taibhsearachd

Moving House

2008-08-31T08:32:00.000-07:00

Time for a change. I've decided to move my blog to Wordpress, so if you'd like to continue following my life, please go here. See you on the other side!

The Omnivore's Dilemma

2008-08-28T17:48:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to read Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma for months, but just finally picked it up yesterday. I'm only on chapter two, but I already I know that this is a very well written, thought provoking book. In the following excerpt, he writes about a corn and soybean farm in Iowa owned by George Naylor (note that I have edited this for length).

The story of the Naylor farm since 1919, when George's grandfather bought it, closely tracks the twentieth-century story of American agriculture. It begins with a farmer supporting a family on a dozen different species of plants and animals. There would have been a fair amount of corn then too, but also pigs, cattle, chickens, and horses. One of every four Americans lived on a farm when Naylor's grandfather arriver here; his land and labor supplied enough food to feed his family and twelve other Americans besides. Less than a century after, fewer than 2 million Americans still farm - and they grow enough to feed the rest of us. What that means is that Naylor's grandson, raising nothing but corn and soybeans on a fairly typical Iowa farm, is in effect feeding some 129 Americans.

Yet George Naylor is all but going broke - and he's doing better than many of his neighbors. For though this farm might feed 129, it can no longer support the four who live in it, nor can it literally feed the Naylor family, as it did in grandfather Naylor's day. George's crops are basically inedible - they're commodities that must be processed or fed to livestock before they can feed people. Water, water everwhere and not a drop to drink: like most of Iowa, which now imports 80 percent of its food, George's farm (apart from his garden, his laying hens and his fruit trees) is basically a food desert.

Reading this book, I had a bit of an aha moment. All my life I have been one of the fortunate few who has never had to worry about where my next meal was coming from. Food was something I took for granted; I didn't really give it too much thought. Of course I tried to cook and eat healthy meals (although that certainly didn't always happen - I've eaten my fair share of junk food and fast food) but food wasn't a great deal more than a way to fuel my body and satisfy my hunger.

At some point recently (I don't even know when this happened - I think it was a gradual shift) I came to see just how precious our food is and how important it is that I put some thought into what I put into my mouth. I think growing a vegetable garden had something to do with it (although maybe it was because of my shift in thinking that I decided to grow my own food, and not the other way around).

Whatever has happened, I have become quite militant about the issue to the point where I must be insufferable to live with at times. The latest example of this is when I pronounced to Joe (after the Maple Leaf meat recall) that I would not be buying any more sliced meats: that we had plenty of caribou sausages in the freezer and that would serve us quite well thank you very much. When he ventured to suggest that perhaps having sliced meat once in a while wouldn't hurt, I quite adamently disagreed and declared that it was my job to keep my family healthy and therefore I would certainly not be buying these chemically-laden, processed, disease ridden meats. Insufferable, right?

But my point is this: food is a big deal. Our choices do make a difference.

Of course I'm not totally naive: I realize it's a heck of a lot easier for me to eat thoughtfully than it is for a single mom who's struggling to make ends meet or a kid living on the streets or the family in India that barely has enough food to keep themselves alive. It's because I am so priviledged that I have an even greater responsibility to try to do the right thing when it comes to food. The selections we 'haves' make will ultimately affect the 'have-nots'. It will also affect most other living things on this planet, not to mention the earth itself.

OK - I'll get off my soap box now. I told you...insufferable!

The Girl Who Silenced the U.N. for Five Minutes

2008-08-23T10:33:00.000-07:00

Take a look at this. She is David Suzuki's daughter, speaking at the U.N. back in 1992, before a lot of this was even on people's radar screens. And there are more than 1,000 responses to this on YouTube!

And while on the environmental theme, here is another website you might find interesting.

Lady MacBeth

2008-08-23T09:44:00.000-07:00

The dirty deed is done.

After reading an article in What's Up Yukon, I learned that in order to speed up the ripening of tomatoes, it's good to prune back the plants. That way, the plant will devote its energy to developing and ripening the fruit it already has instead of working on producing more. Like the woman who wrote the article, I was full of trepidation about the whole thing. But I have tonnes of tomato flowers, not that much fruit, and not one as yet ripened tomato, so I decided that drastic action was called for.

So this morning, scissors in hand, I cut back my plants. They were so overgrown I could hardly get in the greenhouse. Now there will be much more air circulation and hopefully some tomatoes. But I still can't help but feel a bit like Lady MacBeth, hands stained with tomato juice.

Takhini Salt Flats

2008-08-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

About a half hour's drive from Whitehorse, there is one of the most unusual natural features in the Yukon. Although I've lived here for almost 25 years, last night was the first time I've visited the Takhini Salt Flats, although now that I know how to find the area, it certainly won't be the last.

The mountains around this location are very alkalin (salty). Over the years, these mountains have eroded and silt has washed down into the flats. As well, artisian wells bubble underneath the flats and infuse the area with minerals such as sodium sulfates. Normally these minerals would be washed into the ground, but the permafrost keeps the water near the surface. There is no river or other body of water it can drain in to, so it sits there until the summer sun evaporates it, leaving salt crystals.

What's interesting too is that there are salt-loving plants here that aren't seen anywhere else in the Yukon. One of the most distinctive plants is a bright-red sea asparagus, which you will see in the photos below. Apparently this plant is so unusual that its species name is still in doubt.

Photos, from top to bottom: 1) long shot of the flats; 2) salt flats detail; 3) chunk of salt; 4) another detail of the flats; 5) salt covered log; 6) bear track; 7) another bear track we saw on the way in to the flats; 8) salt pool; 9) salty ant hill; and 10) section of the inside of a salty ant hill.

What an amazing world we live in!

A Happening Place

2008-08-21T08:37:00.000-07:00

There is a wonderful trail in Whitehorse that runs either side of the Yukon River, with bridges linking each end. It is used by hundreds of runners, walkers, bikers, strollers and the like. There's always something to see on the trail, whether it be wildflowers, water fowl or even spawning salmon.

Last night though it was particularly interesting. Just down from the Whitehorse dam, the Yukon Canoe and Kayak Club was holding their annual white water rodeo. I've never been in a kayak in fast water, but this certainly made me want to experience it. Everyone seemed to be having so much fun.

A few minutes further along the trail, near the fishladder, someone from Icy Waters was giving a demonstration about how to fillet and cook arctic char. Yup, the Millennium Trail certainly was a happening place last night!

Where Have all the Salmon Gone?

2008-08-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

Last night was Appreciation Night at the Whitehorse Rapids Fishway. There were kids' games, door prizes and refreshments, but sadly, few chinook salmon. One female arrived in the morning and two males showed up in the evening...a far cry from the dozens that typically navigate their way through the ladder in the run of a day. In all, only 70 salmon have reached the fishladder this summer.

A rare sight

With the real thing in short supply, visitors had to look elsewhere to get their salmon fix:

A silk painting commissioned by a local artist.

Cake anyone?

A tank of salmon fry. They'll be released in a few weeks and will find their way to the Bering Sea next year. Hopefully we'll see some of them return to the ladder in five or six years. Photo credit for this shot: Yukon News.

Salmon scales: did you know that you can tell the age of a fish by counting the rings on its scales, much like you count tree rings? There's lots to be learned by visiting the fishladder.

Out of Touch

2008-08-19T08:37:00.000-07:00

I have been 'off-line' for the past three days. A problem with the phone line leading into our house meant we were without telephone or Internet service the whole long week-end (it was a holiday yesterday in the Yukon - Discovery Day).

The lack of phone service didn't bother me a bit. In fact, I enjoyed not hearing the telephone ring. I liked it so much that I'm thinking we should get rid of our land line and just rely on our cell phones.

Another benefit is that that the time I normally would have spent on the Internet was freed up to paint Jamie's room. Funny, two years ago he wanted his room painted black. This time, he asked that it be painted white! After his first night sleeping in his 'new' room, he told me how much he liked all the light. He said he felt like he was in heaven!

Monsanto's Harvest of Fear

2008-08-15T09:57:00.000-07:00

You might be interested in reading this article. I knew the broad strokes about Monsanto of course but there is a lot in here I didn't know. While the writers do not provide the sources for their article, I don't doubt the accuracy of most of what they report. I felt sick to my stomach after reading this piece.

Co-incidentally, I was recently looking over my RRSPs and saw that Monsanto has a 1 percent share in one of my interests. I have since asked my financial planner to sell that and find me something that doesn't have anything to do with Monsanto.

In the Studio

2008-08-13T15:26:00.000-07:00

Alan's band Sanktuary has spent the last two week-ends in the recording studio putting together their first CD. It's all very exciting for the boys: Alan dropped by the house at one point last week-end and had a huge grin on his face. The producer told him the band was very well rehearsed, so that made him feel good.

They'll have a CD release party at Christmas time when Alan comes home from school. Meanwhile, I think they're going to load a few cuts onto the web so we'll be able to get a sneak preview. Be forewarned though...heavy metal music, as you know, is definitely not for the tender of ear!

My Perfect Lunch

2008-08-11T13:27:00.000-07:00

It all started with two large bags of chicken feet. You see, I happen to think that the feet make the best chicken stock. The flavour is much more intense than from using any other part of the bird. My grammie took things even further and served up soup with the feet still in, but I won't go down that path on this blog. I suspect you're feeling squeamish enough as it is.

Anyway, when my farmer friend called to say she had bags of chicken feet left over from the week-end's butchering and did I want any, I quickly said yes and arranged to pick them up from her today at the Farmer's Market Kitchen. She runs the kitchen there every Monday, making delicious lunches using mostly local meats and produce.

When I arrived it wasn't much after 11, but my stomach started growling as soon as I walked in the door. On today's menu was a chili made with bison, cheese questadillas with fresh salsa, and a fruit salad.

I opted for both the chili and the questadillas. Yes I know, I am a piggie. But it just looked too good to pass up. And in my defence I asked for small portions of each.

I took my lunch outside to sit at one of the picnic tables in the park. The sun was warm and full, the sky bright blue, there was the rhythmic distant pounding of hammer on nails as workers repaired one of the old homes on the edge of the park, birds were carrying on friendly conversations with one another: it was truely a zen-like moment.

In the dead of winter when it doesn't seem possible that summer will ever come again, I will pull out some chicken feet from the freezer, cook up a mean stock and remember with great fondness today's perfect lunch.

What Month is This?

2008-08-10T07:39:00.001-07:00

Surely this can't be August. I must be confused. This morning when I got up there was frost in one of my lettuce patches. And investigating something stuffed in my mailbox, I see that we have received the Sear's Christmas Wish Book. What month is this???

Fish and Fowl

2008-08-09T17:07:00.000-07:00

Former neighbours of ours own an organic farm out of town and today was chicken butchering day. I volunteered to help. As a farm girl growing up, I certainly did my fair share of this sort of work and in a strange way, I miss it. I find that the more I know about where my food comes from, how it lived, and how it died, the greater reverence I have for it.

The Rudges had quite an assembly line going, with areas for butchering, plucking, removing head and feet, gutting, final cleaning, weighing and bagging. I was on gutting duty. We took care of more than 200 chickens and then it was time for a late lunch: soups, fresh bread, salad (using greens from their garden of course) and various fruits and desserts. At the end of the day I left with a dozen chickens for my freezer.

While I was looking after our winter fowl supply, Joe was heading for Alaska to fish for salmon and halibut. Valdez, Alaska is one of the few places that has healthy salmon runs, thanks to a very successful hatchery program.

My we are going to eat well this year!

Eat the View

2008-08-07T06:02:00.000-07:00

There's a move afoot in the United States to get the next president to grow vegetables on the lawn of the White House. You can learn more about it here, but the idea is to have the First Family grow enough food not only for themselves but for local food banks in Washington, D.C.

That got me thinking about our own situation here in the Yukon. There is quite a large patch of lawn at the back of the Yukon legislature...enough for an ample garden to feed quite a few people. Since a Yukon food bank is supposed to open its doors by the end of this year and work is underway to find a permanent youth shelter, there would certainly be a 'market' for the produce. I suspect there would be a number of Yukon government workers who would be willing to give up a portion of their lunch hours to plant, weed or water (it is after all theraputic work that could lead to more relaxed, satisfied employees) and the politicians could take turns tending the garden too. It could also be opened up to the general public to help out, including those who would benefit from receiving the food. It could help those most in need to learn a new skill and take some ownership for producing their own food. I think it would be a good thing on so many levels.

We happen to have a friend who is an MLA, so I put the bug in his ear last night when he came for dinner (a meal that was largely made up of food we had grown or gathered ourselves). If you're reading this and are interested in working with me to make this happen, please drop me a note.

Garden Supper

2008-08-05T18:06:00.000-07:00

The garden is slowly and somewhat reluctantly starting to give up its bounty to us. Today we had our first potatoes and our first broccoli. Delicious!

That, My Dear, Was an Adventure!

2008-08-05T08:32:00.000-07:00

Just got back from the Dempster Highway, and I must say I think I've had my share of excitement for a while. It was quite the trip, with ample bouts of joy and tragedy. Where to start? Chronologically I guess.

We had been on the road for about four hours when we came upon a Yukon government highway truck, lights flashing and door open. As we got closer we saw a man lying in the middle of the road. We stopped, as did a couple visiting from Germany. We did all the usual things, including CPR, but it was pretty obvious this man was gone. We called for help but of course cell phones are pretty touch and go in rural Yukon. After several attempts we did manage to get through to the closest nursing station. A tourist bus stopped with a doctor on board so he came to try to help. He surmised the man had had a massive heart attack.

So while we waited for the ambulance and RCMP, I directed traffic from one end and Joe and the German fellow from the other. In the midst of all this, a bit of absurdity: the German man mentioned he and his wife had seen the Frantic Follies the night before. Joe told him our daughter dances in the show, so the man's wife excitedly ran to get the program so Joe could point out which dancer was our daughter. Turns out they had taken pictures of her and promised to email them to us once they got back home. All this happy chat was going on while this poor man lay in the road. Anyway, I digress...

After an hour, the police and ambulance finally arrived, took statements, and we went on our way. It certainly put a damper on things though.

Several hours later, we arrived at our camp site on the Dempster and collapsed into our tent. It had been a long day. But the next day was going to prove to be even longer!

Up early on Sunday to battle the rain and the Dempster once again. It's had lots of rain this year as has the rest of the Yukon and the road was a total mess: thick soupy mud and pot hole after pot hole. I've never seen it so bad in all the years we've been making this trek. We came around a bend and there was our friend Darius, soaked and covered in mud, lying on his back under his vehicle. One of his tires had expoded and he couldn't get the spare out from under his vehicle, so we loaded him into our truck and headed on up to Eagle Plains to get a new tire. Joe then drove him back while I stayed at the hotel to get cleaned up. All of us were a soggy muddy mess by this point.

It was then that we came across this vehicle:

This fellow from Toronto was driving all over the place with his solar car, including the Dempster. I have no idea how he has been manoeuvering the road in the condition it's in (he apparently has about 70 spare tires but has only needed four of them so far). We spent some time chatting with him before continuing our treck north, in search of cloudberries.

We did find cloudberries - more than I've ever seen in my life in fact. But we also found caribou...a few hundred of them. I have never had the opportunity to see a large group like that and I was so excited. They are incredibly beautiful animals. But of course they are also our winter meat, so we were up before 5 the next morning hunting. Joe got two caribou (one for us and one for the elder he hunts for) so we spent four hours skinning, cutting up and packing the meat.

Just as Joe was starting to skin the animals, an old fellow from the Northwest Territories came tearing up the tundra. I have no idea what possessed him to drive on that kind of terrain - I guess he was excited at seeing all those caribou. But of course he got stuck BIGTIME! Joe and I pushed for a while, but he wasn't going anywhere without some major mechanical help. So we flagged down someone on the highway to go for help and we went back to dealing with the meat. It has to be taken care of quickly or the belly swells (heat from the intestines). As well, being in bear country means you don't want to hang around with fresh meat any longer than necessary. We did see a black bear and two cubs, and another single black bear, but not in that area. We also saw a moose, but I'm getting off topic.

The caribou was packed and covered with tarp but we still wanted berries so we spent the next couple of hours picking. We left relectantly after that point, again because we needed to get the meat home. We could have picked for days and not made a dent in the patch! As it was we picked about 12 litres, then back into the truck we went for the long 12 hour drive home. We arrived in Whitehorse last night just around 11. I'm exhausted today, but a good exhausted. The Dempster Highway takes good care of us, that's for sure! And every time I go there I am reminded that it has some of the most beautiful scenery I've seen in my life.

Dam Good Idea

2008-08-02T08:43:00.001-07:00

This year is the 50th anniversary of the building of the Whitehorse dam, and it was my job to put on an all day 'event' to mark the occasion. That event took place yesterday. First there was a fun run across the dam and around the Millennium Trail. Back in the 70s when the Riverdale bridge was being repaired people drove across the dam to get to work and school. But it's been off limits ever since then because of safety and security reasons, so I think it was a treat for people to have a chance to go across it. We had about 150 show up for that and we had them all decked out in orange or blue t-shirts that read 'Dam Good Idea'.

Next we offered tours of one of the hydro plants. People had to pre-book and my phone didn't stop ringing for two days beforehand. I was amazed at just how many people were interested in seeing the facilities. What was really great was the number of old timers who came. Many of them had worked on the dam when it was built and so this visit really brought back memories for them. They told some amazing stories - far too many to recount here. I will mention that I looked over at one point to see one of these old fellows (I think he said he was 85) down on the ground doing push-ups for a reporter so he could show that he was still in great shape! And boy could he do push-ups: far more than I could do!

The day ended with a gathering by the dam, where there was lots of food, live music, old photo displays and stories told by some of the old timers and by elders who spoke of what it was like before the dam was built.

I heard many good comments so I think the event was a success. Several people said we should do this every year. Hmmm, I'm not sure I have the energy to do that (pardon the pun) but we'll have to see.

Now to switch gears:
Joe and I are off to the Dempster this week-end for our annual cloudberry search. As I write this, I have caribou ribs roasting in the oven, potatoes and eggs cooking for potato salad, several packages of various veggies in foil all ready to be thrown on the coals, a huge amount of fruit and cheese, and Joe has gone downtown to get the 'fill in the blanks' stuff. So even if we don't find any berries we'll certainly dine well.

Field trip to Carmacks

2008-08-01T19:58:00.000-07:00

It's been a blur of a week, with many things demanding my time at work. I only have energy to write about one of those things now, with more to follow later.

This week I took a group of reporters to a fly-in site near Carmacks where an all-woman crew is hand digging holes for transmission poles. The area is a no-machine zone, meaning that all the work has to be done by hand or from the air. These women are digging holes that will end up being eight or nine feet deep and four to six feet across, using only shovels and other hand tools. The women do the first three or four feet and then a crew of men comes along and finishes digging to the required depth, again using only jackhammers and shovels. The poles themselves will be dropped into the holes by helicopters. I love the fact that women are doing what is some of the most physically demanding work on the line.

Here are a few pictures. The culverts you see in photo #1 weigh 300 pounds each and are set upright into the ground to hold the poles in place. The hole you see in photo #2 is deeper than I am tall. Notice the layer of white ash close to the surface...it's from an Alaskan volcano that erupted a few hundred years ago. Photos #3 and #4 are shots of some of the reporters at work.

Getting my Sexy Back

2008-07-29T08:08:00.000-07:00

It's summer dance camp time, and every night this week I'm taking an hour of can can dancing (a great aerobic workout) followed by an hour of sass (think the Pussycat Dolls with more class and a bit of burlesque thrown in). Both classes are all about attitude and using what the Creator gave all us women. For me, it's a bit of an antidote to a lifetime of media messages that my hips and butt aren't small enough, my boobs aren't big enough, my skin isn't smooth enough, my face isn't pretty enough and my stomach isn't flat enough.

You might think of me as just a rather frumpy looking middle-aged mother of three, but last night on the dance floor, I got my sexy back!

One Kitchen, Two Styles

2008-07-27T14:43:00.001-07:00

Joe and I have completely different cooking styles and preferences. He likes to make rich hearty 'old country' meals. He has a knack for the kind of soups and stews that you dream about coming home to on a cold winter day. I cook much lighter and lean towards using more vegetables and less fat. Unless we're having company, we rarely 'coordinate' our meals. He'll cook something he feels like and I'll do the same; it makes for some interesting meals that have a potluck feel to them.

For instance, yesterday we had a couple of pieces of salt cod. I took half and made fish cakes topped with homemade sweet pickles (I think I was missing N.S. cooking after receiving a note and those photos from my friend Ellen). Joe took his half and create a Spanish dish with two different sauces - I'd never had anything like it before.

And today, Joe made a stick-to-your-ribs oxtail stew, while my contribution was hummus with veggies and strawberry shortcake.

Some people would think it odd that we tend to go our own separate ways in the kitchen, but for the most part it seems to work out OK. We are both pretty independent people, so I guess our kitchen styles mirror our lives in general.

Cruising YouTube

2008-07-26T16:21:00.000-07:00

Thought you might enjoy these clips courtesy of YouTube:

Laughing Baby

Practice Makes Purrr-fect

Women in Art

and

The Vegetable Orchestra.

Happy viewing!

Friends Part 2

2008-07-26T10:48:00.000-07:00

I have a friend in N.S. named Ellen, whom I've written about in the past on this blog when I posted her award winning apple recipe. Not only is she a bit of a local celebrity because of her pies and other desserts (she runs the kitchen at a little place in Grand Pre that serves down home cooking: baked beans with brown bread, seafood chowder with scones and of course pies and apple dumplings) but she is also one of the kindest, sweetest people you'd ever want to meet. Here is a photo of her and her babies and another of one of her pies. She makes about 30 pies a day, all from scratch. I can't even imagine the number of scones, loaves of bread, apple dumplings and other delectables she must have to make. Outside of work hours she finds time to make jars and jars of various jams. I am totally in awe of her abilities.

B-Girl

2008-07-23T07:08:00.000-07:00

Yup, that's me. B-Girl. I took my first ever breakdancing class last night and Holy Handstand am I ever sore this morning!

We learned some pretty basic moves - six-step and stalling. I very quickly found out that my body was not made to move like this. But it was fun to try.

Maybe I would have done better if I had this guy teaching me!

The Birds and the Bees

2008-07-22T20:59:00.000-07:00

A woman of my word, I have not mentioned one thing about my garden for the last week. But seven days have passed and I am now in the clear.

These birds, and close to two dozen more of their kind, have been hanging about our newly acquired feeders recently. And they've been living high off the hog. I not only offer them a choice of menu (two different kinds of seeds and nuts), but I give them fresh filtered water every day and shoo away any squirrels that come around to steal their food. Yet how have these ungrateful feathered ones re-paid me? By chowing down on my swiss chard until there's almost nothing left of it! The nerve!!

The bees, however, are welcome in my garden any time. Their food of choice seems to be my chive blossoms. There are five bees on this one plant - see if you can spot them. Actually there were six but one flew away just as I was snapping the shot.

A Day on Lebarge

2008-07-19T20:06:00.000-07:00

Joe and I just got back from spending the day on Lake Lebarge with our friend Bernie. The boys fished while I stretched out in the bow under a down filled jacket (it was nippy!) enjoying the scenery and the sense of calm brought on by the rhythmic swells. Later it started to rain, but luckily our friend's boat has cover, so we didn't get wet. You can see how bundled up we were though...I had on a wool hat, gloves and five layers!!

Bernie's dog Lubba.

Catch of the day...the only one the boys reeled in. Bernie had what he figured was a 20 pounder on his line but it got away before he could net it. Notice the trout's head in this photo looks disproportionately large compared to its body. Bernie told us that happens when the fish isn't finding enough food. Indeed, when he gutted the fish there was nothing in its stomach. I have no idea why that would be...another consequence of climate change perhaps?

My Daughter Dances

2008-07-18T21:22:00.000-07:00

She dances leaving the subway...

She dances on campus...

She dances on big rocks...

She dances in her residence...

Yup, my daughter dances.

If the Furniture Could Talk

2008-07-18T17:41:00.000-07:00

I have always loved old things. Give me a battered up old table that has many a tale to tell over a brand new factory model any day. As a kid, when my mom asked me one year what I wanted for my birthday, I told her 'an antique dresser'.

Then as a teenager I started refinishing old furniture. Yes I know, pretty lame. But hey, I lived on a farm miles away from any of my friends, I had a mom who didn't drive and a dad who worked 16 hour days and so I didn't have the heart to ask him to drive me anywhere. So...I had to make my own fun. And to me, refinishing furniture was fun.

All this is a roundabout way of telling you that some family furniture arrived today that I had shipped from N.S. Some of it needs a lot of work, but some can be put to use right away.

Here's my grammie's commode - one of the first pieces of furniture I ever refinished. You can see I didn't do a perfect job, and I cringe now at my choice of brass drawer handle (that I will replace as soon as I can find something more authentic) but still, not a bad job for a teen. This commode was part of a set that included a dresser and bed. The bed I couldn't have shipped, but the dresser - seen below - I've had for many years. It's another piece I refinished. It was coated with thick black varnish and was a bugger to strip. As a child I was fascinated by that little drawer and what might be hidden in there.

The next piece is my birthday present dresser. It cost my mom 90 dollars, which I know was a lot for her. I know the price because for years the tag was stuck inside the top drawer. I'm not sure who removed it, but it's no longer there. The white dress, by the way, is my christening gown.

I also had five diningroom chairs with caned seats shipped and a huge dresser that is coated in ugly white paint. They're still in the crates so I can't show you.

My favourite piece, though, is one I've had for several years. It's the cradle that my dad slept in when he was a baby. It's seen here with quilts made by my mom and grammie, and a 1942 doll I bought at a garage sale (the date is in her shoe). Didn't I tell you I was a sucker for old things?

I'm One of THOSE

2008-07-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

When I had my babies, I tried hard to not pepper my friends with multiple photos and 'cute' stories of my growing brood. I was painfully aware that although I revelled in everything there was to know about my children - from their first bowel movement to their first tooth; their first smile to their first tumble on a two wheeler - most others had no need or desire to receive anything close to that level of detail.

Yet here I am 20 years later shamelessly inflicting upon you more stories about my garden babies. Forgive me: after today, the words garden, flowers, plants and vegetables will be banned from this blog for one whole week. But just for today, bear with me while I get my fix.

Remember this? Mid-June....

To this...mid-July.

Another garden visitor...drawn, I expect, by all the rain.

New Visitors to My Garden

2008-07-11T06:21:00.000-07:00

I have some new visitors to my back yard. A few weeks back, I put up two bird houses and have been waiting patiently since then for any feathery creatures who might be flying by to discover them. There's been nothing until yesterday, when I woke up to find a whole flock of birds chowing down. It was quite entertaining, since a while later a squirrel showed up and was clearly annoyed at not being able to reach the feeders from the near-by tree. However he or she was making do with some of the seeds that had dropped to the ground and was jealously guarding them. The birds kept flying down to join the squirrel and it kept running at them to scare them away. They returned again and again only to be shooed away by the squirrel. At one point quite a loud verbal argument broke out. I had to leave before I saw the resolution, although I notice this morning that the birds are back but the squirrel isn't.

I am heartened to see that more bees are showing up in my garden too, now that the wild delphiniums and columbines are in bloom. I read somewhere that bees like blue and purple flowers the best and that certainly seems to be the case at my place.

Your Happy Dance

2008-07-08T17:50:00.000-07:00

This will make you smile. There is a whole series called 'Where the Hell is Matt?' but I like this one the best. If you're interested, there are also three lectures where he talks about how he came to be making videos like this. You'll find them on YouTube along with all the other Matt videos. Enjoy.

This and That

2008-07-06T11:41:00.000-07:00

Reflection on kitchen ceiling (from a pot lid waiting patiently in the sink to be washed).

Supper fixings.

Oliver Schroer

2008-07-04T19:09:00.000-07:00

I really hadn't paid attention to the music of Canadian violinist Oliver Schroer until recently, when my friend Lucca gave me a CD of music he had recorded on the Camino in Northern Spain. She gave it to me in part because I hope to make that trek myself in the next couple of years. It's beautiful music that blends his playing (mostly improvised) with the sounds of daily life along the route: church bells, chickens, birds singing, etc.

This morning I had a very strong urge to listen to that CD while doing my yoga. It was a strange feeling; no other music was going to cut it. I just had to hear that disc.

A few minutes ago, listening to CBC Radio, I learned that Oliver Schroer died yesterday of lukemia.

Friends

2008-07-04T08:45:00.000-07:00

Some of my buds.

Break Free

2008-07-02T15:38:00.000-07:00

Yes I know that strawberry shortcake is the quintessential Canada Day dessert. But sometimes you just have to break free from tradition. That's why my contribution to yesterday's Canada Day meal at a friend's house was homemade rhubarb ice-cream, topped with fresh strawberries. Rhubarb ice-cream you say? Yes, yes, YES!!

8 stalks of rhubarb, chopped
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water

Cook these three ingredients on the stove for about 20 minutes, and then blend until smooth. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

In a bowl, mix:
2 cups whipping cream
2 cups milk
chilled rhubarb mixture

Pour into ice-cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's directions. Put into freezer until ready to eat.

Flowers Gone Wild...or How I Spent My Canada Day

2008-07-01T13:45:00.000-07:00

It started out like this: one little yellow flower painted on the back of my greenhouse, just to see what it would look like. I thought, "That looks alright. Maybe I'll try some fireweed."

Well, from there I got on a roll. I was having fun. I think I should have stopped before I did the wild roses because they're a bit too feminine for my taste. Nonetheless, anything to make the greenhouse a little less ugly is fine by me.

Brrrrrr

2008-06-29T11:14:00.001-07:00

It's a cold day...a really cold day....a make a fire in the wood stove kind of day. It's the kind of day that I should be replacing the sealer around my bathtub. But instead, I'm cooking. First up, a batch of protein bars. These are pretty tasty so I'm posting the recipe in case you're interested.

1/2 cup flour of your choice (I use multi-grain or whole wheat)
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup oat bran
1/2 cup ground flax seeds
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 t. sea salt (sea salt has many more minerals than table salt)
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/2 cup honey
1 cup dark chocolate pieces (chocolate chips work in a pinch but really good quality chocolate really does make a difference)
About 1 cup or so of plain yoghurt (enough that it holds everything together when you mix it up but not too much that is is really wet)
Sometimes I also add a couple of dollups of almond butter or peanut butter
1/4 cup oil of your choice (I use sunflower)
2 t. olive oil
1 t. vanilla
*Note: this recipe also calls for a cup of whey or soy protein powder but I never have it in the house. I think if you added it you would need to also add a bit more yoghurt so it wouldn't be too dry.

Mix altogether, put in greased 9 x 13 inch pan, and bake at 350 degrees for about half an hour (or a little less depending on how hot your oven gets). Cut into squares and munch out.

Home!

2008-06-28T06:46:00.000-07:00

Joe gets home today, after being in Toronto for six weeks taking a couple of English as a Second Language courses and everything around here seems to be welcoming him back. In the flower garden, the first wild Irises of the season are just starting to open (they are one of his favourite flowers), there are two zuccini in my greenhouse that have been waiting for him arrive before reaching the perfect size to be plucked, and some radishes and green onions have offered to sacrifice themselves for the sake of our first garden salad. Welcome back Joe!

Play Ball!

2008-06-25T13:51:00.000-07:00

This year, the junior men's world fast pitch championships are taking place in town. It's quite an event for Whitehorse...there are teams here from 12 countries. Last night Jamie and I took in some of the games. It was a lot of fun: the rain stayed away for the most part and we sat with several of Jamie's friends, so I had a chance to get to know them a bit better. They all seemed like good kids, they were all respectful to me and included me in their conversations (unlike some other teenagers I have come in contact with) and Jamie didn't seem embarrassed to be seen with his mom (again, not something that you can say for all teenagers).

We watched South Africa play New Zealand, Mexico play Denmark, and then Canada play Australia. Unfortunately Canada lost 3-1 but it was good ball.

And on a totally different topic, here's a photo of Roy and I scattering our dad's ashes. I like the way the ashes are appearing to dance...obviously dad wasn't happy being cooped up in that canister and was delighted to be free. One note about Roy's socks. He pulled them up over his pants because the fields and the woods are full of ticks this summer. I went for a walk the first day I got there and when I came back my legs were covered in them. YUCK. We never had ticks when I was growing up...guess it's just another sign of climate change.

What to Choose?

2008-06-23T15:50:00.000-07:00

Ideally, we'd all like to be eating totally organic, right? The reality is that it's not always possible to do that. So I went looking to try to find out which fruits and vegetables tend to be the most contaminated (and thus the ones of which I should absolutely choose organic varieties) and those that are not as bad. Here's what I found out.

Of course the real solution for me is to grow as much of my own produce as possible, so I know exactly what's gone into the soil. But if compromises need to be made, and they almost always do, this might be a good place to start.

Long Days of Summer

2008-06-22T13:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's sunrise: 4:28 a.m.
Yesterday's sunset: 11:27 p.m.

Although the sun sets, it never really gets dark at this time of year. I was outside at 1 a.m. today weeding my garden!

My plants are basking in this light. There'll be lettuce, radishes and zuccini on the table within a week.

Where Have All the Bees Gone?

2008-06-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

All my life I have had a phobia about bees. When one of these creatures comes in close proximity of me, I freak. If one happens to get in the car with me while I'm driving, I quickly pull over and open all the doors to let it out, because I know that otherwise, I'll have a car accident.

However I was recently watching a TV show that has changed my attitude towards bees. Bees, apparently, are disappearing. And that could be catastrophic for us. Here's an article that presents the same basic information as was on the television show. And now that I'm taking notice, it does seem I have very few bees around my place this year. Grant it, my vegetables (apart from those in the greenhouse) haven't started flowering yet, but certainly I have lots of flowers that should attract bees. The BC Honey Association claims that up to 80 percent of the bees that over-wintered in that province this past year have been lost, and similar numbers are being reported in other parts of the country. Since at least one-third (some estimates are as high as 90 percent) of our food is a result of bees pollinating the plants, this is very scary stuff.

Done!

2008-06-15T14:13:00.000-07:00

My house looks like a bomb shell hit it, my back is complaining from the many wheelbarrows full of compost and horse manure I carted to and dug into the garden and I have so many mosquito bites that you might think I have the chicken pox. Regardless, my new garden is finally planted. It's a good three weeks late so I'm not sure how it will do. But if the green thumb gods shine favourably upon me, I should later this summer have the following:

3 varieties of potatoes
2 types of carrots
2 kinds of lettuce
peas
swiss chard
turnips
celery
beets
radish
broccoli
brussel sprouts
green onions
red onions
three types of tomatoes
winter squash
summer squash
cucumbers
scarlet runner beans
jacob's cattle beans
basil
parsley
dill
cilantro

Apology

2008-06-13T08:08:00.000-07:00

I am feeling pretty weepy this week. Whenever I read or hear another news story about Harper's apology to former residential school students, I find myself getting emotional. For me, it's about more than how First Nations people were treated, although that was certainly horrific enough. For me it raises broader questions about how it is that we humans have the capacity to be so cruel to one another. Where did that trait come from, and how can we get rid of it? I am reminded of Colin Wilson's book "The Mind Parasites", in which a kind of mind cancer was sucking everything good from the human spirit. But I digress...

The broad strokes stories of residential school victims are fairly well known, so I won't go into all that now. But here in the Yukon, you can see the devastating results every day. You also can't help but be in awe of the strength of a growing number of people who are managing to pull themselves out of such a deep dark pit.

It's difficult to hear people talk about 'lazy, drunk Indians' (yes, I still hear some of that in this country). There is no doubt in my mind that I would have slit my wrists a long time ago had I been subjected to the horror and sorrow that some First Nations people have. To find myself as one of only a handful of survivors in a village that had been hit by smallpox, to have my home and livelihood taken from me, to be ripped from my family at age 5 and taken to a place where I was beaten for speaking my own language and practicing my own customs and rituals and where I was sexually and verbally abused: why wouldn't I turn to a bottle or a needle or a razor blade to make the pain stop?

Below is a photo that was on the front page of yesterday's Whitehorse Star. It's a picture of the woman who adopted Joe, listening to the Prime Minister make his apology. It just breaks your heart...

My Ugly Greenhouse

2008-06-11T08:26:00.000-07:00

I guess everyone has a claim to fame. Mine is that I am now the owner of the ugliest greenhouse in existence. I knew I shouldn't have been away when I was having this work done, but I thought I had given the builder a detailed description of what I wanted. Obviously not. They built it with a shed roof. To me a shed roof is either an A framed roof or the type that is found on barns. Not to the contractor. To him.....well, why don't I just post the photos. Then maybe someone can tell me if there's anything that can be done to make it look any better. Joe, I hope you're not going to be too upset.

The inside looks fine. The beds are fairly roomy and there's enough room in the middle for a chair should I ever feel like reading a book in the warmth of a greenhouse. However look at the outside!!
The large L-shaped raised bed seen in the foreground is pretty ugly too, although I think I can soften the lines with hanging flowers. It'll also look better when it's full of vegetable plants. You can see I've started planting the first few rows. The greenhouse though, I just don't know. I sent a note off to the builder this morning telling him how disappointed I am in the project. I waited so long to have a greenhouse, and now to see it looking like this just makes me feel sick.

Catching Up

2008-06-10T20:33:00.000-07:00

I've fallen a bit behind in my blogging, so bear with me while I get caught up. First, more about my trip to N.S. After all the 'necessaries' were dealt with regarding my father and his estate, I decided a trip to Annapolis Royal was in order. It's my favourite town in the Annapolis Valley: great history, beautiful old buildings and good food (not a fast food chain in sight). It has one of the best stores I've seen for blue and white china, a particular weakness of mine. A trip to Annapolis Royal is not complete without a trip to Anna Gloria. Unfortunately it is closing: not sure where I'll get my Blue Willow fix from now on.

This town has kid appeal too, in the form of a replica of a 1605 French trading post (Port Royal Habitation) and Fort Anne. When my own three were little, they particularly liked running down and rolling down the deep wide ditches that were constructed as a defensive measure.

The day I went, a Saturday, there was a farmers' market going on. I feasted on delicious potato pancakes, bought some of the best tasting asparagus I've ever had, purchased a couple of gifts from the writer Geoff Butler, and finished it all off with a slice of almond torte. (I sure do write about food a lot, don't I?)

I was also going to spend some time tonight telling you about the tragic tale of my greenhouse and new vegetable garden (and it is quite the story) but this post is getting a bit long in the tooth so I'll save that for tomorrow. But before I close, see what I found growing in my old vegetable garden tonight? It's a morel mushroom. I was all set to fry it up with dinner but sadly, the worms had gotten to it first.

Good Thing

2008-06-10T07:19:00.000-07:00

It's a good thing I didn't take the snow tires off my car...

It's a good thing I didn't pack away my winter coat...

It's a good thing I'm not a violent person...

Because if I were I would take a sledge hammer to Mother Nature.

For the third day in a row, it's snowing in Whitehorse.

Enough said.

A Few Quick Pics

2008-06-09T13:06:00.000-07:00

No time to blog today, since I'm going non-stop, but here are a few photos of my trip. I'll post more tomorrow.

Long shot of the farm, with the red barn on the right, the garage in foreground and the house in back, mostly hidden by trees. The grey pig barn can barely be seen to the right of the main barn.

The old house, otherwise known as 'the money pit'. Last month it was new roof shingles; this month it's a new septic system. I wonder how much a shipment of dynamite would cost?

Part of the apple orchard

Apple blossom time

Update from the Farm

2008-06-05T15:45:00.000-07:00

This will be a very brief post. Living in a rural area of N.S., my brother is still dealing with dial-up internet (they don't offer high speed where he lives) so trying to have any dealings with the computer is enough to drive a person raving mad! I do have photos I wanted to post but that would just be asking this computer to do too much, so I'll wait until I get home for that.

Last night we scattered Dad's ashes. When all was said and done, I did feel ready. I think it helped that when I first got here, I took a long walk in the fields and woods and had a chat with Dad. Whether he heard me or not who knows but I felt a lot better about things.

The spot we chose to scatter the ashes was beside two wild apple trees. They are in bloom right now, so it was quite beautiful. The area looks out over the entire farm, allowing Dad to keep an eye on things. We said a few words, drank some scotch (and poured some on the ground), scattered a shredded cigar on the ground and sent him on his way. I marvelled at how gritty the ashes were - not at all like wood ashes. I rubbed some into my hand and didn't wash last night. It almost felt like he was holding my hand.

Tomorrow we will take care of the last big job - going through all the furniture. We'll choose pieces that have meaning to us and Gary will dispose of everything else.

Today was a shopping day. I stocked up on the special dried beans that I can only find in the Valley, some dulse, cheese from a local farm and some N.S. maple syrup. We also got some local beet greens, trout and strawberries for supper. One of my favourite meals!

Roy and I had a rather strange start to our day. We had only been driving about 10 minutes when we got a flat tire. We couldn't find the wrench so we called Roadside Assistance. They said they'd be there shortly. Fifteen minutes went by and a fellow in a green car stopped, jumped out, and without any kind of greeting said, "You want your tire changed, right?" He was deaf and his speech was difficult to understand. We said yes and stood back as he quickly changed it for us. We thanked him and went on our way. A short while later we were standing in the bank when we got a call from Roadside Assistance, saying they would be right there to help us with the tire. Roy said, "But you just changed our tire, didn't you?" No, they had not. So apparently it was just a kind soul who had noticed we were in trouble and decided to help. I feel so badly - we had just stood there and let him do all the work. When we told the bank teller what had happened, she just shrugged and said that didn't surprize her; that people do that all the time. Hmmm - I guess Roy and I have been living 'away' for too long!

Almost All Set to Go

2008-05-31T09:24:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to get everything under control for my trip to N.S. tomorrow. I'm meeting my two brothers there so that we can scatter our dad's ashes on the farm. I have to say I'm not ready for this yet. He only died in October and it just feels too soon to be saying the final good-byes. But the plans are all made so I will do my part.

I also have the job of disposing of my parent's furniture...again, not something I'm feeling ready to do. However I fear that the longer it stays stored in the garage, the bigger the chances are of it getting water damaged or ruined in some other way. Most of the furniture isn't worth anything anyway but there are a number of antique pieces that should be taken care of. I still haven't decided if I'm going to ship some of them back to the Yukon...the cost is rather prohibitive but I might just bite the bullet and do it anyway. I'd like to keep the dining room table and chairs (I have many good memories of meals around that table), my bedroom dresser, and a couple of other pieces. I think Roy will take the kitchen table and chairs and if no one else wants anything I hope to find a charity that can make use of the rest.

Apart from everything else, I hate to leave the Yukon right now because it's prime gardening season. None of my kids are gardeners so I'm afraid my poor plants will not have a very happy week. Below is a photo of some of my greenhouse plants waiting patiently by the family room door to be let out. I have been promised the greenhouse will be built this week, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will be all set up when I get back.

A Week in the Life

2008-05-30T08:13:00.000-07:00

Holy Hannah it's been busy around our place lately! The kids have been keeping me hopping. Alan has been cramming for his music school audition, and the night before last we spent a fair bit of time working on it. I played a simple 12-bar blues chord progression on the piano while Alan improvised over the top of it on his guitar. It was quite fun playing with him. Then we moved on to some sight reading...he had to play a bossa with some tricky rhythms. Last night he recorded some of the audition on DVD and the rest he'll do this week-end. Then it will just be a wait and see game.

Iris is really putting a push on to get her driver's license. She's still not comfortable with my standard transmission so we've been using Joe's truck, which is an automatic (hope you don't mind Joe!). She's graduated to downtown driving and the next step is to start working on parallel parking. She is catching on fast though and hopefully she'll have her license before she returns to university in the fall.

And Jamie has been involved in a play that his drama class has been working on all term. Iris and I went to see the performance last night: it was pretty entertaining. Jamie played one of the king's sons and had to wear tights. They were VERY tight and he said to me afterwards that the whole time he just kept hoping he wouldn't get 'a boner'. Yes, that would have been rather embarrassing. His other little problem was that there was a rip in the seat of those tights, so the whole time he was on stage, he was moving carefully so as to not to show his backside. I couldn't figure out why he was walking in such an odd manner....I only found out afterwards what the problem was.

Yup, just another typical week in the life of our household.

Follies 2008

2008-05-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

I've been asking Iris for some photos of this year's opening performance of the Frantic Follies, but she's been so busy she hasn't had time to download any of them. However here are two that someone else posted on her Facebook page. This is before...and after...opening night.

A Strange Beast

2008-05-26T21:45:00.000-07:00

The internet is such a complicated invention. Blogs in particular allow a person to learn intimate details about another, things that 'pre-world wide web' would only have been revealed after a face to face friendship had developed over a period of time. Part of me finds this aspect of blogging disconcerting. I'm a fairly private person myself, am generally careful what I write on my own blog, and at times I feel I'm invading someone else's privacy by reading their blog. It almost makes me feel ashamed of myself sometimes, although that doesn't stop me from reading on.

I regularly follow the blogs of several other Yukoners. Over the last few days, I have learned that the toddler of one blogger has been having seizures. To my knowledge, I haven't met this woman, yet in a strange way I feel I know her. I've been saddened by her miscarriage and overjoyed when she reported that she was pregnant again. I've enjoyed the original music she writes, performs and posts on-line. And I've chuckled at the antics of her little girl. Now, just as I would a friend, I find myself worrying about this blogger and her family and praying for her little girl to get better. I want to offer to help, but what person in their right mind is going to accept help from a stranger? What a weird situation for me to be in and what an odd beast the internet is. Has anyone else ever experienced this sort of thing?

There's Got to be a Better Way

2008-05-23T21:42:00.000-07:00

There's been a revolt in my household. All my seedlings, destined for a new greenhouse that has failed to materialize at this point, screamed quite loudly this week that they were no longer content in their tiny pots. So over the last few days I've been transplanting them into large pots and have been lugging them outdoors each morning to harden them off, bringing them back in each night. With close to 30 tomato, cucumber, zucchini and winter squash plants, this is proving to be a rather time consuming task. I'm thinking there must be a better way and if I can find the right materials, I may turn the upper deck off the family room into a makeshift greenhouse.

I continue to try to reach the man who promised to build a proper one for me, but no luck. I understand that these guys are extremely busy at this time of year. I just wish they'd be upfront and tell me if they're too busy to take the job instead of making promises they can't realistically keep.

As far as the garden goes, I planted some potatoes tonight along with the broccoli and brussel spout plants. With the kind of fickle weather we have at this time of year, the latter really shouldn't be planted just yet, but they too were getting too big for their pots and I was too lazy to transplant them into larger 'interim' containers. I did buy some crop cover though, so in the event of frost I hope this will save my green babies. I must say - it feels so good to be gardening again.

As Promised

2008-05-20T20:51:00.000-07:00

I've had a request from Fawn for the recipes that I mentioned in my post earlier today. So, here they are. The first one is from Mollie Katzen's Vegetable Heaven cookbook. The second was one that I just made up, based on my previous knowledge of veggie burgers. I've made numerous versions over the years using beans, nuts, oatmeal or other grains, but this one is with rice and just a few other ingredients. While it's simple, I hope you find it tasty.

Black Beans in Mango Sauce

1 1/2 T. olive oil
2 c. minced onion (recipe calls for red onion but I didn't have any so just used regular cooking onions)
1 T. minced garlic
1 3-inch jalapeno chile, seeded and minced
1 1/2 T. minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 t. cumin seeds
1 1/2 t. salt
About 6 cups cooked black beans
6 T. fresh lime juice
2 large ripe mangoes, finely chopped
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Minced fresh cilantro (optional, but I love cilantro so I put it in everything I can)
Lime wedges

Heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet. Add 1 3/4 cups of the onion, the garlic, chile, ginger, cumin seeds and salt. Saute over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes.

Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the black beans and about half the lime juice. Saute for another 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Stir the remaining lime juice and about half the chopped mango directly into the hot beans. Grind in some black pepper, cover and let stand for about 15 minutes to let the sauce develop.

Serve topped with the remaining onion and mango and some minced cilantro and lime wedges. Good with rice. Serves 6-8 people.

Veggie Burgers

Combine in a bowl:

2 cups of cooked brown rice
About half a cup each of grated carrots, grated zucchini, finely chopped onions, finely chopped broccoli and whatever other vegetables (finely chopped) that move you at the time.
2 or more cloves of minced garlic
Handful of sunflower seeds
2 large eggs
Soya sauce
Freshly ground pepper

Put in the refrigerator for about half an hour, then shape into patties. Fry a few minutes each side in a frying pan to brown, and then bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. If you want, top each patty with cheese for the last 5 minutes of baking. You can eat these in hamburger buns with the usual toppings or simply on their own as part of a larger meal. Makes about 10 patties, depending on how thick you make them and how many veggies you have added.

Re-visiting Vegetarianism

2008-05-20T11:11:00.000-07:00

For several years at the beginning of our marriage, Joe and I were vegetarians. An extended trip to India/Nepal convinced us that the last thing we wanted to do was eat meat, for a whole variety of reasons. Then kids came along. With the hectic life of working full time and rearing three little ones, it seemed that we barely had time to throw a pork chop in the oven let alone do menu planning, yoghurt making, bean soaking or any of the other time consuming things that I thought were required of a vegetarian diet. Then Joe started hunting, so we were eating alot of wild meat like caribou, moose, and wild sheep. We at least knew it was organic and that the animals had lived good lives.

Fast-forward a generation: Iris has decided she no longer wants to eat meat. She was never much of a meat eater anyway, but now she wants to eliminate it from her diet entirely. So I am finding myself pulling out my old recipes and coming up with new ones. Some things of course we never stopped eating: Cuban black beans, dahl and rice, a variety of other Indian recipes, Mexican food, stir fry, salads, etc. but I'm starting to add new favorites to my list: for instance, yesterday I made vegetable patties along with black beans with mango. Eaten with brown and wild rice, both were easy and delicious.

I'm not sure if it's because I have more cooking experience or if I just have more time, but vegetarian cooking doesn't seem to be the time-consuming process I once thought it was. Of course this time I'm not so hung up on having to make everything from scratch: now I think it's OK to sometimes use canned beans instead of always soaking and cooking my own, and organic yoghurt from the bakery is probably just as good as anything I would make.

Jamie, who's a big meat eater, isn't terribly impressed with all this. For him there's some chicken defrosting in my fridge for tonight's dinner.

Gardening Puzzle

2008-05-19T11:23:00.000-07:00

Hmmm...I wonder if someone out there can help me. My zucchini plants are starting to blossom, but there's not one female flower among them. All males. I purchased the seeds from Vesey's - they're called Summer Squash Golden Dawn III - a hybrid yellow zucchini. Upon closer inspection I noticed that my winter squash (Bush Delicata) also only has male flowers at this point. I keep pinching them off, hoping that I'll eventually get some female ones, but has anyone else had this problem before?

These plants are more than ready to be transplanted into a greenhouse, but as yet the fellow who is to build me one hasn't shown up. He was supposed to start last week but I've not see or heard from him.

Mini-Holiday

2008-05-19T11:14:00.001-07:00

Back home, after a couple of days in Vancouver with my youngest. I had promised him a trip to see a Megadeath concert on Friday night. It wasn't my cup of tea but my oldest son met us at the gate and they went together, along with a couple of Alan's friends. I went off to have a meal and a chat with Lucca. Afterwards I met them again at the gate, where Jamie was all smiles. He claimed it was the best experience of his life, in spite of his sore neck from all the headbanging.

Saturday we spent at the Vancouver Aquarium and just wandering around downtown, stopping to eat several times (I think in total we had six meals that day!) It's such a treat to have so many food choices. Below are a few photos of the day. 1) one of the many jellies we saw. They are so beautiful; 2) Jamie in an underwater bubble; 3) still a little kid at heart; and 4) one of our new friends.

Week-end Recap

2008-05-11T20:05:00.000-07:00

I've just put Lucca on the plane and am now looking back fondly over the past several days. Today was a good ending to a great week. After a breakfast of eggs bennie (Jamie somewhat reluctantly helped; he later redeemed himself by presenting me with a pizza with the word Mom on it) we dropped Iris off at work - her first Frantic Follies rehearsal of the season - and Lucca and I went for a walk along Miles Canyon. It was a gorgeous day: so warm that I wore a sleeveless top (and I might add, a beautiful necklace that Iris gave me this morning). Lucca, not yet acclimatized, was still bundled up in one of my old jackets.

Back home, we grabbed a bit of lunch and Alan phoned from Kelowna to wish me Happy Mother's Day. It was good to hear his voice and know he had arrived that far with no problems. Then it was time to pull out the old photos of our university days and do some reminiscing. Next, a simple dinner and then it was off to pick Iris up from work and go to the airport.

Below are a few photos of the day. I'm also including a couple of photos from the dance performances. Unfortunately I don't have one of me in my flamenco costume.

Spring crocuses
A bundled up Lucca

Gnarled tree

Sheriffs in "Indestructible Sam"

Adult Jazz - "Let the Good Times Roll"

Peep Show at the Yukon Arts Centre

2008-05-09T08:46:00.000-07:00

I thought things went pretty well. I remember my steps, I had fun dancing and in general I was happy with the outcome. Then I met up with Joe, Lucca and Iris after the show and they commented that they could see my underwear on stage!! Apparently the skirt I wore for the jazz number, already short and skimpy to begin with, crept its way up as I danced. By the end of the piece it was apparently rather higher than a decent girl (and her husband) would wish for. So now Janet Jackson and I have something else in common apart from our first names: costume defects!

And Then There Were Three

2008-05-08T06:37:00.001-07:00

Two of my boys are leaving me tomorrow. Joe is heading down to Toronto for the next six weeks to take some courses at U of T. Alan is taking a slow drive down to Vancouver, with stops along the way to see some friends. Jamie and I will meet up with him mid-month for a concert. Last night Joe cooked a big farewell feast - delicious! We had quite a houseful. I was late for dinner because of a dance dress rehearsal. What a disaster that was for me!! In one number I got dizzy on stage during a turn and lost my balance; then lost the steps for the next few counts. After that I never did really get back in the groove. In another number, I just plain forgot some of the sequences. So this morning I'm madly walking through them all in my head.

Lucca, Joe and Iris are coming to opening night tonight. I hope I don't make a complete fool of myself.

It's been great having Lucca here...busy, but great. Yesterday we took ourselves off to the spa. She had a facial and I had a pedicure. Unfortunately, that pedicure got ruined last night after I danced in wet shoes (I had washed them earlier in the day and they didn't dry in time) and the wet black shoe polish seeped inside them and stained my pampered feet. I was not amused. Ah vanity!

A Good Day

2008-04-27T17:05:00.000-07:00

It has been a good day all round. For the first time this year, I've been able to work outside without a jacket. I even dug around in my garden a bit. Yes, there's still snow covering about 80 percent of the gardens, but it has cleared enough for me to see that the perennial flowers are starting to come up, as is my rhubarb.

It's also the first time this year we've used our barbeque. We're having a birthday celebration for Alan (he turns 21 on Tuesday). In fact, we're about ready to sit down to eat so I am going to have to cut this post short.

Wife Swap

2008-04-24T13:01:00.000-07:00

There's a show on TV called Wife Swap. It's one of the more ridiculous reality shows (not that they're not all pretty ridiculous!) that sees the wife/mother of one family changing places for a couple of weeks with the wife/mother of another family. Of course the producers choose people who are totally opposite of one another and sparks always fly over their divergent views and family values.

The other day I asked Iris and Jamie who they thought the producers would choose as my swap partner if I went on the show. Their answers were quite amusing. Jamie thought they'd select someone who was strongly pro-war, pro-confrontation and very aggressive. Iris figured it would be someone who would hate my nature table, ban my seasonal ceremonies and trash my prayer room. I think all my kids view me as an old hippie!

Now it's your turn. Who would Wife Swap swap with you?

Aiming for Lazy

2008-04-20T09:44:00.000-07:00

Sunday...yeah! I have declared it a lazy day in our household - at least for me. Jamie has homework to do and then has to work this evening, Joe has gone ice fishing, and Iris is out and about with friends. For me the day will include little more than yoga, piano, reading, a bit of cooking and housework, and a trip downtown to pick up a book that I ordered a few weeks back. Oh, and maybe taking Iris for a driving lesson. Oops, I forgot I need to go get a photo taken at the dance studio. And then of course I'll have to take Jamie to and from work. Wait a minute...this isn't turning out to be such a lazy day after all!

You Know You've Got Too Much On Your Plate When...

2008-04-15T19:52:00.000-07:00

I did an awful thing today. This morning one of my youngest students was scheduled to perform at the music festival. Before I left home, I made sure I had my schedule with me and I double checked the time he was to play...10:35.

Then I got into work and all hell broke lose. The next thing I knew it was after 12 noon and it struck me like a sniper's bullet that I had totally forgotten about my student. I felt sick to my stomach - how could I have done that?? He's just a little guy and he was so nervous about playing on the big nine foot piano at the Arts Centre.

Tonight I went over to his house to apologize and to give him a bit of an 'I'm sorry' present. He and his family were so gracious about the whole thing. They even gave me a gift for preparing three of them for festival. I felt very undeserving after the morning's events. On a positive note, his mom had captured his performance on video so I at least had a chance to watch it after the fact.

I have never done anything like this before and it is a wake-up call to me that I simply am trying to do too much. Work is too busy these days, my evenings are too full and it's time to slow down. Why is balance so hard to achieve?

By the way, when I went to the movie theatre today to buy some movie passes for my piano student, the man who served me had what appeared to be psoriasis all over his arms and hands, face and neck, and through his scalp. The poor man - think how painful and itchy that must be. I wanted to ask him if he'd ever seen a naturopath, since I suspect it might have to do with his diet and a naturopath might well be able to help him. But of course you can't just come out and say that to a stranger. I felt so sorry for him though. I've never seen such a severe case of it before. For the millionth time, I wished that I had the abilities of a healer. It's strange - I feel like I should be able to heal by touch and am puzzled when I can't. My friend Lucca would say that I've been a healer in another life, but who knows. It just seems unfair that in this life, I am unable to help people when they clearly need it.

A Blur

2008-04-12T14:37:00.000-07:00

What a week! Not only has it been very busy at work, but the Rotary Music Festival started on Friday, so I've been preoccupied with that too. I had my first student play today...she did well in spite of the fact that she went away for a three week holiday and didn't touch the piano that whole time. She and her dad are playing a tango tomorrow in the duet category - I love it when piano becomes a family affair. I actually teach three members of this family...maybe next year I can find a piece for six hands that they can play together.

Two Wayward Souls Come Home

2008-04-08T06:52:00.000-07:00

Home sweet home. It was a very intense week but I learned a huge amount and I am bursting with ideas that I can't wait to apply. I've decided I quite liked going back to school. I like being around young adults - I think I feed off of their energy. And it was good to be near the ocean again. It makes my soul happy.

Iris is home again too. She looks great, although she says her body is falling apart. We'll set her up with some chiropractor, physio, and massage therapist appointments. She seems happier and more mature. Last night all three kids where here for a while. I looked at them and thought, "They're going to OK - all three of them." It was the nicest birthday present ever.

Bunnies Everywhere!

2008-03-31T21:54:00.001-07:00

I'm here on campus at the University of Victoria and there are bunnies everywhere, peppering the lawns. I have half a mind to scoop one up and bring it home with me but I doubt that would go over too well.

I've temporarily returned to university life to do a one week course on designing and installing museum exhibits. It's proving as interesting as I had hoped and there are people here from all over Canada and even two from Madrid and Singapore.

After working on an assignment, I met up this evening with my friends Ron and Raji. They took me to a little restaurant out of town and on the ocean (can't remember the name of the place). My salmon was very tasty, although I probably shouldn't have had quite that much wine, since I'm feeling a bit unfocussed at the moment. That's not good, since I'm supposed to be preparing for a telephone interview I need to do tomorrow morning with CBC Radio.

Before flying to Victoria last night, I got to spend the day with Lucca in Vancouver. As always, we had a good meal, a long (but not long enough) chat, found me some new red shoes, and generally just hung out. She's joining me here on Wednesday night and staying on campus for a few days. Yeah!

Mysteries of Music and Wine

2008-03-27T07:03:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered why you can hear the same piece of music several times yet it sounds so different every time? This is particularly true with live music, although it happens with recordings too. Last night at flamenco dance class, our guitarist was playing the same pieces he usually plays. For some reason though, they sounded so much more beautiful than ever before. The music almost moved me to tears it was so lovely. Same guitar, same player, same music, same room, same ears...so different.

I guess it speaks to the truth that the emotions/current state of mind of both performer and listener play a huge role in this wondrous mix. And when you think about it, what an amazing thing that is. Obviously we give and receive music on so many different levels and when all the stars line up on all those levels it can be a truely memorable experience.

In this way it's much like wine. You can have the same vineyard making wine from the same type of grapes using the same methods every year, but yet the vintage can make for totally different drinking experiences. Such mysteries!

By the way, I have decided it's time I learned a bit about wine. I have gotten by in life with letting someone else choose the wine, since I hardly know the difference between a chardonnay and a shiraz. However I would like to have the confidence of knowing I can make a decent pick when I walk into a liquor store or restaurant, so I have been reading about wines lately. I'm learning all kinds of things, like how different wines can pick up such exotic aromas and flavors as dark chocolate, black cherry, and pencil lead! I now know what wines go with caribou or sushi, and the names of some of the consistently good wineries. All this learning is proving to be a fun task, since it requires lots of taste testing!

Easter Time; Seedling Time

2008-03-22T09:09:00.000-07:00

Technology is Amazing!

2008-03-20T09:24:00.000-07:00

It might be because he plays bagpipes, or maybe because he's a hunter. Genetics might have something to do with it too. Whatever the cause, Joe learned several weeks ago that he needed hearing aids in both ears.

My image of a hearing aid was that it would be a big beige clunker of a thing that's almost larger than the ear itself. I was blown away when I saw what Joe came home with yesterday. These things are teenie tiny. The part that goes in the ear is a clear material with a miniscule attachment behind the ear. I wouldn't have noticed he was wearing them at all had I not seen the box sitting on his night table.

They come with a remote control and can be set for specific situations. For instance, there's one setting for listening to music. There's another setting if you're outdoors and want to hear every little sound of nature. They have a limiter for sudden loud noises (like the sound of a gun going off). Amazing!

Joe needs to go back every couple of weeks to have them 'turned up' bit by bit. I guess his brain needs to get used to the change in sound. I am amazed at how far these things have come from my grandma's days.

Roxy Music - the Best and the Worst

2008-03-15T09:21:00.000-07:00

Here is one of my favorite songs of all time, and one of the most deliciously disturbing performances of it that I've ever seen. And in a club setting too!

This band, however, should be set before a firing squad!

Spring Break in the Yukon

2008-03-15T08:27:00.000-07:00

It's March Break, and I'm loving it. It means I have a whole Saturday free, with no piano lessons to teach. It's not that I don't enjoy teaching; I do. But by this time of year, I'm ready for a break from working six days a week. I think Jamie and I will spend part of the afternoon taking a winter's worth of recyclables to the Recycling Centre (there's no curbside collection here).

For my older kids, this is also audition time. Iris did her dance audition for Ryerson University yesterday. She said it went well, she wasn't nervous, and now it's just a waiting game. She says if she doesn't get accepted, she's quite happy to stay at York, so we'll see what happens. Obviously I just want what's best for her. Alan has guitar auditions to do for both Selkirk and Grant MacEwan Colleges. He's opted to do them via DVD with his music teacher invigilating for him. Me thinks April/May will be a time of impatient waiting in our household.

Benny and the Jets

2008-03-12T08:10:00.001-07:00

Last night I went to see 27 Dresses with a few women from work. It's a total chick film and I quite enjoyed it. My favourite scene was when Jane (Katherine Heigl) and Kevin (James Marsden) were in a bar and they started singing Elton John's Bennie and the Jets. They were getting the words all wrong, and I started to laugh, remembering that I too could never quite hear the words to that song, and with no lyrics on the record sleeve to help me out, I guessed at chunks of it as I bopped around in my bedroom, invisible mike in hand. In my version, the song has the words "She's got electric boobs, her ma has too, you know I read it in a magazine." Here, for the record, are the correct lyrics:

Hey kids, shake it loose together
The spotlight's hitting something
That's been known to change the weather
We'll kill the fatted calf tonight
So stick around
You're gonna hear electric music
Solid walls of sound

Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
But they're so spaced out,
Bennie and the Jets
Oh but they're weird and they're wonderful
Oh Bennie she's really keen
She's got electric boots a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
Bennie and the Jets

Hey kids, plug into the faithless
Maybe they're blinded
But Bennie makes them ageless
We shall survive, let us take ourselves along
Where we fight our parents out in the streets
To find who's right and who's wrong

My Winnipeg

2008-03-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

I must admit knowing next to nothing about Winnipeg. It's not a city I've had any burning desire to spend time in, and I can probably count on one hand the things I know of its history. However last night, in watching Guy Maddin's "My Winnipeg", I was enraptured by what I learned about the place. The film itself is fascinating...presented in a dreamlike state that fits perfectly with the major themes. But that's not was has captured my interest so much. What keeps running through my head are some of the bits of history that I learned about through watching this documentary.

For instance, several decades ago, there was a fire at the racetrack in the city. The horses panicked, and bolted from the barns and into one of the near-by rivers (I can't recall if it was the Winnipeg or the Assiniboine). It was winter, and the river was full of ice. The horses couldn't make it across and froze into the ice, with just their heads sticking up above the frozen river. Those heads stayed like that for the rest of the winter. I can't seem to get that horrifying image out of my head...every time I close my eyes it's there. What would it have been like to walk by the river all winter, seeing those dead horses encased in ice?!

Another bit of history that I gleamed from the documentary took place during the second world war. Apparently some members of the Rotary Club decided to make Winnipeg look as though the Nazis had taken over the city. They secretly got a large number of their members to dress up in German uniforms, changed the street names to German names, and went about arresting various teachers and other members of the community, who had no idea that this was just a put on.

The purpose was to show people why winning the war was so important, and to convince them to purchase war bonds. You'd think that the story of this enactment would have been passed down through younger generations, but Maddin said he only stumbled upon this gem by accident. He suggested people in Winnipeg must have been sleepwalking at the time (his film deals a great deal with the idea that Winnipeg is full of sleepwalkers).

Bottom line, this was a great film. Now Jamie and I are off to see Breakfast With Scot. More later.

A Nitwit

2008-03-06T08:05:00.000-08:00

I'm chiding myself for something I wrote yesterday. I talked of feeling badly about the damage 'my people' have caused 'their people', meaning Inuit, over the years. Afterwards, I realized that I had done a fine job of absolving myself from any personal blame. However I did live in Iqaluit for three years, and looking back, I realize that I managed to inflict my own values on people I came in contact with, just as white people who came before me had done. Here is a case in point:

For part of my time there, I was the senior news editor for CBC. I had a newsroom of three, including one Inuk reporter. Each newscast was bilingual: first presented in Inuktitut and then in English (or maybe it was the other way around, I can't remember). At times there were stories that were very uncomfortable for my Inuit staff to deal with. They tried to tell me that in their culture, this wouldn't be a story, or this wouldn't be something that people would want to hear on a newscast. I argued back that while it might be uncomfortable for them, it had to be done, since it wouldn't be right to leave out stories done in English from the Inuktitut newscast. After all, when it came right down to it, news was news no matter what the language, right? And after all, I was the expert in these things, having gone to journalism school, right? My compromise was to allow them to re-arrange the order of the stories, so that the more uncomfortable stuff was buried in the newscast.

Now I shake my head at my ignorance and narrowmindedness. Of course there would have been no problem with having different stories on the Inuktitut version of the news. It makes perfect sense that, depending on what was taking place on any given day, there could have been completely different content in each version. I wonder why I couldn't see that at the time. I wonder if anything has changed in that regard since my time there. It raises the question: in what ways am I still imposing my values on people from cultures different from my own?

Why White People Are Funny

2008-03-05T12:55:00.000-08:00

This morning at the conference I'm attending, Zebedee Nungak (writer and former politician from Nunavut) presented a film called Qallunatt/Why White People are Funny. Qallunatt is the Inuktitut word for white person. Here's how the National Film Board describes this movie:

Qallunaat/Why White People are Funny is an irreverent look at Western Civilization through Inuit eyes. Inspired by the satirical essays of Zebedee Nungak, the film turns the tables on generations of anthropologists, teachers, adventurers and administrators who went North to pursue their Arctic Dreams. Now it’s their turn to be poked, prodded, examined and explained. A new generation of Inuit is ready to take on the Qalllunaat at their own game. Grounded in their own traditions but educated in the South, they have a unique perspective on the culture that has come to dominate the planet. And they are not afraid to speak their minds. Qallunaat/Why White People are Funny is an uproarious trip through the cultural looking glass.

Yes, the film is veiled in a great deal of humour. And there was added enjoyment for me because I recognized some of the people in the film from my years in Frobisher Bay (now Iqaluit). But it packs a powerful message and there were times when I felt sick to my stomach being reminded of the damage that 'my people' have caused 'their people'. I think this brilliant work is a must see for senior high school students and for anyone who lives in the North. In fact, it's a must see, period.

Lessons from Ann

2008-03-04T12:45:00.000-08:00

I'm in the middle of a two-day northern communications conference, and today's key note speaker was the well-known reporter Ann Medina. I watched and listened to her closely during her years with CBC; she is probably the female journalist I respect the most (she and Barbara Frum are in large part responsible for my interest in becoming a journalist 30 years ago).

The first thing that struck me when I saw her this morning is how very much she looks and sounds like my Aunt Marjorie. Secondly I was reminded of just how powerful a storyteller she is. She spoke of many things, but what follows is a rough re-telling of the story that stuck most in my head. It's all about not being afraid to ask 'the dumb question'.

Ann has a thing for birds. Where she travels (and her job has taken her all over the world) she buys small birds, keeps them in her hotel room, and gives them away when she's ready to head home to Canada.

On this particular occasion she was in the African country of Mali, and asked if there was a chance she might purchase a bird. Her TV crew thought she was nuts, and there were many rolled eyes. But one of the locals took her on a long ride to the outskirts of the city, where a man had a large cage full of birds.

She chose two of them, but when it came time to put them in a cage to take back to Ann's hotel, the only cage that was available had wire mesh that wasn't fine enough - the birds could just fly through it.

The man with the birds got to thinking. Soon he and a friend were digging around in the dirt. First they found a few rusty nails. Then one of them came up with a small bit of chicken wire. They dug and dug until they had a small pile of 'junk' which they proceeded to incorporate into the bird cage. An hour later, they had fashioned a cage that would work for Ann's newly purchased birds.

Ann said she had learned more in that one hour about Mali in terms of a country that survives and makes do with nothing than she would have learned from reading a whole library of books. And all because she wasn't afraid to ask the 'dumb' question.

Film Festival Time Again

2008-03-03T10:19:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the start of this year's Available Light Film Festival. I have a festival pass, so I'll be trying to see as many as my schedule will allow. Among those on my list are Brand Upon the Brain!, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Breakfast with Scot, Control, The Tracy Fragments, and Cats of Mirikitani. It'll be interesting to see how I fit these movies in between dance classes, work and home duties, but I'll give it my best shot.

Away from Her

2008-03-02T17:46:00.001-08:00

I saw "Away From Her" today. While in a few spots I thought the script was trying a little too hard, and I felt the character of the person who ran the retirement facility was one-dimensional, overall I thought it was a powerful and quite wonderful film that was as much about love and loss as about Alzeimer's. Both Julie Christie (Fiona) and Gordon Pinsent (Grant) gave stunning performances. I think the movie particularly spoke to me because of what I just went through with my dad.

I've often asked myself how one grows old with grace and with some semblance of dignity. Both Fiona and Grant show us how it's done.

Turning a Corner

2008-02-29T11:04:00.001-08:00

With February just about behind us, I take heart in the notion that spring can't be that far off. Yes, I know...as I look out my window I can see nothing but snow, both on the ground and falling from the sky. But no matter! In my house there are definite signs that spring is beginning to stir.

Mrs. Thaw, sweeping the snow away on the nature table

Seeds from Veseys in Prince Edward Island! The table they are on, by the way, was my week-end project. I dug out from the garage the butcher block top that was in my old kitchen, added legs from a discarded table, and voila! The perfect surface on which to start my seeds. The table sits in our family room, which in the spring gets the most sunlight of any room in our house. Some of these I will plant in a few weeks, keeping the faith that by May I'll have a greenhouse in which to transplant them. The rest, of course, will go directly into the garden in late May/early June.

Travel Plans

2008-02-27T16:49:00.000-08:00

I have been playing travel agent today. First, a flight for myself to Victoria in late March/early April. I'm taking a one week course at the University of Victoria on how to create museum displays (this to help me with my job of running the fishladder). Next, Iris' flight home in early April. She told me she wanted to get home 'as soon as possible'. That of course won't stop her from running out the door as soon as she gets here, but nevertheless...

Then a flight for Lucca to come visit me in early May (a birthday present that's almost a year late!). And finally (I haven't booked this one but only checked into prices) I have promised to fly down to Vancouver with Jamie in mid-May so he can go see a rock concert he's been begging to attend, IF he shows Joe and I that he's putting in real effort at school this term. So far so good. Alan and his friends are also going to be there, so they can look after him at the concert itself, but I didn't think it was fair to put Alan in sole charge of Jamie for the whole week-end.

I'll just get back from that and it will be time to fly to Nova Scotia to scatter my dad's ashes.

Thank goodness for travel points and seat sales!

Contributions

2008-02-26T13:06:00.000-08:00

I love it when other people send me contributions for my blog. It makes me feel a bit like a managing editor. Here is one from my friend Ted about a new beauty treatment. No doubt it will put the producers of Botox out of business in short order.

Soiree Re-cap, Or What Comes With Being Older

2008-02-24T08:39:00.000-08:00

Last night's party at Glenn and Jo's house was a lot of fun. The food was great, and the company enjoyable. It was a real mix of people, with ages ranging from the 20s to the 50s.

I was struck by how people behaved when it came to the 'entertainment' portion of the evening. It was the older crowd that got up and performed: Doug played his guitar, Linda did a belly dance, Joe told a hilarious story in English and Gwitchin, I played the piano, and Glenn and Jo recited poems. The younger people, with the exception of one who recited some Dr. Suess, all said they were too shy. Even people who are normally out-going and appear self-assured in any other circumstance I've seen them in, suddenly became uncomforable in front of what was a friendly and supportive crowd.

Talking about this with Joe after we got home, we figure there are two possible explanations: one, as we become older we just become more comfortable in our own skins. This is one of those times when I'm grateful to be 'of a certain age'. While I would like to have my 25-year old body back, I'm very happy to have shed the angst and self-doubt of earlier years.

Our second theory is that the people in their 40s, 50s and beyond still come from a time when house parties often included some kind of self-entertainment. It was pretty natural for someone to pull out a guitar, fiddle or harmonica, sit down at the piano, or launch into their repertoire of 'party' songs. While I'm sure this is still done in some households, I don't think it's nearly as common nowadays. Perhaps this is a disappearing art that comes with the advent of computers, video games and the like. If so, it's a very sad loss.

Loonie

2008-02-21T08:40:00.000-08:00

All yesterday afternoon I kept glancing at the sky, hoping that the clouds would go away so I could catch the lunar eclipse. At around seven o'clock last night, right on cue, they parted, giving us a great view of the event. Seeing it with the naked eye was one thing, but using Joe's binoculars, it was spectacular! So beautiful. Here is a photo that I found on Flickr, not having a decent enough camera to take a good shot myself.

Soiree

2008-02-20T13:50:00.000-08:00

Our family has been invited to an old fashioned soiree on Saturday night. A neighbour is having a potluck, and then we will take turns performing in whatever way we can: some may recite poems, some may play a musical instrument or sing, some might do a dance, etc.

Luckily the neighbour has a piano, so I'll play Piazzolla's Milonga del Angel. It's easy but very beautiful. I also have a little Oscar Peterson waltz up my sleeve if my endearing audience calls for an encore!

Camino Planning

2008-02-18T08:11:00.000-08:00

Saturday evening was Spanish night at our house. Friends came over who had walked the Camino de Santiago: one took the traditional Camino Frances and then she went back with her husband several years later and they walked the Camino del Norte. All routes lead to Santiago de Compostela, where the apostle St. James is supposedly buried.

We of course had a Northern Spanish meal, starting with various tapas: tortilla espanola (spanish omelette), gambas a la plancha (garlic fried shrimp), unas aceitunas (olives), and a dish of dried tomatoes in olive oil (don't know the Spanish name). We also had fresh lake trout that Joe had caught earlier that day - not Spanish, but very tasty nonetheless. Then came a version of caldo verde (a soup with chorizo sausage, potatoes, kale, and chicken) along with una ensalada. Finally we had tarta de Santiago (St. James' cake, which is served along the camino).

The two of them shared stories and advice about the trails, and left me with several books and articles to read. I have pulled out my Spanish textbook and have started studying a bit every day, aided by an on-line course offered by the BBC, and I am starting to investigate the best gear to buy. No, I have no firm departure date, but I'm hoping it will be within the next two years.

Love Waits Half Naked on the Bed

2008-02-14T08:29:00.000-08:00

How's that for a Valentine's Day title? I read it in a poem not too long ago, and it stuck in my head. And while this posting has nothing to do with being half naked or in bed (at least not directly), I couldn't resist the temptation to grab your attention...and I did, didn't I?

By the way, St. Valentine was not some chubby cupid who flew around shooting arrows into people's hearts. St. Valentine was apparently a priest. Here's what history.com says about him:

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today.

Who's to know how much, if any of this, is true. But no matter. My wish for you today is that you find love fluttering in the air. If you do, grab it, hold it close, breathe it in, roll around in it and wrap yourself in it. It is the most precious thing you will ever have in your possession.

The First Kiss - Kim Anderson (art.com)

Escape to Zimbabwe, Mexico, or Anywhere Else Warm

2008-02-11T10:07:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, we hit rock bottom in terms of this cold snap. Our cold water line into the kitchen froze - it was only with today's moderating temperatures that it thawed.

To escape the cold, I took in a performance by Black Umfolosi, a singing and dancing group from Zimbabwe. They were great fun, and their beautifully textured voices transported me away from this frigid place.

Joe and I were checking out warm destinations on the internet over the week-end. Mexico looks pretty appealing right about now. However Jamie still doesn't have his passport, so we can't go anywhere until that happens. By then, maybe it will have warmed up to the point that we won't feel the desperate need to get out of here!

So Cold It's Hot

2008-02-08T09:53:00.000-08:00

Minus 50

Cold that feels hot;

the sensation of searing skin

too close to a fire.

Exposed fingers become

castanets;

a flamenco dancer

frozen in frame.

Minus 50,

where pain and pleasure

collide.

My First Cartoon Appearance

2008-02-06T15:03:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of the Yukon News.

The Advantages of a Deep Freeze

2008-02-03T06:15:00.000-08:00

In spite of my recent grumbling (I'm not doing so well on my 21 Day No-Complaining Challenge), there are definitely some good things about this prolonged cold snap. Yesterday, I admitted defeat and cancelled all my piano classes. That meant I had a whole day to do whatever I pleased.

Jamie and I made donuts. I haven't made donuts since I was a kid and I had forgotten how delicious fresh warm donuts are. Then I spent a big chunk of the day reading. I finished "Fall On Your Knees" by Ann-Marie MacDonald. I picked it up because it was set in Cape Breton, but I have to say I didn't enjoy it one bit. It was one big depression fest. I ended up getting angry with the author because there was absolutely no break in the horrible things that happened. Not on my recommended list for sure, even if it is on Oprah's.

Then I moved on to "What the Psychic Told the Pilgrim" by Jane Christmas. It's the true story of her pilgrimage along Spain's Camino de Santiago de Compostela. This is a trek I hope to do myself at some point in my life. The book, while not an award winner, was enjoyable at least, and it sent me to the Internet wanting to know more about the Camino. I have a friend who has walked it twice; apparently it is a bit addicting and some people return again and again to do it.

Here is a wonderful account of the pilgrimage, should you like to know more.

New Product Line

2008-02-01T14:27:00.000-08:00

I just got an email from my friend Lucca telling me about a new product line. I'm sure she wouldn't mind me sharing part of her note, which made my day:

I have word that there are several new products in the Binger/Patterson freezer line. In addition to the very tasty Janet-cicle, we now have the Jamie-frozen-pop-tart, the Singlemalt-on-Joe with a splash of water if you can find any, and the Cool-Alan and his new band ANTIFREEZE.

Watch for discount coupons after the thaw.

Pas de Change

2008-02-01T08:36:00.000-08:00

C'est plus change, c'est plus que la meme chose.

Translation: it's still cold.

How Cold Is It??

2008-01-31T11:13:00.001-08:00

It's so cold that when I got up this morning, my liquid dish detergent that had been sitting on the counter near one of our kitchen windows was frozen.

It's so cold that a can of pop left over from Saturday's party, stashed on the floor of our dining room in front of the patios doors, froze and exploded.

It's so cold that our propane has frozen and ice has clogged the pipes of our monitor oil stove.

Yes, it's that cold!

Shivering and Shaking

2008-01-30T09:54:00.000-08:00

We're still in the deep freeze. While I can handle this for a few days, any more than that and I start to feel like a caged animal. This cold spell is supposed to last until Sunday at least, at which point I will be a raving maniac.

I was woken at about 2 in the morning by my bed shaking. I vaguely remember thinking, "Must be an earthquake" but then I fell back to sleep. Turns out I was right.

Coping

2008-01-29T06:45:00.000-08:00

It's another cold one: minus 47 with the windchill. Further north it's minus 60. When it gets this cold, nothing wants to work. When I drove to dance last night, the engine light was on in my car - not a good sign. I'll try not to drive it again until I can get it serviced. The propane in our tank has turned to jell, so it's really hard to get our fireplace to work. And me? Well, it took all the willpower I could summon to get out of bed this morning. I felt like a little fox in my warm den, and to have to leave that cosy place was torture.

So what does a person do in temperatures like this? Cook up a big pot of Yukon grown rye cereal, with lots of blueberries, sunflower seeds and maple syrup. And place my seed order!

Cold Winds; Winds of Change

2008-01-28T08:04:00.000-08:00

Environment Canada says the temperature this morning is -34, but with a strong wind blowing, it actually feels like -50 degrees. Even with all my multiple layers, it was a rather bracing walk to and from the bus stop. Hopefully we'll see some change over the next few days.

Speaking of change, Alan is undergoing a sort of transformation. He got his long hair all cut off, says he wants to form a blues/rock band (in addition to and not in place of his heavy metal band Sanctuary), and has decided to apply to a couple of Canadian colleges that offer music programs instead of applying to MI in Los Angeles. He's cutting it close in terms of getting his application in, but being a Taurus, he's always been prone to taking his own sweet time getting from Point A to Point B. Trying to push him along has never worked. So I have offered to help with the application process and now I sit and wait for him to take me up on the offer. Being an Aries though, patience is not one of my virtues.

While I'm on the topic of music, I recently found out that the father of one of my dance teachers is the Toronto musician/composer Russ Little and has played a few gigs with my brother. Another example of what a small world we live in these days.

And speaking of dance, Iris absolutely loved Dirty Dancing. She went out for drinks with some of the cast afterwards and had a blast. She seems a much happier camper these days. Yeah!!

Recapping our Burns Supper

2008-01-27T07:13:00.000-08:00

It was one of the coldest nights of this winter. But nonetheless, people came. In fact they packed into our house, making it so warm we had to open the doors at one point to let some cold air in. From my point of view, it was a great night. Just about everyone brought something for the meal, and our table was piled high with haggis, roast beef, caribou, champit tatties (potatoes), bashed neeps (turnips), salads, scotch eggs, bread, and no fewer than five desserts!

Gramma Iris said the Selkirk Grace, and then it was time to pipe in the haggis. Joe went first, playing the pipes, and I followed, carrying a big platter with a fat steaming haggis decked out with heather. We marched through the house a couple of times, and then set the haggis in front of Glenn, who proceeded with the Address to the Haggis. Then it was time to eat.

After dinner came the entertainment. Joe and his two bagpipe students played a few tunes for everyone. Donna gave us a tune on her fiddle. Calvin sang (I accompanied him on the piano) and plied with scotch, I even attempted a highland fling (the execution left a lot to be desired but people didn't seem to mind!) There were the speeches (Immortal Memory, Address to the Lassies, and Reply from the Lassies), more piping, and then we sent people off into the night with plastic containers filled with haggis, and with sprigs of heather carefully wrapped to protect them against the cold.

It pleases me to no end that we can do this each year. People genuinely seem to have a good time. It pleases me that Alan brought a gang of his friends this year, including the lead singer in a local heavy metal band. This rather tough looking fellow, with his tattoos and black painted fingernails, came up to me at the end of the night and like a sweet child he gave me a big hug, telling me he loved me. Such is the power of haggis and a good Scotch I guess!

This night is as much about forging traditions and making memories as it is about celebrating Burns. My kids look forward to this celebration every year, and my hope is that when they grow up and have their own families, and Joe and I toddle off to some old folks home where we won't be able to remember our own selves let alone who Burns was, they will keep this tradition going.

Yikes, Robbie!

2008-01-24T11:26:00.000-08:00

Most people who know me realize that I love my job. However every once in a while, it gets so busy that I can hardly breathe. That's the way it's been for the last week. Luckily, the worst is over, and I'm hoping things can calm down at last.

On top of my duties at work, Joe and I have been busy getting ready for our annual Robbie Burns party on Saturday night. My job this year is to give the Immortal Memory speech. I've had little time to prepare, so it's pretty rough around the edges, but here it is, for those of you who are puzzled about why anyone would celebrate the life of some dead Scottish poet who wrote in some wierd dialect.

The Immortal Memory
Robbie Burns was born in a small cottage in Alloway, Scotland on January 25, 1759. He was the oldest of seven children.

Times were tough for the family, and Robbie had to work hard in the fields from an early age. Growing up, Robbie saw his father struggling to make the farm pay and witnessed firsthand the callous treatment of a tenant by a landowner (his father didn’t own the land but leased it, as so many people did at that time). Burns’ anger and frustration over this class system turns up in his poems. He writes a number of times about the idea that being rich didn’t mean being better.

For example, one of the most poignant of Burns' songs is “A Man’s a Man for A That”. The piece describes in the most potent words just what makes a true man…it’s not the money but the man’s character that is the gold.

Is there for honesty poverty

That hings his head, an' a' that;

The coward slave -- we pass him by,

We dare be poor for a' that!

For a' that, an' a' that,

Our toils obscure an' a' that,

The rank is but the guinea's stamp,

The man's the gowd for a' that.

What though on hamely fare we dine,

Wear hoddin grey, an' a' that?

Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine,

A man's a man for a' that.

For a' that, an' a' that,

Their tinsel show, an' a' that,

The honest man, tho' e'er sae poor,

Is king o' men for a' that.

And in “To a Louse”, which is one of my favourites, he addresses a louse that he sees crawling on a rich lady’s bonnet in church. With tongue in cheek, he chastises the louse for crawling about on this upper crust lady when instead it should be satisfying itself with some poor common soul.

Ha! whaur ye gaun, ye crowlin ferlie?

Your impudence protects you sairly;

I canna say but ye strunt rarely,

Owre gauze and lace;

Tho', faith! I fear ye dine but sparely

On sic a place.

Ye ugly, creepin, blastit wonner,

Detested, shunn'd by saunt an' sinner,

How daur ye set your fit upon her-

Sae fine a lady?

Gae somewhere else and seek your dinner

On some poor body.

And later in the poem he writes:

O wad some Power the giftie gie us

To see oursels as ithers see us!

It wad frae mony a blunder free us,

An' foolish notion:

What airs in dress an' gait wad lea'e us,

An' ev'n devotion!

In spite of his poverty Burns was extremely well read - at the insistence of his father, who employed a tutor for Robbie and his younger brother Gilbert. The fact that his father found the money to do that shows just how much importance he put on education.

At 15 Robbie was the principal worker on the farm and this prompted him to start writing in an attempt to find "some kind of counterpoise for his circumstances." Burns would often compose on horseback, in the field, by some beautiful landmark or while seated in an alehouse.

His first verse was "My Handsome Nell", written for his harvest partner Nellie Kilpatrick. It was an ode to one of the two major subjects that dominated his life: scotch and women.

Once I lov'd a bonie lass,

Ay, and I love her still;

And whilst that virtue warms my breast,

I'll love my handsome Nell.

As bonie lasses I hae seen,

And mony full as braw;

But, for a modest gracefu' mein,

The like I never saw.

A bonie lass, I will confess,

Is pleasant to the e'e;

But, without some better qualities,

She's no a lass for me.

But Nelly's looks are blythe and sweet,

And what is best of a',

Her reputation is complete,

And fair without a flaw.

She dresses aye sae clean and neat,

Both decent and genteel;

And then there's something in her gait

Gars ony dress look weel.

A gaudy dress and gentle air

May slightly touch the heart;

But it's innocence and modesty

That polishes the dart.

'Tis this in Nelly pleases me,

'Tis this enchants my soul;

For absolutely in my breast

She reigns without control.

Another poem written for the ladies is “My Love is Like a Red Red Rose”. It’s probably one of his most famous love poems and songs, and is one Calvin is going to sing for us tonight.

O, my luve is like a red, red rose,

That's newly sprung in June:

My luve is like a melodie,

That's sweetly play'd in tune.

So fair thou art, my bonnie lass,

So deep in luve am I:

And I will luve thee still, my dear,

Till a' the seas gang dry.

Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear,

And the rocks melt wi' the sun:

And I will luve thee still, my dear,

While the sands of life shall run.

Just out of curiosity, I flipped through Burns’ poetry to see how many pieces he wrote about women. There are poems about Anna, Alison, Katie, Mary, Jeanie, Chloris, Clarinda, Nancy, Nell, Molly, Polly, Peggy, Bessie, Jessie, Eliza, Maria, and Delia. I’ve probably missed some too.

When Burns’ father died in 1784, Robbie and his brother became partners in the farm. However, Burns was more interested in the romantic nature of poetry than the arduous task of ploughing. He was, of course, also far more interested in women.

He had been courting Jean Armour and she became pregnant with twins by him. Jeanie actually had four children by him before Robbie married her, five more after, and he fathered several more children with other lady friends during their marriage.

In any event, the first time this happened with Jean, her father and the local community were outraged. The Presbyterian Church of Scotland held strong influence within the community, and it was severe in its views. His punishment was to show public penance in church for 3 consecutive weeks.

Following this humiliation, Burns wrote "Holy Willie's Prayer" in defiance of the hypocrisy he saw within the Church. This poem suggests a prayer made by one of the church elders, in which that elder's own indiscretions are defended.

When from my mither's womb I fell,

Thou might hae plung'd me deep in hell,

To gnash my gums, and weep and wail,

In burnin lakes,

Where damned devils roar and yell,

Chain'd to their stakes.

Yet I am here a chosen sample,

To show thy grace is great and ample;

I'm here a pillar o' Thy temple,

Strong as a rock,

A guide, a buckler, and example,

To a' Thy flock.

After his humiliation at church, Burns decided he’d had enough and decided to emigrate to Jamaica. He had a book of poetry that was about to be published, and he planned to use the money from that venture for his passage.

He became infatuated with a young Highland woman named Mary Campbell, who he secretly married in a Gaelic ritual. He asked her to come to the West Indies with him, but she died of a fever.

In the end, whether it was because of her dying, or because of the love that he had for his twin babies, or because he became an overnight success in Scotland, or maybe it was a combination of them all, but for whatever reason he cancelled his plans for Jamaica.

Before I go any further I want to talk a bit about the political situation at the time, because it helps to understand who Burns was and why he was such a hit.

Remember that Scotland had just gone through a period of being demoralized by the British. It had been defeated politically and militarily and had been brought close to economic ruin.

There was the 1707 Act of Union with England and Wales, which was seen as a betrayal by many, including Burns. That was followed by two unsuccessful attempts to restore a Scottish throne.

Scotland's leaders, whether the Royal family or the politicians, had all appeared to fail its people. The country was looking elsewhere for inspiration. There was a growing feeling that hope lay not with the establishment or the aristocracy, but among the common people.

Then, out of the Ayrshire countryside, here was this young farmer with little formal education but who produced a book of poetry, chiefly in the Scots dialect, with such passion, wit and power that the country went wild over him.

In a matter of weeks he was transformed to a national celebrity, fussed over by the Edinburgh hobnobbers of the day, and even Jean Armour's father changed his tune and allowed her to marry Burns, now that he was a celebrity.

However fame did not bring fortune and he took up a job as a tax collector to supplement his meagre income.

While collecting taxes he continued to write and collect songs. Burns revised several hundred songs and tunes that may well have been lost otherwise. Many of these inspired work by composers such as Beethoven and Haydn.

Through his efforts both writing and collecting traditional songs, Burns helped to generate an interest in Scottish culture across Europe that would eventually spread across the world.

More than 400 of Burns' songs still exist today.

Burns also became increasingly involved in politics, writing some of his best known political works such as "Scots Wha Hae". It was the telling of what Robert the Bruce might have said to his troops as they were heading into battle at Bannockburn. They knew they were sadly outnumbered by the British, but they were prepared to fight to the end for their freedom.

Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled,

Scots, wham Bruce has aften led,

Welcome to your gory bed,

Or to Victorie!

Now's the day, and now's the hour;

See the front o' battle lour;

See approach proud Edward's power-

Chains and Slaverie!

Wha will be a traitor knave?

Wha can fill a coward's grave?

Wha sae base as be a Slave?

Let him turn and flee!

Wha, for Scotland's King and Law,

Freedom's sword will strongly draw,

Free-man stand, or Free-man fa',

Let him on wi' me!

By Oppression's woes and pains!

By your Sons in servile chains!

We will drain our dearest veins,

But they shall be free!

Lay the proud Usurpers low!

Tyrants fall in every foe!

Liberty's in every blow!-

Let us Do or Die!

I just want to read a part of one more poem, because this one, “To a Mouse”, demonstrates Burns' deep feeling for humanity and his gentleness.

One day while he was ploughing a field, he noticed he had cut through the nest of a small field mouse. This clearly upset Burns. He wrote down his thoughts, as though talking to the mouse, commenting on the destruction he had caused, his guilt and his sorrow. He compares the life of that mouse with his own wretched life and human frailty.

Wee, sleekit, cow'rin', tim'rous beastie

O what a panic's in thy breastie!

Thou need na start awa sae hasty,

Wi' bickering brattle !

I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee

Wi' murd'ring pattle !

I'm truly sorry man's dominion

has broken Nature's social union,

An' justifies that ill opinion

Which makes thee startle

At me, thy poor earth-born companion,

An' fellow-mortal !

Burns died aged 37 of heart disease exacerbated by the hard manual work he had done most of his life. His death occurred on the same day as his wife Jean gave birth to his last son, Maxwell.

On the anniversary of his birth, Scots both at home and abroad celebrate Robert Burns with a supper, where they address the haggis, the ladies and whisky.But the question remains: why do we remember Robbie Burns, almost 250 years later?

I think Burns’ work goes to the very heart of the Scot's psyche. The themes of his poems focus on things like struggle, persecution, love, nationalism, and great victories in the face of adversity…….all of which are things that I think a Scot identifies with. Scots view themselves as being rugged fighters, standing up for their rights, humorous, friendly, fiery yet gentle, passionate, and incredibly proud.

I think it's because Burns' immortality runs in the veins of all Scots that he has evolved from mere man to being the symbol of all things Scottish.

So with that, I would ask all of you to stand and raise your glass to the Immortal Memory of Robbie Burns.