I've Been Tagged

Natalie tagged me so here's my photo and story...

Here's what you do:

1. Open your 1st Photo folder.
2. Scroll to the 10th photo.
3. Post the photo and the story behind it.
4. Tag 5 or more people.

The story behind this photo was a trip to Alberta that Richard and I took in May 2008. We stayed in Canmore and one afternoon, friends from Calgary came for a visit and we all went out for dinner. Here we are in the lobby of the Windtower with Dara and her charming boyfriend. I think the concierge took the photo. I think I never posted it because we're so teeny tiny in it. But we had a fantastic weekend and I'd go back to Canmore in a heartbeat.

I tag:
1. Jennifer
2. Jenny
3. Richard
4. Susan
5. Carmi

Menagerie a Toi

On the weekend, Richard and I headed over to see Natalie and Gordon's menagerie.


Natalie is definitely the chicken whisperer.


I think if I come back to this earth, I want to be one of Natalie's hens and live in the Palais de Poulet. You get to sleep under a heat lamp...


...and play with a suspended, purple cabbage. Looks like fun!


Here's me giving calico Naomi a quick hug.


Naomi didn't seem to mind being passed around from arm to arm. Here's Gordon giving her a snuggle...


...and then Gordon snuggled the gecko.


Here's Natalie with the gentle giant dogs Tristan and Sophie. They're amazingly good with the hens.


More snuggling with big orange boy Julius.


And I can't forget to mention the lovely Alex, the three-legged tabby boy who was a perfect charmer. It was a great evening spending time with good friends and their two-and three-and four-legged buddies.

Winter into Spring

The weather has been incredible these past few weeks so I decided to take a walk and see what's what.


The ice on the stream is breaking up and the water is running. I just love that sound.


The sun is melting everything but nothing is really green yet except moss atop an old stump.


The pussywillows are really starting to come on strong.


Last year's grasses are appearing from under the receding snow pack.


Say goodbye snow! See ya next year!


Another sure sign of spring? Tim Horton cups scattered everywhere along the roadside.

Time Lapse Photography

Last Saturday, Richard and I had our poutine picnic in the woods.


Yesterday, after four days of temperatures close to 10C, this is what it looks like back there now.


Here's Richard in the woods last Saturday.


Four days later there's hardly any snow left at all.

Nancy's Truck Stop

I noticed an abandoned Truck Stop just east of Hawkesbury.

I just love the hand-cut, wooden type face. 

And look at the ghost wall behind the wooden font. 

Just love the letter "r." Always so hard to do. This one definitely has charm.

And the "o" looks a little like an egg. Stop! I'm having too much fun with this.

The Cat Came Back

I took this picture of Millie and Percy soon after they showed up in October 2009.

Now they're active, larger kittens who move so fast it's hard to photograph them. Millie disappeared on Sunday morning and Richard called for her, left food overnight, looked for her to no avail. But hurray! She showed up at 6:30 p.m. on Monday night, no worse for wear.

And here are three of my four little darlings. Oreo on top, calico sister Cookie below, sitting beside other calico, Nutmeg. Life is good.

If You Go Into the Woods Today

We've had almost no winter in these parts this year and I'm not complaining. Spring has come about a month early and with temperatures close to 10C, whatever snow we had is going fast.


The old picnic table in the woods is still standing and with this weather, it was the perfect weekend to hold our second annual picnic in the woods. Last year there was tons of snow and it was much colder.


So, this year, we had poutine which I assembled in the woods. I brought hot-from-the-oven fries...


...which I topped with squeaky curds...


...and poured on hot gravy from a Thermos.


Perfection in the woods.


And hot, milky tea to end the meal. See ya next winter, picnic table!

Do You See What I See?

Yesterday I started my annual trek to look for evidence of spring. This year it seems earlier than ever. With a thaw in January that lasted three weeks, above average temperatures in February (and virtually no snow), everything is looking pretty rosy now in March. Check out this strawberry shoot. In March!


And those infernal day lilies that I curse in the summer because of how fast they grow and spread are, in March, oohed and ahhed at when their first green shoots poke through the cold ground. Spring is on our doorstep.

The Maple Leaf Forever

At the closing ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, Michael Bublé sang a very jazzy version of The Maple Leaf Forever. The sedate version was Canada's unofficial anthem for many years.


When I lived in Toronto, I had a client who lived across the street from the actual tree that inspired the song. Richard and I revisited it a few years back and it's still standing!


As per my sister's request, here's the original...which my mother used to take great pride in ridiculing. She hated this song!
If I can find Michael Bublé's more current version, I'll post that too.

Found it! Click here. There are a few short ads before the almost 12 minute clip of the closing ceremony spot. A lot of fun to watch!

General Store in Rooseveltown, NY

Last week I made a quick visit to the U.S. to Rooseveltown, NY, just over the border from Cornwall.


I've seen this old general store a few times and always wanted to go in.


The signs are so fabulous.


Nice coke clock.


It's a real general store on the inside selling canned goods and chips...


...and some work clothes and boots too.


The lady who owned it said that the store had been there for 70 years. I'm pretty sure this gum is younger than that but I'm not sure about the rack it's in. Love this place!

Hockey Stuff

In honour of Sidney Crosby scoring the winning goal for Team Canada against USA at Sunday's final Olympic event, check out this fun TV spot where he plays dryer hockey with Pittsburgh Penguin teammate Max Talbot.


And here's me at 12-years-old, playing street hockey. I guess hockey is in my blood!

Hockey is Our Game!

When Team Canada's Sidney Crosby scored the winning goal last night at the game between Canada and the USA -- the final event at the 2010 Winter Olympics at home in Vancouver -- I think all of Canada shouted in unison! Here's a video, narrated by Canadian actor Michael J. Fox, that kind of explains why hockey is so important to us Canadians.

All You Need is Love ATCs

I made these artist trading cards by using a set of alphabet rubber stamps and watercolours and then ran the cards through the sewing machine. I did them with Valentine's Day in mind and traded them at our monthly ATC meeting in Dunvegan on Saturday.