America

It's gettin' cold outside so I'm inside watching movies. Here is a Sean Penn/Kid Rock slant on American politics:

Thoughts of Gordie

Walking past the window this afternoon I spotted two spruce grouse wandering around my backyard.  Even though I moved into the city, I am apparently still very close to the country.  They brought back fond memories of Gordie Grouse who lived by me when I lived Country Residential.  Gordie would beat his chest all night long trying to attract a female - night after night after night.  I do not think poor Gordie was ever successful.

Caleb

Caleb says HI to MJT !!

October 11 (10-11-12)

30 years ago, on October 11, a new little boy entered this world.  (Wow, that was 30 years ago!)
So to celebrate, dinner included his favourites - chicken paprikas and apple pie (unfortunately for mom, cake is not his favourite).

Even though he was feeling under the weather, he had enough steam to make a wish and blow out the good-luck candle.

At the end of the night he left with his new coat and his favourite girl.

Skiff of Snow

As I ALWAYS said, the first skiff of snow that stays on the ground comes on October 11th.  How do I know this?  It is SR's birthday of course.  The snow began falling late this afternoon.  By tomorrow we should have 1 to 2 centimetres - that is a light dusting of snow - or, as we northerners say, a skiff. And, I do believe that the snow is here to stay.  I went to the dictionary so I could prove to those that live in Ontario that SKIFF is an actual word, but what I found was:  "small boat"  --- no mention of a "dusting" so I went to another dictionary, then another dictionary ...  well, you get the picture.  Then, thank you Bill Casselman for this: (and P.S., I love the title "rare and delightful"; oh and PPS:  we northerners don't use that saying)

RARE and DELIGHTFUL SNOW WORDS

Skiff

Canadian Prairie Saying: Ain’t but a skiff of snow to dust a gopher’s arsehole.

A skiff of snow in Manitoba and the Canadian West is a light snowfall, a gentle powdery dusting of snow. It is probable that early Scottish immigrants to western Canada brought the word with them, for it is still a familiar dialect word in Scotland where it means a light wind, a misty rain or a modest flurry of snow.

A State Flower

And now that I have composted my flowers, I see these tiny blooms appear.  The seeds were from my trip with Kristin to Alaska a year ago fall - Forget-Me-Nots are Alaska's state flower.  I planted the seeds in the spring, then forgot I planted them.  Perhaps, as they are late bloomers, that is where their name comes from.

Autumn

The berries are plump on my Mountain Ash.  Soon they will all disappear in a whirlwind of Bohemian Waxwings.

FOR Dawson

Oh Dawson, here is another use of Gangnam Style - you're not the only one that likes it:

E.coli

Following is the list from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency with regard to the meat that must not be ingested.

"The CFIA is warning the public, distributors and food service establishments not to consume, sell, or serve the beef products described below because the products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

The affected products are associated with the same XL Foods manufacturing dates of August 24, 27, 28, 29 and September 5, 2012, as the previously recalled ground beef products. The trace out from XL to secondary and tertiary distributors, manufacturers and retailers could result in a large number of affected products over a wide range of codes and dates."

Please go through your freezer and do not eat anything that is on this list.  The CFIA advises us to throw out the meat on this list (although that doesn't sound too safe either, does it?).  Below is the link to what we must NOT eat and this list is LONG.  Be safe!

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2012/20121001e.shtml

Thinking of Dawson

Cannot look at this without thinking of Dawson.

October 1

 I wasn't kidding .... YUCK!

October 1

The snow flakes are falling.  Hopefully they will not stay on the ground.