Sad State Of Affairs

It is a sad state of affairs when you open the paper, turn on TV or listen to the talk shows on radio and all you hear,read or see is shameful behaviour by the people who are supposed to be leading this country. Toronto Mayor is a negative leader who has shown to be unable or unwilling to play by the rules and is a total loser. The Senate is in much the same condition but for a different reason, too many pigs at the trough. The Federal Government can not be trusted and is the most secretive  and undemocratic government in our history.

What are we to expect from our youth and citizens in general when they are bombarded with news of dishonesty at all levels of government? Unfortunately there are many good people trying to do the correct thing but they are tarred with the same brush . It will take years or decades to reclaim the confidence of the electorate.

We need leadership with integrity who can inspire every politician to pull together for the benefit of the country .The evil that has taken roots in our system has to be rooted out and replaced with people and policies who will assure us this situation will never have an opportunity to pollute our democratic process again.

I realize this is dreaming so we have to begin by cleaning up our own mess and drive the evil out of our public offices.

Goodbye To An Old Friend

Every five or six years Theresa and I decide it is time to get a new set of wheels.Our Dodge Grand Caravan has been with us for six years and has provided excellent service every time we used it.We travelled 84,400 kms during that time, This is not many miles per year but it was used mainly for long trips. Seven trips to Florida, four to the Maritimes and numerous shorter trips to Ottawa and Southern Ontario.

Your vehicle becomes a real thing after a while and this one was never in a accident, never received a ticket for breaking the speed limits or any other offence and kept us safe on each outing.It was used as the utility vehicle for the family and moved grand children to University, furniture to the cottage, lumber from Home Depot, loads of compost from the land fill site and any other task it was asked to do.

When we decided to trade it in we cleaned it up, washed it and emptied the little places that held numerous papers, gadgets and candies and chewing gum. We found dog spray, tools, a missing long shoe horn, a compass and change. After a last look we went to our favourite auto store

. We were met at the entrance by salesmen who were anxious to make a quick sale. We wanted to see the owner so made it clear we were not doing business until we met Mark.

There was one salesman who showed us vehicles and tried hard to make a sale. He showed us one vehicle that had many bells and whistles and we took it for a drive. We were not satisfied with the financial dealings so we begged of until we could see the owner.

Two days later we met with a man we trusted and made a good deal for our new van.What a difference when you are not pressured by a salesman. We left the garage with a new vehicle and had the feeling we were treated fairly and without pressure. We will forget the old red van and begin life with the new one and our wish is that we will be as safe and happy with this one as we were with the last.

Small Beautiful Flowers

While I lived in the Arctic I developed a deep interest in the flowers that grew there in abundance. A short season and long days produced many flowers on a quick schedule. Many of these flowers were very small and you had to take a careful look to truly appreciate the beauty of each one.

When I returned to Ontario I began to notice some of the smaller flowers that appear at blooming tile.Two that I really love are the chestnut and the holly tree. Each have a flower made up of many tiny parts, each beautiful on its own but very impressive in its entirety.The holly is extremely healthy this year and there should be plenty of red berries for the birds this winter. The chestnut tree is also loaded with blooms so the squirrels will have a fall banquet on these large nuts.

Detriot Red Wings

Since 1947 I have been a steadfast Red Wing follower and fan. It was mainly because of one of the greatest athletes who ever played the game of hockey, Gordie Howe. From Flora ,Saskatchewan he played locally but came to the NHL as a young boy. In his first year his career was nearly ended when he received a severe blow to his head. He did recover and became the dominant player for decades. He was the leader and symbol of the Red Wings and celebrated his 85th birthday recently with his boys, also hockey players.

This year Detroit was not given a chance to reach the playoffs but they did. They were under dogs in the first round and won in seven games. They are in the middle of the second round with Chicago ,the NHL leaders this year and number 1 seed for the playoffs. They lead this series 3 games to 1. How do they manage this record?

They have a long history of being a team who are more interested in winning for the team than personal glory.There are many Swedes playing in the NHL

and Detroit has a few. In fact they are some of the great leaders who excel under pressure. Vancouver has a few too but they are of a different cut and lack grit and commitment to the team.

Vancouver has a pair of twins who play OK during the year but before the playoffs they get a call from mama back home telling them to be careful as they have to flay for their country real soon. They do nothing during the playoffs for their team but stay out of the corners and harms way. That team does not demand and get a positive result but Detroit does because there is a built in commitment for all who put on the Red Wing sweater.

This devotion to the team comes from the top. The coach, the captain and the fans in Detroit instill that spirit of team and it all started with great players and leaders like the great Gordie Howe.

Jacques Demers

Jacques Demers was always a straight shooter when he was a member of the hockey community.He was appointed to the Senate by the Prime Minister along with a dozen Conservative cronies.When this scandal broke out in the Senate there was a tenancy to  close ranks and stop the bleeding. There are many Senators who now feel that decisive action should be taken to try to restore order to the appointed body.

It is the consensus among Canadians that the members of the Senate who abused their power by criminal actions should be held accountable by proper punishments for their reckless and criminal deeds. Jacques Demers was very clear after this mornings Conservative Caucus meeting. He told the press that every one of the Senators who is guilty of breaking the rules should be charged, fired and forgotten.

He went further when he said that without this action the honest and good members of that body are being tarnished by the actions of a few. He along with many would like to have this matter cleared up in a open and  clear manner so the Canadian People could get back some feeling that the Senate is a worthy body of good people working on behalf of the Canadian people.

In surveys today there is a feeling that the PMO 's office should come clean and the Prime Minister himself should tell the truth and restore confidence in his leadership. This will be hard to do as there has been so much covering up of government misdeeds that Canadians are turned off with his closed shop attitude.In the meantime he has left the country to travel for four days in South America hoping by the time he returns all will be forgotten. It will not.

Northern Spy Apple Tree

Our Northern Spy apple tree has had a rough few years.Last year it was hit by frost and we received one apple. The year before I pruned the tree to half size and there were no blossoms.This year we were given a scare when we experienced some frost but the tree was unaffected.

The blossoms came a day or so after the frost so we are able to enjoy the beautiful flowers and the aroma which comes from the apple tree. Hopefully we will have a full crop of great apples to share with anyone who wishes to come by. All our fruit trees escaped this year and we will be rewarded with a bountiful crop.

The strawberries were least affected by the cold weather and we should be eating them in about ten days.

Surprise Visitor

Today we had a visit from our son with his dog Walter. A beautiful animal who is large at six months and acts like a spoiled child. We were having a great time with the dog and his antics. Actually well behaved for a young hunting dog he showed his animal instincts as a hunter when we were having supper.

We were sitting outside with Walter sitting by his master when we had a surprising visitor. The smallest wild rabbit I ever saw hopped under the table at which we were eating. I thought it was a chip monk which lives in our yard and is practically tame when I realized it was a rabbit.

The dog never moved, the rabbit slowly hopped past us and wandered into the back yard. We got our cameras and for some time we took picture after picture without the rabbit caring. You could have picked it up but we did not. We retreated and the rabbit wandered around the area without a care in the world.

It was too young to have fear and was smaller than chip monk but appeared to have all the abilities of a grown rabbit. It hopped very quickly and far and we enjoyed our little time with Peter Rabbit.

We did have visitors Henry Jr.,Walter the dog and a surprise visitor Peter Rabbit.

The Senate

The Senate or upper house is supposed the be the people who give legislation from the house a clear and sober second thought. During the past years there has been open discussions about disbanding this traditional body because they were not considered a worthy body.

Their actions during the last months gives many reasons to believe their role has been abused and should disappear The government of the day under Prime Minister Harper has been using high profile Senators as political.assets and use them as political speakers and fund raisers. Some and probably many have been only too eager to shine in the spotlight and travel across the land paying back to Harper for their appointment to the Senate.

The problem is that these suppository honest and outstanding citizens have been double dipping and claiming Senate salary and benefits when in fact they were working on behalf of the Conservative Party. A simple audit had nailed some of the Senate elite but a forensic audit would probably show a problem that begins at the office of the PMO and filters downward to see a messy organized program to defraud the taxpayers of millions of dollars.

For a Prime Minister who was elected because of the actions of the former Liberal government and who promised to make changes and would not tolerate such abuses he has failed on all counts. This most secretive and undemocratic leadership have been and is a total disgrace to Canada.

Everyone should be prepared to watch the actions of our PM to see just how he will deal with this most grievous situation. 

GUIDE Dogs

Oakville is the home of the Canadian Guide Dog training center. This establishment is supported by the Lions Club and public support. The dogs are brought into the system at birth and are farmed out to volunteers who keep the dogs as their own for one year. During the year the expectation is that these dogs will be socialized.

Their early training is the job of the person who has taken the responsibility for the social training. The dog is maintained by the training facility who provide food and medical support during the year.These dogs are provided with a little coat that enables them to enter all public areas. My granddaughter has just completed a one year training for a beautiful dog and has accepted another year for socialization with an equally beautiful puppy.This dog will attend classes at the University of Guelph with Darcy and be accepted everywhere that Darcy travels. The dog will not be given credit for her attendance at classes however but should not be a distraction.

We had a visit form Gale (the dog ) yesterday and immediately loved this little puppy.People who take on this important job are rewarded at a ceremony when the dog takes further training by full time staff and are given to a person as a certified guide dog. The full time staff evaluate these dogs and train them for specific tasks according to the needs of the new owner.

The visually handicapped, the physically handicapped and all conditions determine the future role of these dogs.There is a graduation ceremony where the recipient,the early owners and the professionals staff have this handing over ceremony so all who were involved have a chance to say good bye to their dog and wish the final owner good luck. It is  sad / happy time but one carried out many times every year as this training centre  for dogs provide a wonderful and necessary role.

Commander Hadfield

The whole world marvelled once again at space travel and the wonders of the universe because of a Canadian man named Commander Chris Hadfield. Anyone who ever met or knew this man would say that he could and would motivate young and old again because of this multi-faceted person.

I was fortunate to be living in Cambridge  Bay { Ikaluktutiak}when Chris Hadfield made a brief couple of days visit to our hamlet and he met the students of our schools while there. I had the good fortunate to share some good time with him and aid him in his desire to study the Inuit food Mipku for possible use as food to be used in space travel.This dried meat from caribou and musk oxen is a staple in the diet of Inuit and is very nourishing . He enjoyed his time at the small factory where it is produced and became part of the diet of future astronauts to the best of my knowledge.

While in our hamlet he gave me several badges that he wore on his several voyages into space and I since gave them to my grandson who is a pilot and space enthusiast I was totally impressed with this man and followed his latest adventure. I believe he has become the face of space exploration and is and will become a great influence on the younger generation.

Canadians will always be proud of their role in space travel and Chris Hadfield will be a giant among many who led the chase to Mars in the years to come. Canada should be proud of all our scientists who forged the path to safe space travel and exploration.

Our government wasted a special event recently because of party politics  Marc Garneau was one of the astronauts from Canada who operated the Canada Arm on board the space station. One of the arms was returned to Canada for an exhibit in the museum and he was not invited to attend. Shame on our Prime Minister and those involved for not being Canadian but instead a pitiful right wing conservative small thinking group. We should be proud of our people who do great things no matter what their political stripes may be.

I am sure that Chris Hadfield is more popular at this point than any political leader in Canada today. He showed up large on the world stage and is adored by many the world over..

Cheap Products Are Really Expensive

In todays world where the global economy is a reality we look to buy our needs at the lowest price.The price we pay may be a few dollars cheaper because it comes from a country where labour is cheap, where working conditions are dangerous and there is little care for the health of its workers.

We enter the big box stores today and you can hardly find anything made in Canada or the USA. We look at the price tag and but without though of the real cost. The real cost on the living conditions of the people who made these products.

We go to the meat and fish counter and most of the fish is farmed in the South Asian Countries where there are very suspect care in the growing and handling of the product. These countries have a different standard and we are ignorant of these conditions.

I do not put the blame on the countries, nor the workers but clearly on the stores who buy these products knowing about the human suffering because of the lack of human rights.There is a growing concern throughout the world about the health and safety of the workforces that produce the products that we in the west need and purchase.

The price tag on that dress or sweater or running shoe does not have a story line about how , when and at what human suffering it really costs to buy cheap items.I realize that there is another side to this problem and I would not suggest that these workers product be black listed. I would suggest however suggest that corporations who purchase goods off shore and are knowledgeable of improper conditions be held responsible for their actions in the worlds court of opinion .

Mother's Day

Every year I write about Mother's Day as I have such fond memories of this day back in Cape Breton. Being from a large family it is difficult to  have all the attention you needed or wanted. Mother's Day provided us an opportunity to reach out to Mom on her special day and seek and find a few moments when you related to her personally. On this day all the family joined in  and made a fuss over the person who made life possible and worth while.

As we age we profile our Moms in a different manner. Your Mom becomes a much clearer leader and influence as you realize the tremendous effort she made to look after nearly a dozen people. All my memories are positive now and my little regret is that she passed away before I had a real chance to reward her for all she had done for us and the result that her devotion had made on so many.

Mom's living legacy is in the lives of her children who have achieved so much. The fact that Mom was a proud person and demanded so much from us that we now pass on the values she instilled in each of us. For me one of the constant reminders I have is when I cook. She had a number of dinners and items that I still love today and feed my children these special but simple foods that have become traditional.

Mom was known to hear that the minister was coming down the lane unannounced and she would have a pan of squares ready when he stepped through the door. We had some laughter in our kitchen when Mom burned the steak or was so busy she forgot something but it was never anything but empathic and in good fun.

Noon hours were special times for us as we always walked home for noon recess. Our favourite noon lunch was corn cake or Johnny cake, hot with butter and molasses. Squares large and inviting sent us back to school with a full belly ready to take on the school work of the afternoon.

Cape Bretoners loved their fish and Mom used to bake fresh cod and vegetables. I could never replicate her recipe but the smell and taste is still there. This seems much about food but when you live in a home with a dozen people the communication time is around the table. We were well served with all the wonderful treats we received at that table and the advice and wisdom shared by Mom and Dad. There were times when the topics caused much chatter but we always seemed to manage.

On Mother's Day even yet I have a special little time when I shed a happy tear recalling the time shared with Mom and Dad around that kitchen table and seeing once again my brothers and sisters seated in their assigned places and listening to our betters help us to grow up to be good citizens and worthy Canadians.

City Wildlife

One would assume that living in the center of a large city would eliminate the need to deal with animals which should be living in the wild. Because of the great expansion of the housing needs the habitat for many animals is reduced to a point that animals have to live along with people on shared landscape. Here in Oakville we have rabbits by the hundreds, coyotes on our walking trails and in backyards, raccoon and foxes. Of course we have large squirrels and chipmunks

The problem arises when these animals clash with people and their pets, mainly dogs. There have been some very bad incidents where coyotes have attacked pets and although rare they make people nervous.Last week two of our young people were walking on a path near our home and were warned by a man of coyotes nearby The nature of our city enables the wild animals refuge in our many glens and valleys Every creek and river has a protected zone surrounding them which makes for huge amount of green space within our borders.

This is a great benefit to people who travel the walkways and enjoy the green space found in large supply As for the other animals they are a pest eating our vegetables and flowers but we must learn to share our space with them.Last year the rabbits ate many of my vegetables so I planted enough for both of us.I suppose if the animals can make the adjustment and live with us we must do the same for them.
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Rainy Day

The last few days I have devoted my time to planting the tomatoes and preparing the ground for the remainder of the plantings. Theresa and I attended the Jade Gardens green house to purchase our flowers and vegetable seeds. The drive is but five miles away but through beautiful farmland. Perfect green winter wheat dotted the countryside and this year because of the dryness of the land the farmers have planted their corn.

All this looked great but one thing was missing. Rain was needed to begin the germination process and today and last eve we were given our wish. A steady rain came and turned the ground into lush grass, trees completed their leafing and flowers looked perfectly happy.

This is one of the really best times of the year, The renewal process is almost like magic. One day the land looks dormant and in a week everything is transformed into beautiful landscape.Of course the weeds grow as well as the desired vegetation so the land along the highways are covered in yellow and open fields turn into vast dandelion havens.

Not only nature is motivated but everywhere you look you can see people working their lawns and gardens. The green houses are busy and a new energy is observed as people get away from their TV's and join in the process of rejuvenation.People, animals, birds and nature are on the same page at this time and you can see the natural order of things being lived out right before your eyes.

Spring Has Sprung

Last year when we arrived home from Florida we missed the beauty of the spring flowers. The early spring denied us even a glimpse of a tulip. This year we are here at the correct time and every fruit tree is in blossom and at a rate never seen before.

Our plum, apple, pear, cherry and nectarine are all flowering at the same time. I am amazed at the difference a few weeks can make. Two weeks ago there was snow and ice her and now it is like summer.Today I planted my tomatoes and peppers and the seeding for the rest of the garden will be completed by the end of the week. The rhubarb and garlic survived the cold spring and we will be picking rhubarb  on the weekend.

This time of the year brings out the farmer in all of us as we drive about the country side and see all the activity. Winter wheat greens up much of the land and the corn farmers are busy with their work and praying for a couple of days of rain. Mother nature is usually kind and lets the farmers on the land when it is dry enough to hold the heavy equipment but it is the water from the sky which determines when the crops grow unless there is irrigation.

It looks like this year is going to be special and our farm workers will be rewarded for being good stewards of mother earth. My hope is that everyone will pay attention and do their part in making their community green and healthy.

Dar's Birthday

Darlene's birthday; what a wonderful day! With every one of the immediate family present we celebrated another 50th birthday with a famjam. Great food, plenty of stories and a drink or two made the hours an adventure. Everyone had a story about the guest of honor  and with laughs and bursts of energy we were treated to what we do best, enjoy our time together as a family.

Darlene is our second oldest and has had a great life enjoying her family and a running career. She has made us very proud with her great ability to energize any group with her athletic ability. During the evening the grandchildren were treated to another special guest, Darcy from B.C. Darcy is in the middle of an extended holiday where she is bonding with family members and friends. Picture taking was experienced as this has been a special occasion as every member of our family was present.

Late into the evening the young people continued to share stories and were reluctant to see the special day end.Theresa and I enjoy every family gathering but this one was exceptional in so many ways. As Dar left this morning to travel to her home we were very satisfied to have had the opportunity to celebrate her special day and wish her the very best in the future

Home Sweet Home

Driving 2325 kms through beautiful country was a wonderful way to arrive home to nice cool weather and a happy reunion with family and friends.You could see the difference in the vegetation as we moved north and it was rather a shock to see our trees without leaves. Last year we never experienced the joy of seeing our tulips and daffodils but this year we will see all the flowers and fruit trees in blossom.

Coming home with a truck load of duplicate items puts a strain on our ability to store the treasures until needed.I suppose that will be taken care of in the near future if we buy a new home. Our van which is a few years old was a great asset as it gave us great mileage and safety even with an overload. I carefully measured the items and placed them in the van to equalize the load. Driving at 115 per hour we made great time and in a safe manner.

We never experienced any problems and noticed a more moderate driving public. Theresa and I use our time on the road to formulate our five and ten year plans. It is a good time to bond and share ideas for the future. We are embarking on a new ten year plan and Doris fits into it-in a positive way. She tried the route of a independent living lodge and she does not like it. We are going to accommodate her and her presence will enrich our lives. I personally will milk her brain in my writing and give a voice for very old seniors who have something to contribute. We are happy to be home and already feel the positive vibes from living closely with family and friends.

Leaving For Home

Theresa and I planned to go home a few days early because of commitments back in Oakville. Little did I realize that our van was not a moving van so we piled every valuable item in the garage and I began the task of taking those items that were important. It became painfully obvious that many of our treasures would remain behind.Our great neighbors , the Perez household helped us by accepting a few items  and other people were just as kind.

We  left every other item for the young family who purchased our home. They were a young family who were going to become a larger family as she was expecting twins. It is funny but we were concerned who would buy our home as we wanted them to be great neighbors for our friends. They were just very helpful and even offered to help me pack and load our van.

It was a sad few moments as Theresa and I drove out the driveway and looked back for the last time at our ten year winter residence.Theresa kept talking but I was unable to respond as I was having an emotional moment. As we left the neighborhood everything changed as we closed the door and made plans for our next adventure.

Going home and crossing the border was the next challenge  We always have too much of everything but as we pulled up to the booth a lovely young lady greeted us and with two questions we were on our way.Getting across the border means so much to us as we feel secure here in Canada. Arriving at our home we were greeted by our neighbors who were working on their yards. Daughters Lynda showed up to help unload and in the kitchen was a full supper compliments of my two winter helpers Lyn and Glenda.We were home and everything seemed so normal. Our work just begins now with putting everything together.