'each day is too short for the thoughts i want to think'

(image // source unknown)

today i've been writing lots. thinking lots. and compiling lists in my mind of all the things i want to do, see, and accomplish. lots is currently coming in the pipeline - lots of great oppourtunities, and amazing openings. however, all of these things require time, concentration, and a level of patience that i was not born with. 

and so i wait. i work hard. i stretch out money (and it's invariable and inevitable woes), and i pay my dues. and i hope soon - shortly - it will all come to ahead. 

i guess the good news is that soon you will all have lots of things to read about - jewellery workshops that i'm teaching, new pieces for the thackeray's vanity spring line, pen pal fun, 'daring' adventures to 'far away' places. outfitting my apartment. thinking about applications and items that are needed for the future. lots of writing, writing and writing, as well as time spent with friends. getting out of the city, and planning time to hike, to camp, and to be outside. time spent organizing reunions for the university, and workshops, art encounters, and catch ups galore. healing - lots and lots of healing. all of this in the mere hours between my '9-5' (or as i like to call it, my 8:30 - 8).

it's a bit exhausting, and intimidating to think about. but in the grand scheme of things, it is all worth it. 

this may be vague, but it's all in the interest of things happening when they happen, and things being shared once they have come to fruition. and when they all do, i will document and savour the moments - and share them with you!

and as i always say - i can sleep when i'm dead.

ultramontane and their outdoor adventures

I’ve recently had the oppourtunity to become more immersed in the downhill mountain biking culture and freeride, through spending time with people who eat/live/breathe the sport. I find myself being captured by everything about it… unfortunately, due to my back, it’s not something I’ll probably ever be able to participate in. however, the strong nostalgia of my trail running is brought to life in walking through half built bike trails, and climbing up and down berms and drops. it's my belief that regardless of your vehicle (feet, bike, all else), once you've fallen in love with a trail sport, you can find appreciation and aptitude in anything involving trails, a forest, and trees. if you have not yet trail run – please. stop what you’re doing (once you’ve finished reading my blog, of course) and put on a pair of running shoes, and go run 3k through roots and trees, and rocks and grass. I promise you it’s the best thing you’ll ever experience.

when a friend of mine showed me ultramontane, it didn’t take long for me to become obsessed. the series of videos are sheer perfection – and regardless of your feelings towards biking (which I’ve explained I don’t have much of a current investment in - i don't even have a bike after it's theft a couple of years ago), you can’t help but become enamoured with the setting – the stunning shots of the spaces they ride through, and so obviously have complete and utter respect for, are enough to make me want to quit my job and move to washington state. the simple shots of them doing things like making coffee, and sitting against logs with a drink. even the sheer perspective of some of the shots while they’re riding – the trees looming predictably large above them. it gives perspective to the world they're living and riding in. it’s so wonderfully beautiful. breathtaking even.

it’s the collaborative effort of connor macleod and derek dix. these guys are genius. their love for ‘off-season’ riding in south western BC, and their insistence to highlight the embracing of all weather riding. as they say, “there’s no such thing as bad weather. just soft people.” no. 3 . they try to convey that free-riding can happen anywhere, anytime. no need for big budget trips to warmer climate, or even huge trips to mountains – instead, using where you are, and enjoying the space around you… which I think is fair to say that we could all take a cue from. 

“Since the last release it’s been two weeks. As the crow flies…14 days. That one is for a measure of distance not time.Think about it. There have been wet days, snowy days, and dry days none of which have been exceptionally cold. All of which we have been out riding and shooting.” no 2. 

this will be an image heavy post… as that’s the nature of ultramontane. and I think to do it justice, I need to let the photos call out to everyone’s (or perhaps simply my own) inner nature junkie.

    

    

not many people know this about me, but in high school I took as many ‘shop’ related classes I could – I took 5 years of auto shop (I have a small obsessions with motors, cars, and anything I can build with my hands and make move independent of me), I took shop class, and often took to our garage to build things with my dad. Still now, my dad and I make weekends out of working on the septic tank, building framing for decks, and other construction projects that we can get our hands on (my dad was a brick layer in a previous life – perhaps where I get my need to work with my hands from). In no. 3 they work on the building of the courses, and what goes into prepping a space to ride through. that.... to me... is amazing. and as someone who loves the feeling of building materials in her hands, i can put myself in that place in which you can use a space you've helped build. 

the shot at 1:15 in this video is pure. Perfection.

the one in which he fastens a hacksaw and a tripod to the front of his camera backpack. That could not be a more perfect symbol of the person who appreciates art and nature, along with a need to work with their hands, and understand the work that goes into these trails.

    

“The whole idea of him riding a hand built hard tail can be fairly well romanticised. The whole ‘feel of the bike’ thing connecting with the ‘feel of materials’ in your hands. That’s heavy stuff. Real talk.”

    

There’s something so epic about this video.

“Hearing trees come down in the distance however was one of the most surreal things I heard in a while, at first we all thought it was either a nearby shotgun going off, which would be incredibly odd for where we were, or to kick up the weird factor, somebody playing with homemade explosives. Through the night there were about five trees falling that woke me up, each fairly frightening to hear the shattering crack of the trunk followed by the earth shaking thump of the tree hitting the ground. Good thing we checked the weather forecast and noted everything except wind speeds before we set out.”

the video that began my love. the perfect summary of the whole series. the canada flag at 7 seconds. the ferry. the snow. the sun. the companionship. the music... oh the music. the sheer expansive space that they get to be part of. and then, the camping. oh the camping. there is literally much better than cooking over a fire.

6 releases. started in Jan. now they’re done. check out their entire season’s chronicle here. there’s way more than what I posted… and I promise – whether you’re a rider or not – you won’t be disappointed. and be sure to check them out everywhere they are (below):

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my (easter) weekend in summary

this weekend was a bit different than easter weekends past - though last year, this time, i was still in the emergency room, in medical shock, from my car accident. as i mentioned, i made the tough choice to decline my family trip up north, due to some kidney and other health issues i've been having recently. the 16 hour drive would have been rough enough on my back, without the additional kidney issues. i needed the weekend in. the beauty part was, i had plenty of friends to spend it with, and was able to enjoy the weather, and time with friends, despite being previously a bit disappointed about the weekend.

High school friend reunion – and free wiser’s bottle service (my sister would have been so jealous); a couple of the boys; matt showing off our plunder; late night, private korean karaoke; the stunning weather we received on Saturday walking downtown; lacrosse appropriate outfit; Toronto rock game with my same name friend, jamie; an easter Sunday visit with my little niece g – reading books together; my hike through the trails in waterdown; clearly not hike appropriate footwear (and a little camera action); the waterfall; Sunday evening sons of anarchy catch up, letter writing, and jewelry making. 

thursday: since it was a long weekend (holiday friday) i rushed home, and then headed out to meet some old high school friends at the maddy... we apparently needed to revisit our youth. we spent hours sitting, and chatting, as people came and went. caught up on babies, and schooling, and house buying and upcoming wedding updates (clearly none of which were from me), and managed to somehow obtain free 'bottle service' (read: free shots/mixed drinks - twice - for our whole table). then, headed to little korea for some private karaoke (who knew!). private room, cold drinks = things i did not expect from karaoke. then, the group of us headed for food, and then more games at a friend's apartment. needless to say, it was a late night all around.
friday: woke up late, and lounged in bed for awhile. once i finally got up, i spent the day cleaning, clearing out clothes, taking down my month old fort, and doing some general cleaning up and clearing out of my apt. managed to get a quick nap, and some lounging in as well. when i woke up, i wandered to my landlord's place, to meet the new dog, and have some dinner. had a GREAT dinner of roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli, and some rice and tofu... and a little bit of wine. laughed wholeheartedly deep in inappropriate conversations about passing gas in your sleep, and equally horrible things that we all feel comfortable talking about with one another. (thank goodness for friends like that). we all settled down in front of the tv, to start watching 'hugo' but midnight hit pretty quickly, and we were all in bed before 12:00. that's what holiday weekends are for!
saturday: woke up pretty early, and took a long walk around the neighbourhood to try to walk out the pains i had been having in my back (kidney's, mostly). cleaned some more, and then headed downtown to wander in the sun, and then meet my high school friend jamie for the toronto rock game. we watched the rock beat the edmonton rush, and then met up with one of my sister's friends, and her family - her brother plays for the rush - and had a drink with them, and enjoyed the benefits of an after game reunion, like jamie and i knew quite well from our high school days. we then headed back to our parent's places - after dropping jamie off at her car, i went to my parents, and had another 12 hour sleep in my comfortable bed that my parents keep for me (i'm confident it's a guest bed, but i keep telling myself they just love me a lot).
sunday: woke up pretty early - first at 6 to various alarm clocks in my family's house, and then again at 10 - and a friend came over, bearing tea, to chat in the sun. then, i did a few hours of work, and then headed out to hamilton to visit with my friend's chantel and ryan, and see my little niece. spent a few hours there before they left for ryan's parent's place for easter dinner. i went back to my parent's, packed up, and then went straight for the hiking trails in waterdown, where i spent a couple of hours while the sun was still out, hiking beside the river, up and down the hills. it was the first time since i hurt my back that i have been able to really get out, and i was slow, but being alone down in the ravine was wonderful - and made me remember how much i missed trail running. thank goodness for spring turning to summer - MUCH more hiking to come. i then headed back to toronto, where i made some dinner, watched some sons of anarchy, and wrote letters to friends.
i hope everyone had a restful weekend, filled with friends, family and great food! and to those who celebrate it, hope you had a great Easter - remembering the reason that we celebrate this weekend. I am thankful for all that i have.

happy (easter) friday

//  image from anabela at fieldguided  //  

this weekend is easter - friday off, coming off of a short week, and hoping (fingers crossed) that the weather is nice. finally. please! my fam is headed up north again for a party and family celebration... however with all that has been going on with my back and kidney's, i made the terribly tough decision to stay at home. i'll be celebrating in my own way - making lots of jewellery, crafting with my dear friend helen, and hopefully enjoying some sun.
hope everyone has a fantastic weekend with family, friends, or whoever you celebrate this holiday with.

'the more genuine may be one's appreciation of fundamental things like home, and love, and understanding companionship'

"the more one does and says and feels, the more one is able to do, and the more genuine may be one's appreciation of fundamental things like home, and love, and understanding companionship"

A. Earhart

i was directed to this beautiful site - as a form of an online publication - by miss moss. and i have been pouring over the post since... the photography, the simplicity of the videos, and the beauty of the words that share space with each of the images.

Florence × Edits from Ian Coyle on Vimeo.

    

check out edit's quarterly. you won't be disappointed. if only as a reminder of the little things - and their beauty in their own simplicity.