Canadian for… don’t give up and play by the rules.
I have been thinking about how to make this newsletter work. Starting at Substack was good, but its limited and I can’t use all the features (like the option to have the newsletter subscriptions be paid). I’m not sure about the paid thing. I do have links to my PayPal account and ko-fi. People can donate if they choose to. I will just see how it goes along.
However, I did decide to move the newsletter to my own website after this newsletter is sent out. The next one will have a new link. Its a good time to make a change because I don’t have a lot of subscribers. So, next week the newsletter will still be sent in email, just not from Substack. I will include the new URL/ link in that coming newsletter.
Please help me support my fondness for groceries and the occasional new print book.
Canadian Inspiration
This week, your Canadian inspiration is to find old postcards. You can search ebay and find a lot of them. You don’t need to buy them, but of course, you can if you choose to.
Look for at least one old postcard (aim for images about 100 years old) from the city, town, village, hamlet you live in now and another from the city, town, village, hamlet you were born in (or grew up in). If you have never moved from the place you were born – find at least two postcards from the same place.
To help get started: consider looking for built heritage (a new phrase for old buildings) natural landmarks (Niagara Falls as an example). or a cityscape, a postcard from a downtown street with the old storefronts (may include people and cars driving along the street).
For me, I’m in Barrie, Ontario (now) and Port Union (sometimes known as West Rouge), Ontario (where I grew up). I was born in Toronto, but we moved before I started school.
Above this you can see postcards I found for old Barrie. There were plenty to choose from. Sadly, I looked a lot (over years not just for this newsletter) but I have not found postcards from Port Union or West Rouge. So, I made my own with an old photo I have found posted in various places online.
If you can, take a screenshot of the two (or more) postcards you find. Share them with your family, friends – you could even look for your local historical society and post the screenshots to their social media.
Canadian People
Canadian Places
Quoted from the FAQ:
CDWMC features five competitors who live in the same area who each host a three-course dinner party in their home for the other competitors. Each rates the host’s food and hosting skills with the highest scorer earning the cash prize.
The series is ideal for Canadians who are confident in their cooking skills and love to entertain.
My Mother and I watched Come Dine with Me Canada 2025 just tonight (Thursday). I remember the show, an older version from 2010. I found out the original show started in the UK. I had thought it was all Canadian – a Canadian version of My Kitchen Rules (from Australia).
We enjoyed the show and I hope it gets more seasons.
But, that isn’t the only reality cooking, hosting, and dining show Canada has had. I know of at least one more, from Toronto: Dinner Party Wars. Before that there was Loving Spoonfuls, the show’s host would visit Grandmother’s and cook with them. If you know of other Canadian reality cooking/ dining shows let me know.
Canadian Things
The dandelion is not one of the provincial flowers of Canada. The bane of gardeners from coast to coast, to coast. I think the dandelion could find a way to grow from a seed in an empty glass jar. Yet, as far as I know, the dandelion is not a flower given the honour of representing any country, province, or territory in the world.
In Canada the wildflowers chosen for each province, and territory, usually grow well where are natural. In particular, the trillium for Ontario is known for being difficult to grow well in a garden. But, it grows wonderfully well out in the middle of nowhere in particular – under tall trees with a good population of ants to spread it around. Being in Ontario, I know more about the trillium than other Canadian wildflowers.
Funny that the lady’s slipper from the smallest province is also the rarest flower, hardest to find or grow. (In my experience).
Nunavut, the newest territory, is missing from the stamp collection image below. At that time, Nunavut did not exist.
- The Yukon – Fireweed
- Northwest Territory – Mountain Avens
- Nunavut – Purple Saxifraga
- British Columbia – Pacific Dogwood
- Alberta – Wild Rose
- Saskatchewan – Western Red Lily
- Manitoba – Prairie Crocus
- Ontario – White Trillium
- Quebec – Blue Flag Iris
- New Brunswick – Purple Violet
- Nova Scotia – Trailing Arbutus
- Prince Edward Island – Lady’s Slipper
- Newfoundland and Labrador – Purple Pitcher Plant
The Government of Canada website has a PDF download with all the symbols of the provinces and territories, including the flowers.
One last thing… A Canadian Hockey Link or Two
Stompin Tom Connors and the Hockey Song
Don Cherry – the man, the hockey legend, and the suits!
How could I not include Red Green (Steve Smith) – Keep your stick on the ice!
