Family Reunion

This is one of my favourite pics from one of this summer’s photo sessions. It was photographed at a family reunion near Perth Ontario and this little one took my heart away, as do all little people. The family cottage is where lots of childhood memories live and was the perfect spot to capture some memories of time together.

It’s always an honour for me, to enter the portal of other people’s lives. I get to see so much love and the unique makeup of different families. I feel grateful to be a photographer and to be able to preserve these special moments in people’s lives. There is nothing like photographs. You know the feeling, when you sit down to look at family photos and that feeling of nostalgia comes over you. It’s a feeling filled with emotion and longing. Photographs capture memories that are stored in our minds, imagination, and hearts.

Laura Fowler Massie

Today we are talking with Laura Fowler a yoga teacher since 2007. She is also an educator and considers teaching her dharma and passion.

Laura thanks for being here. What brought you to your yoga practice?

What brought me to the practice…hmmm. I have always been very interested in the spiritual aspect of yoga. Even before I knew or understood anything much. I was simply curious. And as a ballet dancer in my childhood and again in my early adulthood, body movement was something I really loved. Moving from ballet into yoga was very natural and easy for me. The connection to body, breath and the intuitive flow I am able to feel through both dance and yoga are very uplifting. I love the feeling and I can never get too much of that!

I have been to your classes and love your teaching style. It is meditative, slow and in sync with the breath.  Tell us your philosophy behind this and the benefits of this kind of practice.

 Actually, when I first began to practice yoga seriously, I was very interested in a more physical, dynamic Ashtanga-style practice. In my 30’s and 40’s this served my needs. Over time my practice evolved, grew and changed. Now I enjoy a much slower flow-style. I like to delve into the sensations in my physical body and my energetic body by slowing things down. I have let go of many of the more challenging or extreme postures, as I feel they were simply feeding my ego and potentially wearing down my body. My practice today is a deeply grounding one. I am interested in what one of my teachers refers to as the 6th & 7th senses; proprioception and interoception. Tuning into a deep sense of awareness of where my body is in space and how my body feels “from the inside out”. Slow mindful yoga is not “gentle” yoga as it is often mistaken for. Although it certainly can be a gentle practice, slow mindful yoga is a practice that delves deeply into the self. It is about introspection and connection to self. It is my spiritual practice.

I have been to your Bridge Yoga classes and love it.  The funds raised from this class go to purchasing water filters for a village in Guatemala. Please tell us more. 

 I love to teach yoga and I also love to do humanitarian work. As a college professor I teach early childhood education and love to share knowledge of healthy child development. Over the years I have travelled several times to small villages in rural Guatemala with groups of my college students. My students and I work in preschool nutrition centers with local Mayan educators and the children in their care.  Over the years I have made a strong connection to one village in particular called Punyabar. The Mayan families that I have met there are very dear to my heart. I wanted to continue to support the lovely people in this village, even when I was not there. So I decided to connect my interest in humanitarian work and my passion for yoga. Thus, Bridge Yoga was born. 

 I have been teaching yoga on the beautiful covered bridge in Wakefield QC every Tuesday evening for three summers now. Classes run from the middle of May into the middle of September. These classes are donation based and 100% of the funds raised go towards the purchase of water filters for families living in extreme poverty in Punyabar Guatemala. 

 Teaching on the covered bridge is so satisfying and fun, actually it is pure joy! The sights and sounds of nature all around and the rushing of the water underneath, create a very magical experience for everyone. So far, we have raised thousands of dollars and have been able to purchase many water filters for families in need. As we know, proper health requires clean water. Water is foundation for health. Bringing people together at the beautiful Gatineau river to build community and share practice, while raising money for others in need, has been a pleasure and a privilege. I am looking forward to next year!

I love how you have combined your passion for teaching Early Childhood Education with yoga by opening Calm Kids Yoga. What is behind this inspiration?

 Yes, as mentioned I am a college professor and teach early childhood education. So again, I wanted to connect my interest and skills to create something new. I will be launching my first children’s yoga teacher training certification program, designed specifically for Early Childhood Educators (ECE) and other early years teachers, in the coming months. This training program is called Calm Kids Yoga.  I am super excited to have created this training and to be recognized as a registered children’s yoga school with Canadian Yoga Alliance. The first training will be held in February 2020 at Beyond Yoga Studio & Wellness Centre in Kanata.  I am so excited for this!

 I believe that yoga and mindfulness can be profound practices for children and the adults in their lives. Helping children to recognize their own emotions and learn to self-regulate are very important skills. Learning yoga is perfect for this. Encouraging children to tune into their bodies and experience some calmness and joy is very powerful. Through the use of simple games, songs, toys, dance and movement I will teach educators how they can use yoga to support and teach their children. I feel honoured and excited to begin to offer this important training and share what I know with others.

You are a busy woman. What keeps you grounded?

I would have to say that living in my little yellow house in the woods really helps me to stay grounded. I love nature and whenever I feel life is getting a little over-whelming, I look out my window and take a long, deep breath. I like to spend time sitting in my yard noticing what the birds and squirrels are up to. They are so very entertaining and always busy with something. 

I also practice Yoga Nidra to restore myself and practice meditation and asana as much as possible to calm my body and mind. I have found that the practice of gratitude is a very powerful force and is also very grounding. I have recently undertaken a social media 50 day gratitude challenge. I will be posting a gratitude-focused quote every day for 50 days on my FB pages. The idea is to look and find the good in the world and feel the benefits in your life. I mentioned this to my husband, and he told me that he thought I should include him and our two kids in this challenge too. As none of them use FB, I have started a family gratitude tread and will send the quotes to them via text every day.

That is so beautiful to include your whole family. I have recently read that gratitude practices keeps us healthier and happier. You took beautiful photographs while Ecuador and Western Canada. Throughout the years you have travelled far and wide. Can you share your favourite travel story?

Yes, I love to travel, and I have been to some incredible places. But to come up with a favourite travel story, now that is a very difficult thing. Suffice it to say that I learn something new every time I travel. I love to meet and make real connections with people all over the world. What I find so wonderful and amazing about travelling is that I find more commonalities than differences between people. I love that whether I am in Tanzania, Ecuador, Switzerland or Cuba, people are just people. All people want to be happy and experience joy in life. Travelling makes me feel even more connected because I see that we are all more alike than we are different.

Mornings are an important starting point to our day. What is your morning routine?

Well to be honest, a warm cuppa and sitting on the couch looking out the window is my favourite thing to do in the morning. I try hard not to rush about, but rather to calmly begin to notice the day. I always greet my husband with a heartfelt “good morning and how was your sleep?” I try to meditate but must admit it doesn’t always happen first thing in the morning. I work hard to allow myself enough time to get to where I am going with a sense of calm. I do not enjoy being late, nor do I like rushing about. Taking time in the moment to enjoy the moment is very important to me.

Your most recent workshop line-up is something that you are very excited about. Being a 49 year old woman myself and on the verge of menopause, I can see the importance in these offerings.

 Yes, I love to teach…I think we have established that…. lol! I am also very interested in sharing my yoga teachings with women my age (well all women actually…and men too). I will be celebrating my 58th birthday in the coming weeks. I feel a strong connection to women around my age. So, I decided to create a Women’s Wellness Workshop series to connect with more women and share my passion for yoga. There are five workshops in the series and participants can take one, two or all five if they wish. Each workshop focuses on a specific topic and will include some theory, a movement practice, a guided meditation and a Q & A time.

The schedule is as follows…

 September 27 th : The Power of Slow

Gentle, subtle and mindful movement offering pain relief and inviting a soothing transition away from anxiety and stress. Thoughtful and intentional awareness through guided breath and mindfulness techniques are used to support clarity and create calmness. 

October 4 th : Subtle Yoga to Energize and Uplift

Honouring self and inviting wellness into the body through the practice of ancient self-care rituals, mindful movements and deep guided relaxation techniques. Introduction to Ayurvedic teachings of self-massage with organic and essential oils.

  October 11 th : Yoga for Pelvic Heath and Awareness

Learn important and empowering information related to pelvic pain, incontinence and organ prolapse. By tuning in to your feminine body you will learn how to recognize, feel and heal with gentle, purposeful and targeted yoga postures.

October 18 th: Yoga as We Age – Moving Towards Menopause and Beyond

Celebrating your wise woman wisdom. Honouring the beauty of aging, learning self-care and soothing rituals and practices.

October 25 th : Yoga Nidra – Yogic Sleep for Rejuvenation

A spiritual blend of conscious relaxation and meditative visualization. Grounding, relaxing and manifesting. This ancient practice taps into the power of the subconscious mind to bring about deep relaxation and profound transformation. The development and focus upon a personal intention and resolution (sankalpa) will be explored.

Thanks Laura! I love how we have so much in common and live life through passion. Thank you for choosing me as your photographer and I have a feeling that we might have more projects together. Let’s see what the futures holds!

This month we are talking with Zofia Kumas-Tan. I met Zofia in April while doing a branding shoot with Vraie Nature Yoga + Mo/uvement. She teaches at the Chelsea Studio and is passionate about yoga and Kirtan.  Keep reading for her insights and a deeper look into who she is. 

Zofia thank you for being here and sharing your thoughts and experiences with us.  First can you tell us a little bit about yourself? 

I’m a mom of two, a wife, a daughter, a teacher, a lifelong student, a yogi… It’s a bit hard to sum up! At heart, I could say that I’m a seeker of Truth - of all that is Good, and True, and Real. What I’ve come to know, limited as it may be, I try to share with the people in my life, either by example, or through my teaching, or through my blog. I try to live simply, as much as I can, taking care of my family, my home, the land around me, the community around me. Offering my gifts with love and devotion - this is my aim, my yoga, my life.  

I love that you aim to live simply.  I also believe that simplicity is more. You teach yoga, meditation and lead a Kirtan band.  What drives you forward in these practices? 

What drives me forward? Wow, that’s a good question. Joy... Curiosity… Love. Before kids, I used to work as an occupational therapist, in hospitals and in health policy research. I liked it, but I didn’t love it. When I found my way back to yoga after having children, something clicked. Yoga lights my fire. Yoga philosophy really touches something in me. I feel such joy in contemplating these great questions of life - the questions that yogis asked thousands of years ago: Who are we really? How can we find peace and happiness in this life? And there is something just magical about asana practice - so simple, yet so transformative, so enlivening. Feeling like I’ve discovered a gold mine, I want to share it with others. A big motivator for me, too, is my children, my family: I think it is Love that drives me forward to find the best in myself, so that I can bring that highest part of me to them... so that I can be a Light to them, in times of darkness... so that I can help them to see the Light in themselves.  

I have felt the power of yoga and it’s philosophies. It is a wonderful practice that is able to change a person’s life. Now, let’s talk meditation. There are so many different kinds of meditation practices. Can you tell us what meditation means to you and what kind of meditation you practice? 

Meditation, as I understand it, is the focusing of the mind on one thing. All of one’s life can be a meditation, if the mind is focused on one thing. Making breakfast for my family can be a meditation, if my mind is truly focused on that one thing. Doing yoga postures can be a meditation. The key is to keep the mind present, in the here and now, in a state of calm observation - not judgment, not reaction, just observation - and when the judgements and reactions come, you just observe those too! To steady the mind, to keep it focused, you can hold an intention in the mind, or a mantra in the mind, or you can focus on your breath as you move through whatever you’re doing. Yoga and meditation are not just on the mat. That said, I do like to practice seated meditation, too. I have a meditation corner in my bedroom, where I sit for about 15 minutes every morning. I practice japa meditation, which is the repetition of a mantra, usually but not always with a mala (string of 108 beads). I sit, light my little oil lamp and get myself settled in my seated posture - tall spine, open chest, soft face. I take a few mindful breaths. Then, holding my mala, I begin to repeat my mantra - one repetition for each bead. Afterwards, I sit for a few moments, no mantra, just silence. I say my closing prayer, and then I start my day. 

Photo taken at the Vraie Nature + Mo/uvement Yoga Studio Branding Photoshoot.

I also use my time in the kitchen as a meditation practice.  I guess that it’s a place that I spend a lot of time. Can you share with us your mantra and it’s meaning? 

I’d rather not share my specific mantra - I don’t know why, it’s just a feeling I have. But every yoga mantra is valid - and they all lead to the same place, deep within the heart, way beyond the grasp of the mind. “Om” is the simplest and most powerful mantra, said to contain within it all the mantras. It’s meaning has many layers. The way I feel about “om”, it’s like a reaching up, from deep within you, up towards the Divine. It’s like reaching out your hand to God, or to the Universe, saying “I’m here, singing for you, waiting for you, inviting you to come with me” The key is to stick to one mantra every time you sit for japa meditation. Traditionally, a person would receive their mantra from their teacher, but you can also pick your own mantra. A book I’ve found very helpful on this whole topic is “Meditation and Mantras” by Swami Vishnudevananda. 

Thanks for your honesty. I can see that your mantra is a very personal thing, that you hold close to your heart. Who is your spiritual teacher? 

I don’t have a “guru” in the traditional sense of the word. I did my yoga teacher training under Ivy Xie-McIsaac of Wishingtree Yoga, in Kanata. I feel such gratitude for her teachings; it was she who showed me the depth and breadth and beauty of yoga. I have continued my yoga studies with Sylvie Gouin (Inspired Living with Sylvie, in Ottawa). Ivy brought the Bhagavad Gita to life for me, and now Sylvie is guiding me through Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. What a blessing to know and to learn from these two strong, luminous women. I’m also very much inspired by the life and teachings of Swami Sivananda and his disciple, Swami Vishnudevananda.

And apart from these “formal” teachers, I can say that my kids and family are my greatest teachers. I mean, who else can push your buttons like your family? That’s how you come to realize what your buttons are! They show you! And they test all your resolutions, all your ideas. “So, you think you’ve got it figured out - what are you going to do now? How are you going to apply all those teachings in real life? How are you going to stay calm and centered and loving, when we are bouncing off the walls and leaving a trail of socks all around the house!” They don’t say that in words, of course, but they sure make you think! They’re truly great teachers, and great supporters, and an inspiration in many, many ways.  

Thanks for the reminder, because I definitely get my buttons pushed by the people that I love.  Approaching those moments as teachings is a great perspective. You are also part of a kirtan band.  I love the story of how your band came to life. Can you tell us about your group and how it came to be? 

When I started my teacher training in 2015, part of my training was to participate in a monthly kirtan. Kirtan is the singing of yoga mantras in a group, usually in call-and-response. So one person leads and “calls out” the mantra, and the rest of the group responds with the same mantra and melody. It’s a beautiful blend of music, mantra and meditation. But more than that, with kirtan, there is devotion - or “bhakti” in Sanskrit. Essentially, we are singing with hearts full of devotion to God, or to the Higher Power - the mantras contain the various names of this One Truth - and the songs are expressions of gratitude, or longing, or joy, or praise - sometimes even sadness, or loss. It’s an opening of the heart to God, to the Divine: an offering of whatever’s in the heart to this One, and an invitation to that Great Love, that Divine Light, to fill our being.

Ivy’s husband, Stewart McIsaac, co-leads the teacher training with Ivy. He teaches the modules on nada yoga - the yoga of sound - of mantra and healing sounds. And Stewart leads the Wishingtree Yoga kirtans. So every month, over the year of my training, I attended kirtan and through osmosis and practice, I learned and came to love the core mantras. After my training ended, I continued to attend kirtan as often as I could, and lo and behold, us “regulars” ended up becoming a sort of band. We have Stewart on guitar, Ivy with tingshaws/shakers, Scot Dunlop on cajon, and me with drum or harmonium (a kind of a mini organ). Last October, we recorded an album together, “Water Way Chants, by Water Way Kirtana” Then, in December, I decided I’d like to bring kirtan to Vraie Nature Yoga & Mouvement in Chelsea, where I teach. Though I had originally thought that Stewart would lead kirtan, as he had always done, I somehow ended up leading the Chelsea kirtan that December, and have continued to do so every month. Stewart, Ivy and Scot are usually there to share their voices, instruments and energies. It’s wonderful! 

I love how things can evolve and grow! What do you say to people who have never chanted before and feel strange/uncomfortable with chanting and saying that they don’t have a nice singing voice. 

One of the greatest gifts of this practice is that, after the initial discomfort and self-consciousness, after the initial protests of the mind, you can really let go of your inhibitions and just sing! That is so incredibly freeing. To be able to express yourself from the heart, without fear of what you sound like, what you look like, what others might think… I wish everyone could experience this. To come to love the unique sound of your own voice, and to use it in such a positive, powerful, uplifting way… we can come to this place through kirtan and then allow this to touch all areas of our life.

If you had to share one teaching with the world, what would it be? 

Not having time is no excuse. Make time for what’s truly important. Take good care of yourself and your circle of family/friends. Love yourself and your dear ones, truly, unconditionally. Bring as much light into the world as you only can - it can be in very small and simple ways - an appreciative rub behind your dog’s ear - a smile to a stranger. Connect with that Light that’s already inside of you, and let it shine.

What is your morning Routine? 

I get up between 6 and 6:30. First, I step outside to let my hens out of their coop and to check on my garden, and then I shower. Actually, I wasn’t always a “morning person,” but showering in the morning, rather than evening, has really helped! Then, I sit in my meditation corner for japa meditation. Depending on the day, I might throw some sun salutations in there too. Then it’s time for my making breakfast meditation :)

You have hens! I love it. I have dreamed of having chickens. Also, it’s nice to hear that you made yourself into a morning person.  No excuses right? 

Thanks Zofia for your time in insights. You can find Zofia at the following workshops and classes…

Summer schedule at Vraie Nature Yoga in Chelsea: Mondays Yin Yoga 4:30-5:45pm, Wednesdays Classical Yoga 9:30-11:00am, Sundays Classical Yoga 9:00-10:15am

Three-week meditation session at Meredith Centre in Chelsea: Wednesday, September 4, 11, 18, 7:30-8:45pm

You can reach Zofia with questions about these or other offerings at: zofia@sageleafyoga.ca

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On September 1st, 2019, Zofia and I are inviting our community at large to my Studio in the Woods for an outdoor kirtan celebration.  We will gather and chant to the rhythm of mantra and elevate our vibrations to a higher frequency. The event will be photographed and Zofia and her band members will use the photos in their promotional material and social media feeds. It’s called a branding photoshoot and I look forward to seeing you there.  All are welcome!

You can RSVP at photo@anniebananie.ca

The Magic of Children

I love these photos. To me, they speak of fairy tales and magic. They were taken a few weeks back in the throws of spring, when nature was bursting with life. In that time, where even adults see the magic all around them. I met Alice and her family at Fletcher Park and we had a beautiful time. Alice was like a spring fairy running, jumping, picking flowers, climbing trees and playful. She reminded me of my own inner child.

I grew up in the country and have vivid memories of the great outdoors. Some of those are searching for four leaf clovers, “saying he loves me, he loves me not”, as I pulled on the white, soft pedals of daisy flowers. This might be why daisies are one of my favourites! I built forts and went on long bike rides. I swam and daydreamed. I am grateful for those moments and grateful that both my businesses involve working with children. I love their zest for life and to be honest, I am a child at heart.

Children see magic everywhere in the new leaves sprouting from the trees, in wildflowers reaching up to the sun. They find joy in the small things like collecting sticks, and rocks. I love to help cultivate these experiences and take images of families in these moments of connection in nature. Photography is a true passion, a love. It’s a love that I have carried around with me for many years. I got my first camera at 16 years of age and ever since, have been documenting the world around me. I traveled around the world and photographed many children and found a common thread; all children no matter what race or colour love to play and engage in the world around them. If we adults give them enough space to explore, they will find a way to engage. I love that saying “less is more.”

Hail Storm

I think that we can all agree, that it’s been a wet, cold spring. I for one have been craving hot sunny days! So when the rain clouds parted for the sunshine this afternoon, Jay and I jumped into the kayaks to take it all in. We floated on the water and sat in stillness, listening to the birds, and feel the peace in nature’s beauty. It was one of those moments, where I got out of my head and really took the time to appreciate the world around me. The meditation didn't last long. We noticed incoming dark clouds and thunder in the distance. We made it back to shore, just before the hail storm hit. Balls of ice bounced off our cars and the patio table. The wind blew in it’s haste sending green leaves to the ground. Hot steam rose from the lake, as cold pellets cut through the water’s surface. It was like mother nature was confused as to wether it was spring, summer, fall or winter! Once the storm passed a beautiful sunlight shone through the trees sending a feeling of magic through the forrest. I grabbed my camera and braved the mosquitoes to take some shots.

Sweeper Ants - Travel Story →

Mermijita in the Oaxaca province of Southern Mexico is a rugged, wild beach with a strong surf. Its black sandy shores are like hot coals in the heat of the day. It’s not a beach vacation where you float around in the ocean, while holding a margarita. It’s where you walk the water’s edge with the waves crashing at your feet, in respect for the ocean and its strength. If you dare to stand ankle deep, the tide tugs and tries to pull you in as you push back with all your might. People have drowned in its undertow and red flags fly at its shores reminding you that there is danger in its waters. You become humbled in it’s presence and experience being with it, in humility.

At the far end of the beach is Punta Cometa. You can see it at the top right corner, of this image. This rocky scape boasts hiking trails and a great sunset view. It’s the most southern point in the Oaxaca province.

We booked our eco lodge through Air B and B and it did not disappoint. Our ECO lodge was at the end of the rugged beach and it’s wild nature was exactly what we were looking for. The lack of road access meant, no big resorts looming about only cacti, tropical plants and the quiet of the birds, the waves, and insects. Our taxi took us to the end of the road and we walked the beach to our little oasis. Other than one other bungalow, we were alone. And that is precisely what I needed. I wanted to retreat into the quiet of life in the jungle, a place where I could simply relax and do all the things that make my spirit sing. It had been a stressful fall and I craved a space where I could relax and just be, and I had found it.

My promise to myself was to wake up for sunrise, and greet the morning light gently caressing the world around me. I wanted to eat loads of papaya and write on a daily basis, and that is what I did. What did I write? I had a small computer and wrote with abandon about my growing up in a small northern town of Ontario, about my travels, motherhood, and being a business owner. I love writing, it is a form or release. When I walk away from a writing session, I feel lighter, with more space to move about in the world. I did yoga, read and simply relaxed while doing nothing. Jay was a perfect support. While I stayed at our hut and on the beach he would walk to town, go to yoga class, get a massage and found his own sense of a personal retreat. In the evenings we would meet to watch sunset and later make a killer supper and play crib. What a perfect little cohesive little existence we made for ourselves.

The palapa was a three level building made with brick and mortar. With no road access, Os the manifester of our cabana had brought all supplies by donkey. One brick at a time and one donkey load at a time, he built the palapa by the sweat of his own brow. His vision is to host people like us, who want to live in the jungle surrounded by wild life.

The first floor was a well equipped kitchen and a great place to lock our valuables. While in Mexico, one must think about where to store valuables, as theft is real. The second floor was a room open to the outdoors, with a fresh breeze, a hammock, and a writing desk. It was the perfect place to do yoga, read, write and hang out. The top floor was accessed by a ladder, kind of like climbing into a tree house. This was our bedroom and it sat right under the palapa. The bed was in-line with the window so that we could lie there under the mosquito net staring at the ocean. The waves were so strong and loud that the first few nights, I barely slept as each crashing wave sounded like a burst of thunder in a raging storm. The sleepless nights were not a bother, as I layed there in gratitude and in awe of my surroundings.

We were powered by solar panels, washed our dishes outside and had a dry compostable toilet. I loved the feeling of living in simplicity and cohesively with nature. There is something to the saying: “Less is more.”

Playa was a gentle dog. I loved how she would always appear out of nowhere, running towards me looking so happy.

A beach dog started following us everywhere we went, including in our hang out space in the palapa. We called her Playa, which means beach in Spanish. I am not a dog lover, but somehow she made her way into my heart. I felt sadness in leaving her, and that time came to soon. We spent 10 days there and I could have stayed for another month, a year, a lifetime!

There is nothing like nature to remind us that we are but a spec of dust in this universe of wonder.

The last evening, we ended the day, with the glorious colours of the sunset. Its pastel landscape, painting the sky and touching our souls with wonder and a knowing that there is something bigger than ourselves. Nature really is my church. We returned to our palapa full of gratitude and ready to cook supper.

In our absence a copious amount of ants had swarmed our lock box and lines of them marched in confident paths through the trees, and blades of grass. I swept them away with a broom and some water and got away with a few bite marks. Later Jay noticed that there were more ants at the neighbouring palapa. We didn't think much of it, but later we were alarmed.

After supper, I sat up in our hang out spot, swinging in the hammock and reading my book. A half hour later, I decided to go to the bathroom. Upon stepping out of my perch, I noticed hundreds of ants dotting the cement floor. I sat there stunned. Where were all these ants coming from? I walked around them and climbed the ladder to our bedroom. Here too, there were ants on the floor and climbing to the inside of our mosquito net, where we had carelessly left it open. Alarm bells started ringing, we can’t stay here! It’s an ant invasion!

Needless to say we packed our bags and walked out to the beach where phone reception was available and called Os (he was staying in the nearby town of Mazunte). As we talked to our host, we could hear the neighbours who were staying in the palapa next door. The sounds of them sweeping, hitting and yelping with ant bites as they battled agains the army of ants hit my funny bone, and I felt the situation was quite humorous . Like us, they were Canadians and well traveled.

Os explained that they were sweeper ants and to wait about 45 minutes and they would leave. At this point it’s 10:30 at night and we were about a 30 minute walk to town. We trusted in our Mexican friend and decided on waiting it out. Google told us that sweeper ants are carnivorous ants, who knew? They are relentless in their pursuit of their prey and come in swarms and march through homes and “sweep” through to devour salamanders, geckos, scorpions, and snakes. I am sure that they would eat a human if it was incapable of moving . We waited the 45 minutes under the stars leaning on our backpacks and gazing up at the spectacular sky. The milky way sparkled in it’s wake of wonder. Nothing like sweeper ants to make you come out and notice the brilliance above. Forty five minutes later, we returned to our bungalow and Os did not steer us wrong, save for a few ants imprisoned in our mosquito net, we were ant free.

Seven am the next morning came soon enough and our ant friends were back with a vengeance. While Jay was in the shower, and I was greeting Os, I noticed more ants. They were lined up in a 5 feet wide procession and marched up the kitchen wall. They moved in a wave, as though a black blanket on a mission. A couple of geckos cowered in a corner, huddled together for dear life. I stood in the kitchen doorway steps away from their path of execution, and under the palapa. Soon they wove their way through the palm fronts above me and cockroaches started falling from the sky and a scorpion fell at my feet. I didn't even know that all these critters were living right there in the palapa with us! It was very exciting and time to leave.

Despite the ants, I would come back in a heart beat. I have traveled to many places and this is one place that has etched itself in my very being. Thanks Os! It was super fun and exactly what I needed; relaxed with an exciting ending.

Fall Photo Session

It’s hard to believe that it has been months since my last blog entry. Truth be told, I have been so busy with being a mother, photographer and daycare provider that writing has been put on the back burner. Lately though, I have had an itch and here I am writing.

One highlight, I have had this fall is photographing families in nature. I truly believe that adults and children benefit from being in the presence of trees, lakes and the fresh air of the great outdoors. It also provides a beautiful backdrop for family photos and allows children and their parents to run, play and have fun. As parents we crave to give our loved ones an experience of family connection and that is what I love to provide. In this photo session we met on a friend’s land and had so much fun. Not only did we take photos but we played hide and seek, ran, discovered different mushrooms, leaves and each other. The photos speak for themselves.

Fricky

Meet Fricky our cottage friend.  We have him trained to hop right into our hands for some peanut treats.  He is busy as ever coming back and forth from his hole under the deck to our outstretched hands.  He is so cute and not shy!

Monte Verde Costa Rica

Here is one of the walking bridges at Monte Verde National Park in Northern Costa Rica. It's a cloud forrest, which means that it is a wet and tropical that lives at an elevation of the clouds.  Never have I experienced walking through a cloud and feeling it's moist mist on my skin, hair and being.   It was magical like being in the land or fairies, gnomes and trolls. 

One rule of hiking is do not deviate from the trail, if you do, you touch what has been untouched.  Leave the forrest do what the forrest does. The cloud forrest  is of every shade of green possible. Moss grows on everything and the forrest engulfs you in it's enormity and beauty.  As we walked something shifted inside of me.  I felt joy in this misty forrest. It spoke to me: "Take care of the Earth's trees and biodiversity."  Among the trees, the mist, the moss and the glow of green, I felt the presence of mother nature.  I love this experience of being connected to something bigger than myself. 

Our drive to Monte Verde Cloud Forrests brought through crazy winding, dirt roads, and an amazing view of the sunset on a beautiful cloud.