From the President
Lorna McIlroy | President , ARTA
Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy ; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom .
— Marcel Proust
The members of my immediate family support me and allow my soul to blossom within the family unit , in our community , and far beyond . I have endeavoured to give my daughters and granddaughters wings as well as roots , and in return , they have allowed me the space to grow as a lifelong learner and the freedom to follow my dreams and passions .
My parents , already in their forties at my birth and busy with health issues and homesteading , gifted me with a carefree , unfettered childhood . My two brothers , who left us much too soon , encouraged me to push my limits . They did this by convincing me , the smallest , to run across the newly frozen dugout with the ice cracking behind me to determine if the ice was strong enough for skating . They also squeezed me through minuscule openings to explore forbidden places and report back to them .
I am grateful for my extended family , members of which live all around the world . We keep in touch , share family milestones , and visit whenever possible . I also cherish the ancestors that I have discovered in my genealogical pursuits , and I treasure the fascinating details that I discover . For example , as the local postmaster , my maternal grandfather was allowed the honour of offering his arm to Queen Victoria as she disembarked her ship to visit the western highlands of Scotland . My school families are extremely important to me , including desk mates from my earliest one-room school , high school classmates , university pals , and colleagues from my teaching career .
We keep in touch online and in person , celebrating milestones and sharing losses .
I am so grateful to Communities in Bloom ( CiB ) where I have volunteered as a judge since retirement . CiB has afforded me the privilege of visiting communities provincially , nationally , and internationally , seeing what makes them great , and giving evaluative observations and suggestions . My many judging partners and the community representatives have certainly enriched my life . Special bonds have been forged with rose growers from around the world as we meet with the World Rose Federation for regional and international conferences where lectures are presented , roses are judged , and friendships blossom . It is heartening to see our Canadian-bred roses flourishing in gardens around the world .
Finally , I am so grateful for the people associated with ARTA who have enabled me to live my best life as a retiree . I have certainly appreciated all the branch presidents , committee members , and particularly , executive members who share their time and expertise so generously . The ARTA officers and staff , like diligent gardeners , work daily to make our lives easier , richer , and better . The past thirty months have not been easy with the many trials of COVID-19 , but our ARTA officers and staff have persevered . They have even managed to look at recent challenges and turn them into opportunities . Thank you , ARTA . You , too , make my soul blossom ! news & views SUMMER 2022 | 5