I take pictures of flowers

And I'm having a grand time doing it, even if the mosquitoes and black flies were swarming me like crazy every time I stopped to take a picture.

I'm building a folder with all my wildflower pictures in Flickr.

Shame on us!

"Canada has one of the fastest growth rates of greenhouse gases in the world, and a record that is far worse than in the United States." Click here to read the full article.

Shameful, really. Also not surprising, given our economy's reliance on resources (mining is not known for being an environmentally-friendly business) and the environmental nightmare that is the extraction of oil from the tar sands.

I also think that Canadian consumers could do their part, generate less waste and buy less stuff that they don't really need. I would say that, on average, most folks out in Vancouver were far more careful about their consumption habits than the folks in Montreal. I have no stats to prove this, I'm just going with my gut feeling. Often, when I warn the person at the cash that I won't be taking a plastic bag, I get an odd look, something that looks a bit like confusion. I feel they are wondering "how is she going to carry her purchase", even as I am unfolding my reusable bag. The Starbucks in Montreal also don't deal well with people bringing their own mug. Mine always ends up being filled to the rim, which is not OK when you have to screw the top back on. And I continue to be shocked by the amount of garbage people leave on the street. In the spring, it's really gross to see what the snow has been hiding. The city goes around with street cleaners and eventually turns our wonderful metropolis into something that is less of an eyesore, but I still wonder: why was it so hard to throw the stuff in a garbage in the first place? Couldn't find a garbage when you needed one? Although I don't fall for this excuse, as there are garbage cans all over the city, then why not simply keep the stuff in your pockets and throw it at home?

To cleanse or not to cleanse

I came across this article on CBC while having lunch and it really reflected my point of view on cleansing, colonics and other methods of ridding your body of toxins. I have a many friends in Vancouver who have attempted cleanses and a few who even will go through elaborate programs once or twice a year to "clean" their bodies. Personally, I just don't buy it.

The human body was created to self regulate and while we are probably today exposed to more toxins than our ancestors were, we still have livers and kidneys to filter out the damaging substances we ingest over time. I'm not naive to the point of believing that our bodies are able to get rid of everything bad they come across, as studies conducted recently have reveled that our bodies tend to store some toxic chemicals such phthalates, mercury and bisphenol A (remember your old Nalgene bottle?). However, I don't think a cleanse will help the body get rid of those chemicals.

Friends who tried cleanses told me that they felt great afterwards, that their skin was glowing and that they lost a bit of weight. Well, since most cleanses involve changing your diet to cut out alcohol, red meat, coffee, processed foods and white sugar, I'm not surprised by the results. If you go back to eating and drinking all that stuff after the cleanse, was there really a point? I did a little personal experiment and cut alcohol completely from my diet for a month (ending May 22). Honestly, I don't see a difference, maybe a small increase in the amount of water I drink (instead of wine) which is obviously healthy. And then there are all these cleanse products you can purchase at health food stores (expensive products), necessary, according to the vendors, because of the vitamins and minerals you will need during the cleanse as you cut out so many different types of food. That's kind of a given no? I read about the Master Cleanse, lemon, maple syrup and cayenne pepper drinks as your sole intake for days. No kidding you'd lose weight on that one. On the other hand, that same recipe (replace the maple syrup with honey) as a warm drink is wonderful to help you sleep when you're sick (home-made Neo Citran). But would you do a Neo Citran diet and call that healthy? I didn't think so.

As for the colonics, there are medical arguments against them in healthy people, so my position there is a resounding "no way". To quote a nicely referenced article in Wikipedia: "The benefits anecdotally attributed to colon cleansing are vague and the claims made by manufacturers and practitioners, in addition to being based on a flawed understanding of the body, have never been scientifically validated."

It goes back to the basics. Eating healthy, nutritious and fresh food that you prepare yourself (as much as possible), sleeping well, exercising every day (even if it's just to walk to work) and going easy on the alcohol and the coffee. To that I would also add eating local, because local food is also better for the environment and, in many cases, fresher and more nutritious.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Rainy Sunday

Perfect! I love rainy Sundays!! Before you give me the evil eye, let me explain. I needed a little help getting motivated to do stuff around the apartment, catch up on laundry, write a few things on my blog and clock in several hours of studying for my PMP exam. If it was beautiful and sunny outside, there's no way I wouldn't take advantage of the nice weather and stay indoors. Since I spent a bit of time outdoors yesterday at the cabin (walking in the woods in the rain - great opportunity to use my froggy gumboots), my motivation to handle all the boring items I'd like to deal with before the week starts is very high.

I changed the template for the blog, after receiving a comment about the pastel polkadots. I had to agree, not because the pastel polkadots didn't represent my fiery impression of Montreal but mainly because that template was a bit bland. At least this one has colours, bright greens and orange. Much more fitting.

I also added a few new links to interesting sites about sustainability and an RSS feed from a blog on recycling not your typical green-bin items, but mostly on how to reuse old items instead of discarding them. I'm getting back into reading and following more closely sustainability and environment-related events in and out of town. I never really stopped trying to live a sustainable lifestlyle by making conscious decisions about what I buy and where I buy it; however, I'll start sharing my discoveries again, as I did when I was living in Vancouver.

Oh, and happy mother's day to all mums out there (and to mine who stayed at the cabin for the weekend with dad).

Vancouver is so pretty in the spring

Very difficult not to like this city when the flowers are in bloom everywhere, the weather is mild (ish) and you get a few days of bright sun. While the past few days have been all about lunches, dinners and drinks with friends, the next few days will be all about putting the finishing touches on the condo before it goes up for sale. I was really happy with the outcome of the upgrades done so far (hardwood floors on the stairs and top floor, new counter in the kitchen) and once the tiles are done in a few weeks, the place will look stunning.

Since I arrived on Wednesday, I was asked several times if I missed Vancouver. Well, I do miss the beautiful sights and I really miss my friends, but other than that, I can't say I do. I find the city quiet, too polite and proper. I'm not saying I want to live in chaos, but a little passion and excess does inject your life with bright colours, intriguing smells and beautiful sounds. If the cities were colours, I'd pick grey for Vancouver and bright red for Montreal. Water and fire. Being a Leo, my sign is that of fire, maybe there's a reason why my subconscious was always attracted by the passionate fire of my home town.

The other question I was asked is whether or not I regretted the time spent in Vancouver. The answer is a big "no". I really enjoyed my time here and made the most of it by taking up several new sports, spending weekends in nature, traveling up and down the West Coast (all the way down to San Francisco), visiting restaurants around the city, traveling East to the wonderful Okanagan region, and many, many other experiences that will stay with me forever as incredible souvenirs. But, there does come a time when you are simply ready for something different. I was ready to return to my roots.

I promise to not spend the next 72 hours indoors, fixing and adjusting things. If it's nice one afternoon, I will visit the Van Dusen garden, it will be quiet and hopefully the rhododendrons will have started blooming. Maybe I'll even bring my book and read a bit in the garden. So lovely. On Tuesday, Annie and I will enjoy cured meat, cheese, and wine pairings at Salt, hopefully with Sarah.

That's why there are three Rs...

Interesting article on CBC about challenges faced by recyclers around the country. Help them go through this difficult period by exercising the other two Rs: reuse and reduce. I know I will.

Spring means new beginnings

I love spring. The days are longer, some brave flowers are colouring the brown lawns with hints of green, people are out walking, and I feel that I have more energy. Now, I do miss spring in Vancouver, at this time of the year, lots of trees and shrubs are already blooming, especially around the area where I used to live.

This week, I'm heading to Vancouver, ready to turn the page on that chapter of my life. Not that I won't go back to keep in touch with friends, but I really feel like I'm ready to embed myself in Montreal again. I am selling the condo, my trip back West is mainly to finish preparing the place to be sold and have a frank discussion with my realtor about pricing. It's a big step, because I love that condo, but I am sure that I can find a place I'll love just as much in Montreal. I can't wait to go for long walks around various neighbourhoods to check out places. I find that's the best way to discover whether or not you'd like to live somewhere. You listen to the noise, check out the businesses in the area (especially important if you have no car), get a feel for the type of people living on the street.

At this point, because of the economy, I don't know how quickly I will be able to sell, but a few hours after changing my status in Facebook to let people know that I'm selling, I already have a few questions. It could happen really fast. Now, I just need to get the tiles finished in the bathroom and kitchen, install the handles on the kitchen cabinets, clean the windows, plant some flowers outside to give a bit of spring cheer to the balcony and hope that someone falls in love with the place, just like I did six years ago.