Forecast today: Rain, cold and windy

My son has the book Duck and Goose, How are you feeling? By Tad Hills.

One page, either duck or goose, I can’t remember which one, is strolling through a field. It’s a dark, grey day, the flowers are closed and he is ‘sad.’

The next page, duck or goose is jumping for joy. The sky is blue and dotted with white clouds, the sun is shining and the flowers are open and bright. He is ‘happy.’

I think that is why I have been a little sad recently.

We had snow on Mother’s Day, and it’s been dark, windy, rainy and cold since.

However, the rain doesn’t always make me sad. In the spring when the rain is accompanied by some warmth, I love watching the rain, playing in the rain and listening to the rain. And I love the smell of rain, just after a spring shower.

Happy Thursday Thoughts

I didn’t want my first posting since Friday to be one of bitterness and panic, so I thought I would instead focus on Happy Thursday Thoughts.

• Good news week.
There was happy news from both sides of the family this weekend. As it’s not my business to share, that is all I can say. I know that’s not very nice but you can trust me – it’s happy news.

• Spring is here.
It seemed like it happened overnight. One day there were buds on the trees and the next, the trees were offering a full canopy of leaves. I have decided spring, pre-bugs, is my favourite time of year.

• Secure employment.
There was a story on the radio this morning about how people are doing the jobs of two or three because so many people have been laid off. I am lucky that I have an enjoyable job that is fairly secure.

• Mother’s Day.
It’s Mother’s Day Sunday. I am thankful I have such a strong, caring mom. She means the world to me. For the second year, I am also being celebrated. My little guy brings joy to me every single day.

• Family.
I have a loving family who brings me happiness and joy.

• Thursday.
Only one more day to go and then it’s two days of hanging out with my little guy and my family. Bring on the weekend.

• Sun and warmth.
The day can’t be bad when the sun is shining and there is heat within its rays.

Take That Labour Day

I haven’t been in school for more than a decade but Labour Day weekend still seems like summer’s last hurrah.

I still get that feeling that summer disappears the moment night closes over on Labour Day, and when I wake up that Tuesday morning fall will have arrived.

To shake off the notion that summer is over, my husband, son and I floated out on the lake on our air mattress, soaked in the sun’s still-strong rays and enjoyed a lengthy swim.

Labour Day is here and gone, but the Day family is still enjoying summer.

Fun Times at Provincial Park

I’m back.
My son and I had a wonderful time camping with my parents, sister-in-law and niece at Sibbald Point Provincial Park.
It rained - torrentially at many times - most of the week, giving us only a couple of days sunshine and warmth. But we made the best of it.

We walked, swam, walked, threw rocks in the water, walked, climbed, watched Dora (she is really annoying), walked, played at the park, walked, coloured, played games, walked, sang, had campfires, ate, walked, watched Franklin, cooked smores (SK, I am really developing a taste for these things. I had the best one Saturday night) and walked. My niece and I played in the rain, with me encouraging puddle jumping (now she can point out and enjoy the best puddles herself).

We saw a mother deer and her fawn, complete with spots, twice, and had a raccoon play in the woods behind our campsite. Otherwise, we didn’t see much in the way of wildlife.
We did, however, had many experiences with pigs.
We were disgusted about the amount of litter we found on the trails, left behind on campsites, at the beach and in the woods.
Note to the many weekend, first-time and city campers who go to Sibbald Park because it’s close to Toronto and not in the middle of nowhere:
* Park staff are not there to clean up after you. If you want maid service, go to a hotel. We saw one man ordering a park worker to clean up the litter in his campsite. While you do expect your site to be clean, if there is litter to be had, pick it up yourself.
* There is no curb-side garbage pick up at provincial parks. While it’s lovely that you have bagged your garbage, if you leave it at the edge of the campsite, raccoons, skunks and other wildlife will get into it.
* The only thing you should take out of the park are pictures. Leave the wildflowers, the berries, the driftwood where you found it.
* If you take it in, you should be taking it out. Plastic bags do not belong in the water, bottles do not belong on the trails and cookie wrappers shouldn’t be on the road. Aren’t people teaching their children not to litter?
* Radio-free zones are just that. Keep the music off.
* If you aren’t in a radio-free zone, your music shouldn’t be so loud I can hear it at my campsite. If you want to party, stay home.
* Don’t cut through my campsite even if it is quicker.
* The beach is not an ashtray.
* You are camping, expect wildlife.
* And just a question. Why patio lanterns and Christmas lights? When you go camping, wouldn’t you rather see the stars than create light pollution?