The Price of Oil

These days we are bombarded with news reports about the tragic oil spill in the Gulf. A month before we came home from Florida President Obama gave permission for drilling offshore in the Gulf. The restriction was that drilling could be offshore one hundred and fifteen miles. The BP tragic explosion killed many workers, caused an environmental disaster and killed the offshore drilling in Florida. The order next day rescinded the okay for drilling.

The impact of this oil spill will be felt for an undetermined time depending on the ability to shut the oil spill down. The Gulf States have already been hit so hard by hurricanes and floods but this makes all that happened in the past pale by comparison. Th e wildlife , both above and below the waters of the Gulf will be forever changed and birds which were just recovering from spraying and pollution may be wiped out for a long time.

What staggers my mind is that the Canadian government has just this month issued a drilling program off Newfoundland which is even deeper by half than this disaster and not a word has been said. The G8 and G 20 billion dollar mistake has captured the news media eye. Could we be heading for a similar disaster off the east coast? YES. YES. YES. There is no proper controls in place as the big oil industry has been permitted to regulate itself. Since the oil industry in Canada has tremendous resources and hold deposits of over a third of the known reserves we must be diligent. The largest involvement in our oil patches are foreign. Even China with its thirst for oil has a monetary investment in our oil.

Mother Earth must feel very sick over the way we have used our stewardship seeking the almighty dollar over good common sense. Maybe, just maybe there are enough people sickened about the way this tragedy has been handled to make a difference. Lets hope so for now and the future.

Family Connections

Probably the happiest moments I have are the times when we all as a family are together. As a young person growing up in Cape Breton I was close to many of my family. Within a stones throw were my grand parents, many uncles and aunts and numerous cousins. This close proximity to immediate and extended family had a profound influence in my maturation. My grandmother was one of a kind and ruled the roost as the matriarch and center of our family.

We as children were hardly out of sight of one of our family and this oversight caused us to be aware of the expected behaviour. There were many people involved in your bringing up and your uncles and aunts had a vested interest in you as part of the larger family. I always had another set of ears to share my thoughts with and extra hands to help with activities.

All my uncles gathered at the horse shoe pit and played nearly every day. This gathering enabled us to relate to adults and we were introduced to conversations at many levels. This helped us to form our values and our appreciation of family. In a few minutes a crowd of people from our family could be available to support and help if needed.

Family picnics, weddings and funerals all enriched our lives and memories from such gatherings are precious and help us continue the traditions. We as a family take every opportunity to get together but sometimes geography makes it impossible. On these occasions the missing are talked about and almost immediately pictures on face book get them involved and texting even keep them up to date in real time.

As we get older the need for family and friends increases and we work to make sure the time we have together is productive and meaningful so it will continue and not be lost through lack of relevance. Last week was one where I was able to have a family gathering, golfing with our group of old timers and a funeral. All three times my life was enriched through the interaction with friends and family. Life can be beautiful if only we accept the gifts it offers.

A Billion Dollars...For What?

Canada is hosting the G8 meeting later this year and already we are asking ...for what? The agenda which is set by the host country in concert with the other members leaves out some crucial elements. The disruption for the city of Toronto and Huntsville will be considerable. The effort to have security will be over the top and after it is all over the result will be the same. The news from the conference is already written as these countries have clear objectives and the bureaucrats have worked out the fine points over the past months.

This money could well have been spent on more worthy issues and the extreme measures to be taken on crowd control could tarnish our image as a country. These meetings could well have been held at the United Nations where the security issues are in place. What a pile of crap to impose this expense on Canada where we already are expecting a deficit of many billions of dollars.

From my view these meetings are essential so there is a meeting of the mind or there are crucial issues like world hunger, African problems or world peace. These could well be sorted out at the UN but these eight countries do not wish to hear from the rest of the world because these few countries control most of the world's wealth. The meetings will be well scripted and there will be hundreds of news media there to scream the results around the world.

One billion plus dollars would help to bring clean water to our aboriginal people, provide housing for families who are homeless, provide health care to those who have special needs or just bring down the deficit. In any case we do not need to wait long to get the message from our leaders at the G8. They will leave the table filled with expensive food and drink to take a photo op for all the world to see. I hope our prime minister gets there on time to be included.

Ontario's Heartland

Yesterday Theresa and I travelled almost 1000 KM through some of the most beautiful farmland in Canada. We went over to Chesterville to a funeral and took many back roads to experience the true old time family farms. The fields were divided by ditches for drainage and were overgrown with bushes and trees which framed the well kept fields of grain and corn.

These were family units and looked to be between 80 and 100 acres. Yes there were larger farm reminding me of the blemish company owned farms with thousand acre fields ruined the landscape. These companies tear down the houses and barns and tile drain the land and use monster machinery to eke out every bushel of corn to feed pigs and cows for the world. This kind of farming used few people and the once homeland of solid farm children and families have all disappeared under this program.

Give me the family farm with modern machinery and a love of the land and you will get people who make up the heartland of Ontario. I know many of these people who came from this type of environment and you see people who respect Canada, our flag and our way of life. I sat with them yesterday and was moved by their ability to preserve the values and maintain traditions even in a simple act of burying one of their own.

As we drove to the cemetery we crossed a highway which had signs reminding everyone that this was S, D, and G territory. A regiment from Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry fought bravely in the great wars and were known as the Sand, Dust and Gravel lads and don't mix with them. We left this little town to travel back to the hectic life in the big city where we took one and a half hours to travel through traffic to cross Toronto.

Every area has its charm and faults and the place I described has more charm than faults.

Grand Old Lady

This week on of my long time friend had a sad moment as his mother passed away at the age of 98. She was small in stature and showed the character she possessed on her face. A simple farm wife who toiled on a small farm with her husband and raised two children. She was without complaint and even after her husband passed away she helped raise other peoples children bonding with them and was accepted as one of the family. She travelled far and wide and blended in the social fabric with grace and dignity.

On her visits to Pembroke she endeared herself to everyone she met and had a way with words expressing herself simply but with that soft smile captured your attention. Arlyss was a devoted son and drove the several hour journey to see her every two weeks and more often if necessary. It is at times like this that we come to grips with our own life and realize how valuable time really is. Arlyss' mom lived her 98 years in a manner that could be considered full and her devotion to her family and community was what makes rural Canada so important. She was a good woman in every sense and will be missed by those who knew her.

Theresa and I will be travelling over to the celebration of her life on Wednesday and will bring support to our friend Arlyss during his time of mourning.

All Together Again

It happened as it should with a perfect count for our two day hog wrestle. All the immediate family and significant others gathered at our house for many hours of fun and antics. The two that we were given special notice were at their best and made us proud of their genuine pleasure. My oldest daughter thought that since we were honouring sixteen year-olds we should give them some advice or remarks from our experience.

As they read these little wise verses I personally was impressed with the candor each of them showed as they read unedited remarks. Loud laughter and clapping resulted at the end of each item and we all shared in the joy of being part of such a happy and fun loving family.

We recognized the achievements of our grandchildren and bathed in reflected glory at their achievements. One in particular just completed her BA with honours and will go on to her Honours Degree next, as she was just accepted into that program. What makes her achievement noteworthy is the fact she had two jobs, a full course load and completed the year with honours. Megs is special. A noisy granddaughter who is completing her senior matriculation and will enter university next year, will do so after she travels to Africa this summer with her mother to volunteer and learn for a few weeks with Free the Children. This kid is a super athlete and participates in all school activities in a leadership role.

All the kids are special but some shine more at times and I love the fact that we are happy to recognize the fact. I must be getting old as I have this sentimental leaning now as I never had before. I really lean on my siblings and grand children who enrich my life so much.

Theresa and I get joy just from associating with these bundles of energy. My best time is when we get a political topic going and to hear the wisdom of the young. Sometimes I hear my own words so I must have made a little impression. They all have a green social conscience and a political bias so it is fun.

They have all gone and we are already getting ready for their return...life is sweet.

The Gangs All Here

It is more difficult to get our whole family together but today we will be all in one room together and what a time we will have. We are honouring two of our grand children who have or will have their birthdays soon. Such occasions are special and we all look forward to sharing stories and trying to get a word in with all the talkers in the family. We make up four generations and the stories are varied. We cross such a age gap that the very young are amazed with the stories of the old who talk of issues that the young cannot believe and the knowledge passed on is invaluable.

We barbeque and eat healthy food and have a little wine but mostly we fill up on just being together. After our visit life seems a little empty for a day or so but we look forward to our next get together. During these summer months we take every opportunity to mix and stay close. We are so fortunate to be able to have such wonderful times and blessed to all have good health and productive lives.

Ma Bell

Last eve I was in a frame of mind to get in touch with some of my old friends in the Valley. I try to keep in touch with special people often enough to remind them that I still cherish their friendship. I communicate by phone as often as I can and have a list to make sure that I do my duty and pick up the phone. It seems a one way street as many of my friends never call me so I keep the door open and derive comfort from conversing with them.

While talking to the wife of one of very best friends last evening she mentioned that her daughter reads my blog. That thought triggered my memory and I realized that one of the personal rewards of communicating is the re-awakening of fond moments of the past and this enriches our life.

That thought in mind gave me the opportunity of remembering this little red head and her bundle of energy as she burst through our back door yelling for my two daughters. She also had a fun time with my younger son. Miss L was one of these kids that was a perfect example of both parents. Her impish behaviour was like her dad and her cool control was like her mom. She was like a family member and travelled with us on occasion and fitted in very well. I always liked red hair and called her Little Red and her mom Big Red. I do not think Big Red appreciated the nickname but she got it anyway.

Every year about this time the kids would climb up on our garage roof and get a head start on their summer tan. Their time there with conversations and laughter made me smile because I did a similar thing when ,I was a young boy. Little Red became a teacher and a good one I am sure but her best gift will be to her children who will benefit from her being a good parent.

One of the things I am thankful for in life is the fact that my children had wonderful friends. If your children hang out with good kids there is a strong feeling that they will do well. Little Red was one of those kids and I am thankful for knowing her and her family.

Magna Carta

Last week in the Canadian Parliament a crisis was averted when the speaker of the house forced the executive branch to turn over documents regarding torture of prisoners in Afghanistan. This was not so much about the issue but the struggle of parliament to have its wishes carried out. The speaker issued an order that all the relevant documents be made available to a select committee of all parties.

What was relevant that this had to happen at all. It is a signal that the executive branch of our government thinks it is above the concept that parliament is supreme and final word under our constitution.

In 1215 a similar struggle took place in England and King John signed the Magna Carta giving certain rights to the Barons. This simple document has significant relevance in nearly every government in a democracy. The elected people have the final say in the governance of if the country.

In our system in Canada it is almost impossible for me to think this could have been an issue. It tells me that there are people in power who are testing the system. Parliament won the day but will there be more tests by our executive branch to question it's power. It seems to me that this government has been a closed shop and if you listen to question period you realize just how far the ministers in power will go to avoid answering even the smallest question.

This is not the only government who has turned the house into a circus but it certainly is the most closed in my memory. At this time there seems to be a move to give the Prime Minister too much power. He takes his cues from the American system which gives huge powers to the President. We should remember and remember well that our constitution places Parliament in full control and it is our greatest defence in protecting our freedom. Thank God for the Magna Carta and our present speaker who understands its value.

Baseball

Sunday morning and baseball was not the agenda. Grandson Troy was playing and I promised to attend and see him pitch and catch. Theresa and I bundled up and made for the game right on time. We saw Troy warming up and I had this feeling that every time I attend the team falls apart. The weather was perfect and as we unfolded our chairs down near 3rd base we settled in for a good game.

Daughter number 3 arrived and sat between us and opened a large bag of sun flower seeds. The game started and our grandson was on the home team so they took the field. Troy started on second base and the game started. A few plays and the score was 1 to 0 for the away team. Two out and a simple play at third would have ended the inning but the number 3 threw the ball to first and the rout was on.

Eleven runs later our team had a chance to get some runs. They got a few but two hours later we walked out of the ball diamond and the score was 14 to eight. As we passed Troy he gave us a hug and said he was sorry. I lied and said it was a good game and we enjoyed it. We did enjoy the game but we wanted Troy to do well. He got on base four times out of five on walks and a single. We were pleased.

I feel like a jinx as they always have a hard time when we attend. I love to watch the young lad play hockey, baseball or any other athletic endeavour as he is a superior athlete. He feels bad for us when his team loses . I feel proud every time he plays as he is such a good athlete and a good sport. Theresa and I will continue to attend and support this little fellow and maybe his team will win one of these days . If not it does not matter as he is a winner when he walks on the field.

Early Birds

Our family of young sparrows are chirping for food every second and the mom and dad are so busy that every few seconds they leave one at a time and return with bits of good. They start just before dawn and make their last trip just after dark. I am amazed that they have the energy to carry out their duties.

Today a adult male cardinal sat on the top of their house and right there was one of the sparrows. They might be small but they are mighty. They fend off black birds and blue jays and gang up on predators like squirrels. These little birds have two families and one year they had three different families. Every year we are witness to a natural calamity when a nest is torn apart by some animal or bird who caught the family flat footed. Nature can be cruel but left alone it will take care of itself.

Theresa and I get pleasure in seeing the good things, hate to see the bad. Forgetting the birds for a minute I think we are winning the battle with peach curl on our nectarine tree. Every day we pick the bad leaves, and there are many but new ones are growing faster. Maybe we will salvage a crop after all.

Rescued From Work

Saturday is usually a work day and I have so much to do. Awake and up at seven with high hopes of completing some of the hundred add chores. Up to Canadian Tire to get first crack at the Geraniums on sale for $1.97 and there was so much choice I wasted time trying to get the very best for our pots which sit on our front step. Rushing home and immediately mixing the earth from last year with fresh smelling sheep manure and compost brought me to lunch hour.

Half way through lunch daughter number three came in to visit after she dropped of her son from baseball practise. A phone call from my oldest granddaughter asking if I was busy as she and two other grand kids wanted a visit, This was priority number one so we piled in to our family room along with daughter number three and we had a great talk of world affairs and some less heavy gossip.

Two of the grandsons decided a pool game would be fun so they went to the basement and started a game. The front door opened and daughter number one burst in with her usual friendly self and after that I listened as it is hard to get a word in when the daughters spring forth about women's rights and the state of the union.

I went downstairs to watch the pool game but kept one ear to the noise up above. After three games of pool which was won by the 14 year old we moved in with the crowd who were now ready for a cup of tea. Discussion about the next week double birthday hog wrestle resulted in everything ok for the event. Further discussion about the upcoming yard sale to help with the building a school in Africa again resulted in plans all ok.

Two and a half hours later the grand children and daughter left and we were left with daughter number one and a quiet planning session around the events of the next few weeks. Great to be close enough to be able to communicate with family face to face on a weekly basis and in some cases daily.

Work was forgotten nearly but there is always tomorrow. Clean the fish ponds, plant the beans and beets and mow the front lawn. What is better than to have a break from work because of the visit of my loved ones. All I can say is I was rescued by the most important thing in my life after Theresa.....my family.....thank you kids.

In My Back Yard

Yesterday was a rather cool day for this time of year but there were some interesting things observed while working in my back yard. A pair of Orioles were busy collecting string to build a new nest. I usually leave string in the garden for them to hang their nest. One string was at least fifteen feet long and as the bird flew into the wind there was this trailing string. I never found the spot where the construction was taking place but it is close and I will find it. Beautiful bird with a melodic song.

Chipper of little chipmunk came to see be begging for food. He will go into my shirt pocket to get peanuts. So cute but he has tunnels everywhere and I think he has company. A robin picked a bad spot to build a nest as it is accessible to the black squirrels. One encounter and the robin changed its mind. She came back to retrieve the nest products and moved away to a safer place.

Our bird houses have action and our house sparrows have babies already. Those birds work from dawn to sunset. Theresa and I had to pick peach curl from our nectarines and it does not look too promising. The fish wintered well and appear to be bigger. We leave them in the three small ponds we have. The fish keep the mosquitoes in check and are nice to watch.

We are eating our rhubarb and the mild winter has been a boon for this crop. We like rhubarb in all forms but pie is a favourite and my body shows it. Finally the cardinals have found a nest close by and half an hour before sunrise you hear them. They have a good song but so early.

With everything so early this year we are putting our tomatoes in the ground and hope for an early crop. All you have to do is open your eyes and mother nature paints so many great pictures.....life is wonderful.

Womens Rights

For centuries women here and elsewhere were treated as second class citizens. In many countries even today women are no more than slaves or property to be used and abused. In Canada women were slowly recognized as equals but not without a battle. The right to vote, be professionals, have control over their bodies and partake in the political world are taken for granted these days.

Be cautious and wary as there is a movement in this country at the highest levels to erode these hard won equal rights. The free choice issue has been at the center of many political policy agendas. Abortion rules are being developed to change the free choice legislation. Our prime minister is taking abortion off the agenda for the G8 discussions in spite of the growing need for aid to the tortured women of the Congo and others. Other G8 members are appalled.

Human rights has always been an issue in the world of international trade and still we permit monitory gain over rights. Young people and women in particular are exploited by business folk who are interested in the profit line and not the welfare line. We talk of equal rights but use a large portion of our resources propping up dictators and governments who are insensitive to the living conditions of the people they govern. The African question is such a huge problem that we do not know where to start.

Here in Canada we have a man who has dedicated his life to the African people and the aids epidemic. Mr Lewis is a world leader and I have heard him speak passionately on behalf of the women of Africa.He is frustrated in his battle because countries give a promise of help but have rules that are contrary to a plan that will work. Some major contributors will not let the funds to be used for condoms or birth control. Churches do the same in spite of the evidence to the contrary.

The right wing conservative movement in many political parties are thinking in the dark ages but mark my words, they are a powerful agent in setting social programs in our countries. One small but significant item was raised here in Ontario a few weeks ago. Funding for the pride week celebrations in Toronto were cancelled this year after the minister for the government lost her control over her budget for having her picture with the planners of gay pride parade in the paper. This is the largest such celebration in the world and impacts the city to the tune of half a billion dollars by some estimates.

There must be respect for that dividing line between the church and the state. The reason for the government cancelling the funding was the uproar from the religious right. Sad.

The big losers in the future will be women and minorities, just look at history.

24 Hour Depression

Any year that the Detroit Red Wings do not make the finals for the NHL Championship I suffer 24 hour depression. To get out of this problem I do not turn to drugs or alcohol but work. Today I bought one of those one meter by one meter bags of triple mix and over seeded the front lawn. I added 8 bags of sheep and cattle manure and that fixed the depression.

I was so tired and sore after the wheel barrows of soil and animal soil that I did not have the strength to think of The Wings. Every three years I try to over seed the lawns but I have a clover problem and since we do not use those terrible chemicals anymore, I live with it. From the curb it is green and looks OK if kept cut short.

Crossing the border with a new rotor tiller was no problem but it cut my spade work in a quarter. Everything is so early that I have to hurry to catch up and this little 10 inch tiller does the job.

Tomorrow I go to play golf with the Old Masters of Oakville and it is supposed to rain. I will attend and meet the group and begin the cycle all over again. Life really is good and the Wings will return with new vitality next year. Who said that winning was everything. Doug and I just want to compete.....believe that and I have some land for sale in the everglades of Florida.

Mother's Day

In our home Mother's Day was a big event. It was the one day when we all had a chance to treat our mom special because she was. As the mother of nine children she managed to perform miracles. Managing a meager budget, cooking, sewing,hand washing and just being a Mom makes all of us to shake our heads when we think of how she did what she did. Lets just say that we all all talk of her now in terms she deserved at the time.

One particular Mother's day I remember very well because it underscores what was great being brought up in a large family. This Sunday started off like all Sundays because getting ready for church was a challenge. Finding your best clothes for this day and shoes to be shined at the last minute was a task. My Mom had to get the little ones ready, referee the activities of the boys, getting her hat just right by harvesting ornaments from other hats and a veil from another all took time.

Church was at 11 am and the first bell was at 10.45 am. Mom was anxious for all of us to be on time. My older brother Murray went early as he was a usher and took up the collection. He also used to be given a chance to help ring the huge bell by pulling on a rope in the entrance way, Dad said he would stay at home and Mom never pressured him as he was busy with work in the barn.

Mom snapped orders and we all left to go to church. The last thing was to pin on the flowers. On mothers day we wore a red flower if your mom was alive and a white one if she passed on. All of us wore red , even mom as her mother was alive also. We walked up the lane in several rows past all our relatives homes on Vickers Lane. It was a half mile walk and we boys managed to get in some mischief on the way. It was tempting to throw a stone at the Jubilee or jump a mud puddle but we arrived on time.

Before entering the church Mom gave us strict instructions about behaviour. We entered the church and moved to our pews at the front, left side and Mrs. Francis was in our seat. We managed and everyone looked so good with their flowers and fancy hats. I was proud of my Mom and thought she looked beautiful with her newly arranged hat .

Service was over with special emphasis on mothers and as I recall Rev. J W O'Brion's words rang true to me as he praised motherhood. I was about 11 years old and I clearly remember his words even today. It was that day I really understood what a mother was. I looked at her a little differently and appreciated what she represented after that day. No one would recognize the difference in me but I was moved.

We walked home and when we got close to home we ran and entered our home to the aroma of a cooked dinner. Dad prepared dinner for us and my mom was so surprised.My parents rarely showed affection but that day Dad was telling her by his actions that he loved her. It was special because not a word was spoken but that quiet smile told a whole story.

After dinner we children went down to the pond woods and picked May Flowers for Mom.That day will always be special for me. I was very happy.

Starting Up

Arriving home comes with a price. There are numerous projects to be done before we will be happy with our house and yard. Our trees survived a mild winter and are a month ahead of last year. The cherry, pear and nectarine trees are already heavy with fruit. Our apple trees have few fruit as they blossomed too early and the bees were still in bed. All our ground plants are great with strawberries, rhubarb,currents and blueberries appearing to be loaded.

Packing and unpacking begins to be a bore and we have done it so many times. We always say that next year we will cut down on what we will take to Florida and what we will take back. I am convinced that the only way we will accomplish that is to get rid of the van. We seem to fill it up every year.

Visits with our family is a nice way to get motivated and get all the unpacking completed. When we unload our hallway and first floor becomes a disaster zone as we seek items from boxes which are unmarked. This results in dozens of open boxes laying in full view of everyone entering our home. Today is day three and this am we cleared up the mess .

We received a email from our neighbour in Cape Coral with pictures of our dining experience a few weeks ago. I hope that Yvette will use the email to keep us up to date on happenings in The Cape. With her son soon to enter university she will need a distraction to fill in the time as she will surely miss her son.

Tomorrow is Mothers Day and it will be a time of celebration. When we were children we used to go to church and if your mother was living you wore a red flower and if she had passed away you wore a white flower. In our family we made Mothers Day a special time. Even to this day my memories are tucked away about the family on this special day. We always went to the woods and picked May Flowers. These were tiny pink and white flowers and bloomed on or near Mothers day. I shall write a blog tomorrow about one special Mother's day in Cape Breton.

Remembering My Students

Being an educator for over 35 years gave me the experience of meeting and impacting the lives of many. At my age I realize that the impacting goes both ways. The students who interacted with me gave me the great gift of knowing them and being able to have the joy of change which resulted in this union. Today I was sad to hear about one of my students who found life so unbearable he took his life.

Knowing this lad from a very young age and seeing the spark in his eyes as he smiled knowing he was up to some mischief came to mind. He was a friend of most of my children and close with two of them. We never seem to be able to see the pain hidden in the mind of even close associates. Depression is a hidden killer and if treated in a timely fashion people are able to cope and even excel at life. Many noted people are coming forth to tell their story of dealing with depression. This lad was not the first of my students nor will he be the last to lose out to depression.

It is common for our closest friends to be afflicted with some condition and we never feel comfortable about seeking help as we feel it would ruin the relationship. We must be vigilent and bold when it comes to protecting and helping those we love.

At this time of the year I frequently think back to the graduations and the achievements of those students who will never leave my mind. Their names are as fresh today as they were when you looked at this student and just knew they were going to succeed. There were the ones who made you proud because they succeeded with a tremendous effort and against many odds. The athletes and the bright singers and achievers in fields not just academic. And there were students who gave you so much that you will always remember them and in my case named some of my children after them. It is always a wake up call when you read in the paper something that reminds you that once you related to those students.

I was reminded that one of my young associates just returned from the war where he fought along with his son. He was making a dream come true as he was the son of a fallen airman and he wanted to experience his dad's life. So remembering the young people you knew makes us realize how much we are of what we were given by them. I treasure the memory of all my students and laugh and cry at their joy and sorrow. Today I am sad.

Home For A While

Our trip home was a fast one taking the best part of 25 hours to cover 2500 Kms. My passengers complained about having to wake up at 2 am to get on our way at 3 am. It was a beautiful morning and as the sun rose at 6:45 we were passing through horse country in Ocala and this brought my sleepy passengers to a quick wake up. Hundreds of horses living in conditions many humans would love to have gave us an appreciation for how these animals are pampered.

We passed through Georgia and covered the 500 miles without incident. As we reached Tennessee we saw the high water and although we never passed directly through the worst flooding we could see just how bad it must have been.

We looked for animals along the way and saw many deer, mostly dead along the roadside. Many states do not have the deer fencing required to keep them off the highways. At 6.15 we decided to stop for the night having covered 1500 kms. I was a little tired after 15 hours behind the wheel but decided to leave at 6 am to arrive home at around 5 pm. The border crossing was simple and fast and we sped down the QEW to get home to a beautiful sight, Home. The dandelions had their way and provided a splendid colour show but all the fruit trees were over their best and the other spring flowers were finished. Only the lilacs and a few tulips showed any sign of order so I knew what was on the agenda for tomorrow.

My oldest daughter prepared a great supper for us and filled the fridge. This is a ritual we look forward to each time we come back home. We sat for a while , nursing a drink and quietly drifted off to near sleep when the phone rang and my oldest grand child informed me her lemon tree had indeed grown four lemons and she had to tell me this as I thought that the tree would be Baron. I gave her the seed about 25 years ago and finally it came to life.I was proud of her for believing her tree would someday bear fruit.

Getting to bed a little early Theresa and I were thankful for the safe passage and to once again be home among our family and friends.We love our life in Florida and we love to come home to our house and Ontario lifestyle.

Snakes Galora

Tomorrow morning at 3 am Theresa, Doris and I will will be off for Ontario. The roads are flooded in some areas and we will have to take some side roads. I was amazed to hear that over 13 inches of rain fell on the roads in Tennessee and Kentucky.

Today we had a day of getting all the little things done. I was planting the last flowers when a snake crossed my path. I yelled for Theresa but she was right there taking off the clothes from the line. This beautiful 5 foot black snake was not alarmed at first but when I approached to pick it up it took off and ran to the bananas. It was a rat snake and harmless, but a good friend of the gardener.

Theresa was less afraid of this snake and this is a good thing. This snake was coal black and shiney and very fast when startled. We were able to observe it for a while.

Tonight we rest for our drive home through some of the most beautiful states in the USA. Wednesday we will be with our family and happy. I am looking forward to seeing my friend Doug and Pat who had a hard accident when Doug blew out his knee. We look forward to being with him to help put in his strawberries and garden.

Come to think of it, I am going to be busier when I go home than here. Oh well I will not have to look out for the snakes in the valley.

Snakes in Our Back Yard

While I was putting my garden to bed for the summer I needed some heavy stones to hold the plastic covering down. I threw all the large and small stones in a rough pile around the banana trees when developing my vegetable patch. Yesterday while retreaving some of the same stones I was surprised to find a pigmy rattler under one of the stones. After removing it to the lawn I called Theresa to see my new thing of interest.

Theresa hates snakes and I thought if she could see this little fellow it would help her to be more receptive to one of natures little creatures. She with hesitation observed it from a distance. It was small being about 14 inches at most. A very fragile snake with a particular head. Instead of being covered with numerous scales it has 9 distinct plates. Not exactly harmless but with less clout as its larger relatives they are found throughout the southern part of the USA.

On returning it to its home area I saw another one and knew that sometime in the future there could be a whole family. For me the snakes do much good in eating up harmful bugs which live on my vegetables. These are shy creatures and are seldom seen and retreat quickly when confronted.

There are so many new forms of life here in Florida and I find something interesting nearly every day. With the temperature over the 90 degree mark we are happy to be returning to Ontario for a cooling off period. In a few days we will be back with our family and friends and will be enjoying the changes in the grand children and children as well. Six months is a long time away but we love it.