PEOPLE -- how the holidays work with work

This is the post celebrating the people who are working during the holiday season to make my house a home. After a long year of working hard one often finds a break is needed and sometimes that means leaving town, having a stay-cation, or just plain old doin’ nothing for a while. The holidays, as in the Xmas season, seems to bring less work, more parties, lots of food and drink and pretty much an overall time out.

Personally I’ve been feeling pretty discombobulated this holiday season, yet ironically it’s put me in a place to enjoy the moments of the holiday: the lights, buying presents, xmas markets, children bouncing, movie moments… This week has been full on getting ready to host my family for Xmas eve dinner and whooooooo are the note worthy happy worker bees? (perhaps elves is more appropriate reference for the season)

Thanks to Julia, Colin, Jay, Trevor, Caleb (Mr. Ireland), and Dino (also there’s a few mystery players dancing the elf dance).

I’m sharing some photos of my favourite things:

COMMUNITY -- and that's what it takes to get you settled

… or sort of (the settled part anyway).

Well my home of many, many, many years sold and I handed the keys over November 30th so it was good-bye to the beloved old and welcome to the new or a lovely pink shade.

…and now for a brief visual on the transition.

Did you know it’s become quite acceptable to steal from construction sites?: theft has become a cost of doing business? Whacked, right?

Call me old fashioned and community focused as I just don’t accept that it’s okay to behave so badly at somebody else’s expense. So disrespectful!! …and that’s where community comes in. Community comprised of tradespeople on site, good neighbours, friends and like minded “put off people” who just won’t take it anymore.

The solution? Get yourself a security camera to monitor the site — they sync to your phone now days so you can see what’s going on wherever your are. They’re even 2 way audio so you can provide a special message to an unwelcome intruder. Of course, notify the police and don’t be shy to call 911 ‘cause that’s what theyr’re there for, and not only are they quick but cute as well. Try to get your immediate neighbours on side, informing them as well as letting them know it’s cool for them to call 911 if they’re suspicious of unwanted activity. The best thing to do is create an activity that empowers you to feel strong and in control of you home/space/place. In my case it involved friends and fun creating special gods of protection. A trip to Dress Sew and voila!! a totem of protection was happening (Burt Reynolds eat your heart out (hehehe) — a protection totem always comes in handy, especially when coupled with an armed camera system.

Once all is in place you’re ready to settle into your new home!!

PROGRESS -- it's been a journey of balancing the old with the new

This project began with looking to the land. As the story goes, somebody once told me all good projects start with the land as traditionally that was always the starting point which makes complete sense. After all, as a rural country, wouldn’t you want to know where you drill for water, how the land drains and where best to plant things…

It’s easy to loose sight of these important factors when living in the city, after all you’re lucky to have any land around your home and often people find their home in the air. Since this project started with a double lot, meaning some land, and recalling “somebody’s” words of wisdom contact was made with Joe Fry of Hapa Collaborative. We met at Union Market for coffee and custard tarts to discuss what was possible. There’s more to this story, but that’s for another time. Focusing on this one here’s what evolved.

Yes hard to believe this has been 2 years in the making and now it’s starting to make sense as it’s becoming real. Going beyond the paper of Landscape plan, planting plan, details of paving and planting, details of steps and walls, and streetscape and lists of plant names.

See what I mean:

I love the way the professionals have been able to take my ideas and thoughts, such as blending old and new while aging in place and building a community, and manifest results that surpass anything I could come up with. The contemporary elements of concrete, which you know by now that I LOVE, with these contrasting coloured pavers and the stonework gives a nod to the past with present day craftsmanship (thanks Steve!).

Here’s a bit of a sneak peak at some of the hedges, trees, shrubs, perennials and ground cover with grasses to come. I’ll just name a few of my favourites; Katsura tree (cerdidiphylum japonica), white Meidiland rose (rosa meicoublan white meidiland), japanese forest grass (hakonechloa macra “aureola”), and mexican feather grass (stipa tenuissima).

… and check out this amazing cedar fence!!

ART -- nothing like living in a hood where the CRAWL takes place

This last weekend Nov. 15-18th the 22nd annual CRAWL program took place. Artists open their studios and magic unfolds. What an honour to be involved with this group of amazing people.

The program reads like a magazine, so a great way to share the ECCS and it’s brilliance is to give an art lover one as a stocking stuffer. It’s the best time to read and review what the Charity is all about; Take Flight, Exhibition (this year spaces, places and traces), the workshops and Crawl, Studio 101 and the closing Movie night. (oh and a sneak peak at things coming up like Displacement).

Now for the visuals…

This year’s I was not able to buy the art I love because I forgot to put that in the Project budget (smile). But the gods were smiling upon me as dear heart artist, Laura Wee Lay Laq, who’s not a Crawl artist but also loves the ECCS and amazing people involved, gave me a gift!!

Thank you Laura, and may the sun shine on you always!!