Democracy

Tonight I will sleep well knowing that democracy is alive and well in this great Canada, the country I so dearly love.

We voted in record numbers for change; to have our uniquely Canadian values restored; to recommit to our peace building ways and respect for our environment and to regain the trust of the world.

Democracy is a sacred right - one that people around the world fight for and even give their lives in the process. We in Canada enjoy this democratic right and often, we take it for granted. We even get complacent.

But not tonight. We exercised our rights and voted. And we united in a strong decision.

I will sleep well tonight.

A Few Good Reasons

The early morning is my favourite time. My work day starts with a drive into the glorious canvas of the sunrise. Barns and homesteads are silhouettes on the hill against the backdrop of sweeping strokes of grey, blue and orange. I resist the urge to snap a million pictures while I drive and opt to take mental captures of the beauty. There is something sacred or mystical about dawn, and witnessing the world coming slowly to life.

And now the first place I head in the morning is out to our sunroom to gaze at our pond, which is now pretty much completed. I slide open the door to listen to the sound of the waterfall and the birds that are acquainting themselves with the new addition to the property. The chipmunks have made a game of running under the waterfall and Fritz has decided that drinking from the pond is tastier than his water bowl.

Funny - the pond is completed just in time to put it to sleep for the winter. And next spring we'll have the wonderment and joy of witnessing the new plantings take root and bloom. So much to look forward to. So much to be grateful for. We really have created our own little piece of natural paradise; a place of peace.

This weekend is the Canadian Thanksgiving and our village's fall fair. The maples are already a blaze of fiery orange, yellow and red and as I sit here, the leaves lazily flutter to the ground -- living up to the name of season - fall. It's going to be jam packed weekend with two famjams and the fair. I picked apples from our tree yesterday for my apple crisp and the butternut squash sits ready to be converted to delicious soup.

Despite my best efforts to stay healthy I got the flu! It flattened me for two days and today I am finally up and about, feeling exhausted and coughing up a lung. But I am optimistic that the coughing will help clear me, and the family will be good medicine. We're all going to be together and soon our new house will be christened into a home once the laughter and chatter of our loved ones fill these walls and new memories are made.

I really don't have to look far for reasons to be grateful.