Birds Everywhere

This morning I was made aware of a bird migration because of the sounds coming from our back yard. Robins, starlings, sparrows and flickers were having a feast on our small blue berries from the Boston ivy. These birds were not too friendly to each other and as the idea of sharing it was not in the cards. The robins were most protective of the food source and made every effort to keep the other birds from feeding on the plentiful supply of seeds.

When the leaves fall from the ivy it exposes the blue berries and the birds flock to the food source. The usually timid robin seems to have a monopoly on our vines as they take great steps to keep all other birds away.The robins who live in our yard all year except during the coldest weather get fat on the natural foods found here. This appears to be a good year for birds as they look healthy and ready for their trip south.

Some of the sparrows stay here all winter and a pair has taken up housekeeping in one of our bird houses. I just cleaned it out this week and the sparrows are filling it once more with dead grass and fodder from the garden. We had a visit from a red shouldered hawk the other day but it never stayed long.It seemed to be staking out its territory for the winter. Birds add a lot of interest to we who are nature lovers and we hope to see many more birds on their way south during

the next few weeks.

Political Road Show

The past few weeks have been eye opening for Canadians who already been completely devastated by the actions of our politicians at all levels. The  House of Commons and the Senate have reached new lows in the public eye as leadership was missing on all sides and scandals abound to cause a media feast while we look for some solutions to the national problems.

No one has any sympathy for the disgraced senators who are entangled in a money grab of huge proportions and the PMO was strong arming the Senate to throw them out without due course of justice..This haste to summary convictions of these renegade Senators goes against every principle by which our system operates and even though they appear to be guilty they must be given a trial to carry out the decision and consequences

What is most alarming is that there appears to be a scheme or cover up directed from the PMO  and this must be clarified and corrected..The country is being treated to a media frenzy caused by wild statements and stories that have changed by the day. In order to restore confidence in our government we must have a proper inquiry to get the facts and settle the problems.

After this is settled the government bodies have to get back to work and clear up the more important issues of the day that being carrying out the duties of the elected people to make life better for Canadian Citizens.

Family Get Together on Sunday

Troy had his B'day on Monday but circumstances were such that family were unable to assemble so here we were on a beautiful Sunday. Glenda hosted the family and friends and did the baking of the cake for Troy.Everyone had a moment of glory with stories and jokes and because some were home from university in the city there was interest in the life as a student in Toronto.

The neat thing about these parties is that with so many days to celebrate special events we get together often. Next week we will be celebrating Lynda's two daughters  and Phils. There are so many that I lose track of everyone.The main thing is that staying close as a family is essential.

Hidden Treasures

For the past weeks I have been searching through my pictures and papers to find appropriate inclusions for

my latest book about my educational experiences. Many boxes and albums are set out and as I sit quietly to look through the collection I realize that this is no small task. Each picture has a story to tell and each paper note or letter demands attention.

I begin to stroll through years of personal history and get lost in the past and leave the present. Hours go by and I have not even looked through the first small box. Items such as a name card brings me back to an event from the early days of my life and my brain quickly begins to show pictures which I had hidden way back there in the dark recesses of my mind and I once again relive the experience.

This short snippet coming from my past shoots out an emotional response and as the hours go by I am a wreck impacted by the images thrust upon me by these objects. Pictures and letters are powerful reminders of how it was in the past and as I continue my journey I am treated by shared hidden treasures. I look through my personal junk quite often and when people tell me to de- clutter I wonder if they realize that they are asking me to throw away my history and record of what was once reality. I live in the future mostly but love these reminder of the past and shall hold on to my hidden treasures.

A Baby No More

On Monday we celebrated Troy's B'day by taking he and his Mom out to the Keg for dinner. It was his actual birthday and he turned 17. This was a significant day as he is no longer the baby of the family. He is well on his way to being a man and baby would no longer describe this person who meshes with adults and conversations which belie his age.

Troy has made quite a mark during his youth as an athlete and excels in all his endeavors .This year he has to make some major decisions regarding his future. He is determined to make the decision that is his and I have full confidence that it will be the right one.

It hardly seems possible how quickly a few years pass by but when you remember the many events and good times we had sharing some of the growing up days with Troy we can say that the time was well filled with boy things.There were always surprises with this young fellow as his wonderful trait of being aware of his family and friends and continues to be so makes him stand out as a caring fellow.

Now Troy is no longer considered to be the baby (but he always will be) of the family we look forward to sharing time with Troy the young man. Happy B'day Troy and many more.

Oh What A tangled Web We Weave............

Never were words so true as the web being woven in Ottawa is an utter disgrace and an embarrassment to Canada's citizens and a black eye for its government. The drama we have been witnessing over the past months is so ridiculous  with all the work that should be done and our representatives prorogued and now tied up with scandal.

Our Prime Minister swore that he would never appoint another Senator when he was on the election trail. Soon after he appointed 30 friends and loyal Conservatives with the idea he would have complete control over both houses. His appointees however had their snouts too deep into the taxpayers trough so he had a problem with that control he needed to maintain his ego for micro managing every aspect of the government workings.

A couple of Senators would not go away quietly so the PM planned a scheme to rid the senate of these unworthy souls. His chief of staff was the first to take the rap and left the PM's office in disgrace. Next there were a number of Senators who had to be dealt with but as they decided to stay and fight more trouble arose as many more people became involved. The PM was in a bind and had to keep his nose clean and his story straight to remain untouched by the scandal. That was the mistake as he could have told the truth in the first instance and only a minor glitch would have occurred. He chose to remain the white knight stance and hence the tangled web was started to be woven  by the fifth estate and the people of Canada.

The conservative caucus is taking the heat for the mess and as of last night the poll released gave the Liberals 40 per cent, the Conservatives 30 percent and the NDP 26 percent. This will change as the drama continues but we can see that when there is too much power in one place the blame is placed there also.

God Bless Canada and lets hope our lawmakers wake up and get to work making this Canada of ours a better place in which to live.

Jacuzzi Adventure

After two days of rainy , miserable weather I had a visit from my nemesis Arthur, arthritis that is. With the weather conditions we had aches and pains returned to every part of my old bones and I really missed going south. My answer to the situation was to have a good soak in the Jacuzzi.

Our Jacuzzi is not used very much but I decided it was the answer. These large tubs are not designed user friendly. They are large and high off the floor and made of the most slippery material known to man. They cause older folks a challenge just getting in. Before entering I turned up the water heater as Jacussi's take more than a tank of hot water. That being done I tried to be as graceful as possible to get in without slipping and to turn around to be able to sit down in the now very hot water.

Before attempting to sit I added bubble bath to the hot water and was immediately treated to a massive bubble explosion. I left the tap running to keep the level of the water in question until I was finally placed safely in the tub.Slowly lowering my aching body into the water was a challenge as the water was way too hot so I tried to adjust the temperature by adding cold water while safeguarding my entry. Carefully I lowered myself into the water and instant relief became a reality.

I was now stretched out ,up to my neck in hot, soothing water and the best was still to come. I never really knew how to adjust the controls on the tub but the noise of the bubbling machine was a welcome addition to the process.I lay there in utter comfort enjoying the feeling of the pain leaving my body when Theresa came to check to see if I was OK. I was and returned to the joy of the hot bath.

After twenty minutes or so the water began to cool and I decided to get out of the tub. This was another challenge as the slippery surface made it almost impossible to turn to get on my knees. I finally managed and then a fear of slipping and falling caused me to be very cautious. I had to lift my bad right leg out of the tub but that tall ornate tap was just in the way.

Theresa  entered just in time to help my balance and I escaped the tub to be safely on the bath mat and the welcoming warm towel. I still had to face that image of seeing myself in the mirror and that brought reality home that I was no longer 21 years old. I dried off and in the warm confines of my housecoat I felt that satisfied and safe feeling reserved for times of personal satisfaction. I moved to my comfortable chair in front of the TV and watched the hockey game already in progress. That half hour did wonders for my arthritis but I wondered if I could stay awake for the game.

Odds and Ends

Yesterday Theresa and I decided to get busy and cleaning up odds and ends before the winter sets in. Firstly we still have several bushels of apples to use or take care of. Since it was raining out we decided to convert some of the apples to pies. We made six and bagged them and froze five.

I needed to go to home depot and get some manure so I drove to the store and they were fresh out.I had to go to the green house and they had plenty and at reduced rates. I took 8 bags to be sure.While there I looked among the one hundred or so trees for sale to see if there was a peach. No luck so another year goes by with no peach tree.

Pulling out the last tomato plants and finding you have twenty pounds of green and half ripe ones causes me stress. I cannot throw anything away so I plan to ripen them in the garage and have fresh tomatoes until Xmas. I could not bring myself to cut the pepper plant as it is still producing and I will cut it and hope to have it grow again in the spring. Our Swiss chard always comes up in the spring so I mulch it well and hope for the best. Every two weeks the yard waste is picked up and we have been putting out a lot. This week we will have filled all our large drums and half a dozen bags. We should have been pruning and cutting back the cedars years ago. Our Yew tree has grown a little too tall and the back has died and I have to do something with it. I will give it a good clipping and if it does well in the spring everything will be OK.


Throwing things out has been a problem with me but this year I have been downsizing the clutter in my garage. Old camping gear and things I will never use again have to go to the Salvation Army so I can begin my winter project. This winter I will build a canoe and it will be a challenge with the colder weather. I will have to put off the fiber glass until spring. I am tired just thinking about all the little jobs but they have to be done so I might as well enjoy the fun of getting things done.

Weather

Weather is the daily conditions that occur across the country on a continuous basis. Everyone talks about the weather and who would have guessed that the weather channel is one of the most watched TV stations in existence. Every news cast is punctuated with weather bulletins and major weather events become news events like hurricanes where live coverage keeps people glued to their TV screens./

Weather is one thing but climate is another matter. Our world climate patterns are changing at an alarming rate. The predictions made a few years ago are outdated almost before they are written. The new predictions are out and they are scary in so many ways. We have been noticing the frequency and extremes being offered by Mother Nature and the expectation is that these occurrences will become even more extreme in the future.

People who live in the sun belt will in the near future suffer heat which will impact all agricultural activities and could cause desert conditions in many parts of the world. Melting ice from the poles could put many areas of the world under water and and change the face of the North and extreme South. We are living in great changing times and we as a world have to take the problem seriously and plan for the future.

Everyone talks about the weather especially those who have been impacted by its fury during the past few years.

Smoke Screens and Mirrors

Can you imagine the federal government with all of its challenges in the economy, pipelines, the environment, military purchases and the numerous scandals in its PM Office and senate that we will be happy with plans about cable and other nice things and forget about the real issues. I have a strong feeling that the people of Canada have just about had it with this secretive and untrustworthy group in Ottawa. The mess in Washington is causing universal uneasiness and our Energy mess in Ontario have caused most people to shake their heads and wonder what is happening to our democratic way of government.

No matter what shades of political stripes we hold to,  everyone must become one in our condemnation of what is happening in our political system. If a revolt were possible it would be happening right now. There is another kind of revolt that would be the answer to our dilemma and that would be to get off our **** and become involved. Ask questions and demand answers. Phone our members and email the people who are sweeping this mess under the table.

I have had a active interest in politics all my life and I can say without question that I have never seen so many problems in so many places as we have right now. I truly fear for the country as we knew it and I share the frustration of the people who are attempting to correct the situation and are being blocked by the same people who should be helping.

I am embarrassed about the fact that a UN inspector shared nine days in our country with the aboriginal nations and is writing a report that places Canada among nations who are mistreating their first citizens in so many ways.

We can only hope that when our peoples representatives return to the House of Commons and the Senate they will remember the many comments and wisdom they acquired while on expended vacation with pay and act accordingly.

America's Great Mistake

Every country has its difficulties when it comes to politics and government policies. America is different than most others as the eyes of the world are on every move they make. This ridiculous situation it has fallen into shows the weakness of a political system which is designed in such a manner as to permit a few to rule many.The tea party is a fringe group made up of a few over forty in a Congress of nearly four hundred and yet it has frozen the working of the chamber.

The situation is viewed by most of the world as ridiculous and could cause catastrophic results if Congress and the Senate do not solve their differences and get to work for the people and not self interests of splinter groups.The disdain for the Congress has reached upward to 75% and still there's little sense of responsibility on behalf of these representatives of the people.

Just as our Canadian Prime Minister with his stupid ideologically based decisions has made us the laughing stock of the third world and some of the G7 so the Congress is making the USA the laughing stock of the financial world. I do not think that America will ever again be thought of as the super power it once was. They have lost standing to Russia and China in particular. China holds half of America's debt which is about 17 trillion dollars. Russia appears to be the peacemaker in the Syrian mess. What is happening to the USA?

In simple terms it has been suffering from lack of direction and leadership. There is no captain managing the ship and the sky is falling on the long time American reign as the world power and democracy guardian as well as policeman of the world. How sad and we as Canadians will feel the painful results of this stupidity.

Thanksgiving

Each year we have a celebration of thanksgiving. We in Canada should really be thankful just to be living in one of the most livable lands in the world and people in Oakville for living in the most livable municipality in Canada. With the mass communications network we now have at our fingertips we can zero in on the areas of the world that have insurmountable problems. On a personal basis we can be thankful for just being born in our family and able to reach out to a good life. Many people of the world are born into pure misery with little chance for a better life.

This year we had our celebration once again at Lynda and peter's.Everyone was able to attend except a few who had other family obligations. The huge turkey was cooked perfectly and soon disappeared onto plates filled with the traditional veggies. Deserts were many and varied and this year we were treated to an apple crisp baked by Darcy. This was her first effort in this field and proved to be popular.

Great discussions among the group about everything from music, hair and styles to more mundane topics of political natures. If all the suggestions were taken to heart we would have a perfect government and it would not be the one we have now. Laughter and good humor resounded during the whole time we were together and as we left to go our separate ways voiced the same feeling that we could not wait for the next fan jam

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Aboriginal Rights Backlog

Yesterday I watched the National Congress of Aboriginal People held to commemorate the Treaty of Paris 1763. It was the exact day of the signing according to the Governor General of Canada. This meeting was co-chaired by the presidents of the First Nations and the Inuit. I was captured for the hour by the eloquence of the speakers who spoke factually  and without acrimony about the great injustice done to their people over the 250 years of British and later Canada rule.The Speakers,all three emphasized the safeguards given to the many nations of aboriginal and Inuit peoples who had written in the act on their behalf what could and should have been.

The treaty guaranteed the rights of all nations to be given domain over their land and the rights of their people  safeguards that in the future any changes would be settled by treaties acceptable to both parties. Future laws and acts in 1835 and 1982 said basically the same thing but we all know that our first people were and are marginalized by their unfair and discriminatory treatment by successive governments.

I have a strong and true admiration for first nations and specially Inuit. My life has been enriched by my association with these people and I am saddened when I hear uniformed and ignorant people continuing to hold the drunken native as the description of our native peoples.

There is more information available now and there has been many treaties signed by Canada and separate nations. These have been giant steps in solving legislative problems but it does not rectify much  when our federal and provincial governing bodies continue to low ball their grants and responsibilities for basic things like clean drinking water, washrooms, health care and education.

Discrimination from our law enforcement agencies and courts fill our jails for alcohol related crimes instead of treating the problem of unemployment, education related opportunities and a fair standing in our society. I have seen first hand the manner in which the female aboriginal population has and is marginilized.

I will just say that I would love to see Canadians reach out and just try to imagine how it feels to be a first nations person in our white society.  All we have to do is look at the USA thirty five years ago and see how the African American was treated and felt in that white society.

On this Thanksgiving weekend give some thought to our nearly two million First Nations People  and how we view their possible contribution to Canada if they are really given an opportunity to be equal and fairly treated as First Canadians.

Football Mixup

The weather was perfect and my daughter informed me that Troy was to play high school football at 12 O'clock in the nearby school. I have been waiting for this call for some time so I gathered up my camera, sports chair and a bottle of water and rushed to the field. I parked and realized that the field was on the far side of the school but I decided to walk anyway.

When I entered the playing field I was surprised to see several hundreds of spectators already in place around the field. The music was playing and the players were playing a practise but there was no sign of the officials. I waited patiently and soon a rumor passed through the crowd saying that the officials were going to be late.

I began to take pictures of the players and after an hour I realized that when they said late it was going to be after 2 pm before the game would start.I had some errands to do so I left and came back just in time to see the officials start the game. I was looking for number 1 and it was not long before he was called upon to kick a field goal. I think it was over thirty yards.

Troy is a smaller football player but plays large. He is an excellent athlete and plays every ame with the same dedication. As a safety he is the last line of defence and he has to stop players nearly twice his size. Every time there was an opportunity for Troy to make a play he did and I was very proud of his effort.
The football fields in Oakville are mostly professional standard with artificial coverings but at this school the players enjoyed the game on natural turf. When I played university ball fifty years ago not one of the fields had artificial turf so we had the benefit of fewer injuries.

Troy's team lost by a couple of points but the game was played hard and clean and Troy was my pick as first star.

Medical Matters

It seems that every time we turn around we are visiting some sort of medical office. The dentist, your family doctor or a consult with a specialist caused by a referral from your concerned family doctor. The health clinic which does the blood testing, X-rays and other procedures are jammed packed every day.We have a great caring system but just maybe we over use the system.

For one trip to the dentist after an issue with a fifteen year old crown I have had five visits to complete the work on a implant. The time is nothing but the tab for the work is about $3500 and that is just one tooth..

In olden years we never had this socialized medicine and people made do with home cures or did without.As a teacher who worked in the field 60 years ago it was normal to see children with cavities and in need of dentist work. Today it is unusual when you see a 12 year old without braces. Young people are given great care and their health is a major concern. Today we are having to deal with two new troubling issues...obesity and diabetics

These two conditions affect many of our youth and it is cause for concern. We have on one hand the greatest health care in the world and on the other hand we have new issues.Health matters has become the single most expensive item in government budgets and it will only get worse as we have an aging population. By the year 2020 we will for the first time have more senior citizens over the age of 65 than children under the age of 16. There has been so much talk about the aging populations lately it is no small matter that there is a crisis in our health system.

In the mean time I will chew my vitamins and write my medical appointments on the calendar and look forward to my visits with my medical caregivers.

Early Morning Surprises

I was getting prepared to go to the health club when Theresa called from the bedroom . What matter of urgency could motivate her to call in such a eager manner? Well it was enough of a call to get me up there in quick time and there was Theresa looking out the window. It was barely light but on top of our gazebo were two raccoons trying to fit themselves in the small opening covered by vines.

They were large ones and cute and looking for a place to sleep. The berries on the vines is what caused them to climb way up and after a good feed searched for a sleeping spot.I tried to get a picture but failed so I quickly went outside and tried to track them down. I was unsuccessful but the rainy morning motivated me to film some of my unfinished work from the day before.

Compost to spread, trees to trim and now leaves to compost. There are always the last rose and the one or two dahlias still beautiful so I took their picture. I was interested in the beauty of even the wet, dreary day and decided to get going to the club and enjoy the warm ,fun atmosphere of people wishing to improve their fitness.

Breaking Family Ties

Today our government or rather the Prime Minister made an announcement that cut me to the core as he on his own decided that Canada would not be taking part in the general meeting of the Commonwealth Of Nations. He will not attend but will send a token representative because the host country has a bad record in human rights.
The Commonwealth of Nations is the largest and oldest voluntary family  of free countries and is the envy of the world. Nearly a third of the people of the world living in numerous countries form this association and during its proud history influenced its members to live up to a high standard of human rights. There are members who are emerging democratic nations and are dealing with major problems but with the support and help of the Commonwealth strive to improve their standing regarding human rights,

Our Prime Minister has during the past week cut Canada off from the UN and now the Commonwealth. We as a country are a leading member and along with Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand,  India South Africa and numerous others form a historic group of nations with a common bond. His reckless behavior is destroying our world standing and reducing our nation to become thought of as a non caring country and a shill for the USA.

Where is our world leadership gone? This prime minister who made this decision today had Canada represented at a important meeting  held in the Congo last year. The Congo which has one of the worst if not the worst record in the world as far as human rights is concerned. His behavior will soon cause us to hide the maple leaf when we travel. What a pity.

Stupidity In High Places.

Everyone expects ordinary people to make some mistakes and to appear stupid sometimes. We do not however expect to see people in high places acting stupid in carrying out their responsibilities. We see elected people in the government of the USA closing down the government because 43 members of the Republican Tea Party are dedicated in tearing down the Obama health program. This small militant group have gained so much strength in the Republican party that they call the shots.

We have a minority group who are holding the country at ransom for their selfish demands. Stupid..Yes, but as long as their system permits such ridiculous situation the rest of the world looks on and wonders how the most powerful country in the world gets in the situation. I said the other day their stupidity almost makes our government look OK. I quickly retracted that statement as we on the world stage have been doing some stupid things as well.

At a conference on women issues our government offers money to be used in third world countries but not for women and girls who require proper medical care for abortions involving child brides and rape cases where rape is used as a weapon of was and terror. This is ideology used in the worst possible manner.

Our Prime Minister is using tax payers money to travel throughout the USA to support a private company who wishes to build a pipeline to Texas to process our dirty oil from the tar sands. How ridiculous..stupid. In the same way as the huge moneys given to the oil companies to extract our natural resources to make a profit. These companies can well afford to pay their way as they are among the richest companies on earth. It is passing strange that these companies are centered in Alberta and it has become the PM's obsession to help these enterprises get even richer. Incidentally most of the profits from oil are of an international type and are sent out of our country.

Stupidity is not the domain of the USA government as we have plenty of it to go around right here in Canada.

Going South

As the weather changes and the days become even shorter we begin to think of going south. Several huge flocks of geese have being heading south but many stop over in the corn fields to fill up for their long flight to Georgia or some other wetlands south. I have not seen  a robin for over a month until yesterday morning when I saw a small flock on our front lawn trying to get some worms in the soggy and cold grass.

Nature has that power to make the migratory birds prepare for their move to the warmer climate for the winter months. We have been witness to the event every year and actually joined the birds by moving to Florida for the winter.We are called snow birds and the local residents in the southern states welcome us with mixed feelings.

They know the economic benefits for the months that their homeland is invaded as the lineups at the restaurants and cash registers tell one story. The other side is that the locals complain about the crowded roads and the driving habits of the grey haired seniors who are on vacation and have a relaxed manner in getting from their rented place to the mall or beach. When there is an accident involving a senior the announcer or reporter always starts the news item by stating the age of the person involved. A 87 year old driver of a Cadillac car caused an accident by driving up a one way street. Probably true but it is emphasized.

This year we are planning on staying put in Ontario to once again feel the joy of the season change and to enjoy sharing more time with family and friends. The palm trees and sandy beaches will have to wait for another year before we again will fly down south with our northern birds.

Dreary Fall Day

Today was a dreary day in Oakville

lnd after our early morning visit to the health club we decided to do some home baking. Apple pies with the really good northern spies started us off but bread making became our main effort. I decided to make loaves this time instead of a combination of buns and a loaf.

I made a double batch and asked Doris to put the bread which filled the bowl after rising for a long time into loaves. Her method was one which she said was the way her mother did it so the technique was about 125 years old. Doris always wants to get involved so I try to do just that and it turns out to be the right thing to do.

After baking the bread and buttering the crust to keep it soft Doris came into the kitchen and as usual shows great surprise that everything turned out OK. Meanwhile Theresa finished her cake and we decided that this was the final baking for today. What started a a dull and dreary day turned out to be a happy experience with all three of us making our favourite home made goods.

Working Together

Our yard call for a pile of attention. This fall I intend to change much of the back yard landscaping. Theresa suggested she could help and I accepted her offer immediately. Yesterday we began the task. We cut down vines by the ton from the house and other structures. Friday is yard waste pickup so we will have many containers of leafy waste at our curb.

Over the past ten years our fruit trees grew so much we have to prune them severely. My friend Doug said you could prune up to a third without hurting the tree so we will find out as we intend to downsize every tree. Our stone walls in the back yard separating the upper and lower level is nearly invisible and requires a cleaning. The English Ivy is out of hand and the Boston Ivy is taking over. We feel that cutting everything back will open up the yard and brighten it up. Our vegetable gardens need a good rotor-tilling and I intend to get rid of all the weeds which crept in along the sides of the beds.

All in all we could call this a good house cleaning in our yard. With Theresa's help it will be done during these last days of good weather in October. I always feel that working together makes the task so much easier and more pleasant.