12 September 2010

Foothills of the Canadian Rockies

This is the view from Highway 1A as we drive into Calgary from
Cochrane each week.

Glen Eagles

September morn in Cochrane

The drive into the city this morning was beautiful. May I never lose
the awe I feel when I view the Canadian Foothills from my window.

11 September 2010

Lynne, Rachel & EP

I asked someone to take this photo because both these girls are like
family to me: Lynne is my "twin" at seminary (same birth month and
year; same country of origin; similar accent), and Rachel Phillips is
my Canadian"cousin."

I am blessed.

Seminary trio

See next photo for description.

Green & gold

Robin calls the trees that hold onto their green leaves longer than
the rest his "heroes."

The early changers are "traitors."

I love 'em all!

One of the aspects of life in Canada I most enjoy is the distinct
changing of the seasons.

(We have three seasons in Canada: autumn, winter, and construction.)

Autumn in local park

This is the park closest to our home. I enjoy the dramatic changing of
the colours each year...

The season is a-changin'

Autumn is my favourite season of the year: no contest.

I enjoyed seeing this spendid golden tree on the way home from
seminary this afternoon. It was green a mere week ago! When fall
finally comes, it arrives almost overnight.

Cochrane railway

I like trains and enjoyed seeing this rusty one on the way to our
seminary picnic earlier.

Stormclouds over CSBS&C

Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary & College: my place of study ten
years ago (2000-2003) and current workplace (2004-2010).

My English classroom is on the ground floor to the far right of the
chimney/cross.

Storm brewing over Cochrane

Stormclouds over Cochrane

01 September 2010

Still Sept 1

As the day ends I want to say how blessed I feel today.

On CrossLight (my companion blog) I'll post something soon about a Spiritual Inventory I did online today--a complete disaster, showing catastrophic areas of growth needed, and soon!--but for now let me say I am at peace.

I live in a free country; rent a lovely home with a wild green garden; have more than enough resources to meet all my needs (and a merciful Creator who fills every part of me with His life-giving presence); I am surrounded by a quantity of quality friends, neighbours, colleagues and kin; I keep meeting new/old friends--earlier today Bee (BG's li'l sister and EB's soulmate) and I discovered that we, too, were both left-handed, enjoyed Austen and loved letter writing--and technology makes it possible to chat to friends long distance and feel like we're in the same room; I love celebrating Special Days with Special People and look forward to each new morning; and as I finish my teaching prep for the week, I realise I am glad to be "back to school."

As I lay me down to sleep, I am truly blessed.

Sept 1, 1970

40 years ago a sweet little baby was born: EB.

I'll write more about my new/old friend later this week--when I've finished grading all my English Placement Tests, and survived my first week back at school, and downloaded the photos R and I took today for a book of poems I'm editing for a dear friend, and submitted the final round of changes to the designer for another book I've just finished proofreading, and written to my mommy (I promised her a weekly letter when I came home in July), and attended our first chapel service at seminary, and...more.

But tonight let me just say how, once in a rare while, I meet someone who seems...familiar.

Not only do we have an eerie amount in common, but already I feel a real fondness for my new friend's extended family. Like we were meant to be friends; meant to be part of the same extending, embracing circle.

And to think it all started with a phone interview for the Horizon last semester, and the writing of an article about my new/old friend's sister(in-law), which I'll post here on Friday. So: watch this space.

Happy birthday, EB.

Affectionately,
Moo

(Why on God's green earth this is your chosen nickname for me remains a mystery, but there you have it...)