Rural

We hiked upward as the trail wove its way through the cedar and bushes in the moist areas and walked between giant moss covered boulders that must have been perched there for centuries, silent sentinels at the head of old logging trails. The ground levelling and then swelling like waves in the ocean... until a flotilla of nodding yellow petals with bright chunky green leaves glowed on an otherwise barren landscape plateau. Filling our gardener's post winter weary hearts to overflowing. Color, and masses of it, bright, cheerful, and exotic enough to make us pause for as long as we could. Glacier lilies...are a wildflower known to grow even under a coat of snow, these dainty yellow lilies are native to the Okanagan, and various other areas in the region. They're hardy, little plants surviving the cold temperatures we get here down to  -35 C or colder in our Canadian winters. They're even rportedly local bear's first meals after waking up from hibernation. ...

Our time spent in the forest feels endless and surreal. As soon as we step into the woods magical things happen, breathing slows down, feet follow a path that wanders slowly forward, heart rate evens out. There no stress in the forest, no worries, no real world, that's all left behind. The green scent of freshness and growing things will never be accurately captured in a can, and it mists around our bodies while moss springs back from underneath each step. Cedar branches languidly wave as we pass by, cones crunch underfoot, fronds quiver, and branches twinge, while mud sucks at our feet. The forest alternates between absolute breath holding stillness with a strong sense of danger and raucous celebratory bird song as soon as they determine we're no threat. The outside world feels far off, smothered sounds echoing around the large ragged trunks and the foliage canopy overhead funnels light into small glowing circles on the path. A male ring-necked...

Spring's the master of the reveal, unboxing the season, an expert at creating anticipation, and eagerness in our hearts. Inch by inch the spring thaw releases the grasp of the gritty snow, first from the roads, then the edges of the gardens. Unfurling beauty and forgotten treasures that have remained hidden during the winter season. "Every year one day comes, when, although there is no obvious change in the appearance of trees and hedges, the Earth seems to breathe and it is spring." Elizabeth Clarke It stops you in your tracks... makes you gaze skyward, and to run your eyes down the matted bark of a once bare tree to marvel that what was a slow turning and has now rushed headlong into the full season. Spring beginnings are painted with a muted color palette, the soft greys, and browns of faded frosted foliage, twisted barren branches stark in the sky, but the full throated songs of the birds as they sing in the early morning are not faded. Their tweets a...

We're looking forward to the signs of spring, some subtle like the bulging of buds on bare branches that will burst into gorgeous fresh leaves one day soon, and the green spears of spring bulbs pushing the dark earth aside as they clamber to the light. Here in the Okanagan, BC we're still waiting for signs, the temperatures are supposed to rise, the snow's supposed to melt, but it's oh so hard to wait. If you find yourself comparing a new Spring's arrival to the previous one wouldn't it be great to have an easy way to record them? I've created the  Rural Spring Signs Mini Journal  just for you, to help record those first delicate signs of spring, something small that can be tucked away afterwards, pulled out for reference next year. So, how do you get yours? It's easy, sign up for Rural's seasonal email newsletter, sent out approximately four times a year and you'll not only be joining our amazing community of women who ...

Winter, the very sound of it is like frigid air blowing across a frozen lake. It's such a beautiful season, but so intense. And sometimes it feels as if it will last forever...we know it won't though... Here are a few more wintery words to warm us up to the thought of spring, and to keep us believing that Winter is nearly over. SHURL  when all the snow slides off a roof after it begins to thaw, that’s a shurl. Even the sound of it rushing off of your tongue sounds like the snow falling off of the roof. Brumous:   those grey skies and winter days filled with heavy clouds are brumous. Niveous resembling snow MOBLE    When you  moble you're wrapping up your head with a hood, think layering up to keep warm. And a word that will fill those of us with snowbound hearts with joy... Sareureuk a Korean word that describes the sound of snowflakes slowly melting in the warmer days or the sunshine. Looking forward to Spring... Jen @ Rur...

The empty parking is lot ringed by stark trees standing like solitary sentinels at the edge of the woods, while silent birds sit hidden among the frost covered branches, making us wonder who else is out there watching while we invade their territory. Slipping out of the truck, stiff from sitting, sending longing looks back at the heated seats... we move quickly, gathering what we need, it's too cold to stand still, to talk, so we're of one mind, get to the woods, where it will be a few degrees warmer. The cold is a challenge we're up for. The dog's strain, eager at the end of their leads, greeting each other with wagging tails, roughhousing in the snow. Fresh snow from the night before covers the ice but reveals the tracks of other four legged visitors passing through, this has been a busy place. We're the only ones out here now, whether because of stubbornness or enthusiasm we're not sure, but at -14 c this morning it's cold enough to freeze ...

It's just past mid-winter That heavy bleak "it's never going to end" feeling centred deep in your heart weighs down your very being....but there is hope. We may be thinking longingly of spring, wondering when that's going to happen while temperatures drop, winds rage and the snow blows. The white stuff building up even higher in the garden, but some wonderful winter words should help us get through this dark and gloomy season. So let's explore a few winter words to push those last days of the cold and dark well behind us. All things relating to winter could be referred to as: 1. Hiemal As in, it was a hiemal season the driveway needed to be plowed....again...... Or it feels very hiemal out there, so maybe I won't bother plowing but just sit here sipping my hot cocoa. I might even post it on Instagram, a steaming cup, snow covered windows all artistically arranged. 2. Subnivean  Situated or under the snow.... Let's use thi...