ABC Wednesday - E is for Education

Our Children Are The Future

Education is (1) the knowledge or skill obtained or developed by a learning process and (2) an instructive or enlightening experience. As a teacher, I tried to meld these two definitions in the classroom. My philosophy is that if it isn't fun for me as the teacher, it sure isn't going to be fun for the kids. And only an enjoyable learning experience is retained for life.

My late husband and I maintained the same philosophy regarding our children. We decided that it would be more important that I be a stay-at-home Mom than spend a lot of money on other things for our children. We were lucky that we had a summer cabin on Shuswap Lake and were able to give the girls vacations that included horseback riding, swimming, water skiing, along with educational experiences with the government campsite Rangers. They also learned geography, history of our First Nations, and music as we sang along while my husband played the guitar at the evening campfire. The girls learned to entertain themselves by making up plays and musicals on the beach. I remember them dancing to Whitney Houston's "The Greatest Love Of All" and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," working hard to get the lyrics and dance moves just right. We also introduced them to lots of activities at home so they could get a "feel" for them and decide for themselves what they'd like to continue. Some of the things we took them to were ballet, gymnastics, figure skating, horseback riding, soccer, tennis, skiing, drama with acting lessons, music, swimming lessons, art, along with everything that the schools they attended provided.

In 1986, we had the privilege of moving to our nation's capital, Ottawa, for a 3-year stint with Telecom Canada. What better place to educate our two daughters than in historic Eastern Canada! Nervously, we sold our house and July 1, 1986 found us at the Parliament Buildings celebrating Canada's birthday. The girls had their photo taken with an RCMP officer, decked out in his official uniform. Two years later, one of Jamie's friends came to stay for the summer and we took them all back to the Parliament Buildings and climbed the clock tower. At some point during our time living in Ottawa, we also had the opportunity to take the girls to parliament when it was in session. That was a real educational experience!

During our vacation time in the summer of 1987, we drove East through Montreal and then South to New Brunswick, then East again to Prince Edward Island. In Moncton, NB, we found the house where my grandmother (my mother's mother) was born. I knocked at the door to ask if I could take a photo of the girls on the front porch but since no one was at home, I just went ahead and took their photo anyway.

We took the girls to the Magnetic Hill just east of the city. Magnetic Hill began as just local folklore in the early 1800's. Farmers living to the northwest of Moncton recounted wild stories of wagons running up on the heels of startled horses. Barrels and bales of dry goods were said to mysteriously roll "uphill". The hill moved from folklore to hard news in 1933 when three newspaper reporters spent an embarrassing moment stopping at the foot of every hill waiting for the magical magnetic forces to take over. Eight frustrating hours later, when the reporters were ready to give up, the phenomenon of Magnetic Hill was recorded as the reporters watched their 1931 Ford Roadster roll up the hill without them. Magnetic Hill was officially recorded by a skeptical group of believers. (from here) Now that was an educational experience as we sat in our car, turned off, and drove UP the hill...

Another educational experience we had in New Brunswick was seeing all the covered bridges. We stopped at the longest covered bridge in the world at Hartland, NB to take some photos and to walk its length.

We continued on to Prince Edward Island and that was an awesome experience for us. The dirt really is RED there! Native legends of old tell of a Great Spirit that, during the creation of the earth, reserved a small amount of red dirt. This red dirt was used to form "the fairest of all earthly places," Prince Edward Island. Today we now know that the dirt's rich red hue is due to its naturally occurring high iron oxide content. While in PEI, we went to all, literally ALL, of the sites related to the "Anne of Green Gables" books written by Lucy Maud Montgomery and published in 1908.

On the way back from PEI, we drove through the Adirondacks in upstate New York. The girls skated at the Olympic arena at Lake Placid where we stayed for a few days. We found out that Robert Louis Stevenson had wintered at Saranac Lake in the area in 1887. He stayed at "Cure Cottage" where he rested and recovered from tuberculosis. The house where he stayed and wrote during that time was open to visitors. As my late husband was extremely proud of his Scottish ancestry, it was absolutely vital that we go and look around. This experience brought to life our daughters' heritage. It was exciting to see all of RLS's belongings and to learn that he had written a number of his best essays here along with beginning his famous "The Master of Ballantrae."

Ottawa and its surrounding area is full of the history of early settlements in Canada. One place we visited many times was an old working farm that taught the girls what it was like to live on a farm back in the 1800s. We took scads of photos, but here is one of them at the water pump where they learned that every day someone would have to go out and pump the water from the well so they could drink, cook, and wash for the day. They checked out the "outhouse," the pig sties, the kitchen, and the garden before we went for a wagon ride out into the countryside.

We also took them twice to Upper Canada Village - I did a post on this last go round for ABCW and if you missed it, you can check it out here.

During our time in Ottawa, the girls learned a lot about geography. They learned how vast is our country! From coast to coast it's 5, 514 km or, for my American friends, it's almost 3,500 miles. They also learned that Canada's climate varies from place to place and that when people refer to a Canadian winter, they mean something like what we all experienced in Ontario during those years. Yes, it snows in the winter and it's extremely cold. And the winter is long. We all admitted that it was fun for a while, but we were very happy to return to Lotusland in 1989 where the climate is much more temperate .

We not only gave our daughters the experience of Canada during these years, but also took them to Massachusetts, where there is a rich plethora of American history. In 1988, we recounted the story of the Mayflower and took the girls (and a friend) to Plymouth to see an accurate replica of the ship, which is moored at the State Pier. We also saw Plymouth Rock and toured around the area.

We continued on to Cape Cod for a week and saw the JFK Memorial. Naturally, we had to tell that story and recounted where we were the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

Of all the educational experiences we gave our two daughters, I believe moving temporarily to Ottawa was the best one. We had the opportunity to see and do so much more than we ever could have dreamt had we not dared to dream a bit.

Education is a journey. It's not just 12 years of plodding along at school. All my students had fun in my classes because I kept reminding myself that if how I taught didn't excite ME, it surely wasn't going to excite them. Education is a lifelong adventure that is open to everyone who is willing to open their bodies, minds, and souls to the experience. Here are a few quotes:

Nine tenths of education is encouragement. Anatole France

The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what to think - rather to improve our minds, so as to enable us to think for ourselves, than to load the memory with thoughts of other men. Bill Beattie

Education, therefore, is a process of living and not a preparation for future living. John Dewey

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Nelson Mandela

Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. William Butler Yeats

I will give the final word to Helen Keller: Have you ever been at sea in a dense fog, when it seemed as if a tangible white darkness shut you in and the great ship, tense and anxious, groped her way toward the shore with plummet and sounding-line, and you waited with beating heart for something to happen? I was like that ship before my education began, only I was without compass or sounding line, and no way of knowing how near the harbor was. "Light! Give me light!" was the wordless cry of my soul, and the light of love shone on me in that very hour.

ABC Wednesday - Welcome to the letter "D"

ABC Wednesday is brought to you today by the letter D.

I'm so glad you decided to come back and visit me at my Domicile again this week. There's so much more to show you! First of all, do park in my Driveway - there's lots of room beside my car.

The Doorbell is to the right of the Door but if I don't hear it, you might Dare to come around to the back patio where I might be Day-Dreaming on my chaise lounge.



















The first thing I'd like to show you is my most precious Decoration. My sister gave me this "gift" for Christmas a few years ago and I love it so much that I keep it out all year. I plug it in during the winter so I can enjoy its glittering beauty, but I always get comments on it even in the summer.

I'm glad you Decided to stay for Dinner this time. This is where I keep my Dishes. Would you like to help me set the table?















We'll sit in the Dining room tonight since we can look out into the garden as we enjoy our Dinner. I think we'll Dine on cold roast Duck with a Date chutney and Devilled eggs on the side.

"Would you put this Dish of Dill pickles on the table for me, please."


"Well, I'm full now!"









Come on into the other room and I'll show you a few more of my special things. Here is a book about Dolls that belonged to my mother. She was an avid Doll collector and even made a few herself. She also sewed the clothes for a precious baby doll. My sister has that doll now, even though I wanted it. (But I got the book!)

















These are the two Dolls that I inherited from my mother. The one on the left reminds me of my two Daughters as they both had such long blonde hair when they were younger. The Doll on the right is "Emily of New Moon," depicting a character from one of Lucy Maud Montgomery's famous series of books for girls. The stories about Emily are similar to Montgomery's earlier and more famous Anne of Green Gables series.









You might remember that I am a big Dog lover. The little black Scotty here is just like the one my mother had when she was a girl. One year, I couldn't figure out what to get Mom for Christmas and when I saw this Dog, I knew it was perfect. She used to tell us stories about Jock so I knew she'd love him. I put the tartan ribbon around his neck and carefully wrapped him up in a box. Mom, in the full throes of Alzheimers, was thrilled when she saw him and he always sat on the back of the sofa - until she passed away. Now I have the pleasure of keeping Jock safe. For companionship, I found a little Boxer puppy one day and I named him Bullet. I've had three Boxers in my life - one when I was a girl and two since then. Jock and Bullet get along famously.






I've saved the best story for last. As you know, I have two Delightful Daughters. I Distinctly remember the Saturday back in October of 1989 when my parents took the girls out for the Day. I wondered where they were going, but they only said that it was a secret. Both the girls got Dressed up in Dark skirts and their best white blouses and carefully did their hair. (Now that was unusual in itself!) So off they went, giving their Dad and me some time alone. I forgot all about their Day's outing with their grandparents until Christmas Day. Unbeknownst to us, the girls had arranged an appointment with a photographer to have a formal photograph taken of themselves so they could get it framed and give it to us as a Christmas present! They got their grandparents to go along with the secret since they needed an excuse to go out somewhere without us. None of them ever let the secret out of the bag. My Delicious Daughters also paid for the sitting all by themselves by saving their money!

Thank you for coming today! I really think we're getting to know each other better, Don't you? Please Do come again....maybe next time I'll show you my photos of Mount Etna.

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W is for Wooden Bridges

ABC Wednesday is up to the letter "W" today. I can't believe I started at the letter "B" and we're almost through the alphabet already! To see who else participated today, click on Mrs. Nesbitt's Place.

Early bridges were made of wood, especially where it was a plentiful resource. Wooden bridges tended to deteriorate rapidly from exposure to the elements, having a useful lifespan of only nine years, but around my area it seems that everywhere I look I see wooden bridges. They aren't usually long bridges, but rather in parks and on trails where they don't get a lot of traffic. I was particularly taken with the following bridge that I found near Andover, UK, when I went out geocaching with some friends. It was a beautiful sunny day, warm enough to just wear a sweater, but the angle of the sun proved it to be autumn. I love how the shadows are cast on the walkway of the bridge.

Closer to home and during my "walkabouts," I've discovered lots of other wooden bridges. Here we have a very long wooden bridge at Boundary Bay that goes over a swampy area filled with bulrushes. I always walk very carefully for fear of tripping and landing in the water!

Below is another one of my "haunts." It's located at Deas Island Park that runs along a tributary of the mighty Fraser River. I often walk through here admiring the views of the river through the thick trees. It was here that I caught my winning photo, "Autumn on the River" from last fall.

This wooden bridge is located at Bear Creek Park in the neighbouring city of Surrey. I took my grandson here for a day just after my granddaughter was born in March. We had a great time playing on the equipment and walking (him riding his little bike) around the trails. Here he is zooming over the bridge. We stayed here for a while as he "needed" to practise his mountain biking.

Finally, this is one of many wooden bridges you will find at Campbell Valley Regional Park in neighbouring Langley. I posted about my walk here a short time ago because I was amazed that I never knew it existed in all my life living here. The place is so green that you can't help but feel relaxed and calm while walking through giant cedars and firs, alpine meadows, and areas where the trees bend over the trail to create a canopy.

Wooden bridges are intriguing structures. Some are simply made with planks covering the ground while others are intricately constructed over smaller riverbeds or streams. My favourite ones are the ones found in mysterious and remote locations. I always wonder who else has discovered this spot.

ABC Wednesday - "C" is for Cinque Terre

In October 2006, I visited Italy for the first time. Notice I say the "first" time because I intend to return one day and see more of this Charismatic Country as well as revisit many of the places I saw then. However, for today's purposes I've Chosen to highlight the area called the Cinque Terre in the north-west region of Italy. It was by far the most Captivating, Curious, and Compelling spots of my trip. Rick Steves has more information on the area here.

Built along the Coast of the Mediterranean Sea, this area is Comprised of five villages in the province of La Spezia in the Luguria region of Italy. The Coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all encapsulated in a national park by the same name. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The five villages are Manarolo, Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, and Riomaggiore. The Cinque Terre is Characterized by the Craggy slopes which have been Cultivated into vineyards by means of a system of terracing.
Seafood is plentiful in the area's Cuisine and it is also famous for its pesto, a sauce made with basil leaves, garlic, salt, olive oil, pine nuts and pecorino Cheese. I sampled some at lunch the day we toured the area and I absolutely give it an A+. Also, a Common locally baked product is focaccia and farinata which is a savoury snack like a Crunchy pancake made from a base of Chick-pea flour.

In addition to wines made from the locally grown grapes, grappa (a brandy made with the pommace left from winemaking) and limoncello (a sweet liqueur flavored with lemons) are also popular and well-known drinks in the area. (And yes, I sampled both but preferred the limoncello. One of the ladies in our group had grappa every day but to me it tasted like rubbing alcohol. )

We arrived by boat in Riomaggiore. It was an amazing sight as we approached the first little dock! Climbing the tiny little alleyways, which I realised were streets, we finally came out on the small market part of the village. I couldn't believe how many Cats wandered the streets, too! They were everywhere. This Cat was sunning itself in a plant pot by the side of the street, totally ignorant of all the people milling around.

We realised we'd arrived on laundry day because Clothes were hanging from windows and balconies to dry in the natural sunlight. This turned out to be a Common sighting all over Italy.

From Riomaggiore, we walked along the Via del Amore (below) to the next village of Manarolo. A brief visit there and then we hopped back on the boat that took us all the way to Montarosso al Mare where we dined on pasta al pesto. The views from the restaurant that overlooked the Mediterranean were stunning and we enjoyed the rest from all the walking up and down hills and along mountainside Cliffs along the Mediterranean Coast.

Then we made a brief stop at Vernazza but skipped Corniglia and Continued on to Portovenere, a larger town directly across from our base in Lerici. Notice the brilliant Colours of all the buildings.
We ended the day by Climbing to the Church at the top of the Cliff in Portovenere. I even lit a Candle inside for my late husband and mother, even though I'm not Catholic, and the process left me feeling rather Calm and Cathartic. I hope you enjoyed these photos from my visit to the Cinque Terre and encourage all of you to include this area in any future plans for your trip to Italy. For tourist information click here.

And for more information about ABC Wednesday click here.