Feathered song puzzle...solved

Love watching the birds.

redpoll

goldfinch just changing into its summer coat

junco

What a puzzle. Out at 6 a.m. with cats.

junco and redpoll

 I think I have identified it!

Check out this site: 

I now think it is a junco!

Manitoba Floods April 21, 2011

We are learning about floods, too.

Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht, associate dean (research), Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management, is better known as "Professor Popsicle." He is a world expert on cold-water survival and safety. On Monday, April 18, 2011, Giesbrecht was at the scene of a tragic accident south of Ste. Agathe, Manitoba, where a man lost his life last week while attempting to drive across a flooded roadway. Giesbrecht worked with the RCMP Underwater Recovery Team filming a demonstration video on the perils of driving onto a flooded road or highway. A car was pushed onto the flooded highway while media watched the current take it and sink in about four metres of freezing cold water, all within two minutes. Had anyone been in the car, it would have been fatal. The video shows the initial entry of the car into the water, and a few comments from Giesbrecht.

Earth Day approaches

Yesterday's haul from the ditch

I've done my part. Have you?

I collected this last week

Election in Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington

What will change? What remains the same?
For the most part, statistically speaking, most incumbents will remain in their seats.

Here is a snapshot of my riding, for example. We are religiously conservative. Our local provincial Randy Hillier (AKA, 'Nanny State' MPP) and federal (MP) elected rep Scott Reid share an office, and a number of initiatives. Probably a good idea for them, as they do not split the provincial/federal vote. They are against same-sex marriage. (I swear!)





What we are finding in Canada is an increase of the Green vote, as young people begin to get involved and seek a new direction.
The wind blows signs, gusts in all directions. Not so the voters.

Scott Reid (CPC), David Remington (LPC), are running again. Greens: John Baranyi. Independent: Ralph Lee. NDP: Doug Smyth.

Our riding: L-F-L and A

The Ottawa citizen has been featuring various Ottawa Valley ridings. Ours was in the paper yesterday. Look at the blue vs. red!

We live in a predominantly WASP (98%), inexpensive part of Ontario: average home prices =  $207,000. Yet there are huge mansions by the lake, with clusters of small WW II homes in the centre core of the city.

Having grown up in downtown Toronto, population in the 5 millions, or so, and a wide variety of multicultural groups, this is quite a different place for me to live.

I spent my first 25 years in Toronto, the next 25 in Ottawa.
It is shocking how white we are here in Lanark! And how old: 16% over age 65 years.
Single parents: 13%.
Unemployment is an issue (5.7%).
Teen suicides (9 last year).
We have volunteer firefighters,
and a burning ban few seem to agree with or follow.

The guy across the street dumps garbage on his vacant lot.

And conservative!
Whew.

The 'back off' government signs are intimidating.

Landowners want the right to do what they will with their land. As Scott Reid said, as quoted in the paper, there are laws requiring a farmer to put up a fence so his/her cow doesn't pee in the river. This limits the farmer's rights to access to their river.

Heaven forbid that we have laws against polluting a river, when most people in the country have wells, like us!

We don't pee in your pool. Don't pee in our watershed!
I'm shocked by the attitude.






'Reid argued that landowners see the value of their land drop because they are governed by government actions and land- use law.
Earlier this year, Reid attracted attention when he sent a letter to a Toronto newspaper critical of fellow Tory Norm Sterling, the veteran MPP who represents neighbouring Carleton-Mississippi Mills. Reid said Sterling’s office had been “neglectful” of riding issues and his own office had to step in.' [Read more: Ottawa Citizen]





We have hunting law violations. Some dork was fined $1050 by the MNR for hunting BLUE JAYS.
 Welcome to my world!

BTW:

Vintage Voter has been sharing OLD photos of current party leaders. It's really funny. These look like, well, my high school yearbook!

How Parliament would look if only youth voted

• only 37 per cent of eligible voters (2008 - Elections Canada) between the ages of 18 and 24 voted
• however, 68% of voters over age 65 went to the polls
• average of all age groups: 59 % voted
• If only seniors voted: the Conservative Party would have a huge majority of 44% of the vote
• in the 50 % range in the western provinces and Atlantic Canada. 
• The Liberals would win 34 % of seats, with strong performances in Quebec and Ontario.

Daffy, catty, moon

With subzero night time temperatures, and only 2 C. predicted for today, I think my daffys ought to go back to sleep!

Oliver chose sleep, after we gave him his room back- once my brother left town again.

A whirlwind visit from him, Robin lives in B.C. and works in Northern Ontario. Tigger came out to greet him.

What cat bed?

Last night, Oliver konked out after a day mousing.

Oliver, meantime, is out hunting. He's getting a mouse a day.

The moon was amazing early this morning.

Cats were climbing on the night table, anxious to go out and visit mice friends.

I let them out onto the enclosed porch at 5:30 a.m.

In the event of a disaster...

What do you do?


I lived 10 days without power during Ice Storm '98. We were 3 days sans power in August, 2006 in Muskoka. December, 2008: MTM - no power, no phone, no Internet! 


We put in a generator, which we left behind. A seamless generator that ran off of our propane. It was lovely. We had a tankless water heater. I hope the new home owner appreciates it!

We lost power for 11 minutes the other day. It was a shock. At 8:56 - our lovely taped murder mystery went blank. In Muskoka the power went off regularly. In Lanark County not so much. We casually went to find our flashlights. We use them often, and they are nearby. Usually our granddaughter likes to look for the cats that hide under the bed!


Yesterday's disaster was finding our granddaughter with chicken pox! My poor visiting brother was shocked, as he planned on going back into Musselwhite mine camp in less than a week. 


We all washed hands. 
And tried, politely, to bid farewell. I've had JK/SK students with chicken pox, my own 3 kids had it, and I figure I'm good!

There was a train derailment in Ontario last week. There are evacuations for fires, explosions, and all sorts of reasons.


Recommended Actions:  Emergency Management Ontario

• Quickly select basic clothing, medication, toiletry supplies and other essentials for several days absence.  
• Take your pets with you.  
• Do not pick up family members from schools, daycares and institutions such as hospitals and nursing homes. Plans are in place to protect them. 
• People currently outside this area are advised not to enter this area until further notice. 
• Do not call 911 for information about this emergency. 
• Remain tuned to this station for further information and instructions.

For a trip to the cottage:

Our old home. Ducks were happy the storm quit

• Bottled water (1 gallon per person per day; three-day supply ideal)
• Cash (ATMs and electronic cash registers may not work)
• Cell phone (with nonelectrical charger)
• Warm clothing, jammies and rain gear
• Extra blankets/sleeping bags
• Documents
• driver’s license, passport, birth certificate
• Contact information of friends and family (in a waterproof container)
• Financial inventory (a list of bank and investment accounts, mortgages, and loans, including account numbers and location of original documents)

Spring Flooding

As the weather gets warmer, streams, rivers and creeks can become dangerous. Water levels can rise with the melting snow and falling rain. Keep a safe distance away from moving water and stay informed of flood conditions.

• Preparing for a Flood
• Flood Forecasting
• Flood Management
• Flood Safety

Follow the steps below to ensure that you are ready in the event of an emergency:

• Step 1 : Learn About Hazards in Your Community
• Step 2: Learn How You Will Be Informed Of an Emergency
• Step 3: Develop a Family Emergency Plan
• Step 4: Prepare an Emergency Survival Kit
• Step 5: Prepare Your Pets
• Step 6: Practice and Maintain Your Plan
• Step 7: Learn How to Evacuate
• Step 8: Learn How to “Shelter-In-Place”
• Step 9: Consider any Special Needs

Plant cam - what a hoot!

The only problem is that the camera shifts every time I upload the photos!




Then there are the dang deer or rabbits?

Hare today, gone tomorrow.

Oops. All gone!

Watching Perth Skies

 A beautiful day to watch skies.

I am grateful to live near to a delightful town such as Perth, Ontario.

Blue skies, with the odd bit of moisture passing through. We experience the Lake Effect Snow, from the Great Lakes releasing its water content into the air, but it is a wonderful feeling.

Today, with colder temperatures to Ottawa, to the north east, we were outdoors in jackets.

The statue, in honour of Big Ben, and Ian Millar, decorate the town right beside the Tay River.

Finding treasures on the lawn, as our 11-month old granddaughter learns to walk on the rough grass. It is a beautiful day!

Ian Millar on Big Ben