So, big thanks to the Surmans who shared their cottage rental up north of Parry Sound with us and threw in the free photos as a bonus (left, and lots more on Flickr). And also the St. Louis Andersons and Chantal and Carter, who also came with their delightful children. Special mention goes to Estora for coming blueberry picking with me and the dogs before anyone else was up, and to Kelly for making the yummiest blueberry and peach pie that ever was.
And, having said that, as I go through my inbox and listen to the radio to reacquaint myself with the human part of this country that I live in, I also want to give thanks to a couple of people who I think are responsible in a kind of fundamental way for these gifts that we all enjoy:
David Suzuki
I just heard his newish show "the bottom line", and his interview with a BP oil executive on the radio this morning has me completely impressed with his combination of scientific understanding, political savvy, and above all his courage.
Ursula Franklin
Also still going strong in her 90s now, she talks about the erosion of democracy on The Current. If you prefer print, try this article by Lawrence Scanlan. I generally scoff at such stuff as partisan fear-mongering, but I think it's time I woke up out of my comfortable indifference. I'm still impressed with Stephen Harper's political skills, but no longer apathetic about what he's been up to with his minority. There's going to be an election sometime in the next couple of years, and the law of averages suggests sooner rather than later, and I think it might be time to call a spade a spade and see clearly just what kind of a leader we've got. It's not about your choices anymore, it's about whether you want a choice. We're not shopping for a suit, we're being asked if we think democracy matters between elections.
Stephen: the answer is yes.