We're Back...

...and here's one last vacation shot (though if my fans wish another, I must comply). It's of South River, a beautiful spot near Wendy's parents' cottage. I would love to go kayaking there one day.

We're getting everything together around here, so please bear with us! I'll get back to posting more regularly soon.

Peace Out.

View from the Cottage

Still Up North

We're still up north at the cottage. I'm at the Red Brick Cafe in Sundridge, using their hi-speed wireless to answer some work emails and catch up on "the blogs". We had a great week with my family from California... mostly just relaxing and enjoying the water and the north woods. They've all headed home now, so Wendy, Amado, and I are spending a couple of days by ourselves before her family comes up next week. I'm reading Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, Wendy's watching a DVD on William Sloane Coffin, and Amado is enjoying his new kiddie pool. It's truly beautiful up here, and it's really nice to relax for a spell. The only thing hassling us are those dang red squirrels! They are out of control! (No doubt getting back at me for what we did to their city cousin in the EZ-Anwser Squirrel video on wondercafe.ca!)

Sirens

In order to protect their innocence, I won't identify each these funny people---except to say that the cute kid on the far right is Wendy. The rest of you know who you are!

This picture was taken in the early 70s at Lake Bernard (not Lake Erie like I thought), around the time Wendy's family was building their cottage there.

We'll be doing some swimming there too in the next couple of weeks. One week with my family from California and one week with Wendy's family from Ontario. We are really looking forward to it!

Blogging will be sparse during that time, though I can't imagine I wouldn't be able to find some way to hook up to the Internet up north.

So see you soon! And stay cool!

Healing Waters

Words in a dream the other night.....

"Everyone who is healing will come back to the waters eventually."


Above: Off 26th St., Santa Cruz, California

Baptism

Evangelical Baptism, 1985
Lake Atitlan, Guatemala.

I'm off for a bit....so may you and yours have a happy Easter!

Grenadier Pond

They say this pond in High Park is named after the regiment of grenadiers who drowned when the ice gave way as they were doing drills or perhaps chasing Americans here during the War of 1812 (Fort York is nearby). It's said that the pond is occupied by their ghosts.

I took this picture this morning while watching a honking gaggle of Canada geese circle, looking for open water to land in. Finally they settled for the ice, which you could tell they didn't like much.

At the same time, across the pond, a lone ice skater skated in a huge oval with a snow shovel, clearing a skating track. After he had cleared the snow from the ice, he disappeared. Hopefully not to join the grenadiers.

Happy New Year 2007!

Waves feel like they will be a theme this year. Big waves.

"The Green Room," Santa Cruz, California. Art from: http://www.mikeperaltaphotography.com/index.html

The Reservoir

Last night we did eight loads of laundry and watched 15 minutes of Anderson Cooper in New York City. Then Wendy and I shared a toast with some fine champagne, shook off the new parent blues, and went to bed just after 11:00.

As I slept I had a dream I was going to climb back up the mountain and visit the ancient reservoir. It's been a very long time since I have seen it.

[Art from http://www.jahroc.com.au/13079.htm]

The River

And I saw the river over which every soul must pass to reach the kingdom of God and the name of that river was suffering - and I saw the boat which carries souls across the river and the name of that boat was love.

---St. John of the Cross, Spanish mystic, 1542-1591

From: Inward/Outward

The photo is of one of my favourite spots on the Potomac, about 20 miles south of Washington, D.C.

Just North of Santa Cruz

Mavericks 2006

Aquarius: Source of all waters

Amado's first bath a couple of days ago at the hospital. He seemed to like the water, or at least wonder what it was.

Holding our baby made me realize that if you can find one small space for spirituality in your heart, do what you can each day to nurture it and help it grow. The future of all of us depends on that. As my favourite musician Carlos Santana occasionally says from stage, "I know you can do it. I believe in you." I believe in us too. And I believe in the Spirit who makes all things possible.

It's been a crazy 24 hours...a cycle of feeding, changing diapers, and holding and rocking Amado as he cries. There's been some sleep for everyone too, but here and there. Not much to speak of really. So you blog readers begging for more photos will have to be patient for a bit. I'll post a bunch of 'em as soon as possible. Right now I feel thankful to have time to just butter my toast without interruption (which I attempted for 3 hours this morning with no success).

Amado is so beautiful.

Steady as she goes...

Hi Folks,
Yesterday was the due date, but there's no news to report yet. Everything here seems pretty stable....for now.

We will let you know if...I mean WHEN something happens.

Ten were harpooned and one returned to give thanks.

I love amazing animal stories. Here's a great one by Tai Moses (full disclosure: Tai was once my roommate back in the day) about the whale who returned to give thanks. If a whale can show so much human-like gratitude when humans do something good, you can bet they aren't too happy when we chase, harpoon, and kill them. Just imagine.