the one and only August post.

Well, life has been crazy. I moved back to Cranbrook - "Cranberries or bust as some may put it" (They know who they are :)
I lived with some friends for 3 weeks who had no internet and since I am no longer a paper pushing junkie I no had no access to a computer with the net for a while. Defiantly a liberating experience once I realized what a junkie I really was "Death by e-mail" as another unidentified group may put it.
Then the craziness of the new job which involved an encounter between a grizzly and my dog 3 days ago.... More information to those that request it.

My new project now is to try to get some local control of local land. Why should some people have exclusive right to land and to having the life that they want simple because they have the cash to make the rest of us their "labour market"??
Seriously: what is that??

My time is not a commodity to be traded by some person that I don't even know. I just realized in the last few day (listening to the early business show on CBC) that the middle class person is regarded as simply an input into the economic well being of those better off than themselves.
Anyways, enough ranting.

I was thinking lately, upon reading Dorothy Day, that maybe I should just become an Journalist exposing the evils of today's societal norms rather than having some job that is simple a random input into something that doesn't even matter in the scheme of things and selling my time to some company for a messily $20/hr. I know that may sound like a lot to some people but really think about it: is your life really worth only $20/hr?? If it isn't then why do you work for so little. Why can't we make business work for the people instead of people being sold to corporate entities for the whole of their life (minus when they are old)??

Must go, I am in the middle of a double move. Talk to you all more in September.

Fullness of Life vs. Personal Security

"The most extreme example, perhaps, of closed groups, are what we call sects. Sects are initially seductive and attractive to very lonely and insecure people but, once they surrender their personal freedom and conscience, such people suffer the terrible fear of leaving the group. Outside, they could fall into even greater loneliness, insecurity, and anguish.

I bring up sects because, while most of us abhor the more extreme and obvious manifestations of sects, we can be blind to the innocuous sects that are a part of society. Our places of work, for example, can become like sects, where we have to sacrifice our personal consciences in order to keep our jobs, have a good salary, gain a measure of security. We need to be vigilant of any situation where it is necessary to obey blindly. Rigidity, a demand for ideological conformity within a group, is rarely necessary; it is not, I think, the sign of a healthy group. Not only that, but the price that we pay, as a society, in the repression of individual growth and the denigration of individual creativity, it too high."

- Jean Vanier in his book "Becoming Human"

(Jean Vanier is the found of L'Arche communities around the world that embrace the intellectually handicapped persons of society that are all to often marginalized by our society.)

I highly recommend his book to all Homo sapiens who want to become human.

A Rocha - Creation Groaning

A Rocha - "Christians in Conservation" held a seminar at Regent College in November 2003. All the lectures are on A Rocha's website at http://en.arocha.org/bible/index2.html

Sir Ghillean Prance, the director of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew England gave a wonderful lecture titled "Creation Groaning" in which he explores the declining state of the environment all around the world.

Then if you don't want to listen to all of the lectures Peter and Miranda Harris (the directors of the first A Rocha center in Portugal) in their lectures "Creation and Community" - Miranda Harris and "Creation and Gospel" - Peter Harris, give a wonderful summary on what A Rocha does and how God calls us to live as Christians. Peter also explores the idea of "Natural Resource Management" and what kind of relationship we as Christians, and indeed as people, are called to foster with the environment.

A Rocha has field study centers in 20 countries all over the world. There are two centers in Canada one of which is in South Surrey (the other is in Manitoba). I have visited the South Surrey center and strongly encourage all of you to visit if you get a chance. It is a wonderful place.

God is Green

What does the scripture say about creation care??
Check out Mars Hill's latest teachings. They are currently in a series called "God is Green"

http://marshill.org/teaching/index.php

post your comments :)

North Coast near Prince Rupert

Here are some pictures from those few days that remind me why I took this job.

On the ground as the helicopter comes in to pick us up.

Looking out the front window of the Helicopter.

Steep Bedrock is the trademark of the North Coast.

Slides often leave only bare glacier smoothed bedrock in their wake.

Beautiful Wilderness Basin.

Shores of the Skeena at its mouth.

The grain port out at Port Edward

What's Happened to the Church??

One of my favorite bands, Po' Girl, a folksy band from Vancouver recently put out a new album "Home to You". One of the songs on the disk is called "To the Angry Evangelist" I'll share some of the lyrics with you, the full song lyrics can be found on their website (http://www.pogirl.net)

"Don't sing to me of turning my cheek
Don't sing to me the virtues of meek"

"I'm sick of someday soon things will be better
That creed kept slaves, slaves of my ancestors
Faith it has beauty but not when it blinds us
Blinds us and folds us to crimes of excess
Never to lead but always to follow
Follow sad mad men to shame worse than death"

"Don't sing to me of joy on the other side
Don't sing to me of waiting to die"

(russel - Po' Girl)

as I was listening to it and reading the lyrics I was disturbed at how these women see the modern church, what has happened to us?! Towards the end of the song they talk about what they want out of life - their gospel.

"I want joy in this life, my joy loves company
Don't sing to me that war is our destiny
This is my gospel i hope you'll share it
Stand for each other don't let greed be our measure
Put down your gun and put down your bible
Hold out your hand, we'll build a new temple"

Those things are exactly what I, a card carrying Christian, want in life too!! (except that for me the teachings in the bible have reconfirmed those desires in me)

All of those things (minus the putting down the Bible) is exactly what the bible teaches! That fullness of life is what Jesus came to bring us. Those things are at the heart of Jesus.

Obviously they don't see joy, loving community, caring, and peace in the church. How do we change that? (Quite frankly neither do I a lot of the time, have we lost the heart of Jesus?!)

What has gone wrong in our churches? Where do we go from here?

Laodicea, Pharisee or Sinner?

Ok, here is something to think about. If your church has a decision to make and there are 2 options. One option is going to get a lot of people in your church really mad and the other option is going to cause people outside of the church to be totally turned off church.

Which do you choose? I am not talking about preaching down damnation on people, but just your simple actions will cause people to be offended; I am sure a lot of "church goers" can empathise, as well unfortunatly some recent church protagles that I know (and empatheise with). God loves people, all people both "sinners" and "pharisees". Which do you choose?

It may be possiable to just make everyone comfortable but often that is at the risk of becoming the church of Laodicea. Is that the right option?? If not, you need to decide between either the "pharisee" or the "sinner"

Life is HUGE!!

How do you foster a deep and real connection with your spouse to the fullest extent of what God intended that to be (since that is something we can't really make up for after the redemption of creation) and still maintain a level of caring and loving others to the fullness that God calls us to? Do you need to compromise one to live out the fullness of the other? is this what Paul is talking about in 1 Corinthians 7:32-35?

I for one don't see how I could possibly do one much less both in all their fullness and still have time to watch the latest movie, surf the net, and continue battling the ever growing reading list (it's all about priorities)... jk.

Seriously though life is extremely overwhelming. Just the idea of studying the bible to the extent that I now long too is over whelming me with the realization that it would take lifetime upon lifetime to do as much as skim the surface. So now that I have dedicated my next two life times to skimming the surface of the scripture how am I possibly going to find the time to implement what God is calling me to do?? Now add on top of those untold centuries the idea of having to love and care for a spouse, (an opportunity that is only available in this life time I might add), in a relationship that mirrors Christ and his church!! Just to top it all off your marriage might just probably lead to children who you are then charger to love and care for in the same way that God as Father cares and loves us his children... talk about overwhelming.

Oh and the final thing, be a tent maker to earn a living while you are up to all this God stuff. Ok God seriously who do you think I am?!?! Elastigirl?!.....

Life is one very seriously high demanding yet utterly rewarding journey. Is it possible?? has the fall reduced us to just wallowing in overwhelmededness the majority of the time, whilst covering our head with a blanket and staring out blindly at the task that God has laid before us, brought to tears just thinking about the countless failing's that I know are inevitable??

Feeling overwhelmed here God!!!

The Depth of "One Flesh"

After returning from church this morning I began reading "A Severe Mercy" by Sheldon Vanauken. The first 2 chapters brought me to tears. The literary display of this couples building of their love is some remarkable. Their love was made complete and full by a dying to self and a becoming more like the other that both of them under took and were very focused on during their short time together. It is a story of profound and true marriage love lived out by a couple who interestingly enough was initially set firmly against Christianity. I recommend it to anyone especially those married or engaged, or just those craving such a profound connection with another person (like me).

The light at the end of the tunnel

I'm going, or coming (depending on who and where you are), home today. Actually that is not entirely true. I am leaving this evening and have to overnight in Van. Lots of time for knitting and reading.

I believe that I am nearing the end of my time in Rupert. I'm not running away from anything (just to get that clear). I have had lots of time to read and reflect and contemplate where I am and where I want to go with my life. Now that I have done that re-evaluation and
learned a lot ad read a lot. I am ready to go back home and define my community and become rooted for the long term.... aka COMMITMENT (the continuously unpopular idea of our modern age).

More Must Read Book by Wendell Berry

Just to add to the list of absolutely amazing books by the very talented Wendell Berry. Here are some more you can read if you can't find "Sex, Economy, Freedom, and Community" or if you just really liked that one and are looking for more.

"Another turn of the crank is all about forestry and agriculture and people's right and wrong relationships to the land.... I know someone who that might apply to in a very practical sense!

Promised and Long Overdue

Ok, here goes:The Machine we flew down: a Bell 206L Long Ranger.

Full body shot....

Waiting for the pilot in Prince Rupert (while the weather was still good).

Featuring the full surround visibility. Despite popular opinion smaller aircraft especially helicopters are not particularly water proof and water leaks in when you are flying through heavy rain, hence the drain hole at my feet... to avoid a puddle.

In bad weather east of Port Hardy.

One of the Atlantic Salmon fish farms in a small bay.

This fish farm is especially full. We could see the fish jumping from the helicopter. If you look at the picture in a larger view you will see small white spots in the squares which are the splashes from the very active salmon.

Approaching Vancouver.

Thats it! Unfortunately the weather was not exactly conducive to picture taking.

The Lot of Land Stewardship

Another must read book if you care at all about the lot of the remaining natural spaces on earth. To peak your interest

"If in order to protect our forest land we designate it a commons or commonwealth separate from private ownership (side note by Marta: this is the current model that we have in BC), then who will care for it? The absentee timber companies who see no reason to care about local consequences? The same government agencies and agents who are failing at present to take good care of our public forests? It is credible that people inadequately skilled and inadequately motivated to care well for the land can be made to care well for it by public insistence that they do so? The answer is obvious: you cannot get good care in the use of land by demanding it from public officials. That you have the legal right to demand it does not at all improve the case.... Our present idea of conservation and of public stewardship are not enough. Duty is not enough. Sentiment is not enough. No mere law, divine or human, could conceivably be enough to protect the land while we are using it."

- Taken from an "Private Property and the Common Wealth" an essay by Wendell Berry from the collection "Another Turn of the Crank"

Please note: I am not intending for this to become a book review blog... I wanted to share this because Wendell Berry is much more articulate than I am.

Careers are Overrated

Think about it. Unless you love what you do and are seriously passionate about it. Do you really want to sell your life to some company for $20/hour, and a one night retirement party after which they all promptly forget about you and you are replaced in 3 weeks time.

Most people work the standard 5 days a week during daylight hours, that is 71% of your days for your whole of your working life (which also often are the years of the most abundant health, raising a family and self discovery and development.

I for one think that is stupid. (Please don't miss understand, that doesn't mean that I just want to sit on my butt all day doing nothing). I want to live, live a full life and find ways to provide for myself doing meaning things that I care about. I want my life and my work to become one, not because I am forced to work evenings and weekends, but because my work is my existence within and experience of my community.

A Night at Logging Camp

The North Coast Forest.









Well I had an awesome sleep last night after spending 2 hard bush days and one night in logging camp. My body is bruised and aching. The bush hiking is a definite workout. Slopes are 100% and covered in mossy and slimy logs.

You can kind of get an idea of what the hillside is like from this picture. You are usually hanging onto branches, roots, or saplings to pull yourself up. It is basically full body hiking. I had a few instances yesterday where I reached out to grab a branch to stable me only to discover that is was actually a leafless stock of devils club. It is beautiful hiking and the forest is full of birds.

Yesterday I even saw a humming bird stick his head out around the side of a tree to see what we were up to and then scoot off.

At the end of the day the helicopter picked us us from the top of the ridge. The view up there was incredible!

Must Read Book...

ok, I got this book out of the library yesterday, I have been meaning to read it for a while. Anyways, I got it yesterday on my lunch break and I am already 100pgs through. That says something! I do ready but not usually that fast. Here it is:



It is a collection of essays:

• The Joy of Sales Resistance
• Conservation and Local Economy
• Out of your Car, Off your Horse
• Conservation is Good Work
• A Big Bad Idea
• The Problem of Tobacco
• Peaceableness towards Enemies
• Christianity and the Survival of Creation
• Sex, Economy, Freedom and Community

They are all very readable and not too long. I am already on the second last one, "Christianity and the Survival of Creation," and like I said I am only 100 pgs in.

If you have already read this book please post any comments you may have. If not head down to your local library!

Kingdom of Heaven (NOT the movie)

I have been thinking about life and thought I would share a thought with you all (and maybe even get some feedback...)

I really want land. I want to live a simple life: grow my own food, build a sustainable home, live in community, care for the people and plant/animal communities around me and teach others about making peace with creation.

Yesterday I was listening to a Mars Hill Sermon (April 22, 07) Rob Bell drove home the point that I have heard Rikk Watts say again and again. Heaven is not some place else, heaven is a redeeming of the earth. Heaven is coming here.

This got me thinking about my desires of caring for creation, living simply and living in community. If heaven is a restored and redeemed creation don't my current desires fit into that. Is is possible that dream is not a dream for my life right now, but rather an inner longing and dim reflection of a life that will be realized in all its fullness in heaven (i.e. a redeemed creation). And, that any sort of manifestation of that dream in this life is not a fulfilling of my desires, but rather a sign of the kingdom of heaven; obviously not perfect, but a dim reflection.

If this is the case, where does that leave me? What do I pursue? what do I strive for? How do I live my life in light of that?

My Exciting Thrift Store Find

Hurray, I have found a cheap sewing machine!! Time to perfect some of those skills I learned as a little girl.

Art from the Street

Painting #3 by Ronnie
(homeless artist from Boston)

Here is a painting that I found at a art sale, featuring homeless artists, in a downtown Boston in the community hall of a church.

Science Nerd meets Art in......

Erythronium gradiflorum in April

Here it is, how I spent my long weekend. When I looked at the final product I had to chuckle to myself; only a science/math/forestry tech would paint a picture of a flower and include in it the associated underground life.

A Weekend of Creating

This Easter long weekend has been a wonderful weekend of renewal and creating. and of course sharing an awesome meal with friends.

I will post a picture of my "very exciting" first acrylic painting tomorrow.

check Back. :)

Welcome to my House...

New never seen before pictures of inside Marta's home!!!

Self explanatory I should think:

Sorry for the mild blurriness, I can't get my portrait pictures to load normally

you are welcome to come visit if you don't mind sleeping on my futon.

My Life is SOOO Random.....

Ok, so this is what happened. As you all know (because you read my blog so diligantly) I ended up stranded in Detroit / Grand Rapids last weekend on my way to Boston because of the snow storms on the East Coast. Well just to finish the trip strong I had more travel problems on the way home also. Caroline and I went to the Boston airport at 2 pm last Saturday for Caroline's 4 pm flight (due to being a cheap travelling pseudo-student type I opted for a flight 2 hours later to save some cash). Caroline got on her flight and it left no problem. I hang out at my gate reading a book waiting for my flight. I landed, unloaded and was getting very close to boarding time when they announced that the oil light had some on at landing and when they checked it out they found metal filings in the oil. Disturbing..... So the cancelled the flight. I had an extra night in Boston in the ritzy hotel airport, went back into town for another bowl of clam chowder and some wine and meet some locals.

Then yesterday I travelled from Boston through Salt Lake City to Vancouver. The bonus: I didn't need to take a bus from Seattle for Vancouver. Unfortunately I did not have a passport and didn't even think of it until I was boarding in Salt Lake as I had originally planned to go back to Canada by land. Fortunately they let me go without much trouble but told me I wasn't allowed back in the States, BANNED.......

So there you have it. More random ramblings of my obscure life :)

Manhattan in a Day

That's right we did Manhattan in a day. We are having a slow morning we were very tired last night and still have sore feet.

We rose before the sun yesterday morning and caught a China Town bus to New York. We caught what sleep we could on the bus and arrived in Chinatown, Manhattan
at 11am After a bit of disorientation we began our walking tour. First we went to lower Manhattan and saw all the classic touristy things: ground zero, statue of liberty, the court house, Wall street, the New York Stock Exchange and the Korean and Vietnam war memorials.
Next we started the long trek to downtown Manhattan located mid island. We passed through Chinatown, had a bite to eat in Little Italy and headed on up to see the UN, 5th Ave, Central Park, Grand Central station, the Empire state building and Times Square. Then we took the subway back to Chinatown and ran to catch the 9pm bus back to Boston. We arrived at the bus depot at 1am caught a taxi back to the hotel and got to bed by 2am. Needless to say it was along day.

Now, here are the pictures:

Chinatown in Manhattan.

Me in Chinatown, we thought the sign above my head was interesting. you can't really read it, but it says "no standing allowed, except for trucks."

Caroline at Ground Zero.

The Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry. We felt no special ties to Ellis Island so we opted for the less expensive option.

The view down Wall street.

Caroline walking up the Brooklyn Bridge.

Caroline in front of the UN plaza of nations.

Me in Central Park, from here we went to see Strawberry Fields and Shakespeare Gardens.

Me in Times Square.

Art Museums in Boston

Ok, now to finish off what I started yesterday morning.
After we walked down the shopping street and went to the homeless artists art sale, we got on the subway (also known as the T) and headed out to the Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

We went to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum first. Caroline had been there before on an English tour of New England last year. However, for me it was a first time visit. The museum was amazing! It was an art museum, but had the atmosphere of walking through a house. Lots of paintings and sculptures were tucked in corners or aligned in a row right at the top of the wall were it meets the celling. Everywhere you looked there was something that you hadn't yet seen. The museum boasts some very famous European Masters such as Rembrant and Machelangelo, which I am not used to seeing being from the Westcoast; most all the famous European artists were sealed in museum collection long before the west coast was in a position to look at developing museums.

The other very cool thing about it was that very few peices of art, be they sculptures, paintings, books or historic artifacts, were behind glass. There was just like a sculpture from the 6th century right there; you could reach out and touch it. Of course they had gaurds in every room to ensure that people weren't touching the art work or lounging on antique sofa.
In total there were 3 floors of art work and in the middle of the building was a beautiful garden.


Next we headed over to the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA). We started it and will finish on Saturday before we fly back home. I will write more about it then. I'll just say for now that after going to Isabella Stewart Gardner it wasn't nearly as excitting being in the MFA; everything was beind plexy glass, the rooms had bright lighting with bland coloured walls. Not at all arranged in a pleasing-to-the-eye fashion. Nevertheless, it does contain marvilous works of art as well.

Sorry, I am trying to attach some pictures, but blogger doesn't seem to be working very well right now.

Boston Day 3

Goodmorning everyone. Well we were just awakened by 3 alarms that we set to all go off at once to be sure that we did not sleep-in and miss our bus. I am now well rested and am going to attempt a report of yesterday's happening in hopes that they turn out better than my last post.

To start we slept in, we were going to go and watch the sun rise over the ocean. On the flight from Seattle I realized that I have never seen the sun rise over the ocean; I have only seen it set over the ocean, being a west coaster. However, that did not happen yesterday so we are planning a second attempt on Saturday.

After sleeping in and putzing around the hotel room, slow morning, we headed out to do some shopping, more so store gazing, down the ritzy shopping street. We poked around a very expensive thrift shop, had an olive oil tasting at a ritzy olive oil store and looked at very expensive antiques at an antique store.

As we were walking past a older stone church we saw a hand painted sign saying "Art Show", red letters on a blue background. We decided to investigate, pulled open the heavy wooden door and found ourselves in the church atrium, rather dark with a pile of last weeks bullitens on a table directly in front of us. There was a lot of buzz coming from a room off to our right and a women wearing a bandana came out to greet us. She told us about how the church opens up its doors to homless artists, so that they have a place to work, every Wendesday. We looked at the art work which included paintings, jewlary made from sea glass, and a veriety of knitted and croched art, which were all located at one far end of the room. Int he rest of the rorom were the artists who were busily working, chatting with friends over a cheap muffin, or looking up inquizatively at the visiters, that being us. The women told us that they church heard that there was a need for this art program and supplied all the supplies and the artists had a chance to sell their work, all the money from the sale went directly to the artists. We looked around. Caroline found a piece that depected Copley square, painted by a homless man from Equador. I also found a very nice piece that isn't, as far as I can tell, a picture of any scene in Boston. We saw the artists that had painted our treasure finds and Caroline was able to meet her artists. Mine however, has very shy and did not want to come and say hello. This for me was one of the highlights of my day.

More on yesterday later, we need to head out to catch the NYC bus right now.

Randomness of the day:

Caroline was asked three times yesterday about her height. First, what position she plays; then what time it was, which the inquirer quickly changed to "how tall are you"; and lastly by some random man we walked past in Quency market who told her that she would get along with his 7'4" couisin.

Boston Day 2

Well it has been two days since I last blogged and in that time we have seen and experienced a lot of different things. Ranging in randomness from an olive oil tasting to perfecting our skills at J-walking.

I am trying to be creative, sorry it isn't working very well. Here is what we did yesterday:

1. Took the subway to Cambridge, looked around downtown Cambridge then continued on to Harvard University.

2. Went to the Museum of Natural History (located at Harvard), they highlights of which were the Comparative Zoology Museum and the Glass Plant collection, both of which were extremely incredable.

3. Walked around Harvard square and poked around some very cute boutiques one of which, called Little Tibet, was playing very strange low throat sort of chanting music, but the clothes were cool.

4. Went out for Afgany food in east Cambridge, it was very good. The restaurant was fully equiped with an operating brick bread oven, fresh flat bread of which we were served.

I will give you all more info when I can think straighter. Right now I have sore feet from standing in museums all day and need to sleep. Tomorrow the plan is New York City: Manhatten really. The plan is to rise at 5:15, prior to the sun and catch a bus to New York and then be act like nerdy tourists all day taking pictures of ourselves in front of well known places.

Arrival in Boston MA

Well, our first half day in Boston is quickly drawing to a close.


After a very random flight delay last night in Grand rapids I headed out the door soon after I had written my post to retrieve a very frustrated Caroline from the Grand Rapids airport. On a positive note, I got the rudimentaries of Grand Rapids navigation down. Long story short, we both travelled to Boston today.

My day started with a 3 hour bus ride from Grand Rapids to Detroit, and then a Taxicab from the Greyhound station to the airport. Lets just say that my first experience with big city cabbies was not a pleasant one. Sensing my innocence of metropolis experience the cab driver, after puling away from the curb, offered me a deal: $60 for the 8 mile trip to the airport. I was somewhat confused as he did have a meter installed. He told me to name my price, I considered for a while and then told him I would pay him no more than $38. To which he replied, with a slight grin, "someone told you what the trip was worth, hey." "No," I replied, "I just don't understand how it can be so expensive for 8 miles." After that experience I am quite glad that Boston was a solid transit system.

Anyways, moving on to more 'not so trivial' details. Upon our arrival in Boston I was happily reunited with my bag (meaning clean clothes and underwear), and we were out of the airport and on the subway with little delay.

My first impressions of the subway station reminded me of scenes in movies: lots of people, bright colours, street musicions and shabbily clad vagabonds. We quickly found our hotel behind the Boston Public Library and were uncerimoniously thrust into a very different world: a professionally dressed host and hostess, elaborite woodtrim decerating the lobby, and a welcoming bowl of fruit on the counter. We wasted little time in dropping off our luggage, the tell tale sign out our tourist state, and head for the streets of downtown Boston; nothing particular in mind.

We found our way through the Public Garden and the Boston Commons, not lush and green as you see in the pictures, but cold with heaps of dirty melting snow and leafless trees lining the busy walking paths. There were also clourfully clothes children taking advantage of the freak snowfall at the local sleding hill.








Nothing more of great intrest. We are back in the hotel and planning for tomorrow.


Random Question of the Day: Caroline was asked if she was from Belgium.

In Grand Rapids MI

Well as a result of the snow storms onthe eastern sea board a few days ago I was stranded in the Detroit airport and have found my way to Grand Rapids MI.

My flight has been rescheduled and I will continue on to Boston first thing tomorrow morning. I just got back from dropping Caroline off at the airport and am now going to be spending the evening and night with her housemates.

More on my adventures in Detroit and Grand Rapids in the near future....

Daylight Savings

My body is not accepting daylight savings. I go to bed at my regular time and my body just seems to grasp to my regular sleep pattern and I end up getting up at the old time (ie. 1 hour later). It has been like this for the last 3 days.

Any suggestions.

My First Attempt Telemarking

After waking up to white streets in Rupert yesterday morning, I figured this would be a good weekend to go skiing and maybe my last chance.

So I rose early did my chores, had some fruity greens for breakfast then packed my car and headed for the mountain (Shames Mountain that is).

I really want to learn how to telemark so I bypassed the rental hut and strapped my very out of date telemark gear to my feet and went to stand in line for the chairlift all the while catching a mix of scornful and interested looks at my boots and skis.

My first run did not work out so good, I thought the problem may be that my skis had not been sharpened in my known history of them and also sported some corrosion on the edges.

After making my way down the mountain half standing and half falling on my face whilst my legs got tangled up I went to get my skis sharpened. The rental/sharpening man was quite surprised at how bad they were and since he figured it would take him quite a while to sharpen them, he lent me his telemark skis so I could still go out on the hill. I thanked him kindly and was quite excited to try some gear that was a little bit newer technology not to mention that had sharp edges.

Alas, to my dismay these new skis did not make the going much easier. I guess this whole telemarking sport is a lot harder than regular downhill skiing, which I had picked up quite quickly after just a few runs on my first day out a few years ago. However, do not dismay! I persevered!!

I ran two runs with the loaner skies that I had, then I got mine back with very shiny, and very sharp edges. Back up to the top of the mountain, for a few more rounds of face plants and crossed skis (which always seem to "conveniently" occur with much greater frequency when I am under the chairlift and everyone is watching me).

And now: I am home, with sore legs and tiredness.

Mission Outcome: Many more trips of today's nature are needed before I am trying any back country runs. Until then I will claim the post of photographer and the like on any expeditions I find myself on.

Romans 8:18-25

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that ^[j] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

What are the implications of being part of creation, and not only part, but a child of God (vs. 19) and imposing suffering on the rest of creation?

New Wine, and a Nutty Treat

I bottled by first ever batch of port wine today, it was supposed to be an orange flavored white dessert wine but turned out to be more of a peach flavour, which I think I prefer so that turned out good.

thew other thing I thought I would share with you all is my invention of non-dairy iced dessert. When I first decided to do this whole Vegan thing I thought I would try the commercial brand of Non-dairy dessert. Namely: So Good.
I made it through one tub, but was slightly disturbed when I read the ingredient list:

Filtered Water, Sugar, Soy Protein, Maltodextrin, Sunflower Oil, Tricalcium Phosphate, Potassium Citrate, Magnesium Phosphate, Dipotassium Phosphate, Dextrose, Salt, Mono- and Di-Glycerides, Guar Gum, Sodium Carboxymethyl-cellulose, Locust Bean Gum, Carrageenan, Modified Corn Starch, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Caramel, Artificial Flavour and Colour. May contain traces of peanuts and/or other nuts.

When I saw that Caramel was so far down the list I realized that I was probably ingesting a heck of a lot more Maltodextrin than I probably wanted to. It looks like a disturbing experiment out of a science lab. I quickly decided that was the end of that, who knows what Sodium Carboxymethyl-cellulose might do to my guts and/or brain. I think I would rather take my chances with modified milk ingredients, thank you.

To substitute for ice cream i thought i could just ice a new Nut drink that i recently discovered:

Vegan-Nog:
the other thing I didn't think I could give up was Egg-Nog. But I found an awesome dairy free recipe!

no seriously this is not bad....
it is made from 2 of my favorite munching snacks from pre-veganism: Almonds and Dates, (and some spices).

You make Almond milk and then blend in fresh dates, surprisingly enough they add that "Nogish" touch. To finish on a happy note: the bonus over Eggnog is that you don't get that post-milk mucus. Hurray!!

Fresh Pasta yummy....

Well, I had extra time tonight to make my dinner so i thought I would try out my brand new (to me) pasta maker - straight from Italy! a lucky find at a thrift store last week.

I even got stopped and searched at Airport Security as the X-ray machine operator stated to his counterpart: "we'll search that suitcase," then he looked at me and said with a chuckle "It almost looks like you have a pasta maker in there."
"I do" I said, quite proud of my new kitchen apparatus.
The searching security guard was soon satisfied after checking my pasta maker with a probing 'something detector' it was shaped like one of those mirrors that the dentist has too look at places in your mouth that no human eye has seen prior to the discovery of shiny metal that reflects light.
So anyways, that is the story of how my pasta maker made the trip from an unsuspecting thrift store in the bible belt of the lower mainland to my little hovel.

Back to my exciting recounting of my culinary experiment. Keeping in line with my newly adopted Vegan diet, I dutifully followed a recipe for vegan pasta that i found on the internet. Chickpea flour, white flour and whole wheat flour with a tad of salt and a splash of olive oil. It makes for a yummy way to get your protein rather than a can of beans in your pasta sauce (not a favorite of mine since I have a strong affinity for tomatoes that occasionally drives me to the fresh produce isle at the grocery store with the only purpose of quenching an overpowering craving) so anyways because of that I like to enjoy my tomatoes pure and unspoiled by beans and the like. The pasta maker did a great job of making spaghetti, my favorite pasta shape. After hand cranking the dough through the flattening cylinders I quickly put the fresh noodles in a pot of boiling water and Vuala: fresh pasta in minutes*!!


Disturbing Fact: I am turning into a domesticated housewife... and I'm not even married!!! something hormonal must be happening.....
As Rebbecca would say while assuming the diagnostic posture of a fantasy wizard: "suspiciously interesting....."

*The minutes referred to at the above noted astrix do not include time spent grinding the flour, making the dough, or operating the pasta machine and refer solely to the boiling of the pasta.

Closing statement: It was a yummy dinner.
Now to close the evening right with a glass of red wine by candle light.

Reflections of Hadia Gwaii #1

I have arrived at the forestry office in Queen Charlotte Village (it is actually called "village", not "city") The downtown is a total of about 6 stores, all of which close before 6. The weather is awesome. Very pretty. The flight this morning was wonderful. I was the smallest so had to sit in the back of the plane (little 7 seater Beaver).

But that was ok since I got to see out the window and was defiantly more comfortable than the 3 full grown men who were crammed all 3 to the bench in front of me. Once we took off over Prince Rupert harbour, Metlakatla, the small native community across from Rupert, quickly came and went from our view. The outlying islands of the west coast of Digby, the commercial airport island) were scattered and bore smooth yet rugged rocks as a coastline testimony of the geological history and the extreme seas of this area.

We were just approaching Haida Gwaii (Native name for QCI) when the sun rose over Hecate straight. It was soooo beautiful; it sparkled off the water and filled the plane with that early morning sunlight glow. Then I caught my first glimpse of QCI. The waves breaking on the sandy looking beach line. The wind swept trees lining the edge of the beach and the swamps and peat moss in the interior. As the rounded the northern tip of the island and began to approach Masset you could see small and some large houses nestled under the tall coastal trees; the old Masset, the original native settlement.

Lawrence picked me up in my truck for the week A extended cab Ford Ranger. And after grabbing a coffee at the local diner we started the drive down to Queen Charlotte Village. The landscape is very beautiful. Thick coastal forest was cutback from the road leaving a seemingly impermeable wall of green, much like the jungles of Guatemala. Under the wires running the length of the road were small hemlock and cedar, salal clumps and bare deciduous trees that had grown persistently since the last trimming of the ever encroaching forest. Once we had crossed over to the east coast of the island the forest occasionally broke on our left side and afforded us glimpses of the ocean as the sun rose higher above the low hanging clouds on the horizon. The occasional farmers field cleared out of this temperate rainforest was complete with resting cows chewing their cud, bedded down on the thick undergrowth of decaying grass.

When we arrived in the village of Queen Charlotte, Lawrence took me on the extended tour of downtown, that lasted a full 5 minutes. It consisted of a few scattered diners, most of which, he informed me, had very unpredictable hours; some of which seemed to have just closed their doors all together with no warning of any sort. Then there was the Health food store/used book store (important to know for me), and the liquor store. He also informed me the fresh produce had come to the island today and that it was going to be a mad rush after work to head down to the local Co-op for any fresh produce that you wanted for the week.

After quick introductions as the office we went to the Sea Raven for lunch a quant diner with good food and unpredictable service. Most of the patrons seemed to know each other and exchanged the occasional pleasantries. And now I'm preparing for tomorrow. We are going out on a waste check at Sewell Inlet.

Well it has been a bit of a crazy week. Was out of town for a week and now I am just trying to settle back into a bit of a routine. I went on my first swim today since my move. I am so out of shape, and kind of forgot how to swim. Fortunately for me there is a very nice lifeguard that is giving me lots of tips so hopefully next time I go I won't tire out quite so fast. The swim was really good, because, I pulled a muscle in my leg yesterday and swimming is one of those very gentle workouts.

The neighbour's cat is becoming more friendly with me and came by yesterday to say hi. I have been warned that she will come through my bedroom window when I am sleeping if I leave it open. When she came by she was climbing over everything in my house, but was quite well behaved about it and knew exactly where her feet were going.

Reflection for the Morning

Just wanted to share with you a snip of what I am reading today:

"Christianity is an earth religion, and has to do with the actual things and relations of of everyday life, with such real things as homes and stores, factories, and counting rooms; with such real relationships as buying and selling, marrying and giving in marriage, voting and working. Christianity is an effort to transmute and transfigure the dust of our humanity and the life of our world into the righteousness of the living God. by his life among men the Lord Jesus has touched with a divine beauty and filled with a divine splendor these common relations and occupations and interests of life. Christianity is the most real thing in the world. Christliness is the mould into which the whole creation is being shaped."

"Christian character is not something added on to life, not some special accomplishment like music or poetry. It is the harmonious development of the soul in all its powers and faculties; it is the soul honouring and fulfilling all the relationships of life."

- The New Citizenship (written by: Samuel Zane Batten)

You probably picked up the rather dated language used within the text. The copyright for this text dates back to 1898.

My thoughts: Many of you may read this text and dismiss it as common knowledge of a Christian. Which may be true, but my daily struggle is that I know all these things, I have been to Sunday School, I know all the right answers, I know all the stories, but how is that changing the way that I live. I am not just talking about becoming a "good citizen" or a "nice person". I am talking about becoming more like Christ.


I am not intending on constantly bombarding you with quotations. I just want to share the highlights with you as a bi of a teaser maybe...

My Strange Title

Well I am sure all you can understand the martaw.blogger.com part, but you are likely all wondering what the deal is with βιογραφία it is the Greek for "Life Story" which is what I intend to be sharing with you. The questions, struggles, and simple pleasures of my life. The simplicity, or rather the complexity of being a human.