Gratitude and Glimmers #103

Welcome to my post of glimmers (of joy and wonder) and gratitude for the month of January. You can find links to more posts like this one at LeeAnna's blog, Not Afraid of Color. 

1. I love this quote which, I think, embodies all that we who link up with LeeAnna feel—

It's so easy to get bogged down especially as the media emphasizes all that is wrong, and rarely do we hear about good things, so taking time to notice the good things, no matter how small, is extra-important in these times.

2. We booked an extra holiday to Cuba this year, and the first of the two was the first week of January. On our way back to our room one day to pick up books and other supplies for an afternoon of chill-axing by the quiet pool, I saw a staff member leaning over the pool edge, dangling her lanyard into the water. I wondered just what she was doing, perhaps fishing something out… Well she was. She was saving a bee! Despite a language barrier (I speak French and understand some Spanish if it's spoken slowly) we connected over this lovely incident. I stopped to see what exactly she was fishing out, and when she gently lifting up her lanyard and set the tip down on a nearby rock, a sweet little bee crawled off! I said, “A bee!” and she grinned up at me and said a bee! And I told her I do that too at home, save bees in our pool.

There were two sets of pools, this one virtually deserted, just how we like it! The other set of pools had music and activities and lots of people. 

3. A perfect segue into this lovely good news:

4. This story is from my birthplace in Edmonton. Regan Gamble, a Cree woman, started a taxi service called SheDrives to safely transport Indigenous women as well as women who have suffered domestic violence to wherever they need to go, be it appointments home, etc.. What an empathetic, thoughtful endeavour, which is really taking off.

5. A glimmer happened while doing a word puzzle this week: listen is an anagram of silent.

6. Another little glimmer happened this past Sunday morning:

When your new hand-knitted socks match your handmade yoga bag...

My friend Lana, knitter extraordinaire, knitted these for me as a present. She is the one who commissioned several project bags from me this past summer and fall, and we've become good friends.

7. Just today, January 29, an agreement has been signed (press release) between Canada and Île-à-la-Crosse residential school in Northern Saskatchewan. I like that we continue, albeit slowly, often because there are many levels of government involved, to work on the 94 Calls to Truth and Reconciliation, and that we, as a country, have recognized the generational harm caused by those horrible schools, and are taking steps to help heal.

8. I learned yesterday that the iconic fleece Team Canada hoodie that Shane (Hudson Williams) wears in Heated Rivalry is going to be made by Province of Canada, a Canadian company whose apparel is made right here in Canada. I recently started following Hanna Puley, the costume designer, and have been fascinated by her approach and how she sourced, as well as made, the costumes. Similar to Schitt's Creek, many items were thrifted, and I loved reading that she herself bought the fabric and made the dress that Rose (Sophie Nélisse) wears clubbing.

9. I also read that Philip Glass has pulled the première of his new symphony, 'Lincoln' from the John F Kennedy Center, saying "values of Trump-dominated Kennedy Center 'are in direct conflict' with the symphony's message." -The Guardian  That gave me a glimmer, though tiny, of hope. Louise Penny did this ages ago with her new book launch, shortly after the leadership (and I use that term loosely here) took over, though hers had the added reason of the threats of annexation of Canada. More of this needs to happen there from grassroots boycotts to high up political representatives shutting shit down. Look at the drastic effect we Canadians have had on Kentucky booze. If you've been told or read that it's because Americans are drinking less, then you're a victim of propaganda. Read non-American news sources such as The Guardian and Al Jazeera even CBCNews on this particular item. You may have your eyes opened... We have made it a habit as a population of boycotting American stuff wherever possible, from tourism (down about 24%) to goods to produce, and it matters.

10. This little pack gave us many smiles over the week we were at this resort. However, this one girl really got to us, just so much like our Xena, in looks (though this girl had her entire ears) and in personality.

Intelligent eyes, and stand-offish just like Xena was at first, with a similar build and colouring.