In the army, Firm Base is an important aspect of any attack. An attack must begin from a firm base and as the attack develops, commanders must continue establishing firm bases. This allows the attacking forces to maintain one foot on the ground and thus retain balance during the attack. Firm bases are established on terrain that provides the attacking forces an advantage in terms of fire and observation. A firm Base is a tactical area occupied by a part of the attacking force. In case the attack fails, the attacking troops fall back into the safe Firm Base.

In modern warfare involving international forces, a Firm Base can be described as a secure environment, at home and overseas, that sustains the Army, enables training for, and deployment on operations and ensures the consent and support of the public and host nations.

Applying this analogy to day to day living, our family, friends, community etc., provide us with a Firm Base at various stages in our lives as we tackle emerging challenges at school, college, our chosen career, breakup in a relationship, reversal in our fortunes and so on. When a person decides to leave his or her home and relocate overseas for higher studies or career prospects, initially one will feel like a fish out of the water as one adapts to a totally alien environment.

Who would need a firm Base in Canada?

Any new immigrant to Canada will require a Firm Base to fall back when the chips are down.  It isn’t easy to find one!

Recent immigrants to Canada who came seeking a new life, are here alone – with no close family or friends to help. They must adjust to living in a society that is new and strange. Some days are good, and some are bad. During the bad days, many wonder as to why at all did they decide to come to Canada. Over time, they adjust to the Canadian realities, feel comfortable, settle well and probably have more good days than bad.

During those days when they feel lost and down in the dumps, new immigrants need a Firm Base – a place they can go to, a person to whom they can confide their issues and seek advice and assistance.

We have been providing a Firm Base to many young people – mostly wards of Veterans – who immigrated to Canada. It begins with orienting them to the Canadian realities; providing food & accommodation for the settling down period; driving them to various Government offices for documentation; driving them to the grocery stores; finding schools for their children; help in rewriting their resumes; finding jobs; finding accommodation – the list goes on.

On 02 June 2023, at about 5 PM, I received a call from the Toronto Emergency Services, “Vicky, a University of Toronto student was evacuated by the ambulance as he had passed out on the streets of Toronto. Your number is listed as the emergency contact.” Vicky is the son of a Veteran friend. That day I was working on a tight schedule to meet an urgent business requirement. I rushed to the hospital. The drive that usually took 40 minutes, being a Friday evening, took 90 minutes.

Sheeba, daughter of a Veteran friend, was due for the delivery of her first child. Her parents could not get a Visa to be with their daughter. There was a minor complication and the gynecologist decided to induce labour before the due date. On the day she was admitted to the hospital with Shaan, her husband. I drove to their home – a drive of over an hour and stayed there for three days – to help them in case of any emergency or run any errands. By God’s grace, they were blessed with a smart boy without any complications.

Anmol, a Veteran who served for 15 years, a new immigrant, called me for help finding a job. I helped him rewrite his resume to a page and Bingo! He landed up as an Assistant Manager in a reputed firm.

A Veteran friend called me to say that his daughter Shrijani wanted a Canadian to co-sign the lease deed for an apartment as she was on a student Visa. I asked him to tell Shrijani to email me the form. In five minutes, I signed the form and returned it with my tax return. Shrijani was surprised that I did not ask her any questions. She said that her relatives in Canada asked her many questions, but declined to co-sign when it came to the requirement of attaching their tax return. They claimed that their Social Insurance Number (SIN) will be disclosed. (The tax return carries only the last three digits of the SIN – may be that their true economic status might be revealed.)

Hari, a Veteran’s son on immigration contacted me for help with settling down and finding a job. He was referred to by another Veteran who was my instructor in Army. He warned Hari, “He is a difficult man to understand, and it will take you a week to realise what he is worth. Listen to him and follow his instruction and you will do well in Canada.” Hari is today a Senior Project Manager with a leading Canadian bank.

Recently a Veteran friend called seeking help to resolve a domestic violence issue concerning his subordinate’s daughter. I refused to be involved in the case but advised him of the methodology to be followed. The same I reproduced as a Blogpost Canadian Immigration Woes – Please Click Here to Read.
A new immigrant is under a lot of professional, social, environmental, and academic pressure, and they need guidance to help them wade through. They cannot afford to fall through the cracks or become depressed or anxious.

A Firm Base will go a long way in ensuring a better future for the new immigrants.

For centuries, roses have inspired love and brought beauty to those who have received them. In fact, the rose’s rich heritage dates back thousands of years. People have been passionate about roses since the beginning of time. We have over fifty bushes in our garden.

Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, was fond of Red rose. He always wore a Red rose on his jacket until his last breath.

Red is the most popular color of roses sold at Valentine’s Day, making up 60% of sales worldwide.

It is said that the floors of Cleopatra’s palace were carpeted with delicate rose petals. Shakespeare refers to roses more than 50 times throughout his writings. It is also New York’s state flower.

1,000 years old. That’s the age the world’s oldest living rose is thought to be. Today it continues to flourish on the wall of the Hildesheim Cathedral of Germany.

It was in seventeenth century that French explorer Samuel deChamplain brought the first cultivated roses to North America. Roses are truly ageless. Recently, archaeologists discovered the fossilized remains of wild roses over 40 million years old.

The people of ancient Greece used roses on festive occasions to adorn themselves with garlands of roses and splash themselves with rose-scented oil. Napoleon’s wife Josephine so adored roses, she grew more than 250 varieties.

The largest rose bloom ever bred was a pink rose measuring approximately 33 inches in diameter, bred by Nikita K. Rulhoksoffski from San Onofre, California.

Red roses are the traditional symbol for love, romance. It reflects beauty and perfection. Myth has it that Venus’ son Cupid accidentally shot arrows into the rose garden when a bee stung him, and it was the ‘sting’ of the arrows that caused the roses to grow thorns. When Venus walked through the garden and pricked her foot on a thorn, it was the droplets of her blood which turned the roses red.

Pink Rose depicts gentleness, grace, gladness, joy and sweetness. It also conveys happiness, gracefulness, and admiration. It’s an elegant choice, perfect for a daughter, mother, or sister.

Bright, cheerful, and joyful are what come to mind when thinking of a yellow rose. Giving yellow roses can tell someone the joy they bring you and the friendship you share.

White roses, the purist of colors, represent innocence, purity, and charm. White roses are traditionally used in weddings and can represent new beginnings. Why white roses are so special is no mystery – it’s a myth. Perhaps it started with the Romans who believed white roses grew where the tears of Venus fell as she mourned the loss of her beloved Adonis.

The fun, fiery orange color conveys a message of happiness and joy. Give them to friends or family—really anyone who could use a mood-lifter! Orange roses symbolise passionate romance.

Purple roses range from lavender to darker hues, is a colour of royalty. It symbolises love at first sight and sincerity.

Love at first sight or just an enchanting way to say, I love you! Lavender roses can offer a daily reminder of your love and eagerness to grow your relationship.

Peach coloured roses are a sweet choice as a gift to your sister, teacher, or friend. It depicts appreciation and gratitude or a different way to say Thank You! They symbolise innocence and purity.

Cream roses are indicative of charm and thoughtfulness and goes well with pink thank you roses. Gifting a bunch of cream roses is an ideal way to show someone that you care – but without any romantic intentions.

“How did it happen that their lips came together? How does it happen that birds sing, that snow melts, that the rose unfolds, that the dawn whitens behind the stark shapes of trees on the quivering summit of the hill? A kiss, and all was said.” Victor Hugo

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” William Shakespeare

Peonies are outrageously beautiful in bloom, with lush foliage. They bloom from late May through June in Toronto. The flowers last only two weeks.

Their stems are not strong enough to support the heavy blossoms, hence they need support. Peony cages are placed in spring around the plant as they grow.

Peony is named after Paeon (also spelled Paean), a student of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine and healing. They are also the 12^th anniversary flower – because the peony symbolises honour, fortune, and a happy relationship.. It is the state flower of Indiana.

Peonies are native to China. They are highly valued there, and are often referred to as the King of Flowers. They were the national flower prior to 1929, when they were replaced by the plum tree. Chinese name for the peony is Sho Yu meaning Most Beautiful.

Peonies of three types grow in our garden- Tree Peonies, Herbaceous Peonies and Itoh peonies.

Herbaceous peonies (also known as bush peonies) die to the ground in Winter. They re-emerge in March, or when the snow melts. Many find that they are deer resistant, but not always. Peonies are long lived, minimal care plants.

Tree peonies are called tree peonies for the woody stems that they have. Tree peonies have woody stems that defoliate in the fall, but the woody stems stay intact, above the ground. They tend to bloom earlier and with larger flowers than the bush peony.

Itoh or Intersectional peonies are a cross between the herbaceous (or bush) peony and the tree peony. These crosses have produced new, exciting colors. The plants have the lovely leaf form of the tree peonies, but die to the ground in the Winter. Since they are recent introductions and are still in short supply they command a high price.

Itoh Peonies derive its name from Japanese horticulturist, Dr. Toichi Itoh, who successfully created seven peony hybrids from a tree peony bred with an herbaceous peony. Dr. Itoh passed away before ever seeing his creations bloom. Years later, American horticulturist, Louis Smirnow bought some of these original Itoh peonies from Dr. Itoh’s widow and continued Itoh’s work.

Peonies like full sun, and though they can manage with half a day, they bloom best in a sunny spot. They come in every color except for blue. Pink, and white, are the most popular colours. Peonies can live upto a hundred years. In ancient times peonies were believed to relieve headaches and help with asthma.

The Netherlands is the largest cut peony producer (over 40 % of the estimated world production.)surprisingly, Alaska comes next.

In two weeks the flowers wither and the pods are exposed. Like most hybrid plants, the seeds of the peony plant will not breed true when planted and are unlikely to produce a flower like the original parent plant.

Walking to the Butterfly Conservatory @ Niagara with our grandson James, Marina suddenly stopped and said, “What is this new road sign?”

I too looked at it carefully. It was that of a Bike Fix-it Station.
Niagara Falls is one of the most exciting cycling destinations in Ontario. The rolling landscape of the Region and breathtaking natural wonders provide a unique experience for enthusiasts or amateurs. From road courses to scenic trails, seeing Niagara on two wheels is not only great exercise but a memorable adventure.

On a drive to Niagara Falls, you will come across many cars laden with bicycles at the back. Varying sizes of the cycles indicate that it is a family activity for both adventure and for infotainment. Trains and buses to Niagara have special arrangements to carry bicycles.

Municipality of Niagara has established many Bike Fix-it Stations all along the cycling trails. Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport’s Bike Parking Capital Funding Program, Niagara Parks has undertaken a series of cycling amenity improvements along the Niagara River Recreation Trail, designed to enhance and promote cycling tourism in Niagara and Ontario.

The Fixit station includes all the tools necessary to perform basic bike repairs and maintenance, from changing a flat to adjusting brakes and derailleurs. The tools are securely attached to the stand with stainless steel cables and tamper-proof fasteners.

Hanging the bike from the hanger arms allows the pedals and wheels to spin freely while adjusting or repairing.

Every station is provided by a hand pump for tire inflation.

Cycling in Niagara is one of the best outdoor adventures to experience in Ontario. There are lots of paved bike paths, expansive green spaces, and beautiful waterways throughout Niagara Falls and Niagara region. It’s easy to hop on your bike and ride for days. The Parkway has been named one of the Top 10 cycling routes in the World, stretching over 58 km along the Canadian side of the Niagara River.
Learn to ride a bicycle. You will not regret it if you live – Mark Twain
The bicycle is the most civilised conveyance known to man. Other forms of transport grow daily more nightmarish. Only the bicycle remains pure in heart. – Iris Murdoch, Irish author