The Rural Voice, 2004-01, Page 644 CROP Q
WATCH
Crop Consulting
Nutrient Management
Planning & Consulting
Provincially Certified
— Les Nichols - CCA - ON —
Tel: 519-392-8037
Fax: 519-392-8495
Lem.uI. Inichols@ti ightman.ca
� r
1'
from
Elma Steel
and Equipment Ltd.
"The Great Steel Place"
Elma Steel and Equipment Ltd.
offers a large selection
of inventory, scheduled delivers/
to central southwestern
Ontario and experienced,
professional service.
* HR Sheet * Plate * Angles
* Flat Bar
* Beams * Pipe * Channel
* Round, Square &
Rectangular Tube
* Expanded Metal
* Bar Grating
* Round and Square Bar
* Check Plate
* Mechanical Tube
* Roof Decking
* Reinforcing Bar & Mesh
* Cold Rolled Round & Flat
2 CONVENIENT LOCATIONS
Listowel
515 Tremaine Ave. S.
1-800-669-2931 OR 519-291-1388
FAX 519-291-1102
Owen Sound
1399 2nd Ave. East
1-800-567-7412 OR 519-371-8111
FAX 519-371-6011
FOR YOUR STEEL
REQUIREMENTS
2 THE RURAL VOICE
Carol Riemer
Keeping life simple
Carol Riemer
is a freelance
writer Who
lives with her
husband and
two
children near
Grand
Valley,
Ontario.
If you ask me, advice is one of the
ea.:;iest things to get. Really good
ad 'vice. however, is much more
difficult to come up with, especially
wh en it concerns family and friends.
Recently, an old friend was
locking for ways to cope with the
eve;r-increasing demands of city life.
When she asked me for some hints on
how to achieve the sweet simplicity
of ►:ountry living. I was taken aback.
Life hasn't been simple, I told her.
sin ce the day we moved in and the
waiter pump decided to rebel. That
firs frigid winter did a lot to change
my perspective. after I slipped off the
bark deck, and promptly sank in a
sno:)wdrift up to my knees. Defrosting
a firozen waterline in the middle of
the night gave me a whole new
outtlook on the benefits of bucolic
Shooing the neighbour's cow out
of my garden wasn't so bad, but
chasing wasps in the attic is
sornething I would rather forget.
Our differences aside, 1 could see
wht ere my stressed -out city friend was
corning from. After a hectic holiday
sea son, I too have been tempted to
ren ounce all but the most necessary
creature comforts, and would like to
retreat to a,quieter, more reflective
stake of mind. Invariably, I find
my self drawn to the countless healthy
cooking and exercise shows that fill
the airwaves. I scour the self-help and
life style sections of our local
bookstore, acutely aware that 1 am
not: alone in my search for the simple
life .
Changes in lifestyle usually
inv olve some form of commitment,
mo re than a little sacrifice, and a
wh ole lot of soul searching. But, the
rewards, I am told, can be awesome.
Sampling just a thin slice of humble
pie, I'm convinced that wholesome,
nutritious fare is the way to go. A
bubbling crock of baked beans or a
steaming bowl of hot chili
accompanied by a loaf of home -
baked btead should appease my
family's appetite and satisfy their
spirits, as well. In the evening,
snuggled up by the fire, there is
comfort to be found in simple
pleasures. Sharing a good book, and
enjoying the company and
conversation of friends and family
are still great ways to warm a cold
country night.
A leisurely walk in the woods
always helps me to put things into
perspective. Heading out into the
frosty winter air, I come across a set
of tiny tracks that disappear beneath a
pile of fallen branches. Sheltered
from the cold. a couple of winter
birds huddle together, waiting
patiently for me to move on.
It's peaceful and quiet. out here.
The only sounds seem to come from
the wind, as it whistles through the
trees. accompanied by the distant call
of the jays. Across the rolling terrain.
a neighbour's barn rises up on the
horizon. like a tall ship in a'snowy
sea, its boards worn grey by weather
and time.
Further on. the path rises and falls
in subtle harmony with the landscape.
Twisting and turning through the
cedars, it casually skirts the snow-
capped rocks, before moving on,
toward the frozen marsh. It might be
just another winter scene, something
to be captured on canvas, if not for
the underlying message it carries.
Whispered in the winter wind, it
cautions us to slow down, to take
some time, and benefit from the
wisdom that only comes from
keeping life simple.
It's something my city friend
might listen for, the next time she
takes a walk in the park. A simple
answer to a complex question, but it
still sounds like good advice to me.0