It’s a wonderful day today. The weather is lovely. It’s a great occasion to visit the Village. And raise a historically accurate (and refreshing) toast to Canada!
Rick, Jung-Hee, and Chris (yes, they are real people) raising a toast in the fabulous Black Creek Historic Brewery. Can you guess what is in the oak casks behind them?
This week, visitors to Black Creek Pioneer Village (the hosts of this very blog) will have a chance to get a experience something of the very first “Dominion Day” (as it used to be called) which was celebrated on July 1st, 1867. The Village is a recreation of that very decade in Canada’s history (the 1860s) so this is as good a place as any I can think of to enjoy our nation’s birthday.
One special feature which I think it would be lovely for children to experience: 30 New Canadians will become citizens in a public ceremony. That takes place at 2:30 in the afternoon. Be among the first to congratulate our newly-minted fellow citizens!
There will be wagon rides, also great fun for kids, games and activities, tours of the new Black Creek Historic Brewery, and lots of great food.
Kids learning about building at Black Creek Pioneer Village
Wherever you decided to spend it, we live in a wonderful country and Canada Day is a wonderful way to celebrate something meaningful with the whole family.
How do you celebrate Canada Day?
And speaking of making thing by hand (see previous post …)
In our family Fathers Day was a combined birthday celebration for yours truly, and we celebrated it a week ago, on the anniversary of my arrival on planet earth. We made crepes (a new crepe pan being one of the gifts) had a feast and then enjoyed sitting around the table in the backyard. I got nice gifts and one of the nicest had to be a creation from my eldest daughter.
She had intended to stop off at Yorkdale to get the gift on the way to our brunch (yes, I know, planning ahead …) but in a bizarre twist, her car was stuck inside the police tape at a crime scene (the tragic stabbing last weekend in the Bathurst/St. Claire area). the intended gift was a new Apple Mouse, but my intrepid daughter was not going to let a little police tape foil her plans, so she got out a needle and thread, and found some scrap cloth and a magic marker and .. voila! Dad got an Apple Mouse for for his birthday/Fathers Day. Even 24 year-old daughters can still make their own gifts.
The latest product from "Apple," courtesy of my daughter. It's tough to top that.
This weekend Black Creek Pioneer Village will be overrun with soldiers – Revolutionary War soldiers, that is. What a great outing for Fathers Day!
Battle of Black Creek - and you thought the vuvezelas were loud!
The World Cup kicked off today. The city is abuzz with excitement and flags from at least 32 countries can be seen fluttering from cars, balconies and whatever else people can attach them to. I caught the last 5 minutes of the opening game and watched South Africa come within a goalpost of winning. I was hooked and I realized this is going to be an exciting month.
What a great opportunity for families, too. This is an experience everyone can enjoy – and learn a something from.
1. It’s Real
This a rare moment where there is a connect for children between the media experience and the real experience on the street. It would be wonderful to take your kids (as I will) to watch on a big screen somewhere, just to feel the energy of the crowds. It makes it real and it makes it fun.
2. See the World
Teams from all around the world are competing. They look different, they have different styles of play. I know we’ll be talking about Africa a lot in our home, and lots of other things, too – like North and South Korea. We’ll see brilliant play from parts of the world we don’t hear much about: what do you know about Ghana, for instance, or even Denmark?
Added to that is the realization that many, many people from all of these countries make their homes right here in the GTA. What an eye-opener it is for all of us. What a great chance to learn a little about our neighbours.
3. Be Generous
Because we are such a mixed society, many of us have roots in many different places. It’s so lovely to hear the enthusiasm that people feel for their own background – and even lovelier that we can (for the most part) share it joyfully – often within the same family. Whenever someone wins a game, there is usually someone we know whom we can congratulate: a friend, a neighbour, an associate, a server in a restaurant (etc. etc. etc.). What a way to take the generous spirit of good sportsmanship to a global level.
What a lovely international experience. Turn on the TV (this time it’s good for you! ) or even better, take the kids out to someplace where the game is on and have fun! It’s a beautiful game – and it’s a beautiful world we live in.
Fathers Day is on the horizon and I wanted to focus a bit on the dad half of the parenting equation as the Big Day approaches.
I was listening to CBC this morning (as I do every morning) and heard parenting columnist Karen Horseman talking about a conference for fathers taking place next Saturday, June 12 at the Ken Cox Community Centre in Etobicoke. You can learn more and sign up here:
http://www.dadstoday.org/Dads_Count_2010_Conference.html
And thinking of fathering, I found myself leafing through the big box of old photos, you know, from the Days Before Digital. Here’s a winner that makes me proud to be a dad:
My two eldest enjoying vigorous role playing in their formative years.
Alice came to town last weekend! Well, to the Village actually. I caught the action on Saturday when the weather was iffy, but everyone was having a lot of fun.
Alice teaching a group of children how to curtsy to the Queen of Hearts
Toronto's Quickening Theatre presented "The Mad Hatter Tea Party" during the Alice in Wonderland weekend.
Alice (in Wonderland) in action
