HAPPY CANADIAN THANKSGIVING!!

Greetings from Canada eh? Yes, here in Canada we celebrate Thanksgiving looooooong before Christmas. We don't like the stress of having one major holiday (Christmas) follow another major holiday (Thanksgiving) so closely! We're funny that way. Yes, funny "strange" not funny "hahaha"!

Actually the real reason is that we can stand getting together with relatives only so  often - twice within 4 weeks is really too much.  At least at Christmas we're rewarded with presents whereas at Thanksgiving we only gain a few pounds. That's yet another problem with holidays so close together- weight gained over Thanksgiving in Canada has time to drop off by Christmas.

Theoretically, that is :)

My photo above was taken pre 1998. The reason I know this is that gorgeous maple tree fell on my parents' home during the Norwich tornado June 8, l998.  Now it no longer exists except in the form of a few carvings I made from a branch I saved. It was something my mother always worried about - the tree falling on the house - and us kids always scoffed at - ain't gonna happen! Well, as we know, mothers are always right!

But in this picture it is how I remember it being in the fall - full of glorious reds and orange, leaves carpeting the ground. My dad's Ontario flag flying bravely, the proverbial white picket fence still in place - HOME SWEET HOME.

Now someone else lives there, my parents have both passed away, the tree and flag are gone but the memories remain. For which I'll be forever thankful and blessed.