Climate Change Reflections

February was definitely a month of climate change in Georgia. First we had SnowJam 2014 when every interstate and side road in Greater Atlanta area was locked up in a massive traffic snarl. And snarling is exactly what people did as they spent hours and even nights in their cars. The salting trucks couldn’t even get around the mess. Two weeks later IceJam 2014 closed down schools, offices, and stores. Everyone had to stay home until the ice melted. 

As soon as we defrosted, Charles headed to Ottawa, Canada for a wind tunnel test. Now that was one cold and snow packed city. But he dressed for it and actually enjoyed seeing all the ice sculptures in the park across from his hotel.

Less than one week later, we spotted a gorgeous pink Eastern Redbud on the road to our office. It only took a few days— with temperatures in the 20’s to temps in the 60’s— and that tree burst into full bloom.

I have a real issue with the climate change scientists who declare that humankind is solely responsible for warming up our planet to the point where catastrophe is awaiting around the corner. During the coldest winter in decades, people have been left helpless before the onslaught of plunging temperatures and mounting snow. I choose to believe that the natural forces put in place by our Creator are the deciding factor when it comes to climate change. Yes, we should all be responsible citizens and not pollute the air and water, but we don’t need to destroy jobs and our economy to do it.

To all my friends and family in the northeast and other colder climates, I know you are so over winter and are counting the days until March 21-the first official day of spring. In the meantime we have March 9 and the return of Daylight Savings Time. How did that get here so fast? I much prefer more daylight in the morning and less at night. But, once again, nobody asked my opinion.

 

I defer to the wise words found in the Bible. Genesis 8:22 says it all. "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."  

Stay bundled up and look forward to warmer days ahead.

My Canadian Connection

My sister, Audrey, has served as our family historian and genealogist for many years.  I recently received from her a voluminous stack of documents that record her work researching the origins of our family back to the mid 1600’s and mid 1700’s.  What a fascinating read to discover all those who lived and died on my mother’s and father’s sides of the family. It is a record of hard working, industrious men and women who struggled through life with a lot fewer resources than I have today. Many dealt with the same health issues that I have had and it makes me grateful for the blessings of modern medicine. Neither my sister nor I would be alive today if we had lived in “the good old days.” Many had a strong faith in God that allowed them to survive and thrive in spite of life’s circumstances and I am the inheritor of that legacy.

My family tree on both sides has been traced back to Canada. I was raised in a small town close to the Canadian border in upstate New York. When my ancestors moved there, New York was not yet a state and the lands were populated by the Mohawk Indians. France and the Catholic Church controlled the Canadian provinces. The need for arable farm land and timber drove my ancestors from French controlled lands into what would become The North Country of upstate New York. The bitter cold winters and short growing season presented many challenges to be overcome in order to survive in that area.

I moved from that area further south in New York State when I was six years old to the Rochester, New York area near Lake Ontario across from Toronto, Canada. This past year, my oldest son, Stuart, accepted a position with the Bank of Montreal, with headquarters in Toronto. I visited his family before Christmas and was reminded again of my Canadian roots. Yes, the Polar Vortex is alive and well in Canada, but Toronto stays somewhat warmer than much of the country because it is on Lake Ontario. Nevertheless, it was very cold, windy, and snowy, and a true test of character every time we walked to the subway station or to a store. My granddaughter, Marcella, helped me navigate the icy streets. I borrowed a coat from my daughter-in-law so I wouldn’t turn into a Popsicle and promptly ordered a “puffer” coat to have for future visits. I hope to visit next time in July so that I can enjoy the brief, but beautiful Canadian summer.

We’ve all heard the saying “What goes around, comes around.” I can truly say that my life that began with strong Canadian roots has come full circle. 

Read more about my growing up years near the Canadian border in my memoir, Born Three Times-A New Life, A New Liver, A New Love. It is available in soft cover and Kindle formats at Amazon.com:   http://www.amazon.com/Born-Three-Times-Life-Liver-ebook/dp/B00A3UBK9C/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1389722852&sr=1-1&keywords=Born+Three+Times