Greetings from Ontario, Canada

[Mandyz]

Hi Mandyz,welcoe to the site.Where abouts in Ontario are you? I have relatives in London Ontario and have visited Canada many times,even applied to emigrate once (a long time ago!) Look forward to reading your posts from a country that has REAL seasons!

I live about an hour north of London in Kitchener (formerly Berlin). I moved here less than two years ago from St. John's, Newfoundland. But I'm really from the prairie town of Winnipeg, Manitoba. In two years I might move to Kelowna, British Columbia with my sister and begin establishing our sustainable community (if I can convince the university there to hire me and start a new program!).
Such is the past present and future of my location.

[Mandyz]

When I first said hello I had literally just joined and was sussing out the forum.
I can now say that after a few short days I love it here!

So, I'm feeling inclined to say a little more about myself.

By now many of you know that I am a Witch or Pagan.
I am a new home owner planning my first garden.
I was handfasted/married in July 2004. We moved here soon after so I could begin my studies. We have since been reimagining and enacting our lifestyle as neither DH or I were raised with sustainable ethics. When I was living alone in Newfoundland, making choices for myself was easier, and self-sufficient living was a necessity on a very small budget.
I have a dog (Darla) and two cats (Jenny & Gryphon).
I am a PhD candidate in Religious Studies. My specializations are religion and the contemporary world, New Religious Movements, and most specifically contemporary Paganisms. I've spent my entire life in school... and I love it.
I enjoy sharing knowledge, reciprocally.
I enjoy crafting and creating - everything from sewing, crochet and needlework to gardening. If I can make it myself, I do.
Every day I learn and incoporate new ways for sustainable living. And while I can't be fully self-sufficient in my urban home, we do purchase sustainable products from local producers and cooperatives.
DH thinks my ideas are good, but so far I am the innovator and he is the one happy to follow my example (though I have to remind him sometimes). Slowly he is becoming more involved.

http://www.geocities.com/mandyfurney/environment.html

I think that about sums up Mandyz for this forum.

[Goodlife1970]

Are you finding it very different climate-wise in Kitchener as opposed to Newfoundland? And does the weather still know to change on May 24th weekend?

[Mandyz]

Are you finding it very different climate-wise in Kitchener as opposed to Newfoundland? And does the weather still know to change on May 24th weekend?

LOL
The weather never listens to the calendar! I don't think I've had a warm May 2-4 anywhere.

The climate here in southern ontario is a world apart from the island of newfoundland, and equally far from my hometown in the prairies.
Newfoundland is wet. It's very damp there, and in winter, the damp cold is horrid, even when it only drops to -10. Growing up in -20 to -30 winters in Manitoba, I assumed Newfoundland would be mild. But where MB's winters are dry and you can bundle up, the damp cold of Newfoundland seeps in... The winds are worse there too - I needed a new type of coat, one that would block the wind better than my MB coat did, and was lighter because I didn't need all the extra warmth. There is a lot of precipitation. In the winter it leads to slush - and me having to hike out of my basement apartment. I prefer MB winters that stay below freezing so stuff isn't melting and refreezing. Again, I had to trade in my old winter boots for super-water-proof sorels. They have served me well here also.

Ontario is right between the two. Mild like Newfoundland (well, a little colder here). Much less snow than either MB or Nfld. More blue skies than Nfld (the gray was almost unbearable and I've never met so many people with seasonal disorders stemming from the grayness.) Things here melt and refreeze, but at least they melt away more because there is less precipitation. Of course, the weather an hour away closer to the great lakes is significantly different again!

Unfortunately I never got to spend my summer break in Newfoundland - I was always returning to MB to be with my family and boyfriend/fiance (now husband). I hear they have lovely summers. :)
Newfoundland really is a beautiful place to visit. The people are great and friendly. (See also Cape Breton, Nova Scotia). But living there for 2 years was enough for me. It's too monocultural for my liking, and too gray.
Still, I can appreciate why the Newfoundlanders always return home. They are all loyal to their homeland. They all move away to find jobs etc, but they also return eventually as well as frequent visits.

[hedgewizard]

Newfie sounds a lot like the Isle Of Man. Aren't Great Big Sea from there? Blessed be anyways, there seem to be a lot of pagans on at the moment!

[Goodlife1970]

The reason I asked about May 24 weekend was that the last tie I was out there (May 9th 1988) we arrived to a very wet,cold London,quite unlike the other times I had visited (July/August). My Uncle told me not to worry as the weather would change in time for the May 24th weekend,he assured me it always did,May 23rd was awful,rain,chilly ect but on the morning of May 24th,we woke to bright sunshine and soaring tempretures! It continued like this until I returned home mid July! I just thought it was so weird (of course he may have been pulling my leg and had taken a lucky guess!)

[Mandyz]

That is interesting.
I didn't pay much attention to May 24 here last year actually.
My experience in other provinces was that, since everyone had plans for the weekend it was likely to not be brilliant.
But we make big plans anyhow!

Yes, Great Big Sea is from Newfoundland as is The Irish Descendants.

[hedgewizard]

The Irish... I've not heard them. *bustles off*

[gunners71uk]

hi mandyz pls to meet you have you had much snow ?. got a friend who lives at woodstock i think thats how you spell it what you got planted ?
regards gunners

[Mandyz]

We've had plenty of snow. The last batch is still melting in one patch in the backyard...

I live about 30 minutes from Woodstock. It's halfway between here and London. Well, I think Halifax is more halfway between here and London... I've learned to qualify cities as being either from Ontario or their appropriate European country (Paris, London). Not everyone is so clear. One prof suggested I apply for a research job in London (knowing I was working on my PhD). I thought perhaps I would because London is only an hour from here... but turns out he meant London, England. So I'm not sure why he suggested it as I'm clearly a full time student and I'm not looking to take any leaves of absence. Anyhow, that taught me to always ask and be clear about cities while living in Ontario.

So far I have nothing planted. Waiting for winter to finish. (These warm sunny days are a tease!)
I do have some seeds started... tomato, bell peppers and cayenne. Oh, and broccoli as of yesterday. And marigolds (in newspaper pots no less).
All the rest is houseplants and indoor herbs. The outdoor herbs from last season are not faring happily in this teasing-sun followed by snow. Which reminds me that I should check on them...

I won't be planting in the ground until mid May. That's planting season around here, plus it's when I can get the free compost I need to start my first garden. In the meantime I'm doing a lot of planning and learning.