Transitions-Oakville, Burlington and Mississauga Real Estate Blog

The Lion's  Park on Station Street in Belleville, Ontario is testament to how well nature and mankind can work together to create a place of halcyon peace and beauty.
It encompasses part of the Riverfront Trail and a visit there will stimulate so many of your senses, you'll want to visit again and again.

The park has a different and more lush feel this year

than last, due to the immense amount of rain we've been experiencing this summer.
This year, unlike last, the river is rushing rapidly downstream.
Last year many sections were completely dry.

To see the difference between last year and this, make sure and view the pictures at the bottom of this post which show the same view of the Moira River taken in August '07 and August '08.

Poet Hannah Moore once wrote "all the peace which springs, from the large aggregate of little things" and nothing is a more fitting description of Belleville's beautiful Lion's Park which rests serenely on the shores of the Moira River in Belleville.

The park was built by the Lion's Club of Belleville as a part of the beautification of the Moira River Riverfront Trail that meanders through Belleville.

There are quiet benches hidden in peaceful corners amongst the gardens where a visitor may take in the surrounding beauty while listening to the sounds of the river as it makes it's way towards the Bay of Quinte.

A beautiful pergola is the centrepiece of the park.
Vibrant gardens surrounding it lend privacy and a peaceful feeling to those who stop to rest on one of the strategically placed benches to be found within the courtyard.

Built into the banks of the old Moira River, the site lends itself to beautiful, terraced, limestone rock gardens and many levels.

Wayne Wallans memorial at Belleville Lion's Park.































The pedestrian bridge connects the south and north sides of the Moira River and is well used by bikers, rollerbladers, walkers and runners.

Fishermen/women also love to try their hand at fishing from the bridge.













The gardens and walkways overflow with a myriad of flowers and beautiful trees to delight your senses.
An Ontario native wildflower, Purple Coneflower (Echinacea), is widely known for it's medicinal uses in boosting the immune system.

Colourful Daylillies, one of my favourite perennials for northern gardening, may be found sprinkled here and there amongst the walkway gardens.

A lone Red Hot Poker (Torch Lily) catches the eye in all it's glory.

Stately White Coneflowers lend their unique beauty to the cacaphony of riotous colour.

Pink Hydrangeas quietly ask you to pause for awhile.

Friends take respite from the day on sun-baked limestone in the Moira River.

A waterfront park would not be complete without a gull standing watch over all the comings and goings.

The inner courtyard of the Lion's Park pergola. Pinnacle Street Bridge over the Moira River in the distance.

The Moira River is once again mighty with the abundant rains we've been experiencing this summer. Compare this photo, taken recently (August '08) with the one below taken the same time last year when we were in a drought situation.

The Moira River in August 2007. A lack of rain saw the river almost completely dry up. Quite a difference from the extensive rainfall we've been experiencing in 2008.

The Lion's Park in Belleville can be found by taking the Highway 62 south exit off the trans-Canada (Hwy 401) into Belleville. Travel south along Hwy 62, which is known as North Front Street where it runs through Belleville, and take a left onto Station Street after you go over the Moira River bridge. The Lion's Park can be seen just past Meyer's historic mill on your left.

Enjoy your visit!

©2008JoSmith

Flowers are blooming and the sound of birdsong carries over the soft evening air. Spring has arrived and love is in the air with the hope of new generations and the continuation of life's longing for itself. This is the time of year couples everywhere are dreaming of a special day where vows are shared in the presence of family and friends.

If you are contemplating an upcoming wedding and the details of planning such an event seem overwhelming or time is of the essence, don't fret as professional and expert help is close at hand.

Heather Mack, owner of Quintessential Parties, is a Certified Bridal Consultant and fully trained event and party planner.
Heather's skill and passion for planning is a natural match for her 'love of romance and weddings'.

Heather has always enjoyed entertaining and helping to plan parties.
When visiting her niece one evening along with her Mother and sisters, they sat in discussion of an upcoming wedding. As the evening progressed and Heather contributed her ideas for the wedding, her family recognized Heather's natural gift for planning weddings and encouraged her to think of becoming a bridal consultant.
At the time she didn't think too seriously about it, however her Mother and one of her sisters persisted in pointing out her talent in this area and Heather began to think about a career change.

Heather, a Mom to three girls herself, has always loved throwing parties and helping others. Her love of romance ties in perfectly with wedding planning and so began her research into becoming a trained and certified bridal consultant.

Heather enrolled in a school that offered a certificate program and covered everything from general knowledge on flowers and fabrics to more indepth subjects such as the differences in weddings that co-incided with varying cultures and religions. Heather also was able to learn the day to day functions of running her own business through the program.

After completing the program in 5 months with near perfect marks, Heather graduated as a Certified Bridal Consultant and joined the Association of Bridal Consultants. She then opened her business, Quintessential Parties.

Quintessential Parties is mainly a wedding planning business, however Heather also offers planning for events such as corporate functions, baby and wedding showers, anniversaries, birthday parties, retirement parties, reunions and more.

Heather participates in various bridal shows and Quintessential Parties is listed in the yellow pages so that more people who require her services will be able to find her.
She offers a wide range of bridal consulting packages in order to meet as many desires and budgets as possible.
Heather offers customized quotes for her wedding and party planning and would be pleased to talk with anyone who is planning a wedding or event.
She offers the highest level of professionalism and adheres to the Association of Bridal Consultants Code of Ethics and business practices.

Heather is a pleasure to work with and I've known her for many years.
She is very creative, organized, professional and would be of a great asset to anyone who has a wedding or event looming on the horizon.
The Belleville, Quinte and Prince Edward areas are extremely fortunate to have such a talented, creative and dedicated Certified Bridal Consultant and party planner in their midst.

To contact Heather, please visit her website, www.QuinteParties.com.

©2008JoSmith

Jo-Anne Smith, BSc
Sales Representative
Royal Lepage ProAlliance Realty, Brokerage
613-922-5978 Direct
613-966-6060 Office/Pager

On a quiet, east-end, Belleville street, lives one of the area's finest artists, Joyce Empey Smith.

Joyce, a retired teacher, grew up on a dairy farm east of Napanee and took art lessons from her Grandmother, Martha MacLean, beginning at the age of 9 for 4 years. Joyce's paternal Grandmother was an art instructor in the Kingston area and gave oil painting lessons in a studio in her home.

Joyce remembers her Grandmother working on 5 paintings at a time due to the long drying times. Her Grandmother supplemented her living by selling her paintings, which were mostly sceneries.
Joyce's Grandmother saw great promise in her young Granddaughter and had endless patience with her as she taught her how to paint.

After finishing high school in Napanee, Joyce attended Peterborough Teacher's College and then taught grades 1-8 in a rural school for 3 years. During that time period she continued to paint with oils.

In 1964 she moved to Belleville and painted mostly scenery from calendars and photographs for 4 or 5 years. While she was in her 20's she sold quite a few of her oil paintings.
Once Joyce's two sons, Rick and Brian were born, Joyce was very busy with teaching and raising her sons and did not have time to paint.

At 50, Joyce decided to try her hand at watercolours and began to take lessons from Donnah Cameron, Sr.
Donnah held lessons in her garden on Rednersville Road during spring and summer and the students could be found painting beautiful Irises, Poppies and Geraniums.

Through Donnah Cameron Sr., Joyce met her daughter, Donnah Cameron Jr., who taught her how to paint on silk when she was 52 years old.
Joyce has sold many of her colourful, beautiful silk paintings and scarves over the years.

During this time period, as well as a full teaching schedule, Joyce pursued her other creative pursuits. She has been creating lovely stained glass windows, lamps and ornaments for 27 years and has also been a skilled woodworker for 10 years. The beautiful cabinets in Joyce's cottage kitchen, on Moira Lake, attest to her fine workmanship and skill.

For the past 8-10 years Joyce has been painting entirely in watercolours and taking lessons from Sharon Bower and more recently from Donna Bonin. In April of 2007 Joyce traveled to Sicily with Donna Bonin and a group of artists to paint the enchanting scenery of the mediterranean villages and landscapes.

In September of 2007 she traveled to Algonquin Park with a group of artists to capture the peaceful, natural beauty of the lakes and forests.

As well as taking lessons from many local instructors, Joyce has taken many art courses at the Ontario College of Art, Loyalist College and also from Queen's University.

Joyce has sold many of her watercolours to fortunate buyers who spot one of her works and fall in love with the halcyon beauty and subtle colours and lines.

Through the Quinte Arts Council, Joyce has sold 5 of her paintings that hung in the halls of the Quinte Healthcare Corporation hospital in Belleville. Her work can also be seen at Fabulous Finds and she has sold 8 paintings there in the last couple of years.

Her paintings can presently be found at the Quinte Healthcare Corporation hospital in Belleville, the Ramada Inn's Windows On The Bay Restaurant, the Belleville Art Association Gallery on Front Street and at Fabulous Finds.

Joyce had 15 of her paintings chosen to be on display at the Bayview Medical Centre in 2007 for one month. In the month of November '07, she was the featured artist with three paintings on display at Barrett's Stationery.

Joyce's paintings were chosen on 3 separate occasions to be displayed in local law offices. One of them remained on display for 9 consecutive months.

Paintings from artists who are members of the Belleville Art Association can be leased on a monthly basis by either private homes or businesses.

In October-November '07, Medieval Wash House-Cefalu , Sicily (seen to the left), Steps of Sicily and Log Barn on Crookston Road, 3 of Joyce's lovely paintings, were chosen for a juried show, Up, Up and Away, at the John M. Parrott Art Gallery in the Belleville Public Library.

Steps of Sicily was chosen from amongst many to be on display at the Windows On The Bay Restaurant at the Ramada Inn in Belleville and is currently there for a 9 month period.

One of Joyce's paintings, Nature's Garden, a mixed media painting, was chosen for the juried show 'Expressions' which is currently being held at the Belleville Public Library.
Joyce explained how 'Nature's Garden' came to be painted~

"Every year, my family spends two heavenly months at our cottage on Moira Lake, Madoc, Ontario.
While sitting in my Adirondack chair I came to realize all the many types of flowers, weeds and nature's twigs and trees that made this view so beautiful. Using paint, pickling salt, seeds, glue and many types of paper, I created a mixed media picture. I am calling my picture 'Nature's Garden'."

During the 2nd Annual Lilac Tea and Art Show (a juried art show) which is being held at the Tyendinaga Township Public Library on Sunday, May 25th from 1-4pm, four of Joyce's paintings will be on display.
The following were accepted into this juried 'Art For Literacy' show:
Pansies, Moira Lake-Stoney Island, Stride and Glide(seen to the right) and
Market In Sicily

Joyce is now branching out into the painting of people and animals and I've been totally enchanted by two of her more recent works:

Majestic Beauty
With regards to 'Majestic Beauty', Joyce says , "In December of 2007, I was reading a newspaper article on the 300 pound Siberian Tiger that escaped it's pen at the San Francisco Zoo. This tiger killed a man while free. There is an air of mystery about the tiger. He appears suddenly, dramatically, then melts away into the cover as secretly as he came.
I have tried to capture the breathtaking power and the beauty of the elegant striped tiger by using bright colours and using a 'wet on wet' painting technique. In my watercolour picture he rests contemplating in
the wind-whisper of movement in the pale green grass."

Age of Innocence

In addition to choosing her own subjects and scenery to paint, Joyce also does custom paintings for clients who wish to have a painting done from a photograph. Her paintings are a unique and wonderful gift for a special occasion or loved one.
Visit this link for a complete list of Joyce's paintings that are currently available for purchase.

Joyce can be contacted by email at jempey@sympatico.ca

©2008 JoSmith

Global warming is the most serious issue facing every single living being on the planet today and as awareness increases, more and more communities are taking action to combat the continuing degradation of our planet's atmosphere.

Sydney, Australia demonstrated just how much of a difference one hour and one city can make last year when the residents turned off all of their lights for just 60 minutes.
How much of a difference? The amount is staggering when you consider how many cities there are on earth and how many hours in a day, month, year.
By turning off their lights for just 60 minutes, Sydney was able to stop 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the earth's atmosphere.

What began in Sydney, Australia, has now spread around the globe as more and more cities and communities join the 'EARTH HOUR' initiative in an effort to increase awareness of the tragic consequence mankind and it's advances have had upon the earth.

Earth Hour is scheduled for 8pm on March 29th and if your community has not pledged to take part yet, please ask yourselves and your mayor and news media 'Why not?'.
Helping your community to become part of this very important event is within your power and there are guidelines you can follow to ensure that your efforts will be successful.

This initiative speaks very loudly to governments worldwide that the time to wake up and take SERIOUS action is now. Tomorrow will be too late.
Many scientists believe we have already gone beyond the 'tipping' point and may not be able to stop the process we have so neglectfully begun.

Belleville and Quinte West, Ontario have commited to being a part of EARTH HOUR 2008 and on March 29th at 8pm, all residents and businesses will be turning off their lights for 60 minutes.
This initiative has now reached over 22 Canadian cities and hopefully, before March 29th arrives, all of Canada will have made the commitment.

What can we do in Ontario by committing to this challenge for one hour?
It remains to be seen and I hope that you, as a part of this earth we call home, our ONLY home, will commit to this now by recording it on your calendar and by telling all of your friends, family, acquaintances and if you have a public platform, using it to speak out.

In Ontario the demand for electricity at 8 pm on March 29th, 2007 was 18,969 megawatts. This is a very significant portion of the 27,000 megawatts of power available in Ontario, 17.8 % of which is generated by the burning of coal.
Lights are a relatively small portion of the overall demand for electricity and make up approximately 15 % of the demand.

If just over 2 million people in Sydney, Australia were able to stop 25,000 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere by turning out their lights for 60 minutes, how much can we as an entire globe stop?

In this urgent initiative, that will sweep the entire planet as each city turns off their lights at 8pm their local time, lays the seed that will raise awareness to a global level and possibly unite us all in our last chance to begin to take the struggling life of our only home to heart and commit to saving it.

If we each commit to effecting positive change now, I believe that anything is possible and we just may be able to return this planet to the clean, ecologically diverse and healthy garden it once was.

Changes You Can Implement:

• Calculate Your Carbon and Cash Savings
  
  
• Ten Things You Can Do To Help Curb Global Warming
  
  
• Calculate Your Impact on Global Warming
  
  
• Reduce Your Impact At Home
  
  
• Travel the Globe to See What's Going On
  
  
• 51 Things We Can Do to Save the Environment
  
  
• Ontario EARTH HOUR updates and global news items, tips, and more
  
  
• Take Action! What Things Can You Do First?

©2008JoSmith

Jo-Anne Smith, B.Sc.
Sales Representative
Royal Lepage ProAlliance Realty, Brokerage
613-922-5978 Direct
613-966-6060 Office

You've made the decision to sell your house or perhaps you are in charge of selling a house for an estate or via power of attorney. A successful sale in a short time period, with a maximum sale price, is an achievable goal if you take the time to properly prepare the property in advance.

There are various things you can do to prepare a property for sale and I'll take you through each step as though we were looking at things through a prospective buyer's eyes. With this in mind, I ask you to grab a clipboard with paper and pen now and let's take a walk around the property.

Starting just beyond the property line at the front of the house, face the property and determine what catches your eye first.

Are there unkempt garden areas and overgrown shrubs and weeds?

Is the front entrance area/landing cluttered with items that perhaps could be stored away in the basement or a garden shed?

Is the siding clean and bright and is the wood trim tidy and not peeling or damaged?
Is the garage door clean and in good condition without any peeling paint or scuffs, dents and scrapes?

How's about the drive and walkways? Are they weed-free and have any glaring cracks or heaved areas been repaired?

Are the driveway and walkway's clean and clutter free?

Remember as we walk around, observing things from a buyer's eyes, that first impressions are extremely important and can set the tone for the rest of the viewing and the subsequent decision on whether or not to make an offer on the property and how much that offer will be.

As a buyer observes your property, they notice all things that need repair or replacement and they keep a running mental list of the costs that may be involved.
The amount of money that they determine the house is going to need will impact greatly on what amount they decide to offer you for the property and most will make deductions from the list price according to how much the house needs to bring it up to par.

With these things in mind, make a copy of the following checklist and lets take a walk around your property to see what passes and where a bit of time invested now will bring the greatest price and quickest sale for your property.

1.Lawn area:

2.Driveway:

• Crack-free__
• Relatively Spot-free__
• Clutter and weed-free__
• Crisp borders with lawn and garden areas__

3.Walkways:

• Weed free__
• Clean and freshly delineated from garden and lawn areas__
• Attractive__
• Safe__
• Clutter and litter-free__
• If winter, are walkways and front stoop neatly shoveled, salted and all ice removed?__

4.Landscaping:

• Are trees and shrubs neatly trimmed and attractive?__
• Does the choice of shrubs/plants suit the architecture of the house?__
• Are there colourful points of interest such as brightly coloured flowers and planters?__
• Is any of the landscaping causing damage to the foundation or siding of the house?__
• Is there proper grading that leads water down and away from the foundation of the house?__
• Excessive vines trimmed away or removed, particularly from sides of house__
• Clutter and litter free back and side yards?__
• All garden tools, toys, etc neatly stored in shed or other storage area?__
• Gardens neatly weeded and attractive?__
• All pet areas clean and scent free?__
• Dead trees/branches removed?_
• Outdoor ornaments/furniture attactive, clean and in good repair?__

5.Outside appearance of house structure:

• Eavestroughs firmly attached, clean, in good condition and freshly painted__
• Soffits and fascia clean and in good repair__
• Proper downspouts that lead away from the foundation of the house__
• Clean exterior siding/brick__
• Exterior siding/brick is in good repair__
• Windows clean and sparkling__
• All ripped/broken window/door screens and glass repaired/replaced__
• Window trim in good condition and freshly painted__
• Window sills in good condition, clean and/or freshly painted__
• Doors in good state of repair, clean and/or freshly painted/stained with all hardware functioning properly__
• Foundation clean and in good repair with no cracks__
• Roof clean and in good repair with no damage or clear signs of wear__
• Tree branches not rubbing on roof shingles/roof__
• Chimneys clean and in good repair with no signs of damage__
• Central air conditioning unit easily accessible, clean and in good repair__
• All hornet/bee/bird nests removed from house structure and any entrances into attic from outside patched and repaired__
• Deck clean, in good state of repair and freshly stained__
• Stairs clean, in good repair and freshly stained__
• Proper railings on all stair/deck areas__
• Fences in good state of repair, attractive, clean and/or freshly painted stained__
• Remove any unseasonal decor such as Christmas lights, wreaths, etc.__
• Attractive window treatments/blinds can help a house to look more attractive from the outside. Consider white or neutral tone lace curtains or drapes__
• Door mats are in good repair and are clean and attractive__
• Mailbox is attractive and in good state of repair__
• Exterior lighting all works (replace any burnt out bulbs or non-functioning fixtures) and is clean__
  

Remember~

1. A gallon of paint will pay for itself many times over.
   
   
2. You only have one chance to make a positive first impression.
   
   
3. Buyers do not want to buy a property that is dirty, unkempt, unsightly or in need of many repairs.
   
   
4. If you do not have a green thumb and do not want to hire a landscaping company/gardener, consider planting some geraniums in flower beds or planters. Red flowers attract the eye and make a property appear more cheerful and inviting.
   
   
5. The time and effort you expend on the exterior of your property prior to listing it, will lead to many buyers coming in to take a look with a quick sale netting you a maximum sale price.
   
   
6. Renting or borrowing a pressure washer to use on the exterior of your house, driveway, walkway and deck, will greatly enhance the appearance of your property and help buyers to feel a sense of confidence that the property has been taken care of and is a wise purchase choice.

If you are considering selling your property and would like a professional opinion of the most important things that you should do to prepare your property for sale, I would be happy to come over and give you my advice.

There is no cost or obligation for this service and having an outside party who will look at your property through the eyes of a buyer, will help you to focus your time and efforts on the areas where it will be the most beneficial to a successful and smooth sale of your property.

Jo-Anne Smith, B.Sc.
Sales Representative
Royal Lepage Proalliance Realty, Brokerage
613-922-5978 Direct
613-966-6060 Office

There comes a certain time of the year, when the light shifts and seems lower and paler in the sky, and when the crows can be seen busily flying from tree top to tree top with the great announcements they are spreading over the land, that I begin to be flooded with memories of the awakening earth.

I sense the deep roots of the tall maples opening up their pores once more and beginning to drink deeply of the thawing earth sending sweet maple sap up through their great trunks to feed the tender tips of their branches.

My mind goes back to childhood days spent in maple woods peering deeply into metal sap buckets where they hung on the trees and I recall dipping my finger into the dripping sap and tasting the clear, fresh liquid.

The memory of the awakening earth beneath my feet as evidenced by soft snow and mud patches here and there, reminds me that once again maple syrup time is upon us in southern Ontario, Canada.

Some of my fondest memories are standing in the sugar shack and smelling the sweet steam of the boiling sap mixed with the woodsmoke scent of the burning logs being fed into the old woodstove that heated the syrup pan. There's really nothing like it.
During those times, I felt one with the earth and the glory of Mother nature and all the bounty and beauty she offers up to us as part of her kingdom.

The collecting of maple sap is a late winter tradition that is over a thousand years old. Our Indigenous forefathers (for those of us who are partly descended from Native Americans) used maple sap for a special late winter drink and had developed ways to cook with it and also store it by boiling it down into crystallized sugar.

As Europeans began to colonize North America, the history of maple syrup took many turns as the white man adapted their own inventions and technology to the collecting and boiling down of maple sap.

Maple syrup time in the Quinte-Prince Edward County-Northumberland areas generally runs, depending on the weather, from late February to late March. The sap begins to run when the daytime temperatures are above freezing.

The best 'runs' are when the nights are frosty and the days are warmer and sunny.

40 Litres of maple sap are needed to make 1 Litre of maple syrup and there are mainly two types of maple trees which give sap that is suitable for making into maple syrup.
One of them, the Sugar Maple, is only found in North America. The other maple suitable for syrup production is the Black Maple.

A maple tree needs to be approximately 40 years old or at least 10 inches in diametre before it can be tapped for maple sap. (Watercolour Painting 'Maple Leaves' by Joyce Empey Smith of Belleville)

There are numerous festivals throughout Ontario during maple syrup time and two of the very best can be found right here in the Quinte region.
Warkworth, in the Trent Hills is holding it's annual Warkworth Maple Syrup Festival this weekend, March 8th and 9th.

Don't miss this memorable family event that draws thousands of visitors from near and far every year.
When visiting the festival this weekend, make sure to take in:

• Art Show and Sales
  
  
• Antiques Show and Sale
  
  
• Mini Golf (indoors)
  
  
• Pony Rides and Petting Farm
  
  
• Craft Show and Sales
  
  
• Great food served at numerous locations
  
  
• Fine village shopping~Warkworth, Ontario
  
  
• Free Shuttle Bus to the Sandy Flat Sugar Bush (admission to the Sugar Bush is $4 for adults, children are free)
  
  
• Horse Drawn Sleigh Rides through the sugar bush
  
  
• Taffy on Snow tasting
  
  
• Sap making Demonstrations and museum
  
  
• Nature Trails
  
  
• Contests~ Log sawing, three person plank race, snowshoe competition
  
  
• Entertainment with The Potter Band, Heartland Band, Step Dancers, Percy Swingers Square Dancers, Quinte Bay Cloggers, Touch of Class Cloggers
  
  
• A delicious traditional home cooked meal of piled high Pancakes, Sausages and Pure Ontario award winning maple syrup~ Adults $7, Children $3.

If you're unable to make the festival in Warkworth this weekend, at the end of March the award winning Maple in the County will be taking place in Prince Edward County.
For an awesome list of events that you can attend, make sure and check out this schedule of venues and what each is offering.

Some sites that may interest you:

OntarioMaple.com

OntarioMapleSyrup.com

Maple Syrup Recipes

Nothing can compare to pure maple syrup and Ontario is one of the best places in north america to visit during this annual event.
I hope you get to visit one of our local festivals and take home some maple syrup and other delectable maple delights to savour until maple syrup time arrives again next year!

©2008JoSmith

International Women's Day week (March 2nd-March 8th) is now upon us and the week long series of events, remembrances and re-newed commitments to bettering the lives of girls and women the world over, has begun.

What does it mean to me to be a woman in Canada today? It means that I have the opportunity to earn a living that enables me to support myself and therefore not depend on a husband or partner. This enables me to be in a relationship of my choice because I choose to be, not because I have to be.

It means that I was brought up to believe that I could be anything I wanted to be, and so I chose science and then real estate, because my Father believed that women were just as intelligent and had just as many abilities to progress in life as men.

I live in a free society where, although there are still many injustices committed against women daily behind closed doors, we now have the ability and the ways and means to make our choices for ourselves and our children, particularly when we find we are living in a situation that is destructive to our spirit(s) or worse.
It means that support systems have been put in place and laws have been formulated to help women to live more peaceful and empowered lives.

The United Nations General Assembly asked all of it's members to proclaim a day for the rights of women and international peace in 1977. Canada chose March 8th and in each subsequent year, on this date, has celebrated the inroads that society has made to further empower women and has brought to light areas where still more needs to be done.

Throughout communities across Canada this week, events will take place to honour and recognize women as people, as humans with rights who are deserving of dignity and respect and as valuable members of society.

In Canada, this years theme for International Women's Week is 'Strong Women, Strong World" and in my heart I know this to be true.

I come from a long line of strong women. Women who stood up for themselves as best they could in a world that was not always conducive to independent and strong women.

I'm proud of my Mother and Stepmother and Grandmothers and Great-grandmothers and all they have accomplished as women during difficult times.

• They have paved a road for me that has given me far more choices than they ever had.
  
  
• They have taught me to value dignity and being respected for who I am.
  
  
• They have taught me that a woman can be kind and gentle and loving and at the same time stand up for what is right in the face of adversity.
  
  
• They have taught me that a woman and all people are deserving of respect and to be treated with kindness and tolerance and compassion.
  
  
• They have taught me to value my gifts and to do my best for the children and the elderly and for those who are less strong or perhaps cannot see the way.

With International Women's Week upon us, I ask you to all take time to consider the lives of the women who came before you, what they did for you and what you have learned from them.
Take time to thank them in silent prayer, for those who are no longer here, and in person for those who still are.
Let them know that their strength has made you stronger, that the way they led their lives was an example to you in being the best person you could be for yourself and your family and those who you come into contact with.

Take time to consider how society is raising young girls today and whether or not we are teaching them to be strong and have high self-esteem.

• Are we teaching them about relationships and what is right and what is not right?
  
  
• Are we guiding them to see things that may be bad signs in relationships so that they may learn while they are young and not lead the same difficult paths of so many women who have gone before them?
  
  
• Are we empowering them with skills and knowledge and encouragement to be all that they wish to be and teaching them that they have this power within their very being?
  
  
• Are we setting a good example by choosing to be in healthy relationships, ourselves? Relationships where we are respected, cherished and adored?
  
  
• Do we speak up when we see wrong doing taking place and do we step in to help a woman or child in need?

Our actions today will affect the lives of all of those women and men who will come after us well into the future. Someday our own grandchildren may be looking back and thanking us for how we lived our lives today, the choices that we made and how we taught them what is right and what is wrong in the society of man.

To celebrate and honour the women in your life this week, bring them flowers, take them for dinner, give them a hug and a note telling them how you honour who they are and what they have done for you, thank them with a smile and a word of appreciation, attend an International Women's Week/Day event or silently acknowledge all of those who have come before you and give thanks to them in your own way.

In Belleville this week:

Shawn Susan Doyle will be speaking at the Belleville Public Library on March 5th. Her presentation, called "Healing Our Spirits and Re-creating Our Lives" will include cover women's spirituality, women's rights and violence against women.
Shawn believes that "if violence is going to stop anywhere in the world, it has to stop within ourselves first". This event is free and you can reserve a seat by calling 613-962-1212 or by email at info@unac-quinte.ca.

©2008JoSmith

The continental (4 distinct seasons) climate of the Quinte area in Ontario is moderated by it's proximity to the Bay of Quinte and Lake Ontario.
Belleville and region experiences warmer temperatures in the winter and slightly cooler temperatures in the summer due to these effects. In addition, the average snowfall is lower than many areas in Canada and the north eastern states of the USA.

The average low temperature in winter is -11.9 C (10.6 F) and our winters generally pass fairly quickly with an average of 291 hours of sunlight.
Oftentimes in winter we will experience a sudden thaw with a number of days reaching above 10C and into the 50s. The odd winter we experience very little snow and generally, January and February are the coldest months.
The average number of snow days is 42.

Spring like weather usually starts to occur haphazardly in March with many warm sunny days.

April is the transition period from cool winter days to very warm springlike days and we can sometimes experience a bit of both.
Our spring weather is extremely warm with temperatures often in the 70s and many people pick May to take their first swim in the areas abundant water bodies.

The Victoria Day weekend (May 17th-18th this year) is traditionally the start of our summer activities with many people camping in area campgrounds and opening their cottages for the season.

The summers in recent years have been very hot with many days reaching into the 90s although the average high temperature in the summer months is approximately 80F.

The humidity can reach fairly uncomfortable levels and we are in one of the most active thunder storm regions of north america with numerous thunder and lightning storms thoughout the warmer seasons. The storms serve to break up the humidity and bring cooler, clearer weather.

Summer is a beautiful time in the Belleville/Quinte area with an abundance of summer-time actiivities to partake of.
There are numerous marinas for boaters, many clean lakes for fishing and swimming, many provincial and private waterfront parks where the public can find excellent camping facilities and a wide array of activities to enjoy.

There are many long white sand beaches within minutes of any point in the Quinte are and the region is world renowned for Sandbanks Provincial Park, where one of the most beautiful freshwater beaches in north america can be found.

The climate is conducive to vineyards and the Prince Edward region has many beautiful wineries where thousands of tourists flock to every summer to sample the fine wines and ciders and to enjoy a gourmet feast prepared by some of the world's finest chefs.

This is an excellent area for the growth of vegetables and fruits and our strawberry season usually arrives in early June.

There are also many local farms where one can pick their own raspberries, plums, apples, pears, cherries and a wide variety of vegetables. With rainfall occuring on an average of 100 days and sunlight hours from June to August averaging 771 hours, the climate is excellent for gardening and farming.

Summer temperatures often last into October and the autumn is a wonderful time of the year to enjoy the harvest activities and the changing leaves. The region abounds in fall fairs and festivities as we welcome in the coming cooler months.

Many of the local residents travel to Florida or other southern points for January and February, however they wouldn't miss being back here for the arrival of a glorious spring where thousands of wildflowers and trees are in bloom and the air is fresh with a myriad of intoxicating scents and bird song.

This is a beautiful region and each season has a beauty specific to itself that stays in one's memory forever more.

©2008JoSmith

Winter is raging on and the Quinte Region is experiencing another snowfall as I write this.

Don't let it get you down and for heaven's sake, don't go into hibernation!
There's so much to do in this beautiful area that no one should be at a loss for a fun evening out or without an informative, lively social gathering to attend.

Week of March 1st-March 8th, 2008 The Following Events Are Free or 'Donations Accepted', As Indicated:

Loyalist College is holding it's Information Night on Thursday March 6th and all future students and their parents are invited to attend. It will run from 6:30-8:30pm in the Prince Edward Collegiate Institute (PECI) lecture room at 41 Barker Street in Picton.

Future students will be able to learn about various program options, residence facilities, new careers, services for success and get a taste for student life. Bring a list of your concerns and questions.

If you'd like to know more about this informative evening call 1-888-LOYALIST, ext. 2100

Loyalist College is within minutes of Belleville's City limits and offers an excellent post-secondary education program with 93.9% of graduates finding employment within 6 months of graduation!

On March 2nd at 1pm, Mike Nickerson will be live and in person reading from his book 'Life, Money and Illusion: Living On Earth as if We Want to Stay.' at Organic Underground. Mike is a long-time environmental activist and has published three books on sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Come out and have your books signed by Mike and then stay after the reading to discuss ways we can help protect, heal and sustain our planet for the future.

There is no cost for this event and questions will be answered following his reading. For more info call 613-967-3647

Enjoy walking and would like some company? Join the walkers at Belleville Walks!
On March 1st the group will be meeting at the playground in Zwick's Park at 9am.

If you can't make it this Saturday, be sure to check out the upcoming walking dates. Interested in walking but don't want to brave the wintry weather? Belleville and Quinte Region Walks indoors with a regular schedule too!

For more info call 613-969-8385

Classic Movie Night on March 3rd at 6:30 pm will be airing 'Twelve Angry Men'.

Classic Movie Nights are held in the Safety Village (rear of the Belleville Police Station) and an informal film discussion follows with Ed Bridle (retired film studies teacher).

There is no charge for this movie night. Come on out!

For all Writers and Writers-At-Heart, the Quinte Writers Guild will be meeting at the Wharf Street Debating Club at the corner of South Front Street and St. Paul Street in Belleville at 7:30 pm, March 4th.

You're invited to bring along your stories, articles and poems to share with a friendly and lively group of writers, readers and folks who enjoy listening to a good story or poem.

The Brown Bag Lunch at the Belleville Public Library , on March 5th at noon, will feature speaker Shawn Susan Doyle.

Shawn will be giving a presentation titled "Healing Our Spirits and Re-creating Our Lives" in honour of International Women's Day.

Admission is free however seating is limited and you are encouraged to reserve by calling 613-962-1212 or email info@unac-quinte.ca.

For some lively blues to beat those winter blues, the Bohemian Penguin (upstairs at the Penguin) will be featuring the Tim Campbell Band at The Loyal Blues Fellowship Night on March 1st.

Maddy and Larry Hope are hosting this musical evening and the doors will open at 8pm.

Donations will be accepted at the door.

Enrich your world and your life by attending one or many of these Belleville and Quinte area events!

©2008JoSmith

My Granny saw the best in all people and she had a saying that she lived by, "Give to the world the best you've got, and the world will give it's best back to you."
I take after my Grandmother on both counts and every day I see examples of how giving your best really does benefit everyone in the end, including the person who is giving their best.

Last year I was out with my Mother for lunch at an oriental restaurant and when I opened my fortune cookie, it said "The man who does more than he is paid for, will soon be paid for more than he does." I kept that fortune as I do many of the more interesting ones I receive.
Every now and then I'll read it and think of how interesting that concept is. Of course, I've heard the same things said in many ways and always it comes back to giving.

March 3rd-9th is Violence Awareness and Random Acts of Kindness week in the Quinte area. The Violence Awareness and Random Acts of Kindness Program was begun 12 years ago to counteract the negativity that violence brings upon our society and to promote positivity and make the world a better place by starting right here in the Quinte, Belleville and Prince Edward regions.

Participating stores and businesses will have donation boxes where people can donate to the program and attain a blue ribbon to show their support.

The Kindness Program is offered in 81 schools in the greater Quinte area and each school is supplied with a 'kindness kit'.
The kit promotes kindness through a colouring and poster contest and 'Kindness Citizen' ballots are made available for all high schools.
It also includes blue ribbons for all students and staff to wear as well as pamphlets and other promotional material related to spreading positive energy in the world.

Students who have won awards receive them at a special opening ceremony which is being held this Monday, March 3rd in the Kindness Court of the Quinte Mall at 7pm.

'Kindness crews' will be out and about on the streets of Belleville beginning on Tuesday, March 4th, committing random acts of kindness. Kindness crews will consist of approximately 6 people each and will also be stopping at schools, daycares, hospitals and retirement residences bringing with them their kindness and spreading positivity every where they go.

The Violence Awareness and Random Acts of Kindness booth will be set up in the Kindness Court at the Quinte Mall for the week of March 3rd-9th.
Be sure to drop by and say hello and remember as you go about your daily business to commit random acts of kindness everywhere you go.

In fact, you don't have to wait until 'kindness week', you can start today!

Wondering what you can do to spread kindness?
The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation has a list of hundreds of ideas for individuals and groups.
If we all visited the list and made it a goal to pick one action off of the list daily, just think of how much difference it would make not only in our own communities, but all around the world!

~Jo