Panamania

The Pan Am games are over with the Para Pan coming in a week. What a party for Toronto and all the naysayers were proven wrong. The whole town stepped up to join in and celebrate the athletes among us. The mascot Pachi cheered on the crowd at the women's softball game I attended.  I think I like the fast pace of rugby better but the hot dogs and beer were the perfect accompaniment. The triumph at home was the first crop of beans and potatoes. The resident bunnies snuck onto the garden but the chicken wire fortifications will hopefully solve that onslaught. 

In the woods

Attended a staff meeting at the Heartland Forest in Niagara Falls which is fully accessible for folks in wheelchairs. The place was full of people of every age and ability enjoying a walk in the woods and wetlands and learning about frogs, turtles, botany and biology. The enthusiasm of the staff and volunteers was infectious! Even the mosquitoes could not deter us from taking the time to  examine the magical world. What a renewing interlude in a busy week. 

A Day at the Lake

What fun to start the day organizing my jewellry making beads at my workbench. A sense of anticipation as I think of how each one might be used. Then it was time to put out the swimming raft and feel the cool water like velvet on the skin. A steak dinner with grilled zucchini , a bonfire and S'mores end a perfect July day at the lake. 

The zucchini have arrived!

Can't wait to taste the fresh new zucchini that seem to have appeared overnight. The snow peas have almost given up as the hot days arrive. Their place is being taken by the plants that are developing slender little beans. What next?

Rugby Gold

A fabulous rugby event was enjoyed by all, including me! The game is quite straightforward which makes watching it fun for the uninitiated. It was not as rough as I had feared. Impressive was the sheer determination the players had to either stop the other team moving the ball or  strategically passing among themselves to score. I was awestruck by the artistry and teamwork displayed by the Canadian women who won Gold in a 55 to 7 match against the U.S.  They were unstoppable and elegant! Of course the Canadian men who won Gold were also great but the women were magnificent. Practice, practice, practice certainly pays off though there was some team magic there too. What an inspiration to us all. 

Let the games begin!!!

What excitement! The past couple of days have been full of "Panamania". From the opening night ceremonies of the Pan Am games on TV to the suspense of the diving competition I attended yesterday, I have enjoyed every moment of the culmination of the work of thousands of dedicated people. I commend the volunteers and the artists and the athletes who have spent so many hours preparing for  this event. Thanks for  giving us a few days to focus on something other than our everyday routine. I am not ordinarily a sports fan but to me this is a celebration of dedication,  personal achievement  and teamwork in a broader sense rather than just competition. Today I look forward to attending my first rugby game.

Gardens love rain

The heavy summer rain yesterday has made the gardens very lush and brought the robins with their cheery chirps out in full force. Exciting to see the first zucchini flower with the promise of many more to come. Hard to imagine that I will inevitably get tired of zucchini as the summer progresses! The jolly bee balm brightens up the morning too. Should bring more hummingbirds. 

Birds, birds, birds at home

After seeing and admiring so many sea birds in Newfoundland, I am more attuned to the birds that inhabit my own backyard. Watching birds encourages a person to stay very still and be patient to see what emerges. Not easy for me but well worth it. Gold finches and hummingbirds enjoy the feeders that we have added. The goldfinches have their own distinct personalities; the King of the Castle who confidently attaches to the feeder and munches away while poor nervous Fred needs to look around endlessly for predators before eating a few Niger seeds. 

The white turnips provided a yummy meal as I tried a South Asian recipe with cocoanut milk. 

Flowers are continuing to be a symphony of colour etc. Astilbe and various daisies abound. 

Home Sweet Home

Returning after a week away of seeing amazing birds and seascapes and a moose too! has brought amazing things to my own garden. Three litres of snow peas appeared and a bounty of earthy white turnips. I am trying a recipe of roasted turnip salad with a mustard parsley  vinagrette. The Chinese broccoli went wild and the bok choi has lush stems ready for picking. Yum. Lilies and Shasta daisies are enjoying the warmth too. 

Back to St John's

After touring  a fabulous National Historic Site, the Ryan Premises and learning more about the cod fishing in Newfoundland, we hit the road. Fish and chips (again!) in picturesque Trinity then a last look at Signal Hill which was the only foggy spot in St. John's. When I go home I plan to look at documentaries about sea birds which sometimes live on the ocean for years without touching land. I also will learn more about the tenacity of the Newfoundlanders as they made their lives in such a difficult climate surrounded by the sea and rocks and such natural beauty. 

From Bonavista to Vancouver Island.....

This land is your land, this land is my land etc..... I wanted to stay in Bonavista after hearing that song so much in the 60's. Driving past the ubiquitous trees and rocks, we actually saw the first dairy farm of the trip in a more sheltered part of the peninsula. Such a sense of history. The rocks that will never wear down through human touch, and will still face the strong sea winds for centuries long after we are all gone. The lighthouse, the blue flag irises, more icebergs and the lobster dinner all fabulous. But best of all, the puffins! 

CHORUS 

This land is your land this land is my land. 

From Bonavista to Vancouver Island 

From the Arctic Circle to the Great Lake waters 

This land was made for you and me.