What's in a Name?

Eastern Phoebe- April 10, 2024

I biked through the nearby nature area last week and saw several spring arrivals including this very vocal Eastern Phoebe. It says its name in a loud, buzzy call making it easy to locate even though its plumage is modest and the bird blends in with the tree branches. Phoebes are flycatchers and I see them most frequently at the edge of a pond or creek. They like to build nests under bridges or eaves. This bird is one of the few I remember from my inattentive birding outings with Grandma D.  

As a girl, I fancied being called Phoebe. Mom picked out the name Priscilla for her next girl and told me she would call her Prisca. The name seemed fancier than my own single-syllable name. The four babies Mom had after me were all boys so the name was never used. I could still pretend I was Phoebe (with jet-black hair) with my little sister Prisca. 

I have a collection of name tags in my top drawer including one labelled Phoebe. I volunteered at a girls' club for several years and had to choose a name other than mine. I became Phoebe to the girls in my group and enjoyed my fantasy name every Wednesday evening. 

My old name tags take me through my career, courses taken, trips travelled and events attended. When I started working in 1975, my name was preceded by "Mrs" which sounds outdated now. My current name badge does not have my surname as personal privacy for staff is important these days. I can choose whether or not to share my full name with patients and their families.

I saw my first warbler of the year as it flitted around the Eastern Phoebe. I got a fuzzy documental picture that shows the reason for the bird's name. The Yellow-rumped Warbler or "butter-butt" as it is nicknamed, is the most widespread warbler in North America. In 1973 the American Ornithological Society lumped the western Audobon Warbler and eastern Myrtle Warbler sub-species together and came up with the name Yellow-rumped Warbler. The same society announced plans last year to rename dozens of birds currently named after people. My friend sent me an article from The Toronto Star that listed a few of the Canadian birds that will have a name change including the
Say’s phoebe, Cooper’s hawk, Steller’s jay, Clark’s grebe, Baird’s sandpiper, Wilson’s snipe, Lincoln’s sparrow, Sprague’s pipit, Clark’s nutcracker, and Lewis’s woodpecker. In the project's initial phase, 70-80 North American birds will get new names. I will have to start a new bird list!

I made other discoveries as I explored the swamp, a beaver pond, the woods and a meadow. Great Blue Herons built a nest in the swamp last year for the first time; this year there is a second nest. Herons usually nest in colonies, so there may be more in the future. Woodpeckers were very active and I saw four species including a Pileated Woodpecker, a Northern Flicker, a Red-breasted Woodpecker and a Downy Woodpecker. At least none of these birds will be renamed.

Great Blue Herons in the air and on their nest, Northern Flicker

The Total Eclipse, a Killdeer and the Power of a Crowd

Port Burwell Lighthouse and sky-gazers at the time of totality

Monday, April 8, 2024, dawned cloudy with scattered showers in our part of the world. The weather forecast provided hope of clearing skies by afternoon along the north shore of Lake Erie. We travelled south-west to Port Burwell, a small beach community in the path of totality. We arrived at noon, just as the cloud cover moved east. Some people had camped overnight on the beach but a handful of parking spots remained within walking distance of the lake. It was a perfect location with free parking, free bathrooms, a picturesque setting, and a friendly crowd of people. 

We walked to the end of the pier and met a lady handing out free eclipse glasses and NASA stickers. People were setting up cameras and a couple beside us with a telescope invited children and adults to look through the lens. 

We cut across an island of grass dividing the entrance and exit of the parking lot and flushed out a nesting Kildeer. The pair of birds were getting very anxious about the crowds of people walking near their nest. The beachfront has few visitors most years until at least the end of May. My daughter and I decided to set up our chairs and camera tripod on either side of the nest to offer a little protection for the eggs. Ground nests appear very vulnerable but the eggs were close to a pile of rocks that offered some protection and camouflage. Eventually, the Killdeer returned to the nest after recognizing we were not predators. 

Four Killdeer Eggs

The location was excellent for viewing the sun and was somewhat protected from the cool east wind. My daughter took all the eclipse photos as I watched the birds and the crowd. 

The children and their mom allowed me to take pictures of the creative masks attached to their solar glasses. The eclipse progressed quickly holding the interest of even the youngest observers. Totality lasted 2 minutes and 55 seconds at this location. When totality arrived there were loud cheers, clapping and an air of excitement that is very hard to describe. This was not a winning sports team or an outdoor music concert but a human response to an amazing celestial event. It gave me goosebumps and was one of the most amazing things I have observed in my lifetime.

Looking south at Lake Erie during totality

Becka took pictures on my Canon SX70 point-and-shoot camera that we had fitted with a solar filter. She had to take the solar filter off during totality to get enough light for a photograph. We could view the sun safely at this time without eye protection. The collage below contains some of her photos and shows the progression of the eclipse from the beginning to shortly after totality.

From start to finish, it was an absolutely perfect day!

Preparing for the Total Solar Eclipse

Midafternoon sun on April 5, 2024

This afternoon, we prepared for the upcoming solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024. I bought a sheet of Solar Shield film and made filters for my camera and binoculars. I have taken many pictures of the moon and sunrises but have little experience photographing the afternoon sun. 

Annular solar eclipse June 10, 2021

The last solar eclipse in our area was an annular eclipse at dawn on June 10, 2021. The sun rose at 5:35 AM and I took this picture at 5:41 AM. The sun was too bright within ten minutes to see the moon's shadow. 

Partial Solar Eclipse August 21, 2017

On August 21, 2017, a partial solar eclipse was seen in our part of Canada. We were on the edge of a total solar eclipse that spanned the continental  United States from coast to coast. We watched as the moon covered about 75% of the sun. I was at work that day and my coworkers took turns using the eclipse glasses to watch the eclipse through the hospital windows. A total eclipse was coming in 2024 so I kept the glasses even though the date seemed far in the future. Much has happened in the almost seven years since August 2017 but it seems like yesterday. 

So we prepare for a total solar eclipse and if we are fortunate, the skies will be clear enough to see the entire event. We plan to drive to the north shore of Lake Erie where totality will last about three minutes. I am sure it will be one of the most documented eclipses in history!

End of March Birding Observations

Bald Eagle

I finally saw a Bald Eagle at the local eyrie on March 28th. This nest was well established before I first found it in 2014. Bald Eagles take five years to reach maturity and live an average of 20 years in the wild. I assumed that the same pair of birds have occupied this nest for the past ten-plus years but they may be nearing the end of their reproductive cycle. I have yet to see an eagle sitting on the nest this year which is unusual. Time will tell if there will be young eagles here this season. In the meantime, this Bald Eagle presides over the river from a high perch like a judge on a bench. 

I had time last month to drive to the Aylmer Wildlife Management Area to see the expected staging of thousands of Tundra Swans migrating from Chesapeake Bay to the Arctic. On March 10th this year, a peak of 386 swans were counted compared to 4,300 on the same day in 2023. The final total of swans was 2,351 by March 27, 2024, compared to 37,000 last year. There are several possible explanations for the lack of birds this year with the unusually warm winter weather being at the root of most theories. Perhaps the numbers will return to "normal" next year. I decided not to make the trip this year as no swans were there for several days in March. 

Eastern Meadowlark

I am enjoying the Merlin Bird ID app on my phone. I can record bird songs and the app identifies the singers. Birds generally have more than one call, especially during the nesting season, so the app is useful for unfamiliar sounds. After the birds are identified by their call, I can look for them in earnest. I knew several Eastern Meadowlarks were in the field, but they generally stay on the ground and are difficult to see from a distance. I saw a pair fly up in a mating ritual and then one landed on a nearby fence and began to sing loudly. Our North American Meadowlarks are not true Larks but are beautiful relatives of blackbirds, cowbirds, grackles and orioles. Sadly, their numbers have decreased by over 75% in the past 50 years due to the loss of meadowlands from changes in farming practices. I think of this every time I see field after field of corn and soybeans in the summer, much of it used for livestock feed.

Male Hooded Merganser (hood down)

This is the time of year to see local and migrating water birds. A lady approached me as I looked for birds at a small reservoir and asked if I had seen any Mallards. They are the most familiar duck and were they not so common, we would admire the spring plumage of the male. I was focused on Hooded Megansers and Bufflehead ducks in the distance. They are diving ducks and are seldom seen near the shore where dabbling ducks like Mallards crowd around people who offer them bits of bread or grain. 

Song Sparrow

Spring is a great time to watch for a variety of Sparrows. Shy, "little brown birds" do not attract many photographers with big lenses. I enjoy hearing Song Sparrows again and look forward to the arrival of White-throated Sparrows and their "O-Sweet-Canada-Canada-Canada" call. While I looked at the distant Mergansers, this little Song Sparrow hopped in the grass at the water's edge.

Male and Female Hooded Mergansers

The silliest bird behaviour I saw involved a pair of Canada Geese and an Osprey. Osprey platforms have been built along the Grand River and several Canada Geese have been spotted nesting on the platforms. I wonder how young goslings could safely leave such a high nest after hatching? I saw two geese in the nest but before I could get a close-up photo, an Osprey evicted the squatters with one swoop. Ospreys have just returned to their nesting areas and as aggressive as Canada Geese can be, they will be no match for a pair of Osprey. It reminded me of how easy it can be for unqualified people to get positions in high places, but that is an entirely new discussion!

April and May will bring more bird activity and I am ready to enjoy this season.

Osprey platform and the rightful Osprey tenant

Addendum April 2, 2024

A photographer from our local newspaper took this photo of the geese squatters I mentioned in the post. This is from today's paper.

Servant Song

Pascal Moonrise March 2024

The full Pascal moon rose at dusk this weekend, the first full moon after the Spring equinox and thus the marker of the Easter season. This year it came the evening of Palm Sunday and the start of Holy Week. 

This year's weekly Wednesday Lenten services focused on the last Servant Song in Isaiah 52:13 through the end of the 53rd chapter. I memorized Isaiah 53 as a nine-year-old to win a prize in Sunday School. The language of the King James Bible obscured the full meaning at the time but the words stayed with me.

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,

nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by mankind,

a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.

Like one from whom people hide their faces

he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,

yet we considered him punished by God,

stricken by him, and afflicted.    

Isaiah 53:2b-4 NIV

We still turn our heads away from human pain and suffering and look with pity, even horror on those with visible disabilities. Just as people consider the Suffering Servant "punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted", we look for reasons to blame people who have pain, weakness, deformity, mental illness, social disadvantage, and relational issues. In John 3, the story is told about the man who was born blind.  The disciples asked Jesus,

"Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, 

"but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him."

Throughout my career, I have worked with people who suffer injury and disability. Physical and Occupational therapists work together to help patients reduce their disability in a society which values beauty, strength, high functional performance, emotional stability and financial independence. Christian churches that preach a prosperity gospel, including physical healing, imply that a lack of faith or spiritual inferiority prevents a person from being fully restored. A "gospel" that offers health and wealth is more appealing than the gospel that invites us to share in the sufferings of Christ. In truth, this teaching offers an excuse to diminish the value of and discriminate against a person with a disability. Suffering eventually comes to everyone as bodies fail with age. We can become bitter, or learn compassion and generosity of spirit through our own loss and pain so that the works of God can be displayed in us. I love the verses in 2 Corinthians 1: 3-5 that read,

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 

who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble 

with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.  

For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, 

so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

I have learned much from people who have suffered physically and emotionally. They often offer authentic strength of spirit and wisdom from their experiences in a society that discriminates against imperfection. Physically intact people are not necessarily whole in mind and spirit or relationally. Pride needs pain to learn humility. I have enjoyed good health and functional ability and recognize my prideful tendency to judge others less fortunate than myself. I must be a servant rather than a judge, striving to see each person as the compassionate and merciful God sees them.

As we observe the death and resurrection of Jesus this week, I will remind myself of Paul's instructions in the ancient hymn quoted in Philippians 2:5-8.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Each year I read the devotional Seeking God's Face: Praying with the Bible through the year. This is the prayer for today, Palm Sunday.

Mighty God, we look for salvation and security in many different places. We confess we're tempted to seek out a pumped-up Saviour of power who would flex rippling muscles. Prepare our hearts to welcome our humble servant King, Jesus, finding in him all we need for our salvation. Amen     (Heidelberg Catechism 30)

 

Fossilized or Alive and Growing?

The Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa ON

We visited the Nature Museum in Ottawa, Canada at the beginning of the month with our grandchildren and daughters. The beautiful structure was the first building in Canada specifically designed to house a national museum. The Victoria Memorial Museum opened to the public in 1912. The first fossil gallery in Canada featuring the fossilized dinosaur bones of a hadrosaur named Edmontosaurus regalis opened in 1913. One mile away, The Canadian parliament buildings burned in 1916 and the Victoria Museum became the Canadian government's emergency headquarters for the next four years. The building was named the Canadian Museum of Nature in 1990 and it houses eight permanent galleries and various temporary exhibitions. 

Interactive dinosaur room, Extinct Passenger Pigeon, Fossilized dinosaurs, mounted Broad-winged Hawk 

My grandson's favourite exhibit was called Bugs Alive and he wanted to visit it twice. Our granddaughter loved the Arctic Gallery where large chunks of ice are displayed on a chilled floor. I was excited to see the Bird Gallery and the 500-mounted bird specimens arranged in interactive stations. I saw a mounted Passenger Pigeon which became extinct around the time the museum was built. 

We rushed through most of the other displays as we had a time deadline, but it would be easy to spend at least four hours or more here. I enjoyed the Owls Rendevous, a special outdoor area featuring live owls and a Bald Eagle. All the birds have been rescued and cannot be released in the wild.

Alive! Bald Eagle, 6-year-old girl under ice, Goliath Stick Insect, Barred Owl

It is interesting to see things from the ancient past and near past. I do love history! Our world has changed in every era and continues to do so today. Our grandchildren liked the live displays best, the bugs, the ice, the live birds. I was surprised that they were not that interested in dinosaurs. As we age, we can become sentimentally enamoured with the past, losing interest in the present and resisting change. 

Grandma D. died peacefully 34 years ago today, just before her 94th birthday. She never became "fossilized" and maintained an active interest in the lives of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She seldom talked about herself but was a gifted conversationalist, getting others to share their stories and interests. She travelled widely and brought us souvenirs and books from around the world, stimulating our interest in other cultures and places. 

I am reading two books this month that explore our relationships with the past. Jewish theologian Abraham J. Heschel writes about religion in his book God in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism,

"When faith is completely replaced by creed, worship by discipline, love by habit; 

when the crisis of today is ignored because of the splendour of the past; 

when faith becomes an heirloom rather than a living fountain; 

when religion speaks only in the name of authority rather than with the voice of compassion—

its message becomes meaningless."

Kate Bowler writes less philosophically about ordinary life in her book Have a Beautiful Terrible Day!,

"Lord, I couldn’t bear to lose any more than what’s already gone.

But then, God, the children wiggle out of favourite clothes with each passing year,

and there are boxes of Grandma’s things in the attic.

He left, and she’s gone, and my closets are stuffed to the ceiling with reminders:

we are losing the life we knew; we are gaining a life we didn’t imagine.

We are picking up and putting down.

So let’s take the china out of the cupboard, the baseball gloves out of the garage,

or whatever tells our story. And tell it.

We will not be lost. We will never be lost."

I think about Grandma daily and try to pass on the love and the life lessons we shared during our times together. My brothers and I always wanted to spend time with her. She set the standard for me now that I am a grandmother. I am also grateful for my current part-time job and good relationships with considerably younger co-workers. I see patients who have aged well, engaged and curious about the present and others who became more and more isolated as they got older. As Kate Bowler said well in verse, "...we are losing the life we knew; we are gaining a life we didn’t imagine,"...as long as we are not afraid of change.

Early March Nature Observations

FOY Great Blue Heron

At this time last year, I walked along the trail at the confluence of the Grand and Speed Rivers and stepped carefully through the snow and ice that still covered the ground. Spring is definitely early this year compared to last and the birds and plants are aware of this too. Yesterday, at midday, I briefly checked three of my favourite birding spots in the region.

Carolina Wren- A year-round resident here unlike its cousin the House Wren

I found one Carolina Wren a few years ago on the shoreline of Burlington Bay and haven't seen one since. Walking a local trail yesterday, I heard one singing but could not spot it in the trees. A few minutes later it landed close to me and sang its heart out. Wrens have big voices that are way out of proportion to their size and the Carolina Wren has a distinctive and more melodious song compared to the House Wren. I heard another loud bird song that I did not recognize and after recording it on the Merlin Bird ID app, discovered it was a Tufted Titmouse. The Tufted Titmouse is not widespread in our area but there are several in this park. Other birders and photographers had left seeds on the posts of the boardwalk, attracting the usual winter birds such as Juncos, American Tree Sparrows, Chickadees, Nuthatches and Northern Cardinals.

Red-bellied Woodpecker- another non-migrating species

I noticed another bird in a pine tree and when it came into the open, it was a beautiful Red-bellied Woodpecker. Its belly was more yellow than others I have seen. These three birds;- the Tufted Titmouse, the Carolina Wren, and the Red-bellied Woodpecker- are birds of the Carolinian Forest that have gradually extended their territories northward over the past few decades. Ontario has Carolinian Forests along the northern shores of Lake Ontario and Erie, as well as the southeast shore of Lake Huron. The Tufted Titmouse moved into our region in the past couple of years and has been nesting successfully.

L-R, top to bottom: Skunk Cabbage, Red Maple flowers, Crocus, Snowdrops, Pussywillow, Snowdrops

I checked out early spring flowers which are blooming about three weeks earlier than last year. Skunk Cabbage blooms were emerging out of the swamp and a Pussy Willow bush hid an American Tree Sparrow. Red Maple trees are in full bloom. Driving home I spotted clumps of Snowdrops (Galanthus) and Crocuses which are not native North American plants but have become harbingers of spring.

Spring and winter usually battle for supremacy in March and April but clearly, spring is a winner this year. We will undoubtedly see more snow, but I hope there are no dry frosts during the crucial budding season of our fruit trees. The ground is very dry and today's rains are most welcome. 

Birds seen or heard: I did not count prevalent birds like Canada Geese, Mallards, Starlings, Crows, etc.

FOY:                                               OTHER:

Turkey Vulture                                American Robin

Song Sparrow                                 Red-winged Blackbird

Carolina Wren                                Great Blue Heron  

Common Grackle                           Bald Eagle

Eastern Bluebird                             American Tree Sparrow

                                                        Black-capped Chickadee

                                                        Red-bellied Woodpecker

                                                        Tufted Titmouse (very loud calls)

                                                        Northern Cardinal

                                                        White-breasted Nuthatch

                                                        Junco

International Women's Day 2024

Women of Strength

Today marks yet another observance of International Women's Day, a day to celebrate the women's rights movements of the past 125 years and to encourage ongoing focus on gender equality, abuse and violence against girls and women. "Women's Day" has been observed in some form since 1909, becoming a global event in 1977. One hundred years ago, Grandma D. was passionate about women's rights and while she filled the role of wife and mother capably, she also had a career and was a community leader. 

Our mother ran for class president when she was in high school. The photo in the top left corner shows her on a tractor with Dad as a teenager and a wagon-load of supporters (including Aunt Lois) as they drove through town garnering support for her election. She grew up capable and confident because of the strong women who mentored her. The picture on the top right is of Mom and her best friend, Ruth Knowles, for whom I am named. The photo on the bottom right is of Grandma and her sister Dorothy (on the right) with two of their friends in the 1940s. Women around the world proved their capabilities during WW1 and WW2 and moved forward in the paths forged during the Suffragette and Women are Persons movements at the turn of the 20th century. 

I feel that ground was lost in the 1950s and 60s as many women stayed at home and raised the Baby Boomer generation in city suburbs. Gender stereotypes were reinforced and it took the second feminist wave of the 1970s and 80s to bring calls for equal pay, equal economic opportunity, equal legal rights, and the prevention of violence against women. I completed my education, starting my career in the mid-1970s and have observed both women and men providing capable leadership in various roles. No one in the Western world is surprised to find women excelling as lawyers, judges, educators, researchers, politicians, artists, musicians, as well as being leaders in medical and scientific endeavours. While struggles continue, Western society has generally accepted that women can choose to be what they want. There is still much work to be done to ensure that women around the world enjoy the same privileges.

It is troubling to see how various conservative religions have increased efforts to push women into specific roles, denying them the chance to choose their own path and exercise any inherent leadership abilities. Some Christian churches, in response to increased legal and social rights for women, have doubled down on enforcing societal standards of the first century AD that keep women subjected to men. Abuse is easier to hide when women have their voices muted and are made to submit to men in authority. Women are different than men and healthy, equal relationships in marriage and career settings bring strength and balance to our families and communities.

Grandma D. was every bit a lady. The picture on the left is her graduation photo from Medicine at the University of Toronto in 1918. The picture on the right is of her equally feminine great-great-granddaughter in 2023. I want her to grow up to be whatever she wants, confident in her abilities and relationships, and an equal partner domestically and in her world. 

1918                                                                               2023

“My career has been one of much struggle

characterized by the usual persecution which attends everyone

who pioneers a new movement or steps out of line with established custom.”

- Dr. Emily Howard Stowe, First Female Doctor to Practice in Canada

Sunshine, Moonlight

We enjoyed a day of 100% clear skies, calm winds and cold temperatures. There is little snow and the ground is frozen so we took our dog to the woods for the first time this year. At the end of November, the vet discovered a tumour on the roof of her mouth and gave us a sad prognosis of one to six months. Raven had lost considerable weight so we stopped giving her kibble and started a soft textured home-cooked diet. I thought she might not make it over Christmas but she has decided to thrive. She will be 13 years old in two weeks and has some arthritic stiffness as well as a heart murmur. But her appetite is terrific, she has gained weight, her energy levels have improved, and she is not in pain.

We let Raven choose the path through familiar woodland trails and she happily completed the longest route. Being outdoors in bright sunshine and crisp, clean air was a pleasure.

Sunset

The sunset was at 6:04 PM tonight and a full moon rose at 6:18 PM. The sky remained cloudless making it a perfect evening to enjoy the sun, moon and emerging stars and planets. The local astronomy club arranged a meet-up on the top of "Mount Trashmore" in our neighbourhood. Several people brought telescopes and an enthusiastic member gave a short lecture. After the sunset, it was frigid on the hilltop but we stayed until our limbs were numb.

Moonrise

The moon did not disappoint as it rose above the horizon as an enormous reddish ball. The moon appears extra large at the horizon due to an optical trick called the "moon illusion".  I cannot explain it succinctly but this Wikipedia entry describes various theories that astronomers have developed over centuries of study. The medical building where my husband's ophthalmologist has an office stood in front of the moon giving perspective to the moon's size. The moon is large and on the horizon we can compare it to familiar landscape features. It is still the same size as it rises but we lose the comparative perspective.  The moon's edges appear irregular in the lower atmosphere due to the refraction of light from larger molecules and dust. The upper atmosphere is clearer with less moisture and the moon's appearance changes as it rises.

An enthusiastic nine-year-old girl with her dad on the hill showed us some night sky features with her telescope. She lined up Jupiter with some of its moons and rings in the scope. Other planets and stars became visible as the sky darkened and I learned more about astronomy in fifteen minutes than I have retained in a lifetime. Smartphone apps have become little tutors and can be used with newer telescopes to identify celestial bodies.

If it hadn't been so cold I would have learned more!

The astronomy club had a bundle of eclipse glasses which were passed out to people who wanted to be prepared for our next big sky event. A total solar eclipse is coming on April 8, 2024, to parts of eastern Mexico, United States and Canada. We would have to drive an hour south of our city to Hamilton ON to observe the total eclipse for 1 minute and 50 seconds and to Niagara Falls to observe 3 minutes of total eclipse. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate and the glasses will be put to good use. 

Full Snow Moon in the upper atmosphere, February 24, 2024

Revisiting the Past on Google Maps

I was in the mood to clean some closets and shelves today and came across one of Mom's books in which she had written her name and various addresses where we had lived when I was a child. I remembered the street names but not the house numbers. I use Google Maps at work when I need to see what a patient's house looks like. Part of my job is to ensure that a patient can access the outside and inside of their home safely when discharged. Many patients can tell me how accessible their homes are, but for those who cannot, I look up their address and street view on Google. Is the house a two-storey, side split, or walk-up apartment? Do they have railings on the outside stairs?

Today I decided to look up the addresses of the homes I remember living in during the years I was in school. Surprisingly, all of the houses are standing after fifty to sixty years and they still look familiar. So here is a brief history of 15 years of my life illustrated by Google Maps.

Lighthouse Rd, Durban. The bus stop is still near the house

We moved to 207 Lighthouse Rd in Durban, South Africa when I was four years old. My brother Philip was born the next year. I remember my mother teaching me to read and I spent hours practicing with my hoola hoop in the front yard. The yard was fenced but there was no wall or gate when we lived here. I remember a bus stop in front of the house and my brother Nathan used to talk to people who were standing there. I started school at the nearby Marlborough Park Primary School and was terrified of my strict teacher. I remember throwing up my breakfast each morning due to anxiety about school but it never gave me license to stay home. The scary teacher became ill partway through the year and my mother, who was also a teacher, taught our class for a few weeks making me very happy.

My first school is behind this wall 

The school is still there but is behind a high wall topped with barbed wire and is patrolled by a security company. We moved to another neighbourhood before I started Class Two, my second year of school. 

26 Piedmont Rd. The mango grove is still behind the house in the aerial view

Piedmont Rd rose along a hill and we lived at number 26. The front yard was flat in front of the house and then dropped steeply to the road. Again, there were no walls or gates and all you can see now from the street is the distinctive peaked roof of our house. The hill at the front has been terraced and landscaped. This is the house where my parents called for help to remove a puff adder and a black mamba from the yard. (I still have a snake-phobia) The road looks much the same as I remember and we used to visit our playmates across the road and up the street. Two friends' names come to mind;- Binky and Megan Crawley. Mrs. North lived across the road and looked after us sometimes if Mom needed to run an errand. We still make her Hot Milk Sponge Cake. I used to walk to the end of the street at 7 AM with my father on my way to school and continued on with friends as he took the bus to work at Lever Brothers. School started early and ended shortly after lunch. There were mango trees behind the house and black-faced monkeys that were sometimes bold enough to enter the house to grab fruit. We had Dutch doors and no screens on the windows and a wild chameleon shared our kitchen. I had my first little garden here and remember planting radish seeds. A current aerial view shows the mango grove is still there between the backyard and Jan Smuts Highway, along with the footpath we took as a shortcut home from school. Grandma D. visited us for six months when we lived here and she took me to many interesting places around the city.

My second school- I walked about 2 km each way with other children from the neighbourhood

I attended Sherwood Primary School for two years and it is still operational. I enjoyed this school much more than my first school. My brother Nathan likely started school here but I do not have definite memories of going to school with him. South Africa was completely racially segregated when we were there in the early 1960s. Today this neighbourhood is only 6% White and is populated mainly by Black and ethnic Indian residents. Durban has the largest ethnic Indian population in Africa and I remember Mom and Dad sampling some of their hot curries. 

Centre St Aurora ON

We came to Canada the summer before I entered Grade 3 and lived in Aurora, Ontario for two years. Aurora was a small town of 5000 people and I knew all the streets well. I learned to ride a two-wheeled bike and rode everywhere. Our cousins lived around the corner and Grandma D's home was two blocks away. The house at 98 Centre Street is where we lived when my two youngest brothers, Mark and Stephen were born. There were two bedrooms in the attic and I remember that they were cold and scary at night. The house has an addition to the attic now. The large glassed-in front porch looks the same. I attended Wells St. Public School which has since been converted into condominium apartments.

Willowdale, ON- the pine tree was planted when we lived there

We moved to a new subdivision in the Toronto suburb of Willowdale the summer before I started grade 5. The house at 11 Unicorn Ave was the first my parents owned, a brand-new four-bedroom, two-bathroom house that cost $19,000. I am sure Dad made no more than $6,000 a year in 1964. We lived here until the end of 1970 which was a record for being in one place. I attended Snowcrest Public School, now closed, Northmount Junior High School, now Cummer Valley Middle School, Earl Haig Secondary School and the newly built A. Y. Jackson Secondary School. I loved living here and was heartbroken when my father got a new job in Kitchener ON. I still have a special best friend from this area.

Kitchener ON

We moved here in December 1970 when I was halfway through grade 11. It was hard to leave my friends and switch schools partway through the year.  I met my husband-to-be who lived across the road and we were married in 1975. We stayed in this community and called it home. I am the only member of my family who still lives in this region. My parents and three youngest brothers moved to Mexico in 1976. One brother eventually returned to Canada and lives a couple of hours away from us. Another brother lives overseas.

It is unlikely that I will ever return to South Africa for a visit as I do not know anyone there. I am grateful to live in a country where walls, gates and barbed wire are not needed around homes and schools. Finding Mom's old book took me down memory lane and while we moved often, I have happy memories of each home. Like most people who grew up in the Baby Boomer generation, I was able to explore areas around my home and play with friends with minimal parental supervision. I did experience normal childhood fears and anxieties but overall grew up confident in my ability to change and face new challenges. 

Very Early Arrivals

Red-winged Blackbird (m) and American Robin

I usually start looking for returning male Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles and American Robins around the first week of March. It is not unusual to see the odd Robin in January as a few of them overwinter in protected areas. I was surprised to see a male Red-winged Blackbird on February 10 and another male doing a territorial call on February 11th at the local park. My husband returned from a walk with the dog on February 11th and reported that there were a dozen Robins in a tree at the end of our street. I hurried out and heard them before I saw them. Yes, there were 14 Robins in the trees and shrubs at a neighbour's house. This is an early record for my first-of-year sightings.

I was looking at Grandma D's Roger Tory Peterson's A Guide to The Birds of Eastern North America, 1947 edition. Several birds, including the Northern Mockingbird, Tufted Titmouse, and Sandhill Crane were not found in Southern Ontario at that time. Bird ranges shift and populations rise and fall for many reasons. Birds move where there is food and there a plenty of local berries for Robins around here. 

Here are some more photos taken on February 10th and 11th in our region.

The Bald Eagle nest was empty but it is mating time for them this month. They were here on February 14th last year. 

The American Tree Sparrow is a winter visitor that hangs around local bird feeders. 

Confluence of the Grand and Speed Rivers, Cambridge ON

A canoeist took advantage of a warm day to paddle down the river. The river is high and flowing quickly so there was no need to paddle. I did wonder how hard they would have to work to go back upstream.

A group of Golden-eye Ducks, winter visitors to southern Ontario, hold their place at the edge of the river