2016 - A Year in Review - January to June

Welcome to my 2016 Year in Review!

I decided to split it into two posts as it has truly been a jam packed year, with so much to share/remember!

JANUARY

The year started off with a bit of a snow storm at the Country House. As you can see, Charlie (and his Mom) didn't let a little snow hold them back from getting outside and enjoying the Winter weather!

We had our annual Gals Weekend at The Rock in Port Elgin and decided to spend an afternoon at MacGregor Point Provincial Park to do some hiking and some skating on their outdoor skating loop through the forest! What an amazing day/weekend!

January (and actually many more months this year) reminded and illustrated to me that life has a wonderful way of showing us that the ones we love are always with us, no matter what! I had had a bracelet made last Christmas with a set of antlers engraved on it to remind me of my Dad (he was quite the outdoorsman). As Charlie and I were out for a walk down the laneway one January morning at the Country House, something peaking out of the snow along the freshly plowed side of the lane caught my eye (thankfully I also inherited my Dad's keen eye). I bent down to pick up what I found to be this shed antler.....I couldn't contain my excitement and literally ran up the lane to show Mom. If that plow had been just a few inches further over, this would've been caught in the plow and I never would have found it. Thank you Dad, for reminding us you are always with us! xo

FEBRUARY

I did quite a bit of travel early in the year, for both work and pleasure. Work-wise (for my 9-5), I had staff across the country and I was lucky enough to travel to Vancouver and Montreal to meet with them and enjoy those cities.  I always have and always will love travelling and you'll see more of my travels coming up in the next few months.

In addition to travel, I also love to get outside. We have an annual Ski Bunny Weekend at Blue Mountain in Collingwood which is always a blast! This year it was a bit rainy and we didn't really hit the slopes, but it didn't stop us from wandering around the Village and downtown Collingwood. This has to be one of my favourite 'small towns' in southern Ontario. We already have our 2017 trip booked and I can't wait!

I had the pleasure to get to know even better and work with an amazing woman this year who is not only an inspiring entrepreneur, but also a great friend! My friends and family mean the world to me and I feel so incredibly blessed to have people in my life who are so generous, thoughtful and caring! You is Kind, You is Smart, You is Important! xo

MARCH

And then there's this guy! My year in review wouldn't be complete without including my Charlie. He turned 11 on March 5th and even with his majestic grey beard, he's still a puppy at heart. He has brought so much love and laughter to our family....he truly is one of the most special creatures I've ever had in my life! Love you Char Bear!

Lake Huron didn't freeze over in the winter of 2015/2016 and it was a beautiful, sunshiny, but chilly day at the Goderich beach. Mom and I had a pizza picnic that day (in the car) and Charlie and I got to go for a walk on the beach. It was surreal to have sand under our feet (vs snow) in March at the lake. I love this picture at it perfectly juxtaposes summer/winter, with the lifeguard stand and the snow fence...you have to love life at the lake!

I'm a gal who really enjoys a great coffee and on my Saturday morning trips to the Guelph Farmers Market, I like to stop into one of the many great little coffee shops downtown. One of my favourites is Balzac's and it's a favourite for many reasons, in addition to it's amazing java! Their decor is spot on, the staff is super friendly and they have a small down/small business type of focus/feel. I also grind and brew their coffee at home too (thanks Anne-Marie and Mike). Cheers to another year of great coffee!

APRIL

Not only does Guelph have great coffee shops, it's also a food lovers 'go to' for amazing restaurants. This is one of my favourite brunch (well really any meal, but especially brunch) spots in town, 39 Carden Street Bistro. Our bloggers group has enjoyed their scrumptiousness and has written about this establishment in the past and my friends and I enjoy their wares quite frequently. On the day pictured, a friend and I were out for brunch, planning a grand adventure.

Speaking of grand adventures......a good friend and I traveled to the City of Lights in April....talk about a trip of a lifetime! We stayed in a beautiful boutique hotel, immersed ourselves in the Parisian lifestyle and had our breath taken away on more than one occasion by this absolutely stunning city and its architecture. It truly was the grandest of grand experiences!

Back home, after 5 years and a few wobbles, it was time for a new back deck! I was lucky enough to have a wonderful crew build this stunner for me and you'll have to wait and see how it all came together for a summer of fun and entertaining!

MAY

My bestie and I went to see these guys.....my favourite band (Pearl Jam) and THE man, Mr. Eddie Vedder, with a voice unlike any other! It was an evening to remember....and we even stayed at the King Edward (a lil play on Eddie) in downtown Toronto!

May also means it's time to start gardening! I always make my own planters/urns and I needed to replace some perennials in the front garden this year too. I just love gardening...it gets me outside, away from the computer and the end result is always so rewarding. 

Welcome to my Summer oasis! I'm so very happy with how this turned out and after many great days/nights back here this past summer, I can't wait for next summer and making more memories surrounded by fairy lights, under the canopy of the walnut trees.

JUNE

Some very special ladies gave me this mug and if you follow my on Instagram, you will see that it is definitely one of my favs! I use the word 'holistic' A LOT (they can attest to this) and we were always going a million miles a minutes (hence the needs to hustle), so it's absolutely perfect!

Just before I switched jobs in a June, a gal pal and I squeezed in a weekend trip to St. John's Newfoundland.

We fell in love with this province....its stunning landscape, its incredible friendly people, its delicious food and beverages.....we hiked everywhere, enjoyed some of the best meals I've ever had, saw icebergs and Puffins and I can't wait to go back!

What better way to kick off the summer (and wrap up the first six months of 2016), then with great friends, amazing food, a beautiful backyard, a bonfire, laughter, LOTS of wine and a celebration of some amazing women! 

Cheers to the first six months and stay tuned for another post of what the rest of the year had in store for me!

RR

Have a Very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Only 10 days till Christmas Eve! Wow......where has the year gone?!

I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and only the best for 2017!!

A huge 'Thank you' again to Minted for the beautiful Holiday Cards.... I'm smitten with them and my friends and family adore them!

RR

Get Minted!

I was scrolling through the over 7000 photos on my iPhone (apparently, I need to do some purging) when I decided to put my photos to use and make my own Christmas Cards this year.

I looked at many different options and websites and kept going back to Minted. I then received an email from Blogpodium about Minted and it seemed like fate....it was time to get creative! 

One thing that really drew me to Minted was the fact that it is a design marketplace for independent artists from around the globe. You can not only formulate your own Holiday creations on their site using the templates of these independent artists, but you can also purchase amazing prints/pieces to decorate your home too!

I sat in front of the computer for almost 3 hours on a Sunday afternoon, designing and putting together option after option for my Christmas Cards. I couldn't get over how user friendly the site was to navigate! It was so much fun to decide on what colours to use, square or rounded corners, foil or no foil, single shot vs multi photos, colour vs black and white, white or kraft paper envelopes.....I literally could have made/ordered 25 different cards!

This was one of my photos that I experimented with in a template by Leah Bisch. It was one of my favourites.....but......maybe I'll use it next year ;)

After much deliberation, review by my QA team (ie. my Mom and Charlie), I finalized my design, hit 'order' and my confirmation email was in my Inbox. The next day, I received confirmation my order had shipped and by Wednesday (only 3 days later!!), they arrived, much to my excitement!

As I opened the box, it felt like an early Christmas gift! The high-quality paper and printing was beyond my expectations! Minted's Signature paper is thick and luxurious with a creamy cotton texture, and has been optimized for photo printing. 

I was browsing the Minted Instagram page shortly after I had placed my order and quickly realized that my final design was 'right on trend'.

As per #MintedHolidayTrends, my choice to use black and white photos is a 'modern trend with an edgier vibe' and I couldn't agree more! While my cards still have a rustic feel, there is also that modern vibe through the use of B&W photos.

I can't yet share my final design as I have only began to start delivering my cards to friends and family this weekend, but check back soon to see my final work of art! Why don't you get creative this holiday season and design/make your own cards too?!

 I want to say a HUGE thank you to Minted for an absolutely wonderful experience, start to finish! I can't wait to get started on my next project....

Stay tuned!!!..............................

RR

Frosty!

It's a frosty Thanksgiving Monday at the Country House. After a wonderful dinner with family in the city last evening, to wake up to Mother Nature's crystal-like beauty this morning gave me even more reason to be thankful!

After a bit of a sleep in (7:15am... for someone who regularly gets up at 5am), Charlie and I headed out into the crisp country air for our walk. It felt like every step we took was a photo op...it was just stunning...especially with the sun just coming up over the trees.

I will admit...I'm a BIG fan of this cooler weather...and so is Charlie. He kept rolling and rolling on the cool, crisp grass.... He also had his nose to the ground with all the fresh 'smells' that the Fall weather brings.

The Muskoka chairs (thanks again Em) looked especially stunning as they were covered in sparkly brilliance....

I took some up close shots that captured the rustic beauty of the morning perfectly!

It really was the perfect way to start the day.....and I hope you all have a wonderful holiday Monday! Happy Thanksgiving!!

RR

See you in September.....

...See you when the Summer's through....

Is it just me, or has time moved to fast forward mode? It seems like just yesterday it was April, the new deck was being built and I was looking forward to a Summer of sun and fun!

It is now Fall, I have no idea where Summer went (not that it wasn't full of sun and fun), but my gosh, before we know it, it will be Christmas.

Don't get me wrong, I had a great Summer. Lots of things going on, new beginnings, new adventures, time spent with old friends and new friends, but most of all....new memories have been made and for that, I'm grateful!

The first few months of summer are captured below in photos that when I look at them, bring a smile to my face....

As I mentioned above, it was time for a new deck. A great crew of guys spent 3 days in April, through snow and rain (yes, remember how chilly April was) and built me my gorgeous new sanctuary! I had been waiting 5 years for this so I thought, hey, if I'm getting a new deck, I should likely get some new outdoor furniture too. After a ridiculous amount of research, looking, scouting etc, I ended up with this sectional/dining set from JYSK as well as 2 new loungers. 

Many an afternoon/evening were spent back here, either with friends, family or in perfect solitude. This was truly my early summer hi-light and I'm looking forward to the many years of enjoyment still to come!

It wouldn't be a Southwestern Ontario Summer without time spent at the lake....Lake Huron that is. From Southampton to Port Elgin, Kincardine to Goderich and of course Bayfield, all of these beautiful lake towns were frequented on various weekends.

There were pizza picnics, shopping sprees, sunsets, sand between our toes and the glorious sunshine on the days we got in the car and headed to this body of water that has drawn me to it every year for the past 37 years. I feel very fortunate to have grown up quite close to these towns and this lake and am even more grateful that I still get to enjoy them in all of their glory today!

Whether it was beside a camp fire, a night at the races or on a golf course, there sure was a lot of laughter (and even a few tears) this summer. We all need more laughter in our lives! From old stories, to crazy horse names, to realllllly bad drives off the tee, it's been really nice to have tears of joy run down my cheeks as I'm surrounded by those that mean the most!

I spent a lot of time with just me, myself and I this Summer too (that does happen when you live by yourself I suppose), but I really do cherish that time to myself. Whether I'm reading, organizing, making lists, planning or just lying in the sun on a lounger on the deck, this time for 'me' is so critical and important. It was a summer that helped me realize what's truly important to me on many levels and evenings spent like the one pictured above on the back patio, have helped me re-focus and realize what matters most!

I hope you all had a wonderful Summer and cheers to the change in seasons ahead!

RR

Dream Big!

My Mom and I went to the Aberfoyle Market for Mother's Day.

It was a chilly May day and as we wandered through the wide variety of vendors, we entered one stall and this piece caught my eye.

Of course almost anything horse/equine related draws me in, but there was just something about this brooch that pulled me over to it.

I picked it up and took it over to pay for it and the woman who was selling it let me know that there was a story behind this piece that she just recently was told. Intrigued, I inquired and of course, she obliged.

She went on to tell me that the artisan who made the piece had stopped by and told her that the horse at the bottom is actually a statue of a horse and that the horses above him are the horses he dreams of every night, hoping to be them one day...real, live horses that could gallop across paddocks and feel the wind run through their mane.

I had already thought this was a beautiful piece, but knowing the story behind it just added to the beauty. I absolutely love the sentiment behind it and it now has a place on my nightstand to remind me to dream big, no matter what!

RR

J'Adore Paris!!

Does it get any better than Paris in the Springtime? I would say no...it really doesn't....

A gal pal and I had been talking about getting away to Paris for a few months and after seeing so many beautiful photos of Paris in the Spring on our Instagram feeds, we decided it was time to go!

We hopped on a flight Thursday evening and landed Friday morning for 4 unforgettable days in the City of Lights. We took the Roissy Bus to the Opera and after a beautiful walk to our gorgeous hotel, Hotel Bachaumont, we dropped off our bags and began our adventure!

We walked....and walked....and walked (almost 20km our first day)....literally in awe with every, single step! Everything from the cobblestone streets, to the incredibly detailed and jaw dropping architecture, to the Parisian fashion/style, the luscious and manicured gardens, to just experiencing 'that feeling'...we just let it all soak in! 

This is my photo diary of our first day in Paris...one of the most awe-inspiring days I have lived to date!

L'Opera

A cute little flower shop en route to the Hotel...

The Louvre

As you can see, we covered A LOT of ground...from the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower and back. I took hundreds of photos and as I look back, each one brings a huge smile to my face. 

That was a day that I will never forget!

J'adore Paris!

RR

Character and Charm...

It was a sunny day, I had some new hikers to break in and I decided to go for a walk through the beautiful city that I call home....Guelph.

This city has some beautiful established neighbourhoods and magnificent older homes. I feel very lucky to live in a neighbourhood full of trees, grass, gardens and character. As I set out on my walk, I soon became distracted by the many homes that exude charm, historical beauty and stunning architecture...

Even though the day then started to cloud over, I couldn't help but stop and take photos of these homes (so much for my brisk walk). Here are just a smattering of the homes that truly make this city unique and full of character!

The detail and care taken to maintain these homes is nothing short of amazing. From the slate and/or cedar shake tiles, pillers, turrets, covered porches, trim choice and colour, shutters, brick work, landscaping etc etc....the list goes on and on as to what makes these homes so stunning and inviting. You just don't see architecture like this anymore and it saddens me.... 

I feel very grateful to live in a city where I can walk through neighbourhoods filled with homes that have stories, that have had generation after generation live within their walls. 

If only those walls could talk......

RR

New York, New York - Part Two!

The first 24 hours in NYC were fantastic and I was bound and determined to make the most of my second and final day there, sore feet or not (That's what happens when you walk over 20km the first day!).

I woke up and headed to a bagel shop around the corner (people were literally lined up out the door). I spoke with a lovely man from Texas while we were waiting in line (who had just happened to be in Guelph on business a few weeks prior...yes, it's a small world!) and after getting all the goodness that comes with a NYC bagel and cream cheese, I headed off to Dean and Deluca for one last caffeine fix. With a latte and bagel in hand, I headed towards Central Park, with a wee detour by Saks 5th Avenue. I had to have one last look at their Christmas windows!!

Saks 5th Avenue

Tiffany's

I then kept heading north towards the Park and literally had Breakfast at Tiffany's! 

Every time I'm in NYC, I go to Tiffany's and get myself a little something as a momento. Their windows were absolutely gorgeous and you  can't help but get into the holiday cheer when you're surrounded by such beautiful creations! THE, yes THE Tiffany Yellow Diamond was there too and it literally took my breath away! I was completely mesmerized ......

After picking out my piece and taking one last look around magic that is Tiffany's, I headed out to the Park. It was such a beautiful day, with the sun shining and the crazy warm weather, I just couldn't believe it! I felt like I had hit the jackpot!

I spent almost the entire day at the park...wandering, sitting, strolling....just letting all of the NYC goodness sink in! From the skating rink, to the lake (and there were people out in boats..in December!!), to the trees, the artists, the people, the sunshine.....I was in heaven!

After a few hours in the Park, I left with an absolutely goofy grin on my face....it has to be one of my favourite bits of NYC...the touch of country green space in the big city. 

I was off to meet a friend of a friend who took me on a fantastic tour through the city, down to Grand Central where we tried the Whispering Gallery, had samosas, drank in the architecture & history and enjoyed the 'hum' of people moving through the station en route to who knows where. She was a wealth of information about the city and it's buildings and the stories she was able to share were fantastic! It was the perfect way to wrap up my trip!

It was then back to the hotel to gather by bags and wait for the car to the airport....

I sat in this gorgeous little parkette across the street from the hotel, closed my eyes and let the city sink in for one last time.

I can't wait to get back to this wonderful city and I'm so grateful to have had the 48 hours there and all that they were filled with!

See you soon NYC!!

RR

New York, New York!!

I had a few vacation days to use before Christmas, so I decided to take a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday off. Wednesday I took some 'me' time and did some reading, a Robin Sharma webinar on 'Game Changers' and then I began to look at some old photos.... I kept going back to the ones of NYC as it had been a few years since I was there. 

 And then it dawned on me, between Robin's words on optimization & moving towards the future and the photos, I thought to myself ....Why not go back?? So.....off to the bank I went and after almost fainting at having to pay $140 Canadian for $100 American, I booked a flight and a hotel room and at 6:00am Thursday morning, I was off to the Big Apple.

After landing, my first stop after dropping my luggage at the hotel was Rockefeller Centre to watch the skaters and have my first Dean & Deluca of the trip.

From Rockefeller it was then off to the Bryant Park Market where I sat and continued to watch the skaters there till the little boutiques opened and I could wander through and check out their wares. It was then off to stroll the High Line (LOVE it!). Such an amazing concept to turn something that likely would've been demolished and turn it into such a wonder space. By then it was time for lunch...I was in the West Village and decided to try Barbuto. I sat on their patio (it was December 10, the sun was shining and it was 15 degrees Celsius so of course I had to!), enjoyed a glass of wine, some amazing pizza right out of their wood fired oven, capped it all off with a cappuccino and then it was time to start walking again.

I then walked along the Hudson River all the way down to Ground Zero.... It was the absolute most perfect day to be outside and just enjoy the city.

The last time I was in NYC, they were just starting to rebuild One World Trade and the 9/11 Memorial Pools were under way. Every time I'm there it takes my breath away, my eyes well up with tears and I cannot get over the enormity of the space and how that day changed our world forever. After sitting there amongst the trees they've replanted and the hundreds of others there to pay their respects, I then began my walk back up to Mid Town (right past the Chrysler Building) to my hotel to rest a bit before dinner. 

As it turns out, I walked well over 20km that day and my feet were ready for a bit of a break! 

I was meeting a friend for dinner who happened to be in town for business. Every time I'm in NYC, I MUST have an Ugly Burger so I suggested that we head to The National (also because my feet were now throbbing and it was just around the corner!). We sat there, shared a bottle of wine, dove into our burgers and and got caught up.It was nice to see a familiar face after a day spent with strangers.

We were both pretty tired so after  a long day, so back to the hotel I went to relax and get some sleep so I could get an early start on day two. It was so great to be back in that city....and I couldn't have been more happy with my last minute decision to travel there!

Stay tuned for another post on my second day of my 48 hours in NYC!

RR