Photo credit: can131 from morguefile.com
Mid-September on the Canadian prairies is gentle this year. The temperatures are warm during the day and cool enough at night to make sleeping comfortable and a fire welcome. September has always meant a time of new beginnings for me; a new school year, new books, new paper, new ideas, and a great new scarf. This year is no different except for the slower pace.
The leaves have not yet begun to fall and the warm days tend to lull me into a false sense of security. Winter is still a long way from my thoughts as I head out for a walk in the Saturday sunshine. Still, there is a nagging question in the back of my mind about the stores in the pantry. This must be the tribal memory part of my brain talking, the part that wants to stash things away like a squirrel and ensure we don't starve in the months to come.
On the way to class yesterday, I noticed a sign on a garage proudly promoting antifreeze products that are good for days of -50 degrees. A smile spread across my face in recognition. We are hardy and strong. We love the change of seasons. We bake very good bread. And we are no fools when it comes to antifreeze. We are, indeed, Canadian.
