Tag Archives: Fraser River

Canadian Thanksgiving

Posted on October 12, 2020 by ivonprefontaine

It is Canadian Thanksgiving today. Instead of Thanksgiving being a once a year day with underlying commercial interests, it raised questions about being full of thanks for each ensuing moment. What if I were grateful and thankful each day-each moment? This is impossible. What I need to do is hold the thought at the forefront and perhaps it elevates the thankfulness I experience.

We began with a dinner last night with our oldest son and his partner. He headed out to an out-of-town job today. Tonight, we celebrate with our youngest. He worked last night, so was unavailable.

Gratitude and thankfulness–

Turning to beloved;

Embracing one another;

Celebrating what held sacred.

In each moment–

Experiencing the extraordinary;

Revealing itself in the ordinary;

Sensing it is there.

Harvesting bounties–

Sharing common weal;

Valuing de-monetized wealth;

Feeling blessed.

I took this of Kathy standing on a rock above Rearguard Falls on the Fraser River in Mount Robson Provincial Park. I am thankful for the time we spend together and Nature.

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Posted in Community, Leadership, Mindful Life, Nature in All Its Glory, Photography, Poetry, Sabbath, teacher as transformer, Writing and tagged canadian thanksgiving, community, Fraser River, leadership, Mindful, mindfulness, mount robson provincial park, nature, photography, poetry, sabbath, teacher as trasnformer, Thanksgiving, writing, writing poetry. Bookmark the permalink.

Companions

Posted on August 19, 2020 by ivonprefontaine

I wrote this poem as I prepared to go to Bainbridge Island, WA. While there, I attended a leadership retreat offered by the Centre for Courage and Renewal based on the writing of Parker Palmer. As it was the second part of the process, I had a sense of how rewarding the process and journey were.

Like my time at Gonzaga, I found companions who I remain in touch with via social media and as I travel to various parts of Canada and the US. These companions complement the ones I have at home.

Companion and company come from an old French word (compagnie) meaning to break bread with others, usually on a journey. We accompany one another and share what we have, including conversation and care for one another.

Beloved community,

Inviting, one another,

Sharing more than a moment.

For alone,

Troubles weighing heavy us down

Each step, we struggle.

Gathering together,

Enlightening–

Feeding each other’s souls.

Backs straightening–

Shoulders squaring–

Holding heads higher.

Journeying, sharing, entrusting–

Becoming together,

Breaking bread.

I took this picture several years ago of Kathy just above and around the corner from some serious waterfalls on the Fraser River.

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Posted in Blogging, Community, Leadership, Learning Organizations, Mindful Life, Nature in All Its Glory, Photography, Poetry, Reflective Moments, Synchronicity, teacher as transformer, Writing and tagged Bainbridge Island, blogging, Center for Courage and Renewal, community, creativity, Fraser River, Leadership. Servant-Leadership, Mindful Practice, mindfulness, nature, Parker Palmer, photography, poetry, relationships, servant-leadership, spirituality, teacher as transformer, writing. Bookmark the permalink.

On the Road

Posted on June 11, 2020 by ivonprefontaine

As a result of where family and friends live, Kathy and I drive through the mountains on a regular basis. We see spectacular scenery and inhabitants. We met and lived in Prince George, British Columbia and then lived in other communities in the general area. Despite this, it is always exciting to see the wildlife in these trips.

These pictures and the poem emerged on one of our annunal trips. Barely on the road, we spotted a bear browsing on the shoulder above the highway about 10-15 metres from the car. We rolled the window down and he/she posed before disappearing.

A few kilometres up the road, I took this picture of mountains shrouded in clouds. In the foreground, there is evidence of colours turning as summer merged into autumn.

peaks peeking

snow trying to hide

clouds blurring my view.

colours changing

nature’s rich canvas

gentle brush.

Mount Robson appeared with a cloud-like frame. I enjoy taking pictures of Mount Robson when the clouds show something different.

Kathy and I hiked a few hundred metres along the Berg Lake trail. I settled for this shot of Mount Robson which disappears from sight as you move along the path. Peaking out between the trees, is the Robson River which has its headwaters on Mount Robson and flows into the Fraser River a few kilometres down the highway.

I borrowed this picture from Wikipedia . A bucket list goal is to hike to Berg Lake, camp, and bring back pictures. I am getting old, so who knows if it will happen.

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Posted in Blogging, Community, Mindful Life, Nature in All Its Glory, Photography, Poetry, Reflective Moments, teacher as transformer, Writing and tagged blogging, British Columbia, creativity, Fraser River, hiking, mindfulness, Mount Robson, nature, photography, poetry, Rocky Mountains, stewardship, teacher as transformer, writing. Bookmark the permalink.

Peace

Posted on November 26, 2019 by ivonprefontaine

via Peace

Shobna provides a short and powerful message of how each of us can achieve peace.

The Thich Nhat Hanh quote she uses summarizes a message about the source of strength.

The word heart is related to many other words: health, hearth, and courage. Each word points to an inner journey we make to discover peace; to the heart and core (another word related to heart) of each of our strength.

I find nature is a space of solitude where peace emerges during long walks and listening to nature’s soft sounds. It is not that the busyness of the world is in some distant place. Instead, it is often just around the corner and nature offers a temporary sheltering space and reprieve to gather one’s self; a calm in the storm life can become. I added the following quote:

“We have to walk in a way that we only print peace and serenity on the Earth. Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.” (Thich Nhat Hanh)

Fraser River Near Headwaters

This is my favourite picture taken in the upper reaches of the Fraser River with Kathy standing on the rock. Just beyond her, the river narrows, forming rapids and Rearguard Falls, hinted at in this picture. From where we stood, we heard the river’s noise, chaos, and power as it traversed its narrowing chute (the French word for waterfalls).

Granted, it is chaos to me. Nature embraces what I consider chaos.

Posted in Blogging, Leadership, Mindful Life, Nature in All Its Glory, Photography, teacher as transformer, Uncategorized, Writing and tagged blogging, Buddhism, chaos, environment, Fraser River, Home, peace, peaceful soul, Rearguard Falls, relationships, spirituality, Thich Nhat Hanh, waterfalls, zen, Zen Buddhist. Bookmark the permalink. 19 Comments

The Mountain Reveals Herself

Posted on April 28, 2017 by ivonprefontaine

One of the wonders of driving from Edmonton to Prince George is passing Mount Robson. For many years, we drove past it several times a year, hoping to catch a glimpse of the peak. On many days, clouds cover its peak entirely or in part.

Robson is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies and the Fraser River headwaters the are in the provincial park bearing its name. We have walked along Robson River a ways, but the path goes for about 19 kilometres to a lake fed directly by a glacier.

An azure ceiling shines above,

Shimmering white lace spreads to meet it,

Rippling up from a white jacket;

A snowy zipper on a granite skirt;

Standing on guard below,

Silently an entourage of green warriors.

Gazing upwards,

Discovering her nobility and splendour,

She majestically reveals her grandeur–

To us mere mortals.