A world without brands

It is an odd thing to live in a world without brands – or more correctly - brand recognition. Obviously, Canada has all the global brands but many of the local brands mean absolutely nothing to me. In some ways it is very liberating, buying based on price or packaging or whatever takes my fancy at the time without the perceived differentiation in quality. It can also be daunting - faced with shelf upon shelf of washing detergent and having no idea on what to base your selection.

Supermarket shopping takes much longer due to the requirement to read the package. Branding provides a convenience. You can grab a packet off the shelf and know exactly what you are getting. Because I was not initially swayed by big advertising budgets, my brand of choice tends to be Co-Op home brand….and I am sure my clothes are just as clean as when I used Omo!

Such Effort

Early in the spring, some small plants appeared in the garden bed at the back door. Being new to the garden, the house and the hemisphere, I was very loath to pluck them out despite them looking decidedly like weeds. By the end of spring, the little weeds had taken on some form and grown to the height of my knees. Perhaps they were not weeds after all….

All summer long, they grew and grew, taller than me, then taller than the fence. Their flat broad leaves welcomed the sun each morning and followed it until it set. My little weeds were still unidentified but perhaps the little no longer applied.

Near the end of summer, they started forming buds and one day, just a couple of weeks ago; they burst into flower – sunflowers the size of dinner plates - yellow and delightful, dancing on the breeze.

We enjoyed the plants’ effort of two seasons for no more than a week. A frost struck one morning and killed them! Withered, sapped and brown they flopped against the fence completely spent. Six months of growing, one week of flowering then dead – what an effort!

Proud Owners

Exciting news!! We have become the proud owners of another house - well, an apartment actually. It is in a heritage building on the river and looks across to the city. It is gorgeous and had we not just finished unpacking here, I might have been tempted to move into it.

It is a designated Canadian Historic Place - read all about it at
http://www.historicplaces.ca/visit-visite/affichage-display.aspx?id=9000

Nova Scotia

Showing my ignorance of our Commonwealth sister’s history, I was surprised to find out that Nova Scotia means New Scotland in Latin. I was also surprised to discover that I could buy a kilt from a choice of four stores in the tiny fishing village of Pictou that does not even sport a major supermarket. In the harbour, a replica of The Hector floats proudly. The Hector was the tiny sailing ship aboard which arrived the first couple of hundred Scots fleeing religious persecution. That started the influx of over 150 000 Scots over the next few decades – no wonder I can buy a kilt there!

The landscape was straight off the poster on the dentist’s wall when we were kids – the autumn leaves out in fiery reds, oranges and yellows. Thanksgiving is the perfect time to visit Nova Scotia! (The Canadian Thanksgiving is earlier than the American because the growing season is shorter. By the end of November, most of Canada is generally under snow!)

Birthday Treat!

It was like a scene from The Godfather, the suitcase slowly opened....

But instead of revealing bundles of freshly minted notes, it contained something even better!

Thanks Mum!!

The Commute

Despite indications to the contrary, we are enjoying an Indian Summer. Beautiful, sunny mid-twenty days - day after day after day. Each morning and evening, I commute. My commute is 1.8km by bike along the river path system, busy with bell ringing cyclists, pedestrians and runners with heads bopping to iPods. The trees overhanging the path are sporting their autumn colours, the path is speckled with leaves that have a satisfying crunch when run over, sun beams filter between the trees and the river is low, water rushing between the pebbles.