1. Chickens eat eggs (does that make them cannabalistic??? and we eat them... doesn't say much for us.)
2. Grasshoppers poop... yes they do and its big enough to see!
3. No matter how much you clean house... you have to keep doing it. Its like wiping your a-- with a hoop (as my Dad says) kind of pointless.
4. Friday the 13th is not unlucky.
5. The full moon does make you want to howl and sing and dance and run around naked.
6. Your children are all different no matter how many you have. (that one was a shock)
7. You can have creatures that fall in love even when they are not of the same species. (alpacas and sheep for instance)
8. Brand new door knobs don't always work.
9. Eyebrows sometimes are connected.
10. Not everyone who gets to their 50th anniversary love each other. (this one also was a shock)
11. Grasshopper poop can be almost as big as mouse poop! (I've measured)
12. A really good movie can be watched many times and still give pleasure... even for adults.
13. Knitting is more pleasurable when done with hands than with a knitting machine. (This is very personal)
14. The planet breathes and right now it is wheezing because it has a respiratory virus. It just needs to get rid of the snot..... (that's us in case you were wondering.)
15. Finding money in a pocket of a jacket you haven't worn since last year is great... not all crinkling in your pocket turns out to be money.
16. You always worry about your children even when they leave home.... I'm not looking forward to that.
17. Procrastination never works out.
18. Always check the hole of a squirt bottle with the hole pointed away from you! Remember this one.
19. Bats migrate. A good thing too since it gives you a chance to fill up the holes where they were getting in.
20. Honey bee nests in your walls, while a mess, is a real bonus.
20. If you have a friend with a honey bee farm invite them to put some hives at your place.... you get free honey... its great.
21. Honey bees have orange bums.
22. Hornets suck! Enough said.
23. Flies are irritating bu--ers! As they still persist in showing me daily.
24. Try to finish your projects from time to time without starting new ones.
25. Fingernails that are long are rarely clean when you live on a farm.
25. A husband (at least mine) can be a really great thing. (remember this is "things I'VE learned")
26. Not everyone is as lucky picking out a mate as I was.
27. Natural dyeing requires patience to get good results... (I don't get good results usually.... )
28. A rye sense of humour can help at times.
29. A rye sense of humour can make things worse sometimes.
30. Impart the knowledge you've accumulated... someone may benefit. (But then some may think, "What a ninny!")
I don't come back to this domain much anymore… sometime I come back because it is my history… most of the time I want to forget that part of my life…. but sometimes a little piece of me remembers.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
The State Of The World In Our House (continued)
And so it goes (sigh)
Daughter #1 is still on her block-head kick. I went to the school to pick them all up yesterday.... her science teacher came up to me and said,"You really need to encourage her to pass in her work assignments on time. She passed in her assignment after I had all the others marked and handed back and I couldn't accept it."
I promptly knocked my head on the wall....
Daughter #1 is now grounded. No horse for three days. Poor Hubby now has to feed it on the way to work. Poor Hubby has to muck out its stall on the way home from work. Daughter #1 says she is going to try harder but she is not making a good start as she just p----d away a half hour this morning playing with her cat instead of getting ready for school. Argh!
I'm starting to worry about my poor dented and somewhat bald head!!!!
Daughter #1 is still on her block-head kick. I went to the school to pick them all up yesterday.... her science teacher came up to me and said,"You really need to encourage her to pass in her work assignments on time. She passed in her assignment after I had all the others marked and handed back and I couldn't accept it."
I promptly knocked my head on the wall....
Daughter #1 is now grounded. No horse for three days. Poor Hubby now has to feed it on the way to work. Poor Hubby has to muck out its stall on the way home from work. Daughter #1 says she is going to try harder but she is not making a good start as she just p----d away a half hour this morning playing with her cat instead of getting ready for school. Argh!
I'm starting to worry about my poor dented and somewhat bald head!!!!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
The State Of The World In Our House
Daughter #1 has just made blunder #1. She came home this evening at 5 p.m. with a pile of homework and a test tomorrow. She had just spent two hours at the arena with her horse.
Stipulation 1: There will be no horse fun in the afternoon when there is a pile of homework.
Why do kids break the rules?
They want to see their parents bald from pulling out their hair.
I hope I don't regret this horse!!
Stipulation 1: There will be no horse fun in the afternoon when there is a pile of homework.
Why do kids break the rules?
They want to see their parents bald from pulling out their hair.
I hope I don't regret this horse!!
Monday, September 28, 2009
We All Are What We Are
I decided a while ago that once a week I would try to find a blog written preferably by a woman that was international (so not Canada or the US) and not political, but something written by a woman with a normal life that was primarily interesting and somewhat diverse. If I liked it well enough I would add it to my favorites.
So far I have found a few but not as many as you would expect. I got started on this because I thought about all the people out there who are blogging regularly and it is one chance in hundreds of thousands that you hit them and while some of them are not worth looking at, (partially because they are not maintained) there are many that are worth looking at. I found just such a blog tonight since this is a day for taking it easy (and wiping my nose a lot... I hate colds!)
I really like this blog because her pictures are inspiring. I really like this blog a lot because she talks about all aspects of life. I like this blog a lot because there is so much about art. From hand made tiles from Algeria to fashion from Afghanistan, this woman has a lot to say about lovely things world wide. How interesting.
Sometimes I read other blogs and think why can't I make my blog interesting like that. But ultimately we all are what we are and we can only hope that someone reads what we have to say and find it interesting enough to take something away. How cool it is to be able to touch someone's life and not even know it. It is very fulfilling.
Oh yeah check out my links for her blog. Anarkali
So far I have found a few but not as many as you would expect. I got started on this because I thought about all the people out there who are blogging regularly and it is one chance in hundreds of thousands that you hit them and while some of them are not worth looking at, (partially because they are not maintained) there are many that are worth looking at. I found just such a blog tonight since this is a day for taking it easy (and wiping my nose a lot... I hate colds!)
I really like this blog because her pictures are inspiring. I really like this blog a lot because she talks about all aspects of life. I like this blog a lot because there is so much about art. From hand made tiles from Algeria to fashion from Afghanistan, this woman has a lot to say about lovely things world wide. How interesting.
Sometimes I read other blogs and think why can't I make my blog interesting like that. But ultimately we all are what we are and we can only hope that someone reads what we have to say and find it interesting enough to take something away. How cool it is to be able to touch someone's life and not even know it. It is very fulfilling.
Oh yeah check out my links for her blog. Anarkali
It's Coming
I look out my window in front of my computer and see the dullness of the day and I haven't been able to get warm all morning. We separated our lambs yesterday morning and saw the end to our old friend Jelly. She had been ailing for days and I knew there was no out for her. We tried everything that we could find in the books but all she did was hang her head and stand listlessly in the barnyard then she started throwing up green stuff and we knew we couldn't let her suffer any longer. We knew it was coming but it was still a shock to our systems when we put her out of her misery. Daughter #2 went inside so she wouldn't have to see and Daughter #1 and I stood helplessly by with a few tears for our old happy faced sheep. It was a quick end and she was buried in our yard as our good friends always are. Meanwhile the lambs were not happy with being separated from their moms. I like to wait till the end of September before weaning the lambs as it gives them every opportunity for growth. Problems is we always know what's coming next. Two days of solid baaaa-ing from the lambs and moms as they complain about being separated. But if we want lambs next year they have to be weaned now. That brings me bake to looking out my window and not being able to get warm...
Last night after an afternoon of paddling, and a morning of lambs and sheep my body finally gave in to whatever Daughter #2 came home from school with on Friday. She was feeling miserable all weekend and last night I started to notice my throat was feeling sore. I hoped that a good night of sleep would help me shake it off... but I knew it was coming. With the H1N1 virus around I feel this ominous presence hanging over me. Sore throats this year are nothing to sniff at. Daughter #2 is home today and we both had rotten nights trying to get good sleep. It didn't happen and somehow when I went to bed I knew that was coming too.
I just checked the forecast and they are calling for snow in the next few days and while I knew that was coming somehow I didn't want it for a while yet.
So here I sit... I was supposed to be spinning today with a friend on the level 3 homework but instead I'm just relaxing with a little knitting and some Tylenol and a box of tissues. I'm working on a new project for my Christmas gift exchange with the guild. Our theme this year is totes. I am making mine with a fat yarn in pretty autumn colours. I hope it is nice when done.
Between winter and H1N1 and a few deadlines, sometimes I hate it when I know things are coming.
Last night after an afternoon of paddling, and a morning of lambs and sheep my body finally gave in to whatever Daughter #2 came home from school with on Friday. She was feeling miserable all weekend and last night I started to notice my throat was feeling sore. I hoped that a good night of sleep would help me shake it off... but I knew it was coming. With the H1N1 virus around I feel this ominous presence hanging over me. Sore throats this year are nothing to sniff at. Daughter #2 is home today and we both had rotten nights trying to get good sleep. It didn't happen and somehow when I went to bed I knew that was coming too.
I just checked the forecast and they are calling for snow in the next few days and while I knew that was coming somehow I didn't want it for a while yet.
So here I sit... I was supposed to be spinning today with a friend on the level 3 homework but instead I'm just relaxing with a little knitting and some Tylenol and a box of tissues. I'm working on a new project for my Christmas gift exchange with the guild. Our theme this year is totes. I am making mine with a fat yarn in pretty autumn colours. I hope it is nice when done.
Between winter and H1N1 and a few deadlines, sometimes I hate it when I know things are coming.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
BC River's Day
Did you know that the last Sunday in September is World River's Day?
Here on the Peace River we celebrate World River's Day and B.C. River's Day all at the same time. It is a day to acknowledge the river that you live on and enjoy the activities that rivers offer all around the world.
Hubby and I have been celebrating this day for many years even when our kids were little tykes. Usually it is a great day and weather wise we've had very few bad ones. I feel I am privileged to live in a region of the world where freedom of movement is not curtailed and where things like rivers are celebrated for their beauty and for their accessibility.
Hubby and I took our canoe and we paddled a mere 6ish or so km on our mighty river The Peace. The weather was lovely and there was a good turn out at the event with about 15 canoes and 3 or 4 river boats (motorized) participating.
When we pulled into our destination our community supported a lovely little party. There were about 50 or 60 people in all and we enjoyed good music, good food, a few displays promoting our river, and some draws for prizes. Most of the people are long time supporters and we all know each other and really like to see each other and visit. Some of the people come from surrounding communities and we haven't seen them since last year on B.C. Rivers Day. Meanwhile behind us the Peace river sparkled with beauty as the water rippled by in it's never ending flow northward to Great Slave Lake. The cliffs on the other side of the river stood majestically watching our small activities
as it has watched human activities for a millennium. You have to wonder what they have seen!
If there is a river near you, you might want to think about taking care of your river and maybe remember that without them this world would be a sad place indeed. They are placid gifts of creation and they calm you when you sit near them in places where the river slows, they excite you when the river is turbulent, they give you joy when water animals and fish abound. I can't imagine not being able to go sit by a river. I look at ours even when there is snow on the ground and I think what a beautiful place to be and it draws me to it with a longing that I can't explain.
A few years ago Hubby and I took what turned out to be a second honeymoon and paddled the Peace from HH to FSJ. We had an awesome time. We could easily have spent many more days on the river if we only had had the time. It was something that I will never forget.
The river greeted us each morning and we saw sights that we didn't know were there. Each time I paddle the Peace on B.C. Rivers day since that time I remember the evenings of spindling by the fire while Hubby fished a few feet away. The breakfast shared with the smoke from the fire mixing with the golden sunrise, the eagles that watched us suspiciously from perches high above us on old trees hanging over the water, and kingfishers that swooped from branch to branch as they followed or led us down the river, the flash of the silver backs of fish as the jetted away from under our canoe, the grand daddy beavers that slapped their tails in a territorial display as we passed their dens. Pictures cannot do that trip justice. We explored down channels unknown to us and were pushed by flowing currents controlled upriver by our dam. We passed sand bars where a herd of deer were drinking peacefully, and other sandbars where geese were flocking by the hundreds. Through it all Hubby and I soaked in all things river. We came away, I think, changed people. It drew us closer together, with something so much bigger than ourselves, as a shared experience.
I want to go back.... I really want to go back....
it is a true thrill to feel the rhythm and flow of The Peace.
If there is a river near you, you might want to think about taking care of your river and maybe remember that without them this world would be a sad place indeed. They are placid gifts of creation and they calm you when you sit near them in places where the river slows, they excite you when the river is turbulent, they give you joy when water animals and fish abound. I can't imagine not being able to go sit by a river. I look at ours even when there is snow on the ground and I think what a beautiful place to be and it draws me to it with a longing that I can't explain.
A few years ago Hubby and I took what turned out to be a second honeymoon and paddled the Peace from HH to FSJ. We had an awesome time. We could easily have spent many more days on the river if we only had had the time. It was something that I will never forget.
I want to go back.... I really want to go back....
it is a true thrill to feel the rhythm and flow of The Peace.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Screwball Days
This has been a seriously screwball day. It started with a horrible nightmare that woke me up at 5 a.m. The weird thing is that I woke with rain starting to fall and knowing instantly that I had to make a mad dash out to the deck where I left a plastic storage container with a whole pile of clothing in it. It had air holes in it so i knew, just knew it would get wet. Anyway I digress... rain.... clothes on deck.... yes it was 5 a.m. when I awoke with a start. I bee lined it for the deck and got the clothes in before it rained hard and headed back to bed. That's when I realized that I had just cut someone's head off in my dream and it had bounced across the floor in front of me.... blood, death and gore abounded.... needless to say that I wasn't going back to sleep any time soon.....
I headed for the computer and promptly forgot that I had turned on the kettle on my way along.... we now have a black kettle that Hubby thinks needs to be replaced.... me oh my, I'm burning far too much these days....
By this time there was a little light in the sky. I tapped away at the computer drinking my tea that I had to prepare in a pot. As I sat there working, up came the sun which started with the reddest sky I have ever seen. The pictures from two days ago can't even touch this red sky. I had left my camera in the truck and it was steadily raining by now or I would have gotten a picture.... I know you're wondering how can we have a red sky and rain at the same time. That is what's so weird! The rain was fairly localized off to the west, obviously, while in the east the sky was still clear.
As the sun came over the horizon the sky changed from red to an even more weird colour or, in this case, set of colours. By this time the clouds with the rain were moving ever closer to the eastern horizon and yet there was no cloud low on the horizon.... so picture this... the sky is red, and then not so red, and then ever so slightly the sun rises over the horizon and there is a small band about two fingers above the horizon where there is no cloud that turns pure gold... I mean wedding band gold not golden coloured but shiny sparkly gold... and above that is the oncoming clouds which are a vivid purple. That's when the trees turned bright orange. I've never seen anything so spectacular. If I could immerse myself in colour all I would have had to do is walk out in the garden. It lasted about two and a half minutes and then everything turned a mundane grey. Then the wind came up and the rain came down in a torrential downpour only it was horizontal too, and all the gold medallion leaves started to tumble across the ground like thousands of mini tumbleweeds. Let me tell you it was too cool!
The day continued in this weird manner. I had to go to a meeting today in FSJ. But before I did, I got an email to go pick up Hubby at a JCR campout...... now! So I quickly got dressed and headed off with Daughter #1 as we would stop along the way to feed Dreamer, the new horse. When I got to the campout site a half hour drive from our home, I discovered that our Patrol leader was having chest pains and was headed off to the hospital and that there had been a mistake... no they weren't canceling the rest of the campout as there were enough chaperones to cover the loss of our leader and that I hadn't needed to drive all that way after all, as Hubby wouldn't be coming home till later in the afternoon. I was thankful that hubby hadn't been hurt or worse.
We went back to town and fed Dreamer at her boarding place and headed for home. By this time the sun was baking again. The skies were brilliant and beautiful. I gathered my gear and the girls and I headed for FSJ. We had ice-cream for lunch at DQ (a serious treat) and then on to my meeting. I was wearing a light sweater and a tank top underneath. I was not cold when I left HH. FSJ proved to be a different story. The building where we hold our meetings is old and cold and before long I began to quake with the cold and by the time we finished the meeting the temperature outside was considerably colder. Brrr!
I now remember that we live in the North and jackets are required clothing any time after the middle of September no matter what the day begins like.... I forget this rule every year and need to relearn it all the time.... I will have to live in the North 50 years before this will actually sink in... and only maybe then.
It was on the way home that we had a creepy thing happen. We got stalked. Yes stalked. We were driving down the highway and this jeep came up behind us out of nowhere. It slowed right down to the speed I was doing and kept pace with us far closer to me than i cared for. Now I love to drive the highway between here and FSJ this time of the year because the colours of the trees are outstanding. I usually drive at about 85 km (on a 90 km road) and enjoy the eagles and the beautiful colours. Besides I wanted to eat my lunch... I mean it was 4:30 p.m. and I was hungry, having only had an ice-cream for lunch. So I slowed down even more in an effort to get the jeep to pass me. He didn't. Argh! I hate creepy drivers that stick too closely to your bum. That is what this creepy jeep driver did.... for over 40 km. I did everything outside of pull over to shake the weirdo. Finally, after slowing way down a number of times and touching my break to let them know I wanted them off my tail and as many tricks as I could think about to encourage them to pass, I did pull over... now if you have ever been stalked pulling over is not the wisest thing to do. But I did. Finally numbnuts passed me and I gave him the finger as he passed.... he sped off down the road and I carried on my way with the two girls discussing the freaky driver. We did notice that the jeep had Alberta plates. (I won't make any derogatory remarks about Albertan drivers thinking they are still on the prairie... ok.)
We are driving along about a mile and half down the road when we come around a turn and freaky driver up ahead is pulling in on the shoulder of the road.... ok we're really freaked now. We are getting closer wondering what is going to happen when out gets the driver.
She had to be 70 I'm thinking, and her husband who was trading the passenger seat for the driver's seat was a sweet looking bent old man. OMG I gave these old (bad but sweet looking) drivers the finger. (sigh) I drove past hoping they wouldn't realize that I was the same lady who had just given them the finger.
Yep this day couldn't get screwier I'm thinking. So far, the rest is fairly standard except we went for supper and there was a fly stuck to the honey bottle the waitress gave me for my tea. Oh and I just found a dead fly floating in my glass of lemonade.... I hate flies. Arrgh!
So I'm hoping that no more dreams tonight will screw me up for tomorrow. I think I'll go to bed. I just want a nice normal night of snoring with no bouncing heads in my dreams.
I headed for the computer and promptly forgot that I had turned on the kettle on my way along.... we now have a black kettle that Hubby thinks needs to be replaced.... me oh my, I'm burning far too much these days....
By this time there was a little light in the sky. I tapped away at the computer drinking my tea that I had to prepare in a pot. As I sat there working, up came the sun which started with the reddest sky I have ever seen. The pictures from two days ago can't even touch this red sky. I had left my camera in the truck and it was steadily raining by now or I would have gotten a picture.... I know you're wondering how can we have a red sky and rain at the same time. That is what's so weird! The rain was fairly localized off to the west, obviously, while in the east the sky was still clear.
As the sun came over the horizon the sky changed from red to an even more weird colour or, in this case, set of colours. By this time the clouds with the rain were moving ever closer to the eastern horizon and yet there was no cloud low on the horizon.... so picture this... the sky is red, and then not so red, and then ever so slightly the sun rises over the horizon and there is a small band about two fingers above the horizon where there is no cloud that turns pure gold... I mean wedding band gold not golden coloured but shiny sparkly gold... and above that is the oncoming clouds which are a vivid purple. That's when the trees turned bright orange. I've never seen anything so spectacular. If I could immerse myself in colour all I would have had to do is walk out in the garden. It lasted about two and a half minutes and then everything turned a mundane grey. Then the wind came up and the rain came down in a torrential downpour only it was horizontal too, and all the gold medallion leaves started to tumble across the ground like thousands of mini tumbleweeds. Let me tell you it was too cool!
The day continued in this weird manner. I had to go to a meeting today in FSJ. But before I did, I got an email to go pick up Hubby at a JCR campout...... now! So I quickly got dressed and headed off with Daughter #1 as we would stop along the way to feed Dreamer, the new horse. When I got to the campout site a half hour drive from our home, I discovered that our Patrol leader was having chest pains and was headed off to the hospital and that there had been a mistake... no they weren't canceling the rest of the campout as there were enough chaperones to cover the loss of our leader and that I hadn't needed to drive all that way after all, as Hubby wouldn't be coming home till later in the afternoon. I was thankful that hubby hadn't been hurt or worse.
We went back to town and fed Dreamer at her boarding place and headed for home. By this time the sun was baking again. The skies were brilliant and beautiful. I gathered my gear and the girls and I headed for FSJ. We had ice-cream for lunch at DQ (a serious treat) and then on to my meeting. I was wearing a light sweater and a tank top underneath. I was not cold when I left HH. FSJ proved to be a different story. The building where we hold our meetings is old and cold and before long I began to quake with the cold and by the time we finished the meeting the temperature outside was considerably colder. Brrr!
I now remember that we live in the North and jackets are required clothing any time after the middle of September no matter what the day begins like.... I forget this rule every year and need to relearn it all the time.... I will have to live in the North 50 years before this will actually sink in... and only maybe then.
It was on the way home that we had a creepy thing happen. We got stalked. Yes stalked. We were driving down the highway and this jeep came up behind us out of nowhere. It slowed right down to the speed I was doing and kept pace with us far closer to me than i cared for. Now I love to drive the highway between here and FSJ this time of the year because the colours of the trees are outstanding. I usually drive at about 85 km (on a 90 km road) and enjoy the eagles and the beautiful colours. Besides I wanted to eat my lunch... I mean it was 4:30 p.m. and I was hungry, having only had an ice-cream for lunch. So I slowed down even more in an effort to get the jeep to pass me. He didn't. Argh! I hate creepy drivers that stick too closely to your bum. That is what this creepy jeep driver did.... for over 40 km. I did everything outside of pull over to shake the weirdo. Finally, after slowing way down a number of times and touching my break to let them know I wanted them off my tail and as many tricks as I could think about to encourage them to pass, I did pull over... now if you have ever been stalked pulling over is not the wisest thing to do. But I did. Finally numbnuts passed me and I gave him the finger as he passed.... he sped off down the road and I carried on my way with the two girls discussing the freaky driver. We did notice that the jeep had Alberta plates. (I won't make any derogatory remarks about Albertan drivers thinking they are still on the prairie... ok.)
We are driving along about a mile and half down the road when we come around a turn and freaky driver up ahead is pulling in on the shoulder of the road.... ok we're really freaked now. We are getting closer wondering what is going to happen when out gets the driver.
She had to be 70 I'm thinking, and her husband who was trading the passenger seat for the driver's seat was a sweet looking bent old man. OMG I gave these old (bad but sweet looking) drivers the finger. (sigh) I drove past hoping they wouldn't realize that I was the same lady who had just given them the finger.
Yep this day couldn't get screwier I'm thinking. So far, the rest is fairly standard except we went for supper and there was a fly stuck to the honey bottle the waitress gave me for my tea. Oh and I just found a dead fly floating in my glass of lemonade.... I hate flies. Arrgh!
So I'm hoping that no more dreams tonight will screw me up for tomorrow. I think I'll go to bed. I just want a nice normal night of snoring with no bouncing heads in my dreams.
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