A CANADIAN WALK IN THE PARK

Walking is an easy way to enjoy the outdoors. To a favourite park, along the street or if lucky a walk on the beach. Slow, fast or even power walking with weights are some of the milieu I have used. Taking a camera is a wonderful way to capture little and big images.

  Near a park can be a town street with interesting captures. Too early to take photos of spring flower beds but it will happen soon!

Of course my walk always includes going by my local pink library. The Central library in Richmond Hill with its windows and light for patrons. So what are you waiting- get your runners and your camera- get walking! Or running if you prefer!

NANA SAYS BOOKS ARE STILL GREAT FOR CHILDREN

With the invention of the printing press, the masses had access to books. For children even in this technological age with computer interactive games, the book is still a wonderful treasure not only for a child but youth and adults. I know there are e-books that many people love. Talking books can be great on long road trips. Sitting with a book and reading to a young child is still a beloved way to connect to the written word as well as have an emotional moment together. Going to the library and selecting some books can be a social activity. With events for young children, it can be a warm engaging place to be. On my grandchildren's Christmas lists there are several book suggestions. My granddaughter loves to make her own books with some paper, folding and stapling-she creates a subject and has her own content. Bedtime comes with story time for young children. Often, older children are left reading before they fall asleep. Many adults, of course, read a page or two before dozing off to sleep! Big books, little books, picture books, dictionaries, thesaurus and even the atlas are a must for any home. Encouraging children to look up a word in a dictionary is still a way to enrich one's language skills. Donating books to day cares, libraries or communities needing books is a way to wean one's shelves of read books. Children can carry the books in their arms or read on a long car trip. So with all the other tools used in our modern age, keep books front and center. Be a role model to children in your lives. Seeing, touching and reading books regularly becomes part of a family's life. Adults have book clubs. So perhaps a family book discussion could be something to include in a daily activity. On those drives to those copious lessons that are so time consuming, being interested in what your child is reading may be fodder for a conversation. Of course for the bored parent waiting for those lessons to finish, it may be an opportunity to read your own book! Any thoughts?

GENEALOGY IN MODERN TIMES

Genealogy is a wonderful activity to pursue. For over 29 years, it has been a passion to discover my ancestors and share with interested family members.When I first begun my journey, many visits to the library and scrutiny of microfische reels took hours and years of pursuit. Buying books, census and cemetery records from local genealogical societies assisted in the completion of cousin lines. With many databases placed on the Internet, the job became easier to access over the years. It still is detective work needing each line to be recorded one person at a time. Finding the same person in different places validates the information to be correct. Even TV shows now have genealogy as a main topic. For example, Who Do You Think You Are is quite fun to watch as celebrities find out pertinent information about ancestors. What I find amusing is how one will visit a library or resource and the person whether it is the Librarian or Archivist gently says I found a resource for you and turns to the exact page with the name. Those of us who do genealogical research know that it was probably hours of work locating the book completed by a team at the library. It is is great TV but the hours of research needed to give the tidbits gets glossed over!! There seems to be a heightened interest in genealogy which is always exciting. My many binders need some weeding of old notes and completion of family lines. With the 1921 Canadian Census now available to researchers perhaps some little gaps will be plugged. The 1842 Census of Canada West and Canada East is also available online. So with the click of a mouse, research can be done from home. There are always brickwalls that are frustrating. Maybe some new researchers may need some of my information and may have a missing clue for me.

A TRIP TO LIBRARY IN MODERN TIMES

Will libraries become redundant due to modern technology? Somehow I doubt it or hope not! Reading from a computer or your phone is one way to acquire knowledge but a book in your hands while sitting in a favourite spot still has an appeal. Cuddled up to a youngster reading a bedtime story is so socially wonderful. I love the digital world and access to obscure books-especially historical documents only available in reference libraries at a far away towns- but not sitting at my computer after I have printed the material gives an opportunity to digest the information! Having literature available at home is great but a trip to the library with shelves of books is still one of my favourite places with a bookstore second on my list. To think even in Canada one of the first libraries was in 1800! Our early settlers saw the the need to have books available to people! The library is a wonderful place to study. For the genalogist a good reference room or library or archives are a must! Remember the librarian has lots of knowledge and education to assist with any difficult requests! So when is your next trip to the Library? Do you have any overdue books? Get going!! 

LOCAL IMAGES

If you took your camera and walked no farther than 1/2mile or .6 km from your home, what images would you find?

Bullrushes, a pretty side walk?

Your favourite pink library?
Sometimes there are wonderful images nearby that often do not get the recognition they warrant!
What would your favourite images be?