I enjoy quiet weekends at home. Good thing because it was really too cold to do much away from home. The windchill, when I got up early this morning, was -43 deg C. But, it did warm up to a WC of about -36.
Actually, I did get out for awhile today, to attend my grand-son Matthew's fifth birthday party at Josi and Greg's. It was good to see everyone again. Matthew had a ball, playing with all his cousins and other friends. Happiness is ...
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Another Dump of Snow Today
I'm just back inside, having cleared my driveway once again. At least this time, the snow wasn't too deep (only about 6") and it was relatively warm out (about -2 deg C). I used my snow blower to do the work. I also did my neighbour's driveway (he often helps me out). The mild weather we've had for the last few days has been very nice. Our cold weather returns tomorrow, with a high of -22.
Maybe, I'd better get out with Holly now and go for a walk while it's still nice out. She sure loved our walk yesterday.
Maybe, I'd better get out with Holly now and go for a walk while it's still nice out. She sure loved our walk yesterday.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Hoar Frost
Winter days with sunshine on hoar frost are special. Early this morning, the overnight fog was still depositing hoar frost on all the trees and shrubs in the neighborhood. Every once in awhile, the sun would spotlight some patch of sparkling whiteness. All these ice crystals will disappear as the winds pick up, blowing it off of the branches and as the branches themselves warm up slightly in the sun, but it's beautiful for a few hours.
Hoar frost gives a magical look to any winter scene. It's like icing on a cake. The photo above is from my collection of photos of my former home near Carman. The red building is an old implement shed that I converted into a modern woodworking shop. It was the only building on the property before the new house was built.
"By the breathe of God, frost is given ..."
Hoar frost gives a magical look to any winter scene. It's like icing on a cake. The photo above is from my collection of photos of my former home near Carman. The red building is an old implement shed that I converted into a modern woodworking shop. It was the only building on the property before the new house was built.
"By the breathe of God, frost is given ..."
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
What a Difference a Week Makes
A week ago, I was complaining about the cold weather. Now, it's -4 degrees and, Friday, there is supposed to be a chance of showers. Maybe, I should complain more often if it works this way. Yeah, right! I'll just enjoy this milder weather while it lasts.
I haven't been writing in this blog much this year, so far. I've been a little 'under the weather', so to speak. I'm just getting over the another cold. My third over the past month? Weird. I don't usually get many colds. It could be worse, of course. Bronchitis or pneumonia, for example.
Not too much has happened in my life over the past week. I did get out on two evenings. Once I accompanied Margaret to the fine WOW Christmas dinner at Terrace 55 and another time when Margaret took me to the latest show at Celebrations Dinner Theatre, called 'Mugs and Molls'. It's a rock and roll cabaret, with lots of songs and dancing from the late-50's and the 60's, done by three guys and three gals. Both events were quite enjoyable.
The only other thing of note I did over the past week was weather-related. We had quite a day or so of snow and blowing snow, a lot of which ended up in my drive-way. Enough snow that I was forced to bring out my big snow blower yesterday to tackle it.
I haven't been writing in this blog much this year, so far. I've been a little 'under the weather', so to speak. I'm just getting over the another cold. My third over the past month? Weird. I don't usually get many colds. It could be worse, of course. Bronchitis or pneumonia, for example.
Not too much has happened in my life over the past week. I did get out on two evenings. Once I accompanied Margaret to the fine WOW Christmas dinner at Terrace 55 and another time when Margaret took me to the latest show at Celebrations Dinner Theatre, called 'Mugs and Molls'. It's a rock and roll cabaret, with lots of songs and dancing from the late-50's and the 60's, done by three guys and three gals. Both events were quite enjoyable.
The only other thing of note I did over the past week was weather-related. We had quite a day or so of snow and blowing snow, a lot of which ended up in my drive-way. Enough snow that I was forced to bring out my big snow blower yesterday to tackle it.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
I have a right ...
... to complain about the cold. With a windchill of -43 degrees C this morning, the cold literally took my breathe away when I let Holly out back and later got the mail from out front. I really don't know how anyone can work outside in weather like this. Three cheers for those who must be outside: postal carriers, emergency service workers, snow clearance personnel, and others. Me? I'm staying indoors today ...
Monday, January 17, 2011
Fear is the Highest Fence
Fear is one of the greatest influencers in the world. It can be good or bad for us, depending on the situation. Fear may keep us from driving across a bridge during flood season, when the surface is covered with flowing water. We don't know if we can make it across. Is the current too strong? Is the bridge still intact under the dirty water? In a case like that, fear is good and makes us think. It prevents us from taking unnecessary risks. Unnecessary is the key word. We may be able to find a safer crossing somewhere else.
Fear can also be negative. Maybe we don't do something because we are scared we'll do it wrong or make a mistake and look foolish. Or it won't be 'perfect'. It took me a long time before I got up enough nerve to build a 12 x 12 garden shed a few years ago. I'd never made anything that big before. At some point, I decided to go ahead and enjoyed the experience and the feeling of accomplishment. I imagine that's how a carpenter would feel after he finished building his first house. Sure, I made a few mistakes and had to correct a few things but I faced my fears and, in the end, I got the job done.
Fear can also stop us from making decisions about our relationships with others. Maybe, we're shy and have a hard time mixing with a group of strangers. Maybe, we want to make a career change but worry it's not the right time or the right change. Maybe, we like someone a lot but are afraid to make our feelings known to him or her because we might be rejected or ignored. There are all sorts of fears we must face about relationships during our lives. What surprises most of us is that just taking the first step makes the rest of the effort relatively easy. Sometimes, facing our fears is worthwhile, will get us over that fence, and our lives will be better for it.
Fear can also be negative. Maybe we don't do something because we are scared we'll do it wrong or make a mistake and look foolish. Or it won't be 'perfect'. It took me a long time before I got up enough nerve to build a 12 x 12 garden shed a few years ago. I'd never made anything that big before. At some point, I decided to go ahead and enjoyed the experience and the feeling of accomplishment. I imagine that's how a carpenter would feel after he finished building his first house. Sure, I made a few mistakes and had to correct a few things but I faced my fears and, in the end, I got the job done.
Fear can also stop us from making decisions about our relationships with others. Maybe, we're shy and have a hard time mixing with a group of strangers. Maybe, we want to make a career change but worry it's not the right time or the right change. Maybe, we like someone a lot but are afraid to make our feelings known to him or her because we might be rejected or ignored. There are all sorts of fears we must face about relationships during our lives. What surprises most of us is that just taking the first step makes the rest of the effort relatively easy. Sometimes, facing our fears is worthwhile, will get us over that fence, and our lives will be better for it.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Preparing Ahead
Well, since it's only about 348 days until next Christmas, Margaret and I prepared ahead. Her old artificial Christmas tree was overdue for replacement. So, because we both are thrifty (well, most of the time, anyways), we decided to buy a pre-lit Christmas tree on sale while the stores were trying to 'unload' their unsold Christmas stuff.
We got a very good deal at Zellers: a $199 tree for about $75. I wanted to yell 'start the car, start the car!' on the way out of the store, just like in that TV commercial we've seen about a hundred times in the last month or so.
We'll have to wait until December, 2011, to see if the tree looks as good in the living room as it did on the box's cover picture but we are looking forward to not dealing with tangles of Christmas tree lights this year, usually with some burnt out bulbs. I feel a bit like a Boy Scout who is really prepared.
We got a very good deal at Zellers: a $199 tree for about $75. I wanted to yell 'start the car, start the car!' on the way out of the store, just like in that TV commercial we've seen about a hundred times in the last month or so.
We'll have to wait until December, 2011, to see if the tree looks as good in the living room as it did on the box's cover picture but we are looking forward to not dealing with tangles of Christmas tree lights this year, usually with some burnt out bulbs. I feel a bit like a Boy Scout who is really prepared.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Keep on Looking
During the winter months, I often look back on the photos I made the previous summer. Seeing the colourful flowers in bloom again reminds me that another growing season is coming. Looking at photos I made on the beach near Tofino last August brought back many good memories. When I see photos of surfers or tide pools, I can almost smell the salt air.
Recently, on my Facebook page, I posted a quote on photography and observation. Brooks Anderson once said "the virtue of the camera is not the power it has to transform the photographer into an artist, but the impulse it gives him to keep on looking". However, I must admit, I don't enjoy photography very much in the winter. Partly, it's the cold. Partly, it's trying to take photos while trying to handle a dog on the leash at the same time. Partly, it's just that I can't get too excited about what I see in the city during the winter.
When I lived in the country, I could just walk out the door and see all sorts of things to photograph. When the skies were sunny or when there was a coating of hoar frost on everything, I just had to put on my coat, grab my camera, and start shooting.
Now that I live in Winnipeg, I guess I'm going to have to load the dog and camera gear in the car and get out into the country where I can see something that will rekindle my interest in winter photography. I know there are interesting scenes out there. I just have to go find them.
Recently, on my Facebook page, I posted a quote on photography and observation. Brooks Anderson once said "the virtue of the camera is not the power it has to transform the photographer into an artist, but the impulse it gives him to keep on looking". However, I must admit, I don't enjoy photography very much in the winter. Partly, it's the cold. Partly, it's trying to take photos while trying to handle a dog on the leash at the same time. Partly, it's just that I can't get too excited about what I see in the city during the winter.
When I lived in the country, I could just walk out the door and see all sorts of things to photograph. When the skies were sunny or when there was a coating of hoar frost on everything, I just had to put on my coat, grab my camera, and start shooting.
Now that I live in Winnipeg, I guess I'm going to have to load the dog and camera gear in the car and get out into the country where I can see something that will rekindle my interest in winter photography. I know there are interesting scenes out there. I just have to go find them.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
What's for Supper?
Sometimes, I plan the supper menu well ahead. Sometimes, not. Sometimes, I follow a recipe closely (usually the first time I try something new). Other times, I just look at what I have on hand and make some version of what I've made before. When I have several guests over for a meal, it can be challenging. Especially when one might be a meat and potatoes person and another might be a vegan. Add a few kids to the mix, and the meal can get complicated. Most of the time, cooking can be a lot of fun if you can make things up as you go along, especially if, at the end, it tastes good.
I also have a decent kitchen, complete with a good range top stove, the usual appliances, and lots of pots and pans and dishes.
I also keep a well-stocked larder, fridge, and freezer so, in the morning, I can look over what I have and come up with an idea for the evening meal.
Sometimes, I think of a meal or a part of a meal that I had a long time ago and enjoyed and I decide to make that. These days, even if I don't have the recipe, I can find it by searching on-line. All I have to do is type in some key words (the ingredients that I remember) into the Google search engine and I will get a lot of possible recipes. I can quickly scan through these results and, usually, find the exact recipe I want.
I did just that, last night, remembering a wilted lettuce salad that I used to like. It's just leaf lettuce with bacon bits, chopped egg, a creamy dressing, and hot bacon drippings poured over the mix. It actually tastes great. So, that's on tonights' menu. Right now, I'm thinking of making a chicken noodle soup to go with it. But, that may change before I make it. We'll see ...
I also have a decent kitchen, complete with a good range top stove, the usual appliances, and lots of pots and pans and dishes.
I also keep a well-stocked larder, fridge, and freezer so, in the morning, I can look over what I have and come up with an idea for the evening meal.
Sometimes, I think of a meal or a part of a meal that I had a long time ago and enjoyed and I decide to make that. These days, even if I don't have the recipe, I can find it by searching on-line. All I have to do is type in some key words (the ingredients that I remember) into the Google search engine and I will get a lot of possible recipes. I can quickly scan through these results and, usually, find the exact recipe I want.
I did just that, last night, remembering a wilted lettuce salad that I used to like. It's just leaf lettuce with bacon bits, chopped egg, a creamy dressing, and hot bacon drippings poured over the mix. It actually tastes great. So, that's on tonights' menu. Right now, I'm thinking of making a chicken noodle soup to go with it. But, that may change before I make it. We'll see ...
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Some Assembly Required
Three words ... usually found in fine print just below a bargain priced 'thing' that you might want to buy. Examples might include a BBQ, a snow-blower, or a piece of furniture. Those three words are guaranteed to give the buyer some future confusion, frustration, and/or anguish. Invariably, the 'thing' comes with a set of instructions that were translated from some Asian language to English by a somewhat faulty computer language program. Occasionally, once you get all of the parts and pieces sorted and find that everything is there, you are able to put the 'thing' together on the first try and begin using and enjoying it. Sometimes, you have to disassemble everything and start over from the beginning.
It's a little like life ...
It's a little like life ...
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Embrace Change
First, please note that this post is the second one I've made in 2011. Thanks to a time-zone difference, my last post (my first of 2011) was designated as belonging to yesterday. Things in life rarely go according to plan. I suppose that's why we should always have or be ready to make Plan B.
The title for this post, 'embrace change', was inspired by reading the latest blog post of my cousin, Barb, http://reflectivethoughtsbybarbara.blogspot.com/. Her blog posts are always thought-provoking. When I think of embracing change, I don't think of the popular corporate or management use of this term. If you want to learn about change in that context, just do a Google search; there are thousands of articles on the topic. No, I think of embracing change in personal terms, in my daily life.
Change is one of the constants in our lives. Our daily lives swirl with change. I've had my 'ups and downs' with change over the years. At times, especially when I was much younger, I've welcomed and even loved change. Other times, older and more set in my ways, I've resisted it. Change gradually became synonymous with uncertainty. And, I didn't like that. But, change occurs, regardless of our attitudes towards it. More recently, I've learned to expect and to accept change. Believe me, life is much easier now that I've taken that approach. Yes, I still have goals and I still have a wish list but I recognise that these are just things that will be revised as time goes on and as changes in my life occur.
Happiness is adjusting to change, going with the flow, and following the thread where it leads ...
The title for this post, 'embrace change', was inspired by reading the latest blog post of my cousin, Barb, http://reflectivethoughtsbybarbara.blogspot.com/. Her blog posts are always thought-provoking. When I think of embracing change, I don't think of the popular corporate or management use of this term. If you want to learn about change in that context, just do a Google search; there are thousands of articles on the topic. No, I think of embracing change in personal terms, in my daily life.
Change is one of the constants in our lives. Our daily lives swirl with change. I've had my 'ups and downs' with change over the years. At times, especially when I was much younger, I've welcomed and even loved change. Other times, older and more set in my ways, I've resisted it. Change gradually became synonymous with uncertainty. And, I didn't like that. But, change occurs, regardless of our attitudes towards it. More recently, I've learned to expect and to accept change. Believe me, life is much easier now that I've taken that approach. Yes, I still have goals and I still have a wish list but I recognise that these are just things that will be revised as time goes on and as changes in my life occur.
Happiness is adjusting to change, going with the flow, and following the thread where it leads ...
Turning the Page
T.S. Eliot wrote, in his poem, Little Gidding, that "to make an end is to make a beginning". Well, I'm certainly not a poet but I can say 2010 is over and 2011 is beginning. So this is my first post of the new year. I feel like I've taken a new, blank journal down from the shelf and that I'm looking at a clean, empty, white, blank page.
Maybe, I should start the year with a quote: "All of life is a journey: which paths we take, what we look back on, and what we look forward to is up to us. We determine our destination, what kind of road we will take to get there, and how happy we are when we get there" (Anonymous). I'm looking forward to 2011 being filled with colour, inspiration, beauty, and creativity.
Thank all of you for reading my blog posts during 2010. A special thanks to Josi and Barb for all your kind comments on my posts and your ongoing support and encouragement. And to Margaret, who always comments on my posts in person.
Maybe, I should start the year with a quote: "All of life is a journey: which paths we take, what we look back on, and what we look forward to is up to us. We determine our destination, what kind of road we will take to get there, and how happy we are when we get there" (Anonymous). I'm looking forward to 2011 being filled with colour, inspiration, beauty, and creativity.
Thank all of you for reading my blog posts during 2010. A special thanks to Josi and Barb for all your kind comments on my posts and your ongoing support and encouragement. And to Margaret, who always comments on my posts in person.
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