Remembrance Day in Canada is observed on November 11th. In the United States, the day is called Veteran’s Day. In both countries, it is a day to honour those who have served both countries in war. My nephew is currently serving for the Canadian military and he is based in Afghanistan. His family and friends are proud of him, but we miss him very much and we pray for his safety and for those serving with him. I have had numerous family members serve with the Canadian armed services. I have a deep appreciation for their sacrifices and their bravery.

Happy Halloween!

In honour of Halloween on Saturday, here is an article from the Canadian Press and published on Yahoo! Canada, which outlines ways in which Canadians observe and celebrate this event:

OTTAWA – The annual celebration of ghosts and witches will be in full swing Saturday, as kids make the rounds of their neighbourhoods in pursuit of holiday treats.

In honour of Halloween, Statistics Canada has rolled out some facts and figures on everything from pumpkins to zombies to give Canadians a better understanding of some familiar items and characteristics associated with the holiday.

Trick-or-Treaters:

I enjoy watching hockey games and figure skating. I also like curling. Basically, like many of my fellow Canadians, I take pride in watching my fellow countrymen and countrywomen show their athletic skills on the ice. Recently, a reality TV show which combines the world of ice hockey and figure staking has become a ratings success here in Canada. I generally am not a fan of reality TV, but this particular show has become one of my favourite (favorite) television shows. I have told my friends in the USA about it and sent some video clips. According to the following article, which was also posted on the Yahoo! Canada site, the show has been popular among Canadians.

Thanksgiving Day here in Canada has come and gone. The dishes are done, hopefully, and the leftovers safely stored in the fridge. Some of us will spend time standing with the refrigerator door open wondering how to “recycle” the leftovers into tasty meals. It definitely is possible. I came across an article written by Martha Li, of the Divine.ca website, and posted on Yahoo! Canada, which outlined some good ideas for making the most of Thanksgiving leftovers. I trust you will find the following information helpful:

Here in Canada, we celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October. This year, Thanksgiving will fall on 12th October, 2009. Just like in the United States, Canadians will gather with family and friends to give thanks and then enjoy a big Thanksgiving meal. I have friends in the United States who, of course, are used to celebrating their Thanksgiving in November. Growing up in Canada, I like the timing of when Canadian Thanksgiving takes place. It is nice to enjoy such a special meal during the autumn when the pretty colours are still abundant. My American friends tell me they like having their Thanksgiving in November because once Thanksgiving is done, it helps kick the Christmas season in to high gear. To me, it is just a matter of following traditions set forth by family and friends. Unlike the USA, here in Canada the day after Thanksgiving is not a big shopping day. Boxing Day, on December 26th, is a big shopping day here. No matter when you celebrate Thanksgiving, please accept my best wishes for a safe and blessed holiday.

I am making plans for cooking Thanksgiving dinner. In Canada, Thanksgiving this year will be on October 12th. I actually am not very fond of turkey, but my children and other family members love turkey, so I like to make a turkey they will enjoy. The last few years, I have made a turkey in a deep fryer with really good results. I like not having to dedicate the use of the oven to cooking a turkey for a majority of the day. Last year, I set up the indoor turkey fryer and the bird cooked up in about 45 minutes. My friend keeps telling me how much she loves to make turkey in a paper bag. She says turkey cooked in a paper bag turns out really moist and flavourful. This is something I have not tried. I did some research and came across a recipe that was posted on the Lifestyle page of Yahoo! Canada. While I probably will not make the paper bag turkey myself, I think it is an interesting concept. To my fellow Canadians, have a safe and blessed Thanksgiving.

Over the weekend, my children and I went to an apple orchard. We had a nice time picking apples, which we brought home to eat for snacks and make into an apple pie. In addition, we purchased a few liters of apple cider. Yum! I am planning to make an apple pie, among many other items, for Thanksgiving, which will take place this year on October 12, 2009. I thought of taking my children to the apple orchard after reading the following Canadian Press article, written by Judy Creighton, which outlines the popularity of certain types of apples within Canada:

I enjoy reading the articles available through Canadian Business Online. Two reporters for this organization, Calvin Leung and Matthew McClearn, recently outlined the problems being faced by a Toronto based film production company. This article was also posted online through the Yahoo! Canada Finance page. The article outlines, among other things, how much the film industry has changed over the past few years.