Our carrots were excellent this year. We plant them close together and only thin them out when they are big enough to eat. We do not wash or cut them but keep them in a cooler in the garage. They usually last until Xmas.
Monday, October 27, 2014
Harvest Time
October 27th and Theresa and I decided to close out the gardens. We have everything out except the carrots, Brussels sprouts and peppers. The Swiss chard is prepared for next spring as I cut it short and cover with mulch and with luck it grows again in the spring. This years crop comes from three year old roots.
Our carrots were excellent this year. We plant them close together and only thin them out when they are big enough to eat. We do not wash or cut them but keep them in a cooler in the garage. They usually last until Xmas.
Our carrots were excellent this year. We plant them close together and only thin them out when they are big enough to eat. We do not wash or cut them but keep them in a cooler in the garage. They usually last until Xmas.
Canadian Nationalism
Canada is a marvelous country when it comes together whenever there is a national crisis.Where natural disasters occur like the floods in the West, mining disasters in the Maritimes or oil rigs in the Atlantic ,Canadians come forth with tremendous support. We fund raise huge amounts of money for events like the earthquake in Haiti. Every Time there is a need there is Canada right in the center to help.We as a country wept for every soldier who was killed in Afghanistan and established the highway of valour.
These last to events were far different . We suffered the loss of two servicemen and that was a tragic thing especially since they were murdered by Canadians on home soil.Our country came together to comfort the families of the murdered men and did a proud thing with full support of the whole country. There was however a very overreaction to these events. We were not attacked by an enemy from afar but from two mentally unstable people who sought their lives meaning by radicalizing themselves to a horrible cause.
We as a country can feel we were under attack and in one sense we were but the bigger picture shows us that there are enough people of like mind that have to be identified and helped. They must be either treated for their mental health or incarcerated because of their danger to Canadian society. In either case it is not being addressed in a successful manner at the present time.Our police and home security are unable to carry out the demands of such a program because of the lack of resources. The government is stating that they have a surplus of money in the billions of dollars. What better use of some of this money to keep us safe and safeguard our civil liberties. Making new laws will not cure the type of cases such as we witnessed during the past week. The lone wolf attacks require measures that require manpower and surveillance.That means monetary commitments to the responsible forces.
These last to events were far different . We suffered the loss of two servicemen and that was a tragic thing especially since they were murdered by Canadians on home soil.Our country came together to comfort the families of the murdered men and did a proud thing with full support of the whole country. There was however a very overreaction to these events. We were not attacked by an enemy from afar but from two mentally unstable people who sought their lives meaning by radicalizing themselves to a horrible cause.
We as a country can feel we were under attack and in one sense we were but the bigger picture shows us that there are enough people of like mind that have to be identified and helped. They must be either treated for their mental health or incarcerated because of their danger to Canadian society. In either case it is not being addressed in a successful manner at the present time.Our police and home security are unable to carry out the demands of such a program because of the lack of resources. The government is stating that they have a surplus of money in the billions of dollars. What better use of some of this money to keep us safe and safeguard our civil liberties. Making new laws will not cure the type of cases such as we witnessed during the past week. The lone wolf attacks require measures that require manpower and surveillance.That means monetary commitments to the responsible forces.
Why...Why..Why
Canadians are asking why we peace loving people are being troubled with attacks on our very institutions of democracy. One does not have to go back very far in history to realize that we have become a clone of the American policy. For years were were known around the world as peacekeepers and even when we were placed in harms way between two warring nations our men wearing the blue beret were hardly ever attacked and killed.
Our government during the last decade have chosen to become a nation of warriors and have trained our armed forces to be aggressive in nature taking on roles where we actively sought and killed the enemy.This began with our involvement in the war in Afghanistan and we lost 145 of our soldiers doing their job and following orders.When they left the country after many years there was partial success with the military action and Canadians excelled in their commitment both on the battlefield and in their humanitarian roles with the civilian population.
Since that time our Prime Minister could not wait to have our Country go to war against a terrible enemy in the Middle East. Everyone will agree that ICIS is a horrible scourge and must be held accountable. The actions of this group of criminals was made possible by the war in Iraq which never solved the problems of the nation. When the USA left Iraq the government was in shambles and permitted traditional tribal enemies to become divisive and the group called ISIS became a rogue unit which could not be controlled by the central government.
This group , using USA military equipment swept over a large area and has committed terrible acts of violence against civilians.They now control a huge area of Syria and Iraq and are uncontrolled by any organized force except the Kurds who are fighting for their lives. The actions of this group have caused one of the largest disruptions of civilians in modern history.The millions of refugees has spilled over into the neighbouring countries causing a great stress on these countries economy and medical facilities. Canada knows how to aid these people in a meaningful way.
Instead of taking a leading role in this crisis with the humanitarian aid we became a tag along with the USA in offering a token military force with a bombing mission which has already been termed useless by military experts unless there are boots on the ground. The enemy has dispersed and now have mingled with the civilian population leaving few if any good targets for the air power to be useful. Canada has given some millions of dollars and supplies to aid the people but it pales in the face of the growing need.
Canada was warned that if they join in the military action there will be repercussions and probably we feel that now.Two misguided individuals, criminals murdered two of our military personnel.It is tragic that two Canadians were murdered by two Canadians and it is fortunate that there was not more loss of life.The man who now is called a hero stood up to this ugly violence and silenced the criminal.. Every Canadian feels for these men and their families and are angered by the actions of these criminals. Our government has to provide the necessary tools to combat the few bad apples and do so without destroying our civil liberties. These couple of incidents will motivate our security system and hopefully combat the growing pressure from terrorist actions in the future.
Canada has little experience in dealing with terrorism because we have had few enemies in the past. The road that we are travelling on now may change that fact. My fear is that the government will use these two criminal acts to overact and cause legislation to be put in place which will curb our civil liberties and change the normal way of a free expression in Canada. These two acts are being used by the government to support their decision to send planes to bomb targets in Iraq and probably Syria. We have been trapped into aiding the USA in their attempt to clean up the mess they created when they left Iraq.
Our government during the last decade have chosen to become a nation of warriors and have trained our armed forces to be aggressive in nature taking on roles where we actively sought and killed the enemy.This began with our involvement in the war in Afghanistan and we lost 145 of our soldiers doing their job and following orders.When they left the country after many years there was partial success with the military action and Canadians excelled in their commitment both on the battlefield and in their humanitarian roles with the civilian population.
Since that time our Prime Minister could not wait to have our Country go to war against a terrible enemy in the Middle East. Everyone will agree that ICIS is a horrible scourge and must be held accountable. The actions of this group of criminals was made possible by the war in Iraq which never solved the problems of the nation. When the USA left Iraq the government was in shambles and permitted traditional tribal enemies to become divisive and the group called ISIS became a rogue unit which could not be controlled by the central government.
This group , using USA military equipment swept over a large area and has committed terrible acts of violence against civilians.They now control a huge area of Syria and Iraq and are uncontrolled by any organized force except the Kurds who are fighting for their lives. The actions of this group have caused one of the largest disruptions of civilians in modern history.The millions of refugees has spilled over into the neighbouring countries causing a great stress on these countries economy and medical facilities. Canada knows how to aid these people in a meaningful way.
Instead of taking a leading role in this crisis with the humanitarian aid we became a tag along with the USA in offering a token military force with a bombing mission which has already been termed useless by military experts unless there are boots on the ground. The enemy has dispersed and now have mingled with the civilian population leaving few if any good targets for the air power to be useful. Canada has given some millions of dollars and supplies to aid the people but it pales in the face of the growing need.
Canada was warned that if they join in the military action there will be repercussions and probably we feel that now.Two misguided individuals, criminals murdered two of our military personnel.It is tragic that two Canadians were murdered by two Canadians and it is fortunate that there was not more loss of life.The man who now is called a hero stood up to this ugly violence and silenced the criminal.. Every Canadian feels for these men and their families and are angered by the actions of these criminals. Our government has to provide the necessary tools to combat the few bad apples and do so without destroying our civil liberties. These couple of incidents will motivate our security system and hopefully combat the growing pressure from terrorist actions in the future.
Canada has little experience in dealing with terrorism because we have had few enemies in the past. The road that we are travelling on now may change that fact. My fear is that the government will use these two criminal acts to overact and cause legislation to be put in place which will curb our civil liberties and change the normal way of a free expression in Canada. These two acts are being used by the government to support their decision to send planes to bomb targets in Iraq and probably Syria. We have been trapped into aiding the USA in their attempt to clean up the mess they created when they left Iraq.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Last Grandchild Under 18
Tomorrow Troy will be 18 years old. Having been the baby of the grandchildren gave him a position of importance as he was spoiled by all the other young ones. We as grandparents always thought that there would never be an end to grandchildren but how fast that managed to be a lost thought. Troy has been a great ending of a wonderful flock of kids who we have had the good fortune to say they were our grandchildren. Everyone brags about their grandchildren but we only bragged when there was really something to brag about.
Troy was a joy from the very beginning. He was very intelligent and as far as physical characteristics go he has excelled in every athletic event he joined. He has had enough knocks while playing hockey, baseball and football. These hard knocks never dampened his spirit and he is as enthusiastic about sports now as he has ever been.
His older brother was his role model and we often teased Troy about slight exaggerations when he described his prowess at golf when he claimed to have a hole in one on a 368 yard hole.It was all in fun because he is also a great golfer. One story tells you about his determination. I have a pool table and Troy really wished to beat me at the game just once. I gave him a game once and he was angry and said I never tried. From Then on over years I beat him regularly but he never gave up. One day he beat me fair and square and that was that. He never even bragged but just stated to Theresa that he won the game that day.
My wish for Troy on this 18th Birthday is that he carry that winning spirit through life and be a bright light in the eyes of all those he meets. He has great talent so be expect great things from Troy. I know that being the youngest gives him the great opportunity to do everything that the previous seven never accomplished.
Troy was a joy from the very beginning. He was very intelligent and as far as physical characteristics go he has excelled in every athletic event he joined. He has had enough knocks while playing hockey, baseball and football. These hard knocks never dampened his spirit and he is as enthusiastic about sports now as he has ever been.
His older brother was his role model and we often teased Troy about slight exaggerations when he described his prowess at golf when he claimed to have a hole in one on a 368 yard hole.It was all in fun because he is also a great golfer. One story tells you about his determination. I have a pool table and Troy really wished to beat me at the game just once. I gave him a game once and he was angry and said I never tried. From Then on over years I beat him regularly but he never gave up. One day he beat me fair and square and that was that. He never even bragged but just stated to Theresa that he won the game that day.
My wish for Troy on this 18th Birthday is that he carry that winning spirit through life and be a bright light in the eyes of all those he meets. He has great talent so be expect great things from Troy. I know that being the youngest gives him the great opportunity to do everything that the previous seven never accomplished.
Monday, October 13, 2014
Thanksgiving Day Get Together
Thanksgiving Day dinner was on Saturday this year as many of our people were available and prepared to come. Seventeen arrived and immediately the party started and the noise level went up accordingly.It was such a beautiful day with the fall leaves in full color and temperature above normal. Of course Doris was here to enjoy the company and the good food provided again by Lynda and Peter.
As I looked around the room I realized that there are no children in our ranks as even little Troy is about to celebrate his 18th birthday. My other thought was that these young people are all about the same age and being family and soon to be family they will have a wonderful life with close friendships forged over the years.
Theresa, Doris and myself were sitting together at the end of the table and as we watched the interaction among these folks we realized that in the coming years there will be a new generation coming along and we will be able to share some years with tiny ones at our get togethers in the future.There was also the feeling that this group are well prepared to take on the world and all it offers as they used their last years getting all learned up at the universities.
I heard some of the young people talking about what we should be thankful for and they had various answers to their feelings, I privately made a short list and the first one was gatherings like this when our family is once again together to celebrate the many events throughout the year. Not all families are either willing or able to share time with their loved ones and they miss one of the greatest gifts of all.
In this time of world turmoil I would love to see some sense of harmony among the warring nations and that we would not once again place our young people in harms way in foreign lands. For all the futility of war leaders continue to destroy property, kill innocent people and destroy dreams for millions of young people. My wish is that by this time next year there will be peace and understanding among the many troubled lands.
As I looked around the room I realized that there are no children in our ranks as even little Troy is about to celebrate his 18th birthday. My other thought was that these young people are all about the same age and being family and soon to be family they will have a wonderful life with close friendships forged over the years.
Theresa, Doris and myself were sitting together at the end of the table and as we watched the interaction among these folks we realized that in the coming years there will be a new generation coming along and we will be able to share some years with tiny ones at our get togethers in the future.There was also the feeling that this group are well prepared to take on the world and all it offers as they used their last years getting all learned up at the universities.
I heard some of the young people talking about what we should be thankful for and they had various answers to their feelings, I privately made a short list and the first one was gatherings like this when our family is once again together to celebrate the many events throughout the year. Not all families are either willing or able to share time with their loved ones and they miss one of the greatest gifts of all.
In this time of world turmoil I would love to see some sense of harmony among the warring nations and that we would not once again place our young people in harms way in foreign lands. For all the futility of war leaders continue to destroy property, kill innocent people and destroy dreams for millions of young people. My wish is that by this time next year there will be peace and understanding among the many troubled lands.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Turkeys Beware
This time of the year is a dangerous time to be a turkey. Thanksgiving day could be called family day as this is the time when Canadian families make every effort to come together for a turkey dinner and a sharing of time with family and friends. This long weekend enables people to get some much needed chores completed before the snow.It often is the last time people go to their cottages at the lake and close up. Around the house there are many little chores that will be done but the time shared around the table is the highlight.
When we were kids in Cape Breton this was the day when we banked the house. This meant that we piled earth or sometimes saw dust against the home to prevent drafts from entering the cellar. Many homes did not have concrete basements at that time but cellars with earth floors and a place to store the winter potatoes and vegetables.Times have changed now and this is only a memory.
It is a day of tradition and even a slight change of venue or menu causes some to take issue. In our immediate family there are a few of those and they keep the rest of us in order and the day a ceremony like the one last year.
Our family is like many in Canada and become larger every year but geography plays a hand as to who will be present. Up to now we are centered in Ontario and everyone finds a way to attend but soon there will be pressure for some to move for a multitude of reasons. I just hope we will enjoy every celebration like it is the last and have precious memories .
When we were kids in Cape Breton this was the day when we banked the house. This meant that we piled earth or sometimes saw dust against the home to prevent drafts from entering the cellar. Many homes did not have concrete basements at that time but cellars with earth floors and a place to store the winter potatoes and vegetables.Times have changed now and this is only a memory.
It is a day of tradition and even a slight change of venue or menu causes some to take issue. In our immediate family there are a few of those and they keep the rest of us in order and the day a ceremony like the one last year.
Our family is like many in Canada and become larger every year but geography plays a hand as to who will be present. Up to now we are centered in Ontario and everyone finds a way to attend but soon there will be pressure for some to move for a multitude of reasons. I just hope we will enjoy every celebration like it is the last and have precious memories .
Thanksgiving Cleamup
We plant, trim, cut and fertilize all summer to make our yards look great and the day comes when we see the leaves blowing about and realize that we have to prepare for the winter. All the work we performed brought about tremendous growth an now we have to cut the green stuff and prune the trees and pull out the plants that gave us those tomatoes, beans and other vegetables. We are really reacting to our boss, Mother Nature.
If only we as a country could take the same approach and become true stewards of our natural surroundings we would not have this world problem of global warming. I read a book some years ago that said it the near future that there would be international companies that would be bigger than the governments. That time is here. Special interest groups dictate the policies that should be made by governments. Look at Canadian oil interests and understand that they are nearly exempt from environmental oversight and are left to supervise themselves.
Although we as individuals are much more aware of our responsibilities in the sharing of our place on the planet there are huge problems with governance as companies always look at the bottom line and money trumps green policies. There are examples of responsible companies and they find a way to act responsibly and still manage to make a profit. I do not believe we can permit internationals to regulate themselves . Just a quick look at the third world countries where dictators or weak governments cry for development at any cost so Internationals come, profit, make a mess and move on.
The environmental issue is greater and larger than any one party so we must have a world program that is able to make proper regulations and have the ability to enforce them. Unfortunately the UN is undercut by the big seven states and they are also the biggest polluters.
Wishing for a thanksgiving cleanup of the planet will not happen soon so we just have to do our part and enjoy the bounty of the earth and keep our little area green.
If only we as a country could take the same approach and become true stewards of our natural surroundings we would not have this world problem of global warming. I read a book some years ago that said it the near future that there would be international companies that would be bigger than the governments. That time is here. Special interest groups dictate the policies that should be made by governments. Look at Canadian oil interests and understand that they are nearly exempt from environmental oversight and are left to supervise themselves.
Although we as individuals are much more aware of our responsibilities in the sharing of our place on the planet there are huge problems with governance as companies always look at the bottom line and money trumps green policies. There are examples of responsible companies and they find a way to act responsibly and still manage to make a profit. I do not believe we can permit internationals to regulate themselves . Just a quick look at the third world countries where dictators or weak governments cry for development at any cost so Internationals come, profit, make a mess and move on.
The environmental issue is greater and larger than any one party so we must have a world program that is able to make proper regulations and have the ability to enforce them. Unfortunately the UN is undercut by the big seven states and they are also the biggest polluters.
Wishing for a thanksgiving cleanup of the planet will not happen soon so we just have to do our part and enjoy the bounty of the earth and keep our little area green.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Afterglow
Having taken so many hours watching TV and reading all about the decision to go to war I was depleted of reasonable answers to the issue. After special events like sex there is an afterglow which gives you a warm comforting feeling. This event made me sick as I saw so much potential for a great ending and it did not happen. I was disappointed in most of the rhetoric as that house holds a huge amount of experience and ability.
I feel that there could and should have been consensus about Canada's involvement in the mess in the Middle East. We definitely have a role to play and definitely there could have been a point where all could say this is the best course for Canada. The blame has to sit on the Conservative Party and the Prime Minister who never tried to keep everyone centered on the problem by keeping them up to date. Either the PM did not know what he was planning or he did not wish to share, he failed on all accounts. Answers never given to honest questions. Terrible toxic answers to simple questions developed a division that could never be breached.
I believe the PM caused this breach on purpose so it became Harper's War. He sent around notices to all departments some months ago saying he wanted information to be given as Harper Government and not the Canadian Government. This mess is not over and I am afraid that the people who will suffer in the long run will be our men and women in uniform.
There is no way that ISIS can be stopped with bombs and now that the camel has his nose in the tent watch what he will do next..
I feel that there could and should have been consensus about Canada's involvement in the mess in the Middle East. We definitely have a role to play and definitely there could have been a point where all could say this is the best course for Canada. The blame has to sit on the Conservative Party and the Prime Minister who never tried to keep everyone centered on the problem by keeping them up to date. Either the PM did not know what he was planning or he did not wish to share, he failed on all accounts. Answers never given to honest questions. Terrible toxic answers to simple questions developed a division that could never be breached.
I believe the PM caused this breach on purpose so it became Harper's War. He sent around notices to all departments some months ago saying he wanted information to be given as Harper Government and not the Canadian Government. This mess is not over and I am afraid that the people who will suffer in the long run will be our men and women in uniform.
There is no way that ISIS can be stopped with bombs and now that the camel has his nose in the tent watch what he will do next..
Eclipse
Theresa usually tumbles out of be around 8am but this morning when I looked out the window at 5.40am I had a clear view of the eclipse.I told Theresa who was half awake of the clear sky and an opportunity to see a blood moon eclipse she slipped out of bed. There was not a cloud and in fact it was perfectly clear. The eclipse had started and although the moon was low in the sky it was plainly visible
Theresa and I witnessed an eclipse similar to this in Florida but it was not as clear. There is something mystical about events like this.I remember a novel written some time ago how a missionary had saved his life when he was surrounded by angry and dangerous tribesmen in Africa. The missionary , having knowledge of an eclipse spooked the native people to wait to show the power of his god by taking away the light from the moon. They waited, the eclipse came as predicted and his powers were accepted by the native people.
This am Theresa and I were not faced with such a problem but I waited for Lynda to pass by and hoped she had an opportunity to see for herself the natural wonder. This eclipse is called a blood eclipse because when there is a total eclipse the moon looked to have an Orange color. This am it did so we witnessed the blood eclipse . Theresa looked at the clock and decided to have a few more winks and went back to bed. I was still excited so read the Toronto Star and got angry over the coverage about our country going to war.
Theresa and I witnessed an eclipse similar to this in Florida but it was not as clear. There is something mystical about events like this.I remember a novel written some time ago how a missionary had saved his life when he was surrounded by angry and dangerous tribesmen in Africa. The missionary , having knowledge of an eclipse spooked the native people to wait to show the power of his god by taking away the light from the moon. They waited, the eclipse came as predicted and his powers were accepted by the native people.
This am Theresa and I were not faced with such a problem but I waited for Lynda to pass by and hoped she had an opportunity to see for herself the natural wonder. This eclipse is called a blood eclipse because when there is a total eclipse the moon looked to have an Orange color. This am it did so we witnessed the blood eclipse . Theresa looked at the clock and decided to have a few more winks and went back to bed. I was still excited so read the Toronto Star and got angry over the coverage about our country going to war.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Canada At War
For the past two days I have been watching the TV and the House of Commons and the impact that their decision will have on Canada. I know through my monitoring the House many of the key players in Parliament. During the past two days there has been a better level of civility although as the debate continued there was a lack of patience and some of the players became real and their politics stood out in bold letters.
There was no way that the Conservative Party was going to lose the vote on going to war but the debate exposed the raw side of the people who had already decided before the debate the outcome. The young NDP members from Quebec spoke with a fresh look at the decision of going to war meant. They offered all types of alternatives to military combat and their socialist side stood out in a fine fashion. Their caring for the people impacted by the horrible force ICIS was evident and the way they expressed their compassion was real.
The Liberal arguments became solid in so far as they explained that bombing would not have a positive effect as most of the good targets were already used up. Our little effort with a few F16 and support group would not be missed but would cost Canada a lot of money. History would show that Canada was at it's best when involved in peacekeeping . Our ability to provide a safe place for civilians and providing shelter, food and medical care is the best in the world. The greatest need at the present is the million plus people who are living in Turkey and other countries are in grave need for help. These countries are unable to bear the burden of all these people and Canada could help in a big way.
I am not saying that we should not recognize the horrific enemy atrocities and our need to do something about it but maybe armed combat is not the best way to go.I personally do not believe that bombing this group of armed terrorists will be effective This enemy is more prepared to carry out their game than we are to stop them. They will have to be stopped on the ground and that is a fact. We can bomb forever and maybe lose support from the people we are trying to help but eventually we have to get the people who live there and are impacted by them to do the fighting. We can help them with providing better arms and some air support but until the local tribes stand up as the Kurds are the ICIS will continue to expand and push their agenda on the area.
Our government has made a decision and although I do not agree with the decision I will as a Canadian support our fighting men who are ordered to fight for Harpers war.This war is on the heads of the Conservatives and God bless them if their decision is a bad one.
There was no way that the Conservative Party was going to lose the vote on going to war but the debate exposed the raw side of the people who had already decided before the debate the outcome. The young NDP members from Quebec spoke with a fresh look at the decision of going to war meant. They offered all types of alternatives to military combat and their socialist side stood out in a fine fashion. Their caring for the people impacted by the horrible force ICIS was evident and the way they expressed their compassion was real.
The Liberal arguments became solid in so far as they explained that bombing would not have a positive effect as most of the good targets were already used up. Our little effort with a few F16 and support group would not be missed but would cost Canada a lot of money. History would show that Canada was at it's best when involved in peacekeeping . Our ability to provide a safe place for civilians and providing shelter, food and medical care is the best in the world. The greatest need at the present is the million plus people who are living in Turkey and other countries are in grave need for help. These countries are unable to bear the burden of all these people and Canada could help in a big way.
I am not saying that we should not recognize the horrific enemy atrocities and our need to do something about it but maybe armed combat is not the best way to go.I personally do not believe that bombing this group of armed terrorists will be effective This enemy is more prepared to carry out their game than we are to stop them. They will have to be stopped on the ground and that is a fact. We can bomb forever and maybe lose support from the people we are trying to help but eventually we have to get the people who live there and are impacted by them to do the fighting. We can help them with providing better arms and some air support but until the local tribes stand up as the Kurds are the ICIS will continue to expand and push their agenda on the area.
Our government has made a decision and although I do not agree with the decision I will as a Canadian support our fighting men who are ordered to fight for Harpers war.This war is on the heads of the Conservatives and God bless them if their decision is a bad one.
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