Snow

winter

snow

snow

how i love the snow

winter

is almost here

winter is my friend…

– Lilly Emerson Brayfield, ‘winter’

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/winter-247/

Saturday November 23

(yes…we know…once again the date doesn’t match the day we’re talking about…get over it)

We’re up early, showered and into the car for the hour long drive to Cambridge, where we are meeting our buddy Jim Aikenhead for lunch. Jim is a Program Instructor at Mountsberg and Crawford Lake Conservation Areas and he is really, really good at what he does. He has a tremendous passion for sharing the natural world with children of all ages and we know this because he did it with both Wendy and I. He inspired me to become a very good outdoor educator (at least that’s what he tells me)…and his commitment to creativity and education allowed me to reach outside of the box and discover innovative new ways to present program content. He is one of our Champions

We don’t have a photo of Jim…Wendy says he looks sort of like this…

I say it’s more like this…

Let’s just split the difference

“Ribbit”

Okay…it’s almost 1.30 and as fantastic as it is to see him (and thanks for lunch big guy), Jim has somewhere else to be and Wendle and I are driving on to Waterloo, Ontario to see our nephew Will at Wilfred Laurier University

Damn it’s cold (-16c)…and it’s starting to snow quite a bit. Highway 401 is getting a little nasty and we don’t have snow tires on the KIA yet…hopefully the snow will stop

It’s still coming down as we reach the front steps of the University…just not as heavy as it was

We head over to Will’s residence…he’s holding a door open for us without exposing himself to the biting cold (university is already paying off)

Will looks great

Nice room Dude

It’s a Saturday afternoon and the room is full of Will’s longtime friends…Mike (Will’s brother, roomie and fishing buddy), Mikaela (Will’s girlfriend) and Carly (Mikaela’s best friend and roommate)

Mikaela and Will

Occasionally, someone else pops in to chat…each new person adds their own vibrant energy to an already lively room. These young people are awesome. They really enjoy one another, they avoid taking themselves too seriously and they’re always a blast to listen to. The human race will be very much improved when they take charge…all we ‘adults’ have to do, is hold off on totally messing up the planet that we hand over to them (you can do it)

We have to leave when it gets to four o’clock. That’s okay, it’s a wonderful visit and it’s very gratifying to see Will surrounded by such great friends and doing so well at school. Also…who could have imagined that he would one day be acclaimed as ‘Laurier’s Legendary Stir Fry Guy’

Nice Movember Dude

Our next stop is Sandra’s house in Campbellville, Ontario. We’re going over for dinner and staying the night. We told her we’d be there by five and we still have to make a stop at the Zehr’s in Waterloo for some grub

By the time we get out of the store, a heavy snowfall has begun and visibility is becoming limited. We drive out of Waterloo / Kitchener on 85 South and 8 East. The 401 East is crowded, moving very slowly and a bit slippery…so we’re thrilled when we can finally turn off onto 6 South. A left turn onto Leslie…follow that onto Millborough Line…

 

…cross the railroad tracks and on our right…Mountsberg

Say…you’re in luck…Santa happens to be at Mountsberg right now and if you’re really good, we’ll take you by and introduce you later. After dinner. C’mon, let’s get past the gatehouse…

…and down the long country lane…

…to Cameron house

In the old days (the 1870,s) the Cameron family (including all 10 kids) used to live here…now one side of the house is for staff and on the other side is the home of…

Sandra (aka Falcon Lady), Matti (the wunderdog) and some bird…oh…and a fish

Sandra and Matti greet us enthusiastically…running around like crazy and licking our faces (actually, only Matti licked our faces)

The bird…not so much. That’s Sandra’s American Kestrel (oh a draft dodger eh)

Gavin (Brian’s son and our little brother) is going to come over too. He just got his G2 the other day, so he’s driving in from Hamilton

Well…dinner was great (as always)…say, have you noticed…Matti can’t seem to get the smile off her face

We’ll do the dishes later…let’s get winterized (parkas, boots, toques, mitts…the whole works) and get out to Christmas Town before the ‘old man’ crashes for the night (i mean Santa). C’mon hurry…

…do you want to see Santa or not…

…well then, come on!

The weather is absolutely awesome…snow on the ground, the stars are out in force and my face is crackling, tight in the cold air. We get to the train tracks, holdovers from that time in 1877 when the Railway ran a line through the Cameron’s front yard (don’t worry 14-year-old daughter Jessie got back at ’em by lighting fires on the tracks)

Okay, you guys watch my back while I stop on the tracks and fix my boots…

(Editors Note: Never stop on railway tracks. NEVER…not for ANY reason…no, not even for a photo…sheesh)

This might take a while…meet me here tomorrow and. I’ll get you across safely and into Christmas Town

(and for gawd’s sake…wear something warmer)

Goodnight all

Moose and Wendle

P.S.

To whom it may concern

Photo Credits

Harrison Ford – http://endersgamefandom.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/harrisonford-beard.jpeg

Church Father (Jim) – http://www.aleteia.org/image/en/article/5-church-fathers-on-that-most-manly-of-traits-the-beard-9384004/5-church-fathers-on-that-most-manly-of-traits-the-beard/topic

http://missmaryliberry.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/freddy.jpeg?w=490

American Kestrel – http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/167/overrides/american-kestrel_16719_600x450.jpg

That’s why you go to yoga – http://m.quickmeme.com/img/9d/9de8b45bfd11b3dcffc778cb95c093d59583ece68b6d457d590486b4be50d0bc.jpg

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