Back in the saddle

Not literally. I don't enjoy horseback riding. But I'm really happy to be posting again. Teaching is all-consuming and so lately I've been making my envelopes out of garbage.

This is my portable in the morning.

Finally... some time to write

International Year of Forests

Diana and I are now apart... for the foreseeable future.. (until we live as teachers in the same town). This can only mean.... MAIL TO EACH OTHER!

No Permanent Yukon address for Diana though...

I'm in Palmer Rapids.

Lets all hope the strike is over soon!

Later North Bay

Thanks for a good year of teachers college,

So long.

Eastern White Pines for those we love...

White Pines, are by far one of our favourite trees of North Bay.

Just thought we would let our followers know..

More white pine envelopes to come...

Car-less in West Ferris isn't so bad...

Diana and I live in West Ferris, which is about a 40min bike ride to school, (winter permitting). I absolutely love our house and location, we are minutes from Lake Nipissing, the movie theatre, 2 grocery stores, shoppers etc. The bus ins't too long (30 min return from school), and many of our teachers college friends carpool. If i were given the option to move closer, i probably wouldn't, although up near Trout lake is beautiful!

Yesterday i brought my mountain bike out of our shed for the first time this year to ride to the store. As i was riding on Lakeshore Dr i had this overwhelming urge to check out the lake.

While starring out into the cloudless sky, i saw an xc skier about a km out on the ice!

Immediately i began cycling onto the lake, however the top few inches of ice were slushy ice pellets, (exactly like a snow cone) so i ditched my bike, and continued walking. I got out about 300m and just stood for about 20 minutes, it was an intoxicating feeling. The ice crystals were sparkling in the sun, and sounded like faint wind chimes. I could hear the streams of water trickling below. It was one of the most energizing and calming sounds. Kinda like smelling soil for the first time in spring. Just knowing that very soon the thawing ground will become fecund and bursting.

I don't want to think about this, but my time to explore North Bay is coming to an end. I'm really going to try to get active outside in the remaining 3 weeks...

P.S I really love these snowshoe hare stamps... it's funny how something as small as a stamp can bring me joy...

Northern Inspiration

North Bay has provided a lot of creative inspiration for us over the past 8 months.

To conclude our last few weeks at Nipissing, we plan on highlighting a few of the more picturesque aspects of the place.

This archway is equivalent to Sudbury's nickel and Wawa's goose. It's North Bay's landmark and we're proud to cycle past it on our way to class!

p.s. I apologize for the poor quality of this photo...even though I'm in the iTeach laptop program, I still struggle with technology from time to time.

Backyard Art

Recent sunshine has got me outside painting and soaking in the vitamin D. The changing smell of my backyard has put rivers, forests, and burning wood on my mind.

Where did the past week go?

It probably won't be spring in North Bay

Guess what the Globe and Mail was writing about March 11 2011... Reviving the lost art of snail mail!!! This article references letter writing parties in Toronto, on the first Monday of each month at the bar Avro Queen East. The event is hosted by Pal-Sac (new favourite website) a letter writing social activity club! The founder Angel Chen may get a non-creepy admiration letter from me.

"To send a letter is a good way to go somewhere without moving anything

but your heart." - Phyllis Theroux

Much-Needed Break

This week, all of the Nipissing Bachelor of Education students are enjoying a much-needed break from practice teaching and lesson planning.

My goal for March Break: Play more cards! Aside from getting outside (as the snow melts, my bike is probably itching to break free from the shed) I hope to play many card games and board games with friends and family. For me, this is the true sign of a relaxing break.

I've decorated the envelopes above with some of my own playing cards. Personalizing your own deck is a fun (and time-consuming) way to blow off some creative steam.

The Art of Manliness includes writing letters!

This blog, titled 'The Art of Manliness' has described what we are trying to so well.

"The writing and reception of letters will always offer an experience that modern technology cannot touch. Twitter is effective for broadcasting what you’re eating for lunch, and email is fantastic for quick exchanges on the most pertinent pieces of information. But when it comes to sharing one’s true thoughts, sincere sympathies, ardent love, and deepest gratitude, words traveling along an invisible superhighway will never suffice."

I agree with the entire lengthy post, and hope to keep blogging this message.

I also love how hilarious it is that a blog about manliness quotes this

1821 publication:

"in your correspondence, of using always the most chaste and beautiful language it is possible to command, consistent with ease and naturalness of expression. Especially in the long letters of friendship and love – those missives that reveal the heart-the language should show that the heart is pure. Let your letter be the record of the fancies and mood of the hour; the reflex of your aspirations, your joys, your disappointments; the faithful daguerreotype of your intellectuality and your moral worth."

My letters would not hold up to these standards, but i try...

Spring False Alarm

The +12 degree weather yesterday got me fantasizing about cherry blossoms and dogwood flowers.

Prematurely as i am NOT finished with winter, (probably for the first time in my life, thank you North Bay).

This letter is to Jenny who taught me how to make stinging nettle soup last year in Toronto.

We picked Nettle with many old women in High Park late April, it was wonderful.

Don't be afraid of stinging nettle! Pick it early in the season, while it's young before it flowers as it becomes gritty and can irritate the urinary track. After you have a bag of carefully picked leaves (wear gardening gloves!) throw it in your soup ( the nettle becomes exactly like spinach), or try this recipe!

Nettle is very high in iron, vitamins and has many medicinal properties.

Before eating you must release the histamines, best method is to place in boiling water, or directly in your soup. (You can also beat it with a rolling pin... and let it sit in the fridge)

Torontonians can find Nettle in High Park April -May!

Rachel loves dogwood flowers

Do you?

Don't quack like a duck, soar like an eagle!

In the middle of winter... this is what i'm sending to Eirelyn

By Kate

gettin' technical with language arts

In our J/I language arts class we had to make a multi- modal response to a text... we chose this children's book (applicable for all ages really).

Enjoy Kate and Diana's first attempt at imovie... we should probably stick to the media of mail..

Things we don't worry about in North Bay...

COUGAR ATTACKS.

HOWEVER, in 2008 there was a cougar sighting on the street where we live! This was big news for the North Bay Nugget. The cat was never caught on tape, but this video gives a glimpse of the excitement.

Escarpment Blues

Moose gives a shout out: Support COPE (Citizens Opposed to Paving the Escarpment) and protest the destruction of wetlands, streams, forests, and farmland from Niagara to Burlington/Hamilton area.

Perfect song to listen to while learning about the potential hwy:

Escarpment Blues, by Sarah Harmer

On a lighter note, these vintage stickers were a great Christmas gift from my brother! They're the perfect way to jazz up an envelope in a RUSH. Graham bought them at Mixed Media: the only independent art store in Hamilton, ON.

Bear Hug!

It's 25 below tonight, so I'm sending out a huge BEAR HUG to anyone who needs one!

We could all learn a thing or two from this wicked mountain climber... a frozen moustache and he's still smiling.

TURKEY TAILS FOR PEPE

While exploring the Nipissing campus trails, we found these beauties in October, out first season truly exploring the diversity of Ontario mushrooms! Next year we may try searching for edible species.

(Kate's is on the left, Diana's on the right)

Back from a serious lull

Must admit haven't written any letters in over a month!

I finally got some motivation, after writing about the importance of meaningful communication in a least 2 of my 'reflective' assignments due last week...

As Diana just mentioned the work is piled mountain high, yet somehow we are making time for crafting, letter writing and cross country skiing on this beautiful Saturday morning! As we have realized our work load will probably not decrease in the foreseeable future, (especially when we start working as conventional teachers), so might as well work now to balance our hobbies with our work... After all art and writing will probably improve the quality of our actual work anyways.

Here's whats new:

This envelope was folded in half... and painted with 'school quality' tempera as was Diana's trout (for our J/I art class).... mixing the correct tones was probably the achievement here.

My first mix CD in at least a year,

songs include

Heartbeats/two weeks - The knife VS Grizzly Bear

In the summertime -Rural Alberta Advantage

The Ghost Inside- Broken Bells

White Winter Hymnal - fleet foxes

Ice Fishing Rampage on Lake Nipissing

We're back from our teaching placements and our holidays, and we're basking in the glory of a North Bay winter! Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, skating, and ice fishing are keeping us active and stress-free as the work piles up. Lake Nipissing has transformed into a village of ice huts which was the inspiration for this envelope. I'm sending it along to an outdoorsy friend who got me out ice fishing as a young kid. My siblings and I learned a lot of lessons while we were out on the ice. Number 1: If you're going to pee in the fishing hole... balance is key.

holiday cheer...

Yup, i too have been caught by it, I find myself whistling carols, thinking about stocking stuffers and helping my mum decorate our fire place... we have decided to go tree-less this year, and it's about time! Our previous fake is now degraded and bent out of shape, from its 15 years of Christmas abuse. Something still grabs me about this holiday plagued with senseless consumerism and sugar. So in light of my relatively surprising spirit i spent half my Saturday making holiday postcards!

The bike is a lino print i made in my teacher college art class... (soo fun!) the snowflakes were cut from Tim Hortons doughnut bags i collected here and there. I made about 22 post cards, (and need about 30) soo tomorrow may include collecting some bags at Tims...

New theme song of the day

Missed The Boat

Another Day, Another Dollar...working our whole lives away.

theme song of the day...

Caribou vs. Reindeer...the age old debate.

Truly thriving in the wintertime, this animal uses it's perfectly designed hooves to dig through snow in search of delicious lichens! Unfortunately, Rudolph and friends are threatened by industrial growth pushing North...mining, snowmobiling, hunting and yuppie backcountry tourists like us!

Living in North Bay

What would courage wolf do??