And Back Again

Welcome to And Back Again

Hi, hope you can come on a little journey with me to some of the times I’ve loved.

For this one I thought it would be fun to include accommodation spots along the way.

Arriving at Night happened on a trip to Venice. I’d flown from Frankfurt to Treviso with Ryanair and the flight was late. It was dark and I found myself alone in the airport till I looked outside and saw everyone was on the bus to Venice. I raced on and settled but worried that the hostel where I was staying would close. I was new to cell phones and my call didn’t go through. A friendly couple on the bus helped me and that’s when I heard the magic words “I wait you.”
So you can see I morphed two stories together, both true!!

Cami de Ronda was fun to write; situated both here in Vancouver and in Catalonia.
An exploration of opposites, the two of us, our different personal histories, our loves of our homes and the joy of sharing them.

Norway Apples is set in Vahldal and Vancouver. The orchard owners made known at the local hostel that they were looking for workers. So off two of us went. There was no nonsense or friendly welcome. We were quickly put to work. The scene was spectacular, a steep fiord bank and views through dusky green leaves and perfect red apples to the bluest sky and deep blue sea. The call for lunch was so unexpected and the food and setting so wholesome that it truly felt like ‘a royal feast.”

International Women’s Day Kabul 2005 feels so distant. 2005 was such an optimistic time. I was part of a Global Exchange delegation to celebrate International Women’s Day. We met so many wonderful clever women who were returning from overseas or emerging from their homes where they’d kept love and learning alive. There was joy and a strong sense of community layered over the devastation of the recent Taliban rule. I wanted to write a tribute to them.

On the Road to Ouarzazate was a trip inland from Agidir. Morocco. It was such a sensory experience, the dry hills, the green crops in the valley, the heat in the van, the surprise view of Taaroudant, its seer beauty, the sound of the muezzin, the snow peaked Atlas Mountains and the cleanest air I’ve ever breathed.

Mediadia, Pinar de Rio Province is set in Cuba. I was trying to recreate the feeling I had one midday after a nap. Hot and drowsy from sleep as I walked down the hallway and saw this stunning site across the street. The abundance and wild profusion of coloured flowers in tropical areas always amazes me.

Easter Island 2001 was a dream come true. I’d always been fascinated by the moai. I hadn’t made concrete plans to make this dream come true until my son, Adam, went to an advertising school in Miami. I realized if I went for his graduation I could continue on to Santiago and Easter Island. There were complications but I did get there and it was wonderful. I can only wish others get to make their dreams come true and that the event lives up to, or exceeds, the dream!

Dageraad Blonde is a bit of a cheat I guess; it doesn’t take place in Belgium. And the beer is made in Burnaby! But somehow drinking the beer at my computer as I was trying to write some lines of poetry took me there. There’s another piece in “There and Here” that features a beer, maybe a theme?!

Aquarian Out of Place is a reflection on my life and finding where I belong. I am an aquarian so maybe I was drawn to the sea by my genes. I love any water but especially if it’s salty! I grew up in Northern Manitoba and do see its beauty but feel I’m home when I’m by the ocean.

Searching for Samuel I hope I get to Churchill next summer. I’m deeply affected by the history of the Hudson’s Bay Company. My dad didn’t talk much about his experiences but there were glimpses of his journey from Scotland as a lad to work for the Hudson’s Bay Company. And of course the wonderful black and white photos of him laden with furs made a big impression on me. Our trip to Churchill was an adventure but a rather disappointing one for me, itchy longjohns, smelly beluga factory and of course, missing the Fort. Somehow I find names in stone a captivating connection with the past.

The ribbon and wax seal is from a real tie that was made to hold two passports together.
My visa for Czechoslovakia was valid into the future but my passport has expired so it was bound together with this ribbon and seal. The other side of the ribbon is shown on “There and Here.”
So many thanks to Dan Shafer for making this chapbook become a reality,
to Rob Taylor and Jami Macarty for their patience and guidance
to Historic Joy Kogawa House for a place and time to write and read
and to my wonderful family, Carleen, Adam, and Lauren who are always there for me.