Welcome Erica Henault #wouldyourather

Today I’m excited to welcome friend, blogger, writer and photographer, Erica Henault. From my first visit to her blog, not only did I fall in love with her writing voice, but also her amazing photography. If you haven’t paid her a visit, please do. You’ll come away feeling as though you’ve taken a mini vacation. Thanks so much for playing along, Erica!

 

Thank you, Jill, for featuring me on your fun and thought-provoking “Would You Rather” series. I always enjoy reading everyone’s answers. These questions are more challenging than I anticipated. The unexpected surprise is how much I learned about myself.

 

Would you rather be stranded in the Jungle or in the Desert?

I would rather be stranded in the Jungle. I have more options for staying alive. After all, I watched all of the Tarzan shows as a child.

I can find shelter and build a tree house. I can make friends with the animals. I can stay healthy eating fruit, nuts and of course, bananas. I know I should drink water upstream from the herd. This important survival information came from the Spaghetti Western movies I watched in the 1970’s.

I always carry a small first aid kit with me. We often go on hikes. We often commute over the Malahat, an area similar to the Jungle. It is not uncommon to be stranded on this mountain road only a few kilometres from the city of Victoria.

Would you rather be able to freeze time or travel in time?

My first response was, “of course, travel in time.” Then I gave this question more thought.

When I travel in time, I don’t think I could be selective choosing only the positive, happy moments of the past and the future. I would have to take the bad with the good. I do not want to witness heart-wrenching sorrow, illness, pain and death.

In my life I have had numerous moments where I have told myself, “this is the best day ever” or “I wish I could make this moment last forever.”

Do I already freeze time when I take photos, capturing special moments in my life?

I found this question very challenging. I am actually surprised at my answer.

I would rather freeze time.

Especially if I could keep moments close to my heart and fresh in my memory. 

Especially if I could cherish an infinite embrace from the people I love.

Would you rather live in the middle of nowhere, with no people or stores within a 10 mile radius, or live in a busy city?

I learned many years ago to access a Happy Place in my mind for when I need a mental breather or to help with challenging times in my life.

In my twenties and thirties I would visualize a peaceful, very beautiful small lake about 100 km from Prince George. My husband and I with our two very young daughters would camp there. We were often all by ourselves. We would play in the water and spend all day drifting around in a little boat. A Happy Place.

Then in my forties, my husband and I canoed on the Bowron Lakes, a circuit of lakes in the Interior of British Columbia. The only form of transportation in this area is by foot and with a canoe or a kayak. I still recall one beautiful, sunny morning sitting all by myself on the side of a tranquil lake. Moose were swimming only a few meters from me. An overwhelming feeling of happiness and contentment washed over me. I knew I belonged here in the beauty, balance and harmony of nature.

My answer: In the middle of nowhere. My Happy Place.

Would you rather have someone clean for you or have someone cook for you?

Do not tell my husband. I have been trying to keep it a secret.

I do not mind cleaning or cooking.

To pick just one: My husband is an amazing cook and he has more energy than I do at the end of the day. I tell him what I want, usually some form of vegetables and seafood. He will conjure up an amazing meal. Voila!

Yes, I am a lucky woman!

Would you rather be able to breathe underwater or fly?

I would want to be able to fly. At times, I know I can fly.

Most of us have had the flying dreams, even when we were very young children.

During anxious dreams, I recall soaring over cars and rooftops trying to save myself and my family from danger.

I also recall dreams where I feel wonderful. I am flying just for the sheer joy of feeling free and unencumbered. I see our world from far above.

Is my knowing spirit giving me a glimpse of life before I was born?

Is my soul sharing a brief insight to my future?

 

 

Meet Erica Henault

Erica has been living on Vancouver Island with her husband for the past 28 years. She is grateful their two daughters and families live close by.

Her career was in health care as a Dental Hygienist for over 25 years.

She still considers herself relatively new to blogging although she has been writing all of her life. A common thread running through her stories is continual learning, evolving, mindfulness, inspiration and gratitude. She pays attention and looks for the lessons. Read more about Erica https://behindthesceneryphoto.com/about-me/

Erica loves interacting with fellow bloggers and she is inspired every day reading their stories.

Connect with Erica/Erika:

Blog: https://behindthesceneryphoto.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericafhenault/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.nz/behindthesceneryphoto/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/erica_eh  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/misty.hen

Yesterday, Erica brightened my day when she emailed this gorgeous photo she captured on her deck. Thank you, Erica! ❤ ❤ 

 

Welcome Diana Peach #wouldyourather

Today I’m excited to welcome friend, writer, blogger and devoted daughter, Diana Peach. At the risk of sounding corny, Diana is a real peach. The support she provides to writers on her popular blog is incredible, not to mention quite time consuming, I’m sure. For those of you whom are familiar with her gift of world-building, you can understand why I was excited to read her answers. Thanks so much for playing along, Diana!

Would you rather be the funniest person in the room or the most intelligent?

Funny, definitely. I’m not funny. For a period of time (back in the olden days) I tried to memorize jokes and kept a little notebook for reference – yes, I was a dork. But humor never came naturally. It’s a special kind of intelligence that I lack despite my valiant efforts at joke collection. I love spending time with spontaneously witty people, but I wish I could contribute instead of just laughing along.

Would you rather be able to breathe underwater or fly?

I’m a scuba diver, which is pretty darn close to breathing underwater. So, I’ll go with flying. I took hang-gliding lessons for a while and loved the feel of the “wind beneath my wings.” The air became something tangible, as fluid as water, and I felt like a bird coasting on the invisible currents. It was thrilling, but expensive, so I never advanced beyond the very basic level. Even so, it was memorable.

Would you rather have someone clean for you or have someone cook for you?

Not both? Ha ha. I’m a lousy cook, but I’m a lousier housekeeper. It seems like a huge waste of time in light of my limited years in a body. Just an hour a day of cleaning for 60 years comes to about 2800 8-hour days of housework. With no weekends off, that’s 7.5 years of dusting and vacuuming! Ugh. When I clean, my husband invariably asks, “Are we having company?” And he’s right! It’s the only time I bother. 😊

Would you rather read your writings to an audience of ten people who love you or to 10,000 people you don’t know?

10,000! And I sure hope that with an audience of that magnitude I’d find 10 fantasy readers who can tolerate my prose. Lol. Honestly, I was a theater person before I decided having a family was more important than the limelight. I have no problem with public speaking in front of gigantic crowds (once I get over the initial jitters, of course). Just don’t expect me to be funny!

Would you rather write in a rooftop garden surrounded by city noises — or in a quiet studio with cows as your neighbors?

I live deep in the Dragonwoods, Jill, in the land of the Gnome King and his guardian snails. No cows, but plenty of deer, owls, and coyotes, swooping bats and baby dragons. There’s a gentle troll beyond the back gate, and a witch lives in the upturned stump by the gnome tree. As a hermit, I love the quiet and solitude and the ever-present magic.

D. Wallace Peach started writing later in life after the kids were grown and a move left her with hours to fill. Years of working in business surrendered to a full-time indulgence in the imaginative world of books, and when she started writing, she was instantly hooked. Diana lives in a log cabin amongst the tall evergreens and emerald moss of Oregon’s rainforest with her husband, two dogs, bats, owls, and the occasional family of coyotes.

Myths of the Mirror blog: https://mythsofthemirror.com

Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/D-Wallace-Peach/e/B00CLKLXP8

Thanks to BookClubMom! #bookblogger

 

Today our sweet friend and book blogger, Barbara Vitelli surprised me with a lovely review of A Mother for His Twins. To say she brightened my week, is an understatement. Thank you Barbara! ❤

Please take a peek, but more importantly, follow her blog! I guarantee you, she’ll expand your TBR list!