Rural Rootz Nature Reserve
645 Northacres Road N0H 2T0 Wiarton, ON, Canada

THE EVENING MUSE #209 We both enjoy geocaching. For those of you who don’t know the game, it is a treasure hunt using a GPS device or an ap on your phone. There are 3 million active caches hidden around the world. We even have one here at Rural Rootz! The fun of the game is to go to places where you would normally not travel. It has taken us up mountains, deep into forests and across deserts. We always used a hand held device. When we first began this adventure, we would s...Continue reading

THE EVENING MUSE #217 When you are multitasking you are dishonouring yourself by not being fully present in the moment. Your brain and your energy are divided. Your body does not know how to respond because it is being bombarded from all directions. You have an appointment in half an hour. You are talking on the phone, trying to find your keys, looking at the clock and giving orders to the family. How is your body supposed to deal with this surplus of information? Everythi...Continue reading

THE EVENING MUSE #216 There you are standing at the kitchen sink doing dishes. Just you ... all by yourself. But you are not alone. You could not be washing dishes if someone hadn’t created them in to begin with. You didn’t make the sink, the detergent, the water, the dishcloth or even the food that was on those plates. Think about all the people it took for you to do dishes! You are so dependent on and connected to thousands of people you will never meet. Designers who cre...ated everything from the dishes to the packaging for the detergents. Architects and builders who created the stores where you purchased your supplies. Truckers who brought those supplies to the stores. People who stocked the shelves, who took your money and gave you your receipt. Without each one of them, you would not be able to do dishes! Each one of those people depends on you to play your part in the web of life. Our fresh food comes from thousands of miles away harvested by people we will never even think about let alone meet. They may be migrant workers who come from yet further. Each one of us carries the weight of the world on our shoulders without consciously thinking about it. We are indeed our brothers’ keeper. Without our fellow humans doing their jobs, we would not even be able to feed ourselves. We are connected not only through our physical needs, but also our emotional needs. Our emotional health depends on the well being of everyone else in a similar fashion. The state of the world today is proving how closely we are connected! When Tom and I were new at our relationship, I would get in a moodway and just spread my negativity around expecting Tom to hear my thoughts and fix it Tom! as he did with physical problems. Instead, I infected him with my negative thinking and soon he would show signs of withdrawal and moodiness too. It is so easy to taint someone else when we don’t take responsibility for our own emotional health. Now, I warn Tom of my moodways and deal with them myself rather than infect him without his permission. You may think breathing is too simple a thing to be effective to relieve the stress of relationships, but try this right now. Sit with your back tall and unsupported. Raise your forearms comfortably to 90 degrees with your palms facing down. Now simply breathe. Now turn your palms over so they are facing upward and breathe again. Do this a couple of times to get the feeling of palms down versus palms up. When your palms are turned down, your shoulders tend to come forward and your back rounds. Notice the subtle but clear difference when your palms are turned up. Your chest opens, your lungs expand and you are able to breathe more deeply. Open your palms to receive the positive healing energy of letting go. This is why so many sacred pictures show the hands open and eyes facing upward. Try it ... you may like it!

THE EVENING MUSE #208 Once in a while, we get to step outside our normal humdrum role we play in life and play at being someone else. This picture was from a Halloween party Roger Westlake held when he still lived in Canada. We attended along with friends of ours from Toronto. Tom and I decided we would let our friends do the talking but not reveal who we were. As I recall, it took quite a while before our local friends recognized us. Costumes may disguise our outer trappin...Continue reading

THE EVENING MUSE #215 You came into this world connected to all your ancestors via an umbilical cord to your mother. When the cord was cut, you became a separate entity, but you didn’t know you were separate. You were totally dependent on those around you and you had no doubts you would be looked after. That was your experience within the womb. You had no reason to think things would change. You were born to be looked at and adored. You loved the attention and would respond...Continue reading

THE EVENING MUSE #214 In this picture Snow Shoe Yoga is being led by Dianne Adams, here at Rural Rootz. Each winter for a number of years, she would convince people to come out on our trails and at various spots along the trails, perform yoga poses. I was able to capture this shot from our front window. Something as innovative as this can certainly be fun! Physically working off stress by participating in sports or exercise may be enjoyable but does not lower the backgroun...Continue reading

THE EVENING MUSE #207 We have a very intriguing window in our kitchen which allows you to face south and see north. When you look up you can see down. It’s all done with mirrors ... literally! It is serious business trying to take a picture of my own timelessness. I had to climb up on our kitchen counter, position myself flat on my back, jiggle the camera around so I was sure to get the front and back of my head, take a deep breath and shoot! That’s one reason for my seriou...Continue reading

THE EVENING MUSE #213 While on a hike in one of the Southern States, we came across this little gem just to the side of the trail. It got us wondering what kind of stressful situation would involve leaving your underpants for others to find??? Stress is actually the spice of life because it includes positive stresses such as excitement, enjoyment and even arousal. Stress is a normal response to most physical, emotional or mental situations. Each one of us handles stress i...Continue reading

THE EVENING MUSE #177 Love is easy. Love is the essence of who you are connecting to the essence of another. Like is more difficult, for it deals with the human aspects of the person. In this picture you see Tom’s hand and mine. Their positions may change, but the bond remains the same. Isn’t it a good thing we are called to love each other and not necessarily like each other? These were the wise words a minister friend spoke to me when my mother was dying. ... When I was growing up, my mother would teach me how to bake and when I didn’t do it her way, she would grab whatever I was doing and say, Not like that!!! Oh, here let me do it. By the time I married, I had never cooked a meal. My father cut me to quick by saying, If your husband survives 6 month, I will come and have a meal at your house. I knew they loved me but I sure didn’t like the way they behaved toward me. Often we get caught up in our way as being the right way, when in fact it is only ... our way. My mother was someone who was always right. There were many times I didn’t like the way she behaved. It was an ongoing challenge to please her. One year our Christmas present to her was to have the family clock repaired. We were beaming with delight when we brought it back to her expecting at last some approval. Her first comment was, Oh, it’s dusty, followed by a scowl. We had not lived up to her standards. Another year I knitted a complicated vest for her. It was done on circular needles so there would be no seams. I got to the armholes before I noticed one stitch was wrong halfway down the section I had completed. I did not have time to rip it out before Christmas so I let it go. Christmas day, I was once again excited, but you guessed it. She opened the gift I had lovingly created only to have her point directly at the stitch and say, Oh, you made a mistake. I was not the one who made the mistake. She was! From my book, Dragons, Happily Ever After Begins Here Not everyone is ready for unconditional love. Be not discouraged when this happens. It is their issue, not yours. Continue to kindle your flame for your own dear sake!!! Love without expectation. Give your love freely, and slowly, surely, all will be touched by love ... especially you. Love is the gift burned into your heart by the Divine. It is the torch to guide your life. It cannot be extinguished even in death, for love does not die. Weigh it down with lack of joy. Hide it in fear of being hurt. Beset it with resentment and bitterness and it will no longer blaze with glory! Tend it with compassion. Soothe it when it is rejected. Give it away in smiles and hugs. Love will respond. It is the only true gift you have. It continues to grow all the days of your life. What a miracle! It grows as you give it away. And above all ...there is no best before or expiry date. _______________End Quote

THE EVENING MUSE #206 Our house is a living entity which has changed considerably through the years. Some of the changes took a while to complete. One window took 31 years to be trimmed out! For some reason, it did not seem like a priority. The winter of 2018-19 proved to be a surprise to both of us. All I wanted was the linoleum on the stairs replaced. We had bought enough new flooring to do the treads on the stairs to match our great room. Tom tore up the old linoleum and... then began levelling the step which used to be the entry threshold to our home. Everyone knows when you are replacing a floor, you need to rebuild the adjacent wall. You have to replace the panelling, (which your wife never did like) and remove the vapour barrier in order to replace the insulation. The proper time to do this is in the dead of winter! Once Tom had stripped it all back to the tar paper, he asked me to stand on the stairs and said, Now don’t think I am crazy, but what would you say to a window right there? Not crazy at all, for this had always been a dark little space. He was able to find a window to fit the space and convince a friend to come and help install it since I was out of commission. Once the window was framed in, it was time to paint the now completed drywall and all that was left was to trim out where the original entrance was. I am happy to report the trim got installed and painted before spring. Our home has changed along with our needs from a scant 500 square feet on the upper level, now we have a generous 1200 sq. feet of living space, not including my studio. You don’t have to change everything at once. It takes time to understand what your needs are as opposed to your wants. Instead of totally discarding the way things were, changes can be made gradually and with comfort. From my book, Dragons, Happily Ever After Begins Here Guidance For This Day Sometimes it feels as if you are asked to change too much. Your best friend moves away, a pet dies, illness lays you low. Yet each of these is but a progression in time, space and learning. You are constantly changing and adapting to a myriad of influences. You cannot take the same breath twice for that moment is gone. You cannot stop change. Change is the only constant. You can no longer live your life the way it was. Your pain comes from clinging to the past. It is time to accept what is and use your intuition to guide you through the process of change. You have the innate ability to overcome obstacles. Remember your first day of school, your first date, your first job. You didn’t know how those changes would affect you. Yet you had an inner sense you could rise to the occasion. Continue to trust your Intuition. You will be guided in ways best suited to the moment . It may be difficult to accept this inner knowing but it has always been there. _______________End Quote

THE EVENING MUSE #176 Many years ago we found ourselves in Texas at Seminole Canyon State Park. It is an historic site. The cave art and indigenous artifacts are believed to be some of the oldest in North America. Art in the caves dates back to an estimated 8,000 B.C. A large panther like cat theme figures throughout the art, including humans with cat-ear head adornments. At the entrance to the Visitors Center is this statue called, The Maker of Peace, a 17-foot bronze sta...Continue reading

THE EVENING MUSE #205 When we were in our thirties, our dreams always involved travel. Our way of travel was not the all inclusive package get-away for two weeks and rush back home. Our travel always involved camping in our own vehicle and exploring where ever the wind took us. Back then we didn’t have money to travel, so we saved up for four years and then took off for a few months in our VW van. It was not the fancy camper. Tom was way ahead of his time for he built a slid...Continue reading

THE EVENING MUSE #175 From my book, Dragons, Happily Ever After Begins Here Guidance For This Day... No one can ever control you without your permission! When you set boundaries, it does not mean you no longer care, it means you accept and own those issues which are yours. You allow others the opportunity of owning their issues too. Your paths are intertwined, but the individual steps need not be locked. Everyone leaves their own footprint along the way. When someone points a finger at you, look closely for there are three fingers pointing back at them! The thumb that looks as if it is cocked, is part of a game of intimidation designed to control you. When that finger is pointed, stop and examine the issue carefully. The negative feelings you are experiencing may not be yours!!! Someone in pain, may redirect their suffering to you in order to alleviate their pain. In this case, your best defence is not to fuel their fire. Stand quietly and firmly in your own power and honour yourself. _______________End Quote

Call, message or email if you would like to come for a visit. We will do our best to be here for you!

THE EVENING MUSE #174 The sign on Bruce County Road 13 says, Rural Rootz - Happily Ever After Begins Here. It tells you nothing about Rural Rootz. It is intended to draw the curious and adventuresome people to come and explore. It works extremely well! When visitors arrive and tell me it was the sign which brought them here, I smile and say, And you were brave enough to follow the sign? They giggle sheepishly and laugh. I have set the stage. I have put them at ease. This... is all part of the plan to create an atmosphere of surprise, fun and just a little mystery. After telling them about this place and asking them if they want to come on an adventure, I confess to them we have to perform a ritual before they can enter the gardens. I point to the first fanciful dragon we created and explain there are seven such dragons along a gentle woodland walk around the garden. These dragons are the protectors and each visitor needs to introduce themselves to the dragons so they know our visitors are friends. We show them how to strike the gong as they ask for a safe passage. By now there are smiles all around and everyone is eager to have their turn. This simple act of setting the stage, creates a sense of fun and expectation in our visitors. Instead of just Hi, how are you? Here are the gardens. we offer them to the possibility of a new way of creating fun. I find myself doing dishes most of the time. I used to be resentful for it seemed Tom got to do more fun and diverse things. Each day there were new challenges for him to solve. I had boring old dishes to do. It would have been easy to have a huge pity party for myself. Instead, I realize there is a comfort and satisfaction in doing dishes and being the domestic engineer. Without me, we would live in chaos and a mess. Without my willingness to spend time instead of wasting time, it brings harmony and peace to our home and our lives. You create how you will experience your day and the events therein! From my book, Dragons, Happily Ever After Begins Here YELLOW DRAGON SUN As a child of the Divine you have naught to fear. Give yourself permission to relax and feel this. Too long have you been swayed by rules and programs created by others, who sought to mould you to their will. Too long have you denied your own creative core. Do you not see that you have been "created" BY creation TO create? You are creation and creation is You!!! You are made as an image of the Divine. Your Inner Wise Self has fought long and hard for you to come to your senses. It has remained steadfast and will never fail you. Creation is not hard. Create a smile. Create an open heart. Create confidence by doing. Create love by giving. Stoke your own guiding light as a beacon for others. But most of all, create your true authentic self by going within and not looking outside for answers. Only you can do this! _______________End Quote

THE EVENING MUSE #173 Mardi Gras is an entire industry centred around celebrating the end of Lent. The first Mardi Gras was a small celebration held in 1699 by French explorers to celebrate their landing point. Not until March 3, 1856 did the Mistick Krewe of Comus initiate the first modern New Orleans Mardi Gras celebration. Huge floats are designed and built by Krewes of many volunteers. Each year there is a different theme for Mardi Gras so each year new costumes need t...Continue reading

THE EVENING MUSE #172 New love is so exciting as two energies which are attracted come together and learn to dance around and through each other. Things which are cute and adorable at the beginning of a relationship can give rise to serious eye rolling years later. Favourite stories told over and over trigger the yawn reflex or even embarrassment. Unlike children who outgrow their cuteness, adults tend to hang on to those things which gained them a response in the past. ...Then, they are merely running a program! Instead of being present and observing the reaction of those they are with, they go back in memory and tell the story from a video running in their head. They may not notice how distracted those around them are. They may not notice the restless body language, the suppressed yawn or the eyes glazing over. They are present in their memory but not in the moment. When you live with someone, you fall into comfortable patterns of being. You program not only yourself, but your partner as well. I have programmed Tom to put milk in my tea first. He has programmed me to do the daily bookkeeping. These are habits we have created which serve us both. However, I am curious and always looking for ways to improve systems. This is where relationship problems with Tom and I arise. He is happy with the way things are. He reacts differently to change. Once he sees the direction of my thinking, he adds his perceptions. Instead of stagnation, growth occurs for both of us. Progress happens when you look critically at a situation and see if there is another way of being or doing. Only by questioning why will you be able to find the how. If you continue by just reacting you are not living your life to the fullest. As Einstein said, We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking which created them. To me this suggests we must expand our thinking and question those thoughts which created the problem. Seems apropos for these troubled times. From my book, Dragons, Happily Ever After Begins Here Guidance For This Day Each moment you are creating your own reality through the operating systems of your body. This allows you to respond to what is going on around you by either acting or reacting. The choice is yours. Reacting means to act again. Reacting to a situation or a person, means you are merely responding automatically without due consideration. You are reacting to cues from a previous encounter which lead you into the same tired dance. You have become an actor who has learned a script and doesn’t deviate from it. Life is not scripted. You are not a Pavlovian dog who responds on cue. Life is a creation emerging moment by moment. It is ever changing and inviting you to play your part by being true to who you really are. Listen to the signals from your body and act accordingly. Create an opening for your spirit to engage. Then your true self will have a chance to shine. _______________End Quote

THE EVENING MUSE #171 Without a body you would have no way to spread love! Each of us came supplied with an abundance of love and we freely share it with others in so many different ways. Your custom designed body fits only one person ... YOU! No one else can fill that role except you. You are an original, never before seen, and never to be repeated, edition of love. In this world we created, body image plays a dominant role. We are bombarded with unrealistic images to li...ve up to and in the process we may come to hate the way we look. In a world of wanting to be unique and stand out from the crowd, how can you hate an original body which will never to be reproduced throughout all time and creation? Your smile, the sparkle in your eye, the lilt of your laughter, are all unique to you. That smile speaks volumes of love when you direct it to others. The sparkle in your eyes sends little arrows of love to those you look at. Your laughter creates a softening allowing others to feel the love you are sharing. You are free to share your love in so many ways. The touch of your hand comforts those who are sad. The gentle words of encouragement you whisper to a love one give them courage to go on. The knowing look you share with others brings you in rapport with them. The way you listen attentively with your entire body, makes others feel truly heard. The comfortable silence of just being with someone when no words are needed, grounds and comforts you both. We need our bodies for loving each other in so many ways that we have forgotten how body language, facial expressions and energetic emanations from being with someone add a whole new dimension and depth to a relationship. Don’t deny others your smile, your sparkle and the energy of love you passionately radiate! From my book, Dragons, Happily Ever After Begins Here Deep within your belly lies an Orange Flame of Passion. It is the love for life and all that life can be. It is the cauldron of your emotions where you learn the tumultuous joys of intimate relationships with friends and lovers. Your body is custom designed by the Creator just for you. Accept this gift as the right place for you to be and work in harmony with it. We are all created equally having emotions such as anger, fear, guilt or love. We can choose to express those emotions in healthy or unhealthy ways. We know when they will hurt someone. We know when they will uplift. How we respond to our emotions is the gift of free will. Honour the miracle which is your body. Love this body and live up to its potential. Don’t expect others to know your needs, instead, show them who you are and how you wish to be treated. Feel joy and intimacy in loving relationships without guilt or fear. Rejoice in the fullness of physical life knowing that abundance and joy are your birthrights. _______________End Quote

THE EVENING MUSE #170 Tom and I work well together but sometimes we see things very differently. Our last carpentry job together was as kitchen designers and installers for Paul Sutter. Part of our job was to dance the display kitchens around the store whenever they were changing their layout. The second time we moved this particular kitchen display, I declared, The next time this moves, it is coming to my house! Tom just looked at me in disbelief. The space we had for a k...Continue reading

THE EVENING MUSE #169 When we built our home in the middle of the hundred acre woods, we were careful not to take down any more trees than necessary. We bought recycled wood, 150 year old Georgia Pine, to build the frame, upper floor and sheathing. Wood, composed of cells, transpires moisture. Old barns which have been cared for, last for ages because they are not coated with sealers but are allowed to breathe. We put no finish on the exterior of our home. Not once in 45 y...ears have we had to do more than brush a few cobwebs away. One lovely ash tree was within a few feet of a window to our house. After 30 years it had to come down as it was becoming a danger to us and our visitors. It cost us $1000 to have it safely removed and someone suggested we should have known better and taken it down when we built. Think of all the money we could have saved. If you are thinking about expenses, you have to consider the tree actually saved us a pile of money. At an average cost of $33-/year, when it was cut down, this tree and others close to the house, meant never needing air conditioning. We saved the cost of an airconditioner, the electricity to run it and the inevitable service calls and repairs. After visiting Rural Rootz, more and more people see the term Tree Hugger in a different light because of the symbiotic relationship we have developed with trees. Have you hugged a tree lately? You might find they have a lot to tell you. They are amazing teachers who provide us with the air exchange system we need for life on this planet! From my book, Dragons, Happily Ever After Begins Here FEHU, the Red Dragon Sun of strength and energy Trees do not complicate their lives with words. They just know how to be a tree. The Flame of Creation burns bright within them. You have this self-same flame within you, but you tend to ignore it. You allow it to be blown about by the winds of other voices. Your restlessness and impatience lead you to tune out your inner voice. The Voices of others sound so sincere and reassuring. They are so confident, surely they know The Way! You think that if you follow those persuasive voices, your own doubting will stop, You hope the program they propose will end your suffering. Do not be fooled by pretty words. You were born with all the wisdom you need to live your life completely! Why turn outward when you have your own guidance tucked gently in your heart? First listen and examine your self-talk. Does it support or disconnect you from your eternal flame of the Divine? Then look to your feet and how they are firmly planted on the ground. Trust them to tread the path that is just right for you. Your Spirit will guide you to those you need to meet and the experiences you need to encounter. You are part of a universal family. You can be at home no matter where you have been planted. The world truly is a friendly place. _______________End Quote

THE EVENING MUSE #168 The year we retired our dry composting toilet and put in a septic field, we had sod brought in to cover the area the way everyone else does. Two years later, the grass was dead. It was obvious the hundred acre woods and Nature did not want anything to do with grass on this land. We were kind of relieved as we have never been fans of lawns, but we were following the rules. We went back to our old reliable standby, sawdust. We are blessed to have thr...ee different providers of this commodity to add colour and texture to the areas. Norm Hepburn had delivered a huge pile of sawdust for us to play with. But it was not doing much good sitting in a pile down near the potting shed. It really needed to be distributed in some of the areas which have received no new covering in several years. When autumn presented us with a gloriously sunny day and friends with willing hands, we all set to work and played well together, outside! One spot in dire need of top dressing was the Sound Garden. This was the area where roots of trees were beginning to rise above the old sawdust which had composted away to nothing. It is along our lane which is first seen by visitors as they come to the gardens. With a little help from friends and a lot of fun, we got half of the area top dressed today. The remains of the trees which died to give winter heat in wood stoves and fire places, are greatly honoured here in the hundred acre woods. It has always been our first choice material to keep visitors safe on this very rocky ground. It looks great, smells great and if at a future time, the gardens are allowed to disappear, it will be easy for Nature to reclaim her land. This is her land and we are her children. By using nature’s gifts we all benefit. The greatest gift she has to offer is the energy from sun, wind and rain which she offers freely. The air we breathe, which gives life to us all, is the one gift we cannot live without! Make sure you get your daily dose! No prescription needed. From my book, Dragons, Happily Ever After Begins Here Guidance for this day You are a being of Nature and as such, you are one with Nature. Yet most of your day is spent cocooned away from it within buildings. You are losing your essential, natural connection. Get back to your roots!!! You surround yourself with man-made artifacts. You ignore the very elements of who you are. You are becoming more connected to electronics than you are to the planet that supplies all your needs! No wonder you are stressed! Inanimate stuff only temporarily eases your quest for solace. You largely ignore the abundant store house of nature which is a healing balm to your soul. Only humans live in Ya-But Land, seeking answers to questions which may not even need to be asked. Humans become fidgety, restless, impatient and short tempered. Nature never does. Go spend some time with her and learn her wise ways. _______________End Quote

THE EVENING MUSE #167 Tom and I went down to Smithville to pick up our previous motor home, the smallest A class Winnebago made. I thought to myself I might as well be driving a city bus! It was so tall and wide. I had gained a lot of confidence in my ability to drive a large vehicle. I had fearlessly driven our first motor home which had the cab of a pick up truck and was longer than this one. I was not prepared for the wrap around windshield experience from the inside! A...s Tom drove this new motor home down through the rock cut at Grimsby, I was hanging on to the armrest for dear life. I was gulping and swallowing hard knowing that sooner or later I would have to take my turn at the wheel. How on earth was I going to do this? I had two days of grace before it was time came to head home. The huge mirror on the passenger side showed me the white painted line on the edge of the road. There were times it disappeared as Tom drove a little too close to the shoulder. Then my knuckles would turn white as I gripped the armrest even tighter. Tom drove north as far as Ponsonby until we came to the small school there. He turned into the parking lot and asked if I was ready to take my turn. How could I possibly say, Noooooo!? Once in the driver seat, everything made sense. Having control of the steering wheel and being able to see around me with the huge side mirrors worked! A few turns through the parking lot and my confidence returned. Once out on the highway I felt literally on top of the world. What a glorious adventure! What amazing power and drive-ability! I beamed over at Tom!!! What on earth was going on??? I looked and realized the very quiet Tom was turning green. Turns out being a passenger is the hardest role of travelling in a motor home! Take charge of your life and stop being a fearful passenger. In this way you decide when, where and how you will travel! From my book, Dragons, Happily Ever After Begins Here Guidance For This Day Your Faith has brought you to a place of surrender, where each day you do the job before you with gratitude. At the end of the day, rest satisfied in knowing there will always be more to do as long as you live! But you don’t have to do it all in one day ... as long as you begin. You know it is not drudgery. It is the path you have chosen. You stop "forcing" things and instead begin "allowing " things. Life is no longer a struggle when you align yourself with Spirit. New information comes to you in exciting and creative ways. Yes, you still have to do "the work," but it is part of the joy of life, part of the creative process of following your dreams. Now when you work towards your goals, it is with a gentle weariness, not a deep exhaustion. It is the weariness of a job well done. The journey's not what is going to be, the journey is all the time, unfolding and changing with every breath you take. _______________End Quote