UP, UP, and AWAY

We like the Canada Geese fly away every fall to our little southern abode. We have a system which makes the change over quite easy and painless. There is a list which Theresa produces to make sure we have all our needs met for the transition. We would not have a problem with the space in the van were it not for the girls shoes and makeup.

Although it is a happy occasion and we look forward to going south there is the other side of the coin. Leaving the friendly home here with all the plants and trees is not difficult as we have that where we are going, it is the loss of almost daily contact with the family and friends which makes it somewhat difficult. Phone calls, email's are great but they cannot replace the physical contact we have here.

This year we hope to have some visits and this adds to the joy we experience there. Already I am trying to visualize the yard and the trees. They grow so quickly that we are astonished when we drive up to our home. Of course there is always some problems with the greenery as the fruit is too heavy and branches are broken or wind will cause damage to the screens and so on.

We have to vote in our municipal election and the advance poll is open all day. I never want to miss my privilege to cast my vote.The last minute little things keep us from not becoming too anxious to get going. Some good news for us is that the Canadian dollar is exactly at par as I write and is expected to rise even more. Some years ago we had to pay 48 cents on the dollar and one time even more. This does not help international trade but it is friendly for travellers going to the USA.

I shall continue my blogs in a few days when I get settled. I will add some pics of the jungle before and after I clean up an trim.

Miners Rescued in Chile

During last evening and late into the night Theresa and I watched, glued to the TV as men were taken from the jaws of death in a mine in Chile. After what seemed like a lifetime men were brought to the cold air to freedom because of modern technology and a will to free the miners trapped below. Most of the world watched live TV coverage of this exceptional feat. I was torn between watching this dramatic rescue and a memory of days long ago when another rescue was taking place in Nova Scotia.This mine rescue was a feat which could not have been even imagined years ago when a mine disaster occurred in Springhill in 1956. At that time many coal miners were trapped underground after a bump collapsed the mine killing many and trapping more. After 14 days when the mine was to be sealed to put out fires tapping sounds were heard and one of the most memorable rescues took place.

My family were coal miners and made their living in the deepest submarine coal mine in the world. Princess Mine ran miles out under the Atlantic Ocean and was a dangerous place to work. A number of my extended family were injured and some perished eaking out a living digging for black gold, coal.

I was teaching in a small company town in Temiscaming, Quebec when the Springhill Mine rescue operation was played out on radio and TV. Immediately fund raising programs sprung up and money was collected for the families impacted by the disaster. Even in far flung communities this rescue captured the imagination of the country. It was the media which brought live coverage of the event which made everyone get involved. Our school raised over $600 alone and the town more than $5,000. All of this for days on end because it was a human drama played out before our very eyes. TV became the great media giant and events like this were carried to the corners of the world.

As the rescue in Chile continues, millions of people breath together in synch with one purpose in mind. How wonderful it would be if we could do the same for peace in the world. We can only hope that the exposure of this mine disaster will bring attention to the safety practices carried out in many countries which puts lives on the line every day.

Mining is big business and makes some people very rich. We hope that better and safer working conditions will be one of the outcomes of this dramatic rescue.

Commonwealth Games in India

Since the breakup or re-constructing of the British Empire over the past century we are left with a voluntary association called the British Commonwealth of Nations. Over a third of the world's population belong to this organization and it unique in as much as all the participants were once ruled by Great Britain. Regular conferences are held and all members are equal. Many still pledge allegiance to the Queen but some do not. Canada as an example still looks at the Queen as the head of our country although she appoints a Govern General to act in her place.`

Every few years a international games are held in one of the members states. Participation is limited to athletes from members of the commonwealth. These are the second largest games after the Olympics and garnish much attention. Winners of these events hold their win in high regard as many of the athletes hold world records.

This year the games are held in Delhi, India. Our athletes will mingle with others from the far flung corners of the earth. These games add a touch of class to the association and help bind the nations together. When you look at the members of this association you begin to realize the tremendous control over the seas Britain had for hundreds of years.

It is surprising as well to see that the vast majority of the commonwealth countries received their freedom without a armed conflict. In fact only a few fought for their freedom like the USA and remained friendly over the years. Today Britain and the USA are great friends but the USA is not a member of the commonwealth.

People often think these games are a waste of money but the good will gleaned through sports and culture are very strong and important. International events bring people, culture, ideas and understanding to bear for the common good.

Turkey Dinner For The Family

Turkey dinner is more than a feast of good food and drink. It is the mix of people with similar heritage but divergent souls. As I watched the interaction among the second and third generation people in our family I could see a striking difference. Fresher interests, a more social conscience and a bravery to show their true feelings.

Everything from politics, religion and world view on our responsibility to mother earth is expressed with a certainty. So many of our grandchildren have taken a stand on women's issues, world hunger and the need for education as a means to solving the problems of mother earth. I can hardly express a new idea anymore as the youth have a benchmark way above mine.

Our table is not the place to tell a prejudice joke without expecting the wrath from the kids. Times have changed. Our youth have taken stands on issues that we at their age were not even known. It is a kinder and more gentile culture with a sharing attitude and a belief that things will be different if we do something. They express confident they make a difference, each one.

Recently there was a get together of 20,000 youth who sang, spoke and dedicated themselves to Free the Children. The Rogers Center in Toronto rocked all day and showed the world that everyone counts. This movement was started by a young Canadian and his brother and it has swept the country with literally hundreds of thousands involved in programs to make life better for under served people around the world.

Their leadership comes from within their heart and pours out in countless ways to build schools, feed the hungry and give the needy a face. Yes I feel great about our youth but this comes as no surprise as I always tried to give youth a voice when I saw them as the fresh new wave coming forth to lead us to a better way of doing things.

10.10.10.

This particular date will not occur for another 100 years so we should make it special. Many of my friends are celebrating this day as turkey day with family and friends gathering to feast on a special Thanksgiving dinner. It is also a time of reflection where we can count our blessings and many gifts which we take for granted most every day.

Personally I am most thankful for family and good health. Our family and extended family are blessed with good health mostly and are able to live a full life with all its value. Today we shall gather at my daughters home (daughter #1) and experience that special feeling when you are together as a family. As we are spread around the province is not always possible for us all to get together but we must count the ones who are there and remember the ones who are missing.

This has been a particularly difficult year for me with the death of several close friends and health issues for others.This can be expected at my age but it doesn't make it any easier. This week Theresa and I have been busy putting our yard in order for the winter and packing for our time down south. The beautiful colours of the leaves and bushes tell us it is time for the migration to take place and the tree full of birds yesterday was a sure sign.

It has been a great year for butterflies and the Monarch is starting to form groups on their way to Mexico. We have seen huge flocks over the years on our way to Florida. We were lucky this year to be home to four hatchings of house and song sparrows. Our bird houses were full all summer and provided us with entertainment.

One incident was of special mention when I heard Doris and Theresa shouting about a large bird by our fish ponds. It was a huge Sand Hill Crane standing over our goldfish ready to have a colourful snack when the shouts scared him away. It was such a large bird that it had trouble taking off over our tall Maple Trees in the back yard but it managed and we still have our little fish. They stay in the ponds over winter and manage quite well.

Mother nature this year provided us with bumper crops of vegetables and fruit. Flowers and trees flourished and we reaped the benefits of her bounty and beauty for which we are thankful.

There are so many things we can be thankful for it would be impossible to state them all. We should be thankful for the young men and women who are in far away places defending our country's orders to participate in wars. I will be thankful when the world finds other ways to solve their differences like maybe having our leaders duel or something.

Finally, after all this rambling, I feel blessed to live in a country with all its faults and to feel free to make my own path to peace and happiness in our family circle.

October 1996

October was a cold month in the Arctic in 1996. I was pretty well used to the cold as I had the very best in cold weather clothing and footwear. I had much on my mind that day as I was expecting a minister of municipal affairs to arrive and give me the green light on a plan for the district. My plan was to put all the resources from the government in the social needs section in one pot and call it a wellness initiative.

I realized that there was plenty of money sent to our community for social issues but it was not utilized in a timely fashion. My idea along with a woman's group was to join together a working group with a full time leader to serve the needy . As it stood some people were being serviced by 3 or 4 different agencies and it was wasteful. As I drove to work that morning it was still dark but I could see a group of kids on bicycles crossing the bay.

It was 35 below zero and I wondered where these kids were going. It did not take too long to find out as there was a terrific explosion a few minutes later. there was a problem in our area with young people sniffing propane gas and even regular gas to get high. In this case four kids had gone to a place where a large packing case became the small space where a propane tank was opened and the kids got high. One young person lit a cigarette and boom.

I was on sight in minutes as well as half the hamlet and discovered two dead , two badly burned and a town in shock. The medic vac took the two youngsters to Yellowknife and on to Edmonton to the burn clinic.

This incident cemented the community in realizing that decisive action had to be taken. That afternoon the minister arrived as well as the press and needless to say our plan for a wellness committee was approved.

A community funeral was held and leaders spoke of the problems facing the new committee and how important it was for everyone to help. I could have picked nearly every person in the hamlet to serve but the community chose seven people. Three elders, the minister , two students (1 boy 1 girl ) and the mayor . The mayor appointed a lady councillor to take his place as he felt he was not ready for this undertaking.

Some times it takes a tragedy to wake people up and in this case it did. The committee hired an outsider to be the wellness director and made a great choice. The two boys who were badly burned eventually recovered and one returned to walk the streets and be a living example of the dangers of sniffing gas and the other never made it back in to society.

My work there took a turn and for the next few years this committee became a model accepted in many hamlets in Nunavut. Incidentally our Minister of Health for Canada was a resident of that hamlet at the time and was influenced as were all to make their communities better, safer and more in tune with the social needs of the Inuit.

Dreary Weather

The last few weeks have been dreary from a weather perspective but good for the garden and trees.A damp fall brings needed moisture to the ground and the trees have a good water base for winter. The garlic I planted only six days ago is now sprouting well and I fear it will grow too much before snow cover.

Strawberries I transplanted several weeks ago have been sending out runners and are healthy. I shall cover them with mulch for the winter and clear the mulch in the spring. This year I had some peach curl on my nectarine tree and I have to be careful to collect all the leaves and destroy them as well as treat the tree fall and spring to get rid of that disease.

I was in a transplanting mood and moved my two high bush blueberry trees to a new location. Cedar droppings stunted these young trees and I had no berries this year. I moved some of the rhubarb for the same reason and should have more success next year..

We have a problem with sunlight as tall trees surround our property and this cuts the direct sunlight to a few hours a day in the front and back parts of our lot. The side spaces are narrow but get plenty of sunlight and do well. Unfortunately they are narrow .

The weather is so important and here in Southern Ontario a late frost in spring or an early fall freeze up can be disastrous. I am ready early this year and have put all my plants to bed and the beds prepared for planting next spring. I make the mistake of gathering the seeds for next year and not labeling them. This fall I have done this for the first time and should be off and running in the spring if I can remember where I put them for safe keeping. Dreary weather is really not that bad.