Our 1990s Christmas Backyard, Endless Snow, Baking & Crafting

      Hello Everyone! I have a really odd collection of things to share with you today. Remember how in my last post I mentioned buying only some new outdoor decor items? Well, here they are - a couple strings of nostalgic, colourful, 1990s vibes Christmas lights! 

Raccoon strung them up along the fence, and I also acquire a small wreath to hang on the one entrance. 

It started snowing a day or two later, and I went out to capture the beauty while the flakes were coming down. Little did we know, this was about to be the beginning of a very long, hard winter. 

As you can see, just after our first initial snowfalls, we were already getting quite buried. That rug draped over the table completely disappeared at this point. Honestly, it may appear in April. Or it might not show up until May, who knows! 

And then, the big snowstorm arrived. Barely past the middle of November, and we were BURIED. I mean look at our living room window! And this was only snowstorm one. 

Plus it got a lot worse. The city really doesn't care much, and really underfunds the department needed to actually be able to deal with the snow. I say they don't care, but I mean, the government here, REALLY DOES NOT CARE.

So. It was a lot warmer than normal. And all that snow started melting. And since it had just been packed down, it created massively deep ruts, which for all the small car drivers like me, has created a wild situation. 

Just look at this mess - photos do not do it justice. 

We have also gotten a LOT MORE SNOW since and RAIN and radically changing temperatures. 

Oh, and my car slide on ice, got thrown into a frozen snowbank, and now I have to replace a bumper come spring. 

My stress levels and over all anxiety has been wildly high this winter, so not going to lie, really struggling. And we still have a couple months to go. I really want to be transparent that my life is definitely not what you mostly see on media platforms. Of course, I highlight the good and don't talk about the challenges much, but I try to still "keep it real" now and again. 

On a totally different note, I love Bob Snail Fruit Snacks and have started collecting the little toy snails that are all wearing different costumes. So far, I have 5 of these cuties and they are such a boost of serotonin. 

I have also perfected my Banana Bread and have made several loaves of it. What a delicious snack! Plus, I get free bananas from my work all the time. 

My first Christmas as an herbalist in training and I decided to make a good portion of my gifts. 

I made Lavender Sugar Scrubs and Lemon Cuticle Oils. Both of these I have had to adjust a few times to get them to where I want them and I still think I could make subtle little improvements, but it's been so fun to create and use these, and now, gift them to others. 

Also how cute are these little jars and roll on bottles I bought?! Giving all the apothecary vibes. 

I thrifted the little bowls holding my gifts - I love vintage china! 

Tomorrow I am going to have a GIANT post for you and if you like Christmas Trees, you won't want to miss this one! 

Decorating For Christmas & The Great Canada Post Strike (Again)

      Good Morning! How is your week going so far? I am returning to work after holidays, and I am also going back to 5 days a week, so guessing it is being quite an adjustment for me, as, per usual, I am posting all these way in advance. Who knows how I will keep up with everything after this! 

Y'all know that Remembrance Day hits, and your girl is full on into Christmas mode. Which is exactly what I did this year. I am nothing if not predictable. LOL 

Now, the lovely Canada Post union decided to make questionable decisions and go on strike late November, so despite me having all my Christmas cards ready to go early, they won't be going out until January sometimes. 

Which in some ways, is alright, because it does make Christmas last longer. 

It's become a sort of tradition for me I watch the animated Grinch movie while writing cards, as it is one of my favorite movies. 

This year I decided to not buy any new Christmas cards, but use ones I already owned, and just include a little note about how someone may be receiving the same card 2 years in a row. I really want to make a push towards using up what I have, less consumerism, and just living a little more simply. It feels really good to do these sorts of little things. 

Here is our lovely, little living room space, all cozy and bright for the festive season. 

And yes, same tree theme as always. I didn't add any new ornaments to it this year, and I didn't buy any indoor decor at all. The only decor I got this year was a few new outdoor pieces, which you will see in another post! 

“Christmas is like candy; it slowly melts in your mouth sweetening every taste bud, making you wish it could last forever.” ~Richelle E. Goodrich

I really love this soft, fleece blanket I got last year, and was so excited to pull it back out for another holiday season. I really do end up using a blanket every day and sometimes more than 1. We try to use as little heat as possible, to keep our power bill a bit lower, since the type of heaters we have in our basement suite really spike up that bill! Plus, one can always dress warmer! 

“I like to compare the holiday season with the way a child listens to a favorite story. The pleasure is in the familiar way the story begins, the anticipation of familiar turns it takes, the familiar moments of suspense, and the familiar climax and ending.” ~Fred Rogers

“Christmas Day is in our grasp, as long as we have hands to clasp! Christmas Day will always be, just as long, as we have we! Welcome Christmas while we stand, heart to heart, and hand in hand!” ~Dr. Seuss

Looking forward to sharing more cozy, holiday moments with you before long! 

Wee Updates & A Rainy Day At The Gardens

      Hello, lovely old blogging world! Hopefully this post finds you doing a lot better than I presently am. I am on Day 1 of a few holidays, and while that was initially going to be amazing, productive, restful, crammed full of fun.... I only got to Errand 1, and my car decided to have a breakdown.

     Turns out, a certain metal arm leading to my tire broke, the ball joint snapped out, and another axle cracked too. Between the tow truck and the repairs, I am out nearly $1000, which, is 2 weeks' worth of earnings these days. But what can you do?! It is the risk of owning and driving a car. It could have been so much worse - I was pulling into a parking spot when it happened, so minimal damage happened besides the actual issue. No accident happened, say if I were to have been going a much faster speed. And my Dad, who lives out of town, was only 5 minutes away and was able to come help me. I was able to get a tow truck immediately, and he was incredible, really knew his stuff, and helped us out a lot. Then finally, I was able to get it towed 3 blocks to a Tire Repair Shop, and they were able to get it in today, at the latest, tomorrow hopefully! As I type, I am waiting for the call that it is done. Hoping the rest of my holidays can go well, although I will be a bit nervous getting back into my car. 

     Does anyone else get really paranoid that their vehicle is no longer safe upon needing some emergency repairs? Do you struggle with anxiety? Because it will take me a while to feel safe again, and sadly, I went from being out of financial stress for just a few days before being put right back into it. *sigh*

     Anyways, other happenings in my life... not too much, to be honest... work is about the same, but the emotional burnout from customers treating retail staff so poorly gets to be a bit much often... I have changed directions with school a tiny bit - still working to complete my Chartered Herbalist Diploma Course, hopefully by February. Just slowly school down a bit, focusing more on burnout and then hopefully working more on the land. We intend to go to Banff in the fall, and I am still hopeful I can go see a friend in late winter. 

    For today, I wanted to start sharing the backlog of photos I have! Around 350, I believe, of various adventures that have been happening since I last posted. So, get ready for a ton of summer moments. 

     We continued to have a very rainy summer until August rolled around, then the heat tore in like a mad chicken... but meanwhile, I decided to go out and enjoy the rainy days as best as I could. This particular day was absolutely breath-taking. It felt very much like something Beatrix Potter would enjoy. 

     Here is a wonderful ~ PLAYLIST ~ to list to if you want flawless ambience. 

 

There was a Mama Goose, covering up her nest, which you can see in the center of this photo, up against the tree trunk. She kept fluffing out her wings, and once in a while you would get a glimpse of some babies huddling underneath. 

Everywhere you looked, there were glistening raindrops sitting on vibrant, lush leaves. 

The rain certainly didn't stop the fish from checking out who was lingering beside them. 

Normally, I take a book with me everywhere I go. Wouldn't you know it, today when my car broke down, I was indeed without a book! Lesson learned! Always take a book. Even when it is raining. 

If you are on Tiktok, I was able to create a very aesthetically pleasing video, with some inspirational words, that you may want to check out. Look for Miss Mouse Middleton! 

One last look at the beautiful pond before I leave you for today...

Not to worry,  I intend to work on scheduling a bunch of posts very soon, so hopefully you will be seeing me pop up on here for a while, until I get you all caught up!