It's The Queen's Birthday

It's a long weekend in Canada. The "May long". Monday is Victoria Day. Officially, a day to remember the birthday of Queen Victoria, who was born May 24, 1819, and to celebrate the birthday of the current monarch. Unofficially, the weekend marks the start of cottage and camping season, and is sometimes called the May two-four, in recognition of the case of beer taken to the cottage for the weekend, a case containing 24 bottles.

To Travel Light

My 25 year-old niece visited us for a week this spring. She deplaned with her shoulder-strap purse and one small tote bag. That was it. No checked luggage.

Thirty years ago, I, too, often travelled with only a carry-on bag. But with each passing year, I seem to have accumulated more baggage. And there have been instances of frantic repacking and re-arranging at the airport to stay under the fifty pound per bag limit.

Spring Will Come

No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.

Hal Borland

First bloom in my garden

The beginning of this week brought warm weather. On my jacketless morning walks, my eyes watered in the bright sun. I listened to the birds chirping. I thought spring had finally arrived. Although the weather has since cooled again, I still see signs of spring.

Spring has seemed a long time coming in this part of the world. After a particularly brutal winter, people long for its warmth and beauty. The lilacs are not yet budding and my bleeding heart has yet to make an appearance, but there have been signs of spring around us for weeks.

Kindness

We all need a helping hand sometimes

In our world today, where we see and read about the awful things human beings do to one another, acts of kindness stand out, particularly among strangers.

Snowbird Retrospective

At the Gilbert Riparian Preserve

My first snowbird winter is now behind me. My husband and I have been home for over two weeks and our time in Arizona is starting to feel like a long time ago. It is time to look back and assess. Did we make the right plans for the winter? Are there things we would do differently next time?

Home Again

Good to be working again in my home office

My husband and I have been home now for almost two weeks after spending four months of the winter in Arizona. There are many good things about being back in Manitoba, even though spring is slow in coming this year. There is a familiar feel as we settle back into our house and life here. And, surprisingly, at the same time things that feel odd and unusual.

Feed the Hungry

Home from the grocery store with plenty of food

While we wintered in Mesa, Arizona this past winter my husband volunteered one morning a week at a local food bank. I asked him if we would be willing to share his experience with us. Here is his guest post.

Ah, The Valley of the Sun! Snowbirds, RVs, resorts and most importantly, plenty of sunshine and heat. Hundreds of thousands of North Americans migrate to the Phoenix, Arizona area each winter to escape the cold temperatures of their home towns. For the most part, they are welcomed with open arms as they form the monetary backbone of Arizona’s tourist industry.