remedies for the soul

I promised myself that I'd sit down and elaborate on the last little while, as I feel like I've been neglecting my writing time, lately. Sometimes absence is a good thing, as it usually means that I'm lost in other things. But due to getting a little too lost I've been down with a bit of a bug, which was my body's way of reminding me that I need to slow down.


Ah, what I wouldn't give for a box of Mandarines aka Christmas Oranges at this time. Vitamin C is much required, as my head is light and woozy and in need of some fuel. It's been a long time since I've felt so icky, so I'm not really complaining since it was almost over due. Somehow occasional illness just makes things feel more like "the norm" if that makes sense. I see it as a time of catching up with oneself.

This past weekend was a lovely one, as we were invited out to Canmore for a nice little retreat and a wedding to attend. I had never been to Canmore before so upon arrival I was in complete awe of our surroundings; nature as far as the eye could see. To think that something like this exists so close to home, I couldn't believe it. The things we take for granted hey? The mountains, the trees, the one coyote I spotted from a distance, it was simply breath taking. I didn't want to leave.


Once we took in the scenery, we decided to take a trip into the little shops along the way, which had plenty of hand/homemade goods to offer. We left with a lot of yummy treats, including some fudge, chocolate covered oreos and peanut butter squares from Black Rock Fudge and Gifts. The selection was almost endless, as we probably spent at least twenty minutes there debating on which ones to take home and try, without being too greedy. The oreos were divine, the peanut butter squares were alright (I'm not an enormous fan of peanut butter, but I thought I'd give them a try) and the fudge.. well, I'll have to ask Ian about that one.


My favorite souvenier that we brought home, which Ian treated me to, were some home made soaps from a shop called Rocky Mountain Soap Company. This place really made me giddy, as there were endless aromas lingering through the air. They even had a jar of coffee beans handy in case your senses needed a refresher, as things can begin to smell the same after spending so much time walking about and sniffing. We left with bath salt, a scented candle, and three different soaps; one for dry heels (Mountain Spa Foot Soap), another for baby soft skin (Baby Bear) and the other I simply decided to try (Spring Thaw) because it smelled of cinnamon. mmm I love natural smells.


It was a short and sweet weekend that really brought a lovely sense of balance into my state of mind; spending time with Ian, enjoying the sights, meeting new people, taking time to breathe the fresh air, being among the trees and endless skies that showcase the greatest display of stars without distraction or city noise pollution. Ah, I could have stayed there forever.

Though it was kind of sucky to come home to bed to nurse a wicked cold, I decided to enjoy the moment for what it was worth and indulge in some self maintenance to keep the feeling alive. I lit my new candle, ran a hot bath, wrote in my new journal and watched my toes return to a healthy pinkish glow.


Somehow this time around, illness wasn't much of a bad thing.