7 Awesome Canadian Things
Walk Off the Earth
Sometimes, I'm a little out of the loop.
Like when my friend Melissa shared this cover of Adele's "Hello" on Facebook? I didn't know it was a cover. I must be the last person on earth to have listened to this song.
I know it's a cover now. But it just goes to show you how amazing the song is--I loved this cover for it's creativity and fun-spirited-ness, and I love the song because--well, it's just a great song. (And yes, I've now heard Adele's version, too.)
After watching this video, I went and explored Walk Off the Earth's YouTube channel. Every video they make displays the same creative, boundary-pushing, fun vibe. I'd also like to give their cover of Taylor Swift's "Shake it Off" a special mention. But really, if you have a half an hour, go watch some videos. Then download their album "Sing It All Away" (which has been playing on a loop in my house for a week.) Seriously. You're welcome.
Red Rose Tea
When I go to a friend's house for tea and they ask what kind I would like, my response is usually "Do you have any Orange Pekoe?" If I wasn't trying not to be fussy, my real question would be "Do you have any Red Rose?"
Since I developed a firm tea addiction while visiting India in 1998, Red Rose has been my go-to drug of choice. I make it with honey and heavy cream, and sometimes a little cardamom. It's my "happy juice."
While researching this post, I was also pleased to discover that the company is Canadian and committed to sustainable tea production. I was particularly excited to read that last, since I read (and chose to ignore) some articles about the nasty tea production processes of some tea companies about a decade ago. :-)
So from now on, I can have the tea, guilt-free!
Meanwhile in Canada
37 Awesome Canadian memes. I may have laughed so hard I peed a little.
Being Erica
Last fall, looking for a "chic-flick" type show to watch on evenings when I had time to actually watch T.V. without Jason, I thought I'd give the show "Being Erica" a try. I had read the description on Netflix a dozen times and was never quite sure what to think.
The show was just what I needed. Erica Strange, a 32-year-old woman with a long list of regrets, is offered an amazing chance--to participate in a supernatural therapy that allows her to travel back in time to "fix" her life. In the process, she usually finds out that the things she regretted were not really about what she thought they were, and it helps her deal with the struggles of her present.
Eventually, Jason started watching it with me sometimes, too. There were plenty of episodes that wrenched my heart--Erica's oldest brother died at 18 in a tragic accident she always felt responsible for. Do I need to say more? But there have been so many times that the words the characters spoke were what I needed to hear that day.
And how refreshing was it to watch a show that was made in Canada and actually set in Canada?* (Erica lives in Toronto.)
*A little while back, we were watching an episode of Smallville that was supposed to be in "Metropolis, Kansas." Except during a driving scene they passed a TD Waterhouse bank and a Canada Post truck. I was all, "Yay, Vancouver!" Kinda ruined the next scene where it was all like "Welcome to U of Met, Mr. Kent. You'll do Kansas proud." Hee.
Mabel's Labels
While building a website for a local summer camp, I came across this really cool Canadian company started by 4 Ontario moms who saw a need (durable kid's labels) and filled it--brilliantly. The company produces personalized labels for everything from iron-on fabric labels to shoes to bag tags to school supplies. But just because I hadn't heard of them doesn't mean they haven't proved themselves--since 2003, moms the world over have already discovered Mabel's Labels, including some rather famous ones. I know where I'm going to get my kid's labels this year!
(P.S. They have a pretty neat parenting blog on the site, too!)
Angela Fehr
"Golden Afternoon" by Angela Fehr. Purchase from her gallery here.
I have been cyber-friends with Angela since 2006 when I started blogging. We were introduced by our mutual real-life friend Dawn and discovered we had an awful lot in common. Angela, besides being a super-mom, is also an extremely talented watercolour artist that just released her first class on Craftsy. She makes watercolours look like I never knew they could look. Check out her website and follow her on social media to enjoy her work, and if you've always wanted to learn to paint, check out her class!
Last Year In Canada
Disclosure: There are no affiliate links in this post. I just love everything I recommended.
