Chapter 7

October has come and gone and so have the Autumn leaves, but let me paint a picture for you of the beauty that was here. There is an absolutely beautiful array of nature's colours out there to see at every corner. Whether it is one single tree displaying the vibrancy of hues, or a forest filled with a countless number of trees, Fall is here. The landscapes come alive and it is nature's gift for our eyes. I went hiking to a conservation area about a half an hour’s drive from Toronto. The colours were fabulous, the day was sunny and clear, and the walking was energizing. One walk was done on a boardwalk all around the rare meromictic lake, only one kilometre in distance. The lake is unique because it is deeper than its surface area. The researchers found ancient corn pollen in the sediment of the lake. This eventually led to the conclusion that the First Nations people settled here over six hundred years ago. The other trail was 2.4 kilometres along the Niagara Escarpment. At the end of it all we could experience a 15th Century reconstructed Iroquoian village. The Iroquois are one of the native peoples of Canada. Here are a few pictures to share with you:

I took the train one day from Toronto to Guelph, my sister's city, right through the countryside, and saw lots of forest trees while we meandered on our route. This was not a tourist train but rather a commuter train taking people from the city to the suburbs. It is just at this time of the year that nature comes alive in colour. One other moment I found myself cycling through a treed area alongside a river in the city which was full of Autumn colours as well. I try to drink in the beauty as all too soon it will be replaced with the white stuff. Yes, sadly, the Autumn Season gives way to the winter months, which brings about a different kind of landscape. Though I am excited to experience my first winter home in Canada in so many years. Bring on the snow...at least for the first year. I may join the millions of other Canadians in their distaste of the white season after the next few months.

Like milk and cookies, wine and cheese, and bread and butter, Thanksgiving and Autumn go together in the same vein. Everyone knows that the American Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November. But few probably remember the Canadian Thanksgiving is on the second Monday of October, the same day as Sport's Day in Japan. Originally to celebrate the fall harvest (the only harvest time in this cold country), now is a national holiday to eat, drink, and be merry with friends and family. I was a guest at two such dinners, surrounded by family members, food, and chatter. The turkey was the main guest at the table, but was surrounded by vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, squash, turnip, and potatoes. Caesar salad, pumpkin hummus, and pumpkin pie, and apple squares rounded out the meal. Now do you get my feeling of fullness? Thanksgiving is like Christmas, the two days in the year where you are allowed to eat to your heart's content.

What else has been happening you might be asking? On a national level, Halloween made its entrance and its exit. It was a very cold evening with a strong wind. The poor little ghosts and goblins made their way around the neighbourhoods freezing as they went with many parents in tow. It was just a frigid Halloween night! Canada had a Federal election whereby our favourite Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau returned to power but this time with a Minority government. Now he has to work with one of the other parties and compromise to effect change in our country. For his first four years he had a Majority government. Not so this time around. Probably this will be good for our country as one man, one party cannot call all of the shots.

Lastly, and perhaps sadly, winter has arrived. Not that I am saddened by the white stuff falling, but it has arrived too early, with low temperatures, and all too soon. I just painted a very colourful picture above for you of the Autumn foliage, and now we are ending with a white landscape. I have shovelled snow, felt the snow falling all around me, and slipped and slid on the sidewalks as I tried to run on this wintry landscape. I am excited to face my first winter here in many years, but already my hands and feet are freezing. Oh no, I am in trouble because winter is only beginning.