An opaque sky greets my afternoon walk with a stifling effect. The cloud cover is heavy – a giant entity releasing its clammy breath in my face, leaving dampness clinging to my clothes, hair and cheeks. A red-tailed hawk labours in tight circles on its flight up and out of the stillness of the valley floor.

red-tailed hawk

I hunger for spring. I search daily for signs. The robins are back. The chives are starting to sprout and the snowdrops by the house are ready to bloom. However, the bleak grey means sky, vegetation and earth are indistinguishable from one another.

muted palette

The deer are hungry. They are rooting over moss under the trees seeking nourishing shoots. Basket-weaving grass, which not even the goats will eat, has been munched down to fill their empty deer bellies. Eagles are plentiful as they harass newborn lambs. Snow still lingers on shady slopes. This is early spring. Not a particularly joyous or celebratory time. I crave the bounty of growth and possibility that it will come soon. Please let it be soon.

munched basket-weaving grass

Our opportunity for hermit behaviour is a delicacy that is rarely accessible in our current global urban-clustering. Mayne Island in winter is solitude extraordinaire. When visitors come I take them along the ocean trails and they prattle noisily, needing to be encouraged to see the eagle or notice a sea lion, mink or otter. I remind myself that they are likely not all that talkative – I am simply used to rambling along in silence. I know many go away for winter, and I marvel at their ability to avoid winter’s long nights with short dark muffled days. As for me, I thrive on this dormancy. Unlike the lean frames of the deer, I tend to plump up from early bedtimes with large bowls of popcorn and movie watching. However, as winter gives way, I am ready to reach for the sunlight – renewed and craving conversation. I long to dig in the garden and plant the first greens. At the same time though, I dread the end to the covers of winter - the end of lounging solitude. Such is spring.

Snowdrops in b w

Terrill Welch
Executive Leadership Coach

Elite executive leadership services at a price you can afford.
Find out how it works at http://www.awomanbehindwomen.ca/bydonation.htm

By-Donation makes a difference every time.

Terrill Welch - A Woman behind Women
www.awomanbehindwomen.ca and http://terrill.gaia.com

© 2009 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

You are welcome to use and share material from this Blog in whole or in part, as long as you include complete attribution, including live web site link and email link. Please also notify me where the material will appear.

The attribution should read:
"By Terrill Welch founder of Terrill Welch – A Woman behind Women. Terrill Welch is an Executive Coach, providing leadership services designed specifically for women leaders. To learn more, feel free to browse through the www.awomanbehindwomen.ca and http://terrill.gaia.com websites."  

When you read about the global economic meltdown and then look out your Canadian window or talk to your Canadian friend, do you wonder why the Canadian experience seems different? That is because it is different in Canada… pretty boring eh? I have been following the global economic lanscape for months (much like an armchair athelete plays sports). I am intrigued by Fareed Zakaria article “Worthwhile Canadian Initiative” published in NEWSWEEK magazine issue dated Feb 16, 2009

The legendary editor of The New Republic, Michael Kinsley, once held a "Boring Headline Contest" and decided that the winner was "Worthwhile Canadian Initiative." Twenty-two years later, the magazine was rescued from its economic troubles by a Canadian media company, which should have taught us Americans to be a bit more humble. Now there is even more striking evidence of Canada's virtues.

Guess which country, alone in the industrialized world, has not faced a single bank failure, calls for bailouts or government intervention in the financial or mortgage sectors. Yup, it's Canada. In 2008, the World Economic Forum ranked Canada's banking system the healthiest in the world. America's ranked 40th, Britain's 44th….

Read the rest of the article at

http://www.newsweek.com/id/183670  I promise, you will be intrigued and may just apply for a skilled worker visa if you are not already a Canadian. Your thoughts and comments most welcome.

warm regards, Terrill:)

BEYOND THE SURFACE

Calling all Canadians! (If you would like to participate but are not from Canada, send me an email and I will connect you directly with the ambassador for your country. If there is no ambassador yet for your country... we can still talk about what you would like to do and find a way to support you in your efforts.)

Are you or is your organization looking for an opportunity to celebrate, connect and inspire other like-minded authentic leaders?

As the ambassador for World Leadership Day Canada, I invite colleagues and authentic leaders to participate in celebrating World Leadership Day on March 20, 2009. We have developed a "ning" social networking site for Canada and now it is time to personally invite participants. Here is the link http://worldleadershipdaycanada.ning.com . I would be honoured and thrilled if you joined this network and share information about World Leadership Day with colleagues, clients, potential clients and your community!

I have just come from an international call with Ambassadors from 14 other countries and there are amazing conversations and events happening all around the world. This is an awesome opportunity for authentic leaders to celebrate our innate abilities to lead. So now it is time for Canada to step up and shine a light on its authentic leaders and leadership capacity!

Please feel free to join, develop a profile, post a World Leadership Day event and join in discussions about what “Beyond the Surface” leadership means to you. In addition, if you are interested in submitting an article for this years World Leadership Day e-book, let me know and I can send you the criteria.

Also, if you are an artist or write songs or poetry, these are also welcomed contribution to our World Leadership Day Canada celebrations.

Best regards

Terrill Welch
Executive Leadership Coach

Ambassador World Leadership Day Canada

March 20, 2009 http://worldleadershipdaycanada.ning.com

Terrill Welch - A Woman behind Women
http://www.awomanbehindwomen.ca   and http://terrill.gaia.com

Mayne Island B.C. 1-250-539-5877
email: tawelch@shaw.ca

"I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as 'making a life'." Maya Angelou

© 2009 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.

You are welcome to use and share material from this Blog in whole or in part, as long as you include complete attribution, including live web site link and email link. Please also notify me where the material will appear.

The attribution should read:
"By Terrill Welch founder of Terrill Welch – A Woman behind Women. Terrill Welch is an Executive Coach, providing leadership services designed specifically for women leaders. To learn more, feel free to browse through the www.awomanbehindwomen.ca and http://terrill.gaia.com websites."