a peek inside the fishbowl

.@violadavis won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. How she left a difficult past and found stardom: https://t.co/r2d6Bhf4rq #Oscars pic.twitter.com/xdOV5plhMg

— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) February 27, 2017

• Get real: why analogue refuses to die, theguardian.com
• The Sports Highlight Of The Day Is These Four Girls Vs. A Rat, deadspin.com
• 19 TripAdvisor Users Who Are 100% Done With Scotland, buzzfeed.com
• Groot’s oldest friend, imgur.com
• The Factious, High-Drama World of Bird Taxonomy, theatlantic.com

On the nightstand: The North Water: A Novel

I’m taking charge of my Tuesdays, well, at least, every other Tuesday. Every other Tuesday is my day off and I have decided to fight the urge to stay at home in my yoga pants and watch Netflix all day (and let’s be real, doing chores) and use this time to do something that will recharge my creative batteries. I think this will be good for me and my mental health.

On my first Tuesday, I went to the National Gallery of Canada. This time, I opted for an outdoor adventure because the weather was nice. So I grabbed my camera bag, packed a lunch, and took off for Lime Kiln Trail.

I’ve written about Lime Kiln Trail here before. It’s a short, easy stroll in the Stony Swamp region of the NCC Greenbelt.

This particular trail is known for some ruins of an old lime kiln and for the friendly birds you will inevitably meet along the way. And when I say friendly, I mean FRIENDLY. And eager! Boy. They’ll go anywhere for a seed: an outstretched hand, the top of a hat, a tripod…

We’ve come to hike, ski, or feed the chickadees in this area many times as a family, but being alone in the woods is a completely different experience. I presumed it was going to be quiet – and that I would revel blissfully in that quiet – but it was anything BUT quiet.

As I crunched along the patch I listened to the forest around me. The noise of traffic quickly died away and was replaced by birdsong: the GR-owk of crows, the honk-honk of the nuthatch, and the dee-dee-dee warning call of the black-capped chickadees. All of this was punctuated by the chatter of squirrels and the tap-tapping of woodpeckers.

I settled in with my camera equipment and container of seeds. It didn’t take them too long to find me (as you can see from the photos.)

The chickadees are such funny little creatures, aren’t they? If you have ever watched them in action you know what I mean. If there’s seed on the scene, they push each other out of the way with an angry (and very cute) little cheep. (I HAVE NO IDEA HOW SOMETHING SO ADORABLE CAN GET SO FURIOUS.) They sort through seeds with vigour and cram their beaks as full as they can. They swoop down and change their mind just as they’re about to approach, executing a perfect U-turn and landing gracefully on a slim branch without clobbering themselves. And they are so brave. As I was packing up to leave, those avian comedians were still landing on my head, despite the lack of seed. Who do they think they are? The daredevil clowns of the Ottawa forest? Sheesh.

My visit was, in a word: tranquil and restorative (sorry, that’s two words, but there it is). I could feel my busy brain repairing itself as I stood there, enjoying the scene. Now I’m mulling over what to do for my next Tuesday outing. Any suggestions? As long as it’s not something that feels like a chore, I’m all ears.

We have officially hit a new parenting milestone: we are filing our children’s taxes this year. The girls are 15 (almost 16) and 17 (almost 18!) and both of them have been working at real jobs that actually issue T4s. It’s a rite of passage! It started with allowances and savings and now we’re at the next chapter of the Personal Finance Manual. (I can’t believe we are here already. In fact, I have been working on a post about our eldest’s university application process. (!!) Stay tuned for that.)

One of the items on our list of things to explain in that Personal Finance Manual – and it’s a biggie – is that the Ontario government provides eligible individuals and families with a number of tax credits and benefits through the personal income tax system each year. So when the folks at the Ministry of Finance asked me if I could help get the word out** I had to say yes, especially since this year, in addition to filing for our daughters, we will also be helping my mother with her return too. Also: I can’t seem to keep up with all of the changes and updates!

The question on everyone’s mind as tax season comes around again is surely this: are we getting any money back this year?

We explained to our kids that residents of Ontario have to file a tax return with the Canada Revenue Agency each spring, even if they have received social assistance or have no income to report for 2016, to qualify for Ontario tax credits and benefits.

Although every situation is different, it’s helpful to look at some real-life scenarios:

• A single young adult earning $22,000 and paying $820/month in rent could get $777.
• A single parent with one child and an income of $27,000 paying $800/month and $400 for art lessons could get $2,236.
• A family of four with two kids and a combined income of $29,500 who paid $2,500 in property tax and $400 for music lessons could get $3773.

This is not pocket change! Make sure you file before April 30 to get your benefits on time!

Another good thing to know: if you forgot to apply for these Ontario credits and benefits in past years it may not be too late. Just call the Canada Revenue Agency at 1-800-959-8281.

Ontario’s tax system supports the province’s programs and investments in education, transportation, health care, infrastructure and skills. It is also a way the government delivers vital financial support to thousands of households. For example, the Ontario Child Benefit (OCB) puts money directly into the pockets of parents who need it the most. Receiving the monthly OCB payment helps over 500,000 low- to moderate-income families keep pace with the costs of raising children each year.

Here’s some good news for seniors – and those of us in the sandwich generation! The Ontario Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant supports seniors by providing up to $500 a year to help with the cost of their property taxes.

Some of the Ontario tax credits and benefits available include:

• Ontario Child Benefit
• Children’s Activity Tax Credit*
• Ontario Trillium Benefit
• Ontario Guaranteed Annual Income System
• Ontario Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant
• Healthy Homes Renovation Tax Credit*

* 2016 is the last year these credits can be claimed.

Last year, almost 60 per cent of Ontarians who filed a tax return got money back through the tax credits and benefits. This is why it’s important to take a minute and see how much money you or your family could get back. Try the Ontario Tax Credit Calculator and find out!

** This blog post is supported in part by the Ontario Ministry of Finance but my excitement about getting some $$ back is my own.