I'm so glad you could stop by. This is my personal blog of daily life and my journey through life. You will find a strong emphasis on family and friends as well as finding my ancestors through genealogy. Unlike my other blogs this blog is more of a catch-all so any topic is fair game.

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Friday, May 29, 2009

Ducklings


Duck Egg
May 29, 2009

This is the second spring that we've had a nesting pair of Mallard Ducks but I suspect they have been nesting here for quite some time. The ducklings have hatched! Pictured is the remains of one of the six egg shells. The nest is tucked well under the bushes close to the water protecting the babies from harm. I didn't want to intrude to far so as to stress the mom. Shortly I will be able to get pictures of the little ones!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2009


Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Wordless Wednesday - Left the Nest

robin's nest
Left the Nest
May 26, 2009

Garden Gnome
©2006-2009


Monday, May 25, 2009


Tulips
May 16, 2009

I love taking walks with oldest grandbaby! Through her eyes I see things anew, through the eyes of a toddler. It is so refreshing! During our last visit to the kids oldest grandbaby and I took a short walk both of us sporting digital cameras. Now this was really a hoot! We made several stops to talk pictures along the way while we enjoyed each others company. I taught the finer art of blowing dandelion puffs and when that didn't work a small hand making the fluff dance in the air brought fits of laughter from grandbaby.

It's funny how fast the little ones grow! There is nothing left of the babyishness in oldest grandbaby. In it's place is a determined little one almost too old for the age. It amazes me some of the things she is capable of doing like working her Daddy's iPhone including playing games on it. Her mind is a little sponge catching everything and missing nothing. It's such a priceless time!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2009


Sunday, May 24, 2009

BYBS - Health Care

Blog Your Blessings Sunday
A couple of weeks ago I blogged about the rally to help save the smaller Ontario hospitals (here). The smaller communities and rural areas in Ontario have a doctor shortage that has forced some residents who cannot get a family doctor to rely on the closest emergency rooms. We live in a rural area but are amongst the lucky one who do have a regular family doctor. Last week we were very blessed to have the closest emergency room open! Closing this emergency room would have meant a considerably longer drive just to be able to get help. So I am very, very grateful that for the time being the closest emergency room is to be left open. Whether this reprieve continues remains to be seen. The reality is many people just like us are facing emergency room closures that will put lives at risk.

On the topic of health care, there is the myth that Canada has socialized health care. Access to health care is available to all Canadian citizens. Whether they are close enough or have the means to access that health care is another issue which is why keeping the emergency rooms of these small hospitals is so important. Now in many cases medications are required. That is not covered under the access to health care. There are provincial plans for low income, senior citizens, those on social assistance and those aboriginals living on reserves. If you have a provincial drug plan there is a deductible that you need to meet before they pay for the drug. The provincial drug plans only cover an approved list of drugs so if the drug required is not on the list you are out of luck if you do not have the money to pay for the prescription. Unfortunately so many Canadians who have recently lost their jobs will not be able to afford prescriptions and may not be able to wait for the approval time for provincial drug plans. That means they simply have to go without the necessary drugs. We do not have prescription coverage of any kind. I feel very blessed to be fortunate enough that we have had both the ability and foresight to budget for an emergency fund for prescription costs.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2009


Friday, May 22, 2009

A Sad Ending


Reflections
May 16, 2009

Several years back when our kids were pre-teens a little girl in the Detroit area went missing. At the time I followed the story of this little one. Unfortunately the outcome was not good. I cried for the family then was horrified when it later came out that the mother had been involved. I'm sorry that is just not something I can understand! Mothers and fathers are supposed to protect their children from harm. I know that just the sheer act of giving birth to a child does not make you a parent but the instinct to protect your child from harm begins for most the moment you find out you are expecting.

Once again I have been following the story of little Victoria (Tori) Stafford who was 8 years old when she was abducted in Woodstock, Ontario on April 8, 2009. Again the outcome is the worst case scenerio. Two individuals are now in custody with the 28 year old male charged with abduction and murder while the 18 female charged with abduction and accessory to murder. There is some indication her charge will be updated to murder as well even though she is helping police in locating Tori's remains.

I've been very active in trying to get the word out to bring this little girl home. Because of that I have refrained from passing judgement against the parents of Tori. I'm sorry, the following is going to sound very harsh but it echos what others have already been saying and it is my gut feeling.


Garden Gnome
©2006-2009


Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Wordless Wednesday - Pretty in Pink

blossomsPretty in Pink
May 7, 2009


Garden Gnome
©2006-2009


Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Springtime


Spring Blossoms
May 10, 2009

Spring is a wondrous time that always signifies renewal not only for our surrounding environment but also the spirit. There's the new growth combined with cleaning off winter's grime. There's the anticipation of warmer weather to come. It is officially spring here even though it is still unseasonably cool. The cooler, wet spring has slowed progress in the gardens. Yesterday we woke to a good coating of frost. I acted on the previous day's frost warning so all my plants were protected so had very little frost damage.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2009


Friday, May 15, 2009

Online Help

Tulipia tarda
March 26, 2009

I just love the power of the internet! Today with the help of online friends I managed to identify a very pretty plant in our garden (more here). Pictured is the illusive Tulipia tarda, a lovely dwarf tulip species. Now I can move on to identifying a few other plant species lurking in my garden. There are several simply because the previous owner kept planting and planting and planting. That means we are onto year two of ripping out plants that never should have been planted in the first place.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2009


Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Wordless Wednesday - Spring Beauty

narcissusSpring Beauty
May 7, 2009


Garden Gnome
©2006-2009


Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Duct Tape Babysitter


Oh come on, I can hear the chuckle :)

PS. the picture has been making its way around online. I'm not sure who took it.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2009


Monday, May 11, 2009

My Commentary on the Tamil Protests

I had a great spammers post idea for today but decided to address the Tamil protest in Toronto instead. If you haven't been following the various Tamil protest they have been holding rallies in front of the United States Consulate on University Avenue in Toronto. At times their numbers have actually delayed and/or prevented people from getting to out patient clinics at the hospitals. They have disrupted traffic in the downtown core of Toronto for several days. Yesterday almost 2,000 Tamil protesters decided it would be a great idea to close down the Gardiner for 6 hours because they want Canadian government action to stop the genocide/civil war against Tamils in Sri Lanka. It took more than 5 hours to clear the backlog due to this closure. Public safety was clearly endangered. Today they continue to disrupt traffic.

Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our Canadian government just sent $3M dollars for humanitarian aid for the Tamil cause in Sri Lanka. That's $3M that could have been used to keep our local hospitals open. That's $3M that could have used in Canada to help those who are very much hurting from the recession. That's $3M that could have been used to help the Canadian homeless situation. That's $3M of our hard earned tax dollars that we pay to our Canadian government on our behalf. They are even resorting to calling anyone who doesn't support their cause a racist! Enough!

The reality of the situation and while I do empathize with the Tamil plight is Canada cannot intervene and has no way of being able to enforce any sanctions against Sri Lanka. The Canadian government has no legal jurisdiction in Sri Lanka. So far Canadians have been very tolerant of the Tamil protests not only in Toronto but in other major cities BUT our patience is wearing thin! Last night the illegal seizure of the Gardiner was the straw that broke the camel's back. Occupying a Canadian road or highway is such a fashion is illegal regardless of the cause! Each and every participant in this seizure should have been arrested and removed. They definitely should be investigated for putting their children in harms way. I believe that is called endangering the welfare of a minor that is also a chargeable offense. As newer immigrants they rely heavily on our Canadian welfare system without contributing to our tax base YET are at the moment costing us thousands of dollars over these protests. Don't forget the Tamils support the LTTE a know terrorist group. Yet when the Tigers were doing the killing and maiming over the 26 yr old war the Tamils had no complaints. It's only since the Sri Lanka government started winning the war that now the Tamils in Canada complain! Like as if blood is not already on their hands? They came here as refugees wave their Tiger flags NOT Canadian flags even though they are supposed to be Canadian YET have no problem holding a city as hostage. It is our tax dollars they are wasting!

Here's what I'm thinking. I'm sick and tired of our tax dollars being wasted and diverted out of Canada. I'm sick and tired of our tax dollars being wasted with our men in blue and mounted police trying to congenially keep the peace over illegal protests. I think what we need is a huge group of like minded folks to get together and shut down every single highway in Canada! Unfortunately that is not the Canadian way to get things done.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2009


Sunday, May 10, 2009

BYBS - Flowers

Blog Your Blessings Sunday
The past week was a stressful one yet throughout the difficulties one blessing helped me keep things in perspective. Flowers became the blessing theme for the week both indoors and outdoors. I cannot imagine my life without flowers! Flowers ask nothing of you, make no demands and yet give so much. Even the flowers on plants some consider as weeds are beautiful. I can't recall ever seeing an ugly flower!

My husband surprised me with a beautiful bouquet of bright flowers to brighten the family room. A variety of narcissus, crocuses and crabapple blooms brightened the gardens. The Vinca major, Lamiums and Sweet Woodruff are blooming as are a couple of smaller flowering bushes. The lilac bushes are just starting to bloom. I discovered two new large patches of beautiful but unidentified flowers. One has bright yellow flowers with pale tips that are about 3 inch diameter. The other similar flowers that appear to be a double bloom in white with pink streaks. Both are very pretty and there appears to be a fair amount of the same plants that are not mature enough to bloom yet. The lily of the valley are up but not in full bloom yet. Even the few cheery dandelions were enough to bring a smile!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2009


Saturday, May 09, 2009

Random Act of Kindness


Bright Smiles
May 1, 2009

My husband surprised me with a bouquet of beautiful, bright flowers last week to cheer me up. What a sweetheart! I have very much appreciated their cheery colours. The last couple of weeks have been both emotionally and physically draining. Each time I felt my stress level rise, I stopped and took a few deep breaths while enjoying my flowers. Complicating things was another horrid sinus attack that lasted a little over 4 days exasperated by the damp, rainy weather. Honestly these attacks are so bad that sleep is not much of an option! I've had to make an extra effort to not let my worsening mood affect my husband or the kids.

Yesterday morning as it clouded up I could feel pressure and pain in my sinuses again not even a full 2 days after the attack had subsided! By mid-afternoon the internet signal was going up and down! So this morning I was up early hoping to get some serious blogging done. I had one picture edited and was just getting ready to re-size and save when the power went out! I powered everything back up just in time to see the television sat was down meaning the internet would be going down as well. A couple of seconds later the power went out again. So I took the hint, smiled at my flowers and climbed back into bed!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2009


Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Wordless Wednesday - Victoria (Tori) Stafford



Garden Gnome
©2006-2009


Friday, May 01, 2009

Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?


This is a 5th grade math problem. This is not a trick question. This is a real math problem so don't say that the bus doesn't have legs.

There are 7 girls in a bus. Each girl has 7 backpacks. In each backpack, there are 7 big cats. For every big cat, there are 7 little cats.

The bus driver is not in the bus at this time.

Question:
How many legs are there in the bus?

See if you can get the right answer. Leave your answer as a comment!!!


Garden Gnome
©2006-2009