Don't be surprised if you  don't find it on any map - the cartographers have not yet discovered it. If you would like to know what MontLand is all about, I will tell you its story.

The flag above is the official national flag of a country Vera and Francis invented during the last Quebec referendum when Canada was threatened with dismemberment. We were so frustrated by our politicians recklessly playing with disaster, that one day Francis declared: "if Quebec goes, we go too! We will secede and create a new  country on our 50 acres and call it MontLand"

So we made the flag and waited. Luckily, the nation stayed together (just) and we did not have to follow through with our threat. But, so as not to waste the name, we called our business venture "MontLand Enterprises" and adopted the flag as our logo; a symbol of unity.

Beyond the story, "The Monts" is much more than the sum of its parts. It is a model of human relationship we strongly believe in: mutual respect, admiration, tolerance and interdependence - in two words: true love. We recommend it to any marriage (even Quebec and TROC). It works for us.

If you ask what we do on MontLand, the answer is:  "we live here" - the best way we think our lives can be lived. We love the simplicity of our values: blue sky and clean water; plants, insects, birds and other animals; gardening and chopping wood for exercise. We read a lot, Vera mostly novels; Francis is more somber: Philosophy, History,  Physics, and other 'boring' subjects. Vera writes short stories, essays and, so far, two and a half novels; Francis is  working on his book: "A Moral Survival Guide".  Vera does sculpture; Francis dabbles at woodcarving. Vera is a gourmet cook; Francis plays classical violin (working toward his Performer's ARCT at the RCM  in Mississauga). Vera's main avocation these days is art: sculpture, pottery and recycled pieces. Francis designs Internet Web Sites and programs computers from  small business PC's to large corporate mainframes.

We don't feel we need to impress anyone or live up to expectations other than our own. We don't need expensive toys or travel to exotic lands. We try to be as independent as possible: we have a solar power system that does not contribute to pollution and keeps our lights on even during thunder and snowstorms. Vera grows and preserves most of our own vegetables and - since we don't eat anything that visibly objects to being eaten - that is a big step toward self-sufficiency. We shop locally whenever possible; don't buy much made by 'globalized slaves' oversees; often buy used articles, and meticulously recycle what is left after composting. We don't play the financial games of loans, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, because we don't believe in compound interest. It makes the rich richer and the poor poorer,  regardless of (and often contrary to) their actual contribution to the world. We pay cash for what we want and wait until we have earned it.

Vera and Francis are the proud parents of two very nice, smart and funny kids: Michelle (the active one) and Andre (the contemplative one). And, of course, of our non-human children: Daisy (senior dog), Nicki(junior dog), Eric(our Lion King) and Cindy (intellectually challenged but sweet feline) who remind us constantly of how simple life is and how pleasant it can be. 

We like our neighbors - our community is rich in arts and crafts. There is a lot going on here: theatre, painting, sculpture, music, woodwork and lots and lots of gossip. We have been active in the Durham Art Gallery, been on the Autumn Leaves Studio Tour for three years, played music in local jams. We have been volunteering our resources for community programs and activities and plan to increase this contribution as our free time increases in the future.

We hope that this introduction to The Land of the Monts whetted your appetite sufficiently to step inside Vera's World and Francis's Domain for a closer look.