STORYTIME TAPESTRY

The Newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world

July 1, 2005

Happy Birthday Canada!

I want to wish all my fellow canadians a wonderful Canada Day. In Montreal, we have the usual parade and a wonderful display of evening fireworks. But we have our birthday cake too. This is a cake that serves 2,000 people and is given out at the end of the parade. I went downtown a few years ago to make sure that I got a piece of Canada's birthday cake. I just had to be part of the celebration. I am one proud Canadian!

I wanted to write a Canada story but alas it was too hot and I have been suffering in the heat. No, I don't have an air conditioner, and yes I have fans but all they do is blow hot air! Though I did not get a chance to write my story this year, I do appreciate all the entries sent to me by my American friends and storytime writers.

Today will be one of a two part tribute to my wonderful country!

To all of you in the Storytime Tapestry Family, thank you for celebrating with me.

Now on to the good stuff..........

~**~**~

Hi Carol:

I saw your call for submissions for Canada Day. While I don't have time to write something for you, I did find an interesting site with the following Canada Trivia on it. You might find it useful in your newsletter.

Canada Facts and Trivia

Canada is an amazing country, with a great diversity of characteristics. Here are a few interesting facts about Canada

Facts about Canada

Canada is the second largest country in the world, with 9,971,000 square kilometres of land.
The baseball glove was invented in Canada in 1883.
With only three people per square kilometer, Canada has the fourth lowest population density in the world.
Vancouver Canada is tied with Zurich Switzerland for the highest quality of life of any city in the world.
The world's smallest jail is believed to be in Rodney, Ontario, Canada. It is only 24.3 square meters (about 270 square feet).
Canada has the ninth biggest economy of the world
According to the United Nations Human Development Index, Canada has the highest quality of life in the world.
Contrary to popular opinion, Canada does not own the North Pole. In fact, the North Pole is not owned by any country. It is believed, however, that Santa Claus is from Canada.
Canada is the world's eighth biggest trader.
Of all of the world's producers of natural gas, copper, zinc, nickel, aluminum, and gold, Canada is in the top five.
Canada is the home of many great inventions, including: basketball, the electric light bulb, the electric range, the electron microscope, standard time, the television, the telephone, and the zipper.
Canada is the fifth largest energy producer.
Canada has the world's highest tertiary education enrolment.

Martha Jette, Editor & Author

Contact Your Angels Today!

http://www.innerexpansion.com/shop/shopaff.asp?affid=80

Please take the time to visit my site!

http://www.para-books.com

~**~**~

Canada Day
Michael Smith
    As the USA prepares for their July 4th celebrations, very few of those planning
parties or weekend trips are aware of the significance of July 1st to their northern
neighbors. I moved from Canada to the USA in the fall of 1999 and was shocked to learn,
few Americans knew anything about Canada Day. In Canada, we all knew about July 4th.
It's common knowledge.
    This year, on July 1st, Canada will celebrate its 138th birthday, 138 years of
confederation. The people of Canada celebrate it the same as Americans celebrate their
"big day" - parties, parades, fireworks, cookouts, and trips. We love our day and our
country. Canada Day celebrates events that occurred on July 1, 1867, when the British
North America Act created the Canadian federal government. The BNA Act proclaimed
"one Dominion under the name of Canada," hence the original title of the holiday,
"Dominion Day." In 1982, the name was officially changed to "Canada Day."
    While writing this tribute to my country of birth, I decided to gather some
information on Canada to pass on to those who read my stories. A lot of it I knew, but
there were a few things I didn't know. For instance, I found it interesting to learn,

Canadians eat more Kraft?� Macaroni and Cheese per capita than any other nation.

Canada has more donut shops per capita than any other nation in the world, but

also the fifth least amount of police per capita. I guess this means Canadian police

eat a heck of a lot more donuts.
    Canadians are noted as beer drinkers - I do my part. Surprisingly, I learned in
my research, we are actually rated 16th in beer consumption. The Czech republic has us
beat by a long shot. I call on all Canadians to correct this wrong.
    Canada is the second largest country in the world, second to Russia. However,
it's the 9th least populated. It has a population of thirty-three million people, one million
less than the state of California. Most of Canada is wood or farmland. The far northern
sections are frozen tundra. The majority of the population lives along the east and west
coasts, on the edge of the major rivers, and of course the Great Lakes. Our forefathers
settled these areas hundreds of years ago, because the waters provided food.
    There are five and a half time zones in Canada. A half you ask? Newfoundland,
which only joined the federation in 1949, to make Canada what it is today, is in a half
time zone. Newfoundland, (but not Labrador), lies squarely in the eastern half of its time
zone, exactly three and a half hours from Greenwich. The Newfoundland government
attempted to bring the province into conformity with the other Atlantic provinces in 1963,
but withdrew in the face of stiff public opposition. Other countries that operate on the
half hour time difference are: Suriname, Iran, India, Sri Lanka, and Central Australia.
    Canada has the 6th best standard of living. In spite of their love of Kraft?� Dinner
and donuts, it is a great place to raise a family. They, also, have the largest surface area of
fresh water, which one day may be more valuable than oil and natural gas.
    Many people, here in the USA, ask me if Canada is mostly French speaking. I
found the statistics in my research. In a survey of what people considered their "Mother
Tongue," it was found that 59% of Canadians were English speaking, 23% French, and
18% had either more than one "Mother Tongue," or a "Mother Tongue" other than
English or French.
    Canada and the USA are sisters. We share rivers, lakes, lands and the air itself,
just as true sisters share the same genes. As Americans hit the road on Friday, July the
1ST, for their July the 4TH weekend plans, I ask them to please raise a cheer for their
northern sister on her birthday. Canadians will do the same on the 4th for their southern
sister.
    Let's all have a little extra Kraft?� dinner and a donut, but don't forget the beer.

Michael T. Smith

mtsmith@qwestonline.com

~**~**~

Canada

Sandra Lewis Pringle

Last April, Fred and I visited the Prince Edward Island. Even though still very cold, and some ice and snow still in spots, we enjoyed our visit so very much.

We found Canada to be such a lovely place, and visited as many of the lighthouses as we possibly could in our stay. I took photographs of each one, and shared them with my readers upon our return.

The food was excellent, and the hospitality was great and it was so nice to visit with local people, and to exchange stories.

While driving out of Charlottetown each day, I was very concerned about the people who lived out in the bush. We would pass them along the highway with small children in tow, and most looked as if they were not dressed warmly enough for the cold temperatures.

I especially loved the accents of the people we talked to, and they enjoyed hearing me say "iced tea" with my Southern drawl.

We visited a place called Murray Harbor, and I took a wonderful photo of the harbor, and we saw all the lobster traps piled high, and visited with one of the lobster traders, as I was walking around getting photographs.

As we drove up toward the western point of the island, so that I could get a photo of the West Cape lighthouse, we came across the most beautiful village. I think most of the population in the area was Irish. There was this massive church, with

cemetery situated right beside it. The church was the largest, I think I had ever seen, and the cemetery was just beautiful with the white gravemarkers, by the oceanside. It was just a picturesque setting.

I will never forget our trip to Canada, and the beautiful lighthouses, and all the people we met. They were very helpful to us, and kind.

We must go back sometime in Summer, as I just know that the beauty there would be breathtaking.

Sandra Lewis Pringle

SLPEnt1@aol.com

My name is Sandra Lewis Pringle. Writing is, and always has been, a favorite pasttime of mine, since a child.   I often would make up little stories to entertain my cousins, and friends, at times we had nothing else to do.

   I wrote poetry at a young age, and then began to write more seriously, as the years passed.

   I began an inspirational greetings site, online, in 1998. By that time, I had gathered several people who wished to read poetry, and with whom I had been sending out prayers, in answer to prayer requests.

   The name of my poetry site is "Greetings from the Heart and Soul."
Greetings From The Heart And Soul

   Later, I added my daily devotionals, "Morning Glorythoughts", and that readership has grown by leaps and bounds.   Praise God.

Morning Glorythoughts Daily Devotionals

      And since I also like to play with photography, I have recently added onto the internet, my own gallery of photos, which glorify the Presence of Almighty God all around us.

Sandra's Gallery of Photography

     I reside in North Carolina, grew up in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, and this is where I call home.

    I hope that if you visit any of my websites, you will enjoy and be blessed.

~**~**~

I ACCEPT THIS AWARD WITH MUCH HONOR, MY LADY

Roger Dean Kiser

Heading down the Alaska Alcan Highway into Canada was quite an
adventure. It seemed like a never-ending road made entirely of rocks:
little rocks, big rocks, hard rocks, soft rocks, red rocks, white rocks,
black rocks. Every kind and type of rock known to humankind was used to
make that ungodly road. The worst thing about those darned rocks was
that they constantly hit the bottom of every vehicle that drove upon its
face. They never stopped hitting the bottom of your car as long as you
were moving, and in time would drive a person very insane. I am talking
about hour upon hour of rocks clinging, clanging, pinging, and banging.
My head, my ears, and my mind could finally take no more of the loud
noise beating against the bottom of the car. So, it was decided my
friend and I would pull off the road at the next available place of
rest.

I had no idea where we were as I looked at the map, and really did not
care. All I knew for sure was that Alaska was miles behind us, and we
were now traveling south somewhere in the Yukon Territory of Canada,
heading toward the lower 48 states.

I was twenty-four-years-old and had returned to Alaska to see if
anything could be worked out between my ex-wife, my two children, and I.
I was willing to do anything to keep the family together for the sake of
my two boys. However, my now ex-wife had already started a new life for
herself. She told me that rather factually, by showing me her middle
finger. It was clear I should head on down the road, never come back,
and that is exactly what I did. It really did not matter to anyone on
the face of this earth where I came from, where I went, or what I did. I
had been raised in an orphanage most of my life and did not have a
family. So my moving right, left, forwards, or backwards, including up
and down, really made very little difference to me, or to anyone else
for that matter. I think that was about the loneliest I have ever been
as an adult. I guess because now I did not even have the other orphans
in the orphanage or the inmates in the prison to keep me company.

The snow was piled twenty feet high on each side of the road and off in
the distance I could see a signpost. As we approached the sign, it read
"Burwash Lodge, 1 mile." That was a glorious sight to me because I knew
it would bring us hot coffee, hot food, but more than that; it would
give several hours of rest and some much needed quiet from the banging
rocks.

We pulled up to the lodge, parked, and walked into the lobby entrance.
Immediately I noticed there were eight or nine young girls working at
the lodge. I walked into the restaurant, sat down at one of the tables
in a far corner, and ordered a hot cup of coffee. I had carried several
small bundles of legal papers into the lodge with me, which I had
promised to complete for some friends.

"Would you like more coffee?" asked a soft voice.

As I looked up, I saw one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen
on the face of this earth. Even to this day, that thought is still very
true.

I picked up my coffee cup and held it toward her so she could fill it.

"Thank you, very much," I said, as I smiled back at her.

I had not dated or had any contact with a woman, whatsoever, in almost
four years. I could not believe it, but I was not looking her up and
down from the backside as she walked away. That aspect appeared to be so
unimportant to me for some reason. I was just taken by the beauty of her
face and the kindness that I could see in her eyes; when she came near
me, I felt calmness like I have never known.

Over the next few hours, I worked on my legal petitions and finally
managed to complete them. As I was about to get up and walk outside to
smoke a cigarette, the beautiful waitress came walking back over to my
table with the coffee pot. I placed my hand over the top of my coffee
cup and told her that I did not want anything more to drink. We began to
talk and I told her that my name was Roger and I was from Florida, which
was located in the United States of America. She made it clear to me she
was very aware where the State of Florida was, as well as the United
States of America. She held out her hand, which I shook, and she said,
"My name is Anne and I am very glad to meet you, Roger."

For as long as I live, I will never forget taking her beautiful hand in
mine. The feeling that came over me cannot be described in words; the
warmth, the tenderness, the joy and the happiness that I felt at that
very moment. An inner peace that came over me; it was something that I
had never felt as a boy, or as a man.

Anne and I walked around for hours and hours just talking to one
another. I would look at her beautiful face and could hardly believe
such a beautiful woman would even talk to someone like me. Much less,
that she would like me or think what I had to say was important, or that
my uneducated words meant anything at all. If ever there was a time in
my life when I started to feel like an equal person, to feel good about
myself, to build character, or become a real human being who felt that
he was worth something, it was then. My meeting this wonderful young
woman was all of that from the very first moment.

The time was getting late and I knew it was about time to head back out
onto the road. I located the friend who was giving me a ride to the
states and told him that I was ready to go. He said he had been talking
with a girl named Monica, and she was a college student from British
Columbia. I also told him about Anne, and that I had never met anyone so
beautiful and so kind.

"There are a lot of fish in the sea," he said to me as we walked out and
got into his car.

"Not like her," I said. I turned around and saw Anne standing on the
porch with her coat wrapped around her.

"Do you want to stay here?" the man asked me.

"Could we stay just for supper then leave?"

We got out of the car and walked back toward the lodge. Anne stuck out
her hand and I grabbed it tightly. I almost felt like crying but knew a
man could not do that in front of a woman. Anne told me she was off work
for the remainder of the day, so I asked her to have dinner with me.

I ate as slowly as I could, hoping the time I had left with Anne would
last for as long as possible. I looked up and saw the man motioning to
me. I excused myself and walked over to him. "It's too damn late to
really get back on the road tonight, so we might as well get a room and
stay until morning."

My heart just about jumped out of my chest I was so happy and excited. I
walked back over to the table where Anne was sitting and sat down. I was
a little hesitant to tell her we were staying the night, as I did not
want her to think I was staying because of any sexual thoughts about
her. Besides, I looked at myself in the mirror every morning, and knew
such a thing would never happen between such a beautiful woman and
myself. So, I did not even think about it.

I watched my friend walk out into the lobby. He returned several minutes
later telling me the room number we would be staying in. Anne and I sat
for two or three more hours, just talking and laughing with one another.
I have never enjoyed the company of a woman more than at that very
moment in my life. About 12 o'clock, we got up from the table, said good
night to each other, and walked up the stairs together to go to our
rooms. I turned and looked into Anne's eyes and still could not believe
how beautiful she was. I squeezed her hand as tightly as I could, and
then she moved her face towards mine and we kissed for the first time.

"Would you like to come to my room," she asked me.

I was so scared that I did not know what to say. Anne took me by my hand
and very gently led me into her room.

We talked for another hour or so and all of a sudden, the most
wonderful, warm, and kind feeling came over me. I was no longer scared
or afraid. I stood up and walked very slowly over to the most beautiful
woman I had ever known, took her by the hands and gently pulled her up
from the chair onto her feet. I wrapped my arms around her, kissed her
gently on the lips, and looked into her eyes. That was the first time in
my life that I had ever seen love for me, in another human beings face.

It is a night I will remember for as long as I live on this earth. There
was no good or bad, right or wrong, handsome or ugly, short or tall,
thin or fat. There was none of those kinds of things that night. Just a
wonderful goodness, along with kindness, and the warmth that a man and a
woman should really feel for one another, when their hearts are looking
to be needed by someone special.

Anne and I left Burwash Lodge several days later and within a year we
were married. We had a beautiful daughter, who we named Twila Anne.
Twila has now grown up and owns a dance studio in Brantford Ontario,
Canada. Anne and I separated when Twila was only about two-years-old. I
just could never get over the horrors of what the orphanage had done to
me as a child. I could never get it through my thick head that a
beautiful young woman, who was also wonderful, kind, and intelligent,
could ever fall in love with someone like me.

If I have accomplished nothing else in my lifetime, there is one thing I
can very proudly say, "It was an honored to have been kissed by one of
the most beautiful women I have ever known."

Roger Dean Kiser

trampoline@earthlink.net
Stories from The Life and Times of Roger Dean Kiser
http://www.rogerdeankiser.com

~**~**~

Dear Carol

This about Canada has interested me. Maybe its my opportunity to ask if you can get me a recipe for

Canadian Friendship cake which is cooked for one week. You add an ingredient a day. When you want to bake - one third you bake; one third you give to a friend to start off with; the last half you start adding again.

Now a friend gave me a part - at one time my cooker was not working. So no more baking and I lost out. The one who gave me in the first place moved out of town.

I have always longed for the recipe but have not managed to get it. Probably as you searching for material for Canada someone might be kind enough to give the recipe under Canadian Food.

I am frrom Malawi, Central Africa. I worked for a Canadian white man who is married to an African Jamaican lady - cleaning house two times a week whilst I was doing an I.T. course in Wales, United Kingdom. They were quite a nice couple. They bought me a very treasurable Christmas gift which I still cherish.

God bless.

ELSIE

zomba@natbankmw.com

Writers Feedback

I love the story of Keeker and her amusement ride. It made my day by Susan Roberts. Nathalie

Michael Smith - GREAT STORY! Very inspiring and informative. MS is a terrible disease and I wish the cure would happen sooner than later. I know several wonderful people with this disease - it seems so unfair. Thank you for this story! Karin

<p>Prayer Requests and Updates</P>

The energetic bond that has formed in this group allows me to ask all of you who believe in the power of prayer and healing to stand with me for this young man who needs our help. For anyone who does not believe, then I ask simply that you spare him a passing kindly thought.

The brother of a very dear friend is at this moment being prepared for a heart transplant. It is scheduled to take place in Australia at midnight GMT, which is 8a.m. over there and 7pm EST. His heart was virtually destroyed by a virus a few years ago and this is his chance for a new life. He is a young man with a 14 year old daughter.

In whatever way you find meaningful, I ask that you think of Peter and pray for a positive outcome. I also ask that you spare a few moments for the soul whose passing brought this gift and for those who are grieving.

I will be in Reiki meditation from 7p.m. EST until 11p.m., the duration of the operation. Should any of you care to spend even a few minutes of this time joining with me in prayer or meditation, I will be so grateful.

Should any of you be members of other circles who hold the light in whatever way is meaningful to you, then I ask that you contact them with my loving request for their help.

It is so comforting to know that there are so many of you standing in this circle of love and light with me.

See him renewed in strength and vitality, and let the Light do its work.

Thank you.

Maria

To All;

My Mother Helen Sims in Granby, Mo needs prayers very bad, she has trouble

with her esophagus and has been able to eat since last Sunday, She has a

appointment with her doctor sometime next week. But by then it could be too

late.

All of your prayers for her will be deeply appreciated and God bless you all.

Thanks again

SENIOR WRITERS

Agee, Vance; Apted, Violet; Baker, Kathy; Batt, Al; Berry, Nell;

Boda, Ginger; Bryant, Sharon; Buhagiar, Victor; Cassady, B.J.; Crider, Mark;

Deming, Barb; Goodier, Steve; Harris, Kathy Anne; Hunt, Sharlette;

Jacobson, Gary; Kiser, Roger Dean; Kerens, Claudia; Jenkins, Pamela;

Liles, Norma; Mazzella, Joe; Ojeigbe, Georgewaters;

Petry, Dianna Doles; Roberts, Susan; Shaw, Bob; Sims, Richard; Swarner, Ken; Vaknin, Sam;

Walker, Bill; Walker, Joe; Warner, Gorden K;

Whirity, Kathy; White, Robert;

STORYTIME TAPESTRY STAFF

Publisher: Carol Roach-founder

Moderator: Thelma Hartselle-co founder

Moderator: Clara Westerfer

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