This afternoon we all hung out on the dock in the sun. Finally got Emily outside to have some fun! She’s been spending a lot of time on the computer. We knew a storm was on the way and stayed out to watch the clouds roll in then danced in the rain. It was so warm but VERY WINDY (see video below haha). The storm rolled in around dinner time and then we lost power for most of the night. We sat around with candles and talked about what’s going on in the world.

Today I took a trip to town and picked up my online order from Walmart. A couple of weeks ago I ordered some solar-powered Edison bulbs for outside on the stairs. I think they’ll look great! Each time I go to town, I put on a cute outfit, makeup, and pack a mask. I really miss seeing people and getting dressed up. If a trip to Walmart is my outing for the week, I’m gonna wear something nice. Celebrating the small wins these days! Earlier the afternoon, I went out on the paddleboard for an hour and a half, circling around a few of the little islands and laying in the sun. I didn’t take my phone or anything, just me, the lake, my board, and the sun. Saw this little guy when I came back. Haven’t seen one this big here before!

I tried really hard to do something today. I put my expectations high, I thought I could do it all by myself. I didn’t want help. I failed. I sucked at it. I had a total meltdown. The day started well with a 3.5km run around the neighbourhood. I stopped at the OKAYOK Store to take this photo, they have a great mirror film on the window. I’m wearing the Joe Fresh outfit again bc I am 1000% obsessed. After my meltdown, I took to the streets on my bike and discovered a great new (to me!) spot in our area. The other day mum told me how she used to love running on a track so I was so happy to find one at École secondaire Toronto Ouest. I leaned back on my bike, called a friend, and read my book. I also did another one of Elaisha’s daily meditations. It was so nice. I traced my fingers with my eyes closed, took deep breaths, and soaked in the sun. If you haven’t subscribed you can get on her 30-day course on Your Mindful for free here. WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS.

Biked around early in the morning and met April for a social distance hang with coffee in her backyard around 8 am. We talked about life, everything going on in the world, things outside us, feelings inside us, it was really nice. She always has good advice, makes me laugh, and is there with a compliment or to a reminder when I need it the most. It’s crazy to think back to a few months ago when everything was different and we had no idea what was coming. Things will never be the same, this is a new way of life, of living, of thinking, of feeling. In the afternoon I walked to Danica’s Bathing Belle shop in Roncy to pick up my mask and see her new mural being painted. It looks so nice and the art is done by @Viszla_Bacon on IG. He has a couple other in the area, you might recognize his work! Bathing Belle will be opening up soon to take appointments at the shop. I ordered the Rasta Lion mask to match my suit and scrunchie. I love it! Her suits are the best bathing suits I’ve ever owned, she makes them herself, and the fabric so nice. Highly recommend. It was a full moon last night, I sat out and read my book for a bit. I placed my crystals out under the moonlight and made my wishes on the moon. Even though I couldn’t’ see it through the clouds, I knew it was there. I got this yellow bowl two summer’s ago from a shop in the LXMarket, Lisbon. I was hesitant to buy it but I’m so glad to have it now. This orange outfit is my most favourite thing right now, I copped the crop/shorts from Sasha Exeter‘s post and…

Find the original post & creator at @vibesofablackgirl on Instagram.

Today has been heavy. It’s hard to watch what’s going on in the world right now and not take action. I’ve hit pause on posting my own content to continue making space for POC creators and resources. If you are looking for resources on how you can help or show support see here. I’m still keeping my daily diary, it’s my way to remember, and a time capsule to look back on in the future. I hope that by sharing a little bit of sunshine here on the blog it can bring a smile to at least one person. ? We went to Beaverton in the afternoon and while Sean had a meeting, I got some groceries and called a friend. Today I made a delicious beet salad with leftover beets Sean BBQ’d the other day. I really love beets. The afternoon was really nice, I took some time to plant the flowers we got for Sean’s mum. She’s not planning to be up here for a while but we wanted to fill her flower pots and tidy the garden. Tomorrow we’re putting up the hummingbird feeder, we’ve seen a bunch of the beautiful little birds buzzing around. I think Sean’s parents have been keeping up with the blog so, “HI LORNA & KEITH, WE MISS YOU!”. ? Sean got a new power washer last week and it was quite therapeutic to blast the stairs and wash outside. This thing is a beast, so powerful! I power washed my paddleboard and Sean’s mum’s kayak, can’t wait to get out on the water. In other news, I beat yesterday’s 5K record on my run for Global Running Day. ?

This morning I felt like I needed meditation to start my day. To stop, pause. Think. Take a minute. I took a break from posting sunshiney selfies and cottage life to share content by black creators, friends, and use my platform to share their voices. I did a morning meditation by Elaisha Jade and signed up for her 30-day daily course. I love her voice, it’s so soothing and you can head her smile. Elaisha started her company after working in tech for years and feeling the burn out all often go through. At Your Mindful, she focusses on bringing mindfulness and meditation in-person or online to people around the world. Thank you Elaisha! If you want to book a private online session with her, book it here. She also has a self-guided silent retreat you can sign up for here. To sign up and join me for 30-days of meditation for free, scroll down! 30 Days of Meditation: Sign Up Here! In other news, I broke my personal 5K record on Nike Training and have been officially running for 6 months! Extremely grateful to Amy Shio aka @lesbest for her monthly challenges, she’s really motivated me to get off my booty and hit the pavement. I ran 100Km last month! P.S. If you are looking for anti-racism links, check this document or see these resources in Canada. You can also check the link in my Instagram bio here for a list of resources, places to donate, and petitions to sign! ?

This weekend I watched, I listened, I had conversations that were heartbreaking. This is a human issue and I can’t sit by and not say something. I acknowledge my privilege, I can speak up, I can do better. We all can do better. A post & illustration by @mimimoffie has been running through my mind, “if you’re tired of hearing about racism, imagine how fucking exhausting it is living it”. BIPOC friends & I love you, I stand with you, I support you. White friends, do your research, educate yourself, talk to the people you love. Acknowledge the role white privilege plays in racism. ??????????

My eye is starting to look less scary. The swelling has gone done after hours of ice, laying down, antihistamines, and CBD. Today we took a long drive around Muskoka and stopped to get a few supplies. This sign was at a market in Port Carling. Most of the stores there have closed and it doesn’t look like they are reopening. ? We picked up plants to put around the house for Sean’s mum. I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow so I can get out in the garden. I will be wearing full body bug protection! I also made a veg lasagna and it turned out so good. Emily has made a choice to be vegetarian so we’re all giving it a go. I don’t eat a lot of meat and hardly any dairy so it’s not much of a change. The lasagna was INCREDIBLE. Sending you love today and everyday.

I woke up with a mosquito bite (bites?) on my eye. It’s swollen and uncomfortable. I have so many bites, this is definitely the worst of them all. They bit me in the night while I was peacefully sleeping. LITTLE BUGGERS! I will never sleep without an eye mask again. ? Sean is going to the city to drop Emily off with her mum today. I had planned to go, but with my eye, I’m gonna take the day to rest. I really hate mosquitos but I keep reminding myself it could be worse.

Today I am taking a moment to think. To watch. To listen. There is so much going on in the world right now. I need to compose my thoughts before I write about it. When we were on the boat I was taking photos and Emily said the sunset looked really cool through her glasses. This is her glasses as a filter. Tell your friends & family you love them. We all need to stick together.

Yesterday my blog crashed! Thankfully I contacted my server host and their support team helped me out. I was stressed but calm. In times before now, I might have freaked out, got upset, or had a cry. Not this time, I kept my cool, knowing I have regular backups and that it will be ok. Advice for other bloggers, update your plugins one at a time, update before you post new content, and make sure you have regular backups. Feels good to be back to regularly scheduled blogging!

Today I did a writing workshop hosted by my friend Ama Scriver on the Addition Elle Instagram. Our internet has been quite slow today making to hard to watch the live video but I was able to catch the tail end that included a writing prompt. I was initially having trouble getting to work on a project so I decided to join in and I am so happy I did. This is my second writing workshop in a week and I am really loving this type of activity right now. A lot of the writing I do never gets published. I think it’s important to write for yourself and write to remember. I started this blog 15 years ago as a way to keep more memories and it has served me well. I write a lot more than you see here though, sometimes long documents, others short verses of prose that nobody knows. Journaling through this quarantine has helped me deal with feelings and get to know myself more. If you don’t have a journal, get one. Write notes to yourself and go back to them another day. Writing is such a therapeutic process. I love the sound of typing on keys. The scratch of pencil on paper. Bold Sharpie strokes in a notebook. I love it all. View this post on Instagram A post shared by CASIE ☀️ (@casiestewart) on May 28, 2020 at 5:37am PDT

Over the past few months, I’ve been asked a couple of times “what are you working on” or about clients, brand partnerships, my job. Before COVID I was up for a FT gig I really wanted, and had met w/ a few people from the company. Since COVID, the job was put on hold and a couple of my brand partnerships have been cancelled. TBH…idk what I want to do next. I’ve been feeling the need for change the last year. Since my broken bone accident at the end of 2018, I have worked on myself a lot and finally feel good, physically and mentally. (Most the time.) Some days I feel excited with a childlike fancy, making things, creating, writing, sharing sunshine. Other days, I’m sad for reasons I can’t explain or scared for what the future holds. Despite the sunny photos, there have been a lot of clouds. And, co-parenting an almost 13yo young woman has its challenges. Although I’m not working as much right now, I try to have some normalcy of computer time in the am (emails, blog) and in the afternoon, I make something. It could be art, photos, food, exercise, or upcycling something from my closet. Making space to relax and making time to unwind also count One of my good friends and I have this thing where we text each other saying “what did you make today buddy?”. (We have been calling each other ‘buddy’ since we lived in Australia a lifetime ago!) I find her messages so great, asking this is kinda better than “how are you?” because it helps you think about your day differently. So, what did you make?! Photos @April Wozny last week on a social distance bike ride + coffee date ☀️??

Today Sean and Emily came to pick me up to go back to the cottage. The last few days alone in the city have been really nice. I’ve enjoyed seeing friends a safe distance and rediscovering the city’s beauty on my bike. Looking forward to being back in the woods. Sean and I have been together 24hours a day since the start of March so after a few days apart, I can’t wait to hug him. He said the mosquitos are in full force which is a bit worrying but I’ll fight them the best I can. Little buggers! This week, I’m hoping to get back into my creative groove and make some things. I hope the weather stays nice and I can get out for my first paddleboard session of the season. It looks like it might be a bit rainy which almost always makes me feel like writing or making something. I’ve had a lot of anxiety about the pandemic over the past few days which I know is normal, but it doesn’t make it go away. Over the past few weeks, I’ve found happiness in simple things like drawing, embroidery, making clothes, or cut & paste. Each little activity helps to distract from the news and find a bit of joy. I hope you can find happiness in simple things and use what you have around you to inspire your creativity in new ways. Please stay safe and wear a mask!

I woke up and did some work then set out in the afternoon on the bike. It felt so free to be riding in the sunshine again. I bought a sequin top from a friend on Facebook and when I passed by to pick it up, she tossed it over the balcony and I popped it in my basket. ? I met April in her backyard to do Ryan Heffington’s workout together in the sun, at a distance. We danced in the grass with a couple more of the girls on Houseparty. We decided to wear matching outfits bc why not?! We spent the afternoon biking around the city in the sun. So fun. It felt great to laugh together. Follow April on IG at @aprilwozny!

I spent most of the day working on that documentary submission w/ Sean then picked up some packages from the office. It’s been months since I went there. Went for an evening walk in the neighbourhood and it’s so beautiful. After being in the woods for months I’m really noticing all the colour, street art, greenery. I love this area so much. I love the cottage but it feels good to be home.