Thanksgiving in Canada

Last weekend was a long weekend for Canadians. Monday October 14^th was Thanksgiving. It doesn’t have the same origins as the American Thanksgiving but seems to be more of a celebration of the autumn harvest and opportunity for family get-togethers, which is exactly what we did. We had a lovely Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday evening with all the trimmings thanks to Nancy and Monica’s efforts in the kitchen. (We are getting new favourites to try back home each day)

On Monday the family who were able  to went up to Westminster Abbey for a walk through the beautiful forest with lots of fun photo opportunities and a look at the Monastery’s church. 

 

 

This is the view out over the Fraser River and while up here we watched a Bald Eagle fly right by. 

 

 

Westminster Abbey was built in the 1950's and 60's and is a more elegant combination of concrete and glass than lots of the new Christchurch building designs. The windows are amazing and done in blocks of colour around like a rainbow. We entered the church as the Monks were doing one of their services and it was beautiful to listen to – the kids even recognized some Latin phrases.

We enjoyed a left over Thanksgiving turkey picnic lunch by the Fraser River, with some stone skipping of course. Then the boys went shopping and the girls took the kids to Willow View Farm for a delightful fall farm experience – after a stop at Starbucks of course. The farm was just like we remembered going to Peach Tree Farm in Columbia. All those bright orange pumpkins with some fun photo spots and a great petting zoo with turkey chicks, hens, pigs, goats a miniature horse. We got a few supplies from their Country store including fresh apple cider. Yum!

 

 

 

The day ended at Unc G’s house with John Deere driving lessons, hide and seek with the cousins, Monica’s awesome nachos and  toasting marshmellows round the fire pit.

And so ended another glorious day in British Columbia. The weather has been unseasonably wonderful for us and we are making the most of it.