Wordless Wednesday - Railway Bridge

Railway Bridge
January 2010

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Asian Carp

Reports of Asian carp (7 species) being as close as 40 miles from Lake Michigan are causing an environmental concern. Asian carp are not indiginous to the Great Lakes. This is an introduced, invasive species much like Zebra mussels that threatens to disrupt the ecology of the Great Lakes. Asian carp was originally introduced to the US as aquaculture in the 1970's then released into natural waterways. Asian carp are voracious eaters of both plant and animal plankton. They can grow as large as 100 lb in weight. One of their interesting behaviour patterns is jumping when startled by boats which could present quite a problem should a smaller pleasure craft hit one of these fish. If they enter the Great Lakes, the Asian carp would quickly become the dominant species displace our native species such as bass, pickerel and perch. Currently there are several natural resources management agencies working together to prevent the spread of the Asian carp into the Great Lakes.

Canada's leading funny man, Rick Mercer has come up with a way for dealing with the Asian carp problem. Apparently he isn't far off as Asian carp while being bony, if properly cleaned are edible and sold in Asian markets.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

I Just Have to Ask

Rick Mercer is my number one favourite for blog fodder. Now this is a great video clip with a lot of underlying meaning but I seriously have to ask, can rum and Fanta by any stretch of the imagination taste good? Inquiring minds want to know!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

BYBS - Taking Control

Over the past month my personal theme has been taking back control. I think just coming to the realization that this was necessary was a blessing it itself. It seems like once I made the conscious decision to take back control everything started falling into place. After making the decision I simply acted and have continued to act to firm up that control. It has been an extremely rewarding experience, one that has helped build my self-esteem while strengthening my relationship with my family and friends. It has been an amazing blessing being able to draw on my family and friends during this time of personal growth. I can't tell you how much their love and support means! It is such a blessing to be able to share a bit of personal growth with them :)

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Earth Hour 2010

Please join thousands of Canadians across Canada and the World as we celebrate Earth Hour 2010 at 8:30 PM tonight. At this time to show your support of Earth Hour please turn off all lights in your home or wherever you are for one hour beginning at 8:30 PM local time. Together we can make Earth Hour 2010 an event to remember. If you would like more information on Earth Hour 2010 please click on the logo.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Late Winter Days

Late Winter Days
March 16, 2010

The weather has been gradually getting nicer. March came in like a lamb and while there is still a chance of nasty weather the temperatures just keep climbing. The water has been changing daily taking on more of the characteristic blue tones rather than the winter, icy grey tones. As the ice moves along the waterfowl continue to visit. I've been watching for signs of the mallards that always lay a nest under the hedges. They will be arriving shortly. We've seen a lot of geese and ducks this year but only spotted the eagles twice. The wild rabbits have been out all winter. A few days ago I spotted clear signs of spring with the crocuses breaking through sending up sprouts. Spring is just around the corner as we enjoy these last few days of winter.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Tuesday Morning's Excitement

Freeing the James R. Baker
March 23, 2010

It's is almost mind boggling how the water can change from day to day even in the best of weather. Last week we experienced above average temperatures but by Friday night it had changed back to the normal cold. Saturday the ice was threatening yet still moving but by Saturday night the water was jammed. It stayed jammed all day Monday. Tuesday morning I felt the vibration of a boat so looked out to see nothing then I realized just hidden from my view there was a lake freighter in the ice.

The James R. Baker a lake freighter needed help turning around but the ice was not making that task easy. It took a tug, two coast guard ice cutters and all morning to get the freighter on his way. The ice cutters kept churning and cutting the ice around the freighter while the tug pushed the bow to help straighten the freighter to the point he could pick up a bit of momentum to move forward through the thick ice. I managed to get several great stills along with several video clips even though it was quite cold outside. I was quite impressed! It was an interesting way to pass the morning hours.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Wordless Wednesday - Civic Place

Civic Place
January 22, 2010

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Shunning

image courtesty of Jackets and Covers

Note: I have this book and have read it several times. I highly recommend The Shunning as an extremely enjoyable reading experience. It is well worth the read.

Humans by their very nature are very sociable animals. They want to be acknowledged and accepted by other humans. One of the worst things a human can face is being shunned by the very members of his or her family and his or her friends. he or she Shunning is a very deliberate act to avoid the associate with a particular individual or group. In certain religious groups (eg. the Amish) and other tightly-knit organizations or communities a shunning can be sanctioned against apostates, whistleblowers, dissidents, or anyone who fails to comply with the defined standards. Being shunned by a group can put the individual in an extremely lonely and isolated position both physically and emotionally. Being shunned by a family member or friend can be devestating but this form of dealing with those who either have done something so horrific that shunning them is warranted or they simply refuse to respect you as a person but rather insist on forcing their views and beliefs on you.

In essence this shunning happens on a daily basis where one member chooses to become estranged from the family severing all ties with the family. If the person themself decides to become estranged from the family it is the family who feels the effect of the shunning while if it is the family doing the shunning it is the person being shunned who feels the effect.

Shunning is not an action to take lightly but if you choose this method of dealing with a person then there are a few ground rules. In order for shunning to be effective you must not acknowledge the person being shunned for any reason. Even if this means going so far as to move further away from the shunned person, not speak to the shunned person, have virtually no contact with the shunned person. In today's world technology makes that easier in the form of physically being able to block phone calls, unlisting your phone number, turning off your answering machine, setting up online filters, getting a restraining order and so much more that will block that person from your life. If any correspondence is sent to your house simply write return to sender on it. In your mind this person simply ceases to exist which ultimately means you waste no time thinking about how to respond to them or the what ifs or anything associated with this person. Nada, just poof and they are gone. At some point you may want to end shunning that person but that is another post.

I have decided to use shunning against an individual. It was a difficult decision and one not taken lightly but at this point I am no longer willing to let this person disrupt my life. This person came into my life under a phony pretext then has continued to be disruptive with lying, guilt trips, pissant and judgemental comments, insisting on a relationship when it's been clear I don't want one, constantly braggging about how great their life is while mine obviously is lousy (according to them but then so to is my perspective), has been extremely disruptive and this is all without even knowing me. In short I'm fed up! I owe this person not so much as a moment of my time of which they have rudely taken up considerably more of my time than they deserve. In this situation my decision to shun this person is the best one possible. Honestly, shunning is not enough but it's the best I can do for the time being. This person no longer exists to me. And peace is restored in my life.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Cabin Fever

Many can relate to the cabin fever The Roaming Gnome is feeling. I think he is on the right track. A vacation to the sunny south sounds like a great idea. Enjoy :)

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

BYBS - Regaining Peace Via Technology

It's funny that sometimes it takes seriously getting angry at yourself to make a change that is long overdue. I came to the very realization that no one has the right to intrude on my privacy and no one has power over me emotionally unless I allow them that power. It's not that I did not know this before or that it was a revelation nor was it knowledge that I have not relied on in the past. In this case the problem existed because I allowed it to exist. Realizing I was allowing this to happen was a huge blessing because it spurred me into action.

Last week I took the necessary steps to increase our privacy in our home, away from home and while online. The beauty of this is I was able to use the very same technology that invades our privacy. It's scary when you think that Google cameras can go by your house gathering whatever information they want including looking in your windows. It's also scary that you no longer have any privacy in your backyard thanks to Google. But knowing how Google collects the data and how to protect your house from being a see through for Google can work to your advantage. The telephone is a remarkable device except in the hands of telemarketers yet technology exists that you don't have to deal with telemarketers. Spam and unwanted online attention from those you want no contact with can be eliminated using proper filters and blocks. Even the popular Twitter allows you to block those you don't want to deal with. So last week was very much a time for creating filters in real life and online. Thanks to the blessing of technology I was able to achieve this with minimal disruption to restore the peace we so deserve. Peace is suce a blessing!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

A Commentary on Lady Calls 911 Over Wrong Burger King Order

I came across this rather interesting video on YouTube the other day so thought I would write a commentary on this issue. The video is the voice of a woman who called 911 because the Burger King she was at kept messing up her order. Please take a moment to watch the video then read my commentary following the video.

My first response to this video was anger. First and foremost the woman clearly has a misguided idea as to the proper use of 911 being for emergencies only, not for silly things like not getting the right burger. She also as a warped sense of what powers police officers have. She shows no indication of social responsibility by tying up emergency services that may be needed for an actual, life or death emergency while costing taxpayers for her foolish phone call. In my opinion she should be charged for misuse of the 911 emergency system. Clearly her actions call into question her sanity or do they?

Our society has become one of me first with demanding instant gratification. We want what we want and we want it the right way right now! We cannot tolerate the fact that humans can and do make mistakes. In addition to this outside pressures such as lack of time, parenting issues, financial issues, the recent recession, job insecurity and in general life's stresses have made some people so stressed that they will fly off at the handle over the tiniest problem. Now this lady ordered her burger only to have it come back wrong 4 times so obviously this was frustrating. Add to the picture she had her kids in the car likely tired, irritable and hungry. I highly double they were being quiet little angels over the delay either. Meanwhile she has likely worked an 8 hour day or more, gone to support her kids at soccer, still has to drive home and housework when she get there. All she wants is the burger she ordered from incompetent employees who don't seem to understand that. Can you blame the emplyees though? They are underpaid, likely students who have never been taught a work ethic so basically don't care about customers in the first place. Given all of these factors even if she were charged a good lawyer would get her off on temporary insanity or perhaps drive-through rage and a better lawyer would get her a financial settlement to pay for her inconvenience and tramatic experience.

Who are the real losers in this whole situation? The kids sitting in that car are the real losers! They have just witnessed how to throw a first class huffy fit if you don't get what you want and how to abuse emergency services if the huffy fit doesn't work. They will take that lesson to repeat elsewhere. They are also losers in that they are being fed fast food high in sodium, sugar, fat, calories and poor in nutrition. Had the mother thought ahead she could have had a healthy casserole in the oven then drove directly home from the soccer game to enjoy a homemade meal without the stress, giving both her and her kids the opportunity to destress. It would have been cheaper, less time consuming and a better lesson for her kids to learn.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Bear Shot Near Restaurant at White River, Ontario

[from my email files]

-----
Bear Shot Near Restaurant

Bears are not afraid of people anymore, they are hanging out around fast food restaurants acting friendly.

Thankfully this hunter was ready...



-----

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Here's Your Sign - Talk to the Hand!

I am by nature an extremely private person both in real life and online. When someone oversteps their bounds, intruding into my personal space I tend to get a bit on the testy side. A wall will go up so fast that it really doesn't matter what the offender does after that they will be met with a solid wall along with a talk to the hand. If someone has ticked me off to the point that wall goes up the only thing they can do is talk to the hand because as far as I'm concerned they no longer exist, period.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Happy St. Patrick's Day

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

May God be with you and bless you:
May you see your children's children.
May you be poor in misfortune,
Rich in blessings.
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.

May the road rise up to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home
And may the hand of a friend always be near.

May green be the grass you walk on,
May blue be the skies above you,
May pure be the joys that surround you,
May true be the hearts that love you.

-Irish blessing

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

The Game

Ontario Hockey League Banners
Mar 13, 2010

Saturday night we went out with friends for the evening. We stopped for a nice homestyle cooking meal right at the arena then took in an OHL game. The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) players are in their early twenties. The OHL feeds into the AHL (American Hockey League) which in turns feeds into the NHL. As always it was a great evening!



Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

RMR: Rick's Rant Olympic Breakdown

I love watching Rick Mercer! It's hard to say which I like better: his humourous antics, skits and commentaries or his rants. Either way all are well worth watching. This rant does hit home! Our athletes cannot get to the point of being able to represent Canada without some type of sports funding at every step of the way. It will be interesting to see how this issue plays out now that the Olympics are over.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

BYBS - Life's New Chapter

Over the past three weeks we have had some rather major life changing events going on behind the scenes. Life is all about change. Those refusing to change end up being stuck in a no man's land not really living. When this opportunity came up and we started discussing it, I really think my husband thought he was going to get a lot of opposition. Instead I grabbed the idea at the bit and said, hey let's go for it, so we are. We have officially embarked on a new and exciting adventure that will start a new chapter in our lives.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Daylight Savings Time Begins

Don't forget to turn your clocks ahead on March 14, 2010 at 2 AM.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Early March Mornings

Frost and Fog
March 6, 2010

March came in like a lamb this year. The mornings are cold and crisp with fog coating surfaces to form a thick layer of frost. The effect is quite stunning. As the sun rises higher in the sky it burns the fog off. While this happens the fog forms long striated bands hovering from the ground rising towards the sky. These are the days when the sap starts running! The sugar bushes are already starting to produce local maple syrup giving us one more reason for a road trip.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Frosty Road Trip

Frosty Lane
March 6, 2010

I love traveling through the countryside on cold, crisp frosty winter mornings this time of year. The fog settles on trees and other surfaces forming a thick coating of frost while giving the surrounding landscape a hazy, mystical appearance. At the same time the sun peaks through the fog just enough to make a gazillion dance and sparkle on the snow and frost. It really is quite pretty!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Wordless Wednesday - White on White

White on White
February 22, 2010

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Kingsford Spring Grilling Ad

You know spring is just around the corner when Kingford airs its spring grilling commercials. In case you haven't noticed our Great White North (thanks Bob & Doug McKenzie for coining this phrase) gets cold enough that hibernating during the winter is very tempting. This humorous commercial pokes a little fun at awaking from hibernation to the smell of spring grilling. Enjoy :)

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Canadian Geese In Flight

Canadian Geese in Flight
March 4, 2010

Canadian geese are beautiful waterfowl but make no never mind they can be vicious if provoked or threatened much the same as any other animal. One hit from their powerful wings is enough to break a grown man's arm. One of the things I love watching is them taking off into flight. It is very rare that I manage to get a decent enough picture to share. This picture was taken just as the geese left the water and were about 2 - feet above the water so not the actual take-off but a fairly decent picture of them in flight close to the water. What is missing from the still shot is the actual sounds from the rippling water as they lift off to the flapping wings to gain momentum and their distinctive honking. What also is missing is the very distinctive movements made going from water to take-off to flight. I so need to capture this on video!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

BYBS - Calm Moments Through Chaos

The past 3 weeks have been totally and utterly by any stretch of the imagination nothing but chaos. I'll post more on this later as we get all the details worked out. This past week has been extremely stressful and yet during that time my husband and I have managed to find time to spend just being together, drawing from each other's strength. The calm moments have been a real blessing, helping us to build the strength to weather the turbulence. And all is well :)

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

A Visit From the Canadian Geese

Canadian Geese
March 4, 2010

With most of the ice gone from the water the Canadian geese have taken to visiting the shoreline. While they stay fairly close to the water's edge it is not uncommon to see them wandering from yard to yard and even occasionally down the driveways. They are impressive birds to say the least. I love taking pictures of them. What a great photo opportunity!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

A Solution to Hubby's Ongoing Problem

Earlier I made a post on an ongoing husband problem. Determined to solve this problem and restore peace and quiet in our blissful domain, I searched the web far and wide. Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to present a workable solution to the problem. What do you think?



Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

The Mum Test

[from my email files, LOL!]

THE MUM TEST

I was out walking with my 4-year-old daughter. She picked up something
off of the ground and started to put it in her mouth.
I took the item away from her and I asked her not to do that.
'Why?' my daughter asked.
'Because it's been on the ground; you don't know where it's been, it's dirty,
And probably has germs,' I replied.
At this point, my daughter looked at me with total admiration and asked,
'Mum, how do you know all this stuff? You are so smart.'
I was thinking quickly and replied, 'All mums know this stuff. It's on
the Mum Test. You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Mum.'
We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently
pondering this new information.
'Oh.....I get it!' she beamed, 'So if you don't pass the test you have
to be the dad.'
'Exactly,' I replied with a big smile on my face.

-----
Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Wordless Wednesday - A Bit of Water Art

Water Art
February 19, 2010

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

The Box

A couple of nights ago my husband brought home a movie to review. The move was The Box starring James Marsden, Cameron Diaz, Frank Langella, James Rebhorn, Gillian Jacobs, and Basil Hoffman. The underlying theme was a wrapped box was left on Arthur Lewis (James Marsden) and his wife, Norma's doorstep. Inside was a plain box with a button on top covered by a glass dome. A gentleman with a disfigured face then visited the couple to give them the offer. If they pressed the button they would get 1 million dollars but someone they did not know would die. So the couple was left with the dilemna that if they pressed the button they would have all that money at the price of another life. They were given 24 hours to make the decision. I don't want to turn this into a spoiler so I will leave it to you as to whether to watch the movie or not.

In life some buttons are best left not pushed and this applies to many faucets in life. Once the button is pushed there are consequences, sometimes not the ones you want.

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Canadian Bear Tragedy

[from my email files; there may be an element of truth ;) ]

This is a very sad story about a bear. Everybody should heed the warning to not feed wildlife because they become dependent and cannot forage for themselves anymore.

The photo below captures a disturbing trend that is beginning to affect Canadian wildlife . . . .


Animals that were formerly self-sufficient are now showing signs of belonging to the Liberal or New Democratic Party.....as they have apparently learned to just sit and wait for the government to step in and provide for their care and sustenance.

---

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010