I found winter in April

                                                                      Its Still Here

Winter is still here. It may feel 20C outside but winter is still hanging around on the back roads
of Mapleton Township. Its Easter Sunday, April 20, 2014, and I found winter. Exciting for me, but maybe not for you. There is a method to my madness. I LOVE WINTER.

The crunch of the snow beneath my boots is a sound I never tire of. On a -30C night I can see the
snow sparkling and when I breath in, my nostrils freeze shut. The air is crisp, clean and clear. I'm dressed in my insulated coveralls, favourite knitted sweater, big green boots, down filled mits, Farmers Feed Cities hat, Toronto Maple Leafs scarf and I'm HAPPY.

Really, I love all the seasons. Spring brings new beginnings. The birth of lambs, tulips poke their
heads out of the ground and the temperatures are cool to warm. Fall is harvest time. A time to reap
what you have sown. Combines glean through fields, leaves change from green to beautiful reds,
oranges and yellows, and God's creatures prepare for winter.

 Gardening, lawn cutting, walking and bicycling occupy a lot of my summer. A dip in a friends pool or pond keeps me refreshed. The HHH's and I are not compatible. Heat, Humidity and Haze I try to ignore.There is only so much clothes you can take off before the laws of Ontario kick in. Although outwardly not showing how miserable I feel, I am suffering terribly.

The winter of 2013/14 was a true Canadian winter. One we haven't seen for a number of years.
I enjoyed it more than most. My unofficial "I LOVE WINTER CLUB" has five members and there
is room for new members. When the temperatures hit 30C + and complaints are heard, I
smile and think to myself....I LOVE WINTER.

Two Small Pie Plates

                                                                           

                                                             The Pie Plate Lady


The ad, Pie Plates For Sale, on a Facebook Buy and Sell site, caught my eye late one night. A quick reply to the ad, a few messages exchanged  and  a pickup time was finalized between the seller and myself. Another addition to my list of errands on my busy day off.

After a short drive to a nearby town, I found the house where I was to pick up the pie plates. A middle aged lady answered my knock on the door  and introduced her mother-in-law to me. Lily, an elderly woman in her early 90's welcomed me into her home. With the sale of the pie plates complete, I shared with the two women what the pie plates were going to be used for. My friend, Dale, attends a United Church that does a Turkey Dinner Fundraiser at Thanksgiving. The ladies of the church decided that they no longer wanted to use aluminum pie plates, as they found the pie crusts did not cook properly in these plates. Dale had mentioned on Facebook that the church was looking for glass, ceramic or tin pie plates for their fundraiser. I told Dale that I would be happy to help her collect pie plates as I visited  the three thrift stores in a nearby town on a weekly basis.

Lily, was happy to help out with my search for pie plates. She went into her cupboard and found another ceramic pie plate to add to my collection. She also added two smaller plates and asked me
if I knew how old these plates would be. My guess was 40 years. She replied, "Many more than that."
I asked  if it was okay with her if I kept the smaller pie plates for myself as they wouldn't be used by  the church. She was in favour of the idea.

I commented on how beautiful Lily's home was and she offered to give me a tour. I told her it wasn't necessary and I did have an appointment to get to. She insisted and I couldn't resist her invitation. As
I bent over to remove my boots she told me not to worry about boots. At her age she didn't care about a little dirt. I felt uncomfortable as I walked on her white carpets and area rugs with my boots on. I guess if I was in my 90's I wouldn't care either. As we walked from room to room, Lily told me stories about her life. The writer in me wanted to stay and talk longer but I had to continue on with my day.

As I drove to my next errand, I thought about Lily and her home. I was thrilled to have met her and glad that I took time out of my day to listen to her stories. Each time I look at the two small pie plates she gave me I will remember Lily, in her early 90's, healthy, vibrant and still living in her own home.