Hello to all of our dear friends at Tesfa’s Shelter! This is Lisa writing to you from Woodstock.
Summer will be here in a couple of weeks. Already, we are enjoying lovely warm weather and sunny skies. We have had lots of rain which is very good for the farmers who have planted their crops. As you know, Oxford County is agricultural which means that there are a lot of farms here! Woodstock is a city but it is surrounded by farmland. Some of the most common crops are: corn, wheat, and soybeans. There used to be many tobacco farms in Oxford County, but over the years, the tobacco industry has changed – maybe that is partly because smoking is not as common as it once was, thank goodness! People are not allowed to smoke cigarettes inside of public buildings like restaurants and stores. Years ago, people could smoke anywhere which was very unpleasant for those of us who didn’t smoke. I can’t stand the smell of cigarettes and breathing in air polluted by smoking is not good for your health. I hope that all of you will protect your health and choose not to smoke.
One of the wonderful things about living here in Oxford County is how close we are to farms that grow delicious food. Late spring (which is the season we are in right now) is time for fresh asparagus, and soon fresh strawberries will be available. We have farms nearby that you can visit to pick your own fruit. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and later this summer, there will be fresh sweet corn that is so delicious to eat. Later this summer, I will buy lots of corn on the cob and will barbeque it, then put the corn in the freezer so that we can enjoy roasted corn on salads and in soups all winter long. I also like to buy lots of tomatoes which I roast in the oven and then freeze, so that I can make tomato sauces all winter long.
Some people have vegetable gardens in their back yards to grow their own food. I do not have a vegetable garden, although I do grow fresh herbs like basil, rosemary, thyme, and parsley, and use those herbs in my cooking. I would like to grow vegetables, but don’t really have enough room in my back yard. Plus, I have three dogs who race around the back yard and trample any nice flowers that I plant, so I don’t think a garden would be a success! I wonder if my dogs would eat the vegetables in a garden?
Even though there is so much wonderful food grown near us, there are many families that cannot afford to eat well. Groceries are very expensive. The food that is the most healthy – fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, and proteins like meat and fish – is sometimes something that families cannot afford. Our schools are noticing that more and more school children are coming to school hungry and do not have a healthy lunch to eat. So, there will be fundraising done to help pay for school nutrition programs which provide healthy food for all children in the schools. I will want to give some money to help support that program. I am grateful that my family has lots to eat, and I am very grateful that Tesfa and Kal are able to provide you with good food to eat to help make you healthy and strong.
I imagine that you will soon be finished school and will have a little break before starting the next school year. Did you have a successful year at school? Were there school subjects that you found particularly interesting? What was the most interesting thing you learned about this year? When I was in school, many years ago, my favourite subjects were English (learning about English literature), French (which is Canada’s other official language), history, and music. I did NOT like science and math as much. But I worked hard and managed to get good marks (usually) even in subjects that I didn’t like. We all have our own favourite subjects and areas of interest. Sometimes, a teacher can make all the difference – an excellent teacher who is able to share their knowledge of a subject and inspire their students is one of the greatest gifts a child will have. I hope you have teachers and other people in your lives who inspire you. There will probably be many people who you will meet in the years to come who will inspire you. As you learn and grow as a person, your strengths and your life story will likely be an inspiration to other people, too. I know that I am always so impressed when I hear about your efforts and accomplishments and how helpful and kind you are to each other.
I will finish this letter now and wish you all a wonderful school break! I am so excited that your Grandma Shelley will be visiting you again in a few weeks! I will look forward to hearing about your time together.
With love,
Lisa