Yes, this is me a 60 years woman with four grandchildren, a great husband and in spite of the crisis I find myself in the midst of, a great life. I should be doing something else right now, but felt like  writing instead. 

It is January 6th, 2012 and exactly five months ago this coming Monday, a perfect stranger sat me down to say that I was no longer required at my lifetime place of employment.  I was to leave immediately.  This is not the place to detail the whys and wherefores because there are other people involved and I would rather take the high road.  The point of this is to talk about what I have done since and how it feels now.  The period of loss and grief and anger is almost completely over. 

I’ve wanted to start my own business for a few years now and this became the opportunity. I just could never quite make up my mind what direction to take; so I didn’t do anything. Part of me that still feels like the 1970′s was going in one direction and my practical side was saying something else.  So, while the shock of what had just happened settled in, I canned the hell out of my garden produce, worked in the earth to balance myself again, and even planted a winter garden. 

Life settled somewhat and the challenges faced as a result of a sudden loss of income were gradually worked through. Life reduces itself to what is really important, necessary and the rest falls away. After examining several opportunities I realized that the answer was obvious. Do what you love and know.  Don’t buy someone else’s business, even if you think you can succeed, unless it is really something you believe in.  Don’t open a business just because you think your town needs that service or product. Do create a company that offers something that you love to do, or believe in passionately. Once I had made my decision, a terrific employment counsellor guided me in the direction of a self-employment program that is proving to be a phenomenal support system, learning tool and mentor program.  I am sure Heather, Francine and Niv won’t mind if I publicly thank them for the opportunity they provide myself and others to start their own companies at the Aspire Self-Employment Program. There are lots of success stories and I plan to be another one of the successes.  

I will conclude today’s post with a short introduction of the company my brother/artist/designer Allan Switzer and I are launching in March. 

SwitzerCultCreative’s mission is to identify, create and market 21^st century furniture designs                                                  for high-end home furnishings projects.   We look for products that have never been seen in North America, and we identify designers who create original designs exclusively for us. 

In the same way that we pay attention to the food we eat, where it is grown, and whether it is organic or not, we want to know how the furniture is made and finished that will occupy our client’s personal environments. We want to know the creator and builder.  We must feel certain that the materials used in the creation of the products are compatible with environmental sustainability.  We want to play a role in making the world a better place, as well as create a personal environment that provides peace, tranquility and positive energy.  

We also know that creative people want to create and may not always have a vehicle through which to introduce their designs to the world.  In addition to promoting younger or lesser-known talent by providing a launching point from which these designers can build their own brands, SwitzerCultCreative sponsors an annual Design Competition for students. The winner will have their design built and marketed for one year by SwitzerCultCreative.  Designers from Italy, France and North America have chosen SwitzerCultCreative to introduce, manage and market their designs.

Back to my business - 

Renee 

Harper’s approach is a principled one, cemented as it is into a clear division between right and wrong, truth and lies and thus standing four-square against the ruinous moral relativism and nihilism of the times.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.

Both quotes are credited to Steve Jobs.

Five years ago I left a conventional life in Vancouver for a new journey, actual destination unknown – very risky for a woman of 55. So, here I am at 60 looking back on that five years. My husband and I decided to try living in the country.
Close enough to the city to manage family relationships with my parents, children and grandchildren, and maintain my job, but far enough away to be able to set our own course, live on our own terms. So, what have we done and how does it feel now?

We learned how to grow our own food, bake our own bread, compost everything possible, recycle the rest, harvest rainwater, operate a Bed & Breakfast, make my own preserves and generally appreciate what this kind of life has to offer.

No matter what happened in my city life, I could handle it. Artists get their fulfillment from their work, I get it from digging in the earth, watching my garden grow and the sheer joy of harvesting my own food. And; I really love opening that canning cupboard and seeing the gorgeous jars filled with summer bounty.
On a grey winter day the bright yellow peaches, beautiful hues of various jams and jellies, relishes, tomatoes reminds me of summer. It is almost too beautiful to disturb.

Now that summer is over and all the harvesting and preserving is finished I focus my creative energy on knitting. My maternal grandmother taught me many things, most of which I appreciate more now than when I was young. She spent hours teaching a left hander how to knit. There were many years between projects but once the grandchildren started coming, the knitting needles re-emerged. I have taught myself to knit socks, sweaters, mittens and get the most pleasure from making it and then giving it away. The current project is a shawl for my best friend.

Over the last few months I have felt my Grandmother’s presence often. It usually happens when I try to revive one of her recipes, and then remember all the wonderful things she would do with me. This month is the 8th anniversary of her passing. She always encouraged me to follow my heart and I thank her often for that and many other things.

Before HarvestAbout half the garlic pulled. How would you like to go and pick the lettuce 5 minutes before preparing your Salad?

Cottage Al Sole Canning Cupboard

Garden produce is filling the canning cupboard – what could be better on a grey winter day than a jar of sunny yellow peaches or delicious apple sauce from locally grown fruits. Summer has just flown by so rather than writing about my garden I will be showing you the results!

The first little seeds are already in their growing element. Celery, some lettuces, radishes and peas all inside. The peas are in an old eavestroph.
Garden plans are in work – deciding which crop to plant where. Winter projects are nearly completed. The last sweater of the season nearly completed, a spring gift for my daughter – in – law. Outside work beckons. I have learned to appreciate work that gives something in return.

As each year goes by I recognize more and more how the quality of our lives are impacted by our environment, the weather and how we as a people treat our surroundings. 

There is still much to do in preparation for winter and still cottage guests to welcome and a wood pile to ready for the winter fires.

These days I will be found every evening picking off slugs who have managed to sneak around the copper mesh, or one of the other attempts to prevent slugs from eating my veggie leaves.  The copper seems to work well but nothing is 100%.

I am excited to see the garden progress -

This year the Italian Sweet Peppers and Frigitello Peppers are in the large greenhouse – harvest should be double last year.

Tomatoes are in their new digs – beautiful permanent beds in one greenhouse, away from rain – no more hauling heavy pots!

Brocolli is already showing their baby flowers – also should have a larger harvest this year.  Some are inside and the rest growing next to the potatoes.

Beans are in the ground, but not yet showing. For the first time I used my own beans from last year – feeling pretty good about that!

Carrots just now peeking up from the ground -

Time to get outside!

Come and enjoy just picked organically grown food.

Cottage Al Sole is ready for occupancy once again!

The property is starting to look quite lovely. This year we are paying a little more attention to the flower gardens and they definitely appreciate the attention.

More raised beds were added to the vegetable garden and so far – seedlings are doing well. Guests this year will be able to enjoy a wide variety of fresh, organic, just picked vegetables – we are adding potatoes this year to the already extensive selection which includes, Broccoli, Carrots, Parsnips, Sweet Peppers, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Kale, Chard, Leeks, Zucchini, Salad Greens ….and more!  Don’t forget to look for me at the Fiddlehead Farmers market this season in Upper Gibsons. There will be new breads available as well as fresh vegetables.

Thanks to the guests who kept us full all January and February! It was a treat to have you over the winter.

Those who watched beautiful Vancouver on the television during the Winter Olympics this year – spring and summer is even better! So come and join us on the Sunshine Coast – experience the simple pleasures of country living.

Yours hosts, Renee and Renato