Magical Garden

I recently had the opportunity to visit an amazing garden hidden behind a quiet residential street right here in Prince Albert. Joni Hladun has created a truly whimsical and magical world of plants, colourful flowers and unique decorations and ornaments. As a result, she has a little bit of paradise right at her doorstep.

 Since visiting Joni’s garden, I have been told there was a time when Prince Albert had a garden tour and that this garden was a favorite stop. Several others have told me they have visited her garden many times over the years. It would appear that I was one of the very few who were not aware of this beautiful yard.

 The magic begins as soon as you park your vehicle and walk onto the driveway. Plants, planters, decorations, stones and even a door transformed into a plant holder greet you as you walk toward the house. One hardly knows where to look first, there is so much beauty to take in. And that is only the beginning.

 When Joni opens the gate to the back yard, the scene is breath taking. Again you do not know where to look first. I found that when walking through the yard several times, something different caught my eye each time. You can find everything from angels to antique farm implements, mirrors to bird houses, ornaments of every kind, wonderful little hide-a-ways to sit and relax in and, oh yes, hundreds of plants. The greenery throughout the landscape represents every type of plant, shade-loving or sun-kissed depending on their location. Delightful flowers of every colour seem to smile up at you.

 This creative woman has taken every day objects and turned them into planters and unusual decorations. She has hung mirrors and paintings throughout her yard. The paintings are bright and cheerful images of flowers, which blend perfectly into the rest of the yard. There is a hammock under her one-hundred-and-twelve-year old tree. She has one-of-a-kind, commissioned iron-work birds resting among one of her flower beds. As well, there are fountains of bubbling water which add to the peaceful atmoshphere.

 This is a quiet and serene home. The garden is a peaceful and wonderful place. It feels like it is a world away from the busy street only half a block away. Joni has used her imagination to create a wonderful and unusual green space.

 I can only imagine how many hours and years have gone into the creation and upkeep of this yard and how much work it has taken, but for those of us who get to enjoy its beauty, we are very grateful.  Discovering a magical, whimsical garden . . .  it’s a good thing!

 

Forgiveness

Last week, we heard the sad story of the fifteen-year-old driver who collided with a train near Broadview.  The collision resulted in the death of his seven-year-old brother and eleven-year-old sister, as well as two friends, girls aged ten years and eighteen years. Such a tragic event and a sad loss of young lives.  One can only imagine the emotions the young driver is experiencing and the guilt and sadness he is surely feeling.

 My faith in human kindness and compassion has once again been validated upon hearing the father of the deceased ten-year-old speak words of comfort to the driver through the media.  How incredible that in his sorrow and heartache, this man who has just lost a young daughter, would find it in his heart to be concerned about the feelings and well-being of the driver.  Both parents spoke out to reassure this young man that they did not hold him responsible.  They said their daughter had died having fun with her best friends and that she had been having a wonderful summer holiday.  These wonderful people reached out to the driver with the message that  “with everything he’s going through with the collison, they wanted him to know they carry no hard feelings”. 

I wonder how many of us would be so compassionate after the loss of a child?  I think perhaps we would be too consumed with grief and bitterness to worry about the feelings of the driver. Would we want to lash out at the driver and blame him for killing our child?  Or would we be like these parents and consider that there is enough pain and sorrow and do what we could to ease the pain of a young man who will likely never totally overcome the guilt?  I think it is amazing these parents acted so quickly to reassure the driver of their faith in him and to tell him they did not hold him responsible.  To be so completely forgiving and concerned immediately after a personal tragedy is incredible.  I have no doubt this couple will work their way through their sorrow much quicker because of the love they have for others and because of their charitable act.  They will not have bitterness and blame getting in the way of their recovery. 

I think that out of this terrible event emerges the story we need to remember:  how one grieving couple reached out to offer words of comfort and support to a young man, and how they put their own grief on hold in order to give out that comfort and support.  I hope, as they do, that their words and actions will help a fifteen-year-old driver overcome his guilt and remorse,  and that he will be able to build a life for himself. Building a better world by caring for those around us . . .  it's a good thing!

My New Obsession

Most of my life, I have not been much of a fan of spectator sports.  Maybe I watched a little hockey, especially the play-offs, but I did not plan my activities around a NHL schedule like some people I know do.  I never really paid much attention to the Olympics, Major League Ball or even the Riders (gasp). 

Suddenly, a couple of years ago, that all changed.  I went from having no understanding of the game of football (or even wanting to understand it) to having Rider season tickets this year.  I now cheer every success and agonize over every loss.  Just like the majority of Saskatchewan people, I armchair coach.  Out of the blue, I get it!  I now know why people love football.  I wonder why it took me so long to find this out?

I began to suspect that perhaps I loved watching all sports when I found I could not stop watching the tennis championship at Wimblington a few weeks ago.  As I watched Serena Williams win, I realized that possibly I was doomed to spend future hours watching sports I had once found boring.

I actually began to suspect this addiction two years ago when I became drawn into the Olympics.  I thought maybe it was because it was held in Canada or maybe because our Canadian  athletes did so well.  Then I decided I enjoyed it because I liked the winter Olympics, not the summer Olympics and I had just not realized that before.  Well, these past two weeks I discovered I love both the winter and summer Olympics, as I could not pull myself away from television, no matter which event was on.  I never thought I would find bicycle racing, swimming or beach volleyball so much fun to watch; or that I could be so excited to watch a Canadian win gold on the trampoline.  Who even knew that trampoline was a sport?  I was amazed at the level of excitement when Canada and USA played off in the women’s soccer semi-finals.  Each morning during the Olympics, I would turn on the television “just to see what was going on” and I would end up sitting on the edge of my chair through-out most of the day.  I think it really sank in how hooked I had become when I actually contemplated getting up a 3:00 a.m. to watch a live game.  All right, maybe not totally hooked because I did not get up in the middle of the night, but just the fact that I thought about it scared me a little. 

I could go on about other sports I once shunned and now love, but women’s water polo is about to start and I can’t miss a minute of it.

Finding out you love spectator sports after all these years . . . it’s a good thing!

           

           

Saskatchewan Day

I hope you are enjoying your Saskatchewan Day long week-end.  Most of us enjoy the extra day off at the beginning of August without really thinking about what it means to live in Saskatchewan and how fortunate we are.

While this summer has been tumultuous with sudden and heavy rainfall and an unprecedented number of tornadoes, we should remember how privileged we are that this is the exception and not our usual weather.  Our neighbors to the south face tornadoes every year.  We see them only a few times in our lifetime.   They are terrifying, to say the least, and I am very happy that we do not have to count on suffering the destruction and terror of these violent storms each and every year.

Along with summer, we have four very distinct seasons.  Most of us take these changes for granted.  There is a beauty in each season which people in non-changing climates never get to experience.  We have the opportunity to enjoy all types of sports and activities which change with each season.  I know of a woman who was born and raised in Hawaii and now lives here.  She absolutely refuses to visit her family during the winter because she loves the snow and doesn’t want to miss a minute of it.  She is always telling people we don’t realize how wonderful it is to have the different seasons.   Having grown up where the temperature is constant all year, she savours each change she experiences here as the seasons change.

Many of us who live here are descendents of people who have been in this province for generations, and we know how hard they worked to give us the life we now enjoy.  Many families around Prince Albert have received one-hundred year recognition for their family farms.  Farming has changed a great deal, but in this province, many farms stay in the same family generation after generation.
This summer, we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of medicare.  Many of us grew up under this plan and tend to take it for granted.  This year, there has been much attention on the struggles of T. C. Douglas and those who believed, fifty years ago, that everyone should have access to medical help without financial hardship.  It is hard to believe that anyone could ever have been against this ideal.  Today, Canadians demand its protection and consider it one of Canada’s greatest accomplishments.  The fact that medicare started right here in Saskatchewan is a testament to the sense of community and sharing that has made this province so great. 

Our winters may be too cold, our summers to short, and we may not be as sophisticated as some might wish us to be, but we wouldn’t have it any other way!  Happy Saskatchewan Day.  Taking time to remember what it is about Saskatchewan we love the most . . . it’s a good thing!

           

Aurora

The world is reeling from the news of the massacre at a movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado.  The senseless death of twelve innocent people and the injuries of dozens more, all of whom were simply out to enjoy a movie, is almost beyond comprehension.   The fact, as we are now learning, that the killer must have planned this evil act for months and knew that many people would die by his actions is horrifying.  He left booby-traps behind in his apartment, putting at risk the lives of the police officers he knew would be entering his home.  The horror is intensified because this murderer apparently lived a normal life, had a university education, in fact excelled at college and was at the top of his class, and because he came from a middle-class family -  just like so many people we know and grew up with.  How is it possible for one person to hurt so many people in a calm and planned manner?

 Out of the ashes of this great tragedy, stories are emerging of ordinary people performing heroic actions.  We are hearing stories of people, true heroes, who risked or even gave up their lives to save another’s.  We already know of two men who threw themselves on their girlfriends to protect them, and lost their lives but saved that of their loved ones.  Mothers risked their lives to protect their children.  Total strangers helped each other as the horror played out all around them.  Ordinary people became super heroes.  The strength and compassion of the human soul was in great evidence that night.  That is the important element of this tragedy which we need to remember.  It was not “each man for himself”, people helped each other and in some cases put themselves in harm’s way to do so.  In the aftermath, the world has put a collective arm around the families who lost a loved one, have offered compassion and prayers for those who were injured and have given support to those who witnessed the terror and survived.  Each time another horrific assault like this one occurs, dozens of unlikely and ordinary heroes emerge.  Theirs are the stories we need to remember.

 Rather than lose faith and hope in mankind because of the cruel act of one man, let us marvel at the bravery and unselfish acts of those in that theatre, and at the compassion of so many others all over the world who offer prayers, support and love.  Finding hope, friendship and love in the face of great horror . . . it’s a good thing!

 

The Attic

I was asked recently where my favorite place to go as a child was.  I was instantly transported back to my grandparents’ house and their wonderful attic.  I spent many long summer afternoons in that attic, rummaging through trunks in search of precious (in my mind, at least) treasures I knew I would find.

            Each summer, I would spend a week or two at my grandparents’ house.  It is no wonder I loved going there.  I had the total attention of Grandma and Grandpa all to myself and did not have to compete for that attention with anyone.  There would be wonderful shopping trips into the city where Grandma and I would shop for clothes for me.  I loved spending time with Grandpa in his garden.  What I enjoyed most, however, was climbing up the stairs to their attic to see what I would find that day.

            Their attic was filled with objects gathered over their lifetime, and had many trunks, boxes and containers.  There was one trunk filled with souvenirs from France brought back by Grandma on her many trips there.  There were pictures of Grandma and Grandpa in their younger days.  I found an entire photo album of pictures of Mom and her sister, of cousins and relatives.  The album was an old-fashioned scrap book with black pages and the pictures were held in place with little golden inserts on each corner.  One day, in yet another truck, I found a pair of fur hand warmers which, Grandma later explained, woman would use to keep their hand warms when riding in open sleighs.  I loved the feel of the deep, soft fur and there, in that hot summer attic, I was in a sleigh racing over snow keeping my hands warm.   I came across old passports belonging to my grandparents.  As I held them in my hand, I imagined it was my name on the passport and that I, too, had travelled the world (or at least a good part of it).  I sat on an old rocking chair with the passports in my hand, trying to make out the different names stamped there.  I loved looking through the boxes of postcards my Grandma had collected over the years, mostly from France.  I found notebooks which had belonged to my Mom, the penmanship perfect as was expected from teachers then.  I found many treasures there and my imagination grew with each new discovery.  The items I loved the best, I would take downstairs at suppertime to “show” Grandma, knowing full well she would tell me to keep my cache.  I still have many of those treasures Grandma let me keep and they mean as much to me today as they did back then.

            I loved looking out of the window in the attic.  It looked down on the front yard.  When I heard a car pull in, I would look down from the window and watch the activity below me.  I felt like a queen looking down on her subjects and loved the fact that no one could see me, but I could see them. 

            In a twist of fate, my sister now lives in the same town my grandparents lived in and my grandparents’ old home is within view of my sister’s house.  Each time I visit her, as I drive into her driveway, I look over to the old house and check out the attic window.  It never fails to make me smile as I think of the hours I spent in that wonderful attic and how I watched over my kingdom from that window.  Having a favourite place to remember . . . it's a good thing!

A Healthy Cup Of Java

I love my coffee. Until recently, coffee was considered a guilty pleasure and we were advised to cut back on the amount of coffee we drank (something, by the way, I never did). Well, now experts tell us that caffeine is actually good for us!

Some time ago, I wrote in my column about the health benefits of drinking a glass of wine a few times a week. Now I find there is a great deal of research which proves coffee is also good for our health.

The University of California has done research which proves that drinking coffee can reduce the risk of developing diabetes by 60%! The researchers found this applied to people with normal levels of blood sugar as well as those who have been diagnosed as pre-diabetic. The researchers studies 910 adults over an average of 8 years. How much coffee are they talking? Well, about four cups a day. OK, so I drink a little more than that each day, but at least I don’t have to feel guilty about those first four cups. Studies at the Harvard School of Public Health and in Sweden and Finland all came to same conclusion that drinking coffee can drastically reduce your risk of developing diabetes.

The National Cancer Centre in Tokyo conducted a study of 90,000 Japanese. They found that people who consumed one to four cups of coffee each day had half the liver cancer risk than those who drank no coffee.

Recent studies have resulted in other surprising findings: indulging in your daily java can actually be a healthy habit. It has been shown to enhance athletic performance, increase mental alertness and protect again diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and colon cancer.

I know it sounds too good to be true, but I’m not making this up! Scientists and researchers all over the world are changing their views on coffee. Toxicologist and food-safety expert, Dr. Eileen Madden, told a symposium on coffee and health at the New York Academy of Sciences, “Coffee consumption fits into a very healthy diet, and if anything, may have a beneficial effect” (Who knew there was even such a thing as symposium on coffee and health?).

I love it when something I like to consume is found – by scientists, no less – to be good for you (ok – in moderation, but still).

Drinking wine and coffee because it’s good for you . . . it’s a good thing!