Global Warming & Maple Syrup

Traveling the country, opens your eyes up to many things that are real in life.  You see good everywhere.. people smiling, people holding hands, people singing and people laughing.  Unfortunately you see bad also..  poverty, public drunkenness, fighting and homelessness. But what makes everything so special are the people and places. We have met many people on our journey.. all ages, some poor, some wealthy. We have explored places only read about in fairy tales and seen in the movies.

But sitting here working on the comp.. I get to enjoy some great sunsets. And just until a week ago we had 6 inches of snow on the ground. Now when I take a walk onto the patio, the surface of a frozen lake now looks like a thousand lakes because of rapid melting. You mix a sunset with some mini ponds you get some great pictures (main photo) which raises the question, ” What is up with this weather?”

On our journey we have met many interesting people with many interesting stories. It seems that many times the conversation eventually turns to weather. It seems everyone is concerned.

There are parts of the country that use to see 6 feet of snow and now are only seeing 6 inches.. ah .. like here in Ontario on Lake Nippissing. There are parts of the country that use to see 6 inches of rain and now are receiving snow storms and flooding.  When we should be wearing mitts, toques and rubber boots.. we are wearing baseball caps, t shirts and sandals. When in the past, we would be snowmobiling on frozen lakes or skiing and snowboarding till our hearts are pounding.. we are now watching our lakes thaw with slush puddles, golf clubs are in the car and we are talking camping again.

To any person who is living with their eyes and ears wide open will have had noticed that the weather around them is changing.. and the weather seems to be more moody and unpredictable. This concerns me. The weather seems to be throwing big curve balls at us.. landing in places with a shock and awe factor that are even surprising the most prepared of the local residences.

How can almost every Canadiain on the street recognize that the weather is changing and yet the decision makers that can make a big difference are doing nothing?   Plus.. I just heard that the hot weather in Ontario may jeopardize the maple syrup industry. So now weather feels it can take shots at our Canadian identity. The weather is picking fights all over the globe.. we should start fighting back with some common sense and big decisions.