Teresa's 2008 Highlights & New Year's Wishes ...

amazing french toast & fresh berries ... brekkie in Santa Cruz (January 2008)

Happy New Year Dear Ones!

Thought I'd jot down some of my reflections on this past year of 2008 ... & send out a few wishes to you for the new year ahead ... so here goes ...

2008

JANUARY - reconnecting with friends & family & rekindling loving long-distance connections

my dear friends Claudette & Kristin & their amazing daughter Isabel aka "little Tigger"

Margaret & me reconnecting in Santa Cruz, California

T's North American train trek from Edmonton to Santa Cruz, ... through Colorado & Utah

Utah's big skies & red rocks covered over with snow, how gorgeous!

... & as far as Lincoln, Nebraska
refurbished locomotive where I finally switched from rail to air after another couple hours delay sitting here in Lincoln, Nebraska

... en route to D.C. where I got to reconnect with Margaret this time on the east coast & with my east family that includes my three nieces Carissa "Roo," Bailey "Boo," & Alexis "Lexie Loo," & my sister Tammie & her husband Jeff & my Mom, Doug, ... and Katrina, & Ronnie ... plus the 5 dogs (3 of them puppies, one in each of these 3 households!)

Roo, Boo, & Loo finishing up breakfast before heading to school (January 2008)

Chuchi "Auntie" Teresa with her 3 special "bugs"

my sister Katrina & her beau (now fiance) Ronnie (January 2008)

"Bear" Katrina & Ronnie puppy (January 2008)

Margaret & me enjoying our sunset/full moon walk near the Jefferson Memorial (January 2008)
Jefferson Memorial under a full moon reflecting in the nearby Tidal Basin

my sister Tammie & me out on a little hike with her dogs

Tammie with "Inky" & their new puppy "Obie"

sunset along the Potomac River where Margaret walks regularly not too far from her house

... & beyond to Syracuse

my NY Seed Mates Cindy & Rebekah (who had her lovely little baby later on in the Spring), & me near Ithaca, in "upstate" New York

... then landing into Cow Town for -35 Celsius temperatures to search for housing

FEBRUARY - next chapter in T's outdoor education adventures begins, this time with Ghost River Rediscovery plus facing the reality of returning to an office environment

MARCH - still surviving Winter temp's again after my year Down Unda

APRIL - amid my grand plans to get some "work that Reconnects" activities going outside ... the big blizzard conditions led to the postponement of my Earth Day dayhike at the Cross Cons'n Area ... but I did manage to finally get out to try ice climbing with one of my OBA mates, Teddy the following week-end ... how AWESOME!

Teddy showing me how it's done, thanks heaps mate!!!

ice climbing at "The Grotto" with my OBA mate Teddy ...
getting higher & higher up this ice waterfall ... :)

Bow River valley not far from "The Grotto" (April 26, 2008)

MAY - rescheduled day hike at the Cross on Mother's Day

Mother's Day hike out at the Cross Conservation Area (SW of Calgary)

... fabulous May long week-end in Waterton with my girlfriend Margaret
two terrific tramping mates enjoying the tracks out in Waterton National Park (May long week-end)
the splendour of Waterton Lakes National Park in May 2008

half way along one of our longer hikes in Waterton, it was a pleasant surprise to come across my dharma friend Liz & her beau Tom!

...& Rediscovery Leadership training & Bronze Medallion recertification at Pearson College, what a splendid group, thanks Mike, Serena, Mutang, & Thom!

Mutang, my Bronze Medallion swim instructor & me (May - June 2008)
enjoying the Rediscovery fun & celebrations at Pearson College with Mutang's adorable little guy :)

JUNE - birthday fun with family & friends ...



enjoying a great dinner at The Lingnan with family & friends in Edmonton for my birthday (June 13, 2008)

How splendid to reconnect with my California friends again in Santa Cruz ... Margaret, Kristin, Claudette, & Isabel, ... sorry we missed each other this time Cheryl Gleb, & Aidan.

Kristin, Karly cat, Margaret, Claudette, & me ... Isabel the photographer
Isabel & her best friend Gabriel eagerly looking forward to the decadent
chocolate/raspberry b-day cake, YUM!

Reconnecting with my sweetie ...

Margaret & me enjoying our beach hike out at Greyhound Rock north of Santa Cruz

... & one of my Aussie Seed Mates kt on the CA coast ...

having fun at the beach with my Seed Mate kt while we were both in Santa Cruz :)
Margaret & her sister-in-law & "Jake" the great dog

... plus new friends made at the NVC Retreat near Santa Cruz, CA ... thanks Kristin & Jean I hope I can make it again in 2009!

my splendid new friends from the NVC Santa Cruz Retreat (June 2008)

tramping about under the coastal redwood canopy at the Quaker Centre near Santa Cruz during the NVC Retreat


JULY - participating in the Rediscovery Wilderness Guide Training camp (finally meets Kim W. :) & teaching the Stnd. 1st Aid session too,
... participating in my 1st sweat lodge & having a great solo overlooking the Ghost River valley
... challenges in office mode return/continue.
... PATIENCE is a must!

AUGUST - Glacier N.P. camping trip & an amazing hike up to the Asulkan hut with my sweetie amid predominantly sunny skies along with a scary thunder & lightning show in the final 40 minutes of the climb!
... 2 amazing sweat lodges & my splendid 2 day solo during the Wolf Dreamers Rediscovery adult camp

SEPTEMBER - "no go" for funding on Letters of Interest I sent out to help me continue on with GRR except for one Foundation who did invite a full proposal ... dealing with the hoop jumping challenges of seeking funding has been quite a "shoe on the other foot" experience, yet one that I had not intended to seek out
... ironically, T's final day with GRR was the day after I got this news

OCTOBER - half-day deep ecology workshop at the U of C, job interview (via. Skype) with an outdoor education organization out on Vanc. Isl. ... movie & a speaker session at the Canmore Co-Op ... we watched Earth, Spirit, Action www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6jCpChUxOw & The Awakening Universe www.awakeninguniverse.com/ (related clip at http://awakeningthedreamer.org/ )
... wrote up & sent in funding proposal to The Calgary Foundation for "Rediscovery in the Rockies" project ... packing up my "Wombat Warren" basement suite in Calgary & shuffled my particles back into storage up Edmonton way

NOVEMBER - interview for TCF funding process went well, I "breathed life" into the proposal with this in-person meeting ... thanks to my Aunt Evelyn & Uncle Jerrold for their generous hospitality for extra week down in Cow Town after I moved out
... Barack Obama wins the U.S. election, AWESOME!!
... gypsy mode in full swing as I bounce about staying with a few different friends in Edmonton ... thanks heaps to Laurelie, Jill & Ethan, Sophie & Tom, & my family near Edm. :)
... reconnecting with my sweetie & some of my family near Washington D.C. while continuing the job search in cyberspace
... job interview for an exciting outdoor education position just outside of Victoria
... snowshoeing in deep, fresh snow in West Virginia over the U.S. Thanksgiving break with my sweetie

DECEMBER - regrouping after the BIG blow when the Pearson opportunity fell through :(
... oh, the ups & downs of seeking gainful employment ... what a test & work-out for the ego & the tender heart that sometimes arises along the journey!

This month, I also had to bid "farewell" to my sweet cat You-Jean ... she was definitely the best "depot find" that I ever brought home from my recycling depot attendant days!!!
my faithful feline friend "You-Jean" who had to leave us after 16+ years of companionship while sharing her loud purring and peaceful ways with me & my best bud Laurelie & Y-J's best bud Lucky ... we'll miss you little girl ... xoxo

... Dr. David Swann wins the Alberta Liberal Leadership race, congratulations David :)
meeting up with Seed Mate Rob and OBA mate Ruth in D.C., how fun!

my OBA Mate Ruth who now lives in D.C. teaching kindergarten at one of OB's Expeditionary Learning Schools, what a cool assignment :)

... reconnecting with my Seed Mate Rob for a few visits was a real treat as well! Thanks for the great hikes & tour of D.C. Rob :)

my Seed Mate Rob & me at Great Fall N. P. near D.C.

amazing light near sunset along the Billy Goat trail at Great Falls N.P. near D.C. (Dec. 2008)
Great Falls N. P. near D.C.

... news that the TCF funding proposal was approved BUT for only half the amount ... & trying to figure out how things might look with only half the funds.

It was really nice to be able to connect with my east coast family on a number of occasions while I was in the D.C. area ... Alexis is now 10 & the twins are 7!

bear hugs for everyone ... me & my little nieces Roo, Boo, & Loo and my sister Tammie & brother-in-law Jeff

my Mom's X-mas baking, very yummy!

.. one week of sunset & sunrise walks along the beaches & around the marshes at the Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island with my sweetie ... how splendid to see the wild ponies and the little deer/elk plus ALL the shore birds ... great blue herons, egrets, geese, ducks, owls, tree swallows, etc.
... scramble/hike along the billy goat trail at Great Falls N.P. with Margaret before a mighty fine NY's eve. dinner, thanks sweet M !!!


Teresa's wishes for 2009 ...

* a wish to embrace the comings & goings in my life, especially given the gypsy-like nature of my ways & my current state of flux (as well as the global transitions that affect us wherever we may be) ... so that I can more readily feel as if I am "Always Coming Home"

* a wish to seek out "my place in this world" & to find employment that feeds my being & my body & the same for others who are on similar quests,

* a wish to ride the winds of change as gracefully as I can,

* a wish to continue learning new ways to navigate these winds by understanding & communicating my needs & the needs of others along the way.


I am ever grateful for the abundance of GENEROSITY and LOVE in my life that is enabling me to keep moving through this latest transition. The generous welcomes & hospitality of my sweet Margaret & my family here on the east coast.

I am also truly grateful for the abundance of beautiful people & beings in my life and for my ability to explore the bounty of amazing places, critters, and ecosystems that invite me to seek out new adventures & feed my "shutter happy" ways! Especially for the little people & faithful companions with whom I love to reconnect with as well!

Most of all, I am sending heartfelt wishes to each & every one of you,

... to my family & friends around Canada & the U.S., to my Seed Mates, the great mob at OBA, the Rediscovery clan here in Canada, my NVC giraffe friends fr. the Santa Cruz Retreat, and to ALL the people and other beings with whom we share this planet, ...

"Earth Blessing" written by Jack Manno, Cindy's partner and published by the Syracuse Cultural Workers which is an amazing grassroots organization that prints & sells items for peace & justice http://syracuseculturalworkers.com/ or http://syracuseculturalworkers.com/poster-earth-blessing
(you can click on this picture to make it bigger so you can read it)

My wishes for ALL of you are captured in this "Earth Blessing" ... wishes for a truly happy, healthy, peaceful, and fun-filled year that finds you doing things that make your heart sing and your body & spirit rejoice.

Hugs 'n' Bugs & heaps of peace & love,

Teresa

aka "Sparkles in the Sun & Plays like the Wind (or "Spirals in the Wind")"

Teresa's east coast adventures

SNOWSHOEING ... what a fun way to get out in the fresh snow of West Virginia (November 27, 2008)

Hello Everyone,

Thought you might like to see some pic's & hear a few stories from my time over here in Maryland where I am visiting my splendid friend Margaret and my family that live out this way ... Mom, Doug and Biskit & Misha ... Katrina, Ronnie, and Bear ... Tammie & Jeff and Roo, Boo, & Loo and Inky & Obie.

As you can see from the picture above, I enjoyed our hop out to the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia with Margaret for the U.S. Thanksgiving break. We had fun snowshoeing for a couple of days in the ~20 cm of fresh, fluffy snow :)

... what a splendid & peaceful way to enjoy such amazing wintry landscapes!

We ate all kinds of yummy food in between our explorations with the snowshoes where we had to be mindful to avoid areas that hunters might be lurking about! They are even allowed to hunt at the National Wildlife Refuge out there in the Canaan Valley!!!

More pic's from my time out here in my next post but I also wanted to share a few pic's from the fun I had with a few friends around Edmonton back in November ...

Mary-Frances & her boys with me out at my friend Maureen's near Tofield, AB (November 15, 2008)

Jilly-Peanut & Teresa-Bean :)

Maureen & her dog Abby exploring the beavers' newest exploits
... 25 poplar saplings since August!

Ethan (Peanut Jr.), Jill, & me

GOOD NEWS ... I have just set up a new phone line through Skype so that I can receive calls while I am away from Alberta ... I opted for a California area code since Skype is not set up to provide any Canadian phone numbers yet. Sooooo, the new number you can reach me at is: (831) 440-8678

I finally got to meet my Mom's new puppy & have enjoyed reconnecting with my family out this way ... I enjoyed a bunch of fun with my nieces Carissa (Roo) & Bailey (Boo) who are now 7 years young & Alexis (Schmookie Loo) who is now 9!!! ... the week-end of Doug's 60th birthday. More pic's & stories from that week-end (& all the wonderful food I have been enjoying with my family) in my next posting ... my younger sister Katrina's "puppy" Bear is quite HUGE now ... not the little guy I met back in January and my sister Tammie's new puppy Obie is heaps bigger than the beginning of the year too but likely half the size of Bear!

My Mom's new puppy is absolutely adorable & I've included a picture of her in this posting ...

Misha ... my Mom's adorable new puppy

It looks like I will be returning back to Edmonton just before or maybe just after Christmas and hope to do some more catching up with my family & friends over the upcoming holiday break.

I hope each of you are well & happy and enjoying an abundance of peace, love, gratitude, and compassion as Winter prepares to set in here in the northern hemisphere and as the Summer approaches "Down Unda."

Please know that I am sending my hugs & love to all of you dear ones wherever you are.

Hugs 'n' Bugs, love,

Teresa

Teresa is on the move soon ... & eager to see where the wind will be taking me!

the view from my solo spot overlooking the Ghost River Valley (August 23, 2008)

Hello my dear friends & family,

Alas, my contract with Ghost River Rediscovery has come to a close ...

This result was bound to happen since I had not been able to secure the funds I needed to continue forward in this new position. So, after carrying on an extra 2 months with GRR, waiting for responses to the letter of interest I had sent out, my 6 (+2) month contract has finally wound down. There's a small possibility of my hopping back into things with Ghost River Rediscovery that depends on one final proposal I am sending in next week. The results of this proposal won't likely be known until late December or early January, so I am heading full steam ahead in my job searching as well.

At any rate, I am at a fairly good place about the whole thing, knowing that I now have a chance to move toward a position that is more outdoor focused & less office-based. So I am now gearing up to hop onto my little "speck" ... we'll see which way I am meant to be carried by the wind ...

spectacular view from the Asulkan Valley hut in Glacier National Park (August 9, 2008)

All that said, I had my first job interview (via. webcam) last week. It's an exciting affirmation but I am trying to stay in the moment and just see what comes of it. I am supposed to hear back on this job sometime this week ...

This job searching thing can be quite a rollercoaster, so I know the importance of patience and being in the moment ... just the things I still need to keep working on along my journey, how convenient :) But any & all encouragement & reaching out from my family & friends will be very much appreciated :)

Indian paintbrush in full bloom (August 9, 2008)

Along with this recent change in my employment situation, I have decided to pack up my "Wombat Warren" (aka basement suite) & put my belongings back into temporary storage in my parent's garage (& the big items at a few friend's places). Once Halloween comes along, I will be on the move back up to Edmonton with my boxes & furniture packed into a small U-Haul truck. I'll be staying with a few different friends & have a chance to do some house-sitting around Edmonton. Undoubtedly, I will bounce around to connect with a few other folks out of town as I continue my job search.

In order to keep in touch with me, please note my NEW e-mail address: spiralwonder@peacemail.com
(I am no longer accessing my GRR e-mail address).

You can always check on my BLOG here at: www.sherpadoginoz.blogspot.com
... or you can also find me on Facebook to check on any updates I have added & to see where I have landed myself.

For October at least, you can still reach me on my mobile phone at: (403) 690-0504 (mobile) or you can connect with me through Skype, my Skype ID is: tchilkowich

I will add any new contact details to my BLOG here in the "contact" section once I have a more permanent address/phone number etc.

sparkling waters rushing over a gorgeous green rock along the Asulkan trail (August 9, 2008)

I look forward to seeing how things will unfold for me as this newest period of transition parallels the changing of the seasons. I am also looking forward to reconnecting with some of the wonderful people in my life who I haven't seen much of while I have been down in Cow Town :)

I wish you well in your own active lives & with all the GREAT work you are doing. It will be great to connect with you again sometime in the near future.

Be well,

Hugs 'n' Bugs, love,

Teresa