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It's been going on for awhile, now,  but I still have to laugh when I see the stores putting out their Hallowe'en candy and costumes...in August. Why? Because they don't stop at candies and costumes anymore!  Now you can also find pet dog and cat costumes, personal fog machines,  inflatable, life-size cemetaries, complete with amusing headstones,  motion-sensitive haunted house sound effects, Hallowe'en lights to drape on the eavestroughs and in the trees, 8 foot tall headless horsemen and their ghostly steeds...Hallowe'en just seems to get more and more popular and elaborate every year!

                            Original Caramels

In Peterborough, Ontario, folks start decking their porches and trees with 'spider webs' and 'crime scene tape' in the last week of September! They have leaf bags that look like pumpkins on their lawns and paper lunch bag ghosts hanging from branches, the moment they rip the page from their calendars for the new month!

 

 

People seem to like Hallowe'en for the same reason that they enjoy movies such as the Twilight series and TV shows like True Blood and Ghost Whisperer. They are all about supernatural creatures like Vampires and Werewolves, being terribly scared and, oddly enough, everlasting love. It's both romantic and Freudian!

                          Hallowe'en Cookie Kit

You don't have to be a kid to enjoy Hallowe'en anymore! I've decided to have fun with it ... why pass up an opportunity to celebrate something AND to make things? Besides, how can I resist a haunted gingerbread house that I can decorate myself!? I LOVE this! It is such a clever idea and would be so much fun to make with some kids or artsy pals! You could make an awesome haunted village! The cookie kit is also irresistable and I want to make a bunch of them and give them to some special friends! Fun!

                            La Caterina + Vampire

Last year, my husband and I dressed up as La Caterina and a Vampire! We joined friends in their backyard, toasted marshmallows over the bonfire and enjoyed the Full Moon.Then we walked home in the lovely Autumn night, to eat more candy! Perhaps this year, I can persuade him to put up a Hallowe'en tree and hang our Hallowe'en stockings by the cauldron!

                          Hallowe'en Kisses 

How do you celebrate Hallowe'en?

:: images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members.

I recall a birthday when my mother gave my middle child, an infant at the time, a very intricate book of cats with a book sleeve and lovely illustrated pages. I looked at her and said, "What a gorgeous book! But wouldn`t it be more suitable in a few years?" My mother took that moment to explain to me that she found board books a waste of money as they are only used for a short period of time. 

 

Encouraging early literacy in infants and children is fun and easy and may not always resemble what we may typically think of as literacy. Some ideas are to mimic the little noises an infant makes and encourage them to repeat them, to offer board books where they learn that books are read left to right, to playing music and sharing make believe stories to learning how to recognize their name in print and yes, by reading books. Here are some more fabulous pre-literacy activities  for infants. Preschoolers and ‘big kids' can enjoy them, too.

Truly, there is nothing sweeter than curling up in a big armchair or under cozy covers and reading a story  out loud to a small but important person. Canada is not lacking in talented authors and illustrators that will engage our children and ourselves. Not only is it a great feeling but a wonderful lifetime gift: the foundations of literacy.

 What is your favourite Canadian children`s book?

Photo credits from Buy Canadian First member Indigo Books and Music 

When I was a kid, I spent quite a lot of time in Whiteshell Provincial Park, with my grandparents.  As an only child on Summer vacation, I grew accustomed to entertaining myself in this glorious corner of eastern Manitoba. My creativity blossomed as I created intricate frog villages in the sand adorned with natural items such as pinecones, pebbles and twigs. I would collect shells and stones and arrange them into patterns as well as draw on the docks with charcoal taken from old campsites; these endeavours would take hours. Despite the amazing time that I had as a child, my adult brain, aware of the dangers, would have a hard time allowing my children that same kind of freedom. We, as parents or caregivers, can still give children the health and creative benefits of the outdoors! This week at the daycare we spent the better part of it outside. The best part about being outdoors is that it naturally sparks creativity and you need very little in the way of supplies.

Mud is messy and wonderful outside! You can make bricks to dry in the sun for a fort, bird nests, bowls, pots, pie and soup (which is the best soup of all); all this and the fun and laughs of getting messy and dirty! Mud is so great that it even has it's own international day !! Perhaps some tools from Buy Canadian First member Garant will make all the difference.

Yesterday, at the daycare, the school-aged kids  and I went for a nature walk while the smaller ones slept. We collected all sorts of interesting natural items and some found items, too. Later that afternoon we sat down to create nature collages with our found items; all we needed was glue and cardboard.

We often take containers of paint and big brushes outside. Whether we paint on the sidewalks or on large sheets of paper, the big brushes and large painting space creates a sense of freedom in creativity, as there is no mess to make! Of course, don't forget to bring the sidewalk chalk as well!

Outside crafts and activities are often most fun if you follow your child's lead and add the needed supplies as you go. Get messy, try and follow a bird and then make her a feeder or look for interesting, recyclable materials to create toad homes in your garden. Take lots of pictures! The memories will be well worth the effort.

What kind of creative, outdoor activities does your family do?

 image credit: Buy Canadian First Member Garant and Andrea Willowcat

It's National Fishing Week in Canada! Running from July 7th to the 15th, this week is to encourage more Canadians to experience recreational fishing.  In Ontario, you don't even need a licence to fish this week; check the National Fishing Week website for information on licence-free days in your province.  National Fishing Week is a coast-to-coast-to coast awareness program that has been declared Canada's week to explore the magic lure of fresh and saltwater sport fishing. Parents, youngsters and wanna-be anglers everywhere, are invited to experience Canada's amazing outdoors. With over one million lakes, rivers and streams, plus three oceans, Canada can justly boast the greatest array of fishing adventures anywhere on the planet!

This time last year, I was packing my bags and gearing up to leave the country on Canada Day  to visit a very special someone. This Canada Day, the reason that I left the country last year, will be sitting at my side in Southern Manitoba! It will be a brilliant day! Environment Canada  is forecasting a sunny and sultry thirty degrees for Sunday afternoon here. The problem is not the weather but what we could be doing, as there are so many Canada Day activities within thirty minutes of where we sit.

Emerson Manitoba  is having a weekend celebration starting with a pancake breakfast Saturday morning and a large firework show Sunday night. There are some great events including a belly dancing performance , a chain saw wood sculptor and pony rides!! Altona has a Sunday celebration ending in fireworks that includes free swimming at the Aquatic centre . Altona will also host a find-the-flag contest, Mennonite foods, a chalk drawing contest and cake at  five pm! In fact, many Manitoba towns have a lot to offer for Canada Day Celebrations and I am partial to the small town festivals. The crowds are tolerable and it doesn't take ages to leave once it's done.

There are some must-have, Canadian-made items that one needs for Canada Day! We need to keep snacks and beverages cool on the side of the road while enjoying the parade. Buy Canadian First member, Cascades, has their ThermaFresh^TM recycled cardboard picnic cooler . Made of seventy per cent recycled materials, it is also recyclable, unlike other temporary cooling units. Of course, Canada Day is often an outdoor event and being outside from pancake breakfast to fireworks leaves you vulnerable to the elements. Sun care is important and Buy Canadian First Member, Heiko, has a great selection of sunscreens including this SPF 40 for children. Once dusk arrives, make sure that you are wearing loose fitting clothing to help prevent mosquito bites but if you find that they are getting really nasty, Buy Canadian First member Muskol  to keep the insects away.

Whatever I may be doing on Canada Day, I will be doing it with loved ones and friends, as well as thirty million other fabulous Canadians. Cheers Canada, Happy 145th Birthday!! Don't forget to enter our fabulous Canada Day giveaway!

What are you doing this Canada Day? 

Photo credits: Buy Canadian First Members Cascades, Heiko and Muskol 

I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend! I also hope that everyone remembers what's coming up this weekend - Father's Day!  It's a day to celebrate all the hard work Dad does, the love he gives and of course, the endless plastic block castles he builds. ;-)  You know that Dad probably doesn't need another tie or pair of socks, so instead of the same old gift, why not do something as a family instead, with a couple of extra treats for Dad on the side?  

Here are some fun, Canadian-made ways to celebrate Dad this coming weekend. Most dads that I know love to golf, so why not take Dad for a round this weekend?  A round of golf doesn't have to break the bank and you can use sites like GolfCanada.com to find discounted tee times.

Today I had a lovely time cruising around Southern Manitoba with my son. In recent years, we have taken to stealing moments where it is just him and me in the car. We crank up the tunes and act like goofs. Today we met at the thrift store and he found the best thing: a three CD boxed set of disco tunes! I regret not paying for it myself as now I have little chance of trying to keep it when he and his girlfriend leave for school. We drove around town with the disco beat of "Stayin' Alive" pumping from the sub-woofer. We realised that our disco tour was turning into something of a public service, as children started to dance as we drove by and people smiled and laughed. It was a moot point if they were laughing at us or with us. The music made them happy; they were smiling, period. Sadly, these fun rides are numbered as we prepare for my son's trip out West for school and into his first apartment, I will miss him so.

We managed to find and rent a charming, one bedroom suite in a Spanish style home owned by a lovely BC family. Considering that my son and his girlfriend will be new to the area, I was thinking that it might be best if they get identification tags from Buy Canadian First member I.C.E. (In Case of Emergency) . Yes, I know that they are both adults, but the average time for family to be notified of an emergency situation is five hours!! That is much too long. These tags will give me peace of mind.

The cost to move their stuff to British Columbia is expensive.We will be looking at options such as a small car rental that they can jam full of their belongings and use to camp along the way in. These great laptop stands from Buy Canadian First member Chillbeds offer protection during transport and also keep the laptop cool while in use, prolonging its life.

It is hard to sort out what to send with him at this moment but the home owners have been such help with gathering furniture that my son may be able to get away with not having to bring much. One thing that I would like to give him as a housewarming gift is a beautiful, wooden cutting board from Buy Canadian First member Arbol, which he will get good use out of as a Culinary student. I also hope that he has a little thought of me and his sisters every time he uses it.   

Do you have any children leaving the nest soon?  

Image credits: Buy Canadian First members: I.C.E tage, Chillbeds, Arbol 

I am told that this weekend is the time to get my seeds in the ground in Southern Manitoba . So, the girls and I are heading outside and we'll officially start our garden this Mother's Day weekend! Once we get the beds ready, we will be planting them with some red onions, pumpkin, zucchini and radishes and in our container's we will be growing red and blue potatoes, carrots, beans and peas.

We are very excited as this week, I received two yards of dirt from Brunet, a local construction company. We were also given nearly a dozen, five gallon pails from the school my middle child attends, as the pails would just have been thrown away otherwise. Last night I visited Hillbilly's Garden Centre . I couldn't resist it when I saw the "shamrocks" and ivy and knew that planting them would be a great activity for us this evening.

As we move through Spring, the girls will be a great source of help in the garden and will, I hope, feel a sense of pride and accomplishment when the vegetables start coming. I would like to give them something that they can plant on their own and nurture. So, when the risk of frost has waned, the girls and I will go back to Hillbilly's Garden Centre and they will each have a chance to make their own container gardens. I saw the Tubby Containers  by Buy Canadian First member Garant in several awesome colours there and the girls will have the opportunity to choose their own plants and colours for their Tubby.

I love the idea of a child's garden and envision it as a space they can call their own, to dig in, plant and tend to plants. While space is limited, I would like to cordon off a corner of the yard and fill it with their Tubby containers and large natural elements like logs, stumps, large rocks and maybe even a pile of dirt to dig in and explore. I would adore watching them within this mini, natural playscape. One final detail I keep forgetting about is getting some catnip and cat grass seeds to plant. My handsome Mitty Kleeburger loves to play outside with us and his latest joy is to dig, burrow and play in my two yards of soil. I'm sure that cat grass would be preferable to just soil!

Are you going to plant a child's or a pet garden in your yard this Spring?

Image source: Andrea Williowcat, Melissa Lacelle and Buy Canadian First member Garant. 

My first suggestion is one that I've heard from many people. It's one that I do myself. I take iquid vitamin D from Buy Canadian First member Ddrops. Known as a building block involved in repair and maintenance of the body, it seems to give you an extra boost and the health benefits can't be beat.

Another great idea is something we did today - BBQ!  Just because it's Winter doesn't mean you can't pull the BBQ up close to the door if the wind isn't blowing too bad.  With the Winter much of Canada has been having, we don't even have any snow on the ground.  You know a BBQ'd hot dog or steak can do wonders for the mind.

Treat yourself to a spa day either out with a friend or by creating your own spa at home with products like Dead Sea Salt Spa from Buy Canadian First member Earth to Body. Earth To Body’s product line is full of natural products that will treat your body right and put a smile on your face.

A great way to get through this time of year is to get outside and embrace nature. Take the dog for a walk, take the kids to the hill, or, why not try hiking through the snow with snow shoes! A great way to get fit, do some bird-watching in the woods and enjoy the day, GV Snowshoes has you covered with their natural Huron Snowshoes.

If we can afford it, I'm sure we'd all love to get away for a few days or a week or two in February. That doesn't mean you have to leave Canada though! Head to Ottawa for Winterlude or Quebec for Carnaval de Québec. Vancouver has over 25 awesome events planned for this month. Toronto will play host to Icefest - these are all just to name a few spots around the country. A winter escape is perfect for getting rid of those Fenruary blues.

Right now, I'm going to grab a cup of coffee, another one of my treats to cheer up the day! How do you chase away the February Blues?

Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members Ddrops, Earth to Body, GV Snowshoes and a personal picture from Stacey Kazmir.

I am the proud owner of two small, itty-bitty, made-in-Canada businesses. Being little is huge! Allow me to explain. I’m Donna, an artsy, single parent of an awesome twelve year old son, residing in Very Small Town, BC. 

One of my businesses is a sign and graphics shop, called Graphic Impact, where I specialize in designing and manufacturing vehicle graphics. Design and decal fabrication are done at home, then I run out and install at my customer’s location while my son is in school. My passionate side fired-up Funky Junk Interiors, a decorating studio where I flip junky relics into unique decorating elements for the home. Thrifted treasures are found and revamped, then my home is used for staging photo shoots. From there, I submit the write-ups to magazines and blogs for features. I'm also a freelance writer and photographer and am so very glad that Buy Canadian First is part of my lineup! FUN!

But what really makes this story profound is the fact that businesses choose to buy Canadian first, by choosing me, this little Canadian small town girl, over much larger international corporations. They don’t have to choose me. There are plenty of others they could use to either make their trucks look pretty or their magazine spreads or blogs shine. But the fact that they did choose me says something about them. They are supporters of ensuring that my son gets a new pair of shoes every so often and that there's fuel in our vehicle. They know where their money is being spent which also means that they care about us.

In return, I attempt to offer something extra-special so that they call again. How about the very best work I can muster, topped with a sprinkling of true blue passion? When you care about what you do, you tend to conduct business a little differently, wouldn’t you agree? I see it when I visit my hairdresser in her beautifully decorated, cozy basement, for that invaluable one-on-one service or at the unique diner down the road that dishes up homemade fare like no one else. The small town folks, and what they offer, are special, and that's what keeps me coming back to buying Canadian first. I love knowing where my hard-earned Canadian dollars are going and I’m just very glad that my customers appear to feel the same way about me!

What keeps you going back to your favourite, small businesses?

Written by, and images courtesy of, Donna at Funky Junk Interiors.

Creativity is something that kids are born with. They want to sing, dance, colour and create. Their little brains are growing so rapidly that being able to express themselves through art and music helps them grow and learn. Creative kids are happy and adjusted kids. My oldest son is left-handed. I often say that this is one reason he is so creative. He loves to draw and build anything. You give him a task and he will spend hours on it.  I think that Canada is naturally a creative country. We are home to so many amazing artists, great musicians and talented actors.  I am proud to see so much talent made in Canada.

My oldest son is going off to high school in the Fall. Registration, as well as the tour of the school, is this month. The first stop on my son's list to visit on the tour is the Music room and the drama department. I am so excited about this.  It has been years since he has expressed an interest in studying the arts. His primary focus has been sports up until now. I often refer to him as "my son who will one day be famous" lol. I wish that, when he was younger, I had access to the original art work of Burnish Brush Art Studio. Their collages would have truly inspired him over the years. 

Our youngest is at an age where she is showing interest in dance. I try to encourage the kids' interests without occupying all of their time. It is great to keep activities fun. When they become stressful it is time for us to move on and find something new.  My daughter is also showing an interest in music. Being three, she is still hard to understand all the time. When she tries to tell us about a favourite show, book or character, she will sing their theme song. She has also expressed interest in songs that are about her, which is very similar to the CDs from Just For Me Music. Having four kids, I never know what will happen from one day to the next. I do know that my kids will be happy and I will be busy with all of their fun and activities.  

 What do your children show an interest in?  

Written by Gingermommy

:: images courtesy of Buy Canadian First member Just For Me Music and Burnish Brush Art Studio.

Happy New Year Canada!! All the presents are open, the champagne has been popped, the house is (semi) back to normal, now it's time to hunker down into a Canadian-made winter, isn't it? That means fun in the snow, warm nights at home, and unfortunately, it also mean cold and flu season.

As a mom to active four year old twin boys, that have school, play dates, birthday parties and library visits, I know that snotty hands, sneezing kids and germs are everywhere. To combat the colds, here are a few things that I keep on hand.

Ddrops is a product I use for both my boys and myself. This Parent Tested, Parent Approved winner is liquid vitamin D and is a simple, safe, and fun way for toddlers and children to receive the recommended amount (400IU) of vitamin D. What may surprise you is that 70% of children and adolescents are not getting enough Vitamin D! Easy to administer, the drop can be placed on food or in a drink, with no complaints about taste or texture.

A must is MAJESTA facial tissue, perfect for runny noses and soft enough not to cause a sore nose. Buy Canadian First member, MAJESTA, is also a green solution for cold and flu season, containing no dyes or fragrance and whitened without chlorine, this is a great choice for any family.

To stop those colds before they start, check out this fantastic product from Buy Canadian First member, St. Francis Herb Farm. Their Deep Immune for Children helps improve immune function and decreases the tendency for frequent colds, flu and infection. St. Francis Herb Farm was the first Canadian company in the herbal industry to identify its products as being truly “organic”, with over two hundred quality products, this Canadian company is a leader in their industry.

Another must-have in our house, as you can see, is IronKids. Health Canada approved, IronKids Multi-Vitamin Gummies supports your kid’s energy metabolism, taste great and have a texture my boys love. Keeping us healthy and happy is always a good thing.

What are some of the products you have on hand for the cold and flu season?

Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members Ddrops, MAJESTA, St. Francis Herb Farm and Stacey Kazmir.

It's Christmas Day here in Canada and, as I look out the window, just the right amount of snow is falling.

We hope that you have a safe and happy Christmas and look forward to seeing you back here on Boxing Day!

On behalf of the Good Shopper team, and BuyCanadianFirst.ca, I wish all of our readers a very merry, made-in-Canada  Christmas! 

White meat or dark meat? 

Day 13 of our Cross Canadian Countdown finds us at the studios of a Canadian treasure.  

"On November 2, 1936, the Canadian Broadcasting Act replaced the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission with a Crown corporation known as CBC/Radio-Canada."

That was seventy-five years ago, Canada, and "Yours to Celebrate" is the slogan CBC came up with to set the tone for their 75th anniversary celebrations. When you visit their site , you will find all sorts of made-in-Canada  archives. You will be walking down Memory Lane in no time!

 CBC/RADIO Canada 

 If you are like me, you grew up listening to the CBC on the radio and watching on TV. Many of us, I am sure, remember loving Mr.Dressup, Casey and Finnigan. Who hasn't looked up, waaaaaaaaaay up, to see the Friendly Giant, Jerome and Rusty or pulled up a chair to sit awhile in front of the fire? 

You'll find all your CBC favourites  in their site and you can watch or listen to them. Check out the interactive timeline ! What a great opportunity to share your memories with your children or grandchildren! 

What was your favourite CBC programme when you were growing up?

:: images courtesy of CBC. 

It's Day 5 of our Cross Canadian Countdown and I'd like to tell you about a Canadian made tradition in our house. We build an ice rink every year. Does anyone else do this or is planning to make one this year? Here are some tips, tricks and instructions on what we do.

First off, location, location, location! It sounds cliche but after one year where we had a four inch difference from one end of the rink to the other, we have learned that it is very important. Pick a spot as flat as possible and mark it out with wooden stakes before it snows.

Once you have a serious amount of snow and you know it won't be melting, it's time to prepare. Every year this happens to be the week between Christmas and New Year's for us. Don't start too early or you will be sorry.

Start by compacting the snow within your marked off area and making an edge at the side of it with the snow. Spray the sides with water so that they freeze in place and get the bottom as flat and as even as possible.

At this point, you either buy plastic sheeting to put down or, in our case, use a kit such as the RinkMaster . A RinkMaster is designed to hold 2-3 inches of water in place until the water freezes solid. 

If you are making your rink without something like a RinkMaster, you will need to flood the area, wait for it to freeze and repeat, as necessary, to build up a base.  If your snow sides are not well made, you may need to buy boards along with the plastic sheeting, to keep the water in while it's freezing.

We run a hose out the window from a basement water tap. This is your best bet, if possible, as you are of course dealing with very cold temperatures and you do not want to freeze your tap, as you could end up with a flood in the basement.

Once you have the rink completely frozen, you are ready for a hockey game! But do not forget about maintenance or you will be sorry in a few, short weeks.

To keep a smooth surface you must brush off any new snow and flood the rink often, not only to continue to build the rink up but to keep it smooth and safe to skate on.

Images courtesy of Stacey Kazmir and RinkMaster

Happy Halloween!!!  It's time for another Canadian-made holiday!! By the way, this means there are only 54 days until Christmas!! You're welcome!

So, for our family Halloween must-haves we have decorations - pumpkins, hay, spider webs and purple lights.  We're having a kids party with friends this afternoon,  so we also have home-made treats.

We have costumes, of course ...

... the pumpkins are carved ...

... crafts have been made, numerous times.  In fact, I thought that I'd share a craft we've been making this season.  For a Halloween ghost, grab three tissues, crunch two of them, cover them with the third tissue, tie with a string and then draw a face with a black marker.  Very easy and fun to make a bunch with the kids.  Try tying them in a tree out front or from a straight banister.

What else do you need for a perfect Halloween?  Well, some good weather of course; who's mother ever made them wear their winter jacket over their costume???  I remember when mine did!!  Doesn't look like it will be quite that cold across most of Canada this year, although it's always a good idea to try and layer some clothes UNDER your child's costume before heading out to trick or treat so that they can keep going longer.

Speaking of "trick or treats" - don't forget to support Canadian businesses as you pick up your treats today. Canadian company, Allan Candy, has some fantastic treats and we will be handing out their ALLAN INTENSE Jubes & Jellies this year. To mix it up and send at least two treats home with every trick or treater, we will also be handing out Canadian favourite, Tootsie rolls!

What are some musts and traditions for your family on Halloween?

:: images courtesy of StaceyK. 

Just ten more days until Hallowe'en, Canada ! I found three awesome Canadian sites, crammed with all sorts of fantastic, dare I say, "spooktacular" ideas! Let's take a look at what Canadian Living, Chatelaine and Yummy Mummy have to offer in the way of spooky inspiration for the quickly approaching fest!

Pumpkin Hermits

Canadian Living came up with Your Complete Guide to Halloween Fun !  From Hallowe'en menus and party ideas, to costume inspiration and crafts to decorate your spooky, spooky home to what to do with all that pumpkin - they have it covered! Since I haven't eaten yet, I was distracted by the seventeen, "Tested Till Perfect" pumpkin and pumpkin seed recipes. Yum! I know from how my mouth is watering that I will be trying a couple of them at least! I love pumpkin pie and roasted seeds but I'm also intrigued by the Pumpkin Carrot Soup and the Pumpkin Lace Cookies ! There is definitely more to see here than just recipes! It really is a complete Hallowe'en guide! 

Bloody Good Martini 

Chatelaine  has some very sophisticated Hallowe'en treats to tempt you with, including a Bloody Good Martini ! Not intended for the kiddies, mind you, but perfect for a Hallowe'en Howl of your own! It has ginger beer and vodka in it, among other absolutely delish ingredients! Since we won't want to drink on an empty stomach, let's consider serving  some Black Magic Toast with Orange Pepper Salsa  and following that up with some Scarecrow Chicken Sticks ! There does not seem to be any actual crow in the recipe, for those of you who wondered. I bet it would taste like chicken, though! You will find costume and decorating ideas too, and some great articles, including one on how expensive Hallowe'en is becoming!

Don't forget kids with allergies !

Yummy Mummy Club says "Horrors! It's Hallowe'en!". I think they like it though! They have a great article on how to have Hallowe'en with kids who have food allergies to contend with. You'll find some really helpful and fun suggestions!  I really like their article on how to have a green Hallowe'en,  too. Reusable trick or treat bags that the kids can decorate are a brilliant idea as is the Costume Swap! It all just takes a bit of thinking ahead, but the results are well worth it! 

These sites should keep your imagination fueled and your hands busy!

Are you trying anything new this Hallowe'en? 

:: images courtesy of Canadian Living, Chatelaine and Yummy Mummy. 

 "I am a Haunter ...  a person who decorates their yard, house or sometimes even creates amateur 'haunted houses' at their estates."   - Victoria L. Wolf,  Ontario, Canada.

A couple of weeks ago, maybe even in September, my husband and I were driving when I noticed a graveyard that hadn't been there before. It was complete with tombstones, gargoyles, cobwebby stuff and various bats and other creatures of the night.  It spanned the front and side lawns of an otherwise unthreatening bungalow. A woman was raking leaves around a tombstone. "Huh" I thought.

Two blocks down, what do I see but yet another spooky cemetary! They seem to be popping up everywhere! Sure, haunted houses at Hallowe'en are nothing new. But every year, more and more Canadians  are turning their yards into scenes from a nightmare or horror movie.

Of course, Dollarama and the other dollar stores make it incredibly easy and really inexpensive to put together the tomb of your life, but who knew just how many people would jump on the band wagon? Or should I say 'hearse'? It's all about supply and demand though. The people must have demanded more Hallowe'en stuff.

When was the last time that you saw Santa and his sleigh and reindeer on the front lawn of someone's house at Christmas? Maybe one lawn or two per neighbourhood? Remember how people used to go all out at Christmas and your folks would drive the family out to see all the displays? Does that still happen? It seems that, around here, anyway, Hallowe'en decorating is far more popular! I'm not saying that I don't like it! I just think that the shift in interest is interesting!

The Ontario Haunter's Association  site is dedicated to providing links to the locations of haunted houses and yards in Ontario.  It also has some great pumpkin carving tips and templates. Check it out, too, for decorating how-to's and ideas  for creating your own haunted house or yard. They also link to Canadian suppliers of scary decorations.

You may also enjoy The Hallowe'en Project,  which lists even more links to haunts across Canada! I think that it would be fun to have a look and see if I can put together a little tour of our local haunted yards and houses to go on!

So, tell me, are you a haunter ... yet? 

:: images courtesy of W. T. Gibson and the Ontario Haunters Association

Have you seen the cars that are made in Canada?  I am smitten with the Dodge Challenger  from Buy Canadian First member, Dodge Canada, but I covet the Camaro  from Buy Canadian First member, Chevrolet. I would order it in "Inferno Orange".

There is just one wee problem with this grand and lovely dream; I do not have a driver's license! This from the girl who learned how to drive a stick shift when she was twelve and who rode a quad in the Interlake region of Manitoba's farmland,  where I also spent some hours in trucks and tractors with my uncle on the fields.  I am now in my thirties and no, my license hasn't been suspended or removed; I just never obtained one.

I now own a 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera (which may been assembled in Quebec); my son's twin as he, too, was born in 1994! A gift from my step-dad, the car was his father's and now my son has "adopted" it as his own (fat chance). As I write this,  he is installing a whole new sound system. I hope it's Canadian made!

The process of learning to drive has been a labour of love. A dear friend of mine has taken several Saturdays out her life from her family to teach me how to drive. We've had adventures in southern Manitoba, including burger stands in St. Pierre Jolys and farmers markets in St. Malo.  It was a lovely time, and I discovered I do not spend nearly as much time with my friends as I would like to. When I first obtained my learner's permit in 1992, the rules were much different. When you passed your test you were free to drive. These days,  Manitoba public insurance has implemented graduated licensing that includes restrictions such as only one passenger between midnight and five am to not being able to teach a beginner to drive.  This is truly a bummer as my son is an excellent driver; all the rules of the road are fresh in his mind and he is as patient as the day is long, but legally,  he can't take me out on the road. He did teach me to parallel park in 25 minutes. So I shall seek out a few more volunteers and take some professional lessons that should help me acquiring my license.

I am going to book my road test again. As much as I am disappointed I didn't pass any of the previous tests, I am happy for the lessons I am learning. It will just make my shiny orange inferno 2012 Camaro that much safer when I am licensed to drive ... or maybe I'll stick with my Olds, for now,  with its  'balling' new sound system!

What is your favourite Canadian made car? 

Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First Member Chevrolet Canada and Andrea Willowcat.

As we enjoy another Canadian made long weekend, I have some fun facts about Canada to share with you. Did you know, Canada, that:

• Alberta's Jasper National Park is the world's largest dark-sky preserve for stargazers?
• Canada has more wetlands than any other country (about 1.2 million square kilometres)?
• It was Calgary bartender Walter Chell that created the Casear cocktail in 1969 (and you'd be hard pressed to be able to order a Casear anywhere outside of Canada)?

• Canada is the largest producer of wild blueberries in the world? 
• The largest herd of Caribou in the world can be found in Labrador and there are more than 2.4 million caribou in Canada?
• The tallest man from Canada was Edouard Beaupré (died July 3, 1904)? In 1902, Edouard's height was measured at 8 feet 2.5 inches and he weighed over 400 pounds!
• Canada's first newspaper, John Bushell's Halifax Gazette, began publication in 1752?

• Canada is one of the largest producers of icewine in the world?
• It was Canadian doctor Sir Frederick Grant Banting who was one of the main discoverers of insulin?
• In New Brunswick you can walk down the steepest and shortest main street there is? King Street in Saint John, NB is the steepest main street in Canada rising to the height of an eight-storey building in just two blocks.
• Last year we exported over 1 million barrels of cranberries to the USA?
• Regina, Saskatchewan's original name was "Pile o' Bones"? This referred to the large amounts of buffalo bones on the banks of the Wascana Creek.
• The August Civic holiday is known by many names across Canada, including Simcoe Day, Founders' Day, British Columbia Day and Mountie Day. It is also not generally observed in Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, or the Yukon.

Images countesy of Buy Canadian First members Gelderman Farms and Peller Estates.

When it comes to planning the layout of our backyard, I keep in mind the focal points. Simply put, focal points draw the eye and give you something nice to look at when you enter the yard or when you are relaxing in it. Our main focal point is a made in Canada  vignette that I created with a bird feeder and a bird bath. These are at the bottom of the yard, in a tiny wooded section, perfect for birds and other backyard wildlife! We can see them when we are sitting in our little gazebo and, truthfully, it is better than cable! The drama that goes on between the grackles, the squirrels and the blue jays, is enough to keep us on the edge of our Muskoka chairs, sometimes!

Our birdfeeder 

The ingredients for these live daily shows are quite basic: a good bird feeder that will withstand squirrels, sunflower seeds for the blue jays and cardinals and mixed seeds for the sparrows and chickadees, a birdbath and a field guide to Canadian or North American birds. A pair of binoculars are invaluable and, of course, your camera, too, makes for perfect bird watching gear. A notebook or journal can be really useful if you want to keep track of the birds that you identify. Plus, you will need committment. Once you start feeding the birds, they will come to expect it, so keep those feeders full! It is worth it!

 A great way to learn about backyard birds from Outset Media! 

Field guides are the books on my What to Take to a Desert Island list. I have had a collection of field guides since I was a little kid. You can get them for anything and everything, including birds, wildflowers, herbs, stars and fish, at Chapters-Indigo . I know you are waiting for me to bring my iPhone into this, so let me tell you about the amazing and free  Peterson's Guide  to Feeder Birds of North America app that allows you to identify birds, keep track of them and even play their calls with your smart phone! I have several Peterson field guides but having one that plays the bird calls has made a huge difference of my understanding of who is who back there!

 Heavenly!

Our reward this Summer for putting up a feeder  is a blue jay family! They made their nest above our gazebo and put on the most amazing aerial battles against marauding squirrels that I have ever seen! The mated pair split up to attack the squirrels from each side in a very dramatic show of teamwork! Sometimes it all happens too fast to take pictures and I can only sit back and enjoy! I will never forget the splat of that squirrel as he bounced off the top of the gazebo! (He's okay!).

What birds put on a show in your back yard? 

:: images courtesy of Buy Canadian First member, Outset Media and Wendy Gibson

The final bell has rung, everyone has their sunscreen and sandals on, we're ready for a Canadian made summer. Then, it strikes - someone exclaims "I'm so bored!". I've heard it, you've heard it and I'm sure we said it once in a while while when we were kids; it is almost a Summer time mantra. The kiddos just aren't used to being out of school and without a structured day. One way to keep that structure and have a fantastic experience at the same time is Summer camp. Summer camps are available to children across the country, check out Canadian Camping Association - a portal to finding Summer camps across the nation.

If Summer camp doesn't work for your family' there are many other great activities that can keep the kids engaged for hours. After splashing in a pool or playing in the sandbox, a game with a bit more structure is the Canadian made Bean "Toss The Friendly Farm". It's fun, kids work on teamwork, counting, aiming and throwing skills, plus, what kid doesn't love a bean bag!

For those rainy days we all dread, it's not necessary to turn to the TV, because lots of fun can still be had indoors. My boys love baking cookies on rainy days and our latest favourite thing to do - make cake balls! Cake balls can be a very hands-on activity with the kids and tons of fun to decorate. Click here for a great description of cake balls from Canadian Family.

Another great indoor activity that can keep everyone busy is this "Hunt and Seek Canada" game from Buy Canadian First member Gladius. Not only will everyone have fun with the challenge of finding hidden pictures but, as mentioned in the description, this game "develops observation, concentration and speed among players of all ages" - perfect!

Indoors and out there are plenty of ways to keep the kids busy this Summer and to avoid the dreaded "I'm so bored" mantra. What are some ways you're keeping the kids busy this summer?

by Stacey Kazmir

Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First member Editions Gladius.

When I told my editor that this summer I was teaching a friend to make perogies for her wedding, I was a little apprehensive to be assigned a made-in-Canada wedding post. What do I focus on? Dresses, wedding favours, flowers or bridesmaids' gifts? I could feel the grim realisation that I wasn't meant to write about weddings. This prairie girl loves the simplicity of the outdoors, pretty lights, a sun dress, good friends, food and drink, family, and daisies . No seating arrangements, rehearsal dinners, or stressful snafus; just a mellow, fun and loving day. Then it dawned on me, something so fun and undoubtedly Manitoban; the wedding social!

I recall, as a child, attending several socials. When I was 9, my aunt, uncle and cousin took me to one held in a new barn. It was  huge and had fabulous lighting and a DJ, the room glowed a golden hue with the natural wood walls and floor. All of a sudden Old Time of Rock and Roll by Bob Segar (part of a long list of manditory social songs ) blared from the speakers. There was not a soul sitting as the the floor thumped and vibrated. Everyone was stomping and singing and it was magnificent and a wonder the barn didn't fall to the ground. 

It was a great surprise to me to discover that not only was the social, Manitoban, but only us Manitobans practice it! It is known by several names; the wedding social, the Winnipeg social or the Manitoba social but it's most commonly referred to as just a social. Organised by the couple's friends, the social  is the most fruitful fundraiser to help pay for the wedding ceremony. The recipe for a social  is fairly simple; one engaged couple, one rented hall, barn or community centre, a temporary liquor licence, raffle prizes, a DJ or a live cover band and a small army of people to sell tickets to anyone who wishes to come. 

The night is far from complete without some Canadian made beer such as Labatts Lite, Kokanee, or Molson Canadian and spirits like Canadian Club whiskey , vodka and dark and light rum. The night is capped by a midnight snack tray. Traditionally the fare is keilbasa, Manitoba Kub Bread, cold cuts, cheese, mustard and polish dill pickles, all of which are made in Canada, some are made right in Manitoba and I suspect that the pickles were taken from someone's grandmother's cold room. There you go, one fabulous, home grown, made in Manitoba, wedding social! 

Do you have a favourite social story? Tell us!    

:: images courtesy of Andrea Willowcat

The egg is a symbol of birth, the renewal of the earth and the awakening Spring after Winter's deep slumber. Evidence of decorated eggs can be seen as far back as Paleolithic  and Neolithc times. As Eastern Europeans converted to Christianity, their egg decorating traditions, rich in history and symbolism , were carried forward, but with the symbols that once represented the rebirth of the seasons transferred over to represent the rebirth of man. The wax relief method of decorating eggs can be seen throughout seveal eastern European nations, including the Lithuanians, the Polish, the Serbians and the Romanians ... but none are so well known as the Ukrainians and their Pysanka. 

 The pysanka was more than just an egg. To some it held the fate of the world.

"The Hutsuls--Ukrainians who live in the Carpathian Mountains of western Ukraine--believe that the fate of the world depends upon the pysanka. As long as the egg decorating custom continues, the world will exist. If, for any reason, this custom is abandoned, evil--in the shape of a horrible serpent who is forever chained to a cliff-- will overrun the world. Each year the serpent sends out his minions to see how many pysanky have been created. If the number is low the serpent's chains are loosened and he is free to wander the earth causing havoc and destruction. If, on the other hand, the number of pysanky has increased, the chains are tightened and good triumphs over evil for yet another year." -wikipedia

Pysanky were believed to hold powerful magic. It was feared that if a witch was to get a hold of one, she could use the shell to gather dew, which would then be used to dry up milk cows. She could also poke people with the shell and sicken them. No one was allowed to trample on a pysanka as it was believed that God would punish anyone who did with a variety of illnesses. It was common for girls to give their pysanky decorated with heart motifs to their beloved but if the egg held no design on the top or the bottom , he was in danger of balding early.

So how hard it is to create a pysanka? I am a crafter and I know the years it takes to hone your skills and create wondrous works. So, to truly make a work of art with the wax relief method, or to simply make  a  straight line from the top of the egg, all the way around that meets with the beginning of that line again, is a triumph. It takes years to create the wonders that you see but everyone starts somewhere and it is not expensive to buy a kit and try to just have fun !

Frankly, I tried to create something adorable to share but I am soooo out of practice I couldn't bear to do it.  That doesn't mean that you couldn't peek at a few examples  that I did years ago .

How are you decorating your Easter eggs this year? 

Happy Easter, Canada.

Photo credits: Flickr creative commons; Kevin Saff  and PugnoM 

I do not spend a lot of time in front of the TV. There are a few shows I will watch in their entirety, such as House (I know, bad Canadian blogger *waves to Hugh Laurie*), Flashpoint and, if it has already started, I will sit and watch Kenny vs. Spenny,  but it's just a guilty pleasure. There are also 2 channels that can be found playing on my television should I be at the remote control helm and that is Discovery Canada  and HGTV Canada. Both satisfy my curiosity and artsy-crafty inclinations.

HGTV Canada has been a staple on my tv since the late 90's when This Small Space was airing and inspired me to look at my wee house in a new way. Still, to this day, HGTV Canada is just as inspiring and informative. As an artist and crafter, I am always looking to find new DIY ways to jazz up my home. Having children and mountains of stuff and little time requires innovative storage ideas and especially how to maintain them. As a homeowner, there is often something that needs to be cared for, fixed or upgraded. Of course, after watching Holmes on Homes, you almost want to just learn to do it yourself. These days, I am preparing to sell the house and getting tips and hints is a walk in the park with programs such as Flipping Out, My First Sale  and The Unsellables, I am sure to get all the help I need.

I adore that many of the hosts of the various shows are Canucks! I am super excited to check out The Decorating Adventures of Ambrose Price, a Newfie with aspirations of being Canada's Martha Stewart. Each episode he is faced with a new design challenge, all in hopes of bringing him to the top of his game and helping him become the best of the best.

"For Ambrose, this is a journey of decorating and self-discovery and a step closer to becoming the Master Decorator he's always dreamed of being."

Of course, if you have a hard time getting to the television or just miss your favourite episodes, HGTV Canada has some available to watch online. Another nice feature is the live blogs  as well as the videos  so can watch some of your favourites!

 What are your favouite HGTV Canada shows, past or present?

:; images courtesy of HGTV.ca

Today is International Women's Day and, around the world, and in your town, festivities are taking place. As a matter of fact, this day was first celebrated on March 19th, 1911, making today the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day and that much more to celebrate!

Initially, International Women's Day was created to publicize the plight of women around the world. With a hundred years of hard work behind us, today's IWD is much more about the achievements that women have made and the progress gained in ensuring that women everywhere have equal rights.

The theme for Canada's International Women's Day 2011 is Girls' Rights Matter / Les droits des filles comptent. Focusing on the importance of equality and access to opportunity for all girls and women throughout their lives, this theme encourages us to examine the situation of girls in Canada today. It also connects to the United Nations theme of Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women.

According to the Status of Women - Canada site, "A girl who enjoys equality has a greater likelihood of being self-confident and aware of her own potential, and of being empowered to access the education, training and career opportunities that will contribute to her success in life."

So, how are women doing in Canada? According to this Fact Sheet:

• The House of Commons currently has 67 women.
  
• Currently, women make up the majority of full-time students in most university faculties.
  
• In 2007, women made up 35 per cent of all self-employed individuals.
• In 2007, 35% of those employed in managerial positions were women.

On the other hand, the Equal Pay Coalition tells us that,  according to Statistics Canada, women, on average earn 29% less than men. They say that 42 percent of elderly women in Canada live in poverty, the median income of older women is almost half what it is for older men and a lifetime of lower wages means that women workers have less income that they can save for retirement. Although more women are full-time university students, women graduating from university earn 16% less than male graduates in their first jobs. 

Are you surprised to learn that women in Canada are still not paid an equal wage for work of equal value?  What better day than today to find out more about this very real women's issue and the ways that you can get involved to change it.

Do you have a daughter? Who are her heroines? Who are YOUR heroines?

During the day I play with a bunch of noisy, boisterous wondernuts; some are almost as tall as a meter stick. They are all adorable and moody, honest and tough as nails but made of custard none the less, and frankly I wouldn`t have it any other way. Working at a daycare has been both gruelling and rewarding. Watching the kids grow, celebrating their victories and seeing them off as they go into kindergarten, truly has been a blessing. My two youngest  children attend the daycare centre so I am both a parent and an educator there. It`s not always easy but I adore being able to be with them all day and not miss any good stuff while at work. I have been very fortunate.

Prior to working at the centre, I could never imagine how early childhood educators (ECE) did it! I see the same look in parents' eyes when they drop off their child at a room full of children. The look in their eyes seems to say "Wow, better you than me", as they make a hasty escape. Yes, we have our hands full, yes, we are busy, yes, it is often organised chaos and yes, it's a whole lot of fun. Caring for your children is a privilege but there are a few things us ECE's would love every parent to know.  These tips will make both our day and your child's day run a lot smoother.

1. Label everything! When 16 kids come in from outside, they take off their boots, coats, mittens and scarves all at once and everything ends up scattered all over the place. The older kids know what their things look like and promptly put them away. This is not always the case with the little kids or the new ones who are not familiar with their belongings or the routine. Labeling helps us educators save time and prevents items from getting lost and it also helps children learn how to recognize their names. A permanent marker is a convenient, quick solution for the job. Another option is from Canadian company, Lovable Labels,  who make labelling colourful and easy with a fabulous collection of labels, stickers, tags and more. Your daycare provider will thank you.

 

2. Have the proper attire for the season. We go outside, everyday, even in the rain and often in the Winter. The proper gear is so very important. Summer requires hats, sunscreen and bug spray. Please do not send your child with flip-flops or sandals. Their outside shoes should be a good 'runner'. The Fall calls for light mittens, a hat, a sweater and a Fall coat. In the Winter, layers are key, so please make sure your child has a cozy sweater to wear under her Winter coat. Other must haves items are ski-pants, boots, waterproof mittens, a toque, extra mittens and scarf. The Winter to Spring transition, for me, is the worst. It is freezing in the morning and warm in the afternoon, it snows and rains and you can never quite tell what will happen. Keep a raincoat and boots, like these adorable duckies  from Buy Canadian First member Rallye's Footwear, at the centre so that we are always prepared for play despite what Mother Nature has in store. If your child does not have these items with her, it may mean she will have to remain indoors while her peers play outside.

3. A change of clothes. Include a change of underwear, socks and shoes, as well as tops and bottoms. One never knows when a spill, sickness or accident will happen.

4. Pack healthy snacks and lunches. Daycare and preschool are not places for candy, sugar filled treats, pop drinks and junk foods; they will probably not be served even if they are in the lunch box. If your centre doesn`t provide a meal program, fill your child`s lunch box with choices from all food groups. Fresh fruits are preferred to canned ones. Avoid bringing any food that may contain peanuts and tree nuts. A healthy lunch will prevent sugar spikes and crashes, helping your child have the best day possible. Of course, lunches packed in adorable bags help too, like the Delish lunch bag by Buy Canadian First member Blue Celery. I wouldn't mind one of these myself.

5. Call when late or when you are not coming. We are expecting you and hope you are safe when you aren`t there. Calling us eases our minds and helps us better plan the rest of the day.

It is important that child care workers and families work together so that the best things can happen for the kids!! Are you an ECE? What do you wish parents would do? Parents, what would you like to see from your ECE?

PhotoCredit : Lovable Lables site,  Rallye Footwear and Blue Celery

Today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year and the official start of the Winter season. Tomorrow, the days will start to get longer again, as we head towards Spring, which is only 12 weeks away! What is really exciting about this Winter Solstice is that there is a also a Full Moon! But wait! There is also a Lunar Eclipse!  The last time that these three things occurred simultaneously was 372 years ago!

Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse from William Castleman on Vimeo.

By the time you read this, the lunar eclipse will have already occurred, but you can watch it happening on the video!

It's hard to imagine that, at one time, the sky was the only clock or calendar or map available. You had to really know how to read and understand the sky, if you wanted to go anywhere and find your way back, if you wanted to plant seeds that would have a chance to grow into food, or even if you just wanted to be safe from the elements.

My mom is always saying that, if she listened to the weatherperson, she would never wear the right coat. "Look out the window!" is my advice! Spectacular events like lunar eclipses get many of us looking up, but there are things going on in the sky all the time that deserve our attention. Amateur astronomy is a wonderful hobby for anyone and a great way to reconnect with Nature. Some good binoculars and a dedicated magazine, like SkyNews, can make a huge difference in your understanding and appreciation of the sky.
 

 

SkyNews, The Canadian Magazine of Astronomy and Stargazing, is among the best publications for novice stargazers and astrophotographers anywhere. Written in an easy-to-understand style by astronomy experts and edited by popular astronomy author Terence Dickinson, each full-colour issue carries amazing photos, columns, equipment reviews, how-to articles and the world's finest star charts (designed for night-sky viewing from Canada). It was named Best New Magazine in Canada in 1996.

We are so lucky to have an actual observatory near to where we live and no doubt there is somewhere similar close enough to you to visit. Tickets to an observatory, a telescope or binoculars, a subscription to a magazine such as SkyNews, would all make awesome gifts, for Christmas or birthdays, to an adult or a child! Throw in some of those glow-in-the-dark stars that you can buy and stick on the ceiling of your bedroom to look at when the lights go out and you have yourself a fantastic gift to give or keep!

A very happy Winter Solstice to you! Keep looking up! It's almost Spring!

Do you have binoculars?

:: images courtesy of  Magazines Canada, and CaptMondo.

Christmas decorations have come a long way since Dad brought home that first artificial tree! I can remember him sorting all the branches by the colours painted on the twisted wire ends. It seemed to take forever, especially to an impatient little girl! Finally, the tree would be assembled, the lights untangled and strung around it, the ornaments unwrapped from their boxes and hung, the tinsel tossed on each tree tip. With any luck, all the lights still worked and the tree would be ready to behold in its blazing glory!

Our ornaments were basic ball shapes back then, with cranberry and popcorn garlands, or paper chains, and lots of tinsel. They were beautiful and shiny, but baby, we have come a long way since then! Luckily, not so far that we can't still enjoy those vintage memories as well as all the newfangled shapes!

As always, Lee Valley has just the thing to relive some of my retro Christmas memories and I am loving Debbie Travis's decorating advice and themes on the Canadian Tire site! 

Lee Valley carries beautiful and nostalgic decorations, some with a charming DIY benefit . They also provide some practical decorating solutions to issues we may face at Christmas, such as getting rid of our live tree once the holidays are over and hanging the Christmas wreath in just the right spot! Their ice mold for decorating outside with lanterns is genius! (They also have some really amazing, out-of-the-ordinary gifts , so be sure to check that out!)

Debbie Travis offers some great tree and home decorating advice and six (eeeek!)  gorgeous themed decoration sets! A Canadian Christmas, Winter Forest, Once Upon a Time, Pistachio, Masquerade Ball and Peppermint cover all the favourite ornament shapes with tons of added themed pizzaz! Honestly, you will be hard pressed to put some of these sweet little sculptures away when the holidays are over!

         Lee Valley DIY Wooden Christmas Ornaments 

The ornaments range from the excrutiatingly adorable, with tiny owls, squirrels, gnomes and other forest creatures that are found in the tartan touched, Canadian Christmas, to the brilliantly jewel-toned harlequins, masks and baubles of  Masquerade Ball! Once Upon a Time has ballerinas and fairies and an exquisite rose garland! There are tiny, knitted mittens and knit covered round balls in a couple of the themes! So cute for a crafty tree! Pistachio and Peppermint offer classic shapes with a twist!

I love them all! I can see decorating each room differently or having 6 trees! Of course, that would mean a much biggger house, so I will hold off on that. I can also see mixing and matching and using some of the decorations as stocking stuffers and gift toppers!

Do you love to decorate for the holiday season?

:: images courtesy Lee Valley and veritas

Cabin fever can make the most steadfast of souls delirious with boredom. Especially the little ones as you watch them destroy the house around you, bickering, screaming and squabbling and generally running a-muck. So what can you do to keep the peace? Thankfully there are lots of great activities to have a fabulous time, in fact, here are 6 to get you started in your quest for freedom from winter boredom.

6. The great Canadian dance party. What's more fun than dancing? Jumping up and down, flitting across the house and shaking you thang with the babes in tow! The kids will love the goofiness, you will surly get your cardio-fix in and the world outside will be a distant thought. If you didn't already know CBC3 is one of my favourite places online. Allowing you the chance to explore Canadian music, here's my play list , dance winter away , go make one too!

5. Kid cooking: easy peasy chili. Warm soft comfort food is a delight. This chili recipe has only 3 ingredient and the kids will love being a help in the kitchen. Ingredients: 454 g of ground beef, lamb or turkey, 2 cans of pork and beans (we use the maple ones) and a 1/4 to 1/2 a jar of your favourite pasta sauce. Place ground beef in a pan and cook until well done, add beans and sauce and simmer till hot. Of course this recipe is adaptable, onions, corn, peppers, chili powder and anything else could be added throughout the cooking stages.

4. The crafternoon - grab your pom-poms, googly eyes, glue, paper bits, cotton balls, Popsicle sticks, finger paints, feathers, beads, sticks and any other elements that spark your fancy and make a family collage. The bigger the paper the better the fun!!

3. Be a bear (or your favourite animal) for a day. Eat what they eat, create a den, growl and walk on your hands and feet...or try and convince the wee ones to hibernate.

2. Get out the video camera and record the family doing anything you do. Later make some popcorn, nestle in and giggle at your goofiness.

1. Start a reading circle, every evening get together with a novel. Read a chapter a night or just a few pages. This is a great activity with older kids but the little ones will enjoy the cuddle time.

Sometimes the best cure for cabin fever is just a little time together. Turn off the tv, the computer, the radio and all and just be together. Talk, laugh, giggle, run a-muck and make a big mess. These are the days that can shape your collective memories. So let the snow fall, let the blustery winds blow and who cares if it's 30 or 45 below, you have each other!!

How do you and your family chase cabin fever away?

:: images courtesy of Willowcat family

I am not the only one who gripes about how many more hours are required in one day. If we really needed more we could fly to Venus for their generous 5,832 hour day, except that the air quality isn't so great. Luckily, we can save ourselves the 38 million kilometre journey and be thrilled to get an extra hour this weekend, albeit at 2 in the morning. For those at you with night lives, last call has been extended! Those of you with kids...you'll be up to see the dawn, I'll have the coffee brewing!

Daylight savings time was first implemented in Germany in 1915 and was soon adopted by Great Britain, Europe and Canada, though Benjamin Franklin had first suggested the idea a century earlier. Because the Sun shines while everyone is still asleep, pushing the clocks forward in the Spring causes people to wake up earlier and be able to better use the Sun's light. That is why we 'spring ahead' the second Sunday of March and "fall back' the first Sunday in November.

In Canada, it is up to each province to decide to use daylight time, and most follow the program. The exceptions are most of Saskatchewan, who has remained on standard time since 1966 and is joined by some border towns in Manitoba and Alberta. There are some pockets of Ontario and BC as well as Quebec, north of 63 degree west longitude, who remain on Atlantic time year round. Frankly, it's all a little confusing. I wonder if it is really worth the effort? In the winter it feels like you travel to work in the dark and you trudge home in dark, making the little sunlight you do see, bliss, as it sparkles on the snow.

In a nutshell,  daylight savings was designed to help save energy by timing our lives better to the times that the Sun is available.

Now that you have this elusive extra hour in your life there are a few things that you must accomplish. This is the time of year to think about your smoke alarms and to check their batteries. It is important to have a working smoke detector on every floor and in every room used for sleeping. For more information about smoke alarms please read this Health Canada page.  While you are carting around the ladder, why not exchange your regular bulbs with energy efficient CLFs bulbs? Each one will save you $40.00 over the course of it's lifetime!

So, Canada, fall back one hour this Sunday morning, check your smoke alarms and change your bulbs and when all is said and done, you'll be safer, energy efficient and without that one gained hour! Who's taken the map to Venus?

Do you have routines for when it's time to set the clocks back one hour?

::Images courtesy of Flickr.

It's getting pretty cold over here in Manitoba. In fact, just the other day we were granted 100km/h gusts of wind with a steady drops of nearly freezing rain, not fun. Ice covered all the puddles this morning, winter is near. With Halloween just around the corner I know lots of Manitobans are whispering this mantra; "please don't let the snow fall before Halloween". All together now: "Please Do Not Let The Snow Fall Before Halloween!" It looks like our collective thoughts are already working. Environment Canada is giving us clear sunny days and crisp cool evenings until early next week. But, then again, this is Manitoba! The old adage around these parts is "Wait five minutes and the weather will certainly change"!

We have had great Halloween nights the last couple of years! I wore flip flops in 2008 and it was fabulous, until the sun went down, but once I couldn't feel my toes anymore it didn't matter much. Last year the air was much colder but we made it without the white stuff. My little monkey and my baby bear trick or treated to their hearts' content, while my zombie dragged his corpse around town with his buddies.

Even though battling the elements and squeezing our costumes over big bulky sweaters or snowsuits may mean misshapen costumes, everyone will still look as cute as a pile of puppies. Unlike city trick or treating, trick or treating in a small town is a lot more relaxed. Nearly every house you go to belongs to someone you know and receiving baked goods or a massive bag of popcorn from your neighbours is no longer fodder for your weary imagination. You know that Mrs. Marion is not trying to poison your children! Truly the scariest thing about Halloween is not being visible. Last year, chasing my two little girls, zigzagging from one side of the street to another, you can't help but see how easily a child, or anyone, could be stuck by a motorist. So, when you are out there, please add safety first tape reflector strips to your costume or carry a flashlight and make sure your can't trip over your costume.  Health Canada has a fabulous list of precautions to take to keep Halloween fun and safe.

While you are waiting for a fabulous Halloween night, you should spend some time and create your In-Case-of-Zombies-Press-Play-Create-the-Soundtrack-for-Defeating-an-Army-of-the-Undead at CBCradio3. You could win a $50.00 iTunes card, like I did!! This is the contest (I am commenter #17)  and here is my winning play list. Today is the last day of the zombie soundtrack but CBC 3 continues with the Eh List contests! This coming week is Unplugged: acoustic goodness for the soul, so good luck!

This weekend, to the tunes of our playlist, we will carve our pumpkins and get our costumes ready, along with our mittens and scarves, just in case. My littlest one will be out trick or treating, for the first time, bag in hand, screaming her guts out at an acquaintance's door, begging for candy! The 'Willowcat' sisters will be gathering twice as many candies...and I am hoping for a bagful of rockets! Readers, spill all your Halloween details here!

What's on your Hallowe'en playlist?

:: all photos by willowcat!

This September, I am taking part, proudly, in Culture Days! Under a tent on one of our main streets, yours truly will be showing anyone and everyone the pleasures of crafting with recyclables! The street will be closed off and there will be a touch of Mardi Gras in the air!

If you haven't heard of Culture Days yet, don't be surprised. It's new! Modeled on Quebec’s 13-year old annual Journées de la culture event, Culture Days have become, in 2010, a "collaborative pan-Canadian volunteer movement to raise the awareness, accessibility, participation and engagement of all Canadians in the arts and cultural life of their communities".

This Fall, Culture Days will feature thousands of free, hands-on activities  ... across Canada!  Everything from painting, puppet making, trash to treasure crafts and dance performances to museum display set-up and architectural tours of the neighbourhood, will be on hand to try. These activities will encourage the public to participate "behind the scenes" & discover who the artists are in their local communities and what they really do. 

Culture Days is a collaborative movement that relies on you and me. You can take part as a citizen, as a business person, as a cultural professional, on behalf of an organization, or in any other way you can imagine! You don't have to be an artist! Visit the Culture Days website to find out what is happening in your area and how you can be involved. For a start, you can print off posters and pictures for your website. Then invite your friends, family and colleagues to join in the fun! Be sure to subscribe to the newsletter!

This unique celebration takes place September 24 to 26 in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Québec (under the existing event Journées de la culture), New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland & Labrador; and September 17 to 19 in Alberta (under the existing event Alberta Arts Days). Dates for Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon will be announced shortly.

Culture Days are coming! Spread the word! What would you like to experience during Culture Days in your neck of the woods?

          ~ Songs My Paddle Sings, E. Pauline Johnson

                     Photo courtesy of Clipper Canoes

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Canada Flag - Flying Colours

I love a parade! Every Canada Day, Husband, Mother and I make a point of joining our fellow Canadians on George Street in Peterborough, Ontario, for another Canada Day Parade! We Peterboroughians line the street with our folding chairs, our waving flags, ubiquitous water bottles, cameras at the ready, littlest kids right up front so they can see!

We live close to the parade location downtown, but several of the streets are blocked off and picking up Mom, and getting her as close as possible to our vantage point, can be tricky. Mom is going to be 93 on July 3, so we like to start the birthday party off with a parade, and we invite the rest of the country to take part!

Canopy Chair - Canadian Tire 

The checklist is the same every year, but that never seems to make it easier! Grab the special folding chair with the 'sunroof' for Mom, two more chairs for Husband and myself, water bottles, sunscreen, hats, preferably with maple leafs on them, camera, extra batteries, picnic blanket and the picnic cooler! Don't forget the tissues, for when I tear up, over and over again! Throw in some bug spray, just to be safe!

Bug Joose - All Things Jill 

After the parade, we turn around, gather our gear, and head into beautiful Crary Park, on the shores of Little Lake. There is a stage there and booths set up, for a truly Canadian,  multi-cultural celebration of food and talent!

 Coleman Cooler - Canadian Tire

The grass is the perfect place to lay out our picnic blanket and cooler, with hundreds of others of people doing the same. Families and friends wander about, greeting neighbours and visitors.  The heady scents of various treats mingle in the air with the music coming from the stage. Our sandwiches and coleslaw never taste as good as this in the house! We inevitably supplement what we brought with fresh, hot mini doughnuts and cotton candy! Fantastic!

The snacking and variety show continues all day until the big concert in the evening, followed by fireworks lighting up the sky over the lake! Another perfect Canada Day in the best country on Earth... and a great start to Mom's birthday!

 How are you celebrating Canada Day this year?

When old man winter finally eases up and the winter temperatures start to climb it's the perfect time to get outside. Indoor games, crafts and movie nights can lessen the effects of cabin fever but nothing quells it like getting out of the house. Your outdoor adventure need not take you far and wide, it can be a back yard affair.

Getting dressed
Before you head out the door it is important to dress for the weather, regardless of how mild it may be. A technique called layering is a perfect way to keep you dry and comfortable during your winter sport or activity. There are generally 3 layers; a base, mid and outer. The base layer is a snug fitting top and bottom designed to keep moisture away from your skin. Polypropylene, silk, polyester, Thermax, Thinsulate or wool are all good choices. Cotton is also a good choice if you are in your back yard or won't be perspiring too much as it tends to absorb moisture keeping the dampness close to your skin.

Stanfields has a great selection of Made in Canada long johns, as does Mountain Equipment Co-op .The mid layer should be looser but should also remain close to the base layer to create a good insulation as well as wick the moisture away from the base layer and transport it up to the outer layer. Mid layer choices include down, polyester, fleece, wool and  synthetic / natural blends like Butterfly French fleece hoody , by Respecterre or  TerraFrog's Travel Sweats. Your outer layer should be wind resistant and allow for moisture to escape via ventilation holes and other methods, such as the Ranger Parka by Integral Designs.

Head and fingers feet and toes
Obviously, our extremities are important and should be properly protected. Hats, mittens, gloves, scarves, socks and boots are designed to keep you warm, dry and safe. Always choose the right fabric for the activit. For example, hand-knit mittens from grandma may be a good choice it you are just going for a walk but not so great while making a snowman in the wet sticky snow. Buy Canadian First members La Canadienne , Barbo with the Flipgripz Women's winter boots, Rallye, Stonz and  Canadian Outfooters all have great boots for everyone!! Before slipping your toes into your boots why not wrap them in something cozy first? The adorable stripey wool socks from Les Bas de Julie are a fabulous choice.

The fun stuff: 10 great activities.
Now that we are happily bundled, lets have some fun outside!

1. Make a snow fort or castle. Dig out your pails and shovels and make your summer toys do double duty in the winter.

2 Go tubing. While you're digging out your pails look for your inner tube and fill it up with air.

3. Create a mini golf course in your backyard! You are only limited by your imagination.

4. Have a bonfire and roast some hot dogs and marshmallows.

5. After a fresh dusting of snow see what kind of tracks you can find.

6. Build a snowman and make some snow angels.

7. Set up targets throughout the yard and throw snowballs at it. Create a family biathalon, the winner gets to pick what restaurant the family will eat at.

8. Make a backyard skating rink.

9. Snowball fight!

10. Snow painting. Fill up various spray bottles and squeeze bottles with coloured water and make a painting in the snow.

The snow will soon be melting and in a few weeks it'll be but a memory. So bundle up and have fun Canada!

 What are your favourite winter activities?

Image source: BuyCanadianFirst.ca

What are you doing January 30, 2010? I sure hope the answer is TIM HORTONS HOCKEY DAY IN CANADA ! Oops I didn't mean to shout, I am simply very excited! This is the event's 10th year and is hosted in Stratford Ontario at the historic William Allman Memorial Arena . A 13-and-a-half hour extravaganza with Ron MacLean and Don Cherry on hand for the whole event including a triple header with all 6 Canadian teams.

"This day shows our love of hockey in Canada," Cherry said. "I don't think there's any other place in the world that can do this with any other sport. You people are just going to love me when I do Shakespeare (impersonation) during the broadcast. I'm going to be dressed like Henry VIII -- I look dynamite.

"The thing I enjoy most is seeing the look on kids' faces; it's like Christmas -- that's the biggest thing for me."

Host Ron MacLean is thrilled to be a part of the festivities, something he sees is becoming a family affair and the event itself has grown beyond his expectations.

"You really notice around the country that people are setting aside these 13 1/2 hours to celebrate the day and that's one of the features we love," MacLean said. "And to think, we were fearful at the get-go that we would gag ourselves with syrup when we came up with this idea (10 years ago), but it's proven to be just the opposite. We love the game and it shows through HDIC. The smiles will be nationwide. We didn't believe we could do it, but it's just gotten better."

Town of Stratford

Festivities begin January 26th in Stratford Ontario with the CBC TV event commencing at Noon January 30th. There are 6 satellite locations in St John's, Nfld., Ottawa, Gimli, Man., Estevan, Sask., Auburn Bay, Alta. and Victoria, B.C.

Canadians will be able to enjoy a host of community events taking place across the country during Tim Hortons Hockey Day in Canada:

St John's, Nfld. (Satellite Location) - P.J. Stock and Rob Zamuner will be on hand with the NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund to donate 50 complete sets of hockey equipment to young, underprivileged hockey players.

Ottawa, Ont. (Satellite Location) - CBC News' Evan Solomon will brave the elements to host the Senators' alumni team shinny game on the famed Rideau Canal.

Gimli, Man. (Satellite Location) - CBC's Mitch Peacock will be rink side covering all the action from the Gimli Minor Hockey Pee Wee Tournament

Estevan, Sask. (Satellite Location) - Karin Larsen follows the Estevan Atom and Novice girls hockey tournament being played over the weekend.

Auburn Bay, Alta. (Satellite Location) - Scott Oake and Kelly Hrudey report live from a local 3-on-3 tournament on the lake of a relatively new community trying to forge a sense of community through hockey.

Victoria, B.C. (Satellite Location) - Scott Russell hosts from the Hockey Night in Canada Presents Play-On 4th annual National Championships, as 30 teams compete for the Redwood Cup and the title of "Canada's Greatest Street Hockey Players".

Since this is the Tim Hortons Hockey Day in Canada you will need the proper beverage to begin your day. Start January 30th with a great cup of coffee perked by the Canadian-made Tim Hortons Home Coffee Brewer by Bunn! As for coffee, it just doesn't get better than that, except for 13 and a half hours of hockey on CBC!

Saturday, Jan. 30:

12 noon ET Tim Hortons Hockey Day in Canada on CBC: Celebrating the Game
2 p.m. ET CBC's Hockey Night in Canada: Montreal at Ottawa
5 p.m. ET Tim Hortons Hockey Day in Canada on CBC: Celebrating the Game
6:30 p.m. ET CBC'S Hockey Night in Canada: Scotiabank Hockey Tonight
7 p.m. ET CBC'S Hockey Night in Canada: Vancouver at Toronto
10 p.m. ET CBC'S Hockey Night in Canada: Edmonton at Calgary
1 a.m. ET CBC'S Hockey Night in Canada: After Hours

Will YOU be watching?

Image sources: William Allman Memorial Arena, CBC, BuyCanadianFirst.ca

Both are not far from where I live...just under two hours make both destinations perfect day trips with the DH. Believe me, there are plenty of things at both places that he can enjoy too! Along with cool gardening equipment and tools, Lee Valley also carries hardware, books, toys and supplies for woodworkers, artists and crafters. You will get absolutely absorbed in any of their catalogues online , but don't forgo the joy of getting one in the mail either! They are beautifully photographed and the product descriptions are wonderful. Lee Valley is a family-owned business based in Ottawa and serving Canadian woodworkers, gardeners and crafters since 1978.

 

Richters Herbs, another fabulous family-owned business around since 1969, specializes in, need I say it? Not just any herbs either. EVERY herb is more like it! Like Lee Valley, Richters' catalogue, online and off, is gorgeous and an education in itself. The pictures only hint, though, at the reality of the plants. If you can, you must go to their green houses, for these are plants that must be inhaled and caressed to be fully appreciated! You can also find the most extraordinary vegetables there. They even have a great shop where you can indulge in all sorts of awesome herb paraphenalia. They also have free workshops from Spring until Autumn.

 

So do not bemoan the climate, my frozen friends. You know you can't beat it but you can use it to your own advantage! It won't be that long before the groundhog sticks his nose out of his burrow for a sniff at the air. You will be ready for it with your garden plans drawn up, your wish lists alphabetized and your gardening gloves hanging at your belt! Think of it! Before you know it, you will be exchanging your snow shovel for a garden spade! And I know just where you can buy one!

Image sources: Lee Valley, Richters Herbs

This is what being Canadian means to me
In November of 2004 Canada Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) announced the winner of the greatest Canadian contest. Who was it that received 1.2 million votes? Was a political leader or a hockey legend? Perhaps it was a scientist or an athlete? All of these persons were voted into the top ten but the winner was politician Tommy Douglas, an unwavering socialist and the Father of universal healthcare - he was also Keifer Sutherland's Grandfather.

Maybe this is also a comment about Canada's patriotism. If we break it down to the bare bones, Canada is a multicultural country, with deep roots from three distinct heritages and has two official languages. With all these ‘cooks in the kitchen' it would be hard to put our country into a cookie cutter style of patriotism. That doesn't mean we don't have our own beloved Canadianisms: the industrious beaver, Ogopogo, the Nanaimo bar, 3 downs in the CFL, we sit on a chesterfield, poutine, inukshuks, narwhals, sasquatches, expo 67, toques, beer, hockey, Bob and Doug, Wayne Gretzky, Team Canada, sugar shacks and the RCMP. Icons and symbolisms we gaze at with affection and get goose-bumps and recognize as distinctly Canadian. I think the reason why we don't commit the same acts of patriotism like our southern neighbours is simply because it's not our style. Our quiet adoration for this vast country is no lesser a demonstration than the loud sis boom bah's of other countries. We are just more accepting of people's own definitions of what Canada means to them. Maybe I am being naïve but Canada to me is a safe haven for everyone to be what and who they are and that is why I celebrate being a Canadian, that is why, to me, Canada is worth protecting and that is why I love being Canadian. 

This Canada Day go out and celebrate what makes Canada special for you and embrace what it means for others.

Canada day celebrations: A link-a-thon (check back for additions to the event list)

British Columbia
Langley: McLeod Athletic Park Surrey: CloverdaleMillenium Amphitheatre Victoria: Legislative Grounds  Kelowna: Various locations North Bay: Waterfront A.C.T Grandville Island: Various locations

Alberta 
Banff: Various locations Calgary: Fort Calgary,  Prince's Island Park, Heritage Park, Calaway Park Edmonton: Various locations

Saskatchewan
Regina: Various locations Saskatoon: Various locations Moose Jaw: Exhibition Grounds

Manitoba 
Winkler: Main and mountain, Winnipeg: The Forks, Assiniboine Park 

Ontario
Canada Day website for Ontario: Locations all across Ontario Toronto: Mel Lastman Square, Queens Park Brantford: Various locations Ottawa:  Various locations

Quebec 
Canada Day website for Montreal: Tourism Montreal

New Brunswick  
Saint John: Various locations Sackville: Various locations 

Nova Scotia 
Halifax/Dartmouth: Various Locations Bridgetown, Middleton, Port Lorne, Laurencetown: Various locations

Prince Edward Island 
Canada Day website for PEI: Various location throughout province

Newfoundland and Labrador
Lewisport: Various locations Eastport: Beaches Heritage center Grand Falls/Windsor: Various locations South Brook: Kona beach St. John's: Various locations

Territories
Nunavut: Iqaluit Canada Day website for the Yukon: Various locations Canada Day website for the Northwest Territories: Various locations

Happy 142nd Birthday Canada! We love you♥ 

What does being Canadian mean to you? Tell us below and your are automatically eligible to win a very special prize pack... Our biggest yet. Details to follow. 

Image sources:  Flickr phoosh, andrea willowcat, flickrnikki_tate

Here in Manitoba the threat of emergency has, for the most part, abated. The flood waters have ravaged communities across the Red River valley and to the north into the interlake area, people are taking stock of the damage or are grateful to have stayed safe.

Now Manitobans are waiting. Waiting for the waters to recede so the highways can open up, linking our individual communities once again and waiting for the ennui to pass. Canada is not immune to natural hazzards like, ice storms, rock slides, earthquakes  and more but now there is alarming news of a possible (global) pandemic  a unique influenza strain that has been dubbed the Influenza A (H1N1), keeps the nation's curiosity piqued. There is always a possibility of a disaster or an emergency occurring at any given moment how prepared are you?

The news is all buzz with the Influenza A(H1N1) (formerly known as the swine flu) that on April 29, 2009 was upgraded to a level five risk (a pandemic is looming and countries must confirm preparations to deal with the outbreak of Influenza A (H1N1) with the World Health Organization (WHO). On occasion pigs will pass a virus to a human and then it is possible that the virus will mutate into a strain that is easily passed from person to person. Public Health Agency of Canada recommends the regular precautions against this or any other flu; wash your hands regularly, cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or in the crook of your elbow and stay home if you are ill. If you are feeling sick, especially with respitory symtoms like difficulty breathing and coughing, contact your doctor. In the meantime give your immune system a little boost with a great diet, proper rest and drink lot's of water.

What if a pandemic or a natural hazzard keeps us from leaving the house? Have you seen the "72 Hours.....is your family prepared?" campaign? Launched by Canada's public safety minister The Honourable Peter Van Loan it is ‘designed to improve Canada's readiness to prepare for and respond to an emergency by mobilizing families to take three practical steps'; Know the risks, make a plan, and get a kit.

2) In case of emergency remember the plan! Every Canadian household should have an emergency plan stating what to do incase of emergency. Details like safe escapes from your home and neighborhood, a safe meeting place and the location of your fire extinguisher, water valve, electrical box, gas valve and floor drain all need to be addressed and known. The plan can be completed online or printed and completed in pen.

3) Get a kit. Being prepared and secure for 72 hours (3 days) is vital so that you are able to sustain yourself while emergency workers are aiding people who are in need of urgent care. Your basic kit should contain; 2 liters of water per person per day, non-perishable food items for everyone, manual can opener, batteries and flashlight, windup or battery powered radio, first aid kit, special needed items (medicinal needs, baby items, etc.), extra keys for your house and car, your emergency plan and Cash as ATM and credit cards may not function. The idea is to try and have your kit in a bag in case you have to leave the house. A backpack is ideal. It is recommended to include these items, like candles and clothing as well but you can also buy ready made kits that you can later customize to your family's needs.

Get on board! Be prepared and feel safe and at ease, even in an emergency.

The origins of Easter lead to the Germanic goddess of spring and fertility known interchangeably as Ostare, Ostara, Ostern, Eostra, Eostre, Eostur, Eastra, Eastur, Austron and Ausos, derived from the ancient word for spring: "eastre." Eostre was known to be accompanied by white hare who laid brightly colored eggs. The myth states that a wounded bird was found in the winter, in order to keep her warm Eostre transformed her in to a white hare who laid brightly coloured eggs. There are several variants to the legend but they seem to all include a beautiful maiden and her Hare. Christians abstained from meat during lent, 40 days prior to Easter, so the gift of an egg was not only a religious symbol but a welcome treat after a long fast.

Hot Cross buns were another item of Pagan cultures believe to symbolize the moon's four phases. Later it was looked upon as a cross and became an Easter tradition. English folklore includes many superstitions surrounding hot cross buns, here's one: Sharing a hot cross bun with someone is said to ensure the friendship lasts throughout the year. When the bun is presented, the friend says, "Half for you and half for me, Between us two shall goodwill be".

Hot Cross buns were another item of Pre-Christian cultures where it was believed to symbolize the moon's four phases. Later it was looked upon as a cross and became an Easter tradition. Make your own delicious buns with the help of this Canadian Living recipe.

Since Easter is symbolically and literally about rebirth it is customary to wear new clothes at Easter time. So if we are chasing rabbits, finding eggs, eating sweet bread and nibbling on chocolate then why oh why break tradition? Let's get some new clothes. Looking your Sunday best is easy with the talented selection of designers we have in Canada.

For the men we are going to pop into Buy Canadian First member Tristan for this gorgeous light grey men's blazer and pants. Beautifully tailored and detailed this will look great and comes in sizes 36-48. Go to the Tristan website to find their new collection and a retailer near you.

Let me know your Easter or spring traditions! I would love to hear how Canada celebrates.

Image sources: Old pixels, Wiki, Christine Picheca,Tristan and Jennifer Glasgow

It's hard to imagine summer, while still under a blanket of snow, but it's coming, I promise. In just a few short months the summer breezes will blow and with it the anticipation of summer break. Unfortunately after a few weeks in the heat, ennui sets in and the kids become a handful.

It is not often when parents have the opportunity to spend the summer with their kids and sometimes even finding a break to vacation is improbable. Fortunately we have daycare, family, babysitters and day programs - All wonderful and enriching experiences for the kids, but there is more. Camp is something that will stay in the memories and hearts of most adult children as the best part of their summers.

To ensure the best camp experience one has to find the right fit. It is a good idea to sit together and find out what everyone wants. While camps still are swimming, campfires and crafts they have also grown beyond that. Camps can be found in all formats from sport, band, art, dance, fitness and special needs. Clearly there is something for everyone. So where to start? Talk to everyone you know and find out where they send their kids and what their opinions are. Word of mouth is a quick way to find reputable camps. Of course your quest doesn't end there. You then have to find the right one for both you and your child. Here is a small list of things to ask yourself when considering camps:

• What kind of activities and programs does the camp offer and do they interest your child
• What is the camper to counselors ratio and what are the counselors qualifications
• What kind of onsite medical facilities are there and what happens in case of emergency
• Are there field trips off the camp property
• Is the staff available to talk to
• How long should I send my child to camp?
• How far should I send my child for camp?

Keep in mind that this is the time of year to register and ensure you get the camp placement and program you want. Once you're registered and have come to terms that you will be sending your children away by themselves, the supply list must be filled.

Most camps require this basic list of supplies for your child to attend camp; sleeping bag, pillow, enough clothing for the duration of his or her stay, warm sweater and pants, rain gear, rain boots, bathing suit, sandals, sneakers, towels (Cambridge makes an oversized bath towel under their Contessa line), toiletries, sunscreen, bug spray (try Bug Joose! by All Things Jill) and a hat. It is not often recommended for your kids to bring their favorite gadgets and possessions as the cabins are usually left unlocked and unguarded leaving opportunity for things to go missing. Check with your camp if your child is allowed to bring food care packages and other goodies, sometimes these are not allowed due to location and the threat of insects or other wild creatures.

I asked my son what he thought of camp he replied, "It was fun!" He'll remember camp fondly and if he didn't land himself a sweet summer job, he would have gone back again this year. Camp is something special and certainly a summer gift to your kids.

 Image source: Flickr Creative Commons Rick Harris, Sugar Pond, Cambridge

Gong Hei Fat Choi (congratulations and be prosperous!)

The New Year is a very special time and one of the most important holidays for the Chinese people. Traditionally, it is a time to be in honor of Heaven and Earth, the Gods of the household and the family ancestors. Equally as important is to spend time with family and it is common for these festivities to last up to 30 or 40 days in order to be able to travel and visit with all loved ones.

There are 15 days of the New Year beginning with the 1st day of the lunar month (Chinese calendar) and ending on the 15th with the lantern festival.

• The first day is for the welcoming deities of the heavens and earth, and begins at midnight. It is customary to abstain from eating meat on this day to ensure a long life. It is also considered bad luck to use knives or light fires so food is cooked the night before and leftovers consumed this day. This day is also for visiting the elders of the immediate family; parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents. Fireworks are customary on this day but are wildy banned due to fires. However several urban areas have compromised by hosting government run pyrotechnic displays. Some families hire lion dance troops to come, in the North it is mostly for entertainment while to the South it is preformed to vanquish evil spirits and summon good fortune. People also give each other red envelopes containing money for promoting good luck.
  

• On the second day it is customary for married daughters to visit their families, as traditionally they are unable to see them as often throughout the year. It's also a day to be especially kind to dogs with scrumptious meals and more as it is believed to be all dogs' birthdays.
  
• For some, the third day is allocated to visiting graves, for others it is a day for husbands to visit with the in-laws (ironic isn't it?).
  
• The fifth day is the birthday of the God of wealth and it is said to be unlucky to visit with anyone on this day.
  
• The seventh day is humankind's birthday and everyone grows another year older, it is customary to eat uncut noodles for a long life and raw fish for success.
  
• On the fifteenth day, candles are lit in windows to guide wayward spirits home and people walk in the streets with lanterns for the festival. The 15th day usually signifies the end of the New Year's celebrations.

 The Chinese Zodiac is run on a 12-year cycle, with each of year named after one of the original 12 animals (rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig). Each animal has a different personality and different characteristics, and believed to give each person's their traits, success and happiness for their lifetime.

This year marks the year of the ox and symbolizing prosperity through hard work and strength. Those born under the ox are generally calm, dependable, patient and tenacious. They are patient, but once angry and incensed it will be difficult to reason with them, they also have a propensity to hold grudges. An ox would be happier if they developed their sense of humor.

Red is considered a happy color and certain to bring the wearer bright future it is also a favorable color to wear for the celebrations. Join in the fun and enjoy wearing some red yourself, like this RCMP t-shirt or this cute Roots Kenora striped scarf. Don't forget to dress up your dog too. Check out this red vest, also by Roots .

May the Star of Happiness, the Star of Wealth and the Star of Longevity shine on you

Photos - Flickr - Creative Commons: Knightmare6, Bfishadow

Winter is only long if you don't have fun.

After sitting through a week of deep freeze temperatures in the mid -40 degrees Celsius it was nice to have a respite of mild weather to get {the toddler} back outside. She likes to go for a stroll on a nice crisp day. We put on our toques, cover our faces, say ‘brrr' as we giggle about the cold and occasionally she will poke the snow and lick the flakes off her mitten. Canadians don't have to stray too far from their homes or communities to have a great time outdoors.

The first step to playing in the snow is to ensure you have the proper attire, staying comfortable in any environment is vital for a good experience. Stanfield's offer you a great selection for the foundations of your winter wardrobe. Long underwear as well as undershirts is available in wool, cotton, polartherm and 50/50 blends. Dressing in layers is wise as it traps warm air between the layers keeping you warm.

• Snowmobiling
  
• Snowshoeing- check out the great selection of Canadian-made Faber Snowshoes available for the regular to extreme snowshoer

• Ice skating (make your own backyard skating rink)
• Snowball fight
• Making a snow fort
• Ice fishing
• Skiing
• Tobogganing
• Sleigh rides
• Dog sled rides
• Snow angels
• Snowman building

Playing outside in the snow is great fun but sometimes winter brings us surprises like a quick change in the weather or power outages, in these occurrences, one can be at risk for frost bite and hypothermia. Frostbite usually affects the areas of your body with the least amount of circulation, the cold constrict the blood vessels leaving your skin at risk.

The 4 stages of frostbite are:

1. Pink or redness on the skin
2. Pain in affected areas
3. White waxy patches of skin appear - the skin is drying
4. Prickles - the area is numb

To prevent frostbite keep your skin covered especially your fingers, cheeks ears head and nose. Ensure your feet are warm and dry wearing proper winter boots and thick socks. Stay inside on days with weather warnings and high wind chills. In case of frostbite follow these first aid tips: Do not rub area it may damage it more, warm affected areas slowly with warm (not hot) heat, if you see white or grey patches or the re-warmed area is still numb seek medical attention immediately!

Hypothermia is when your body temperatures dip dangerously below normal and starve your brain of oxygen. Five groups are at most risk the elderly, infants, homeless, outdoor sport enthusiasts and outdoor workers, usually due to a lack of proper clothing or food. Signs of hypothermia include the ‘umbles' some who mumbles, stumbles and/or fumbles objects, infants will appear pink and listless. To help a hypothermic victim, remove all wet clothes, give warm beverages and wrap in blankets and keep them warm finally get medical attention.

Winter is a fact of life in our climate and to simply hibernate the whole winter away is a waste of valuable fun time! So check your newspapers for events call your rinks for public skate time and gather your friend for a weenie roast and toboggan races, winter lasts but a few months get out and enjoy it!