Time to move on...

Our future home view in Cape Breton

Time to move on!

Gundi and I have now been living in these lovely Northumberland Hills for nineteen years. This has been a very happy and fulfilling period in our lives. Gundi has continued and elaborated her glass art sculptures and also returned to work (and play) with textiles in endless inspired forms. And I have put my heart into being an organic market farmer, growing specialty salad greens, herbs, and vegetables and taking them to twice-weekly markets, mostly in Toronto.

We are now up for a fresh challenge and the next chapter in our lives. We are embracing the prospect of living right on the ocean. A little cove in Cape Breton is calling us as our new home.

First, there is the little matter of selling our home, farm and land here. We are keen to pass on this special property (which has never seen chemicals) to conscientious buyers who will continue to steward it organically with a low-energy footprint. Lots of organic prospects responded to our posting on ecoproperty.ca and we had several viewings but we were unable to agree sales terms. And so, we are now on the open market, listed through Kim Hadwen of Century 21. Kim is a farmer turned real estate agent who specializes in farm properties in Hastings and Northumberland counties.

So, if you know of anyone who would love to own a secluded, very private farm property with an open concept artsy home and 55 acres of mixed hilltop with panoramic views, pastured fields, market garden, greenhouses, woodland, and wetland...

UPDATE: THE FARM IN NORTHUMBERLAND IS SOLD, THE HOME IN CAPE BRETON IS PURCHASED!

After our winter break on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, ocean here we come!

Thank You, Pachamama

Ne Plus Ultra

Quintessence,

acme, zenith,

the ne plus ultra

of travels

far and wide;

green-girthed volcanoes,

cobalt-blue waters,

on this magical lake

at the top of the world.

An air clear and pure,

auras, vistas,

recharged by time,

each bright new day

a well-rounded wonder,

sweet natives embracing

bright-eyed travellers,

Buen día, indeed.

How we love to travel...

Motor boat and cayucos (fishing boats), Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, 2018

How we love to travel...

In my youth, I raced around Europe with countless other students, passport, traveller's cheques and InterRail monthly pass tucked into trousers. In thirty days, I would travel from England to Norway, Sweden, all the way down to Greece, back home via Yugoslavia, Italy, and France. Phew, that's a lot of trains, all for $75 or so; $2.50 a day, and just imagine the savings in overnight accommodation if schedules were planned well!

My first trip with the love of my life was a doozy. A long-haul flight with the impeccable Singapore Airlines took us from London to, yes, Singapore, a good, safe landing pad for me, experiencing Asia for the first time. From here, we flew to Bali, staying for a month before travelling overland across Java for another month, ending with two weeks in Malaysia, including a heavenly few days on the island paradise of Tioman.

Now, finally, thirty five years later, we are back to a trip that is two months plus. Instead of a busy itinerary, we now choose to fly to Guatemala, spend a few days in Antigua, then settle into a home away from home right on the jewel that is Lake Atitlan, happily rooted for a full eight weeks. After trips to Chile, Mexico, Costa Rica, Spain, Greece that were usually two to three weeks, we have graduated to longer and more satisfying stays. Last year, our first in Guatemala, was six weeks. Once we moved from hotels to rented houses and rented cars to public buses and collective taxis, everything changed for the better. We shop at local markets for fresh, in-season food, we cook at home, we flit from town to town on day trips, we relax fully, and we save a lot of money on restaurants and accommodation. And I get to plant seeds, growing arugula, lettuce, spinach, mustards, and kale for super salads fresh from the garden.

I chuckle to myself when I see each new harried young traveller, glued to his device, not even taking in where he is in the here and now, too obsessed with his inner world and getting to the next brief stopover. Most stay for a day or two here at Lake Atitlan, which is without question one of the most beautiful places in the world. One needs at least a week to do it justice. Then it is on to continue the Central American tour... Tikal, Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama.... Good for them. What a way to see exotic parts of the world most only dream of. Maybe I envy them their youthful energy as they race off climbing another volcano, diving to view pristine coral reefs, or riding Pacific surf. Instead, it's easy as she goes, all in good time, maybe mañana. Travel can be so life-affirming, given the opportunity it provides to take into our hearts vibrant cultures and exotic locales.