Add Another Death To The List

I always get the feeling when I read of one of our military members getting killed in Afghanistan that we are likely to have another death soon. The deaths seem to come in groups for some reason.

Yesterday the world was advised of the 133rd death of a Canadian military member in the story of Sapper Marshall remembered.

I can only hope the number stops at two and does not increase in total in the foreseeable future.

Poppy Time

It is that time of the year once again when we can ‘officially’ wear a poppy.

The Royal Canadian Legion dictates that the wearing of a poppy should only be worn during the Remembrance period, starting on the last Friday of October and ending at midnight on Nov. 11, or at other veteran-related special events. Of course civilians can and do wear poppies whenever they want. There is no law against this and to some people they feel it shows respect for our military all year long.

A few other reminders for ‘Poppy’ time as reported by CTV News in 2008 are as ‘quote’:

Poppy protocol:

- The poppy should be worn as close to the heart as possible or on the left lapel of the outermost garment.

- The poppy should only be worn during the Remembrance period, starting the on last Friday of October and ending at midnight on Nov. 11, or at other veteran-related special events.

- The poppy should never be defaced in any way including replacing its pin.

- An old poppy should never be reused. Appropriate disposal of the poppy is left to the discretion of each individual.

- Any poppies found lying on the ground would be best placed lying at the foot of a war monument or in a local cemetery.

Little known facts:

- Until 1996, poppies were handmade by veterans in Vetcraft workshops in Montreal and Toronto. The work provided a small source of income for disabled ex-service persons.

- While the traditional lapel poppy is the most popular, car models, large table varieties and metal pins are also available at most Legion branches.

- The centre of the poppy was originally black but was changed to green more than twenty years ago to represent the green fields of France. In 2002, it was changed back to black to reflect the actual colours of the poppies that grew in Flanders, Belgium.

- The poppy is an international “symbol of collective reminiscence.”

- Poppies have been associated with those killed in combat since the Napoleonic Wars of the 19th century, more than 110 years before being adopted in Canada.

- Prior to the First World War, few poppies grew in Flanders. Trench warfare enriched the soil with lime from rubble, allowing “popaver rhoes” to thrive. When the war ended, the lime was quickly absorbed and poppies began to disappear again.

- In 1915, Guelph, Ont. native John McCrae, a doctor serving with the Canadian Forces Artillery, wrote about the poppy explosion in his famous poem In Flanders Fields.

- An American woman inspired by McCrae’s poem wore the flower year round and exported the idea to Madame Guérin of France who sold the handmade poppies to raise money for poor children. Guérin later convinced friends in Canada to adopt the symbol as well. ‘unquote’

The monies that local Legions make from the sale of the poppies and wreaths are used for the betterment and welfare of Veterans and their families in your local area. So the main thing is to purchase a poppy (or two, or three, or more), and wear them proudly during this time of the year (or all year if you are so inclined).

Lest We Forget

Loss Number 132 in Afghanistan

This morning we lost another military member in Afghanistan as reported by CBC in Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan.

Lt. Justin Garrett Boyes, 26, was killed when his foot patrol was hit by the blast of an improvised explosive device, at about 9 a.m. local time, 20 kilometres southwest of Kandahar City in Panjwayi district.

Boyes grew up in Saskatchewan and belonged to the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry based in Edmonton.

Increase The Count To 131

Sadly we are being informed of the 131th death of a Canadian Forces member this evening. Pte. Jonathan Couturier, 23 a member of 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Regiment, based in Valcartier, Que., was killed when his vehicle detonated an improvised explosive device some 25 kilometres southwest of Kandahar city.

The Toll Is Now 130

Sunday appears to be a bad day for the Canadian military of late. Canadian soldier killed by IED blast in Afghanistan reports the death of another soldier on Sunday. This is only 1 week since we were last advised of 2 soldiers being killed on September 6th.

Even though the current soldier that was killed was announced immediately to the media the military had put an embargo on the news so the media could not report on the death until today.

Gorgeous Lake (and Harvest) Weather

We finally made the decision to ‘make a break’ for the lake last week. Even though I was offered weekend work at the Hardware, I decided to head north instead. I finished up my cleaning routines on Friday night and then only had the paper delivery for Saturday morning. Once the papers were delivered we hit the road.

The traffic was minimal so early in the morning as most of the major traffic travelling on Friday evening. We made great time and arrived at the cabin around 10:15 a.m. The weather got warmer the more we drove. The sun was out and the wind was down. Craig arrived about an hour and a half after us.

Craig and I got to work and put the chain saw to work and got some dead falls cut up for firewood. We then got a smoke going and sat around the fire and chatted the afternoon away. For supper we fired up the BBQ and had a steak, potato and trimmings. It was an early to bed evening as we both had been up bright and early.

Sunday was about the same, except I let Craig do the work and I just got to sit and supervise. The weather was just great and we wished we could stay, but of course I had papers bright and early Monday morning. We departed at 5:10 p.m. arriving home at 7:30 p.m.

It was just a nice little get away for a only a short time, but it was worthwhile. I’m not sure whether we’ll get another chance this coming fall or not. It would be nice. I’m hoping I don’t have to make a quick one day trip to draining the water and close up for the winter. With the long weekend coming up, maybe we’ll get another chance to head north. The weather is supposed to be staying nice and warm.

We’ll see…

Autumn in August

I was just walking home from downtown and noticed the chill in the air (temp 18.6 C). I also noticed that quite a few trees in the Cenotaph park have their leaves starting to turn yellow.

In the last day or so, the majority of the purple martins have headed for warmer climes. Mind you the martins usually leave about the 12-15th of August, so that isn’t much new. Actually quite a few of the bird population appears to be on the decline and their absence is certainly noted. It sure is starting to look and feel a lot like fall outside.

But wait; it’s only August 14th. What the heck happened to summer? I think I can probably count on one hand the number of nice hot days we have had since June this year. The weather has been windy and cooler than normal this year. When we are fortunate enought to get a nice hot day, you only get one of them and then it is right back into the windy, cooler days again.

I was planning on going to the lake this weekend but then I heard the forecast (rain and cool temperatures) and figured we might as well stay home. Good thing too as Kevin called and wants me to work the lumberyard on Saturday and Monday as he needs to pick up a load of lumber up Glaslyn, SK way.

I might as well work as it certainly doesn’t appear to be a great weekend for any outdoors activities . . .

Highways of Heros

The Toll Increases By Two

CBC is reporting the death of two more of our Canadian troops in Afghanistan in 2 Canadian soldiers killed in roadside bomb blast on Saturday.

That brings the total deaths of military members to 127.

Military Death

The CBC recently released a press report of the death of another soldier in Afghanistan as per Canadian soldier dies in Afghanistan and confirmed by the Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada.

This is the 125th death since the mission began in 2002 and is the 5th death this month.

We Will Remember Them