sending and opening special snail mail

As always, I have some lovely snail mail treats to share with you this week: 5 outgoing packages and 6 incoming envelopes. I must say, now that it’s finally spring, I’ve really been enjoying the short bike rides in the sunshine to the postbox and back to drop off and pick up letters… my neighbours should be jealous when they see me riding back with the loveliest postal loot!

sent with love to: Nick Oostyen and Olivia Delorme (@o_delorme)

sent with love to: Justice Bicycle (@justicebicycle)

sent with love to: Jane Murray

sent with love to: Jenny Cutnam

sent with love to: Jeannine Saylor (@saylor_made)

with love from: Jillian Griffin (@jillgriffinart)

with love from: Charlotte Vallance (@charlsvallance)

with love from: Beverly Ealdama (@beverly_e)

with love from: Julia Webb

with love from: Pagrum Boom aka Miss Lemon

with love from: Sarah Churchill (@scjammycustard)

a happy walk in the woods

Went for a nice long walk in the woods this morning with the sunshine. I meandered down near the creek and smiled at all of the little green buds poking up everywhere. The quiet babbling chatter of the moving water and several melodic birds calling to their feathered friends were the perfect soundtrack. It was great to start the day getting lost in both nature and my thoughts.  Coming to the end of the trail, I couldn’t believe what I saw: one of the “Half Full” tags I had hung back in January when I did a little art installation out in the forest using TheSecondMagpie’s mini positivity pieces. Nearly three months later the little guy is still there; although he is slightly rippled with a tear in his upper right corner, twirled string and the loss of part of his U, his bright and cheerful message still speaks loud and clear. Funny that even though I’m the one who hung that tag out there, its presence almost 100 days later surprised me and made me grin. What a lovely start to the day.

spoiled rotten

It’s rare that I need to be reminded about how lucky I am; I have a really good life, I know it and I am ever so thankful for it. Living in this beautiful country, in a safe home and being able to stay in contact with the people I love dearly, makes every day a blessing. So when an occasion like my birthday comes along, I am reminded of this fact even more so. Below are the generous and very thoughtful gifts that my loved ones gave to me almost a month ago now, for my 26th birthday. I am definitely spoiled rotten. From top to bottom: 1.An incredible Dutch pop-up & interactive art book, Verborgen Vogels, from my sister & brother-in-law 2.Incredible cast bronze owl hook,  from my sister & brother-in-law 3.Hand-me-down wedding books, from my sister. 4.Discarded library book gem found and re-lined by my sister: John James Audobon’s entire Birds of America 5.A constantly-waving Queen, powered by the sun, from Olivia Delorme & Nick Oostyen 6.An illustrated edition of Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species (so much better than my previous words-only copy), from my mother and father 7.A really special piece that once belonged to my great grandmother: a carved ivory tusk depicting a beautiful herd of elephants marching in a line. My mother graciously handed down this antique to me, which was assumed to have been acquired by my great grandmother’s brother, who constantly travelled the world. 8.Books right up my alley: The Moon of the Bears, The Moon of the Owls and The Charlton Canada Stamp Album & Storybook, from Marcus Jackson 9.Stationery, art and craft supplies from Carney Oudendag, my mother and my sister. 10.Three vintage finds, National Geographic’s My First Pocket Guide: Woodland Wildlife, Canadian Nature Guides: Mammals and Some Canadian Birds, from Carney Oudendag. 11.Custom-ordered, hand-made leather fanny pack by Loves Jules Leather (arriving in June), from John Helm …See what did i tell you? I’m ridiculously rotten!