National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

The Spirit Catcher sculpture by Ron Baird is installed at the waterfront in Barrie ON. I took this picture earlier this month when we visited and, like many other Indigenous memorials, numerous childrens' shoes and toys were placed at the base. Today we remember the lives of Indigenous children and adults who have died due to injustice related to systemic racism in our society. 

Sadly, the Christian church was complicit in the abuse of children at residential schools. Faith focused on fear and subjugation rather than love is destructive and not Christ-like at all. 

A new translation of the New Testament was published in August this year. It is called First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament. The Beatitudes from Matthew 5 are beautifully translated. It is my prayer for today. The paintings are by Canadian Indigenous artists.

Blessings of the Good Road

Creator's blessing rests on the poor, the ones with broken spirits.

The good road from above is theirs to walk

Creator's blessing rests on the ones who walk a trail of tears,

For he will wipe the tears from their eyes and comfort them.

Healing all Nations- Simone McLeod

Creator's blessing rests on the ones who walk softly and in a humble manner.

The earth, land and sky will welcome them and always be their home.

Creator's blessing rests on the ones who hunger and thirst for wrongs to be made right again.

They will eat and drink until they are full.

Seven Fallen Feathers- Christian Morrisseau

Creator's blessing rests on the ones who are merciful and kind to others.

Their kindness will find its way back to them-- full circle

Creator's blessing rests on the pure in heart.

They are the ones who will see the Great Spirit.

Creator's blessing rests on the ones who make peace. It will be said of them,

"They are children of the Great Spirit!"

Creator's blessing rests on the ones who are hunted down and mistreated

for doing what is right, for they are walking the good road from above.

Family- Betty Albert

"Canadiana"

 

This photo was taken at Grandma D's house on Christmas Day in 1958. My brother and I are in the middle with our cousins on either side. But this story is about the wing-backed chair with the floral upholstery. The chair was beside the built-in shelves that held Grandma's library of Canadian books. Over the years, I spent many, many hours in that chair, my legs hanging over the armrests, reading her books. When she died, I got the books and the chair. It has been re-covered but sits in my living room to this day. 

Grandma was a great supporter of Canadian authors, including many books written by women. I have first editions of all of Emily Carr's books, as well as books by Pauline Johnson, Susanna Moodie, Nellie McClung, L.M Montgomery and Louis Hémon to name a few. When I was older, she loved to take me to the "Canadiana" section of Coles bookstore where she bought books for me by a variety of authors including Margaret Laurence, Margaret Atwood, Gregory Clark and Farley Mowat. 

A few years ago I noticed that because of time spent online, I was reading fewer books and was having trouble focusing on reading for extended periods. I resolved to read one book a week and have been able to meet or exceed that goal for several years now. We have excellent libraries in our city that offer online and physical resources. My Kindle is a constant companion. This month I read three "Canadiana" books that I know Grandma would have enjoyed. 

Extraordinary Canadians by Peter Mansbridge is the One Book One Community selection for 2021. It tells the stories of 17 ordinary Canadians who through hard work, contributed greatly to their communities. There are voices from women, men, disabled people, Indigenous leaders, health care, business and political advocates. Each story is about 20 pages long, so it is easy to read. 

I do love a good mystery and I have enjoyed all the Chief Inspector Gamache novels by Louise Penny. Most of the stories are set in Montreal and the Eastern Townships of Quebec and this is the 17th book in the series. I have become bored with some serials when the writing quality diminishes over time. This book was one of the best in the series, in my opinion, and is set optimistically in post-pandemic Quebec. My good friend kindly mailed me her new copy of the book when she was done with it. I would have waited months to get it at the library. 

Sometimes I just feel like a light read, and Iona Whitshaw's Lane Winslow Mystery series fits the bill. The books are set in British Columbia after World War 2. Lane Winslow worked for British intelligence during the war and decides to move to Western Canada to start a new life far from the conflicts of Europe. The books deal with social, political, and historical issues of the time period within the stories. This is book 8 in the series. I found book 7 somewhat weak but was happy to find that this book was up to the standard of the first six books.

I am up to book 44 this year (this is week 39) and have read a wide variety of authors and topics. Grandma's chair is still very comfortable for reading!

Grandma's Wing-backed Chair

Truth and Reconciliation Week 2021

My husband's ancestors were Mennonites from Buck's County Pennsylvania who arrived in Waterloo Region in the early 1800s. The region was inhabited by indigenous people who farmed, fished, and hunted along the Grand River watershed. From a Mennonite historical perspective, the settlers and native people lived harmoniously. The Haldimand Treaty of 1784 granted indigenous rights to all land six miles on either side of the Grand River, from its source to its mouth at Lake Erie. Non-native settlers began living on the Haldimand tract as early as 1798 and our home is presently on this treaty land. Today, only 48,000 acres of the original 950,000 acres of the Haldimand Tract are occupied by Indigenous people, most of it south of Brantford ON at Six Nations of the Grand River. All native settlements in Waterloo Region were gone by the end of the 19th century and I rarely meet an Indigenous person, even casually at work.

The Healing of the Seven Generations centre is a non-profit organization in downtown Kitchener ON that works with individuals and families suffering from intergenerational traumas of the residential school system. At this time, volunteers are tending an everlasting fire that commemorates the children who died or were traumatized in the residential schools. Before he retired, my husband worked for a metal fabricating company owned by a "new order Mennonite family". One of the members of the family, Neil Snyder, used the equipment at the business to make this steel ring for the fire which is engraved with the words "Every Child Matters". I went there last weekend, sat beside the fire, and talked with the young man who was taking his turn tending the flames. I cannot imagine the losses felt by his community during the centuries of settler dominance. 

Conrad Grebel University College was founded by the Mennonite church and is affiliated with the University of Waterloo. Progressive Mennonites in our region have been leaders in peacebuilding, relief, and community justice initiatives. Conrad Grebel College is organizing a conference in 2022 called Indigenous-Mennonite Encounters in Time and Place. The website describes the event as "an academic conference and community education event scheduled for May 13-15, 2022 at Conrad Grebel University College, University of Waterloo "will offer stories and analyses of encounters and relationships between Indigenous peoples and Mennonite settlers from point of contact through to the present." 

The organizers have posted a video on YouTube which introduces Indigenous and Mennonite scholars, musicians and community members and they explore the history and current relationships between Mennonite and Indigenous communities. It is a little over an hour in length but is a compilation of several short segments that are very interesting. I didn't know that some Indigenous children from the Sixties Scoop boarded with local Mennonite families. I hope I will be able to participate in this event in May 2022. 

Red River College in Manitoba ON is hosting a number of online events for Truth and Reconciliation Week 2021. This link provides more information.

Pumpkin Season

Byward Market, Ottawa ON

We are three days into autumn and a fall chill is present in the morning and evening as the days have shortened. I am not a coffee shop person, but today I had a hankering for a pumpkin spice latte. I have only had one, purchased at a Starbucks in the Chicago airport. I was on my way home to Canada at the time of my father's death in September 2019 and was actually underwhelmed by the flavour. Ordering any drink from Starbucks gives me anxiety as I am not a regular customer and struggle with their lingo.

We stopped by two Starbucks today and were discouraged by the long drive-through lineups. So I spent my latte money on Portuguese custard tarts and decided to make the PSL at home. 

Pumpkin Spice Latte

It was easy and perfectly delicious, so here is the simple recipe for one serving. (Grande, maybe even Venti!)

In a blender add 

- 2 tbsp pumpkin purée

- 2 tsp or equivalent of sweetener

- 1/8 tsp pumpkin spice mix

- dash of vanilla

- 1 cup of steaming milk (I used soy)

Blend on high speed until frothy.

*You can stop and drink it right now. This flavoured milk is better than hot chocolate imo.*

If you need caffeine, add 1/2 cup espresso or strong brewed coffee to the milk mixture.  Optional: Sprinkle with spice and add whipped cream.

We love pumpkin pie, pumpkin sponge cake roll with cream cheese filling, and pumpkin loaf. Puréed pumpkin thickens and flavours homemade soup and stews. Every autumn we cook and freeze enough pumpkin for treats throughout the year. The pumpkin spice craze in supermarkets and fast food outlets is a little excessive and I wonder how many real pumpkins are used in most of the creations. Nothing beats homemade. 

General Medical Ward

I covered a sick call today on the medical unit. Staff who work regularly on general medical units deserve respect and free coffee. Working with frail elderly and medically complex patients is rewarding and challenging but never boring. This patient was very sweet and cooperative, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them back in hospital soon. And kudos to families who are doing their best to provide loving care for a parent or loved one who is failing physically and cognitively. It's hard to understand unless you've been there.

Changing Seasons

Moon rising to the east

Last evening was completely clear, which is unusual as we generally have afternoon clouds from Lake Huron on sunny days. Once or twice a year there are no cloud banks on the horizon when the full moon rises and we watch the skies from a great vantage point in a neighbourhood park. It was lovely to see the sun set and a full moon rise at the same time giving the sky has a warm, colourful glow. 

Sun setting to the west

Equinox occurs on September 23rd this year, even though I think of September 21st as being the first day of autumn. I have charged up my bike lights as it darker in the mornings when I ride to work. Speaking of work, our Covid-19 numbers are up from two weeks ago and 100% of the patients on my unit with Covid are unvaccinated. One very sick person is insisting they do not have the virus. It is a challenging, sometimes disheartening group of people to work with, people who have been strongly influenced by online misinformation and political posturing in regards to vaccinations and lockdowns. 

Changing colours in the sky as the moon rises higher and sun has set

The beauty of nature is restorative for me, and I know this season of illness will pass as surely as summer is turning to autumn. Today is also the Canadian federal election and perhaps we will know by tomorrow who our Prime Minister will be for the next session of parliament. I exercised my right to vote in honour of Grandmother D. who supported the suffragette movement 100 years ago. Whoever wins today will eventually lose to someone else as political fortunes change. Nothing lasts forever.

Excerpt from the poem "The Harvest Moon"

Wisdom from a Copse

"Coppicing is a traditional method of woodland management which exploits the capacity of many species of trees to put out new shoots from their stump or roots if cut down. In a coppiced woodland, which is called a copse, young tree stems are repeatedly cut down to near ground level, resulting in a stool. New growth emerges, and after a number of years, the coppiced tree is harvested, and the cycle begins anew.

Typically, a coppiced woodland is harvested in sections or coups on a rotation. In this way, a crop is available each year somewhere in the woodland. Coppicing has the effect of providing a rich variety of habitats, as the woodland always has a range of different-aged coppice growing in it, which is beneficial for biodiversity.

Trees being coppiced cannot die of old age as coppicing maintains the tree at a juvenile stage, allowing them to reach immense ages. The age of a stool may be estimated from its diameter; some are so large that they are thought to have been continually coppiced for centuries."  (Wikipedia)

A July storm toppled a number of trees in our neighbourhood including this moderately large basswood (genus Tilia) which landed on a house. The city removed the tree and placed the stump and grass back in their proper positions. 

Basswood trees are one of many species that produce new growth from felled stumps. In past centuries, woodlands were systematically coppiced as a source of fuel and building materials. The trees were never destroyed. Ancient coppices are found in Europe, with France having the greatest number of hectares of this type of woodland. 

In the past two months, vigourous new growth has virtually hidden the basswood stump, and if properly pruned, new trees would continue to grow from the mature root. 

So many life lessons...!!

I read a comment recently that described how people will update their clothing, their furniture, their kitchens, but they resist updating their thinking and stop learning. People think older citizens are the only ones who bemoan "the good old days", but I have met people in their 20s and 30s with very rigid thinking. The mature tree, whose individualistic trunk is removed, becomes host to the vigourous growth of many juvenile shoots. Just as the mature root is untouched, our morals and values do not have to change in order to support new ideas that bring progress.

I highlighted two characteristics of coppiced woodlands in the Wikipedia description.

• They provide a rich habitat for biodiversity
• Coppiced trees cannot die from old age

I am currently reading Adam Grant's latest book, Think Again: The power of knowing what you don't know. The author discusses the need to examine our opinions, and describes how to unlearn so we can relearn from our own experiences as well as from other people. He encourages positive "cognitive conflict" with productive disagreement and discussion. This is not the same thing as "emotional conflict" which can be very destructive. I am halfway through a library copy but feel the need to underline many good points in the book. 

The most beautiful biblical picture of growth from a stump is found in Isaiah 11 where the prophetic words concerning Christ are written. 

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;

    from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

2 

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—

    the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,

    the Spirit of counsel and of might,

    the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—

3 

and he will delight in the fear of the Lord...

Colossians 2:6-7 continues the theme, encouraging us as we grow and mature in Christ.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, 

continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, 

strengthened in the faith as you were taught, 

and overflowing with thankfulness...

I want to live in a figurative coppiced woodland with the freedom to prune away old traditions so that new growth can appear. I want to hear the voices of others and demonstrate the ability to say "I was wrong", forming new perspectives and thinking. Well-rooted generational interdependence flourishes in this environment.

"Dead Family Tour" Road Trip

One of my daughters and I took a two day road trip this week which we nicknamed "The Dead Family Tour". She had an appointment in Toronto and we wanted to visit out of town family whom we have not seen for many months due to COVID restrictions. Along the way we planned to stop at some towns where our ancestors lived as well as old graveyards where they are buried. 

My brother lent me his GPS unit in 2008 when we drove to New York City for the first time. I didn't think I needed such a unit as I had worked in the home care sector for several years and felt that a map was all that was needed for navigation. We had planned a two week holiday in 1998 to Canada's east coast just using a CAA TripTik. However, the GPS unit was extremely helpful and I bought one for myself after that trip. I did learn that a GPS unit is fallible and should not be relied on completely when driving.

Before going on a road trip, I research routes on Google Maps and write the details down in a notebook, using the GPS unit as a backup only. I like the option of choosing from several routes and having the beginning and end of the trip clearly visible. Getting the big picture helps me remember the directions by memory. 

Putting the same destination in the GPS unit gives me a map that shows only a kilometer of distance at a time. I am given an arrival time, but have no idea of the where I am going beyond the next turn. If I decide on an alternate route, the device may try to override me, which can be annoying. I use this short-sighted navigation tool as seldom as possible. It is valuable for unexpected detours and for getting around an unfamiliar urban area.

Life is more like a GPS unit than a Google Map tool. While we plan for the future, we do not see the end from the beginning and are often navigating a short distance ahead at a time. The future may be uncertain and we wish we could see the road ahead. We need courage, faith, optimism and good travel companions to complete our journeys well.

Today is the second anniversary of my father's death. He enjoyed a fulfilling life and travelled widely in the world. His final few years were marked with illness and loss, and it was a good thing that he did not know the struggles he would face at the end of his journey. We are grateful that his suffering is over and now remember the happier days of his life. 

L-R, top to bottom: Queen St Toronto, Park Lawn Cemetery, Barrie ON waterfront

The road trip this week was a great success with the right balance of planning and spontaneity. I had never visited the scenic area between Collingwood and Thornbury, Ontario and hope to go back and explore it in greater depth. We had the chance to remember and honour a number of family ancestors who have completed their life journeys well.

Collingwood waterfront, Union Cemetery in Thornbury, Georgian Bay at Blue Mountain

9/11 Twenty Years Later

 My husband and I visited NYC in August 2018 and spent a day at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum and Ground Zero area. We saw evidence of the devastation as well as new developments and structures, including the unique Oculus. It was sobering and hopeful and the same time. 

Devastation

I remember September 11, 2001 well. I was on a home care visit with a patient on David St, in a 3rd floor apartment. The patient was an amputee and the TV was on as the second airplane hit the tower. Details of days like this remain etched deeply in our memory, even if we experience no direct impact related to the incident. The world has changed greatly in the past 20 years and the unity shown by Americans in the face of the attack has all but vanished. 

Hope

We enjoyed the Broadway show, Come from Away which told the story of Canadians in Gander NFLD who opened their hearts and homes to stranded travellers. Twenty years has not changed Newfoundland significantly!

Today I looked through the photos taken during our week in New York City and am thankful we had an opportunity to visit at that time. It is important to remember the lives lost and the sacrifices made on this day. It is more important to remember current injustices and conflicts and to continue to work toward peace and reconciliation for the future. I want to unite with others to make the world a better place for my children and grandchildren. 

Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! 

Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, 

be of one mind, live in peace. 

And the God of love and peace will be with you.

2 Corinthians 13:11

What Do You Eat?!

One of our daughters was born with an aversion to meat and milk. As a baby, she spat out puréed meats. We could not trick her into drinking cow's milk and when she was older, she chewed meat forever but refused to swallow it. As a toddler she lived on egg sandwiches, kidney beans and vegetables. Around 2008, I decided to follow a plant-based diet and my daughter happily joined me. I won't go into all the reasons for changing my diet as I do not try to convince others to follow my personal decision. 

It is much easier to find excellent vegetarian options in restaurants compared to a decade ago, and many ethnic cuisines have delicious meatless options. No matter if you are a meat eater, a pescatarian, a lacto-ovo vegetarian, or a vegan, eating more vegetables is important for good health. You can avoid meat and still eat a very unhealthy diet. One of the first vegetarians I met lived on french fries, potato chips and crackers. My great-uncle, who was born at the turn of the 20th century, was a vegetarian who ate a lot of processed meat substitutes. I avoid meat substitutes such as Beyond Beef and processed veggie burgers. I do not miss meat textures and prefer to use eggs, legumes, nuts and seeds as protein in my diet. 

Autumn is my favourite time of year! I love visiting the market and buying fresh squash, peppers, root vegetables, beans, stone fruits and APPLES! It is the best time of year for simmering soup, making stews, and roasting vegetables. Roasted vegetables are sweet and delicious and dinner comes together quickly with a bowl of grains, legumes, roasted vegetables with some sort to sauce or dressing;- curry, salsa, peanut, avocado, cilantro, tahini or hummus. I had my first vegetarian burrito bowl many years ago at the Houston TX airport and was immediately hooked on the rice, beans, roasted peppers, guacamole and salsa, served with freshly fried tortilla chips. 

So what is on my roasting pan today? (Every day is different)

I chop the vegetables in uniform sizes and roast them with a little olive oil and salt at 425 F until they are tender crisp. Cruciferous vegetables like brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, kale and cabbage all roast up well and I try to have one serving of them a day. Golden beets are another favourite, sliced in thin rounds. Green and yellow beans are surprisingly good, and radishes taste a little like potatoes when cooked. There are many other vegetables on my regular rotation including white and sweet potatoes, butternut squash, turnip, asparagus, tomatoes and corn. Leftover roasted vegetables go well with a lunch or dinner salad. They can be also be cooked in vegetable stock and puréed to make a hearty soup.

I am grateful for the great variety of food that is readily available at a reasonable price where we live. Eating a plant-based diet is very economical for us and is never boring. 

And here is dinner;- roasted vegetables with roasted potatoes and crispy tofu instead of beans. 

The meat eaters in the family had some pan-fried pork loin on the side, but vegetables were the main feature as they should be. 

The chosen sauces ranged from ketchup to salsa to coconut curry sauce. 

Boundaries

There are many types of hospital isolation and precautions that we must observe as we work with patients. People with COVID-19 have airborne precautions requiring the use of N95 masks along with our other protective gear. Others, with infections such as MRSA, require contact precautions. Today I had a new patient with a less commonly seen precaution.

The outer and inner boundaries of the room were marked with special tape indicating bed bug isolation. Paramedics who brought the patient to hospital noted bed bugs in the home and on the patient's belongings. Somehow, the thought of inadvertently bringing bed bugs home with me is far worse than the idea of carrying an invisible viral or bacterial infection! My immune system can mount an attack against viruses and bacteria, but not against bed bugs.

The tape on the floor made me think about other types of important boundaries we sometimes need in life. Our society has laws that define boundaries of acceptable social behaviour. Sometimes we need to set personal boundaries to protect ourselves from the abusive behaviour of other people. Forgiveness is an important step to take when we have been wronged, but that does not mean that we must be door mats and offer ourselves up for further abuse. 

Luke 14:3-4 sets boundaries for forgiveness. People are quick to quote verse 4 out of context. 

“So watch yourselves! If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. 4 Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.”

Offering forgiveness does not mean there will not be consequences for bad behaviour. In Numbers 14:17-23, God said he would forgive the rebellion of the Israelites as Moses asked, but none of that generation would see the promised land. 

Coming to forgiveness may take time and it should not be a flippant promise. Reconcilation, which is not the same as forgiveness, is an even longer process, especially if there has been repeated abuse and breaching of boundaries. 

We live in an increasingly polarized world where personal attacks and opinions can quickly spread in emails, forums and social media. I have set personal boundaries regarding my use of the internet and social media in an effort to prevent myself from being in a state of perpetual indignation. I find far more good in the world than bad if I limit my exposure to click bait headlines and biased reporting. Time is valuable and as I get older, I am constantly reminded that I have used more time than I have left. I want to use it wisely and be a positive influence in my circle of family, friends and community.

And I wish that maintaining important boundaries in my life was a easy as placing sticky tape on the floor!