What an incredible video. I refrained from waking at 3 a.m., to check it out. Still fighting my whooping cough! I'm new to vimeo. No banner ads, I may just switch form YouTube, with its crass infection of ads. Sometimes it is worth it to pay for what you want.
Nice job, isn't it?!
Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse from William Castleman on Vimeo.
Tuesday, 21 December 2010
Monday, 20 December 2010
Hunting birds in winter
I suppose, I mean identifying them!
Lots of places to ID them, just ensure that we know what we are talking about!
Here are some good sites, with reputable qualifications...
Back in 1993, when teaching students how to do research, most would go to the Encyclopedia CD that their PC manufacturer gave them.
Some would print an entire file on, say, Blue Jays, and hand it in.
You just have to laugh.
They couldn't read the words, as they did a 5-minute presentation of their work.
I love bird watching. Winter has its own limitations.
Here are some of my (mostly) winter birds. I was looking for some colour as it starts to snow last Saturday as I prepared this post.
We are seeing much white out there!
Busy bird. This Woodpecker was chucking cracked corn on the head of the Mourning Dove below! The Dove was eating it up!
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| Hawkish personality |
Here are some good sites, with reputable qualifications...
- The Birds of NA online -search by name
- The Stokes, who also publish a blog
- Birds Forever
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- You can search by name, or you can browse by Name and Shape or Taxonomy
Back in 1993, when teaching students how to do research, most would go to the Encyclopedia CD that their PC manufacturer gave them. Some would print an entire file on, say, Blue Jays, and hand it in.
You just have to laugh.
They couldn't read the words, as they did a 5-minute presentation of their work.
I love bird watching. Winter has its own limitations.
Here are some of my (mostly) winter birds. I was looking for some colour as it starts to snow last Saturday as I prepared this post.
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| Mourning Dove landing |
We are seeing much white out there!
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| Pileated woodpecker |
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| Nuthatch |
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| No. Not a bird -Bird Hunter! |
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| Blue Jay |
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| Chickadee |
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| Pigeons in town |
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| Mourning Dove |
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Cedar Waxwing |
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Red Poll |
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| Guess who? |
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| 'Early birds' standing on the ice on the lake |
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| Goldfinch in winter |
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| Goldfinch in summer! |
Busy bird. This Woodpecker was chucking cracked corn on the head of the Mourning Dove below! The Dove was eating it up!
Saturday, 18 December 2010
Who goes there? Reading the forest's story...
Don't you love the snow? OK, many of my readers do not. But, if it has to be cold, I like reading the story of the forest.
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| fox ambling along |
The key is the outer pads, larger than the top two.
I went for a walk around the bog. Very exciting, to be sure.
It is only frozen a mere inch or two.
Across the bog, it looked liked something had a bit of a skate.
I think the deer slipped a bit during those melt down days. Remember Bambi and Thumper during the first encounter with ice?
That's the story, methinks.
Mouse, squirrel, chipmunks abound in our forest.
Everyone seems to share the paths.
Then, I came around the corner of the house.
They looked familiar.
Much tinier than the previous tracks, my four fingers, as well as my boot width = 4" wide..
Highway of heroes
The Canadian total = 154 soldiers gone.
Can. Wounded, dead and POWs since WW I
Another 4 soldiers + journalist
In this engagement: the injuries, as well as vets who are suffering PTSD and homelessness, continue to concern all of us.
“Wounded in Action”: 404
“Non-Battle Injuries”: 565
Killed in Action: 93
Non-battle Deaths: 13
“Non-Battle Injuries”: 565
Killed in Action: 93
Non-battle Deaths: 13
Our Highway of Heroes is an important part of the honour Canada bestows on its fallen. Unfortunately, veterans who are injured, wounded and disabled, or suffer from addictions are not similarly dealt with well, according to some stories. Cash settlements, rather than long-term veteran support is an appalling way to treat these people.
On August 24, 2007, the stretch of highway between Toronto (from Highway 404/Don Valley Parkway) and CFB Trenton (from Glen Miller Road) was given the additional name Highway of Heroes, in honour of Canadian Forces personnel killed during the War in Afghanistan. Crowds line the route every time a soldier is repatriated.
Highway of Heroes song - Bob Reid A powerful tribute to our fallen soldiers and to those who honour them. Highway of Heroes song
Highway of Heroes There are many stories of repatriations here, by Cobourg Daily Star photographer Pete Fisher, taken along the Highway of Heroes.
US Media Tribute to Highway of Heroes U.S. news rarely pays attention to news from Canada, but a touching tribute by Canadians to it's fallen heroes has caught the attention of the U.S. media
Canada has a long history in the arena of war. Vimy Ridge, Juno Beach, the 65th Anniversary of D-Day, all are stories told well in print and in the media.
Friday, 17 December 2010
Perth bloggers unite!
I was researching others in my near-by city who blog. These are the folks most active nearest to me...
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| I'd rather be blogging than out in freezing rain! |
- Shabby Chic
- Sarah Herron Krissilas
- Cathy Breedyk Law
- PATRICK WHITE
- Matthew Barnabe
- Craig Mcintyre
- Spring Peach
- Friends of Murphys Point Park
- Bastou
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| Many wonderful healthcare workers in Ontario |
TERN was writing about a fellow healthcare professional who is taking leave from writing.
She wrote:
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| Where the red squirrel played |
I think this is exactly why I blog! Me and my generation are critical thinkers. We reflect, research, and comment on life, our profession, what seems right and wrong in society, in our neighbourhoods, communities, regions, provinces, nation and the world.
I am pleased to be able to stay at home, and bring my take on the world around me, to those who continue to read my blogs, respond, correct me and further reflect. A bad cold aside, I am resting with my laptop! No volunteering this week.
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| Retiree plays in the snow! |
My blogs have led to a number of contacts, interviews, and journalists seeking information (i.e., G8 Muskoka)and my insight, as a middle-aged professional. (Perhaps, at 53, I am nearer the old age than middle?) You know from your own discussions, that you are enlightening and illuminating the world around you.
It is only in discourse that we improve and learn. And while we research what we write about, we help improve the information on the web.
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| Bob V |
I found, as a teacher, that few had the guts to listen to me, or my peers. My supervisors (i.e., principals/managers) were more concerned with appearing brilliant to first their supervisors, and then management, and then the public. Once I hit bottom and became clinically depressed: caring for failing parents, moving far from friends and family, leaving the best classroom (Gr. 8s), staff (Sir Win) and principal (Dave Hogg) in OCDSB ever, leaving a fabulous city in which to raise kids (Nepean), to live by a lake in Muskoka, I ended up finding peace by writing my book. Not on education, as I originally thought, but on being a caregiver for my mom with cancer, dad with a brain tumour and the ensuing dementia. Now, much more centered, I can volunteer and help others.
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| Our granddaughters |
Some of us are unafraid to call a turkey a turkey. Workplace bullying, Full Day K, for example
I tend to reserve trite, flippant, fun info for my Facebook friends, and the more serious issues I channel into Health, Education, General Rants on my 3 main blogs.
I play with images, and memes, and generally keep reading, researching and writing.
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| Happy santas |
Heroes and grandparents' reflections
Email from Ontario Paramedic Association: we're getting closer to identifying the hero:
Forgive another post today, but we are both in shock. This is a tribute to a stranger who we will likely never meet. Unsung, our heroes perform deeds that only a few can observe. I watch our EMS crews. I have lauded them for years. I bow in honour. Karma has a way of coming back to us.
There are heroes and there are silent heroes.
My granddaughter is cared for by a wonderful caregiver. Shannie participates in all sorts of day care group activities. With a degree in ECE, I know what to look for in a caregiver. She keeps the kiddies busy with various activities. She sends the kids home with precious crafts. She is called 'the good mom', although my daughter, Caitlin, is an incredible mom. Both of these ladies have the patience of Job, caring for the social and emotional needs of these precious children.
Shannie took the kids to an activity on Colonade Road, in Ottawa on Tuesday. She was driving with the kids, on a snow covered road, and saw a truck coming towards her. She managed to swerve off the road, the truck cab had stopped but the truck rear was still sliding. While she did so, a paramedic drove up beside her, passing her to come between her and the truck to protect her. What an amazing feat of heroism. Split second reactions. We are still in shock.
We are trying to contact the paramedic, but Shannie was in such a state she forgot to get his name.
I emailed the Paramedic Association in Ottawa. I hope to find him. We all owe him. A precious little 3-year old, who just celebrated her birthday, has an angel who guards her.
My husband's take on this:
The day care provider for our granddaughter was taking her and the other kids to an event today.
In Calgary, I worked on the 31st floor of a high rise.
This, of course, is what firefighters, police, and paramedics do.
Hello Jennifer
Your blog came to my attention and I'd like to be able to track down the paramedic so we can pass along your tkind words.
If you can provide the street the incident occurred ,closest cross street (if possible) and an approximate time we can search for who was there in our mapping software.
Glad to hear everyone was okay afterwards.
Robert Davidson
Commander, Special Operations
Ottawa Paramedic Service
We are getting closer to identifying the hero. More info from my son-in-law:
Jean-Luc Cooke
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Some things not included in public reports from Ottawa - like what they did for kids in my daycare this week.
Anthony Dimonte (Chief of Paramedics - City of Ottawa),
I just left you a voice mail prising the work of one of your paramedics.
Yesterday, as the first major snow storm had many of us in the city inconvenienced, one of your Ottawa paramedics did something special and I feel it should be shared with you and others.
My oldest daughter, Josephine, was returning in the car of our day care provider from a making a secret Christmas craft for mommy and papa. As our provider was turning from Merivale to Hunt Club a
transport truck was unable to stop before the intersection and began to jack knife towards the car filled with children. Needless to say our day care provider was beside herself with dread and terrible fear for
the lives of the children under her care. As the transport was moving toward the car, an ambulance moved between the car with my daughter and 3 other children and the on-coming partially jack-knifed transport truck.
From what I've been told, there was no collision. Our lovely day care provider was in tears after the event and your paramedic came to the car and calmly advised her to drive home, as slowly as she wants,
but drive home and clear the way for traffic. All the way back, the paramedic followed the car full of kids to make sure they got home safe. When we picked up our 3 year old at 5 o'clock that evening, our
provider was still visibly upset, apologised profusely and said she would never go out with the kids again in the snow.
transport truck was unable to stop before the intersection and began to jack knife towards the car filled with children. Needless to say our day care provider was beside herself with dread and terrible fear for
the lives of the children under her care. As the transport was moving toward the car, an ambulance moved between the car with my daughter and 3 other children and the on-coming partially jack-knifed transport truck.
From what I've been told, there was no collision. Our lovely day care provider was in tears after the event and your paramedic came to the car and calmly advised her to drive home, as slowly as she wants,
but drive home and clear the way for traffic. All the way back, the paramedic followed the car full of kids to make sure they got home safe. When we picked up our 3 year old at 5 o'clock that evening, our
provider was still visibly upset, apologised profusely and said she would never go out with the kids again in the snow.
Years of service and the events of that day left us convinced of what we already knew - we have no intention of changing our day care provider orour city!
Please pass on my thanks to your team of paramedics.
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| Another trip for a crew Bless their souls |
There are heroes and there are silent heroes.
My granddaughter is cared for by a wonderful caregiver. Shannie participates in all sorts of day care group activities. With a degree in ECE, I know what to look for in a caregiver. She keeps the kiddies busy with various activities. She sends the kids home with precious crafts. She is called 'the good mom', although my daughter, Caitlin, is an incredible mom. Both of these ladies have the patience of Job, caring for the social and emotional needs of these precious children.
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| Paramedics at the Bala drownings, 8/5/09 |
We are trying to contact the paramedic, but Shannie was in such a state she forgot to get his name.
I emailed the Paramedic Association in Ottawa. I hope to find him. We all owe him. A precious little 3-year old, who just celebrated her birthday, has an angel who guards her.
The day care provider for our granddaughter was taking her and the other kids to an event today.
All of a sudden a dump truck was coming straight for her.
A paramedic was also on the road.
The paramedic placed their vehicle between the dump truck and the car filled with little children,
our grandchild included.
Imagine, placed their vehicle between a truck and a car of children.
Fortunately, the dump truck was able to stop before a collision occurred.
The paramedic then drove behind the day care provider back to her place.
This all turned out well, and for that we are grateful.
When Caitlin told us this, I was overwhelmed at the courage of an individual to put themselves in
harms way for strangers.
It reminded me, of another incident.
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| Drownings in Bala, 2009 |
One day, we had a real fire on the bottom floor .
I was the one to see the smoke, and went around yelling at people that the alarms were not a drill,
and to get out. Then I realized that one of my employees was too pregnant to go down 62 flights of stairs.
I stayed with her for a while, until she convinced me to go down, because the firefighters were coming
up and they would look after her, and I would just add to the problem.
They did, and she and the baby were both fine.
The baby is now the Prime Minister of Canada's niece.
But I never forgot, the fire fighters, coming into and up a burning building.
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| Gravenhurst, ON 2010 |
This is what the NYC fire fighters did when they went up the stairs of the burning towers.
It is just that this happened in our little world, and that makes it very real.
Imagine, in those few seconds, deciding to place your vehicle between a large truck and a car filled with strangers.
In a world a news of greed, stupidity, and violence, this is, well, I'm not sure what it is but what I know is that courage and selflessness are in fact real, and that we are all a little raised up, by that fact.
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