The Last of The Year

While walking this afternoon, I saw this guy just flowering his head off. All the other Icelandic poppies were gone for the year. Why was this one left? To point out God's beauty? To create a moment of colour in a very drab garden? To point out how frail, yet how enduring life is? Remind me to ask, when I meet Him.

WORKING JOE vs. WELFARE JOE

You have two families: "WORKING JOE " vs "WELFARE JOE ". Both families have two parents, two children, and lives in Canada.

WORKING Joe works in construction, has a Social Insurance Number and makes $25.00 per hour with taxes deducted.

Welfare Joe does not work, has a Social Insurance Number, and gets paid $15.00 per hour "without leaving the house".

Ready?

Now pay attention...

A Thing of Great Beauty?

Maybe to another turkey! This one is definitely different! I haven't come across one with quite this style of facial expression in my limited time of raising turkeys

If anyone has any idea of what the cause is, I would sure like to hear it.

In the meantime, I am trying to find a suitable name for her, but can't quite come up with one. Several politicians remind me of her, also one of my old school teachers.

Let's have a Great-Name-the -Turkey- Contest. No prizes, just bragging rights until the next oddity comes along.

The vote of the judges (me) will be final. :)

Is Democracy Dead?

I'm afraid if it isn't, it's close to dying! In Canada we have had a very contentious law put in by the Liberal Party that required every person to register their long guns. This program cost the country an estimated $2 billion dollars in the time that it was in place. Criminals are going to obtain weapons from whatever source they can. The law abiding farmer is tied up with paperwork! Refusing or omitting to register automatically makes one a criminal!

It boils down to two sides, rural Canada vs Urban Canada, or in other words Toronto ( the centre of the universe in their own minds) against all others.

To make it worse, politicians were told to toe the party line, never mind what their constituency says. Ie. The NDP and Liberals voting to defeat the bill to abolish the registry. Where is the democracy at work in this? It is not a vote to bring down parliament or anything that grandeous, but two out of touch leaders playing their own agenda. Several politicians changed their votes after declaring their public stance. Did cash change hands? Or were future favours involved? We probably will never know for sure.

I dug out my old hat from many years ago and will likely start wearing it. If Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal etc. want wheat, oil etc let them come buy it. from The Republic of Western Canada.

The bill to abolish was defeated by a margin of two! Beware the poitician that says " I will listen to the people, but then will vote as I see fit"! The next election is not that far away!

Finally it's Raining!

We woke up to a nice downpour. The wooden decking was all wet so, no painting for at least today and probably tomorrow!
So far the deck and railings have soaked up 8 gallons of stain with probably 2 more to go. My back can use the rest!

So, what do you do on an acreage when it's too wet to ride, too wet to cut the lawn, too wet to clean out the chicken coop?

Rest, rest and more rest! Well, I did clean out the garage which is still resting. Oh yeah, drink coffee and read.

While doing that, I can sit and watch the hay field grow.

I like rain!

Discouraging!

Pardon the quality of the photos, but the sky went dark and it started to rain, blow and hail! Elaine took the photos through the kitchen window. I was hiding out in the garage, waiting for it to lift.

Needless to say, the garden and flowers took a beating. The hail was mostly nickle size, with a few approaching a quarter. The horses headed for the tall timber and the chickens for the safety of their coop.


Only in Alberta at the end of July do you get these gems of nature. I guess other places get them too, but we seem to get more than our share. It seemed odd to see the muddy fields turn white.

We are truly blessed!

Who Could Believe?

that something as simple, yet so incredibly complex as this, could be created by chemicals getting together by chance? God is great in both his design and versatility!

What Can I Say?

Here it is May 30 and this is what we woke up to this morning! In the right garden, the potatoes and peas just started poking their heads out.

It could be worse, such as the 10+ cm that dumped on Calgary and Edmonton or the 20 cm on Lethbridge.

The nearest thought that comes to mind is: " Brphhtthth"

Birth, Life, Death, ?

This little hairbell is exhibiting almost all the functions of living. Seeds are being formed, the plant is enjoying the life it has been given (if plants can, in effect, enjoy things). Some of the flowers, though pretty, are dwindling out already. In effect the plant has a "lifetime" of a few short months. The seeds will go on to reproduce another plant, and another cycle.

This existence is very much like the human one. We are born, live our "three score and ten", recede and die.

There the similarity stops. All people on earth, no matter where they are in our world, have basic beliefs in a higher being. This is true all throughout history.

When you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, have repented of your sins, and have been baptised in water, then you are promised through the Word of God that there will be eternal life.

Everyday, I am thankful of being alive, having accepted the Promise, and look forward to the life after death.

I don't know about you, but I am thankful that I am not a plant, with nothing to look forward to.

Sometimes You Have to Get Down

When was the last time that you really looked at the common dandelion? They are everywhere, and everyone seems to want to erradicate them. Look closely and you can see the complexity of this flower!
Or, what about this little guy? Not overly complex, but pure simplicity! I could not find him in any of my reference books, yet, here he is, growing wild in the middle of my hay field. He almost looks like a pansy, but a lot smaller.

I think that a lot of time we spend too much effort on the "big" things in our lives, and miss the small ones.

All sorts of things are starting to come out of limbo

I Don't believe It!

On May 21 this is what we woke up to! And there is another 5 to 10 cm forecast! That is 2 to 4 inches for those of you that are not bilingual (yet).

Fortunately, nothing is poking up in the garden , although all the orchard is in the process of flowering out.

I am still waiting for those of you in the deep south that may want to do a 6 month residential swap!

I guess this will be the day that I clean out the garage, or go back to bed!

Whatever happened to global warming? It seems that we could use a little of it up here!

My rant for the day!

I hope your day is starting out better than this!

Oh yeah, today is the start of the Canadian long weekend. I guess it could be worse. I could be opening up the door on a tent!

Miss Innocence

Don't let the look of contentment fool you! She has just caused me 3 hours of work when I'm supposed to be celebrating the Canadian effort at the Olympics.

I weighed her yesterday and found her to be 1162 pounds! The hay rations were cut back a bit, which she apparently did not like. Her weight on my wooden gate broke the top 2X6 and three of the vertical 1X6's, which meant, basically, a gate rebuild!

I don't know whether this is a yawn of contentment  as the temperature today is +8C, or the old "horse laugh" as she thinks she has won this little episode. Tomorrow is another day forcast to be well above average, so, if I can't cut down her rations, I will work the fat off her! There is still enough snow that I can get her lathered up!

She is an inquisitive horse. While I was doing the rebuild she had her nose on the drill and saw, and kept trying to tip over my nail bucket. It's hard to work with horse breath down your neck. Her other favourite game is to sneak up on my wheelbarrow and tip it over. Not so funny when it's full.I've learned to keep one eye on the work and the other eye on her. The other two horses are content with just sleeping in the sun

It wouldn't be that she is now a teenager in horse years, would it? (Send hate mail to -->   X). 

A Real life Situation

This is a letter written to a good friend of mine (used with permission) from his son. I cleaned up some names and industry, but it shows the level of stress present in the workforce of the 21st century. I remember the days he is writing about from the 70's, 80's and see today that nothing much has changed. The almighty dollar rules both in the board room, the stock market, and people's personal choices. I am not judging. I am simply pointing out that life is still a rat race in the 21st century.

Thinking of a Bed and Breakfast

As I am kind of in-between jobs at the moment, I was thinking of starting a B&B. I already have the guest house, room with a view, cold running water (winter) and hot water (summer). Air conditioning isavailable both summer and winter. Any body want to book a reservation? Big discount for February!

Are North America's Priorities Right?

I was watching both the CBC and CTV news today and both were carrying stories on the latest epidemic in North America, namely Obesity. Doctors were interviewed about this and were quite concerned with the trend. It is getting worse, according to them. Heart attacks are moving to the younger generation as is other types of disease such as diabetes. I saw a program a few weeks ago where the gist of the story was that the generation now in school, public and secondary, is likely going to live substantialy shorter than their parents. Apparently, the genetic factor where, if you had grandparents and parents with a long lifespan, then you could expect to live a long time also, is now being over ridden by the above concerns.

The other issues tying into this are the time spent in front of the TV and now blackberries and the like, the lack of exercise and generally a sedentary lifestyle. Obviously, not every one can, or should live on an acreage where there is little time for inactivity, but there must  be a way to reverse this. What it is, I do not know.

Go to the flip side of the world where millions die each year due to starvation, and you have to agree that something is wrong in North America.

Is our culture so stressed, so self-centered that obesity and diabetes and the results, are in effect, the results?
Do parents come home so tired that they cannot spend time in the outdoors getting exercise?

I sure would appreciate your input on this question, as it is beyond this ones mind capacity to comprehend.

Canada: sucker nation......

I did a google search on this article under "the national Post", Diane Francis", "Sucker nation" and found a series of articles by her, including this one. Pretty sad! Do other countries other than canada have this happen, I wonder?


by Diane Francis
Financial Post

Vancouver's skyline of often empty pied-a-terres populated by who and why?
Condos in Vancouver and Toronto are often empty because they are addresses of convenience.
Owners work abroad tax-free but pretend to reside in Canada to qualify for immigration, health care and other entitlements and ultimately citizenship for themselves and relatives.

Here are two stories about residency fraud from a source with the initials WS, a Canadian:

Another Way to describe a Good Life

Elisabeth-Anne "Bessie" Anderson Stanley (born before 1900) is the author of the poem Success (What is success? or What Constitutes Success

He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much;

Who has enjoyed the trust of pure women, the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children;

Who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;

Who has never lacked appreciation of Earth's beauty or failed to express it;

Who has left the world better than he found it,

Whether an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul;

Who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had;

Whose life was an inspiration;

Whose memory a benediction.

Thanks to http://manker.wordpress.com/Musings from Montana for bringing this to my attention! I was not familiar with the writer, but did a Google search and got the whole verse. Some time back, The Old Geezer http;//ronjoewhite.blogspot.com/ posted a Blog  inquiring what you would like people to say about you on your demise. After saying " Being a Christian" first, this would summarize the "ideal" eulogy to me. When you read it for the fourth or fifth time, I realize that not many people that I have known would rate an A+ in all these categories. It would be one glorious life if anyone could.

FARM Kid in the ARMY

(NOW AT BASE BORDEN RECRUIT TRAINING)
Dear Ma and Pa,
I am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Army beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before all of the places are filled.

I was restless at first because you get to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m. But I am getting so I like to sleep late. Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot, and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay. Practically nothing.
Men got to shave but it is not so bad, there's warm water. Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc., but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie and other regular food, but tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by the two city boys that live on coffee. Their food, plus yours, holds you until noon when you get fed again. It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much.

Bear Shot Chasing Cattle in Alberta!

After a ferocious stand off the bear was shot with no injuries to cattle or bystanders.

Serenity!

We live in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and this is the grazing lease in behind our place with two of our horses (I'm on the third) doing a little spring time riding (I wish)! It's hard to remember the difficult world that we live in when God's countryside is as beautiful as this. Peaceful, tranquil, Serene!

This is what they used to call in the movies, you know, "Happy Trails to You".You remember, big screen, popcorn, the good guy always wins?

If only we could take a step back into time when life in the world was a lot simpler!

What's over the hill? More of the same! And the next hill? Ditto.