Blog-Letter July 2022

 CANADA DAY!

 

 

 

 

It's Canada's Birthday today.  A fitting time and place for our thoughts on what Canada means to us.

Pam:  

One never forgets where you're born and grew up. My formative years were in Scotland and the memories I shared with my family will always be with me, but as a new immigrant to Canada in the 60s, I loved everything Canada had to offer. Yes, my husband and I were homesick from time to time and we tried to return a few years after we arrived. Nope, not happening. As the saying goes... You can never go home again. 

 

We became Canadian citizens and settled into all things Canadian. Don't get me wrong, the beauty that is Scotland and my hometown of Edinburgh takes a lot to beat. I've been to a few countries in Europe and some states in the US. Texas and Alaska stick in my mind as well as a trip to the Caribbean.

 

But you can't beat the east coast of Canada and I was not out west long enough to give an opinion, but I'll go back. It's coming home to Ontario and especially to the Greater Golden Horseshoe area where I live where I am most comfortable living. My children and grandchildren were all born here and are proud to call Canada home.

Happy Birthday Canada

Liz:

The older I become the more I appreciate this beautiful country I am blessed to call home. Is it perfect? No, and nowhere is. The tragedies finally revealed with our history of residential schools sickened and grieved me. Would I rather live anywhere else? Absolutely not. Don't get me wrong - there are places I have travelled to that I love, Virginia in America is one, and the appeal of a small English seaside town has never gone away, but this amazing country is home.

With ten provinces and three territories, our land extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific and north to the Arctic Ocean - that's about 9.98 million square kilometres. Our diverse population of just over 38 million people speaks to our strengths. Without immigrants, Canada would not be the country she is. My mother was an immigrant, and although my father was born here, he wasn't far removed from his immigrant ancestors either.

From hockey to Tim Horton's, to maple syrup. Celine Dion to Sandra Oh, to Donald Sutherland. And that's just scratching the surface. Accomplishments? The Canadarm, IMAX, insulin, Joe Shuster's contribution to the creation of Superman, Instant Replays (first used during a Maple Leaf Hockey game in 1955), Plexiglass, and Java computer language. 

So much to be proud of!  No list of Canadian accomplishments would be complete in Jamie Tremain's world of books without noting: Louise Penny, Thomas King, Robert Munsch, Farley Mowat.  L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables,  and Margaret Atwood's  The Handmaid's Tale continue to be "must-read books".  Read more on 100 Must-Read Books by Canadian Authors.

So Happy Birthday, Canada - I am proud to be Canadian!

 

 

Although I love this country, I sadly haven't seen a lot of it, but as for my home province of Ontario, I get around. I believe Pam has seen more of Canada than I have. On my bucket list is the East Coast - Cape Breton specifically.  And on the West - why a cruise up the coast of British Columbia to Alaska don't you know.

 

Niagara Falls in the Winter

Parliament Hill, Ottawa

A local Zehr's Canada Day Spirit in Guelph

Toronto Night Lights

Lake Huron

Cottage Life, Sparrow Lake

 

 

Before we go, an educational moment brought to you by Jamie Tremain

 

Confusing Canadian Words you may have heard and what they mean:

 

Ogopogo - Canada's Loch Ness Monster

Poutine - Addictive concoction of fries, gravy and cheese curds

Chinook -A unseasonably warm wind that descends from the Rockies

Kerfuffle - A scuffle or commotion

Trawno - A large city in Ontario  :-)

 

 

We hope, wherever you are, you enjoy a Happy, and safe, Canada Day!  The summer stretches ahead and we will be back next month with book reviews, Jamie Tremain news and more!

 

Cheers!

 

Pam & Liz