Spring ~ new day ~ bright beginning April 9, 2009

The snow is melting, slowly. The first new grasses are coming up. The sun seems just a little bit brighter than before. Water running is cleaning away the dust and grime from the long cold winter. Spring always brings new possibility and an optimistic feeling!

We have so many projects underway at the moment. After the snow completely melts, I can finish the work on the labyrinth and start work on the sculpture trail and landscaping around the cabins. We are not planning any major changes to the site, as I want to leave it as natural as possible, but we did have to change the drainage in one area last year so now it is a muddy mess. I will plant natural grass and clover here as well as a few wildflowers to naturalize this area.

There was a heron on the roof of the Outback yesterday. At least that is what I think it was. So many birds stop here on their migration route, for a few days and then move on. It is a bird lovers paradise!

Dragonfly will be open in a few weeks, welcoming our first guest soon after that. I will be hanging a poster at the Awarehouse book store in Regina later this month.

I hope you are experiencing feelings of joy and possibility with the spring weather we have been having! It is a great time to make changes in your life, to evaluate those things you no longer need, either physical or emotional and to start a gentle body cleanse. Clear out the cobwebs that accumulated over winter and embrace your new day!
~*namaste*~

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. ~ Marianne Williamson March 19, 2009

Map Making February 17, 2009

It is still very cold and snowy outside and there is not much construction work that can be done at the moment. So today I drew out a rough map of the retreat space. It is part of our overall strategic plan of the farm and the businesses that exist on this property.

So much of what exists here already evolved without much of a plan. Buildings have been placed where there was space, roads just came to be where staff drive. A plan is not always a bad thing! As much as I want the retreat and the farm to grow and expand in an organic manner we do need to be mindful of the use of the space and the sometimes conflicting needs of work areas and quiet zones.

The site plan will serve as a guide as we construct new dwellings and cottages on the retreat property and it will be useful to guests to have a map of the facilities. The space allocation of some future buildings is going to need readdressing according to the new site plan, but it looks like things will fit in nicely with some adjustments here and there.

I found out today that it is difficult to draw an arial view of a very complex site from memory alone, but with the help of Google Earth I was somewhat successful! I also found that there is much more space between the river bank and the walking trail than I thought. Good news for the yoga and meditation platforms. Also good news if we want to put a tipi near the yurt!

Clearing & Cleaning October 17, 2008

We are not expecting any guests at Dragonfly this winter, so now is the time to close up and winterize the main cabin.

Yesterday I caught one of the squirrels who has been doing their best to punch holes in the ceiling of the outback. This little guy was transported to Valeport nature area to find a new home, and the live trap was reset to catch any others that might be helping him. Now we need to repair the few holes that they chewed through the ceiling and cover the eaves with metal flashing so that no more critters can get in! All part of the annual maintenance that living in this part of the world requires.

Next on the to do list was clearing a space for the yurt. A site has been chosen for the yurt platform and we started to clear the dead branches so that we can work on this project over the winter. The yurt/ger was made in Mongolia and was imported to Canada through a company in Quebec. These yurts are very traditional, with real felt lining and hand-painted designs.

The yurt site is beside the river and surrounded by trees. Yurts traditionally face south when used in Mongolia, but because we don’t need to look out the door to learn the time, the Dragonfly yurt will face north. A second door or window may be installed to let in more light. A covered outdoor kitchen will be directly to the left of the door and a fire pit will be a few steps to the right. After measuring the space it looks like everything will fit perfectly without having to disturb any healthy growing trees or shrubs.

Down a path there is another site that is perfect for the yoga & meditation platforms. This site will require a little more work as there is a large fallen tree in the middle and broken branches that need to be cleared. Two naturally fallen and nearly perfectly straight trees are going to be saved and re-erected as totems.

Both of these sites have a great view of the Qu’Appelle River, and I suspect that canoeists will be surprised when they get a peak of this orange & white yurt up on the river bank!

Over the winter I will be providing an account of the projects and photos of what we are doing. There may be dates that we are working on something that would go faster with more people. Volunteers are welcome!