I HAD AN AMAZING THING HAPPEN TO ME YESTERDAY.   I POSTED A PHOTO OF MY NEW , COMPLETED PAINTING ON FACEBOOK . ( SEE ABOVE)  AND WITHIN TWO MINUTES IT WAS SOLD ! 

ONE THING ABOUT HAVING A ‘HOT HOLIDAY’ IS THAT WHEN I RETURN I CAN TOTALLY APPRECIATE THE BEAUTY OF WINTER …INSTEAD OF DREADING IT. 

Ever feel like you are all alone in the world and no one cares?

Ever feel like you can cry out to God but you never get a response?

THIS BLOG IS ABOUT OUR DAUGHTER, LANA.  SHE IS AN IDENTICAL TWIN TO OUR EMILY.   AND ALTHOUGH THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE GIRLS STILL LOOK THE SAME -LANA IS VERY MUCH HER OWN PERSON….  ANOTHER ONE OF OUR CHILDREN WORKING IN THE ARTS. 

TODAY I AM FEELING VERY SENTIMENTAL.  I AM THINKING ABOUT MY MANY BLESSINGS AND CERTAINLY AMONG THEM ARE MY CHILDREN WHOM I LOVE.

AFTER A NEARLY PERFECT HOLIDAY AND A WONDERFUL FLIGHT HOME WE HAD TO CHUCKLE ABOUT OUR ARRIVAL BACK INTO CANADA.  WE LAUGHED ABOUT IT SAYING, ” WELL , WE HAD THREE WEEKS OF UTTER RELAXATION AND IN ONE MORNING WE ARE BACK TO BEING EXHAUSTED AND STRESSED . ”  HA HA.

When I think of ‘vintage’ toys I think of a simpler time…. a rag doll, a homemade wooden truck, etc.

THIS HAS BEEN A MARVELLOUS BREAK FROM WINTER ….AND IT WAS A COOOOOLD ONE BACK HOME IN EDMONTON. 

WELL, IT’S GETTING REAL NOW : TOMORROW IS OUR LAST FULL DAY HERE….

IT WAS AMAZING TO HAVE THE HIGHWAY JUST END AT THE POLOLU VALLEY.  THE CLIFFS WERE INCREDIBLE AND THE VALLEY OVERLOOKED THE CRASHING WAVES OF THE OCEAN. 

IT’S A WONDERFUL FEELING TO HAVE NO AGENDA AND TO BE ABLE TO JUMP IN THE CAR AND JUST DRIVE. THIS IS MY KIND OF ADVENTURE. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU WILL SEE AROUND THE NEXT BEND.

SINGS AND WRITES MUSIC.  HE IS A FANTASTIC ARTIST. CHECK OUT THIS ORIGINAL PIECE  ( ABOVE)  THAT HE CREATED FOR HIS SISTER, LANA. 

AFTER A RELAXING MORNING WORKING OUT ( HE IN THE GYM, SHE IN THE POOL) WE HAD A FEW NIBBLIES IN OUR APARTMENT ( CHEESE STICKS, NUTS, GRAPES) AND THEN GOT READY TO HEAD OUT ON ANOTHER ROAD TRIP.

AS WE HEAD INTO OUR LAST WEEK HERE IN KONA , HAWAI’I WE ARE VERY AWARE OF OUR COLD WEATHER BACK HOME IN CANADA.  ST. JOHN’S ,NEWFOUNDLAND ,FOR EXAMPLE,  HAS BEEN DECLARED UNDER A ‘STATE OF EMERGENCY’ SITUATION AND EVEN OUR CHILDREN IN VANCOUVER HAD SO MUCH SNOW THIS WEEK IN A CITY THAT ALMOST NEVER EXPERIENCES THAT.  WE FEEL SO BLESSED TO BE HERE . 

I AM SO PROUD OF OUR DAUGHTER, EMILY BACHYNSKI.  ALTHOUGH SHE AND HER BOYFRIEND, GEOFF, HAPPEN TO BE WEARING ‘CHRISTMAS BOWS’ IN THEIR HAIR IN THIS SILLY PHOTO I CAN ASSURE YOU …THIS IS THE LEAST OF THE SILLINESS THAT GETS GOING IN OUR FAMILY… HA HA.  OUR WHOLE FAMILY LOVES TO LAUGH AND EMILY IS NO EXCEPTION. 

These are some of the homes that caught my eye as I walked or drove around Edmonton this past summer and fall. I was attracted to all ….except one : the “castle”. ha ha

AFTER WINDOW SHOPPING SOME MORE AROUND THE TOWN AND WALKING THE STREETS WHILE ENJOYING THE MURALS AND NICE WEATHER IT WAS TIME TO HEAD BACK TO KONA.

TERRY AND I TOOK THE DAY TO VISIT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ISLAND : HILO! 

THERE ARE QUITE A FEW ARTISANS IN KONA AND WE REVISITED ONE OF OUR FAVOURITE STREETS THAT SEEMS TO BE THE PLACE TO FIND MANY OF THEM.