2016 Season's Greetings!

     2016 is whizzing to its end so it's time I take a moment to reflect on the past twelve months.

     I continue to be very content working at the public library. We are a creative and enthusiastic bunch. Currently our children's floor is decorated like Dr. Seuss's "Whoville". A little girl walked in the other day, wide-eyed, and exclaimed, "I want to get married here!"

     Pierre also puts his creativity to work on the job problem-solving and team-building. He regularly publishes an internal newsletter. At this time of year, he channels Weird Al Yankovic to parody a traditional Christmas carol. This year "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" has become "It's a drag we have to make feed at Christmas."

Alida visits us while we camp at MacGregor Pt

Pam, Will, & Toki on campus

     William continues to study Forestry at Fleming. He has a particular interest in tree pathology and can't wait to put his skills and knowledge to work after graduation this coming spring.

     Early in the year, Alida was hired at Pinery Provincial Park on the shore of Lake Huron. This has been lovely for Pierre, Fitzy and me, having her only an hour drive away. Most days off, Alida spent in Stratford. And Pierre, Fitz and I visited the park a number of times, paddling and hiking. 

Pam, Pierre & Fitzy's September canoe-in camping trip, Frontenac PP

Our Not-So-Big Backyard

     At home, I direct my enthusiasm and energy into my garden. This fall, I lifted the last of the sod in the backyard. No more mowing! Pierre did a marvelous job building pathways and a patio. My ultimate goal is to create habitat for birds and pollinators, and food for us. The only grasses that remain in the back are native species -- little blue stem, switch grass, and Forster's reed grass (a horticultural variety of a native species). Now that the gardens are under a heap of snow, I'll direct my attention to indoor projects -- a lot of dreaming and a bit of painting, crafting and sewing.

One of my indoor projects

     We're looking forward to having the whole family together for Christmas --William and Toki will arrive home at the end of the week. And Alida's been home on and off since her contract ended at the end of October (to start up again in the new year). I always enjoy the company and extra "chefs" when my kids are home. Pierre and I are blessed to have a son and daughter who know their way around a kitchen.

     We hope the season is merry and bright for all our dear friends and family!

Lots of love,
Pam, Pierre, and Fitzy 

Sending good cheer!

The Extra Early Christmas Letter

It's Novemeber 17 and Christmas feels ages away -- especially since we're experiencing weather that feels more like North Carolina than Ontario. I'm writing early to somehow make up for failing to write last year. 2014 was a year marked with loss. My mom, at the age of 95, passed away towards the end of March. My sisters, cousin Caja and I gave her a beautiful send-off that I am certain had her smiling from above.

Three months, later, Pierre and I had to make the tough decision to have our Jack Russell, Maevis, put to sleep. It was a beautiful spring morning; the vet came to the house.  We said goodbye to her in the backyard where Maeve and I gardened together for almost 15 years. After burying her, Pierre and I planted a serviceberry tree over her. It will flourish and feed the birds and squirrels for years to come.

2014 brought more sadness with news of the passing of my Uncle Tony and Carol, a dear childhood friend of my sisters and mine.

New beginnings were in order for Pierre and me – we decided it was time to leave our      2 1/2 story century home on Mornington Street; so on December 12, 2014 we downsized to a bungalow in a quiet Stratford neighbourhood. Pierre is thrilled to finally have a garage and a basement with ceilings high enough that he hasn’t hit his head once on the furnace ductwork! My joy comes from having a yard that was basically a blank canvas. From spring to fall, I’ve been designing, digging, and planting gardens – many of my choices are native species that will benefit the birds, butterflies, and pollinators of Southwestern Ontario. [Photo is of Pierre putting cedar shingles on our new garden shed].

At the end of April of this year, we welcomed Fitzy into our lives. He’s a dachshund-cross senior citizen with a ton of spunk and personality. He came to us from the Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society under their palliative foster care program. The thought of this old fellow stuck in a shelter broke our hearts – we simply had to bring him home. Fitz has brought us so much joy and given us such a boost after a year of mourning.

Overall, 2015 has been a great year highlighted with visits from both my sisters, a fabulous Lemieux/Meyer family gathering in Sutton, Quebec , camping and canoeing at Silent Lake Provincial Park, a father-daughter hiking trip on the Bruce Trail, and news that William has been accepted to Fleming’s Forestry Program starting January 2016.

We wish you a wonderful Christmas season with your loved ones near and far and best wishes for the coming year – 2016.

                                               

Lots of love from Pam and Pierre xoxo