Antoinette and Michael are both lifelong musicians, environmentalists and Guardians of Nature. Antoinette remembers one of their first adventures hiking in the mountains.

 “I was overwhelmed by the feeling of how much I depend on the mountains—knowing they will always be there for me.  They are a constant.“  Michael adds,  “Our kids have been hiking and adventuring with us since before they could walk when I would carry them on my back.  Today, those kids are still passionate about nature and experiencing and exploring natural wonders with their own spouses and families.”

We asked them why giving to Nature Canada is so important to them and they shared:

 “We feel good about supporting Nature Canada because together, our voices are stronger. It makes us feel less alone to know that we are part of a community of like-minded and like-hearted souls. Passion powers it all. If there are enough of us who raise our voices and insist, demand and act for nature, a sea change can occur.”

Antoinette is also a poet.  Much of her inspiration comes from reflecting that everything in nature is connected and inherently sacred.  As she puts it,  “The environment is not out there, separated from us: it is us.”  One of Michael’s favourite authors is John Muir.  He loves this notion: “When one tugs at one single thing in nature, you find it is connected to the rest of the world.” 

From mountains to oceans to forests, inspiration in nature is everywhere!

A Walk in the Woods

I can not walk past
a flock of waxwings
in the woods.  I have to
stop and watch each one
alight on the tip of a twig
until the spruce bears a crown
of birds, birthday candles live and high
in the sky.

 I push back my cap
and free my ears
to hear the whir of their wings
and the buzz of their voices
like tiny beads strung on winter air.

Above our heads
they sail, they float
no weight to their bodies
till one drops like a stone
to a lower branch
and each one follows
in its wake
a whoosh of displaced air.

If the hairs on our heads
are numbered like waxwings
then I am numbered
with an elegant crowd. 

         — Antoinette Voûte Roeder

Thank you so much Antoinette and Michael for sharing your story and this beautiful poem. And thank you for your generous gifts month to month working to protect and restore Nature in Canada.

Become a Guardian of Nature Today

Monthly giving is incredibly valuable in helping us ensure we can continually protect the nature and wildlife we love. Want to become a Guardian of Nature monthly donor? Or share with us what inspires you to give month after month? I’d love to hear from you. 

You can reach me for a confidential conversation about your generosity in action and about how you could help protect wildlife and wilderness month after month at 1-800-267-4088 ext. 225 or by email: mdubeau@naturecanada.ca.