Happy Can/Am day/week!

I was looking around the “Bloggers Unite” site, and was drawn to this image:

I’ve noticed for years, now, that Canada Day and the US Independence Day are very close together. (My observation skills are legion!), so why not celebrate them both? They have similar themes. I won’t get into the historical ramifications of the holidays, other than that they express, for both nations, a commitment to freedom for the individual, and pride in our accomplishments. The “Bloggers Unite” assignment is to write about something both nations share. That’s a lot of things to choose from!

I choose to write about the Rocky Mountains. I first experienced the Colorado Rockies in my youth, and thought they were spectacular. I live in the region known as “the four corners” (named this because four states, [Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico] all come together in an almost perfect rectangle) and I have stood in the spot, unique in the States, where all four states meet. I consider the four corners region to be most representative of the Southwest, and there is an affinity among the four states here. While I don’t live in Colorado, I took some local pride and ownership of the Colorado Rockies.

I can make no such claim to the Canadian Rockies. I’ve spent some time in British Columbia and Alberta. I must admit that, so far, I have not been further east in Canada than Alberta, even though I have family near Niagara Falls who have encouraged me to visit. I shall, someday, really! I’d love to visit Montreal and Toronto! But for now, I will say that traveling from BC to Alberta afforded me one of the most stunningly beautiful; mouth-droppingly gorgeous journeys through any mountains I’ve ever undertaken. I mean this literally—I could not keep my mouth shut (and I wasn’t talking! or eating!), it kept dropping open at the sheer magnificence of the views.

Keeping in mind that I have not visited the Swiss or Italian Alps yet, I must say that the Canadian Rockies, specifically, are the most beautiful mountains I’ve seen—and we have many wonderful ranges on the north American continent. There are some nice pictures in the Wikipedia article about the Rockies, including one of my favorite views in Banff.

So, I wish all my Canadian friends a (belated) Happy Canada Day, and my US friends a peaceful and exciting Independence Day. To those reading from other countries, you are invited to celebrate with us! As with Canada and the US, there is more uniting us than dividing us. In these times, my wish is for freedom and peace for all who seek them.

Can/Am Celebration News