escape to the east

Sometimes it is nice to get away from the hustle and bustle for some peace and relaxation… a moment of much needed zen. Ok, so it might look like I took off for a trip to China (oh, I wish!), but the garden is actually in Vancouver... literally a 5 minute drive away from where we live. It makes for a great backdrop to pretend you are travelling in China though… one day…. one day...

still blossoming

A few pretty petals spotted at the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Chinese Garden recently. This spring has been really cold and wet, so a lot of things are just starting to bloom now. Normally around this time of year, I would be starting our balcony garden... but sad to say, this year it is still really barren. I am too embarrassed to post pics of all the dead plants and empty pots on our balcony right now... so give me a few more weeks to work on it!

ps. better late than never, but my May giveaway will start on Wednesday, so check back to see the details!

ancient chinese secret

Roger and I visited one of my favourite places in Vancouver over the weekend - the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Chinese Garden, an authentic representation of a 15th Century Chinese garden smack in the middle of Chinatown/downtown. It was nice to have a zen moment away from the hustle and bustle of the city and felt like we were whisked away to another land... like a mini vacation in our own city.... ahhhhhhh (that is my relaxing sigh, btw). Unfortunately my "ahhhhh" is now turning into "ugh!", since the weather here has now turned for the worse this week... rain, rain and more rain... and it's washing away my zen!!