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Issue #1089
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Russ

Nova Scotia Sus

The Ontarion

Well now,

Winter just won’t give up! Every time we get a few nice days, they are followed by a week of cold and wet. If it’s not wet, it’s even colder because we don’t have that thermal cloud blanket to hold in whatever little bit of warmth there might be. The cold and rain do have one good consequence, they wash down the pollen from the trees and keep it from assaulting us. But, I’ve talked about that before. It does seem however that as punishment for any nice motorcycle rides I manage to do, I must endure days or weeks of miserable weather as penance. That just does not seem very fair to me.

And then there are the crows that come for their handouts. At times we feel like they are holding us hostage, or that we are somehow trapped inside a Hitchcock movie. As if it wasn’t bad enough that they look in at us through the back deck window, they now also fly around to the front balcony and stare at us through the front windows if we have not responded to their first attempts. If just starring us down doesn’t get them their reward, they begin to caw loudly and persistently until there are some positive results. They are just like people, the more you give them, the more they want. And, in return, they shit all over the place. How’s that for expressing their gratitude, again, just like people. The ‘main’ crow is Beaky, the one with the deformed beak that has been coming on and off for several years. At times this crow is alone and at times has another one tagging along, same one as in previous years. We always assumed that Beaky was the ‘she’ but I’m now thinking that she is in fact the ‘he’ as the other one tends to be absent at times and I’m assuming ‘she’ is sitting on her nest somewhere. We call her ‘Val’ crow. Apparently, when the female is brooding, the male brings her food. And, apparently, some helpers pitch in to help. These would be some of last year’s brood or other close relatives. This would explain why that at times there is just him and at other times there will be both, or three or four of them. All are determined to coerce us into shelling out the chopped up wieners and cubed bread that they seem to like.

Interestingly, their favorite way to eat the bread is to dip it into the water we also provide. I guess that’s their version of gourmet eating. I know for a fact that they also like road kill and we almost had a chance to supply them with some of that because a big grey bush rat was laying squashed on the street a few mornings ago but I really couldn’t see myself scooping it up and serving it on a platter just to make some ungrateful birds happy. Luckily, that opportunity was taken out of my hands by the fact that by the time we returned from our morning walk, the rat was gone. I don’t know who or what removed it but I was relieved it had been done.

As for this weekend being Easter, well, we haven't celebrated that in many years. Eggs are for eating, I certainly don’t need any chocolate or jelly beans, and the grand kids get way too much junk as it is. So, I’ll just spend some of Sunday morning looking out the window at the cold rain and wishing it was warm and sunny and I was rumbling through the mountains on my Harley. Is there an Easter version of the term ‘bah, humbug’?

However, I do have an Easter egg for any of you who are interested in some music. Somehow I managed to find the required quiet time to put together this old song called ‘Old Flames Can’t Hold A Candle To You’. It’s kind of a nice laid back tune so sit back and give it a listen. It has been a while since I did any audio recordings and I did find it kind of enjoyable doing this one. So, to find your egg, hidden somewhere on my web site, just follow this link.

My audio version, I may get around to a video version at some time but who knows for sure.

Old Flames Can’t Hole A Candle To You

doug

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From Russ

Chance

Chance = risk - does 'timing' play a part? To answer my own question, I'll relate a true story from way back when I was young, and virile> We had just finished having a two-car, 'hobby-garage' built here at our cottage in Point Clark. It was decided we needed a yard light for convenience and security (There being no street lights at the time). Our cottage sat on a wooded lot, so it wasn't hard to find a cedar tree, 30 feet tall and straight. I had dug a post-hole 4 feet deep (easy digging - all sand), and with the help of my sons, Mac & Greg (and likely my Brother-in-law, Andy Cummings), we carried the pole out of our bush and proceeded to 'plant' it in said hole. That took some 'effort' - it was green, and heavy but we got it done.

At this point, I don't know recall whether I climbed the pole wearing spurs (as I had done earlier when I wired the Dickson Cottage), or used my 40 foot extension ladder (which has since disappeared), but I dug a trench 4 feet deep, and laid the "direct burial' wire in the trench, and covered it with one inch wooden planks (as required by the Electrical Code of the time) I secured a cluster of 3-150W. weather-proof "reflector-flood-lamps" at the top. The wire ran up the outside of the post (exposed to all extremes of weather), I had put the Yard light on it's own breaker (15 Amp. for 450 Watts). That was over 40 years ago. The "reflector-flood lamps" were replaced twice, first with a "mercury vapor" lamp, then recently with a 'halogen lamp'. The latter lit-up the entire front yard, parking area, and garage, so bright one could read under it at night. It served as the "village street lamp"! Now, it's gone! What happened ? you ask.

Over the many years, the pole became "wobbly" right at the point where it would remain wet long after any rain (where the grass grew), I'd planned to prop it up with logs until we could replace it. As it was, it was a danger to anyone using our parking area.

On Sunday night, April 2nd we had gusty South/West winds which blew the old pole down - landing heavily upon the paved parking area, smashing the lamp to pieces. Early Monday morning (while it still dark out) I was taken aback to see the tube was still glowing a bright, blueish color - it had survived the crash!!. I turned the breaker off as the heat of the tube was beginning to scorch the dry, old pole. Left with the power on, a fire was sure to start, and "black-top" pavement is like tar - it ignites easily and burns furiously!

Now, let's put "chance" (risk) to the test - did "timing" play a part? You can bet your wee pink/blue booties it did! I took a chance, and risked the safety of anyone entering my drive/ parking area! We have no control over time or wind. Mother Nature (God) chose a time when no one was in danger to drop the heavy, old pole safely onto the vacant parking area!

Next week I may "chew" on the word "choice".

Russ.

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From Nova Scotia Sus

Happy Easter everyone!

Years ago we used to have big Easter egg hunts. My Dad who was the Easter bunny loved to hide our baskets in very challenging places and not only for us kids. Uncle Eddie's was attached to a balloon way up in the air at least until it took off towards Centreville. My brothers took over the hiding process one year and that was a disaster. One basket was hidden in the oven and was destroyed by heat. Another in a tree and was found on the ground destroyed. In later years my sister Michelle tried her best at being an Easter bunny. Since it had snowed her tracks were easily followed. Not such an easy job being a bunny.

Nowadays we have dropped the practice. Everyone has grown up and now it's all about dinner.

Sus

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The Ontarion

Hello everyone and Happy Easter to All!

Do you still celebrate your Easter in the same manner as we did when we were kids? You know, hiding eggs and making colourful woven baskets filled with coloured straw and all sorts of chocolate bunnies and eggs!

When we were kids, our parents did just that sort of thing on Easter morning. First of all, we’d get dressed in our Sunday best and head of to Church at St John’s Anglican Church on the corner of Water and Duke streets! Then we could hardly wait to get home to search the house and weather permitting, the back yard for hidden eggs. Each one of the three of us had a special basket filled with goodies and this went on year after year until we were too old to believe in the Easter Bunny any longer! I think until we reached the age of around 12 years! Then the goodies stopped but mum still used to do lots of Easter baking. We’d have our fill of chocolate cake and muffins and of course a lovely dinner consisting of a delicious ham and all the trimmings! Since Carole and I have been married, she has made sure that we have a lovely Sunday Easter dinner and of course we also continued the tradition of hiding eggs and giving chocolate Easter bunnies to Adam and each other for many years. Now that we are adults and Adam is as well, we no longer hide any eggs or candy but still make sure we give each other something sweet and chocolaty on Easter Sunday morning! It’s still fun after all these years and of course I still love the chocolate goodies that precede our lovely Easter Sunday dinner. I believe that Carole has a beautiful dinner of Ham and scalloped potatoes planned for this years feast!

I’m not so sure that the Easter Bunny isn’t real because I saw a large brown Bunny in our back garden the other day as well as this morning when I looked out the kitchen window! I think, if I’m not mistaken, he was carrying a basket filled with chocolate eggs! LOL!

Who knows when the tradition of the Easter Bunny started but I’m sure it was many years ago!

It’s always been fun to be filled with anticipation before Easter weekend and as long as we keep it alive, it’s still fun right up until the final moment after Sunday dinner! I’m sure we will always celebrate this occasion for as long as we are a family together!

Such occasions always bring a smile to one’s face and that of course is a very good thing indeed!

I hope you all enjoy this Easter Weekend and that the Easter Bunny is good to each and every one of you this year again!

Take care and thank you for tuning in to the Ontarion report!

I’ll look forward to talking to you all again next week in The Ontarion Report! Bye for now!

Once again….. Happy Easter to each and every member of The Squamidian /Ontarion Group!

Greg.

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