Saturday 29 November 2014

Safe Arrival by Susan L.

  The back road to Sarnia is long and often winding. Four hours behind the wheel covers a lot of beautiful, mostly rural scenery. The route passes through quaint villages, some so small that if you blink, you miss them. There's one about half way called Seaforth although it's about as landlocked as they come. By the time I get there, i's time to stretch my legs and get a coffee refill.
  Not long after is another small town, Zurich, with the best bakery this side of the US. It's nice to take some baked goodies along and worth another brief stop. Their varieties of butter tarts are absolutely scrumptious. It was overflowing with construction workers buying their hearty sandwiches, soup and pies slices for their lunch. Good food for good prices. Like seniors and truck drivers, they know the best places to eat.
  There is a good sized population of Mennonites in the country between Alliston and Sarnia. They have very little to do with modern conveniences except perhaps having electricity in the barns if they run a dairy operation. Refrigeration is mandatory. It isn't unusual to pass a horse drawn buggy on the road drawn by a Standardbred trotter or pacer who didn't make it in the racing world.
  This year has seen a lot of corn un-harvested. I passed field upon field either untouched or only partially harvested. The late spring meant the crop matured late. A wet summer and fall has made it impossible for the combines to get out do their thing. The high demand for limited grain drying services has meant a back log. To store the grain damp is to risk fire. Mostly, the ground needs to freeze without any snow so the heavy equipment can work without getting bogged down. I hope that happens. The amount of corn standing represents millions of dollars. It's tough enough to make a living in agriculture without these additional worries. My thoughts and prayers are for those who are still waiting for the harvest.
  I pass by a couple of wind farms too. A stark contrast to the horse and buggies. The massive white windmills have their own kind of beauty as they reach to the heavens, their massive blades sweeping round and round. For some reason, there are always a few not turning regardless of how hard the wind is blowing. I'm not an engineer, simply puzzled. They represent a huge investment so you'd think they'd work. And yes, there is a fair bit of controversy around them. Still, they are lovely to watch.
  There's so much to see but mostly I kept my eyes on the road. Good thing, eh?
  "But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully." 2 Cor 9:6

 
 

1 comment:

  1. I miss butter tarts - Americans have no understanding of this thing. I have my mother's recipe and am going to give it a try this Christmas. And I love reading your posts! You have such a gift for detail that I can see it unfolding in my mind. Blessings to you and your family :-)

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