My Delightfully Contained Garden

I don't have much experience in growing things, except that things grown in Virginia's red clay-soil never fared well, even with the soil composted and such. Up here, our landlord's garden used to extend nearly up to the back porch, and he and his wife would sell the fresh, organic produce from their driveway; now it's just a tiny patch in the back with weary soil that hasn't gotten rotated or fed in years. My husband and his mom planted veggies in 2008, before I first came to Canada, and the tomatoes, potatoes, onions, peppers, and zucchini did fabulously, but everything else either failed to grow or produced maybe one pitiful fruit.

So this year, I decided to try my own hand at gardening, but I was too lazy to turn up the untended plot in the back yard and get the soil treated and fed. So my MIL, Elisa, had the great idea to reclaim plastic containers and create a bucket garden! We punched holes in the bottoms, and I went to the farmers market and bought soil and lovely little plants.

I have two tomato plants, a cherry tomato climber, English cucumber, Spanish white onions, banana pepper, strawberry, lavender, Greek oregano, lemon balm, peppermint, and garlic.

I'll get snap peas if I can find a decent plant around here!

My banana pepper plant the other day. This baby pepper is now twice that length!

I like that my bucket garden is close to the house's side door, so I can pick up my watering can and tend to my plants without having to go far. We'll see how well they do!

Springing Toward Summertime

As the title says, it's springing toward summertime. It was around 30*C today, low humidity, and absolutely gorgeous. My MIL and I walked everywhere, yard sale hunting and then to the farmer's market so I could buy soil and more herb and veggie plants. The market was crowded with people doing the same thing! It's the big planting weekend here, and it's also Victoria Day weekend, so things are quite busy.

After dinner, we bought one-dollar slushies at Mac's and walked to Oak Bank Park, one of our favourite places to go.

The evening sun brought out brighter greens in the grass and warm gold out of the air. This golden air was full and sweet and calm, echoing with robinsong. Weeping willows and maples with leaves bigger than my hand bent over the runoff streams on the side of the road as we approached the park. Geese with their babies let me slowly approach to take photos; the females lying down with the fuzzy goslings, and the ganders standing guard over them.

The pond itself was glimmering in places as though it reflected a galaxy. Geese honked occasionally on the tiny islands formed at the centre of the pond. Turtles were swarming the water near the deck, perhaps hoping for some bread crumbs. Bright blue dragonflies whizzed by, red-winged blackbirds sang in the bulrushes, and pairs of mallard ducks calmly glided along the more shallow water. I was totally blissed out, like I am whenever I'm in nature.

We didn't see the wood ducks or the swan that Trevor and I saw last time we visited the pond:

But I'm sure we'll see them again. After all, it's going to be a long golden summer.

Spring in Ontario

Pictures I've taken ranging from our back yard to Kensington Market and Front Street. The very last photo I took on my husband's phone with Instagram. There are so many of these gorgeous pink trees around here of varying species. One thing on my bucket list is to one day own property where I can have loads of flowering trees!

Fun with International Stuffed Envies!

As some of you reading this know, I'm pretty active on Swap Bot right now and am currently hosting my second swap. My first was Show Me Your State/Province/Country, and my second is International Stuffed Envies, which is 146 swappers strong! This swap was even #1 on the top swaps on the site's homepage!

Today I received my envelope for this swap from my partner, newberlin!


WOW. Just look at it all! She really took the time to read my profile and see the things I really love. And everything is SO PINK. EEEEE!

A close look at the decotapes!


My most favourite item: a little pink matryoshka keychain! *squee*


Receiving swaps really makes my WEEK!! How about you?

Marvelous March

Hello, lovelies.

It's been a long time, hasn't it? A VERY long time.

Life has been utterly beautiful. I've danced, sang, wept, laughed hysterically, ran, loved, meditated, prayed, explored, nurtured, learned, taught, gotten inspired, created, and have been counting all the little everyday blessings that many people never even notice.



I've had the sun warm my face.

I've had summer rainstorms absolutely drench me.



I've fostered many kittens and have gotten them loving for their forever homes.



I've begun to explore Toronto more and more. I love my shining city.


I reached my first anniversary as a Canadian Permanent Resident.

I've put away things that were not benefiting me or my dreams. I've taken hold and have begun to mould the raw clay of inspiration that will benefit my wild, colourful heart and soul. I don't know where any of this will take me, but I'm going to learn and enjoy every moment of it.

In August, I had to go on anti-anxiety medication for my debilitating mental illness. I am not ashamed to admit it. At first, I felt like a failure for not being able to control it, to meditate it away, to read all the books in the world about it and rise above it. But then I realized... I am not a failure. This medication has done WONDERS for me. It allows me to be able to work past it, able to think rationally, able to do many of the things normal people do every day.

I want to post as often as possible from now on. There is so much I want to share, to write, to be inspired by. I adore all of you and I hope you'll stick with me on this Virginia gal's journey in the True North.

My best,
Mary

About Mary

I immigrated to Ontario, Canada from Virginia in December of 2010 to be with my Canadian husband. We met online in April 2002, and I first came to live with him in 2008. For years I had been dreaming of Trevor before I ever met him online, and I had had a burning desire urging me to go north. This desperate urge never ceased until I first came here... and suddenly, it was appeased. Silenced. I don't believe in coincidences.

I lived a very sheltered, overprotected, paranoid and isolated life. First in western New York, then in north-central Kentucky, then in southwest Virginia. Always semi-rural. Always homeschooled. Always kept under lock and key. I was never really able to form a decent relationship with my biological mother, who was my mom's daughter! When I came to Canada, I was able to do things I'd never done before in my life. I saw everything with awe and pleasure, and I still do.

I'm random, unconventional, quizzical, and silly. I'm a self-taught know it all (but I know that I don't really know everything!). I'm learning to not tolerate BS. I'm a wife, mama to five cats and additional foster kittens, novice gardener, crafter, and writer. I love to cook and bake. I'm obsessed with zebra-print and the colour pink. I love glitter and shine. One side of me embraces femininity, while the other is still the tomboy that I was throughout my childhood. I am just as happy in lace and skirts as I am in jeans and skater shoes. I'm learning how to outwardly express what is inside me. It's kind of hard to describe me. Ten years ago I was a stuffy, close-minded girl who was old before her time. Now I'm as open-minded as I can be.

I'm amassing a collection of ebooks before I even get an ereader! I write, and I've been writing since I knew the alphabet but didn't quite know how to form proper sentences on paper. I've drawn since that same early time. I love crafts, DIY projects, and various art mediums. I've started doing custom faceups on dolls and I LOVE it! I'm a coffee fanatic, a city girl, and Canada's passionate lover. I have severe depression and anxiety disorder, but I'm learning how to battle it and live more happily than ever before.

I have been married to my beloved for nearly four years now. We have survived some pretty bad times, only to come out on top. He lets me be the true, crazy me, and he loves me no matter how much I weigh or how moody I get. I firmly believe that he is my soul mate and that we have simply picked up from where we left off in our last lives together.

I also believe that I knew my biological mother in my last life or lives. Probably all of my siblings as well, especially my youngest.

I was raised Christian, although not in any particular denomination. My parents had been raised as strict Catholics. Mom, being of a much older generation, was always much more conservative and staunch in her viewpoints and mindset. However, she had always had a keen interest in Edgar Cayce, aliens, crystals, the existence of Atlantis, and astrology. She firmly believed in reincarnation. She and I used to have the most awesome talks about stuff like that! :)

At this stage of my life, I identify as a Christian Spiritualist who participates in both Unity and Brethren of Christ fellowship, which believe in simple faith and (in the case of the former), healing energies and a Christ-consciousness. I have my biological mother to thank to exposing me to Unity and Christian Spiritualism in 2009. I began a new chapter of my spiritual journey, and at this time I am also somewhat practicing Paganism. I easily get drained by electronic devices; I don't own a mobile and I'm trying to cut down my computer time. I feel my best after recharging and grounding in moonlight or by any large body of water. I love walking in forests and feeling the subtle consciousness of trees.

Lots of people think I'm crazy, sure. Lots of people probably want me to go to hell. Lots of people are probably pissed off that I'm sullying the Old Faiths. But this journey is exciting me to no end. It's what my heart is pulling me to. As a fellow blogger, Aoibheal, stated on her own About page: "I fully believe that spirituality comes from within, not from whatever is impressed and engraved upon you by others."

So that's me in a nutshell :) I hope I haven't scared you off and that you come along with me on my life's winding path!

Wee Bit of Me... but it's almost Thursday.

{one} when was the last time you used a pay phone (if ever)?
December 18th of last year. I was flying to Canada to land as a resident, and I missed my connecting flight to Toronto from Dulles Intl. Airport. I freaked out and, after booking the flight for the next morning, went to the pay phone to try and call my husband to tell him what was happening. He had already left, and I couldn't remember the cell phone numbers of our friends that were taking him to the airport, so I called my mom and sister and told them what had happened and that they needed to contact my husband.

{two} did you ever fail a subject in school?
I was homeschooled, so I couldn't fail ANYTHING. But I came close to failing math quite a few times through the years. I HATE HATE HATE math!

{three} where do you go to get your favorite hamburger/cheeseburger?
I'll say the Golden Star, a family-owned restaurant that's pretty famous here in Thornhill.

{four} have you ever served jury duty?
Nope, thank goodness.

{five} how old were you when you moved out of your parents’ house?
Well, I moved out when I was 23, had to move back in when I left Canada, and I officially moved out at 26.

{six} what is your favorite color to wear?
Greys or various shades of pink.

{seven} do you have a pair of shoes that you wear all the time?
I have black sneakers with hot pink details, pink and white soles, and lime green laces. I love them!

{eight} do you enjoy talk radio?
Ugh. Not really.

{nine} if you could turn one unhealthy food into a healthy one, what food would it be?
Why do I have to choose just one?! Ugh... pizza, BK Whoppers, KFC food... I can't choose, simple as that :P

{ten} who is the best speaker you’ve ever heard in person?
I'm really not sure. I've not heard very many in person before.