Dawn Green – Writer

Weaving words worldwide

Monthly Archives: September 2014


by Leave a comment

Poetry

I am blessed to have a Nan who is wonderfully talented in writing poetry and upon reflection after writing my last post, wherein I described my experiences growing up in a rural homestead, I realised (with some gentle prodding from the poet herself) that it would be important to share an excerpt from a poem she wrote about me.

images

 

 

 

 

 

DAWN SMILING THROUGH
BY THELMA THOMPSON

As her mind wanders back to a fairy story of once upon a time,
There lived a family in Nova Scotia, Canada, it was so divine,
When a son and two daughters were born, who grew up together with love,
For the wonderful country, the mountains, the forests, the heavens above,
The snow in the winter, the ice they could skate on, the amazing wild life,
There were lots of cats who followed them into the forest, with delight,
They would run, they would frolic, they would play hide and seek,
Pretending there were tigers, or black wolves chasing them to the creek,
Where ducks used to swim, this froze in the winter, turning it into a lake,
They used to skate on this lake to their heart’s content, no mistake,
The highest trees Dawn would climb, she always got the best view,
Miles and miles of magnificent scenery, as only Nova Scotia knew.

If you’re like me and in awe of this poetic masterpiece, this is simply the icing on the cake.  Have a look for more of her inspiring and amusing poems on Facebook – The Poetry of Thelma Thompson.


by Leave a comment

Let ’em out – a case for more down and dirty time for little ones

images

I know it’s likely due to the fact I am a new mum, but I can’t help being amazed at the sheer number of articles out there preaching the benefits of good ole time in nature for our kids.

I couldn’t agree more.

For me, growing up on a rural property meant a full slather of nature at my door step – a duck pond complete with ducks and better yet, tadpoles to catch, a bubbling brook to sit by and ponder life,  a swamp to sink my feet into, and best of all, a forest filled with trees beckoning to be climbed and explored. There were days where my sister and I would literally be outdoors for the entire day, lost in our imaginative games, only resurfacing when our mum called out to us to come in for meals.

These experiences in nature molded me into who I am today and I so wish to create the same for my own daughter. We might not be living on a rural property (yet) but I have discovered how easy it is to make nature available through daily walks in nature reserves nearby where we pat trees, collect leaves and marvel at butterflies and ants, and playing in our back yard in the grass and getting her involved in our veggie garden and worm farm.

It’s all little stuff but it makes a huge difference in the lives of our children. They’ll get screen time as they grow up, I know I can’t hide my daughter from it, but I know that I also want her exposed to real life experiences in nature.

Speaking of which, we’re taking her for her first camping trip in a few week’s time. Stay posted for the after-camping update.

🙂

Read more here on the magic of outdoor kindergartens:

http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/07/let-em-out-the-many-benefits-of-outdoor-play-in-kindergarten/


by Leave a comment

On the run in Whistler

index

The pure essence of running can be summed up in a few words- rhythm, breathing and a sense of connection. And whether that be a connection with oneself, where the kilometres disappear under your feet as you work out the world’s problems in complete solitude, or a connection with a partner who’s there to encourage you to push it that little bit further, running is truly a sport for any personality type.

And if you’re in the hunt for a runner’s heaven, Whistler is it, namely due to the abundant selection of routes to suit any preference- from the flat 40-kilometre paved Valley Trail where you can turn on the power or jog with a companion, to the aptly named Comfortably Numb, a 25-kilometre rugged single-track trail run from Wedgemount Lake to Lost Lake, with an elevation change of more than 1,000 metres.

Does the thought of competitive running get you chomping at the bit? Whistler hosts a plethora of running events each year, with the Terry Fox Run (September14), the Whistler Spirit Run, and the Rubble Creek Classic (both on September 28) on the cards this autumn. The races create the perfect excuse to get to the mountains for the sublime combination of sport followed by a mandatory unwinding session afterwards.

In addition to these races, on October 18 the Whistler 50 Relay and Ultra Marathon challenges eight-person teams to an 80-kilometre relay race or solo stars to an ultimate ultra-marathon. Commencing in the early morning darkness, the ultra-marathoners face a staggering 80.5 kilometre run, where the perks clearly outweigh the discomforts.

Just ask Margreet Dietz, a three-hour marathoner who has been running in the Sea to Sky Corridor for six years.

“I absolutely loved the Whistler 50 experience,” she says, “It is a beautiful four-lap course along the lovely Valley Trail… it is flat to undulating and not technical at all-it is a good course to run your fastest 50-miler, or to try your first ultra without having to worry too much about logistics.”

And what keeps her going? “There is always a good view of the surrounding mountains around the corner.”

This article was published in The Vancouver Sun and The Province on Sept 9, 2014.