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A Good Home, An Honest House, Animals, Canadian life, Family Moments, Home, Pets

Not Yet, Not Yet

August 11, 2016August 12, 2016 Cynthia Reyes

Blog Photo - Julius and Dawson Sleeping

The mind knows it’s full time

But the heart beats to a different rhythm

It’s time, the mind says, knowing

Not yet, the heart says, hoping

He’s shaky and blind, says the mind

But such strong spirit, says the heart

Blog Photo - Dawson runs

His hind legs are weak, says the mind

But watch him gallop, says the heart

His mind’s diminished, says the mind

But he has such heart, says the heart.

Blog Photo - Mister D — Photo by Hamlin Grange

The two of them, the mind and heart

Together in the vet’s office

In sad reconciliation.

The fight over.

A life over.

Goodbye.

Goodbye dear friend.

Fare thee well, loved one.

Thanks for being our faithful companion.

Dawson listened quietly as my daughter, then my husband, thanked him for being in our family, and bade him a loving farewell. Then I read to him: from An Honest House, the chapter I had lovingly written about him.

Would you believe it? He lay perfectly still on my lap the whole time I read, attentive, as if taking in every word. I shall miss him.

A Good Home, Childhood Memories, Family, Home, Inspiration

Mama Said….

March 1, 2016 Cynthia Reyes

Our mother raised us lovingly, on food, church and words.

Some of her words came from the Bible, of course. Many were old family sayings, old Jamaican/British proverbs, or came from sources unknown.

Photo by Hamlin Grange

If we judged another person harshly, my siblings and I would hear this one:

“There is so much good in the worst of us

And so much bad in the best of us

That it doesn’t behoove any of us

To speak evil of the rest of us.”

Just recently, I Googled the saying’s origin and found it attributed to two Americans: Edward Wallis Hoch, and Edgar Cayse both born in the 19th century. Hoch’s version ends slightly differently:

“…That it hardly behooves any of us
To talk about the rest of us.”

I don’t know who said it first. But as far as her children are concerned, Mama said it best!

A Good Home, Home, House cleaning

Dark Matter

November 20, 2015November 20, 2015 Cynthia Reyes

If you find yourself in pain of any kind, heed my words:

Do NOT lie on your front on the floor, trying to do the exercises the therapist ordered.

If you do, you’ll see the dark matter of the universe.

Hiding under the heavy wood cupboard, clinging to the underside of the sofa, it’s been there for so long, it’s turned dark charcoal, almost black.

Dust.

You’ll immediately forget your commitment to exercise. Moaning and groaning, you’ll find yourself fetching a small brush, some damp paper towels and a large garbage bag.

As you swipe at the dust, you’ll find yourself muttering words that would make a sailor blush.

You’ll feel a strange wheeze coming on. You’ll realize that you’ve been inhaling this dark matter for months, and maybe even years, but never at such close quarters. Or so you think.

And all along you’ll know that the back pain is getting worse and you really should stop this madness. But you’re now a person possessed.

Until the dust is gone, you cannot possibly return to your exercise.

Except that – by then – you’ll be good for nothing but lying down, wondering what on earth had gotten into you. Perhaps the dust was more toxic than you realized.

But you’ll feel virtuous.

Until it dawns on you that there are more rooms in the house, and more dust. In dark corners, under the heavy furniture that’s never moved.

But as the pain wracks your body, you’ll finally understand what your mother meant when she said, “Sometimes, you just have to turn a blind eye”.

And you’ll wish you’d thought of this wise saying before you got yourself into trouble.

This post is dedicated to everyone who knows when to turn away from trouble.

A Good Home, Canada's National Historic Sites, Canadian Gardens, Canadian Homes, Canadian life, Famous Places, Gardens, Heritage Homes, Home

PARKWOOD: A Place of Astonishing Beauty

July 28, 2015May 15, 2016 Cynthia Reyes

Ever visited a garden which made your jaw drop — repeatedly?

Parkwood does that to me… every time I visit. A national historic site, Parkwood is gorgeous.

You’ve likely seen Parkwood in the movies – many movies and television shows have been shot here, from X-Men to Hannibal.

Located only about 35 minutes from Toronto, Parkwood is the kind of place where you can lose yourself, meandering from one space to another. Time moves slowly and pleasantly on the 12-acre grounds.

Surprisingly, Parkwood is right downtown in the city of Oshawa.

It’s one of the few places I know that has a white garden — but then again, Parkwood has so many garden rooms, it could dedicate one to each colour and still have space left over.

Built for auto baron Robert Samuel McLaughlin (“Sam”), his wife Adelaide Louise and their five daughters in 1917, the house is a mansion by any definition.

Many features were rare at that time: indoor heated swimming pool, morning room for breakfast, large conservatory and an indoor bowling alley and games room.

As for life’s ‘little’ luxuries: Parkwood had an in-house telephone system, an elevator, a central vacuum system, remote-controlled outdoor lighting system, air conditioning, climate-controls for the art gallery, a walk-in refrigerator, and much more.

The family could well afford it. McLaughlin was president of his family business Canadian Motor Car Company which became General Motors of Canada.

The house is Classic Revival in style, with some Georgian features.

I’m impressed by the grand house and its history — it’s a Canadian jewel.

But I’m completely bowled over by the gardens.

Inspired by the great gardens of Europe, they were created by the finest landscape designers available.

And though Adelaide and Sam loved gardening, the expansive grounds and eleven greenhouses required a staff of 24 to look after them.

Today, people visit from all over Canada and the world. They tour the house or gardens or both, and some come for lunch or tea at the restaurant. I highly recommend the tea house-restaurant and tours. A great way to spend a morning or afternoon in a place of outstanding beauty.