were frozen solid on the road.

There were heavy gusts of wind from the northwest.
I had walked into this wind, and now had it on my
back, as I returned home. However, approaching
my home, there came a gust that was frightening!
I heard it approaching from the northwest, and it
continued to build in strength until the trees were
making loud sounds all about me.

As luck would have it, I was near the lilac bush and
stonewall that separates my property from the
gravel road. I took refuge behind the stonewall and
bush, and felt protected there. The gust was quite
powerful, but soon passed.

What a great way to take in the energy of the natural
environment! I still feel invigorated as I write this blog
post. This is a wonderful moon -- try to go outside
and enjoy it.

All the best,
Laurie

Romancing the Rain

HI Everyone,

You, know, I find rainy nights enjoyable, partly
because I live in the country, close to the elements,
and can easily hear the rain against my roof, and
the wind blowing through the forest and over the
field near my home.

There are two things I enjoy most about a rainy
night -- first, to sit in the porch with a cup of tea,
listening to rain and wind, against roof, skylight,
and windows. The other thing I enjoy about a
rainy night, is to lie in bed and fall asleep, as the
rain hits against my roof and windows. This is a
wonderful way to float off into dreamland and a
peaceful night's sleep.

When I sit in my porch, I enjoy sipping my tea and
romancing the rain. I enjoy the relaxed state and
become as one with the rain, on an emotional,
subjective level. As I recall, I mentioned this idea
of "romancing the rain," in a post I made at some
point last year. I'm afraid I haven't made an attempt
to find it in the blog's "archives," so the reference
to that post will have to wait for another day.

In any event, try it some time. Sit and relax, where
you can hear the rain, and try to become absorbed
in the sounds it makes, and, too, in the wind that
often accompanies the rain. In this way, it's possible
to experience a closeness to nature and the
environment, that might otherwise escape you.

Good medicine always!
Laurie :)

Snowshoe and Fox Prints, Fire and Ice on Minamkeak Lake

Hi,

Last evening, as the sun neared the horizon,
I walked the icey shoreline of Minamkeak Lake.
I saw the prints of snowshoe tracks frozen in
the ice. I also saw fox tracks there on the lake.

The fox had travelled towards a cove, perhaps
a week earlier. Those tracks were also frozen,
with small knobs of ice protruding above the
smooth, flat surface of Minamkeak.

I built a fire on the ice, with dry sticks of wood
that I found nearby. Then, I fried a few strips
of bacon for old time's sake. The bacon
sandwich tasted delicious along with a cup of
tea from black spruce twigs.

I plan to go there on the evening of March 4th,
to celebrate my birthday. Again, I'll build a small
fire, have a cup of tea, and watch the sunset.
Now, that's a good birthday present! :)

All the best,
Laurie

The Orange Lunar Eclipse

Hi,

The recent eclipse of the moon was a rich and
fascinating experience. It was interesting to watch
the earth's shadow move slowly over the face of
the moon.

At first, the orange effect wasn't obvious. Later,
as the eclipse approached fullness, the moon
turned a warm, soft orange. Beautiful! A transparent
orange, in that the moonscape was easily visible
through it.

At full eclipse, I enjoyed the view of both Mars and
Venus. Especially Mars, in that it flickered through
the cold winter atmosphere like a tiny pin-like
Christmas light.

I enjoyed this latest eclipse more than any other
Lunar eclipse I have experienced.

All the best!
Laurie

p.s. I'll return soon.

Check Out My "Qassia" Site

Hi,

Now, here's something interesting, and it's called
Qassia.

If you blog or write content for your website, this
will certainly help you. Qassia is one of the best
free resources on the net, and it's still in beta
launch.

You can get traffic to your websites by posting
articles and having them rated. As well, you can rate
articles for credits and boost your site's ranking.

This may well become a fast growing craze on the net.
So, if you are interested, please give me a boost and
yourself as well, by going on over to my site and
joining Qassia.

Thanks! It's much appreciated.

All the best,
Laurie.

A Winter Night in Nova Scotia

Hi,

Yes, it's a winter night in Nova Scotia -- not too
cold, and pleasant for walking in the moonlight.
In fact, it's been a mild winter here on the south
shore of the province, and I've enjoyed it very
much.

Tonight, for instance, as I went walking along
the old mines road, I could hear the lake making
its usual sounds, prior to a mild spell. How nice
it speaks to anyone who listens. How nice to
see moonlight sparkling over the frozen snow
crust.

I arrived home in a happy mood! The warmth
in my kitchen felt good. Black tea and ginger
snap cookies were my reward.

It's a winter night in Nova Scotia, and before
long we will see the first signs of spring.

All the best!
Laurie

Fire On Ice

A while back, I went walking with a friend along
the shore of Minamkeak Lake. It was late afternoon
as we walked on the ice with a cold breeze at our
backs. The lake and surrounding landscape was
beautiful as the late afternoon sun cast its reflection
over the frozen surface around us.

The sun had lowered to the treeline, when we
sought the shelter of a shallow cove, deep enough
to protect us from a steady breeze that blowed
from the northwest. As the weather was dry and
cold, we were quickly able to gather wood, and
soon had a fire built on the ice near the shore.

How nice it felt to sit near the crackling flames,
watching the sun move behind the trees, to leave
its yellow-orange glow on the horizon.

I've always enjoyed fire on ice and, when you think
about it, fire on ice would seem to be contradictory
and beyond the laws of nature. The opposite is
true, of course, and there are laws of the natural
world that explain how that can happen.

The temperature dropped significantly when dusk
arrived, and as the flames from the last of our
wood flickered and burned, we left that place and
made our way home.

Fond memories, indeed.

Bye for this time,
Laurie

Walking At Night In An Old Growth Forest

Last week I went walking at about 10:30 at night.
I had intended to walk along the road for about a
mile, before returning home. The snow cover
reflected what light there was from a half moon
that was fairly high to the south southwest.

As I returned home from what had been a pleasant
outing, the thought occured to me that I should visit
the old growth forest that forms part of my family's
property. So, I left the road, and made my way
back through the woods towards the old growth
area.

I must say, I felt a strange sensation walking back
in there at night. There were fresh deer tracks in
the snow, and I heard a deer snort, immediately
in front of and off to the right of where I walked.
I was startled! The snorting caught me by surprise
and made me stop to listen for more sounds.

The forest was still and there was enough light
from the moon to see the large tree trunks
silhouetted against the snow covered forest
floor and background. Yes, it was quite special
to experience this place at night.

I returned home near midnight with memories
that I won't soon forget. I curled up near the warm
woodstove with a hot cup of tea and a deep sense
of satisfaction in my heart.

All the best!
Laurie

Search Engine Myths

Hi Everyone,

I wasn't going to post this on my nature
blog, but figured that some of you have
websites, and that you could benefit from
a Free Report that I'm promoting.

This Report challenges many of the Myths
associated with Google's Search Engine
Ranking process. I feel that this is
important information for anyone who is
concerned with website indexing and ranking.

The Report was released by Jonathan Ledger,
and may be downloaded here:

Click Here

You will have to sign up to his list before
you can download the Report. But, what the
heck, you can always unsubscribe afterwards.
On the other hand, you may want to promote
the Report yourself! :)

All the best,
Laurie

Halifax -- Point Pleasant Park, and the Devastation of Hurricane Juan

It's been several years since Hurricane Juan
blasted its way inland over Point Pleasant
Park, Halifax, and onward across parts of
Nova Scotia. I recall the vivid television images
of downed trees on city streets and, later, when
flying out of Halifax, I saw the chaos of
criss-crossed trees that marked the storm's
path beyond the city.

I live near Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, and
don't often visit Halifax. However, I had
intended to visit Point Pleasant Park, in part
to mourn for a lost forest. Yet, for one reason
or another, I stayed away from the area.

I stayed away until a month ago, when I went
walking there with a friend. I was shocked! I
can't imagine how the Park must have looked
immediately after Juan. Whereas, earlier, there
were large, old trees, now I could look out
over young growth all the way to the harbour.

The Park is transformed, and reminds me of
a landscape that is recovering from the ravages
of a forest fire. I suppose, on some level, this is
nature's way of cleansing the area, to begin a
new cycle. Or, perhaps, I'm simply trying to
rationalize or make the best of such destruction.
If one act of nature had taken a slightly different
turn, those old trees would still be standing.

I feel a deep remorse for that forest. So many
of life's experiences are like that -- if they had
taken a slightly different turn. . . .

However, on another level, Point Pleasant Park
remains a beautiful place for city and urban
dwellers to walk and to be with nature. The
atmosphere has changed, and most of the large
trees have gone, but we can rejoice in the new
life that's growing there.

Laurie Lacey
Hebbs Cross, Nova Scotia

p.s. I usually don't write formal articles and post
them on this blog. However, I wanted to say a
few words about my visit to the park. I had intended
to send it to a newspaper for publication, but
decided to post it here.

Please feel free to post the article in your blog, on
your website, or to print it in a hard copy publication.
However, if you do so, you must note the source
(the URL to this blog), and keep my name and
address as author/location of the article.

A Nova Scotia Moment

You know, I was sitting by the Christmas
tree this evening, thinking about Nova
Scotia, and expressing gratitude for having
the opportunity to live in such a wonderful
place.

For instance, here on the south shore of
the province, we're blessed with sandy
beaches, a variety of landscapes, lakes,
rivers, streams, and the ocean. If you drive
inland, away from the ocean, you escape
the larger communities, and enter forested
landscapes that range from predominantly
softwood, to hardwood, and mixed forests.

Also, since Nova Scotia is a small province,
in comparison to, say, Ontario and Quebec,
it's possible to drive quickly to very distinct
and unique cultural and geographical settings.
For instance, I can leave my place on the
south shore and drive to the north shore in
ninety minutes. That's great! There, the
culture and scenery is different, and I can
experience it and still return home later that
same day. :)

If you have any questions about Nova Scotia,
feel free to contact me. I don't bite, and I'm
more than happy to give you information, in
case you plan to visit the province.

All the best,
Laurie