HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CANADA!

Oh, the food, the fireworks, and the fun! Tomorrow is CANADA DAY, and it’s our country’s 150^th birthday, so I plan to celebrate by doing as many Canadian things as I can. All. Day. Long.

I’m kicking off the morning by eating pancakes (made with canola oil) drizzled with maple syrup, and then spending a half hour reading the latest Superman Duffy graphic novel, “O”—which is all about Canadian inventions and inventors! (The author and illustrator are Canadian too!) And maybe some Superman comics! 

After that, I’m going to shoot some hoops with my friend Sophie while we wait for my mom to take us all to the Farmer’s Market—with a quick stop at Tim Horton’s for Mom’s favourite coffee, of course. I’ll probably snack on some Ketchup chips or maybe indulge in a Canadian chocolate bar, like Coffee Crisp, Smarties or Big Turk while we wander the market.

After the Farmer’s Market, we’re going to the park for a picnic with my grandparents (if Grandpa can get away from work on the farm), and maybe go kayaking where we are almost guaranteed to see a beaver. No, seriously. Hopefully the weather stays nice, but it’s been kind of strange lately.

For dinner, Grandma and Mom are barbequing up some delicious hamburgers, with a side of poutine. Yum! Mom even hinted at a strawberry shortcake (red and white obviously) so we can sing Happy Birthday to Canada.

And then, my entire family is going into the city to watch the fireworks. I bet they are spectacular!

I know, it’s a pretty full day. How will you celebrate? You can get a copy of the new (and last!) Superman Duffy graphic novel at the Calgary Stampede next week, or by contacting the Alberta Canola Producers’ Commission. Can’t wait? Check out my Blogging From A to Z Challenge from April and learn about a bunch of things that are uniquely Canadian.

I’m proud to be Canadian and looking forward to celebrating with all of you. Gotta jet!

~ Chase Superman Duffy

When You Wish Upon A Star…or Meteor

One of the reasons I love going out to my grandparent’s canola farm (aside from running around it, of course) is because on a clear night, you can see THOUSANDS of stars.

I’ve looked for them in the city, and while I can often point out The Big Dipper, or some of the other well-known constellations, it’s hard to really see the stars with all of the other light pollution.

Which is why next Friday, I’ll be hanging out at the farm for Meteor Watch Day. Apparently June 30 is the day that people see the most meteors—otherwise known as shooting stars. Did you know that shooting stars are actually very small? Thousands of these pebble-to-fist sized stars enter the Earth’s atmosphere on a daily basis, but few reach the surface. When they do, they’re called meteorites.

You can learn more about outer space in the Superman Duffy graphic novel IT’S A BLAST! But it’s actually the “legend” of the shooting star that has me excited for Friday, not necessarily where they fit in the galaxy. As far back as AD 127-151 (a long, long time ago) the Greek astronomer Ptolemy declared that these shooting stars were actually Gods looking down on us—and since the Gods were looking at us, they’d probably be receptive to wishes.

I know, it could be a myth. But with summer holidays just around the corner, I have a LOT of wishes—like, I wish for…oh wait, I can’t say it aloud right now! I’ll just whisper it to the first shooting star I see on June 30. What would you wish for? You have a week to think of some good ones!

Need some ideas? Check out the Superman Duffy graphic novel AS YOU WISH to see what happens when you make wishes that aren’t…sustainable. It’s a pretty funny read.

Gotta jet! Have a great week.

~ Chase Superman Duffy

Around The World: Celebrating With Dad

My dad says he’s my biggest blog fan, which may be true since he always brings up the topics of my writing at the dinner table on Friday nights. So, I won’t tell you how *I* am celebrating Father’s Day this year, because I don’t want to spoil the surprise.

But because I’m learning all about different cultures in honour of Canada’s 150^th birthday, I took a look at how Father’s Day is celebrated around the world. And I learned that it isn’t the same across the globe—in some cases, it’s not even on the same day! In Australia, for instance, the day for honouring Dad occurs on the first Sunday in September. Same with New Zealand. 

In Thailand, Father’s Day is celebrated on the birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (that’s a mouthful) on Dec 5. The King gives a speech and many people in the country wear pink to honour him. Canna Lilies are a popular gift. 

Men—not just fathers—are celebrated in Russia. The Feb. 23 holiday started as a military commemoration, and soldiers are still honoured in parades throughout the country. 

Mexico honours Father’s day with a 21K Father’s Day race (hey, Dad, let’s go there next year!) and people in Brazil celebrate St. Joachim on Aug. 2. St. Joachim is the patron saint of fathers and grandfathers.

Interesting, right?

I’m always fascinated by how different cultures celebrate the various holidays, especially since Canada is such a culturally diverse country. Speaking of Canada…the 16th (and *gulp* final) book in the Superman Duffy series of graphic novels is AT THE PRESS! I can’t wait to share it with all of you. Contact the Alberta Canola Producers’ Commission to see about getting YOUR copy.

Gotta jet! Happy Father’s Day everyone—I hope it’s a special one!

~ Chase Superman Duffy