Joanne O’Leary

Sunrise to sunset, Barbados is wonderful

My husband and I arrived in Barbados a month ago. We missed our vacation here for the past two years due to the pandemic.

Making lists, checking them twice

It seems to me that there are two kinds of people… those who make lists and those who don’t.

Reflection and remembrance

November starts on a sombre note. Nov. 1 is All Saints Day, a Christian holiday that honours the saints who have died. Nov. 2 is All Souls Day, when we pray for the souls of deceased family members. Remembrance Day is observed on Nov. 11. We remember those who died for our freedom and think about those who are still affected by war in today’s world.

Exploring beautiful Victoria, B.C.

After driving 2,700 kilometres, my husband and I arrived in Victoria, B.C. Our trip had been planned long ago, but was postponed owing to COVID-19 and bad weather last winter.

Kildonan Park truly a North End treasure

I recently read and enjoyed an article in the Winnipeg Free Press by Alison Gillmor. The article, entitled “Natural Beauty”, described the history and the attractions of Kildonan Park.

Stepping back into the world, part 2

During the last month, my husband and I have started stepping back into the world. After curtailing many of our activities over the past two years, we are cautiously emerging into the ‘new normal’ phase of the pandemic.

We are back at the Wellness Institute. During the last two years, we have started and stopped exercising there, as the centre opened and closed due to the waves of COVID-19 restrictions. We hope now that our attendance will be consistent. I love the aqua-fitness classes and also enjoy the social aspect.

We recently started back into our volunteer activities, as well. On April 3, we participated in Art in Bloom at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. It was a busy four-hour shift but it was wonderful to see so many people enjoying the event. After our shift, we were able to tour the gallery and admire the beautiful floral arrangements that mirrored the chosen art pieces. We will return to our volunteer duties with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra at the end of April.

We recently had a chance to celebrate our nephew’s son’s first birthday in April. It was the first occasion in a very long time that we were able to gather with extended family to enjoy a special birthday.

Stepping back into the world

It is time to step back into the world. By the middle of March, most of Manitoba’s COVID-19 vaccine restrictions were lifted. On March 1, Manitoba stopped its vaccine mandates and on March 15, mask mandates, isolation requirements and contact tracing ended. After two years of sacrifices, people are ready to return to a more normal way of life.

This new world will be a change for all of us. Over the past two years, my husband and I have done everything we can to protect ourselves against the virus. It has been a balancing act between risk factors and comfort zones.

I am naturally an introvert, so although I missed our social outings, I have survived. I realize that there is a concern about everyone’s mental health after such a prolonged stressful period.

I look forward to spending more time with friends and family. It will be nice to volunteer again at concerts and theatre. I look forward to travelling more freely as well.

Winter challenge helps January pass quickly

“If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes.” — Andrew Carnegie January in Winnipeg can be a rather depressing month. The holidays are over, the days are short and the weather is cold. It can quickly become a month of hibernation. This year, many events have been cancelled or postponed due to the Omicron variant of COVID-19. After two years of pandemic uncertainties, people are weary. This January, my family decided to take on a family challenge. As a group, we vowed to have a dry month — no alcohol for 31 days. We also decided to try to exercise more frequently and monitor our eating habits. I can be a very motivated person when I undertake a challenge. My husband, Jeff, and I decided to walk outside every day. It has been frigid some days, but we have managed. I actually look forward to getting outside and enjoying the sunshine and fresh air. The daily walks brighten my spirit. I also decided to try a 30-day yoga challenge. I follow Yoga with Adriene online. The daily practise is doable and has become part of my morning ritual. I try to do 15 minutes on my indoor bike (which is actually my outdoor bike on a trainer) and 15 minutes on an elliptical NordicTrack machine that I picked up on a giveaway weekend during the summer. After one month of this fitness routine, I have noticed positive changes in my physical wellbeing and my mental health. I am sleeping much better without alcohol. I have more energy and feel stronger. I am healthier because of these small changes in my life style. We celebrated our January achievements on Feb. 5 with our family members. There were prizes, food and drinks (in moderation, of course). As a new month begins, so do some new challenges. We have already signed up for the Jack Frost Challenge in mid-February. This will motivate us to continue exercising during the winter. We will focus more on improving our eating habits during the month, trying to consume more fresh fruit and vegetables. We will also pay attention to portion control. I plan to continue my yoga journey because it brings me peace. We will try to reduce our alcohol consumption as well.  I am counting down the days until spring. However, I know that by that time, I will be great physical condition, ready to enjoy all of the spring activities. As Aristotle once said, “Success is easy to achieve once you set your mind on a specific goal.” Joanne O’Leary is a community correspondent for Riverbend. Contact her at jeffandjoanne@hotmail.com

“If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes.” 

— Andrew Carnegie 

January in Winnipeg can be a rather depressing month. The holidays are over, the days are short and the weather is cold. It can quickly become a month of hibernation. This year, many events have been cancelled or postponed due to the Omicron variant of COVID-19. After two years of pandemic uncertainties, people are weary. 

The best-laid plans…

My husband Jeff and I planned to spend our winter months in Victoria, B.C. We had booked a garden suite near the University of Victoria. The ferry was booked. I eagerly bought my yearly subscription to the Butchart Gardens. We planned to take our bicycles and enjoy the snow free winter months.

“Alas…,” begins the famous quote from Robert Burns, “the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”

We were shocked by the rainstorms that flooded central B.C. in November. The record-breaking rainfall damaged homes and highways. We quickly realized that our only way to drive to Victoria was through the United States.

Then the Omicron variant of COVID-19 began to spread rapidly. If we travelled through the States, we would need to do COVID testing before re-entering Canada.

Rediscovering the joy of Christmas

I recently attended a Christmas concert by the choral group Dead of Winter (formerly Camerata Nova). I first saw this group perform many years ago in the rotunda of the Manitoba Legislative Building. It was a magical evening that gave me shivers.

Christmas music has always been a part of my life. Growing up in a German family, Christmas was a grand occasion. For many years, I attended a German language school on Saturday mornings. Each December, the students would put on a concert. Every Christmas Eve, we would gather with family at my parents’ house for a dinner and a celebration. We would light the candles and sing carols. I love many of these German songs to this day. Listening to them brings back cherished memories of Christmases past.

As a teenager, I sang in a church youth group. I do not have a good voice but I loved singing. A special winter outing was going out in the dead of winter, carolling with my friends.

I did not always love the Christmas season. While attending university, I worked part-time at the downtown Eaton’s store and during the holiday season, I worked full time. I remember listening to the never-ending loop of carols during each eight-hour shift and dealing with frustrated last-minute shoppers. By the time Christmas actually arrived, I was content to hole up at home in complete silence. 

This vast and beautiful country

It had been 45 years since I last drive the Trans-Canada Highway through northern Ontario and around the Great Lakes.

Forty five years ago, as a poor university student, I drove my Volkswagen Beetle from Quebec City to Winnipeg. Trying to save time and money, I remember driving through the night, my friend beside me keeping me awake.

Now, I can’t imagine how that was possible. As my husband Jeff and I drove from Winnipegto Quebec, I was aware of the moose and deer night danger warnings that I chose to ignore so many years ago.

This time, we did not drive at night, and took 25 days to complete our 6,930-kilometre voyage.

Let’s enjoy August’s gardens

August is the border between summer and fall. It is the month where everything comes together in the garden for a final hurrah.

My own flower gardens are showing off their finest colours. I planted several kinds of sunflowers and they are now blooming, their heavy yellow heads towering above everything. My goldenrod plant waves yellow in the breeze and my giant coral zinnias continue to add to the rainbow of flowers.

I have been visiting as many gardens as possible this month. With September lurking around the corner, I now realize how quickly the summer is passing.

I recently visited the Beausejour Day Lily Garden and marvelled at the variety of blooms. The garden, located off of Hwy. 44 is a treasure. There are pergolas and benches where you can sit and relax while admiring the beautifully maintained gardens.

Ah, the blissful joy of gardening…

I love gardens. For as long as I can remember, gardens have been part of my life.

I fondly remember the blackberries and raspberries my mother grew against her garage in the North End. Her flower garden was full of tiger lilies, day lilies and forget-me-nots. Multi-coloured chrysanthemums grew in her front garden every fall.

My grandfather was the vegetable gardener in the family. His garden was meticulous — straight rows and mulched pathways. He grew monster tomatoes, peppers, onions, beans, kohlrabi and cabbage. Most everything I learned about gardening, I learned from my grandfather.

It was my grandfather who helped me plant my first vegetable garden in the backyard of a house I was renting on Machray Avenue. That was 45 years ago. I have lived in several houses since then and have always managed to have a garden.

A marine adventure

I sit on the rocky shore and listen to the sound of the waves. Above me, gulls circle and cry.

Farther out on a little spit of land in the water a dozen white American pelicans stand and preen their feathers.

Where am I you might ask? No, I am not in the Maritimes, although that would be a reasonable guess.

I am at Hecla Island/Grindstone Provincial Park. Located on Lake Winnipeg, the park is a two-hour drive from Winnipeg. It is difficult to believe that this island exists in the middle of a prairie province.

A beautiful day in Sandy Bay

My husband Jeff and I are always on the lookout for new adventures. Because COVID-19 has curtailed our foreign travels, we are discovering some of the beautiful areas of Manitoba.

Our son recently bought some property in Sandy Bay, a subdivision of Victoria Beach. So, on a warm sunny day, we set out to explore the region.

Sandy Bay is situated on the north shore of the Victoria Beach peninsula, about an hour’s drive from our house at the end of Hwy. 59 (504). 

On the day we visited, the lake was very low, which enabled us to walk from Sandy Bay Beach across the sandbar to Elk Island Provincial Park. When the water is high, visitors need to wade through the water to reach the island.

The light at the end of the tunnel

On April 16, I walked into the RBC Convention Centre to receive my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

I had been anticipating this visit for a long time, as it appears that vaccinations are the best defense against COVID-19.

In September 2020, I turned 65 and suddenly realized that I had joined the age group most vulnerable to dangerous outcomes of the virus. I am a very young senior and consider myself healthy and in good physical shape. Becoming a senior, however, reminded me to continue strictly following public health directives. For many months, I have avoided large gatherings, worn a mask, washed my hands frequently, and allowed only the same two people into my house.

It was with great joy then, that I noticed my age group was eligible for the vaccine.

Hope springs eternal

“That is one good thing about the world … there are always sure to be more springs.” — Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea

Spring has come early this year. The sun is warmer, the days are longer, the snow is gone and the geese are returning to Riverbend Lake. These are the harbingers of this glorious season.

After a long winter of restrictions and lockdowns owing to COVID-19, Manitoba is slowly re-opening. As vaccines roll out, hope is on the horizon. We are not yet safe from this virus that has altered our lives and our world. However, each day brings us closer to the realization that one day this historic pandemic will be over and our lives will return to normal. In the meantime, I scan the daily health bulletins and stay positive. I have booked my vaccine appointment and look forward to the added protection. Spring is the season of hope.

On my daily outdoor walks, I see the world returning to life. Spring allows me to participate in nature’s rebirth. As a gardener, this is my time to witness the miracle of sun, soil and seeds. I have been dreaming of and planning my garden during the long cold winter months and am prepared to take action. I have planted 216 pods of seeds in my starter greenhouses. That’s a lot of seeds; I plan to give plants to friends and family.

Dreaming of travels old and new

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” - Augustine of Hippo

My husband and I have embraced winter and have enjoyed our daily outdoor hikes. However, during the second week of February when the polar vortex settled in, I began to dream about travelling.

I did not grow up as a traveller. I grew up in the North End of Winnipeg and my family did not have extra money for travel. Once a year, we crossed the border and spent two nights in Grand Forks. These were exciting times - shopping for new clothes and eating foods that were only available in the U.S.

I began to travel during my university years. In the summer of 1974, I traveled out west with three girlfriends. We rented a van and spent three weeks together on the road. We had no money, so we managed to travel on a shoestring. We slept on wall-to-wall air mattresses in the back of the van, shopped for groceries and cooked our meals on an old Coleman stove. We enjoyed skiing at Sunshine Village wearing gear from several lost-and-found collections. We visited the Rockies, Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle and Spokane. This was my first extended trip and I loved the experience.

Embracing a Winnipeg winter

I remember biking near the end of October, thinking that soon the snow, wind and cold would arrive, and I would be stuck indoors for months … not a pleasant thought.

My husband Jeff and I are retired. For the past 10 years, we have embraced the Canadian snowbird lifestyle. We endure winter until after the holidays and then happily fly away to warmer climates. However, COVID-19 has dashed our travel plans this winter.

When the Wellness Centre closed in early November, we made a vow to walk outside each day this winter. So far, we have kept to that vow. This winter has been mostly warm and we have discovered some amazing walks.

Some of the trails in Birds Hill Park, particularly the Cedar Bog Trail and the Lakeview Trail are among our favourite outings. The trails at Oak Hammock Marsh offer some interesting scenery. The Forks River Trail is beautiful.

The pandemic year: A personal timeline

In the warm Caribbean Sea in mid-January, while socializing with friends, the subject of the flu in China emerged. We had all heard or read something about it. It was decided that it was far away and not dangerous. We flew home from Barbados at the end of February and the airports and flights were normal.

On March 4, my husband and I flew to Phoenix, Ariz. By that time, there were more reports about the novel coronavirus but it still seemed far away.

Our vacation in Arizona was cut short. News reports told of the havoc COVID-19 was creating in Europe and Asia. When we heard Prime Minister Trudeau’s advice that all Canadians should return home, we cancelled our vacation and booked the next flight to Winnipeg.

Our flight left Phoenix on March 18. The aircraft was full of “snowbirds” anxiously returning home. The airports were deserted.

Life in the fast lane vs. life in the slow lane

What a difference a year can make. I recently revisited my December 2019 calendar. Every day was filled with activities. Daily, my husband and I spent some time exercising at the Wellness Institute. I volunteered every Thursday morning at the Nearly New Shop on Portage Avenue.

Each Friday afternoon, we would meet up with friends for Happy Hour at Carlos and Murphy's. My husband and I also regularly volunteered for the WAG, the Warehouse Theatre, MTC Mainstage and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.

On a Saturday evening at the beginning of December, we attended my girlfriend’s annual party.

The following Saturday, we joined 30 other family members and friends at McBeth House for a family Christmas celebration. On Christmas Day, we hosted a quiet dinner for our children and their partners.

The joy of birdwatching

What brings you joy in these COVID times?

Each morning, I sit in my kitchen with a cup of tea and watch the birds. They provide entertainment for me and connect me to the natural world.

I wasn’t always a bird watcher. Several years ago, my sister bought me a suet holder and a guide to Manitoba birds.

My husband and I set up a few feeders on our deck and my love of birds began.

The summer I got my mobility back

“Don’t it always seem to go That you don’t know what you’ve got  Till it’s gone…” — Joni Mitchell, Big Yellow Taxi  I recently celebrated my 65th birthday and I was delighted to receive many birthday wishes, cards, phone calls and gifts.

The greatest gift that I have received this year, however, is the gift of mobility. Five months ago I had hip replacement surgery and it has changed my life. 

Before the surgery, I was only able to walk for 10 minutes without experiencing pain. I would limp my way home and suffer for hours.

Now I am able to walk, hike and bike without pain. What a joy it is to enjoy the miracle of movement.

To everything there is a season

As I sit on my deck enjoying the cool evening breeze, I realize that the signs of fall are all around me.

My ornamental crabapple tree, full of pink flowers just a few months ago, now bears hundreds of tiny red crabapples. The petunias on my deck are near the end of their bloom cycle but the coleus are lush and flowering, still attracting bees and hummingbirds.

My tangled vegetable garden is slowing down. The tomatoes are ripening en masse. The delicata squash that I planted for the first time have overrun the garden. The squash, however, are beautiful – cream coloured with a delicate green stripe. I have harvested some of my potatoes and have started to clean up some of my flower gardens. I am already planning next year’s garden.

The leaves have started to turn and I have noticed more Canada geese landing on our lake each evening. The days are shorter and the nights and mornings are cooler. Fall is definitely in the air. Every season has its beauty, but the fall is spectacular.