Oh Canada
In the winter I would often tease my Canadian friends. When the winter winds would blow snow and ice in my direction and always when the cold would flow from the north, I would complain that my Canadian neighbors forgot to close the doors on their refrigerators and deep freezers. I would blame them for the frigid weather and snow. I know it’s not true, but I like to make a joke at their expense.
Lately I have shifted the blame for the smoke filled sky to them again. I know that the forest fires are the cause and there is nothing that can be done about it. I still have to tease just a bit and I ask, “Why are so many Canadians barbecuing and grilling at the same time?” Or are they just smoking the meat?
Don’t think I am heartless. I understand the seriousness of the wild fires and pray that all will be safe and that the situation will soon be under control. I went with a friend to California two years ago and the air was smoky many days depending on the direction of the wind. The haze from California and from Canada rivals each other, sometimes making fragile moments of beauty.
I really have nothing harsh to say about my neighbors to the north. Quite a few years ago it was my pleasure to accompany a young man who wanted to be a missionary in Labrador. Several of us went with him driving from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania through New England and into New Brunswick and Nova Scotia before riding the ferry into Newfoundland. Again we drove from the southern tip to northern Newfoundland to St. Anthony. Once in St. Anthony we boarded the “Northern Ranger”
The Northern Ranger had a hardened hull to travel through icy water lessening damage to the ship. The black and white ship was trimmed in red. It was 235 feet long. The ship was a working vessel with accommodations for passengers. There were rooms for tourists and a gallery of seats for people raveling from port to port. The Ranger would stop at each port to unload passengers and goods or to pick up passengers and good. Many towns didn’t have a dock and the citizens would use their boats to transport folk or goods to and from the ship.
We rode the Ranger to Nain, Labrador and back. We were at sea. It was exciting being able to see icebergs close to shore and farther out on the ocean. One iceberg was so large if the top would have been leveled off, I small plane could have landed on it.