A POSTCARD FROM WINNIPEG MANITOBA

Winnipeg is the 7th largest municipality in Canada.Steeped in Canadian History, it is the Captial of Manitoba. As a vibrant modern city, it is full of Theatre, entertertainment, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and a magnet to many tourists. NHL hockey has returned with the Winnipeg Jets. CFL with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers has made the citizens proud. Howie Mendel and Burton Cummings to name a couple of celebrities call it home.

Located on the Assiniboine and Red River rivers a typical tourist attraction can include a boat ride. During a visit to my sister and family when she lived there in 1979, we all decided to take a ride on the M.S Paddlewheel Queen. Trying to stop one of my daughters from climbing on the rail resulted in a memorable two year old temper tantrum. The trouble with boats is it is hard to exit in a hurry. It became one of those family stories!

The postcards depicted are from the late 1970's. I am sure the city landscape has changed. I have not received a postcard from Winnipeg but I know I did send some to family at that time.

Do you have other comments to make about Winnipeg? It is also very cold in the winter and has the nickname of Winterpeg!

If you want a postcard featured here email me at abdm@rogers.com and I will send you my address so you can send me a postcard.

WILL THE GROUNDHOG SEE HIS SHADOW?

Probably unlikely with the snow conditions today on the Eastern Seaboard. That little rodent also known as a woodchuck or marmot will try to predict how long it is to Spring. Punxsutawny Phil in Punsxutawney, Pennsylvania: Brandon Bob in Manitoba, Shubenacadie Sam in Nova Scotia or Alberta's Balzac Billy may just want to stay in their comfortable homes. Perhaps our Wiarton Willie in Bruce County, Ontario may give it a shot but somehow I doubt it. Interesting tradition that goes back to Germanic roots and animalism in Europe. It was a way to try to predict when to plant the crops. Now it is a fun day with many communities having winter festivals around the date. To all the Groundhogs everywhere, Happy Groundhog Day!!!

SKATING CANADIAN STYLE

Skating is one sport that the majority of Canadians know how to do. I learnt from a very young age- think about 3 to skate. It was on a little patch of ice at the local school. Children go through several pairs of skates in their lifetime. Even while at York University, I would go with a group of friends to skate recreationally at the arena there after class. When my children were younger I would skate with them. Adolph made a backyard rink for several years at our old house in Thornhill and again when we moved to Richmond Hill. It was easier to put the kids in the backyard skating than driving somewhere with them. Every town and city across Canada has indoor and outdoor rinks for skating pleasure. Here in Richmond Hill, many people go to the Mill Pond for outdoor skating. Recreational and professional skating in varied fields such as figure skating, speed skating and hockey are enjoyed everywhere here in Canada. Did you know the oldest indoor skating rink is in Montreal, Quebec built in 1862- Victoria Skating Rink? The first Stanley Cup playoffs were played there in 1894. The Olympic Plaza in Downtown Calgary has had winter skating since the 1988 Olympics. Our Nation's capital- Ottawa- has the Rideau Canal Skateway- 7.8 km or 4.8 miles long. Doing some research for this blog I discovered it is not the longest- Winnipeg, Manitoba- has the longest ice skating rink- 8.5 km or 5.3 miles long. I wonder if family members living there have skated it and can brag about their accomplishments!! Although a small rink in comparison, Nathan Phillip's Square in Toronto is a fun skate. Reminds me of my youth and a cheap date there with Adolph! Children and youth everywhere enjoy their local arenas, frozen ponds or rivers. Many famous hockey stars started this way. Winter skating- a reason to be outside with the little ones! Do you have favourite places you like to go skating?