Welcome to the B.C. Day long weekend, not to mention the halfway mark of what us Canadians like to call summer.

I don’t know why but I’m especially happy to have a long weekend right about now, and what does it do, or at least forecast to do? Why, rain, of course.

After a month of virtually no rain, in fact a record lack of precipitation, the calendar changes Thursday and it rains.

Now, it seems pretty pathetic to whine about rain after a month (when usually it can rain a fair bit, so much so that I stopped booking my holidays for July and switched to August which is usually much more reliable, heavy sigh) of spectacular summer weather. If one didn’t take advantage then, even without time off, then boo hoo on you.

And we certainly need the rain. The forests are too dry for comfort, it would be nice to get rid of that pesky campfire ban (nothing worse than camping in the rain during a campfire ban) and my lawn’s starting to look like burnt toast (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Still, it could have waited until Tuesday to start raining……

……the other good thing about B.C. Day, unlike some other statutory holidays, is that it’s pretty much guilt-free time off and there’s nothing to stress about (except maybe about getting a camping site or getting on the road in time to beat the holiday traffic etc.)

Certainly we should be appreciative of our wonderful province and all Beautiful B.C. has to offer all year long but there’s no real obligation to wave the flag or set off fireworks (actually that’s banned right now anyway) or even organizing colouring contests for the kids.

Of course we’re proud of our part of this country and we know we’re No. 1 in so many categories it’s not even funny but, to be honest, sometimes I wonder about our flag.

I think I know why they don’t  have colouring contests featuring the B.C. flag. It’s too complicated. Talk about fear of going outside the lines.

That’s the beauty of the Canadian flag, a couple stripes of red, one of white and a maple leaf. Certainly the maple leaf has some detail to it but you know, even kids, approximately what it looks like and can wing it with some success.

The B.C. flag has wavy blue and white lines and a setting sun and a British top half that all goes together to proclaim “enough already.”

It would be difficult to trace, let alone draw.

Now don’t get me wrong I’m a proud British Columbian and if anyone else knocked our flag I would take issue with it.

And I get the British imagery, hey it‘s in our name, and even the setting sun as the western most part of Canada and I guess the blue and white lines signify the ocean or something but maybe we’re trying too hard here. Hey throw in a few trees and whales why don’t you?

Simpler is usually better than cluttered anytime.

However it’s not like the other provinces are doing any better with their flags. Ontario and Manitoba are virtually interchangeable and Nova Scotia is probably the best and most easily recognizable due to its simplicity (although I like New Brunswick too for some reason).

I also like Newfoundland, even though it’s a bit of a salute to geometric shapes, which is the most modern, and the only one that’s actually been updated.

Now I also know you don’t go around changing things just to look modern, tradition counts for something. I also understand some people are still upset about the Canadian flag becoming a salute to the maple leaf in the sixties, although I’m glad they did and it helped create a Canadian identity, separate from Britain. So good on them.

However it’s just food for thought on this B.C. Day holiday weekend. I’m not here to launch a referendum or anything. Nothing to get stressed or upset about because that’s not what this weekend is all about.

Just enjoy and stay safe B.C.

 

Vernon Morning Star