VICTORIA DAY WEEKEND IN CANADA

Monday is a holiday. Victoria Day! For most people it is just exciting to have a long weekend when the weather is nice. There are some seasonal rules. Can't wear white until the Victoria Day weekend. The farmers warn don't plant your garden or crops until after the long weekend. This year it is a few days earlier than normal. So do we delay the rules??? It is a busy time for all the garden centers across the country as many people do attack their gardens for the next few days. Plants, bushes, potting soil, and stones for the paths are major purchases. Those with cottages, pack up the cars to go and open the cottages for the coming cottage season. Fireworks on Monday are a must. There are many places to go and see them. I just look out my windows to try to find one that I can see from a distance. Wonderland in Vaughan always has a good display! Hopefully some good eating with backyard barbecues! So what are you doing this weekend? Enjoy! Queen Victoria would love it!

A CANADIAN SUMMER LONG WEEKEND

As June winds down and school is out, many bags are packed with Canadians heading to Europe, the cottage or going on long road trips! The July 1st long weekend is always busy at all the airports across the country! Highways become busy with the deluge of people heading out of the cities! It is a time to review all the safety rules for adults and children around driving well, caution near the water and lots of sun screen! Summer brings up so many memories of fun times camping, picnicing and water skiing for me! As for the first long weekend- a day trip, writing, reading, relaxing, gardening, and some good eating- if I have the urge some decluttering and cleaning! Yes, buying an Alberta rose donut at Tim's to support the flood victims! How about you? What are you doing with this first long summer weekend? Are you headed somewhere?

ARE YOU READY FOR SUMMER?

Recently I have written about parents preparing for summer, school ending, the garden and in the Spring wanting to go on some road trips. Well here we are at the end of June. All the preparation, organization, wishful thinking, ideas and family plans are about to begin. For many though there is a transition time. Children moving to a new class. Lessons over for a season. School routine replaced by a camp routine. There is summer traffic that gets replaced by Construction! Along with the "yeah" summer is here, there is also some sad moments- saying goodbye to a teacher or principal moving away. Friends going to a different school next year. At work, people going on vacation so the workload doubles to cover for that person. For me, I often remember summers from the past. Camping and cottaging with family! The water sports- skiing and canoeing- are done sporadically now. It was such a part of my daily life as a young person! Now I have some Stat days and a week's vacation which I try to pack as much summer living to the point it almost exhausts me. For the last few years I was on pins and needles worrying about the folks out west and always keeping weeks of vacation in my vacation bank! Ready to fly west at any time! Different this year with Mom passing away in February and Dad secure in a safe nursing home setting. The old worry creeps up sometimes but then I remember, no it is over! I can concentrate on my family and myself! What will this summer bring? I am sure there will be some surprises- good ones I hope? Then I remember good summers, indifferent ones and painful ones! Adolph's folks both died in the summer months- one in August and the other in July, many years apart. A beautiful grandson was born in the summer! One of my trips to Italy was in the summer! One daughter married in the summer! Hot summers! Rainy summers! Cool summers! All shapes and sizes! Although the months are the same length as other months, summer always seems to go too quickly. To answer my question, I am ready for summer. A couple of road trips, big family barbecue day, trip to a friend's cottage, small barbecue for Canada Day and watching my grandchilren in August to let my daughter and son celebrate their anniversary are planned. The rest of the time I think I will roll with my mood, attack my pile of books for reading, work on a writing project or two, of course exercise more but otherwise do as little as possible if that mood hits me too. Benefitting from my husband's hard work in the garden with many veggie dishes to enjoy!  " Summertime and the living is easy "strikes me as my mantra this year! So are you ready for summer or are you just going to roll with whatever comes your way? Whatever you plan to do, make it a good one!

NANA SAYS WE CAN'T KEEP CHILDREN IN A BUBBLE

No matter how patient or relaxed as a parent, everyone worries about their children. Near the road with bikes, little one learning to climb or a teenager driving off in the family car for the first time, we worry as parents. When little scrapes and bruises occur or broken limbs or trips to the Emergency room, well we worry. Sometimes we may have a thought to put our children in a protective bubble, but we can't. Not because we don't want to do it, it is because there is no such thing! Worry also alerts us to the potential dangers. Life jackets in boats or for little ones playing on docks at the cottage. Locked gates on backyards! But life happens and children need to find their protective instincts to survive! It's a good thing we all have "Mommy" messages in our heads. Perhaps there are some imaginary bubbles then! Helping children to learn about the dangers and to be alert. Remember most accidents happen in the home! So start at home with the little things and the big things will take care of themselves! Oh the joys of parenting and grandparenting, we just want our little ones to have a life!

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!

THE PLANES FLY OVER

Every morning starting at 6 a.m. The Red Eyes from the west- leaving Vancouver, Calgary at night arriving at Pearson Internation Airport in Toronto in the morning. I like the sound as it gives a start and a rhythm to the day. I live far enough away from the airport that it is tolerable. Planes start to fly over late afternoon again from the west. They come from the north. The planes seen in the southern sky are the ones from Europe. Sometimes I just sit outside to watch them go over my house as they make their descent to the airport. Who is in the plane? Businessmen, tourists to the area or family members arriving for an event or returning home? This time of year, vacations are planned that include plane travel for many while there are cars, buses and trains that transport people. Plane travel however makes us pack very lightly. With a car, we can throw as many items into spaces. I always take more shoes if going by car. This year I only have day trips planned. So there is the envy factor! People going on cruises, travelling to Europe or Africa. Weeks at the cottage- I do not have my own cottage but could go to someone else's I suppose! Thinking about summer brings the urge for most of us to go somewhere. But somehow a plane trip is the ultimate journey! Then there are the plane stories, the airport stories, what a flight! The pretentious stories of how we love one airline over another one! For me as long as the pilot and co-pilot know how to fly the plane and land it safely is the most important factor. Here in Canada we have Air Canada, Westjet and Porter Airlines. All fine airlines. Always hoping they survive. For many of us we remember- Canadian Pacific, Wardair and Canadian that did not remain due to financial problems. The smaller charter airlines like Nordair and others keep us moving. Do you like to fly? What places have you visited? Yes here comes another plane!

COWS IN A FIELD

Remind us of time many people lived on farms. Although there still are rural communities today, most of

us live in urban settings in Canada. The need to go to a country setting is reflected in the number of people that own cottages or a sailboat to leave the city and enjoy country living periodically. Small towns on the edge of big cities are the best of both worlds but can be stressful if a long commute is involved for work every day. My family has country roots in Ontario then in the early 1900's family members moved to Toronto. Do you live in the country or city? If you could would you have a country home? Or are you a city person?