Lise's Ramblings

Maple sugar heating pan Photo credit: Ronald C. Yochum, Jr., Creative Commons 'Twas an early spring day, when all through the woods, Many creatures were stirring; they were there for the goods. The tin pails were hung from the tree trunks with care, In the hopes that sticky sap would soon be there. The children were bundled all snug in their coats, While pleas for sugarbush treats escaped from their throats. But mama gathered them all when she said with a clap, “Now you settle down or you’ll go home for a nap.” Then, alongside the cabin there arose such a clatter, They sprang to the heating pan to see what was the matter. Evaporating water takes more than a flash, Toppled trees for cords of wood must burn to ash. Pour a taste test of syrup on new-fallen snow. Twist a wooden stick to catch the cooling flow. When, what to their wondering eyes should appear, But golden taffy or as the French would say, tire.    thegreatcanadiangiftcompa...

Celebrating the season with my family, immediate and extended, has always involved Christmas crackers. If you've never given Christmas crackers a try, I encourage you to pick some up (they'll be marked down this week) and experience what has charmed millions upon millions since the mid-1800s. Tissue-paper crowns, decades-old jokes and surprise gizmos. Everything tucked inside thin, rolled cardboard, which is wrapped in colourful foil or decorative paper, then tied to look like bon-bons. Some people prefer to go solo by ripping open a cracker with both hands. We always sought out a partner-in-crime seated next to us or across from us, then counted down from three before the cracker's contents spill onto the dinner table. For years, my aunt made our Christmas crackers. Our table settings looked festive and gorgeous, graced with handmade crackers with treats inside that were more special than store-bought ones. (Thank you for all that effort and c...

At bedtime, children implore parents and grandparents to read another story. Sure, stall tactics may be involved, but I like to believe that the desire to have someone read a tale aloud is at the heart of most pleadings. After all, some books can be appreciated the most when you hear the words roll off someone's tongue. Dr. Seuss stories come to mind.  Before ebooks, printed books or even scrolls, people relied on storytellers to entertain, enlighten, connect, and hand down oral histories and cultural experiences.  Aside from broader communities, reading aloud can also serve to strengthen bonds within families.  At our house, my hubby rarely sits still long enough to read. When he picks up something to read it tends to be a short piece from a newspaper’s business section, a hobbyist magazine or an instruction manual (yes, he's a rare breed). More often than not, his reading schedule coincides with bathroom breaks, because he optimizes every minute of his ...

The Brits have the Great Clock atop Elizabeth Tower , Westminster Palace , London . Although that clock’s four faces are affectionately known as Big Ben, that’s actually the Great Bell’s official name. Canadians have the Tower of Victory and Peace , which is more often called the Peace Tower , with its imposing gargoyles high above the Centre Block of Parliament Hill, Ottawa . Despite how large and bright today’s digital clocks shine, they pale compared to those classics. Digital clocks are easy to read, but more often than not, they’re too bright ( Times Square comes to mind). Then there’s the clamour of it all: alarms squawk, speak the hour or blare tunes at you. How I long for the mechanical metronome-like pendulum tick-tock-tick-tock ticking accompanied by chimes, cuckoos, gongs and tolls. They’re loud, yet somehow soothing. I grew up in households graced by those sounds, thanks to the two traditional timepieces shown here: the grandfather clock that towered in my grandpa...

I’ve blogged about traditions relating to Easter and birthdays , but never about those from the most festive time of year. Growing up in my family, Christmas was about so much more than gifts. Now ours wasn’t a Grinch-like existence. There were presents. I’m not saying, “it came without ribbons…it came without tags…it came without packages, boxes or bags!” It's just that "Maybe Christmas...doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps... means a little bit more."  Years later, I was thrilled to meet Canada's Prima Ballerina while volunteering at a Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation fundraiser at the National Arts Centre.    I can tell you that a few gifts stood apart; however, my strongest positive Christmas associations are that the season was marked by family visits and our festive rituals. There were many, but four traditions stand out clearest in my mind and heart. Attending the Christmas pantomime. Year after year, we would get d...