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Category Archives: Day-to-Day

Back to Nature Family Camping in New York

Happy Canada Day everyone! It’s raining this morning, so I’m blogging, but you can bet that this afternoon I’ll be out celebrating living in this awesome country! And what could be more Canadian than blogging about our camping trip last weekend? Our camping season has had a very late start this year. Usually this would be our third trip of the season! But between having house guests, weekend photo shoots, and trying to get work done on our backyard, we found ourselves at the end of June without having been out. And to be honest, I was going a little stir crazy. I’m an outdoorsy girl, and working in an office this time of year — when we only get a few months of good weather — is very mentally challenging for me! After a week of spending great weather indoors, I’d had it: it was time to get back to nature!

Living without a Car The journey to our new vehicle

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From as early as I can remember, I loved the independence that having a vehicle brings. I got my drivers license days after turning 16, and my first car (an old clunker my aunt generously gave me for just the cost of getting it road-worthy) shortly thereafter. For six years I drove my own vehicle, and then Rob and I moved to Korea… without so much as a scooter. Three years later we moved back to Canada, bought a minivan for just over $1,000, took the rear seats out, loaded it within an inch of the pavement, and drove precariously across the country to Edmonton. A year and a half later in January 2012 we sold it for $700 and drove a U-Haul to Ottawa, which we had decided was going to be our home. We’ve been living without a car ever since.

A Birthday for Dad

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With spring comes my dad’s birthday. He was born on a Friday the 13th, a point of pride that made #13 my favourite number for sports jerseys whenever I could get it. My dad is still the most athletic person I know. He plays hockey like a fiend (often on more than one team), and on the weekends you can find him in the Gatineaus skiing in the winter and biking in the summer. He’s taken me on midnight skis while a full moon is out, and he taught me to swim and to keep my eyes open and my mitt up when a fastball’s coming at me.

The Log Farm Sugarbush

When the snow starts melting, the sap starts running… and that means it’s sugar bush season! Every couple months some of my friends do our best to get together for brunch. We take turns hosting and cooking, and spend a few hours catching up on lazy Sunday mornings. This time, when Nicole suggested we hit the all-you-can-eat breakfast at The Log Farm Sugarbush, there were no arguments. Pancakes, sausages, beans, and home fries, and jugs of straight-out-of-the-tree maple syrup? Yes, please!

Winter at Bruce Pit

Taking the puppy to Bruce Pit is a great change from her regular routine. Rob takes her on almost all of her walks, and she almost always goes to the same places (because that’s where she can run freely and play with other dogs), so once in a while it’s nice change up the scenery. Bruce Pit is a doggy heaven: acres and acres of fenced-in off-leash park, with sand pits, forest trails, and open hills. Some people have a bad opinion of the park, but it seems to be the only ones who feel that way are nervous dog owners who get apprehensive about other dogs being around. The whole point of having an off-leash area like this is for dogs to socialize, though, so if that’s not your thing than by all means, find someone else to enjoy nature ;)

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Ottawa, Ontario