Enjoying the Long Weekend

This weekend is Victoria Day weekend in Canada, which is a holiday to celebrate Queen Victoria's birthday.  For most Canadians, it's just a long weekend that is usually celebrated with camping, drinking, fireworks and swimming.  It's the weekend most open their cottages and trailers for the season and is the unofficial start to summer for many of us.  Unfortunately, Brandon has to work this weekend- except Monday, so we haven't been able to take advantage of camping or anything away from home this year. 
However, we have managed to get outside for some walks and exploration and been able to enjoy some drinks.  Today, while Brandon was working, I had an opportunity to visit The Big Carrot, an organic food store in Toronto.  Last year, when Brandon lived in that area we found The Big Carrot while walking around the city, and frequented the store each week for our organic fruits & veggies.  Now, living back in with our parents, we aren't responsible for our own groceries.  However, after discussing it (and other green/organic eating habits) we thought it'd be nice to have some organic fruits and vegetables for ourselves.  The cost is really worth it in the end, and that's what so fantastic about The Big Carrot- the prices are reasonable and within a regular food budget.

Realizing I was traveling into the city to head to the organic food store (and how counter "green initiative" that seemed), I tried my best to travel as much as I could via public transit.  While Toronto has a decent transit system, it definitely doesn't span the geographical locations it should (which is always a political debate in the news).  So I was forced to drive a 15 minute drive to our light rail transit system, which took me to the subway.  The Big Carrot is mere minutes from Broadview subway station, so it was a beautiful walk in the lovely summer weather among the classic colonial style homes in the area, which I would love to own.  Homes that I'm sure cost more than all the members of our families' combined annual incomes!  Regardless, it's nice to have dreams, right?
Of course, Toronto and it's people never cease to surprise me.  On my walk, an older gentleman asked me if I wanted company wherever I happened to be going.  I kindly declined.  On my way back, he was still waiting outside his home and asked me where I was headed next, then asked me if my walk was as lovely as I looked.  Perhaps I should have stopped to have a conversation and seen if he'd be willing to sell me his home at 1/10th of the cost it's worth?!

During my travels, I saw two signs that made me happy.  The first on the subway, encouraging passengers to share our small city free newspaper in a light and humourous way:

The second, was at the LRT station which had one garbage and two recycling bags, meaning the city is (hopefully) seeing more opportunities for actually recycling the many items consumers are throwing away.  If only, they would get rid of the plastic bags.

All this discussion prompted me to begin creating and writing my offshoot blog I've been wanting to do for a while now, Eco Econ-scious.  Instead of doing the Eco Econ segment on this blog, I'm taking it onto the new blog, but amplified.  Eco Econ-scious will have tips & tricks on being more environmentally friendly, articles of interest, other blogs and websites relating to anything environmental, organic or just living a better life, and as much as possible all this will be presented with your hard earned dollar in mind.  So, head on over to Eco Econ-scious!  It's still a work in progress, so be patient with me, but be sure to make any suggestions you think would be helpful.