May 10th

Grandma Devins was born 121 years ago on May 10, 1896. Her life and mine overlapped for over 30 influential years and a day seldom passes that I do not think of her. Her sister was born on May 10, 1908, on Grandma’s 12th birthday. I did not spend as much time with Great-aunt Dorothy as I did with Grandma but I have fond memories of her as well. She and her husband retired in Guadalajara Mexico and thus influenced members of my immediate family members who later moved to that country. In Mexico, Mother’s Day is always May 10th, no matter what day of the week it falls on. It is a holiday in many regions so people can spend the day with their families. Mom’s birthday was May 5th so everything fits tidily in this week. 

To honour all that this day means to me, the Becka and I had a lovely mother-daughter day making new memories while remembering moms, grandmas, aunts and sisters who are far away. Grandma loved birding, especially in May. We braved a cold east wind off Lake Ontario to look for birds around Burlington Bay, Ontario. Most of them were hiding, seeking shelter from the wind. 

Trumpeter Swans turned their heads away from the offshore breeze while trying to glean some warmth from the sun. This month has been cool and wet, slowing the growth of leaves and flowers. Masses of blooming trilliums in their ancient colonies would have flowered in the same way 121 years ago. Observing nature, one sees constant change as well as constancy. It is reassuring that spring follows winter year after year after year. 

We warmed up at Abigail's Tea House in the small hamlet of St George, where vintage bird-cage chandeliers and charming mismatched china table settings create a comfortable ambience. The family who own and run the tea house are friendly and chatty and serve delicious, well presented meals with the best of teas. Everything is made from scratch in the kitchen or next door in their bakery. Nothing in this small place appears to have changed in the past century. Grandma would feel right at home with the menu and service. 

Each spring I look for "Tree Face" in our nearby woods. Soon the growth of new leaves will hide the old, gnarled tree. The face looks more weather beaten this year but it still speaks of the past and its connection to new growth in the forest. And so I share Grandma's stories with my daughter, whose life overlapped great-grandma's by three short years. Connected to the past while changing and growing into the future, the family links remain strong. 


Currently reading: The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben
Currently listening to: As Time Goes By played by Beegie Adair

New Year's Welcome

Whatever this year may bring I will remember

that it started in perfect harmony with a bubbling

brook that sang as it rushed over rocks 

and chickadees who chortled before 

taking seeds from my hand.

Whatever this year may bring I will remember

sunshine on fresh unmarked snow a

crescent moon beside Venus 

in the twilight sky and the 

exhilaration of a walk in crisp, cold air. 

Whatever this year may bring I will remember

to find joy in simple things and take time 

to dream, and learn, and give thanks, and smile 

even when life seems overwhelming 

and the future is uncertain.

Advent Reds

I worked this weekend but there was still an hour of sunlight left when I finished today. I walked along a favourite trail where winter birds are accustomed to human handouts. It was the perfect way to rid myself of the fatigue and stress of the day.

Each Sunday of Advent, I make a simple meal and one special sweet treat. We light the Advent candles when we eat together.

Tonight I made Mexican Christmas Punch, a fruity, spiced hibiscus based drink which looks very festive. My daughter made it for me in November and it is warming and delicious on a cool night. I posted the recipe on my recipe blog.

Birding Close to Home

White-crowned Sparrows in our yard

May is the best month for birders and it would be lovely to spend it at any one of the birding hotspots on the north shores of Lake Erie or Lake Ontario. The weather this week was dominated by cold north winds but migrating birds were finally aided by a southerly flow over the past couple of days. Spring migrants are passing through our neighbourhood too and I enjoyed a couple of outings this week. 

Am Tree Sparrow, Baltimore Oriole, E. Kingbird, Yellow-rumped warbler, White-throated Sparrow, Mallard Duck

I rode my bike to a nearby nature area and saw my first warbler and Eastern Kingbird. Our yard is hopping with sparrows and in just a few minutes on the deck one evening, there was an American Tree Sparrow, a Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-throated and a White-crowned sparrow. The House Sparrows that are nesting in the light standard in front of our house don't count.

I generally sleep with the window open and am awakened at 4:30 AM by chirping Robins. By 5:30 AM they are joined by a chorus of Cardinals, Blue Jays, Chickadees, Doves and White-throated Sparrows. The sun doesn't rise until 6 AM right now but we do not need to set our alarm clock. I cannot complain about the noise as it is far less jarring than a rooster call in Mexico.

We left the house just after sunrise this morning to check on the second nest of Bald Eagles we found two weeks ago. The first Eagle nest adjacent to the Osprey nest was abandoned this week. Hopefully they find a new place with kinder neighbours. These Bald Eagles appear to be getting along famously and hopefully they will be successful in raising a family this season.

It is the season of motherhood and life is springing up everywhere. Happy Mothers' Day to all!

Happy Anniversary!

We were married on a very cool, breezy Saturday in April. Mom lamented the fact that the forsythia bush was not blooming and we ended up having all our pictures taken indoors. Today is a cool, breezy Saturday and the forsythia bush has not flowered. It is our anniversary and my husband told me he had no flowers or cards, but another surprise instead. Early this morning we headed to the house of one of his business acquaintances and followed him to the location pictured above along the banks of a river. High in the top branches of the lone pine tree was...

another Bald Eagle nest! We were able to get closer to this nest than was possible at the nest I observed earlier this week. Once the leaves are out on the deciduous trees and the tall vegetation grows along the river bank it will be more difficult to get a good view of this nest.

We then drove to Hamilton and hiked the Princess Point Trail at Cootes Paradise. This large marshland drains into Lake Ontario and has several access points and I have never been there before. We walked one small section but will have to return to do more in the future. It was a pleasure to see Tree Swallows swooping around and caring for their nests.

After lunch at a nice restaurant we returned to our usual stop in Burlington at Lasalle Marina. It was cloudy and cold initially and we saw none of the usual tame chipmunks and familiar birds. It seemed ominously quiet as if the hard winter had caused all the wild life to leave. But the sun came out, Chickadees ate from our hands, the chipmunks appeared and birdsong was heard again.

The water birds were not abundant but there was a good variety present. I noticed some Grebes and expected that they would be the usual Pied-billed Grebes found in our rivers and streams at home.

Several pairs of Horned Grebes in their mating plumage swam near the shoreline. I have only seen these birds in the Finger Lakes region of New York state.

We found a few anniversary flowers. Red Maples which usually flower in March were abundant today and other early blooms poked up through autumn's dead grass and leaves.

I really couldn't think of a better way to celebrate our 39th wedding anniversary!

Some birds we saw: Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Horned Grebe, DC Cormorant, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Bufflehead, Mallard, American Coot, Mute Swan, Trumpeter Swan, Belted Kingfisher, RW Blackbird, Common Grackle, Tree Swallow, White-throated sparrow, Song Sparrow, BC Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Cardinal

Happy Canada Day!

My daughter and I were talking about the French version of our National Anthem. We learned it phonetically at school but I never remember going through a translation of the words from French to English. Thanks to the Internet, I was able to find these words quickly and I like them a lot.

I am proud to be Canadian by birth. I saw many people today in Ottawa who come from nations around the world and now call Canada home. It is easy to find things to complain about but we should always be grateful for our freedom, peace, prosperity, safety, and future.

O Canada!

Terre de nos aieux,

Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!

Car ton bras sait porter l'épée,

Il sait porter la croix!

Ton histoire est une épopée

Des plus brillants exploits.

Et ta valeur, de foi trempée,

Protégera nos foyers et nos droits

Protégera nos foyers et nos droits

translates as:

O Canada!

Land of our forefathers,

Thy brow is wreathed with a glorious garland of flowers.

As in thy arm ready to wield the sword,

So also is it ready to carry the cross.

Thy history is an epic of the most brilliant exploits.

Thy valour steeped in faith

Will protect our homes and our rights

Will protect our homes and our rights.

Mothers' Day 2013

The weather today matched my mood...sun, rain, blustery winds, snow showers, even hail.

I visited Ruthven Park the past two years on Mothers' Day to help with spring migration bird banding because I prefer this activity to dinners and gifts. Mist nets cannot be used in rain and wind so that outing was impossible today. We drove out to a marshy lake in the afternoon to do a little birding. Just as we arrived a heavy snow shower rolled in on strong winds. The Osprey's nest was destroyed by the wind and futile efforts at rebuilding were underway.

I stepped out of the car for these photos but the wind made it hard to hold my camera steady. I haven't seen snow on Mothers' Day for at least 25 years. This area is one of few in our area where Bobolinks can be found. They sit on the fence posts and belt out their crazy metallic songs throughout the day. Five large communication towers stand on the land here so the meadow is untouched by pesticides and herbicides. Thousands upon thousands of acres of corn have destroyed the habitat for meadow dwelling birds like Meadowlarks, Bluebirds, Savannah Sparrows, Killdeer and Bobolinks to name a few. (And that corn is grown to raise cattle but that is a subject for another day)

The winds kept the Bobolinks in the grass more than on the fence wires but they sang in spite of the weather. This marsh is also home to a few nesting Sandhill Cranes and we were fortunate to see two of them grazing in the shallow water.

My family bought me a brand new pair of Nikon binoculars for Mothers' Day and they were useful in watching this drama. A Sandhill Crane was approaching the nesting area of a pair of Red-winged Blackbirds. The male performed aerial attacks on the crane repeatedly, and as it came closer to the nest, the female joined in as well.

Here is the full frontal and rear attack on the Sandhill Crane and it is not even flinching. We couldn't tell if it ravaged the Red-winged Blackbird nest or not.

Fresh air and birding make me happy even in unpleasant weather. As a true introvert, I recharge best wandering about on my own or with a quiet companion. Life can be tough and you might lose your nest or someone special. The wind may batter you about today but there is a tomorrow when the sun will shine and all will be well in your world.

This is my Father's world, 

and to my listening ears 

all nature sings, and round me rings 

the music of the spheres...

This is my Father's world. 

O let me ne'er forget 

that though the wrong seems oft so strong, 

God is the ruler yet. 

This is my Father's world: 

why should my heart be sad? 

The Lord is King; let the heavens ring! 

God reigns; let the earth be glad!

Maltbie Davenport Babcock

Happy 60th Wedding Anniversary Mom and Dad!

My parents were married in Aurora, Ontario on April 4, 1953. They have travelled the world since then and have 5 children, 14 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren with another on the way in May. The past couple of years have been challenging health-wise, especially for my mother. She is currently confined to bed and receives nursing care at home. She would have loved another family reunion on this special day, but my four brothers and I were able to spend time with Mom and Dad in December and January. My brother Philip and his family are their main caregivers in Mexico.
Mom and Dad have been firm in their commitment to serve God all their days. Their strong faith has sustained them in good and bad times. They have also been firm in their commitment to each other and have taken their marriage vows seriously.

I, David/Elizabeth, take you Elizabeth/David, to be my wife/husband,

to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, 

for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; 

from this day forward until death do us part.

And so they continue their journey together a day at a time, which is what all of us 

must do whether we have been married 1 year, 10, 30 or 60.

Here is a 2 minute video in their honour with much love. 

Happy New Year

The first day of 2013 was cold, clear, calm and sunny which made it the best of winter days in Canada. The sun is slightly stronger and stays slightly longer each day as we move slowly toward spring. My husband and I walked a few trails this afternoon and I took this picture of our shadows as we looked for birds along the river for the Big January count.

This is a favourite trail close to home. The boardwalk crosses a fast moving creek that once powered a mill just a short distance downstream. Large, expensive homes now surround this small natural area and it is easy to miss the entrance and just as easy to forget the history of the tiny community.

Time marches on. Change is inevitable and happens at a faster pace each year. Change can be good but it is often unsettling and stressful. How easy it is to complain as we get older and the years flow faster into each other. Changing responsibilities, abilities, relationships, communities and economic realities can create resentment and bitterness.

As I follow the path of 2013 a day at a time, I want to do so with joy, optimism, faith and good will. I tire of the cynicism and chronic complaining that is rampant and so contagious in spite of our prosperity and many blessings. I say to myself,
"This is a good year to move away from feelings of self-centred entitlement to an unselfish, forgiving and generous spirit." 
There can be peace and beauty in even the most challenging journey.

If I were to say, ''God, why me?'' about the bad things, then I should have said,

 ''God, why me?'' about the good things that happened in my life.

Arthur Ashe

Darkness to Light

The Centennial Flame on Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Canada

The Christmas tree is up and the Nacimiento adorns the back of the piano. I play the songs in the carol book and listen to seasonal tunes as I drive here and there in my car. Gifts are bought and baking is done. I watch Christmas movies as I pedal the stationary bicycle. I am not a “Christmas is my favourite time of year” person, yet the “Christmas spirit”, whatever that is, completely eludes me this year as I go through the usual motions and routines. I am happy and content, yet indifferent to the season.

Perhaps the commercialization and politicalization of Christmas has brought me to the edge. People bicker over holiday trees, seasons greetings, and whether the whole country celebrates December in a uniform Christian way. After all, the roots of our holiday celebration are pagan. I truly think Jesus would decline an invitation to most of our seasonal events. “Jesus is the reason for the season” just does not ring true in my ears. 

We visited our daughter in Ottawa this week and enjoyed the city very much. On Thursday we attended the Christmas Lights Across Canada celebration on Parliament Hill. Standing in the cold darkness we waited for the promised hundreds of thousands of  lights to be turned on in the downtown area. Carols were sung, greetings from across the country broadcast and then the countdown to the light began. I wasn’t expecting fireworks and the sudden brightness startled me and others in the crowd. 

The night was still dark and cold but the lights shone on the hill. Advent is not a time of celebration, but a time of waiting and yearning for the promised light. We contemplate the darkness in our world and in our lives and wait for the Saviour who illuminates the path to eternal peace and joy.

Veiled in Darkness Judah Lay

Veiled in darkness Judah lay,

Waiting for the promised day,

While across the shadowy night

Streamed a flood of glorious light,

Heav’nly voices chanting then,

“Peace on earth, good will to men.”

Still the earth in darkness lies.

Up from death’s dark vale arise

Voices of a world in grief,

Prayers of men who seek relief:

Now our darkness pierce again,

“Peace on earth, good will to men.”

Light of light, we humbly pray,

Shine upon Thy world today;

Break the gloom of our dark night,

Fill our souls with love and light,

Send Thy blessed Word again,

“Peace on earth, good will to men.”

Douglas L. Rights

Fallen

I pedalled my bike along roads and trails on this unseasonably warm November day. The trees are now bare and fallen leaves have lost their colour as they rustle dryly in the wind. November with its grey skies, cold winds, darkness and death aptly symbolizes Remembrance Day in the northern hemisphere. No month is drearier or more wearisome.

We visited The Canadian War Museum in Ottawa last month. Walking through the corridors, passing through time, we reviewed our country's military history in art and exhibits. I observed more than one young boy viewing weapons, tanks and other war machinery with keen interest and excitement. But war is not "cool". It is disturbing, disruptive, destabilizing and deadly.

Our pastor challenged us today with the question, "What will you do with what has been saved through the sacrifice of others?"

What will I do with the freedoms I enjoy as a citizen of this country?... freedom of conscience, freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of belief, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, freedom of peaceful assembly, and freedom of association.

Gertrude Kearns- Dallaire #6

Today we remember those who have fallen in wars before I was born as well as those who lost their lives in conflicts during my life time. Canada's war history is brief compared to other nations and for that I am thankful. May we use our freedom to promote peace, prosperity and goodwill around the world, not for selfish ambition and divisive arguments.

Salvation's Song

Loved before the dawn of time,
Chosen by my Maker,
Hidden in my Saviour:
I am His and He is mine,
Cherished for eternity.

When I'm stained with guilt and sin,
He is there to lift me,
Heal me and forgive me;
Gives me strength to stand again,
Stronger than I was before.

So with every breath that I am given
I will sing salvation's song;
And I'll join the chorus of creation
Giving praise to Christ alone.

All the chains of Satan's curse
Lifted through His offering,
Satisfied through suffering;
All the blessings He deserves
Poured on my unworthy soul.

So with every breath that I am given

I will sing salvation's song;
And I'll join the chorus of creation
Giving praise to Christ alone.

Singing glory, honour, wisdom, power
To the Lamb upon the throne.
Hallelujah, I will lift Him high.
Singing glory, honour, wisdom, power
To the Lamb upon the throne.

Hallelujah I will sing with every breath that I am given
I will sing salvation's song;
And I'll join the chorus of creation
Giving praise to Christ alone.

Stars will fade and mountains fall;
Christ will shine forever,
Love's unfading splendour.
Earth and heaven will bow in awe,
Joining in salvation's song. 

I enjoy Stuart Townends's songs so much as the words are rich and meanful. This particular one has been my favourite this season and I have pushed the repeat button over and over again. I join the chorus of creation this Easter Sunday in giving praise to Christ alone. 

Salvation's Song (music on YouTube)

Stuart Townend (bio)