Yesterday I woke up and the neighbourhood was blanketed in snow

In the early morning it was a spectacular show

The new fallen scene was delightful to see

Being an early riser, the only footprints belonged to my dog and me

I took a few pictures as we walked through the park alone

The photos that were taken are all stored safely on my phone

This is the way most of us react when the first snow touches down

You immerse yourself in the scenery when you wander around your town

I got to experience it because I was out before the dawn

The rain arrived later and by afternoon most of it was gone

If only it would have arrived just the week before

This whole scenario would have brought out so many more

You see our “Santa Claus” parade was meandering on its designated route

It would have enhanced this event, I certainly have no doubt

I am not wishing for snow by any means

It just seems so appropriate when it comes to this holiday’s scenes

I’ve seen the snow come and I also saw it leave

Please hold off now until it’s officially “Christmas Eve”

We are almost through November and haven’t received too many flakes

I am hoping “Mother Nature” continues to give us a break

Just enough of the white stuff for everyone to have some fun outside     .                                                                                                          .                        Whether you prefer skating, skiing or the occasional toboggan ride

Would like to have a winter where the snow blower stays in the shed

Just the occasional workout using only a shovel instead

Let the snowmobile trails be accessible until the early spring

Just enough accumulation to accomplish everything

Just the occasional snowfall in your city or town

Not a major dump that shuts them all down

In a little less than four weeks we will be finished with the fall

Winter arrives with the longest night of all

We really don’t know what to expect or how it will unfold

I will end with another request, “Don’t make it so damn cold!!!

IT’S ON THE ELEVENTH DAY OF THE ELEVENTH MONTH EVERY YEAR

A TIME TO REMEMBER WHEN WE ONCE LIVED IN FEAR

A TIME WHEN PEACE ON THE PLANET WAS PUT TO A TEST

WHEN EVIL RULED AND THERE WAS COMPLETE UNREST

THIS WAS A TIME WHEN MEN AND WOMEN FOUGHT THE FIGHT

THROUGH EVERY DAY AND EVERY NIGHT

THEIR LIVES WERE DEVASTATED AND MANY LIVES WERE LOST

ALL FOR PEACE AT A HORRIFIC COST

PEOPLE FROM OUR COUNTRY WHO CHOSE TO DEFEND

OUR RIGHT TO PEACE, UNWILLING TO BEND

NOT GIVING IN TO THE EVIL THAT WAS ALL CONSUMING AT THE TIME

A TYRANT THAT WAS KILLING WITHOUT REASON OR RHYME

THESE PEOPLE LEFT THEIR SAFE HOMELAND TO BATTLE THIS FOE

THEY ENLISTED BY THE THOUSANDS AS YOU AND I KNOW

TO STAND UP FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE WAS THEIR GOAL

THEY WERE PROUD TO BE SOLDIERS:  THEY CHOSE THIS ROLE

THEY LANDED IN EUROPE TO MAKE THEIR STAND

DETERMINED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS FOREIGN LAND

THEY WERE WELCOMED BY THESE PEOPLE WHEN THEY ARRIVED

WITHOUT THESE BRAVE SOLDIERS NO ONE WOULD HAVE SURVIVED

THEIR GOAL WAS TO END THIS GERMAN KILLING MACHINE

WHO WERE LED BY HITLER, A TERROR TRULY OBSCENE

MEMBERS OF THE JEWISH FAITH WERE THE PEOPLE HE CHOSE TO SLAY

THE GAS CHAMBERS HE USED FOR THESE ACTS REMAIN UNTIL THIS DAY

IT WAS DURING WORLD WAR II WHERE THESE PEOPLE WOULD FALL

THE WAR THAT PRECEDED THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO END THEM ALL

WORLD WAR ONE IS SAID TO HAVE DEFINED CANADA AS A NATION

THANKS TO OUR BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION

WE FOUGHT SO MANY WARS OVER THE YEARS

LOST SO MANY LIVES, SHED SO MANY TEARS

CANADA WAS AN INFANT WHEN WORLD WAR ONE BEGAN

WE HAVE BATTLED IN EUROPE, KOREA AND AFGHANISTAN

WE HAVE SOLDIERS BEING SACRIFICED IN THIS MODERN AGE

TO PRESERVE THE PEACE THAT OUR NATION HAS CHOSEN TO WAGE

CANADA HAS GROWN AS A NATION, WE’LL MAINTAIN OUR STANCE

OUR PAST HEROES ARE WORSHIPPED IN EUROPE: REVERED IN FRANCE

THE MAJORITY OF US HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE: NEVER EXPERIENCED WAR

SOME THINK IT AS HORRIBLE AND JUST CHOOSE TO IGNORE

NOVEMBER 11^TH  IS THE DATE WE HAVE CHOSEN TO SHARE

TO SHOW OUR ARMED FORCES THAT OUR NATION DOES TRULY CARE

WE JUST CAN’T BE APATHETIC AND NOT HONOUR THIS DATE

FOR ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT REACHED THEIR GRIM FATE

TWO MINUTES OF SILENCE SEEMS SO LITTLE A TASK

FOR ALL THAT THEY SACRIFICED:  IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK?

So the “World Series” is over, what can I say?

The “Dodgers” were victorious beating the “Blue Jays”

So many of us watched each round from beginning to end

Turns out the team from “Los Angeles” was able to defend

So this is two years in a row that the “National League” has won

We should be proud of our boys in their playoff run

They gave it their all but just came up short

All of “Canada” was behind them giving support

The “Jays” were on everyone’s mind and they did us proud

Remember “there is no crying in baseball”, that’s not allowed

To all of us “Canadians” they are a sensation

They were able to unite us all as a nation

They battled through injuries and they gave it their all

They represented us heroically in the classic this fall

Finished the season  and came out in first place

They were picked to lose the first round but that wasn’t the case

They beat the boys from “The Bronx” three games to one

After four games, the “Yankees” were done

They then faced “Seattle” in “Toronto” and lost the first two

Most of the so called “experts” said they were through

They went into “Seattle” and won two out of three

Then they won both games at home and put their fans in a “frenzy”

They were “World Series” bound, they reached their quest

This time they faced the “Dodgers” who were considered the best

We all know the outcome, I gave it away in this poem’s second line

As far as us “Canadians” feel, they were looking really fine

Remember this team finished in last place the year before

They gave it their all until they couldn’t give anymore

We could see the pain their faces when injured players went to the plate

This team as a whole deserved a better fate

On the score sheet you lost the last game by one run

To all of us “Canadians” you are second to none!

It’s Saturday morning, hell it’s almost noon

Just trying to find something to write about soon

There are so many topics that are running through my head

Just trying to put these thoughts to paper instead

The “Blue Jays” seem to be occupying most of my mental space

After finishing off the “Mariners”, now it’s the “Dodgers” they have to face

They are now in the “World Series” and won game one

“Los Angeles looked bad but they certainly aren’t done

There are so many sports that I want to view

Baseball, hockey, football, I just don’t know what to do?

I’ve watched more “Blue Jays” ballgames than I have ever done before

Hope I get the opportunity to see them win three more!

My “Buffalo Bills” have faltered and lost their last two

They may have stumbled but they certainly aren’t through

They will be in the thick of things when the season is done

Hoping they get to the “Super Bowl” in the playoff run

Meanwhile my “Blackhawks” have started off well

Is this an illusion?  I guess time will tell

Going with a young lineup is the direction that they chose

So far, so good, let’s see how far it goes

There are so many obstacles that they have to face

I will be happy if they manage to move out of last place

It’s nice to see how united we are to have the “Blue Jays” back

Especially now when we as a nation seem to be always under attack

“Trump” and his tariff threats change from day to day

The world seems to be listening to every stupid word he has to say

“America” is falling apart while “Canada” is staying firm

Who knows how far the “States” will fall during “Donald’s” second term

No matter what he does, his “Republicans” claim they are doing great

Can the “Democrats” win the mid terms or is already too late?

The way he has treated and abused us “Canadians” is really a shame

Here’s hoping the “Blue Jays” triumph and we beat them at their own game!

Once again fall has arrived and its colours are in full display

I am making a point of taking pictures each and every day

My maple in the front yard has now reached its peak

My task of raking up fallen leaves started last week

It rained yesterday so they shouldn’t blow away

I’ll make a point of gathering them later on  today

The view from my front window is of colours yellow, orange, red and green

No matter what angle you look at them, it’s a beautiful scene

This tree provides vital shade to block the summer sun

Keeps the house cool until the warmer months are done

As the days become shorter, bare patches begin to appear

This cycle of nature continues year after year

This is a trade off that happens during this annual run

As the days get colder we are exposed to more sun

We look at the bare branches, but our living room is nice and bright

Letting us to be able to  soak up that much needed sunlight

Something that is essential to all of us we can agree

It’s rays enable our bodies to produce their own vitamin “D”

This in turn also helps to bring  some warmth to our space

Something we appreciate more when there’s cold temperatures to face

With the abundance of summer leaves in the tree it was impossible to see across the street

We will eventually get to view the whole neighbourhood once this cycle is complete

This is a harbinger of winter that we cannot ignore

Gathering up all these leaves is an annual chore

The colours our maple tree displays are stunning every year

We look forward to the change when autumn finally appears

We are able to treasure it and take in the view

Get a lot of compliments from our neighbours who love it too

I gather up these leaves and do the best I can

This is just half the work required by this old man

This is very time consuming and really not that hard

Remember, I never mentioned the huge oak tree that’s in our backyard!

I haven’t watched so much baseball as I have this past week

This was just the wild card round, so it hasn’t reached its peak

Eight teams were competing to get to the next stage

Now that this round is over, we can turn the page

These games started in the afternoon and continued until late at night

They were all competitive and most teams put up quite a fight

I enjoyed most of them but our team wasn’t in the race

After those games it’s the “Yankees” that the “Blue Jays” will have to face

They play two games this weekend and another on Monday night

The “Blue Jays” I’m afraid are in for quite a fight

I know they are rested and the “Yankees” have already played three

Will they come out on top? We will have to wait and see

While this sport is winding down and we don’t know who will win

This coming Tuesday night is when the “NHL” season will begin

It just seems so soon for all of this to commence

Where did all the time go? It just doesn’t seem to make sense

I know the daylight hours have become shorter and I am still in denial

Here’s hoping that the cold weather will hold off for a while

I gave my lawn its final trim until the first of June

Hoping that the snow doesn’t come any time soon

I will take advantage of the weather every chance I get

I refuse to give in to the cold weather yet

I’m sure we have some more weeks of warm days in the sun

Still lots of days to get out and have some fun

I haven’t biked as much as the year before

I need to get out and make a point of doing more

The cool weather is the best time to get out and bike

Put on your helmet and ear buds to listen to tunes you like

As we do every year, we will all adjust to the cold

It’s time to take advantage, don’t put your plans on hold

Never mind making excuses, get out and about

Once winter arrives, we will be on the inside looking out

The last weekend of the summer and then we enter fall

Sitting in front of the TV watching “Blue Jays” baseball

The NFL has started and my “Bills” already have three wins

On October 7th the NHL season begins

The OHL started yesterday and our “Troops” won game number one

Just another 67 games and their season will be done

The “Jays” are still in the first inning

They are down 7-1, what are their chances of winning?

Looks like being a late night talk show host is a dying profession

Making jokes about “Trump” is now a major transgression

It seems he is taking everything personal and just can’t take a joke

Maybe he doesn’t like the news claiming that he is going to “croak”?

He is certainly doing wonders as the “President” of the “United States”

If you ask him or his fellow “Republicans”, he is doing great

“Don’t do as I do, do as I say” is the credo he is living by

To all of his “MAGA” followers he is a special guy

Many news outlets claiming he is a dictator wanna be

Looks like “mission accomplished” from what I can see

I don’t know how they stop him in this pursuit

He does what he wants and is backed by men who have all the loot

He is getting richer everyday making money on the side

Not even one year in office, the “Americans” are in for quite a ride

His popularity is at an all time low but his party has his back

They all still kiss his ass when he is under attack

The nations of the world can’t believe what’s happening in the “United States”

With “Donald” running the show they have sealed their fate

The “Republicans” are digging a hole they may never get out

Even most of us “Canadians” have decided to take a different route

We can’t believe what is happening to our neighbours who stopped free trade

Expecting all of us to honour them with tariffs to be paid

I’ve never seen “American” government is such disorder

Then they wonder why most of us “Canucks” are refusing to cross the border

Labour Day, the last long weekend of the summer

Back to school on Tuesday, for some kids, that’s a real bummer

Three more weeks of  summer before we head into the fall

This has been the hottest one that I can recall

Much too warm for biking for most of the days

This is becoming a reality not merely a phase

Forest fires are now a regular event

Thanks to global warming, are now becoming more frequent

So many factors that contribute to this plight

I am not optimistic that our world leaders will ever get it right

The summer was also dry, we could have used more rain showers

This would have helped the gardeners with their vegetables and flowers

Still lots of days ahead to enjoy the great outdoors

With the lower temperatures, we should be outside more

Just yesterday I was able to get out on the bike trails

I’m hoping that this spell of weather will continue to prevail

I spent a lot of time indoors in order to beat the summer heat

This seems to be a cycle that we are destined to repeat

Global warming has now gone from bad to worse

Steps to correct this is now totally off course

Some world leaders are in denial and refuse to accept our fate

This subject for some of them is not even up for debate

So what are we supposed to do when this is being ignored?

When it seems that less countries are getting on board?

The window of opportunity is closing and some think it is already too late

If nothing is done soon we may have already sealed our fate

What are we to do when they just don’t seem to give a damn?

There are politicians out there claiming it’s all a scam

So here we have them ignoring the whole situation

Only to anger us more and heap up our frustration

Our lives hang in the balance and our future hangs by a thread

So are we really looking forward to the warmer days ahead?

I was sitting on my porch about three weeks ago

When I was approached at my door by someone I didn’t know

He told me he was working for “Cogeco” and then I sat him in a chair

I told him I was a “Bell” customer and the conversation went on from there

He was a pleasant young man and we both shared our points of view

We chatted for about an hour before we were finally through

He answered every question and knew what he was talking about

So I thought “what the hell”, I’m going to help this kid out

This is a free trial, what  do I have to lose?

I thought, finally a channel to watch our local news

I could watch the “Battalion” hockey games this season

Went with the conversion for those two reasons

The installation was scheduled for Monday of the next week

I was getting pretty excited to get a peak

I would have to wait at home for the installer to arrive

Someone had to be present between the hours of nine to five

It turned out my wife would be the one to hear him knock

The “cable guy” arrived before I finished my dog walk

He did what he had to do, gave me some tips and went on his way

It was only ten o’clock, which meant I had all day to play

The first twenty four hours I wasn’t sold on their brand

Some parts of the controls were hard to understand

I installed their app on my firestick but it wouldn’t go

It wouldn’t work on my version, how was I to know?

This meant I would have to purchase new ones to complete this chore

This would cost me up to a hundred and sixty dollars or more

That money could buy me two more months with “Bell”

So this was no longer “free” as far as I could tell

So I called up “Cogeco” and cancelled my subscription right on the spot

Two days of viewing and I gave it all I got

Boxed all of their equipment and mailed them parcel post

Still remain undecided on which one I liked the most

I’ve been slacking off, what else can I say?

I decided to finally write a poem today

It’s been more than a month since I put one out

There’s been so much happening, I don’t know what to write about

Some may have noticed my absence and were not aware

Others might have missed them or just don’t care

I’ve been spending time with my family and watching lots of sports

Just a note to let you know that I appreciate your support

I have jumped on the “Blue Jays” bandwagon and I am watching them play

I never really followed them way back in the day

I was a diehard “Expo” fan and am still a defender

Still can’t believe they folded when they were a serious contender

It has taken me twenty one years to get over that plight

I was actually excited when they “Jays” came back  to beat Texas on Friday night

It has been a crazy summer and the heat has been intense

“Trump” denying “global warming” continues to make no sense

He’s got a lot of heat on him and he is trying to deflect

In the “Jeffrey Epstein” case he is a major suspect

He is trying to prove he is a shrewd negotiator and is getting nowhere fast

He has so many schemes going to hide his skeletons from the past

The “Nobel Peace Prize” is the jewel he wants the most

As far as stopping wars, he hasn’t even come close

He’s met with all the leaders and says he will bring peace

The wars just continue in “Ukraine” and the “Middle East”

As for events in our country, here’s some news you might not like

Air Canada’s flight attendants are officially on strike

Looks like they are digging in hard to get what they deserve

They want to get paid for the actual time that they serve

Lots of duties that they perform are now being done for free

Will they be successful? I guess we will have to wait and see

As they often say, the timing couldn’t be worse

It’s now time to hop in your car and go see “Canada” first!