CANADIAN THOUGHTS AND PLANNING FOR A FUN FILLED SUMMER

May arrived with the trees budding and flowers popping up in the garden. The birds are busy singing, courting and building nests. The garden centres are busy with spring shoppers planning their "landscape masterpieces"! The long weekend-the Victoria Day weekend- is the rule of thumb about planting annuals ! The last fear of frost learned by our ancestors. There is a tradition not to wear white before that time as well! Since our warm seasons seem shorter than the long winter, plans for not only May and June but vacations in the summer months. To travel to Europe, go south, rent a cottage, go camping or a fun packed staycation. Coordinating with work colleagues about coverage and who wants what week or month. Perhaps getting the house ready for summer guests travelling from away! For busy parents-what camp-art, computer, math, physical activities, what lessons-swimming, soccer, baseball or tennis with some little ones taking golf! Painting a room, new outdoor furniture, stocking the freezer! There is always a need to plan, plan, plan! Why? The real urgency is to know what is happening so when the time arrives- the need is to relax, swim, fish, days on the boat if you have one, picnic and well-lay back and enjoy! May allows the luxury to start to research and decide what the next few months can entail. If your camp site is not booked in advance, then you could miss out! Finding the ideal cottage location or if a family has one-who goes what week can take good scheduling! Rome? Paris? London? Or a last minute- Jamaica, Mexico? A well developed garden in May and June allows for good sitting with a favourite beverage to enjoy looking at it! The hurry up and plan- go, go, go becomes the - get my favourite book or crossword with some music in the background and enjoy. Dinners on the deck!  Long walks, boat rides, car trips with no particular hurry can be the reward for all the preparation! We Canadians know how to do it right! I hear the discussion right now  happening from British Columbia to New Brunswick with some talk in Manitoba about "what do we want to do this summer"? Yes-the nice May weather gives us a chance to start to get into that mode! So how are your plans going? Do you have your travel books out? The maps or are you just a GPS user? Checking the budget? So what are your thoughts, eh?

THE WAKE WE LEAVE IN THE WATER!

Do you ever notice the wake left by a passing boat? There's a line of sorts. Little waves or ripples are made that fan out. If you are in a canoe, you really notice as the ride becomes bumpy when that boat passes. Sometimes the waves go crashing to shore. The scenery in the distance diminishes as the boat approaches new shores. Being on a boat on the water forges up many images and thoughts. Sometimes we all are just along for the ride or the captain of the boat steering its course. A little vulnerable as the vastness can make us feel small. If the ride is smooth we feel safe but if a storm were to arise, it would be a longer swim to shore than imagined. Knowing where the life jackets are kept or like my ride beside the life preserver, well just in case. I could enjoy the ride but I am always a little safety conscious! What kind of wake have I left in my boat of life? Did I make it bumpy for those around me? Did I steer a calm course, close to shore keeping others safey in mind? Did I remember to enjoy the ride? I have been on various "boats"- a cruise ship, several ferry boats in various parts of the country, canoes,  rowboats,  motorboats, flotation devices like a rubber tube and a sailboat or two, to name a few! Each one a different experience! Being on the water is so much different than sitting on the shore enjoying the view!

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NANA SAYS OUTDOOR PLAY IS GOOD FOR CHILDREN

With the warmer weather here, the outdoors becomes a great playground. A fenced in yard can keep children safe. Depending on the day- bug spray, sunscreen , a good hat and we are now advised to use sunglasses for not only adults but children of all ages. My yard is paths and gardens so teaching the little to leave the dirt in the garden and the stones on the path is a constant struggle. We are creating a little area under one of the trees so it can become " a fort"! Cheap plastic toys, a wagon and somewhere to sit makes for fun! My yard is full of rocks that the children like to climb and sit on! If you do not have a yard, there are many parks with lots of equipment or just go to the grassy area for some creative play. Make a picnic! Low tech! Old imagination! Listen to the birds- identify them. Teach about the trees! Pick up pinecones- then try to find uses for them! Nature becomes a lesson in constant progress! Walks, jogging and long bike rides work for older children and teenagers! If you are a lucky one with a cottage, learning the rules of the water- swimming, boating- learning to canoe or row a boat, and whatever the area brings in terms of wildlife and vegetation! Every adult becomes a teacher! Of course reading a book outside or doing a craft with natural products becomes fun. What do you have in your yard? Can an area become a castle for a princess and prince? Can a section of your garden become the little one's spot for flowers or vegetables? Get a bird book and a natural atlas for your area! Have fun looking up new any unknown "thing" with the family! Even if teenagers appear to be totally uninterested, keep at it anyway! They continue to learn through osmosis! As we spend more time outdoors with the children in our lives, it can have a great benefit on us! I find the screaming, and sometimes fighting that occurs with my grandchildren is less annoying as the sound evaporates into the air! Of course, helps with naps and sleeps as the play and air does tend to tire children. Tires adults as well! Oh the great outdoors- just love it!

A BOAT CRUISE

A slow cruise on the water-whether a lake, river or ocean allows us to enjoy one of earth's elements in a different way. Water sustains us of course. But using water for a recreational vehicle brings a calming connection with nature. I have been on a cruise for days in the Carribean and a short cruise in the Toronto harbour. Paddling a canoe, rowing a boat or clipping along in a motor boat bring enjoyment and create memories. Would I like to be on a boat right now-yes! To escape the troubles of the day! Of course take some bug spray as dusk does bring out the little critters! Do you like boats? Do you have a special memory of cruising?

BOATING- A GREAT CANADIAN HOBBY

To live in Canada means at some point in your life you will travel in a boat, buy a boat or have good friends that let you ride in their boat. Sailing, canoeing, motor boating to name a few. If you live on an island, then a ferry boat is needed. I have taken the ferry to and from Vancouver Island several times in my life. In Toronto there is a ferry to Centre Island and another one to the Island Airport.

For some ownership of a yacht is quite prestigious. A floating home with all the perks. Any tourist place offers tours of the lake, harbour, fishing for a day. If you have a cottage, you have a boat. Camping holidays include canoes, kayaks, row boats. Much of my youth was spent in a canoe. First time I remember being in one, I was about three. I always loved the ability to float quietly on the water hoping to sneak up on some wildlife. Learnt to waterski on our family boat as a kid! Friends have a sailboat that Adolph and I were able to have a sail on a harbour near Georgian Bay. The only boat I
have had as an adult is a little dighy rubber boat I bought for the kids when we rented a cottage one summer. Served a purpose- the girls had fun with

their friends.
Most Canadians live near some water or waterway. We live near Lake Ontario to the south, Lake Simcoe to the north and the Trent-Severn waterway to the east. Of course the St. Lawrence connects the lake to eastern Canada. Travelling in Ontario brings us to one of the Great Lakes. On each coast, Canadians are connected to two oceans- the Atlantic and the Pacific! If you want to travel on the ocean, you need a big boat!

Even our motto is about water- mare usque mare- sea to sea. Do you love some water sports? Is your boat just for fishing? Do you find it pleasurable to have a boat? But remember to wear your life jacket! No matter how good a swimmer- it is a must! Remember all the rules of boating safety!

SUNSET-TIME TO REFLECT

A sunset brings an end to the light of day. There is always time after dark to continue to enjoy before bedtime. I love sunsets. Ordinary ones from my house, some sitting on beaches in faraway places or in crowded cities where glimpses can be seen between buildings. The sky aglow with colour. As we age, sunset often refers to the sunset of our life. Are we colourful? Does anyone stop to view us as beautiful or knowledgeable? A sunset can be romantic. Sitting with someone you love, watching the sun go down can be a memorable time. When you look at the picture, what do you see? Can you hear the water lapping against the shore? Do the clouds indicate rain or is it just overcast? Would you like a ride on the boat in the water? Do you wish you were sitting on a chair watching the sun go down on a summer's night? I know I do.