#18 BARB'S REFLECTIVE 150-LOVE THE CANADIAN FLAG

February 15, 1965 Canada had a new flag. It was such serious debate and designs for years before it happened. Hard to imagine Canada with any other flag now. Small and large- we wave it, we carry it at events and fly it on flag poles. Our Olympians pass around a big one at the end of each games- a flag tradition.

I like to have one outside the week before and after July 1- Canada Day.

Flying high at all government businesses.

Even make nice reflective pictures at tourist sites.

Remembrance Day sees the flag carried. Of course, one notices the flag of Ontario.

                   Oh Canada, our home and native land with flag equally as grand!

50 YEARS OLD- OUR CANADIAN FLAG

Iconic- hard to believe the debate and controversy to have our own flag. Each province had a flag but Canada used the Red Ensign- British as a reminder of being part of the British Commonwealth. But on February 15, 1965 the new flag was declared the one. Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson was in office at the time.

Little flags and big ones are waved at important Canadian events. Even the athletes at the closing ceremony of many Olympics carry a huge one around the field. I remember the prototypes- even some stamps had those images. A stamp from 1964 had 3 red maple leaves with a blue background- National Unity. Actually trying to please part of the country and not the whole. An old song rarely sung at events now- The Maple Leaf Forever. More English than French which was the problem. However with the Maple Syrup industry in Canada having an incredible base in Quebec, the maple leaf definitely is symbolic. When we celebrated the 100th anniversary of confederation in 1967, a beautiful 5 cent stamp had the flag proudly waving. Our flag is very hard to make by hand. The maple leaf with all its points would take a steady hand. My home flies the flag on July 1 weekend. It is handy for major sports events. Red and white are good colours. It stands out and most Canadians would not have it any other way. Eh?

FAMILY DAY WEEKEND IN ONTARIO

A nice little break in the middle of winter! Actually it coincides with the lobbying to have a flag day. Some of us remember the debate about the new flag that replaced the old Union Jack for Canada. February 15, 1965 our new red and white maple leaf came to be. Many people did not like it. But how times have changed. It is so representative of Canada now. So family day or flag day or just an excuse to have a long weekend, who cares. Workers with a day off to spend time at home or skiing or cleaning or toboganning or snow boarding or whatever will give pleasure embrace the day! Besides it makes the next week even sweeter- a four day work week! Do you have the day off? What will you be doing? Any special plans? Or are you going to roll with whatever happens to come your way?

THE CANADIAN BARN

Country drives along rural roads or major highways in Ontario reveal the farms that bring us our food. Of course, similar drives in any province would bring us to many farms and the people who work and live in the farming industry. For some reason I have always loved the architecture of barns. They are featured in movies, stories and some of us may have visited a farm or two in our lives and have the experience of being in a barn. In my childhood, my siblings and I used to spend some time on a family farm in Coldwater, Ontario.

Of course, modern barns are fully automated with electricity and other necessary equipment to be operational, productive and fiscally solvent for the farmer or company that owns them.

Perhaps on my country jaunts I will try to find some other barns to photograph. What do you see when you look at the picture above? Does it tell a story with the barn, country farm house and the Canadian flag in the background? Do you wonder who lives there? Why did they chose this life? Would it be a life you would want? Do you have your own story about a barn?