Quest for the Perfect Leaf

On Monday it was Thanksgiving here in Nova Scotia.
Family tradition is a good fall hike.
We ventured forth looking for the perfect leaves.
The tree on the bottom was our favorite

Fall is Here

Can you smell it, taste it, feel it? Fall is here! Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the colors, the leafs, the crispness of the air. Are you a fall lover?

Happy Eid! Today was and is my first Eid!

Yesterday we decorated and cleaned the house.

This morning got up early..opened gifts and it was off to prayer.

Some random thoughts about today and the end of Ramadan:

1. It was so good to see so many nationalities and cultures bowing together to worship one God. That was cool.

2. It was also good to Praise God in unison.

3. My 11 year old daughter Roo loves Eid so far. She says it is better then Christmas.

4. The food over Ramadan and today has been a yummy delight. We have tried many new foods.

5. Prayer is more then just mere actions 5 times a day. God should be ever part of every moment and intention.

6. The Women's section of Eid prayer is the worse place to be. You can not hear the lesson or speaker. Where I was it was all noise and the the noise was not from children but from women talking. I think a lesson in respect is needed by many. Really it was the one time today I felt like crying because I was trying so hard to hear and couldn't. This was the only thing that put a damper on my day.

7. The kindness and welcoming arms of sisters. I arrived at a new Masjid right after start of Ramadan and have been able to meet some great sisters, I pray our friendships grow.

Overall my first Ramadan and Eid were filled with learning and happiness and for that Iam thankful. I pray you all are enjoying your day.

This post will be crossposted on my other blog Common Cents Mom

Nova Scotian Sunset

I love the simple beauty of where I live.
I love the color of the sky at night.
Can you imagine this off your front porch?

What one Does In A Storm

What does one do when under a hurricane warning??

Recently the Halifax area got hit by two storms so what do many of us do?

Go and watch the waves.

We get some wicked white caps right here in the harbour.

Low Tide

Have you ever seen the Bay of Fundy?
This is what happens at low tide every day.

Nova Scotia is known for high tides and low tides.

Breaking the Cycle

Today I stumbled upon a blog that well that I am thankful I found. Violence UnSilenced is a blog that allows women to post about domestic abuse in relative safety. It gives women a voice. Right now it is up for an award at BlogHer during the BlogLuxe Awards. I think this blog deserves to win for what it does for so many women.

Why is it so much on my heart?

You see I know firsthand what domestic abuse is, and what it can do to a woman. You can say I have been there and walked that road. As have other family members.

When I was a child I watched as my mother was beaten black and blue so badly that she was left disfigured for weeks. I watched her run bleeding barefoot from an apartment into the street just so she could get away. I watched and learned, and knew this is not what I wanted for me.

Maybe this is why I was ( still am) so careful when it came to men? Maybe to this day it is why I have walls up all around me.

Maybe after watching my mom live through hell, it is why I ended up 7 1/2 months pregnant at a Battered Woman's Shelter. I was never hit. I can say that about my ex. I did live through months of emotional hell though. I saw the signs and got out. I think I was lucky.

Many women do not get out. Many women go back time and time again. Many women choose the same kind of men. These are all facts.

Breaking the cycle of domestic violence takes hard work. It takes time, patience and working on your own issues. It is not easy. It is often a very lonely path. With that said it is something that can be achieved. I know that for I am breaking that cycle every day.

Please do vote for Violence UnSilenced as every woman needs to have a voice and the stories of courage, and strength on this blog will inspire others to leave and find safety.