D IS FOR DARKNESS

The dead of winter in Muskoka
(A 6am pic snapped from our kitchen)
TAKEN: JANUARY 16th, 2025

I don't know about you, but as a person that suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) the darkness within the days of winter is something I seriously struggle with.

For those that aren't familiar with the condition, it is categorized as a type of depression that is related to changes in seasons. My symptoms generally begin when the clocks fall back for daylight savings time, worsen over the holiday break, and begin to lighten once the days begin to get longer in March.

It took me years to understand what was happening but once I did, I decided to battle it head on. 

I do my very best to keep my mood and body motivated.  I have often joked here that during the winter months I end up in the bedroom closet, with a blanket over my head, eating gravy from a ladle.

Aside from personal motivation to overcome symptoms, I will admit that my 'happy' lights work really well for me. I know some people don't believe in light therapy, but I swear by it. For over ten years now, my ‘happy’ lights automatically come on in the house to trick me into thinking the sun is rising, when in fact it is pitch black outside.

A commitment to light therapy, and the fact that I can afford to give myself a good jolt of vitamin D in the last week of November, are two of my blessings. A fall trip into the sun and self-awareness are key. By the time I travel (mid-April) for my birthday, I feel I have come out the other end. 

As I am preparing to hop an airplane this weekend, I am pleased to report that my inner darkness has lifted.

So here's to a really great six months of sunshine, until this vicious cycle begins again.

PS: Be sure to stop by tomorrow, to read where the jet plane is taking me, to celebrate my making it through winter!

C IS FOR CHAOS

Image downloaded from Facebook

The Oxford English dictionary describes chaos (noun) as complete disorder and confusion. 

In keeping with that definition, my mind immediately offers the perfect example of it in,  "the sweeping new 'Liberation Day' tariffs are causing total chaos." 

I have said it here before and I will say it again, I am not a political person looking to stand a top a soap box and pontificate my opinions. What I will say is that I am generally an intelligent person with a keen grasp of common sense, that follows the political climate. And I can't seem to figure out what the hell is going on!

I am confused at the rhetoric that is perpetuating that Canadians are nasty. 

In all the decades I have been crossing into the United States, I have never had a bad interaction with our neighbours (yes that is the correct spelling) - and it is to be hoped they can say the same when visiting us.

I am generally sad that I won't be crossing the border to visit my friends next-door for the next four years. In fact, the thought in general makes me anxious. 

Though I will concede that the comments on our becoming the 51st State have calmed since a new Prime Minister was named - I don't think the back and forth surrounding a lot of silly political stuff will stop anytime soon.

...Which is just simply unfortunate, and definitely something I never want to laugh about.

B IS FOR BRUTAL

By mid-afternoon, the tree in the centre
of my photo filled the driveway with
fallen debris.
TAKEN: MARCH 30th, 2025

CLICK HERE: To have Rhondi read you this post on her new podcast platform

Though we live within our small town limits here in Muskoka, we are fortunate enough to live on what I have labelled the ‘waving street’. Where the homes are nicely staggered, and all you usually do is wave at your neighbours as they pass by.

Well, around dinner time last Friday night, it started; a three-day freezing rain event across the province that was brutal.

Hydro service left us about 10pm and was off for the majority of Saturday. It returned long enough for dinner to be prepared, warm the house, then ZAP; just like that the power was out another 24 hours.

The photo I am sharing displays what we woke up to Sunday morning. (That is one of the light fixtures on the garage and you can see a downed tree below it.) We spent the day huddled around the BBQ to stay warm, listening to the ice storm take tree after tree.

There were so many downed trees around us that by early afternoon the air smelt just like a sawmill filled with the aroma of freshly sawn wood.

With still over three hundred thousand residences without power, I am not sure what to expect as another round is to hit us by dusk tonight.

Which proves, yet again.... that Mother Nature is definitely off her meds!

A IS FOR AUDIO

 

Allow me to introduce you to Blue
TAKEN: MARCH 31st, 2025

CLICK HERE: To listen to Rhondi read this post on her new podcast platform

Today is day one of the annual April A-Z Challenge. You know the drill, I muse about a letter a day for 26 days of this month; with Sunday's off for good behaviour.

Well, this post marks my fourteenth offering of the letter A, for the April A-Z. I still find it hard to believe that I have been taking part in this challenge since 2013, and I have never used the same word twice. My, how time flies when you’re having fun.

Entering 2025 brought a big change to my wee electronic journal. Toward the end of last year, I commented to my son that I thought I may want to connect with a podcast platform and start recording my offerings. You know, so that followers could listen rather than read if that was their preference.

Low and behold, Jukebox bought me a microphone for Christmas and something that was just a passing thought, became a reality over the December holiday break.

Now, what I thought would be fun has turned out to be far more challenging than I ever expected. With no skill set in recording, nor software to edit the audio, I find myself doing multiple takes so I stay at a steady pace, without screwing up the entry I’ve written.

I am not sure how this will work for me mid-challenge, because I always travel for the second week for my birthday. I'll definitely write and post while I am basking in the sun but I have decided not pack my blue snowball mic for I fear I will put too much focus on recording rather than rays. 

That said, I have decided to record after the fact and add link to the offerings from my PodBean site once I get home and continue on from there. At least that's my goal. 

I can only imagine how hectic it will get, now that I have doubled the work for each letter.... Because I know first hand, that this annual posting ritual is going to take a toll on me.

Just like it has every other year!

#yagottalaughaboutit