Monday Musings and Signs of Spring

Yesterday was such a gorgeous sunny and mild spring winter day it was easy to think that spring is on its way. Lots of buds on trees - even the maple tree behind my house has buds on it. Poor Mother Nature - things are so out of whack!

I checked my front garden yesterday hoping for a sign of snowdrops but it's the daffodils that are bravely taking winter on!  You might want to dip your heads beneath the soil once again though, as snow is going to be falling most of the day!!

As always the sunshine invited me to Kilally Meadows although the trails were in less than pristine shape! I wouldn't have dared to walk on these chunks of ice below without my trusty walking stick which save me from a few falls by providing me with another point of balance. We've had a lot of rain and a lot of melting followed by a flash freeze resulting in inch thick ice covering most of the trails. In another area I did go through the ice a couple of times but no harm done - it's just empty space under the ice. 

A small pond has formed in a low-lying area.

Oh, but the sky!

Later today I will join the vigil at City Hall to mark the one-year anniversary of the mosque shooting in Quebec City where six men were killed and nineteen others injured, five seriously. One injured man bravely jumped in front of the shooter receiving many bullets which left him a paraplegic but saved the lives of many.

I include below the words of our Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau:

Ottawa, Ontario
January 29, 2018
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the first anniversary of the fatal shooting at the Centre culturel islamique de Québec:

“One year ago tonight, a senseless attack at the Centre culturel islamique de Québec in Ste-Foy claimed the lives of six worshippers and seriously injured nineteen more.

“On this solemn anniversary, I join Canadians across the country to remember and honour those who were taken from us too soon. Our thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones, and all those who still live with the pain and trauma caused by the attack. We also honour the first responders, whose courage and professionalism saved lives that night.

“This was a terrorist attack against all Canadians, meant to test our resolve and weaken our values. It failed. In the wake of the shooting, a solidarity movement formed across the country as Canadians united to condemn the attack and counter hatred with hope.

“A year later, our message has not changed: We are stronger together. No matter our faith or where we were born, we are equal members of this country. We will not let an act of intolerance divide us and make any Canadian feel less at home.

“The Government of Canada stands in solidarity with Canada’s Muslim community. We will continue to fight Islamophobia and take action against it and all other forms of hatred and discrimination, and defend the diversity that makes Canada strong.”