Winter Beauty

Like needles of lace
a cone of snowflakes
gathers,light as air.
A breath of wind, and the flakes
scatter 
into nowhere.

On top of a green needle
a tiny snowflake falls.
It clings tightly
to it's resinous hull.

More flakes gather
tatting like lace,
upon the pine trees
a fascicle resting place.

A gigantic white oak 
my favourite tree,
can hold more life
than either you or me.

Looming high in the sky,
it's limbs, grey and old,
carry a strength 
for the world to behold.

Somewhere, under the snow
a tiny cedar bench
continues to glow.

A New Day, A New Year

Apples, hanging like Christmas ornaments, will become snacks for the squirrels and birds before winter’s end.

It’s a new day, a new year. The winter storm that has been ravaging our area for the past several days seems to have settled. The winds have died down and snowflakes have stopped falling from the sky.

Our road reopened early this afternoon. All area roads had been closed for the past three days. Snowmobilers rescued travelers caught in the snow drifts created by this weather event, leaving their stranded vehicles to be retrieved at a later date.

Branches, heavy laden with a blanket of snow

It’s hard to imagine spring when the earth is covered with three feet of freshly fallen snow.

Snowflake, upon snowflake, upon snowflake

It’s amazing how each snowflake, each intricate, six-sided ice crystal is different from the one beside it. No two are alike. Each snowflake has it’s own distinct pattern. Floating down from the sky to turn the world into a beautifully white winter wonderland.

Happy New Year! May every day be a new day. The beginning of a new chapter, a new story. Stories where we count our blessings and work to make the world a better place.

Ukrainian Rooster Cafe

Hidden away on a quiet street, in the small town of Alliston, Ontario, lays a quaint little Cafe called the Ukrainian Rooster Cafe.

With it’s grand opening less than one month ago, this Cafe features Ukrainian and European cuisine, making it the perfect spot to lunch with a couple of good friends.

Salmon pie, salad vinaigrette, cake napoleon

Our hostess explained the menu, then served her food on dishes that held as true to her country as the accent in which she spoke.

The rooster, a part of the cafés name, as well as a large part of the decor, is a symbol of Ukrainian resilience. The Ukrainian rooster became a global symbol of Ukrainian resilience after surviving a bombing in Borodyanka. It represents hope, strength, and defiance against invasion.