Stepping Stones

Time for a New Beginning

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 10:59:00 +0000

I felt it was time to leave this blog behind and move on to a new one.

If you'd like to continue following my journey please join me at Post-It Notes to Myself.

I wish you well and thank all of you who have returned time and time again to my blog.

Kim

A Token of Remembrance Perhaps?

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Wed, 12 May 2010 05:07:00 +0000

Gift Shop, Church of St. Mary,

Elbasan, Albania

April 2010

As If In A Dream He Appeared...

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Tue, 11 May 2010 06:34:00 +0000

He Only Longs for Love

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Mon, 10 May 2010 10:01:00 +0000

Simple Life

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Sat, 08 May 2010 09:33:00 +0000

In the Albanian Countryside, April 2010

When we endeavour to view something through the lens of beauty,

it is often surprising how much more we can see.

~John O'Donohue~

The Magic of Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Fri, 07 May 2010 14:11:00 +0000

April,

Divjake, Albania

Sam

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Thu, 06 May 2010 14:36:00 +0000

Bashtova Fortress

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Tue, 04 May 2010 17:45:00 +0000

Bashtova Fortress, Albania April 2010

A 15th century Venetian style fortress located just north of Divjake, Albania

The Salon

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:59:00 +0000

Korca, Albania July 2009

The Gentleman, Albania

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 07:33:00 +0000

"In the morning of his days, he is in the afternoon of his life."

~Mary Oliver~

We often stop and pick up hitchhikers in the country, enjoying brief but lovely little episodes of friendship with real people. Our bits of Albanian get us through, but oh how we long to be able to communicate completely. This handsome gentleman waved us down between two tiny villages and asked for a lift to "the center". We tried to figure out the center of what, which turned out to be the center of the next little village, actually hardly even a village- just a small group of buildings with a dimly lit bar. He told us that he really could have walked the short distance, but well- his knees now gave him trouble- they ached. He hopped out of the car and happily let us take his wonderful photo.

Young Roma Boy, Albania

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:57:00 +0000

Korca, Albania July 2009

What are little boys made of?

Frogs and snails

And puppy-dogs' tails,

That's what little boys are made of.

There's a story behind this young boy's eyes, isn't there? Because of our language barriers I couldn't find out what it was... but I have my ideas. He was obviously happy- you can see that around his eyes, but there's a hesitancy around his smile. I wanted to gather him into my arms and take him with me. He's a charmer, that's for sure.

Yes, In The Middle of Nowhere!

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:48:00 +0000

Close to Voskopoja, Albania

For Ginnie... who asked if it was in the middle of nowhere... uh huh.... it truly is!

Fill 'er Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:44:00 +0000

Voskopoja, Albania July 2009

Paradise, Albania

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 08:26:00 +0000

We were driving in the mountains somewhere near Permeti (southern Albania) when we drove past one of the most beautiful lakes I've ever seen. It immediately reminded me of Canada... a still lake surrounded by green pines and mountains. We slammed on the brakes and backed up. There was a small building that we assumed was a cafe so we wandered down to the water and tested the antique dock and wobbly plastic chairs. It felt like heaven. An thin old man with a smile on his face assured us the dock was safe and we ordered our espressos and water.

Half an hour in Paradise... pure bliss.

Time to be on our way.... I walked up to the little cafe looking for the old man so we could pay for our coffees. I peaked in the windows of the cafe and found myself watching an incredible scene. A dozen people were occupied with stacks and stacks of honeycombs! It was then that I noticed I was surrounded by a lot of bees. I was bothered by them but they didn't seem to care about me... whew! I called to my friends to come and see. The always friendly Albanians invited us in and though I was nervous about all the bees I couldn't resist the opportunity to see how the honey was being processed.

Everyone had their job to do...

From scraping the honeycombs...

to using the improvised centrifuge...

(notice the chandelier and elegant curtains!)

and then pouring the 100% organic honey into empty Coke bottles.

And of course, after being served a huge plate of honey to taste test, how could we resist buying a litre or two of this liquid gold to take home with us?

Really??

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:58:00 +0000

First time I ever ended up here!!!!

The Game

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:22:00 +0000

Korca, Albania July 2009

"There are places on the planet we belong and they are not necessarily where we are born. If we are lucky- if the gods are in a good mood- we find them, for whatever length of time is necessary for us to know that, yes, we belong to the earth and it to us. Even if we cannot articulate this intense physical sensation, even if language fails us, we know what home is then, in our very bones."

~ Elizabeth Huggan ~

From one of my favourite books: Belonging

Wonder

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 08:25:00 +0000

There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child.

There are seven million.

~Walt Streightiff ~

Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 05:41:00 +0000

Korca, Albania (July 2009)

My eyes are an ocean in which my dreams are reflected....

~Anna M. Uhlich.~

Rest

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 13:12:00 +0000

Near Elbasan, Albania (July 2009)

Rest is not idleness,

and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer's day,

listening to the murmur of the water,

or watching the clouds float across the sky,

is by no means a waste of time.

~J. Lubbock~

Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 12:47:00 +0000

Near Elbasan, Albania (July 2009)

Then followed that beautiful season... Summer....

Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape

Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow~

The Magic Instant

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:08:00 +0000

By Paolo Coelho

"We have to take risks. We can only truly understand the miracle of life when we let the unexpected manifest itself.

Every day – together with the sun – God gives us a moment in which it is possible to change everything that makes us unhappy. Every day we try to pretend that we don’t realize that moment, that it doesn’t exist, that today is just the same as yesterday and will be the same as tomorrow. But if you pay attention, you can discover the magic instant. It may be hiding at the moment when we put the key in the door in the morning, in the silence right after dinner, in the thousand and one things that all seem the same to us. This moment exists – a moment when all the strength of the stars passes through us and lets us work miracles.

Happiness is at times a blessing – but usually it’s a conquest. The magic instant helps us to change, drives us forward to seek our dreams. We shall suffer and go through quite a few difficult moments and face many a disappointment – but this is all transitory and inevitable, and eventually we shall feel proud of the marks left behind by the obstacles. In the future we will be able to look back with pride and faith.

Poor are those who are afraid of running risks. Because maybe they are never disappointed, never disillusioned, never suffer like those who have a dream to pursue. But when they look back – for we always look back – they will hear their heart saying: “What did you do with the miracles that God sowed for your days? What did you do with the talent that your Master entrusted to you? You buried it deep in a grave because you were afraid to lose it. So this is your inheritance: the certainty that you have wasted your life.”

Poor are those who hear these words. For then they will believe in miracles, but the magic instants of life will have already passed.

We must listen to the child that we once were, and who still lives within us. This child understands about magic instants. We can muffle his sobbing, but we can’t hush his voice.

If we aren’t reborn, if we don’t see life again with the innocence and enthusiasm of childhood, then there is no more sense to living.

There are many ways to commit suicide. Those who try to kill their body offend God’s law.

Those who try to kill their soul also offend God’s law, although their crime is less visible to the eyes of man.

Let us be heedful of what the child within us has to say. Let’s not feel ashamed of it. Let’s not allow it to feel afraid, because it’s lonely and is scarcely ever heard.

Let’s allow the child within us to take the reins of our existence a little. This child says that one day is different from another.

Let’s make the child feel loved again. Let’s please this child – even if it means acting in a way that we’re not used to, even if it seems foolish in the eyes of others.

Remember that the wisdom of men is madness before God. If we listen to the child we bear in our soul, our eyes will shine once more. If we don’t lose contact with this child, we won’t lose contact with life.

Let’s live all the magic instants of 2009!

Love

There is always someone in the world waiting for someone else, whether in the middle of the desert or in the heart of some big city. And when these two people’s paths cross and their eyes meet, the whole of the past and the whole of the future lose all importance, and there only exists that moment and that incredible certainty that everything under the Sun was written by the very same Hand. The Hand that awakens Love and creates a sister soul for everyone who works, rests and seeks treasures under the Sun. Were it not for this, the dreams of the human race would make no sense.

http://paulocoelhoblog.com/warrioroflight

Pretty Peony

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:33:00 +0000

Yes, It's Been a Month!

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 01:23:00 +0000

I have a new toy... a beautiful Canon EOS Rebel xsi And I'm learning to use all the bells and whistles!

Today we went to the historic St. Lawrence Market in downtown Toronto. The first job I remember my dad ever having was in this wonderful old market. He was a butcher here and I still remember the smell of the sawdust they used to soak up the blood and other drippings on the floor. I looked everywhere today but couldn't find any sawdust anywhere.

These beautiful smoked bones caught my eye- such interesting shapes!

Red Star Monument

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Tue, 12 May 2009 11:53:00 +0000

In the middle of nowhere... a monument remembering the heroes of long long ago.

There are countless monuments of this type scattered all around Albania and they fascinate me to no end. I think I'm going to look for more.

Oh Yes!

noreply@blogger.com (Miss Kim) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 09:25:00 +0000

This is pretty intense but Ohhhhhhhh it IS what poetry should be!