Canada Day Eve

Canada day is frequently referred to as Canada's birthday. I guess it makes sense for me to call it Canada Day Eve. It feels like Christmas Eve. :)

I am new in this beautiful country and I am excited  to experience  the celebration of Canadian people  on  this day. I am honored  to be here celebrating with them . I can feel the excitement  from  everyone  around me but I am not  sure exactly where the excitement coming from, the only thing  I can think of so far is maybe   its because  it's a long weekend. :)

But seriously, Canada Day is not just another day. It commemorates how Canada became a kingdom in its own right . That day was on  July 1, 1867 which makes Canada  144 year old lad, but did you know that this day  was initially not dominant in the national calendar up to the 20th century because  Canadians consider themselves primarily British  so there  was  a less interest in showing Canadian patriotism. No official celebration held until 1917 the celebration was called  golden anniversary of  confederation and then no more celebration again for a  further decade. Finally in 1946.......... :)
That's for you to find out  as I am going to check out some Canada day Eve celebrations out there!
Advance Happy Canada Day everyone!

Walis tambo in Canada

Walis Tambo

Walis tambo is soft broom commonly used in the Philippines. Walis literally means broom in English, tambo is a very local Filipino word I don't think there is a term for it in English.

Thick Broom

I never thought about walis tambo until I one day, as a typical housewife  would  do, is  to  find  a broom and start  cleaning. To my surprise  I found a broom I have never seen before. So  I reminded  myself that I am not in the Philippines anymore that some things  in there  aren't here so I thought I might get used  to using this broom .  For the  first 5 months  that I am here in Canada   I have been using  this thick  broom   to clean  our   tiled and hardwood  floors and I never got used to it and never was I satisfied with the way it cleans.  Good thing a friend of mine took me  to an Asian store and I was happy to find it. Happy to be able to find it but a bit shock on the price of it, but then that point I had to  remind myself again that I am in Canada.

Dandelions

As you all know, I arrived in Canada during the winter time, it is a beautiful season,  I enjoyed  it very much for the first two months of it. but like everyone else I got sick of it too. 

The spring comes, and  how  amazed  I was  to see these gorgeous  flowers  growing  in  everybody's lawn. I started  picking them enough to fill my  flower vase for our living room. Eventually  I found out that  these  beautiful little flowers are considered  weeds  and like any other weeds  needs  to be pulled  out  each time it grows  back. Good thing I took a lot of photos  of them because  I don't usually see them now as  everyone else cut their  lawn regularly. 

What  do you think? Aren't they beautiful?

Canada's beautiful welcome

December 15, 2010  I left my country  the Philippines  for the first  time , bound to  Canada. It was  my very first airplane ride  and I was  by myself! I  have to admit  that the excitement  for Canada   isn't that strong  for   my excitement to be with  my husband was much stronger.Then  after the 15 hour  flight  from Hongkong  to Toronto, there  I was  blissful to see my man.

Since our hotel is very close to the  airport  that we don't have to  be outside to get there  my husband  took me outside  and   I was surprise  to see snow!  Of course  I have heard of snow that comes in the month of December  in countries like Canada, but  the fact that  it was snowing when I arrived  is something, because  all my life I have always dreamed of seeing a snow.   I felt like  I was welcomed! It wasn't a warm welcome though  :)  but it is one beautiful welcome!