No Same Old For This Muchacha

 By Maryanna Gabriel

This is an excerpt from a piece of writing I did years ago
when backpacking in Europe before university. 

"My dream is of a special place.

A funky wood house, small and windowy, books, 

shelves, a fireplace, music, copper, leather, water colours, clay, a loom,

three cats and a dog or two... a garden, paintings of my own, hay, trees,

friendly and unfriendly, daisies, chives, geraniums, river, lake, or ocean -

I'm not fussy, a clear day, a rainy day, a fountain pen, ferns, moss,
the smell of cedar. Bare and uncluttered like my life will be.

I want all of this when I am ready." 

It has been quite a journey and I am more surprised than anyone for I am moving to the mountains, a new direction after much confusion. It is an experiment. No same-old for this muchacha. When the universe says yes!
Happiest of times to all for the new year... xo 

Getting Cosy

 By Maryanna Gabriel

With life's ups and downs it is a gift to sit back and relax. Made this today in honour of the season so I thought I would share the recipe as inspiration. 

Half roll croissant dough
Smoked salmon 
2 eggs (no salt)
honey

Placed the dough in a buttered casserole and used only half the roll. Inserted smoked salmon in crevices. Mixed two eggs with a bit of milk (dough is already salty). Poured this over the dough and then drizzled with honey. Topped with white cheddar and parmigiano. Baked 350 for half an hour. It puffed up beautifully. 

I will use the rest of the dough, closer to Christmas with fruit, raisins, cinnamon, and nuts.

When The Universe Says No

 By Maryanna Gabriel

"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls;
the most massive characters are seared with scars."
                                               - Kahil Gibran

The times call for compassion, kindness, and care - an antidote to chaos. Along with strong boundaries. And flexibility. How I deal with it....

It's not like the old days. What could once be relied upon, for varying reasons, can be relied upon no more. This calls for a new set of decisions, the result of me recently experiencing a breathtaking series of no's. Either I am doing the "no", or the direction I am heading toward is blocked. These are major life decisions I am talking about. 

Rather than feeling frustrated, I have adopted an attitude of "rejection is protection" and that something different is trying to outmanifest. The no's are points of navigation. Warnings of danger which are steering me away and I have faith that eventually I will find the "yes". 

In the meantime, this calls for sourcing deeper levels of self-compassion, kindness, and self-care, ripples which travel outward to a much needed world. 

,

Cosy Corner Books: Prepare To Smile

 By Maryanna Gabriel  

In the Stacks With Sean Wellington 

People who make us laugh are special, and Sean Wellington keeps me chuckling. I want to shout out what a great guy he is because he supports my book and sells it without taking anything. Not too many people back up island authors so generously.

He is the owner of Cosy Corner Books, located beside Goat's On A Roof in Coombes (on the way to Tofino, BC), and yes, there really are goats on the roof. He took over the family business and has been in this location for forty years. Easy to miss and well worth a gander. 

I say this because as may be seen by the picture, there are thousands of books, replete with treasures waiting to be unearthed. I know because I have unearthed many. All very much a Hogwart's situation with the stacks, and an adventure in consciousness once one enters the store. Be prepared to smile if you go.