My friend's father passed from this life early this morning.  He had struggled with metastatic colon cancer for several years.  Actually, he did not struggle until just recently.  He passed peacefully this morning at the Hospice house in Prince George.  As deaths go, it was as peaceful as it gets.  My friend is now alone, save for her cousins.  Her brother and mother both passed several years ago. 

This made me ponder the future for two of my grandchildren who are single children.  It is important that they stay in touch with their cousins as, one day, cousins will be the only family connection they have.  Family ties are important.  No, one does not have to live on the doorstep of the other, but to get together once in a while to connect with a bond that you have with no other human being, is important and grounding.  I find that, when I get together with family, I enjoy just sitting back, listening and observing the strong traits that run through our genes.  One thing I have noticed, without fail, is that we are a family of incredibly strong women.  Get togethers can be on the extreme end of the energy spectrum, but interesting all the same.  So, for those of you without siblings, connect with your cousins.  You will find a comfort there, no matter how crazy they are, that you won't find with anyone else.

With that, I look forward to getting together with family in Victoria in January.  We are supposed to get together on the anniversary of my late mother's birthday, which in my opinion has been flogged to death, but whatever.  Getting together is a good idea, no matter what the reason.  For me, it gets me out of the bush.  I connect with my sisters and nieces, reminding me there is more to life than farming and bush life.  I also hope it helps my urban relatives see that there is also more to this great country than urban pursuits.  It is people like Dennis and me who provide food for tables, all the while consuming few resources while doing so.

Please feel free to comment on anything you read here.  Just click on the "no comments" spot and a comment box will appear.  I enjoy good discussions of views and opinions respectfully exchanged. 
Bye for now.

Here is a sample of our chicken production.
All grown without chemicals, antibiotics or anything not completely natural.  They are fed grain and wild vegetation that I pick from the property.  Each day I will take the quad and trailer up into the farm, fill the trailer with mostly pea vine, and bring it back to the chicken yard.