Heather's Inspiration Garden

I'm Still Here

2009-11-19T15:35:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to say that although I've neglected this blog for a while, I'm still here! I have started channeling any posts about inspiring things to SuperForest, a positivity blog where I am a contributing writer.

Also check out my foodie stories at After the Harvest.

Here's hoping you find something to be inspired about today...

~Heather

I want to go inside these maps.....

2009-09-08T12:31:00.000-07:00

Check out these amazing maps that my sister painted! My favourite is the backyard map, it melds my love of camping with a sense of nostalgia from childhood.....don't you just want to jump inside?

Wendy's maps and other amazing painted items are available at WHDesigns.

Rediscovering your own potential is inspiring!

2009-09-01T08:27:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been going through your things at home and come across an old poem, drawing, painting, craft project, song, or anything else that you created in the past? Lately I've been unearthing old poems and writing and it has been very uplifting for my spirit! I look back and think, "I wrote that?" -- sometimes it's because it seems so dated with old feelings and emotions, but sometimes it is because I have taken my own gifts for granted and I am amazed at what I can do. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not sitting here writing this to talk about how great of a writer I am -- I still have a long way to go to perfect my craft! What I am talking about here is taking a moment and really appreciating the talents you have been given. Whether it's making a really good pie, doing a watercolour, having a knack for computer programs etc. we all have talents that are uniquely our own. It is my mission to try to use my writing more and really develop my talent, even for the sheer happiness it provides.
Below are a few old poems and pieces of writing I found that either made me laugh or made me take notice of my own gift:

Untitled
taiwan calling
hopes falling
reality waking
mistakes making
eyes winking
too much thinking
mind denying
plane flying
pride swallowing
heart following
paths diverging
memory purging

The Cashier
She sold me greeting cards, lipstick and shampoo. She had dark red hair and a friendly smile. Her big, thick glasses hid her warm blue eyes and underneath the extra weight she carried was the heart of a sincere friend. I didn’t notice her much at first but week after week her smile grew on me. It was a simple job, but I could tell she was no ordinary cashier. Something in her hearty laugh and the way she paid attention to the customers told me so. Weeks went by and I was served by other employees – the platinum blonde lady with purple eye shadow who refused to accept her age, the shy Asian high school student and the older lady with the rose-coloured glasses. Week after week, there was still no fire-haired, belly-laughing woman to greet me. One night after work I stopped in to pick up some things and as I neared the front cash, there it was -- a small plastic box with a simple note: “In loving memory of our dear friend Veronica who passed away. We are collecting donations for the cost of her funeral.” Attached was a Polaroid photo, bent at the edges like a random snapshot that had been stuffed into a drawer. In it, she wasn’t smiling. Her thick glasses made her look lonely and sad. Turns out she found out she had cancer 4 days before she died. It makes me wonder what fire-hair was really hiding – a wicked sense of humour and a love for life, or a huge tumour that was choking her passion – perhaps it was a bit of both.

Greener Grass
My cabin that summer was aptly re-named "Where Moths Come to Die". As I snuffed out each little moth's life night after night, it became like a reflex. Just as I would settle into my satiny sleeping bag, a friendly little moth would be earside, unaware that the end was imminent. Some nights the tin roof was a raucuous symphony of pounding rain, other nights I heard the family of bunnies digging below the cabin floor. In the daytime there was sunshine, clean air and greenery all around. A nice contrast to my home city full of crowds, cars and chaos. It was a summer of country roads and swift baby foxes, suntanned skin and a lake as smooth as glass. I relished in the little things: a hot shower where you could smell the fresh air as you lathered up, the anticipation of the day ahead as the stovetop coffee pot brewed. Certain evenings I stumbled around roots and relied on my magestic Mag-Lite, other times I gazed up at the expanse of stars, wide-eyed and full of calm. As the summer came to a close, I was sad to leave such a natural setting, but happy to return to the land of streetcars, sushi and socializing.

Hula Hoops Make Me Happy

2009-08-11T17:43:00.000-07:00

When was the last time you "hula hooped"?

Check out this totally fun video taken by the fabulous folks at Superforest.org!
Even if you're not a Jason Mraz fan (or know who Bushwalla is), I guarantee watching him hoola hoop to Mraz's concert will make you smile and laugh out loud! It looked like a lot of fun -- it reminds me of my own hoola hooping adventures......

It was called a Chinese Hula Hoop and it had eyeballs on the inside of it! Crazy and fun at the same time!

New Food and Wine Blog

2009-08-11T12:32:00.001-07:00

Hello Friends!

I have created a new food and wine blog to share my stories and inspirations from the local food scene, the wide world of wine and the amazing people involved in both of these industries! Today marks the first post, highlighting local garlic...yummmm

Check out the blog at www.aftertheharvest.blogspot.com if you have time :)

~Heather

Creative People are Inspiring!

2009-08-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

The more I think about it, I am surrounded by creative people and I seem to encounter them more and more in my life! When you really sit and ponder, everyone is creative in their own way -- even if you don't think you are, I am sure there is a little kernel of creativity inside of you just waiting to pop!
Recently I saw a musician who I have seen at the Toronto Buskerfest before...this time he was in Ottawa at the same event. This guy is super inspiring. First of all the rainbow coloured cloth mural is inspiring enough to draw the eye! But once you watch Matt James in person, he blows you away! He is playing multiple didgeridoos as well as keeping time and playing keyboard, flute, singing....the list goes on. He and his other buddy Matt put on a great show.

Speaking of creative people, I was inspired yet again recently at a family reunion. I was meeting a bunch of third cousins I never knew I had, and they were all amazing people! In our little group we had a dance therapist, an architect, a photographer, a singer/dancer, an actor.....it was pretty amazing. The most inspiring to me were a couple (my cousin and his wife) who (with the little I know of them) define creativity and passion for life! First off, they were those people you meet that just have this aura of inner calm around them, what a positive vibe! These two seem to be jack and jill of all trades, combining art, humour, a love of the outdoors and a desire to do work that will make change in this world. Thanks for inspiring me!
On another note, this sunset was pretty amazing to take in the other night...

A New Perspective.....

2009-07-21T07:13:00.001-07:00

Since getting out of the city, I have been seeing some things from a new perspective. This photo is of the big sky I see outside my window these days. Aside from the power lines, it's as close to the country life than I've been in a while. It's amazing how you can get so used to things that once you step outside of them then your eyes open up to another view. People who live here permanently probably rarely see its beauty the same way an outsider would. On my morning walks these days I see more birds, sky, trees, water and grass than ever and I'm loving every minute of it. The biggest change has to be the skyline, for sure. Beautiful blue sky and white clouds during the day, dazzling stars at night.

I've been seeing a new perspective through the book I'm reading these days as well. After many recommendations, I am finally reading Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman. I'm about halfway through, and so far I've already been inspired by some of the thoughts and ways of seeing life that exist in this book. Near the beginning of the book, the teacher tells the student:

"It is better for you to take responsibility for your life as it is, instead of blaming others, or circumstances for your predicament. As your eyes open, you'll see that your state of health, happiness, and every circumstance of your life has been, in large part, arranged by you -- consciously or unconsciously."(pg.28)

This really spoke to me because I recently realized this fact in my own life, which prompted some changes. Even the friend who helped me move had some words of wisdom that spoke to this: he said, "I think it's great that you're not staying here if you're unhappy with things, if you don't like something, change it -- and you're doing just that."

Also keeping me inspired these days is (of course) the music of one of my favourite singer/songwriters, Jason Mraz. One of the many YouTube videos featuring Mraz shows him strolling around the streets of Paris, singing "Live High". This video is better than half of the crap on MuchMusic these days, if you ask me.....

Well until next time, "live high, live mighty, live righteously"....

I want to be free....

2009-07-15T06:17:00.000-07:00

Today I am inspired by one of Gavin DeGraw's new songs, "Free". Gavin has a great way of taking simple words and using them to convey a message with a soulful voice. "I want to be free, wind in my hair, salt on my skin, sun in the air....." It's summertime and I am sure we all want to be sitting on a dock up at a cottage feeling truly relaxed and free from the stresses of our lives, but maybe we can go to that dock in our minds through mindful meditation? I don't practice meditation on a daily basis but when I have taken the time to sit down and walk myself through a relaxation exercise it has always done wonders for my mood, my anxiety and general happiness level. With my move 2 days away I am craving that "free" feeling that a more rural area can provide and I can't wait to enjoy all the beauty that it offers. The city has been good to me, she has given me many amazing friends and cultural experiences whether they be music, food, or otherwise related. What I will miss the most are the memories of when this city was new, when I felt "free" in another sense. I was embarking upon my new life in adulthood, away from home for the first time and just soaking it all in. I will also miss my friends so much -- I have been so fortunate to meet so many amazing, creative and enthusiastic people and I'm happy to call them friends. So I leave now feeling free in another sense, and looking forward to building a new life with new friends, new experiences and new joys and successes. I hope you have time to try out a mindful meditation of your own, take 5 minutes and walk yourself through it in your mind -- go to "your happy place" as they say -- your day will be all the better for it!

What would you do?

2009-07-06T18:53:00.000-07:00

I recently watched an amazing Canadian film, "One Week". It not only had beautiful scenery from all across Canada, but it also posed an interesting question: "If you had one week to live, what would you do?" That definitely made me think....what would I do? Who would I visit? Who would I share my feelings with? Where would I travel? Who would I help? What wish would I fulfill? This is definitely something to ponder, and it also makes me realize that we shouldn't wait to do these things -- we should try to do them now with the means that we have to do so. Obviously I can't just travel anywhere at the drop of the hat right now, but maybe I can travel within my own city to locations I've never seen, or favourite spots where memories still linger. The film also spoke to the idea of living in the moment and doing what is truly right for you. In the end when you are gone, what would you want to be remembered for? What do you want to accomplish? Day in, day out, what do you want your life to look like? That last question is something I have asked myself many times and I believe I'm getting closer and closer to it each year. I hope you are too.

Being grateful, part 2

2009-07-02T19:41:00.000-07:00

I saw this video recently and I thought it was: a) hilarious and b) spoke volumes about our society today and how we have so much, yet we value it so little. We should all be a little more grateful for what we have and we could also realize that we don't need as much as we think we need to live a great life. It reminds me of when I spent a summer in the woods with no electricity. At first I panicked, being a city girl, but I definitely got used to it and in some ways it was the most peaceful, happy times of my life. I would trade a gorgeous lake and starry nights over some of the other conveniences I have in my life. Anyway, enjoy the video -- I hope it makes you laugh as much as it did for me -- "It's funny because it's true!"....

being grateful right now at this moment

2009-06-30T21:02:00.000-07:00

Isn't it funny how when you announce to some people in your life that you are leaving for another city that they now make more of an effort to see you, or express in a more heartfelt way how much they will miss you? Old crushes come out of the woodwork to see you one last time, your employer finally tells you verbally how much of an impact you make at work, and potential networking contacts give you their numbers to keep in touch!?!
It is unfortunate that in our daily lives we do not take the time to share with each other how much we mean to each other NOW. It is too bad that it takes someone to leave for the outpouring of love and support to occur. I don't know about you but I am going to strive to be more grateful for the friends, family, colleagues and contacts in my life. The moment they do something nice or helpful for me, I will recognize it. I will strive to see my friends now, and not at the last minute before they leave for a trip or a new job or home city. It's definitely easier said than done, but shouldn't we all appreciate the now and be more grateful for it, rather than looking back fondly once it's passed us by? I challenge you to acknowledge someone today for the impact they've made on your life and appreciate them now :)

one green square in a concrete city

2009-06-29T08:55:00.000-07:00

I will miss this little apartment. One thing I will miss that has greeted me every morning is my little window on the world, my little patch of green in the corner of my apartment. In such a small space it has been so great to be able to look out my window and see the trees in full bloom and watch the squirrels in their little playground. One squirrel in particular has been known to nap in the tree directly in front of my window, with his little arms wrapped around the branch, his little body heaving and sighing up and down, in a peaceful mid-afternoon siesta. A another squirrel friend of his has been known to nap on the ledge of my juliet window, spread out for all to see, soaking up the rays. I will miss this tiny greenspace but I am happy to moving to a place where there is much more immediate greenspace all around me! It has been fun watching the seasons go by through my little window. My bamboo friend has also prospered in this area in the 4 years I've been here, he started as a little tiny shoot and look at him now (joy-dog says hello to mr. bamboo)....

in this life a little rain must fall.....

2009-06-28T21:30:00.000-07:00

This blog is meant to be an outlet for my writing and to share things that inspire me to grow as a person.....

It rained tonight and I loved every minute of it. The rain outside my window is such a peaceful, refreshing sound that totally relaxes and renews me. It is a blessing at this time especially because of the heat and the garbage strike to have a little rain to clean things up! It's really funny how a lot of Torontonians react to rain, as if it's the first time they've seen it. Traffic goes awry, people make mad dashes to and from stores for shelter, and more pushing and shoving occurs with people scrambling to board streetcars. It makes me think, why is everyone so panicked? I mean, it's just a little bit of rain....I'd love to walk by someone and just see them standing there letting the rain fall over them like we did when we were kids....maybe I'll do it myself :)

I think we all need a bit of rain to nurture our garden, if you will. A little moment where we can feel refreshed, renewed and maybe stop for a minute and just enjoy the moment....
We should all be a little more like Gene....