a peek inside the fishbowl

21 Jun, 2019

Moment of bliss #0024

Posted by andrea tomkins in: Moments of bliss

I made a promise to myself to be more active, and one of the ways I do this is by taking brisk walks. Once upon a time I tried running, but I realized I hated it so I reverted back to walking. If I can pull it off, I try to get in at least one 5K powerwalk every week.

I charge up my phone, set up my “MapMyRun” app, load up a new podcast, and go. I think what I like most about my powerwalk is (a) simply being outdoors (b) the opportunity to listen to a good show and learn something new. But this process is all business. I don’t actually think much about it anymore. I don’t think about my route, what I’m wearing, or how much I’m sweating. I am a machine made out of skin and bone! This might sound like I don’t enjoy my power walks but they are strangely devoid of joy. Does that make sense? I like my power walks well enough – I certainly don’t hate them –  but I don’t get the same feeling I do when I’m coasting down a hill on my bike. You know, the sensation of the wind in your hair as the landscape races by. (The only way I could possibly improve upon that feeling is if I had a baseball card in my spokes and streamers flying out from the ends of my handlebars.)

Today I was inspired to veer off my walking route and take a peek at Maplelawn Garden, which is a walled garden right next to Keg Manor on Richmond Road in Westboro. At first I was going to give it a pass, after all, I had things to do! A list to whittle down! Calls to make! Emails to write!

Little did I know that one of my favourite quiet spaces in Westboro was about to take my breath away. It is wall-to-wall flowers there right now. I sniffed them, admired them, pet them, and wandered amid the kind of beauty that we just don’t see every day. It’s the kind of place that calls out to you, and then says, hey, it’s ok to linger here. Let’s enjoy this while we have it.

Maplelawn, 2019

Maplelawn, 2019

Maplelawn, 2019

Maplelawn, 2019

Maplelawn, 2019

You see, I have a to-do list a mile long and I’m haven’t been handling it very well. But while I stood there, the stress that had been building up behind my eyeballs suddenly dropped away. I remembered to breathe deeply and let this fleeting beauty fill me up, and maybe even tide me over for a bit.

(Big news coming your way soon. Stay tuned.)


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  • Gretchen Humphrey: I had a beautiful bee& birdbath filled with a solar fountain and dozens of antique marbles that were suddenly disappearing. At first I thought my
  • Jinjer: I am sobbing reading this post. And you're right, companion is not enough. Little furry treasured gifts that they are. Thanks for sharing cutie-pi
  • Karen: Dear Andrea, Mark and your daughters I am so very sad for your family xxx Piper was/is my favourite Instagram post. You shared with us so intimately
  • Christina Banuelos: Thank you for sharing Pipers life with us. Your posts of Piper brought me joy. Every time I see your post and see what kind of mischief Piper was gett
  • Carla Slocum: I am sitting here yet again crying at your loss. We have known that loss with Asta the WFT our first pup but now have the enormous gift of Stryker the
  • Janelle Brown: Dear Andrea Thank you for sharing Piper’s story with her followers. I empathise with your grief and emptiness as I lost my 14 year old Westie last
  • Natasha McReynolds-Nicholl: My god reading this is heartbreaking. December 1st was the as you describe longest day of my life, we lost out beautiful WFT hazel. Pipers final momen

The Obligatory Blurb

My name is Andrea and I live in the Westboro area of Ottawa with my husband Mark and our dog Piper who is kind of a big deal on Instagram. We also have two human offspring: Emma (24) and Sarah (22). During the day I work as a writer at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. I am a longtime Ottawa blogger and I've occupied this little corner of the WWW since 1999. The Fishbowl is my whiteboard, water cooler, and journal, all rolled into one. I'm passionate about healthy living, arts and culture, travel, great gear, good food, and sharing the best of Ottawa. I also love vegetables, photography, gadgets, and great design.

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