Miniature Rose

I nearly didn't find what I was looking for

2012-01-22T22:09:00.005-05:00

There is a large herd of deer who roam freely in my neck of the woods. They can usually be seen grazing in the fields at sunrise and sunset. I have been trying to capture that elusive, bucolic image of the graceful animals for a long, long time.

This evening, as I set out to prepare my beloved Wundermutt's dinner, the setting sun filled my kitchen with a beautiful warm glow. I quickly grabbed my camera and stepped outside to snap a picture or two:

It was only when I drew my focus out, that I spotted these beauties:

Maybe we need to stop looking for that perfect ~~ whatever ~~ and simply let it come to us.

A quiet winter morning

2012-01-22T13:55:00.001-05:00

Living Colour

2011-10-10T15:27:00.002-04:00

Autumn falls on us

2011-09-16T09:34:00.003-04:00

The first frost glistened

On still green leaves this morning

Farewell, sweet summer

The waves were calling. I finally answered.

2011-09-07T13:15:00.003-04:00

We had been away from the ocean for far too long. So, when the opportunity presented itself, we got in the car and we drove to Nova Scotia.

I wonder where the winds will blow us next.

The Thistle Stop Café

2011-07-26T14:03:00.000-04:00

Every year, I do battle with the Bull thistles which invade my lawn and vegetable garden. I am firmly opposed to using any type of chemical warfare, so I engage in hand-to-hand combat with this handy tool from those clever Scandavians at Fiskars. I have pulled over a hundred thistle plants out of the wet spring ground in a single morning - a deeply satisfying activity, often accompanied by a most ungracious and unladylike whoop of victory. The newly displaced young thistles, tap roots and all, are unceremoniously dumped in the "back forty" - the unmowed sections of our property.

My skirmishes with the Bull thistle tend to result in mere pyrrhic victories. More thistles spring up in their place, while the displaced thisles take hold in the tall grasses. There is now a thistle of epic proportions - at least 2 metres high and 1.5 metres across - at the edge of the cut section of the grass. And what a magnificent thistle it is! Its prickly stems and roots give way to delicate purple flowers, rich in a nectar that the goldfinches, butterflies, and other pollinators absolutely love.

So, dear thistle, the symbol of my ancestors, I accept and embrace you in all of your prickly, tenacious glory. Just stay out of my garden, okay?

Tiger Swallowtail

Monarch

Bumblebee moth and Bumblebee

Bumblebees share a table

Fragile and strong

2011-07-20T15:54:00.002-04:00

Evening visitor

2011-07-11T20:19:00.004-04:00

What are you barking at, Lady Chocolate?

Oh! A visitor! I see!

Well, hello there, Bambi! Welcome! There's plenty of grass and dandelions for you, but please, please, don't eat the daisies!

Oh, you poor deer! The deer flies bother me, too.

Well, thanks for stopping by! Come back any time!

Gandalf was most definitely not impressed.

Born on the 4th of July

2011-07-04T14:45:00.003-04:00

Today, we watched a Monach Butterfly emerge from its chrysalis.

Happy Independence Day.

As Canadian as possible under the circumstances, circa 2011

2011-07-03T06:41:00.006-04:00

Canada Day did not find us revelling on Parliament Hill with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. In quintessentially Canadian fashion, I was plying my nursing skills in an American hospital. And I did so in style.

Pattern: Spring Forward, Knitty Summer 2008
Yarn: Dyeversion Bamboo Sock yarn in Candy Apple Colourway.

Hand knit by yours truly.

I believe I won the Dominion Day Sartorial Throwdown. Take that, Kate!

After the storm

2011-06-25T05:59:00.003-04:00

They're back!

2011-06-23T17:51:00.002-04:00

The tree swallows manage to arrive at the bluebird nesting boxes before the bluebirds ever get a chance to establish a home Chez Miniature Rose. I love them all anyway!

Solstice chez Miniature Rose

2011-06-21T17:49:00.000-04:00

Give that boy an A+ in science already

2011-06-19T09:22:00.002-04:00

My major outdoor project this spring involved planting a Three Sisters Garden. It is coming along nicely.

I was explaining history and theory behind this type of garden to my 13 year old, home schooled son - how the beans put nitrogen into the soil, which feeds the corn, while the corn stalks provide a trellis for the beans and the squash provides ground cover - when Sweet William gently stopped me and said, "You mean, the plants have a symbiotic relationship."

Ummm .. yeah. I was schooled by the home schooled kid. Class dismissed!

Swan Lake, the non-crazy version

2011-06-14T07:12:00.004-04:00

Hello! You look like a friendly human!

Have you any bread for me?

Lettuce? Seriously? Do I look like I need to be on a low-carb diet?

Well, the people at the next dock have Wonderbread, so I'm outta here! Laters!

This weekend has been for the birds

2011-05-08T18:50:00.002-04:00

Did you hear the one about the Registered Nurse who received her layoff notice on National Nurses Day? It's actually a pretty funny story, if one enjoys that whole theater of the absurd thing and can avoid choking on the irony.

As my Mommy would say, it will all come out in the wash. I'm not laughing just yet, but I am feeling better after spending Mother's Day with my Mommy, drinking coffee and watching the birds.

Love you, Mommy!

Springing along on the Nature Trail

2011-03-30T13:49:00.002-04:00

Something in the genus Hieracium.

Pussywillows

Mourning cloak butterfly

Mr. and Mrs. Mallard checking out the local selection of duckweed.

(Sorry, Mom!) I think I might be a Parseltongue.

No sooner did I wonder aloud if the garter snakes might be awake,

did two of them start rustling through the grass.

Happy Spring!

Rising moon

2011-03-19T21:39:00.002-04:00

They come, they eat, they leave. It's the same thing year after year!

2011-03-13T18:23:00.003-04:00

The snow geese have found their way back to the corn field down the road. This annual ritual makes me feel rooted and connected to this land. Hello and good-bye, my brilliant little friends. Safe journeys to your summer nesting grounds.

Rose's Rant

2011-01-28T21:46:00.002-05:00

Rick Mercer knocked this one right out of the ball park. Or is that the curling rink, or the hockey arena? What. Ever.

I'm not particularly enamored with Michael Ignatiaeff, but I do get rather defensive ~~ no, strike that ~~ I'm downright prickly ~~ about the notion that finding work south of the 49th is an act of treachery. Yes, I'm a US Citizen now .. but I'm still a Canadian citizen, with a valid Canadian passport , who made sure that her son's status as a Canadian citizen was established even before he had an American passport. And, I'm a CanAmerican whose radios are tuned to the CBC and who reads The Star and The Globe and Mail. Every. Single. Day. And I am deeply disappointed at the toxic turn which politics has taken in my home and native land.

I understand why the double rainbow guy wept

2011-01-14T14:47:00.004-05:00

If I knew how to make videos and put them on youtube, I might have become the crazy sun dog chick. The sky was just incredible this afternoon! For a brief moment, we were treated to a Sun Dog Display, complete with inverted rainbows. I've never seen anything like it!

A peaceful winter day

2011-01-10T18:25:00.001-05:00

Tap .. tap .. is this thing still on?

2010-12-23T20:18:00.003-05:00

Well, hello there! Merry Christmas!

Yes, I'm still here. Despite my most fervent wishes, I have not been abducted by aliens. I just haven't had a whole lot to say of late. I've been thinking about lots of things, but nothing that lends itself to sound bites or blog entries.

So, in lieu of deep thoughts or controversial opinions, I offer to you a few pictures of the things I've been making lately.

Ssssssssssssnakes and swans and shoes, oh my!

2010-09-28T09:38:00.002-04:00

While moving closer to the shore to photograph these beautiful creatures ..

.. I nearly stepped on this beautiful creature!

Perhaps I should re-think my choice of footwear for my next adventure in nature photography!

Foggy September Sunrise

2010-09-20T14:07:00.002-04:00

Look who just hopped by!

2010-09-07T20:33:00.004-04:00

Nothing like a ~~toad~~ gray tree frog with an attitude! His name is Tony. You got a problem wid dat?

Update: The rough skin led me to believe that this was a toad. My 13 year old gently corrected me, pointing out that toads can't hop more than an inch, and this little amphibian leapt a good 15 inches from the picnic table to the patio wall. A quick consultation with Professor Google confirmed that this is, in fact, a Hyla versicolor. It's a good thing that William is home schooled, or I'd never learn anything!

The last golden days of summer, 2010

2010-08-27T19:00:00.001-04:00

Why my lawn is un-manicured and chemical-free

2010-08-13T08:03:00.004-04:00

This morning, I played hostess to a large rafter of wild turkeys. They appreciated the breakfast buffet of various plants, seeds, and insects, and I was amused by their antics. They're far more interesting to observe than a chemically-laden, "weed-free" expanse of a "perfect" green lawn.

The triumphant return of the summer haiku

2010-08-10T20:14:00.001-04:00

tan lines on my feet
hummingbirds at the feeder
summer is perfect

Prime real estate

2010-08-08T15:27:00.002-04:00

Osprey family nest on a shipping lane marker in the St. Lawrence River.

Thirteen candles.

2010-08-07T18:13:00.002-04:00

Thirteen beautiful years with my Sweet William. How lucky we are.

Clever critters

2010-07-06T18:48:00.003-04:00

This clever chipmunk ..

.. and this daring downy woodpecker ..

.. have cracked the code on getting the sugar water that I put out for the orioles and hummingbirds.

More power to them!

Raindrops on roses ...

2010-06-28T14:16:00.002-04:00

Beautiful pest control

2010-06-24T21:16:00.004-04:00

Every year, it seems, the tree swallows beat out the bluebirds for squatter's rights in the nesting boxes that we have set up in our yard. While I would love to have a family of bluebirds living near us, I can't really complain about the tree swallows. They are beautiful and entertaining in their own right, and they constantly patrol the air, devouring insects as they go.

I'm hungry!

Open wide for Mamma!

Daddy searches the sky for mosquitoes.

Here ya go, kiddo!

Why did the ducklings cross the road?

2010-06-13T18:19:00.002-04:00

Because Mamma Duck said so, that's why!

In the early morning rain

2010-06-06T17:36:00.003-04:00

Sparkly

2010-06-04T07:46:00.003-04:00

For just a few minutes this morning, the field across the road sparkled with hundreds of dew-laden spiderwebs.

Tiny bits of beauty

2010-05-24T18:11:00.003-04:00

If you should go to the woods today ..

2010-05-23T06:17:00.002-04:00

The kidlet and I took a hike around Wellesley Island yesterday. I've never seen so many chipmunks!

Colourful characters at the local bar and grill

2010-05-16T21:09:00.002-04:00

Voici Le Mois De Mai ..

2010-05-01T20:09:00.003-04:00

.. Où les fleurs volent au vent.

Cheeky!

2010-05-01T17:15:00.003-04:00

Chipmunk telling the world how it is!
NYS Zoo at Thompson Park
Watertown, NY

Don't call them birdbrains!

2010-04-09T08:38:00.004-04:00

On our nature hike the other day, the Eagle-eyed scientist and I paused to marvel at a pair of Black-Capped Chickadees who took turns pecking at a stash of seeds located in the top crevices of a fencepost. This was no random event. Black-Capped Chickadees have incredible spatial memories, aided by the literal growth of their brains which occurs each fall as they create those caches of food.

When all else fails, compose a haiku

2010-03-31T23:05:00.001-04:00

Planted rosebushes,
lavender, and pansies while
the birds sang for me

What a day, what a day!

2010-03-23T21:50:00.003-04:00

I'll preface this entry by stating up front that I really didn't have a dog in this fight. As the spouse of a retired Army NCO, I have access to excellent health care at a very low price. If that option disappeared, I could pack up and move my family to Canada, where I could easily dust off my Ontario RN license and go back to work. In other words, we're covered, no matter what.

But millions of hard working people in one of the greatest countries on the planet have been denied the benefits that I have enjoyed. These benefits came to me simply by virtue of my place of birth and, subsequently, my choice of a husband who happened to be serving in the US Army. I am not special. I am not better than the millions of hitherto uninsured American citizens and legal resident aliens who share this land with me.

In another corner of cyberspace, I was actually accused of being selfish for praising the work of the American Nurses' Association in ensuring that our profession's voice was heard during the health care debate. I was slammed for applauding the notion that, effective this fiscal year, federal funding will be allocated to increase the number of primary care providers, including nurses. Because these parts of health care reform which pertain to the profession of Nursing are intended to address the critical shortage of nurses and the dearth of spots available in our nation's nursing schools .. somehow that makes me selfish? Really? How does one even address such a toxic attitude?

Meh. Maybe the cyberspace lunatic, and the rest of the hysterical wingnuts out there, are right. Maybe I am selfish for wanting to be able to actually take a few of the vacation days that I have earned over the years. Maybe I am selfish for rejoicing in the fact that some day, I will no longer have to watch a patient be discharged because a bean-counter from an insurance company has decreed that they have received enough health care, even though the health care professionals who are actually taking care of that human being have a different opinion. Maybe I am selfish for thinking that someday, I might retire, knowing that there will be a new generation of nurses to whom I will pass the torch.

What. Ever. Despite the screeching histrionics and the ridiculous posturing by various State Attorney Generals, President Obama signed the bill into law today. And, if I may be so superficial .. My God, but that stone fox is Presidential, is he not?

This is a great day. Welcome to the 21st century, America! Enjoy it in good health!

And away they go ...

2010-03-15T19:08:00.002-04:00

They're back

2010-03-14T16:48:00.004-04:00

Look what just popped up!

2010-03-10T09:33:00.001-05:00

Briefly ...

2010-02-25T22:08:00.002-05:00

I didn't watch the Health Care Summit today.

I was too busy taking care of sick people.

What I did watch today, however, was highly illuminating.

I watched our Infectious Disease Specialist spinning her wheels, forced to justify her prescription for a particular antibiotic, to a beancounter/pencil pusher who didn't even know what MRSA was. Like the good Doctor doesn't have anything better to do with her time. Like taking care of sick people, or something like that.

I've watched the same scene, or a variant thereof, played out time and time again. Bureaucrats who know nothing about medicine are bullying doctors and hurting patients for the sake of their bottom line.

Here's what I do know:

Americans deserve better.

All Americans deserve better.

And, simply put, Americans need to have a little more faith in themselves. They elected the smartest guy in the room to lead this great nation, and now they need to let him do his job.

The Lions in Winter

2010-02-17T14:41:00.003-05:00

This is the best time of the year to visit the New York State Zoo in Watertown. The cold seems to scare off most of the usual visitors, but it brings out the friskiest of behaviours in the animals.

The Canada Lynx perched at the tippy-top of the tree, surveying its kingdom and giving me the exact same look that my Gandalf does when .. well, I don't exactly know what it is that causes cats to look at us this way, and they'll never tell, now will they?

The powerful paw of the Canada Lynx.

The mountain lion perched in the branches of its habitat as well, making the same strange chirping noises that my cat does when observing potential prey.

In my next life, I want to be a River Otter.

When they weren't frolicking in the water, they were sliding over the snow on their bellies. By land or by sea, these dudes know how to have fun!

Perhaps I should have set my sights Altius?

2010-02-15T11:53:00.005-05:00

So, my friend Marlyne threw down the (beautifully stitched) gauntlet, and challenged me to sign up for the Yarn Harlot's Knitting Olympics. I thought I'd branch out from my usual single skein sock and/or hat habit, and add a little more colour and difficulty to my project.

I was pleasantly surprised at the ease and speed with which this mitten pattern from Lion Brand came together. By Saturday afternoon, the first mitten was done .. and despite having knit to gauge with a larger set of needles, it was too tight for my rather small hand. The imaginary gold medal seemed out of reach. I reminded myself that there's no crying in knitting, and busied myself with making dinner.

But, in a dramatic turn fit for the Olympics, my son came bounding into the kitchen, mitten on hand. "It's a perfect fit, Mom! Thanks! When will the other be finished?"

I set a personal record for completing the second mitten. The view from this imaginary podium is just spectacular!

S

Happy 15th Anniversary ..

2010-02-03T03:14:00.001-05:00

.. to us!

A cold winter's night

2010-01-30T18:51:00.003-05:00

The winter of 2009-2010 has been relatively benign, so far, in my neck of the woods. As January makes its exit, it does so without leaving the scars of repeated soul-crushing wallops of lake effect snow, or ice storms, or long stretches of brutal cold. The only down side of this climactic blip is the relative dearth of picturesque wintry scenes to photograph.

I had planned to make up for the lack of photography by capturing tonight's moonrise with my primary camera and favourite lens. I bundled up, headed outdoors into the brisk night (-2F/-19C), set up the tripod, and waited for the first tinges of moonglow to appear on the eastern horizon.

And then my camera informed me that its batteries were dead!

So I ran back in the house, grabbed my secondary, and still well-loved camera, set it up on the tripod, and fired away. I did manage to get one good shot. But that perfect moonrise picture still eludes me.

La Bella Luna

2010-01-29T22:13:00.003-05:00

Did you see tonight's Wolf Moon?

Here's how it looked from my perch tonight.

What else can be said?

2010-01-14T14:43:00.002-05:00

Portrait of the artist as a young man

2010-01-05T18:01:00.003-05:00

In the stillness of the winter

2010-01-05T09:49:00.002-05:00

Remnants of summer
Wearing crystals as a crown
Still regal and proud

That chickadee feeling

2009-12-30T17:21:00.003-05:00

So, when one's car is still being held hostage by an inept and inefficient parts delivery system, and work is hellacious, and one's patience is stretched to the brink by people who seem to operate under the assumption that their failure to plan should launch ~~others~~ yours truly into crisis mode, there's only one solution:

Channel St Francis of Assisi, and feed the birds.

The downy woodpecker and the mourning doves kept their distance, but my beloved little chickadees hopped right onto my outstretched hand, and picked up their sunflower seeds in the swiftest, most delicate fashion.

The birdies have already got that whole "channel of thy peace" thing down cold. If only we humans could follow suit.

Why'd they have to go and make everything so complicated?

2009-12-23T19:55:00.004-05:00

On my way into Target yesterday, I picked up a "lucky" penny from the asphalt.

Big mistake.

Huge.

Okay, not so huge, really, but I'm blaming the penny for an annoying cascade of events.

I had gone to Target to pick up a bag of Hershey's Kisses, with which I planned to make some Peanut Butter Blossom cookies. Simple, right? Actually, it wasn't that simple. It took a good five minutes, standing in the candy aisle, to find a simple bag of unadulterated Hershey's Kisses.* They were buried amidst the various combinations and permutations of Kisses which the purveyors of those fine confections have foisted upon our collective sweet tooth: Cherry Cordial Kisses, Irish Cream Kisses, Kisses filled with the nectar of the topmost blossom of a rare flower which blooms only once every 42 years, and only on a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse.**

But find them, I did, and onward, I went, back to my beloved and trusty Amadeus. Amadeus is looking particularly spiffy these days, having just been outfitted with a set of Blizzaks to charge through the North Country's frequent snows. The symphony that is Amadeus' start up procedure began, and then was rudely interrupted by the off-key alarm signal, informing me that there was an "Air Bag Fault." Umm, okay .. that was rather unexpected!

I secured an appointment this afternoon at the local VW dealership. I brought my knitting, for even though I was confident that this was a minor problem involving a loose wire, I've learned that a stitch in time saves Rosie from a psychotic episode when dealing with the testosterone-soaked environment that is a car dealership.

After about two inches' worth of progress on the latest sock project, I was informed that the problem did, indeed, originate from a loose wire under the driver's seat. "It should only take about half an hour to fix it." I welcomed this as good news .. perhaps I could get all the way to the toe of the sock at this rate. As The Yarn Harlot says, I don't knit because I'm patient. I'm patient because I knit.

I didn't quite get to the toe before I was informed that, because Amadeus is nearly brand-spanking new, the VW dealership doesn't have the necessary, new-fangled "harness" to secure the damaged wire. Oh, and it won't be available until next week. Oh, and for safety reasons, VW could not let me drive Amadeus until this problem was fixed.

Breathe in .. breathe out .. knit a few more stitches ..

To their credit, the fine folks at VW assured me that they would provide me with a rental vehicle for the duration of Amadeus' convalescence. Oh! Okay! I said brightly. Can you get me a Beetle?

Ummm, no, that's not very likely, said the purveyor of the bad news.

Still brimming with the optimism which came with the aforementioned "lucky" penny, I said, Well, I guess that's okay. Just as long as it has snow tires.

Ummm, no .. they're all-season radials. But this will be a really nice, top of the line rental.

Yeah. I could see where this was going. More to the point, I could see where I wasn't going. Did I mention that this is my first Christmas off in three years? And that Amadeus, with his trusty Blizzaks, was going to take me and mine to visit my parents?

Still imbued with the buzz of serenity that only a few hours of knitting can provide, I asked if this top-of-the-line rental was equipped with heated seats, which are right up there with good snow tires in my prerequisites for civilized winter driving.

Jaws dropped in the testosterone-soaked waiting room. Geez, you don't want very much, do you? said one dude.

Actually, I don't think my expectations are particularly high. I spent many, many night shifts up to my elbows in fecal material - and I mean that both metaphorically and literally - in order to be able to buy Amadeus and his spiffy new Blizzaks. I expect a new car to function properly. And call me crazy, but when glitches occur, I expect the dealership to actually have the requisite parts to repair the problem in a timely fashion. At the very least, I would like them to join the 21st century and become familiar with the wondrous invention known as FedEx Overnight Delivery.

If that makes me a diva, so be it.

And this diva is going to slap one of these stickers on Amadeus when he comes home:

*Side note to the folks at the helm of the Hershey Chocolate company: A Kiss is just a Kiss! Stop complicating things!

**I miss Douglas Adams!

From our planet to yours

2009-12-06T20:34:00.002-05:00

Live long and prosper!

I don't even like golf ..

2009-12-03T22:58:00.002-05:00

.. yet I find myself strangely obsessed with the Tiger Woods drama.

I'm also obsessed by the public obsession with this case, if that makes any sense.

Here's a guy who has everything, and he risked losing it all for some cheap thrills. What could have possibly driven him to step out on his beautiful wife? Why would he betray the mother of his children? How could he be so monumentally stupid?

His car wreck is, well, like a car wreck! I don't want to know any more tawdry details, but I can't help clicking on each link which breathlessly announces the latest dirt in this scandal.

At some level, I think all humans are pre-wired to do monumentally stupid things. I've been thinking about this quite a bit of late. The other day, I took care of a relatively young stroke patient. At this point in time, the patient suffers from both expressive and receptive aphasia. In other words, words fail him. His road to recovery will be long and rocky, and I feel deep pathos for this man and for his family. Their lives have been turned upside down.

On the day that I took care of this patient, my workload was blissfully light. I was able to accompany this man on a much-needed walk up and down the corridor. At the end of our ambulation session, the patient said something to the effect that he wished he could have picked up a carton of cigarettes on our walk.

~~~~ insert face-palm gesture here ~~~~

I don't know if smoking was the sole cause of this man's stroke, and it doesn't matter at this point, anyway.

But for those of us who take the ability to walk and talk and function independently for granted at this time .. there's a lesson in there! Be grateful for each unimpeded breath, and be really excellent to yourselves and to those whom you love.

Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings

2009-11-08T17:14:00.003-05:00

As I stepped out to catch the beauty of the sunset, fading behind the pines ..

.. the silence was broken by the honking of a skein of Canada geese ..

.. soon the sky was filled with thousands of them ..

.. gliding gracefully into the cut-down cornfield, where they will rest up for a while before continuing south.

Transient beauty

2009-11-05T17:45:00.003-05:00

On a dreary and stormy Halloween morning,

the rising sun broke through the clouds,

and graced us with a rare rainbow against the barren western horizon.

Well, that's rather bold

2009-10-27T14:35:00.003-04:00

Something caught my eye as I glanced out the window at the top of our stairs just now.

And by "just now", I mean middle-of-the-afternoon, broad daylight ...

Hello there, Canis Latrans. I often hear you and yours howling in the night, or yipping in harmony with the sirens of the local volunteer fire department. It's a little unusual, to say the least, to see you boldly strutting through the field adjacent to my property. I appreciate your beauty, but please stay over there!

Optimus Prime at Zoo Boo

2009-10-17T14:40:00.003-04:00

I don't think I'll ever be able to get him out of this costume!

He Otter Be In Pictures!!!

2009-09-24T20:30:00.003-04:00

That's my kid! My picture of William and the otter is on the cover of the latest issue of Zoo Scoop, which is the quarterly newsletter of the New York State Zoo at Thompson Park!

What a difference a few minutes can make

2009-09-24T09:41:00.003-04:00

The dawn's first light ..

.. yielded to the mist ..

.. which succumbed to the brilliance of the September sun.

Seriously?

2009-09-22T17:38:00.004-04:00

Yes, that's a pair of size 2 jeans with a tummy control panel, on the rack at our local Target.

Seriously, Target? Are you actually trying to convince women who can fit into a size TWO that their physiques are still not adequate, and must resort to a 21st century built-in girdle to suck it in? Seriously?

Misty September Sunrise

2009-09-13T08:00:00.003-04:00

the honking of geese

floats over the morning mist

farewell before flight

Another touch of gold at the end of the summer

2009-09-09T21:17:00.003-04:00

a glass of chablis

catching the last beams of light

summer meets autumn

The last golden days of summer

2009-09-05T21:23:00.003-04:00

The hummingbirds have been a constant presence this summer,

dashing about, then resting in the spruce tree outside my window,

always taking my breath away, with their delicate beauty and ferocious strength.

But the Full Corn Moon announces that summer, and the hummingbirds, will leave us soon,

And fill our lives with a different kind of brightness.

Parenting tip of the day

2009-08-30T16:58:00.002-04:00

When your temper-throwing toddler is using his grandfather's cane to whack the merchandise at Sam's Club, forcing my elderly parents to jump out of the way lest they end up needing a cane themselves, it isn't cute. You most certainly do not have the situation under control. And yes, I am absolutely justified in throwing you my iciest, most judgmental stare.

Deal with it.

Someday, you'll thank me.

I Dream of Butterflies

2009-08-14T21:58:00.004-04:00

I am blessed to have a 12 year old son who, among other things, loves butterflies as much as I do. We spent a glorious morning at the Niagara Falls Butterfly Conservatory today. My son could easily identify all of these flying jewels. At the moment, after a long day of driving, I am hard pressed to do so.

Irony Alert!!!

2009-08-05T13:12:00.002-04:00

Well, let's see what came in today's mail!

Oh, goodie! Coupons!

Let's check them out!

We've got a coupon for 10% off all food and non-alcoholic beverages at the local Applebee's. Hmmm. The diligent folks behind "Eat This, Not That" give Applebee's a big, fat "F" for nutrition. Let's file that coupon in the circular file, shall we?

What's next? Ooh, it's a coupon for Texas Roadhouse! Specifically, it's for a free "Baby Blossom" with the purchase of two entrees. Hmmm, take a perfectly innocent onion, bread it and deep fry it into oblivion? No thanks. Little coupon, you may join your friend in the circular file.

And finally, a discount coupon for Ninety Nine restaurant. Never heard of it, but it looks like yet another chain specializing in breaded, deep fried, additive-laden crap. Let's make it three for three in the toss pile.

The irony in all of this is that these coupons were sent by our .. wait for it .. our HMO!!

I think they're trying to kill us with kindness. Either that, or they're in cahoots with big pharma. Maybe both.

The best sights pop up when you're not looking for them

2009-08-05T09:28:00.002-04:00

It was my sweet and gentle son, so often off in his own little world, who drew my attention to the family of sparrows who live just outside the cougar pavillion at the zoo. I would have completely missed these beautiful moments - and so many others over the past twelve years - if not for my quirky and beautiful little guy.

It's Open Letter Time Again!

2009-08-03T19:53:00.000-04:00

Dear D-Bag who just roared down my road on a noisy crotch rocket, thus shattering the early evening tranquility and harshing on my mellow:

I'm terribly sorry about your tiny willy. My spam folder tells me that there's a pill for that now.

Oh, and please sign your organ donor card.

Love and cupcakes,

Miniature Rose

April showers ..

2009-08-02T20:20:00.004-04:00

.. and May and June and July showers ..

.. still manage to bring August flowers!

Otters!!

2009-08-01T17:24:00.004-04:00

The new otter exhibit at The NY State Zoo at Thompson Park has opened, and Louis is a delight!

Up close and personal!

Downward facing otter.

Upward facing otter.

Otter getting some oxygen.

And down he goes again!
T

They don't call me NeuROSEs for nothing!

2009-07-31T13:08:00.003-04:00

Over the past 4 months, Amadeus and I have journeyed over 5,000 miles together. The only glitch in our relationship is the uncertainty of where the next gas station which sells diesel might be on our path. I'm sure there's an iPhone app which would take this uncertainty out of the equation, but, alas, ~~I'm to cheap to buy an iPhone~~ I do not have an iPhone. Also, as my nickname would suggest, I need something to be neurotic about. The location of a diesel station is a pretty mild substitute, and an adequate distraction from, life's larger issues.

This week, Amadeus took me to a funeral in the beautiful heart of Ontario's Cottage Country. On the return journey, some 450 miles into a tank of diesel, I thought it might be wise to fuel up again as the needle on the gauge was getting precariously close to the quarter tank notch. I pulled in to a station in Trenton, Ontario, which advertised that it sold diesel. I was a little dubious, for this place was clearly a throwback in time. Not only did the pumps still have those little yellow balls floating in the bubble on the side, but there was also an actual person whose job it was to run those pumps and fuel up people's vehicles. So, I asked the proprieter if the diesel they sold was, in fact, the ultra-low-sulfur diesel for which Amadeus thirsted. Indeed, I was assured, it was that new-fangled stuff, and all of the cool kids with VW diesel fuelled up there.

Onwards we drove. Amadeus chugged right along to the next stop in our journey. When I stepped out, though, my nostrils were assaulted with that unmistakable sulfur-y, rotten egg smell. OH NOES, thought I. It wasn't ultra-low-sulfur diesel! I just killed Amadeus!!!!!

Then I heard a strange whirring sound. I looked up, and saw the large truck that was pumping out the septic tank next door.

Yeah, maybe I'll shell out some bucks for an iPhone. It's probably cheaper than therapy, in the long run.

Graceful

2009-07-19T15:00:00.003-04:00

Two different families of swans, Prince Edward County, July 18, 2009.

As if I needed another reason to admire the President

2009-07-07T09:21:00.003-04:00

I found this picture, lifted from The Boston Globe, to be utterly, utterly charming.

I spend an inordinate amount of time at work trying to decipher the handwriting of physicians. The old stereotype of poor penmanship on the part of doctors is, sadly, grounded in reality. Fortunately, there are exceptions to the rule. I have found that there is a direct, positive correlation between the neatness of the handwriting and the professional courteousness and overall niceness of the doctor. There is one particular physician whose notes are an absolute joy to read, not only for the perfect calligraphy, but for the care and attention to detail he incorporates into his communication.

I don't think it's a mere coincidence that Mr. Obama's penmanship is so exquisitely beautiful. The fact that he is a fellow southpaw is just icing on the cake.

The best seats (not) in the house

2009-07-06T21:58:00.004-04:00

The Zen-Like state into which I float while folding the laundry was interrupted just now by some faint booming. I stepped out onto the moist grass and across the road to watch the fireworks being launched from Thompson Park Hill. The fact that I was in my nightgown was irrelevant. The fireflies who zoomed around me were more concerned with adding their own lumenescence to the show than with my inappropriate attire. The coyotes yipped and yelped at the cacophony which floated on the night air.

When the last of the rockets' red glare faded into the night, I walked back across the lush, barely manicured grass, letting the dew caress my un-pedicured feet. In that moment, I was acutely aware that I might not possess everything I've ever wished for .. but I'm pretty darned close.

As Canadian as ..

2009-07-01T10:17:00.005-04:00

.. possible, under the circumstances!

So, last night, I was feeling a little guilty and pitiful that I wouldn't be celebrating Canada Day in the Great White North. I had asked for, and received, a sufficient block of time off from work to facilitate making the trip across the border, but ongoing renovations at both my house and my parents' abode put the kibosh on that idea.

Then, as I was perusing the delightful Twitter Feed of that incredibly talented Canadian mammal known as Jian Ghomeshi, I was hit by a bolt of inspiration. Jian is currently obsessed with butter tarts, which are a uniquely Canadian treat. A-Ha, I thought! I could try my hand at making butter tarts!

A quick click of the mouse later, I was on the Canadian Living Magazine website. Unsurprisingly, a search for "butter tart" within that particular site yields 2026 results, including a recipe for Maple Butter Tarts. The Gods of Canadian Culinary Goodness were smiling upon me, as I actually had all of the ingredients on hand. I chose the Maple Chocolate variation, and ..

.. they were a hit! Let's just say that I now have a little extra leverage with my extremely appreciative American husband.

Happy Canada Day, eh?

Quote of the day

2009-06-25T12:44:00.004-04:00

It's like we're sitting on top of a gold mine!

That was my son's reaction to tasting the first wild strawberry of the season, just now, as we picked them on our back forty.

Indeed, we do, kiddo. Indeed, we do.

A random collection of thoughts

2009-06-24T17:51:00.002-04:00

Tap .. tap .. is this thing on? Is anyone still out there, peeking in on this poor neglected blog from time to time?

The blame for this blog neglect can be shared between the extra hours I've been putting in at work and overseeing a fairly big home improvement project.

Having renovations done to one's house is rather like making sausages. If one wishes to enjoy the finished product, it's best not to observe the process. This is especially true when the process involves scaffolding, and the observer is a Orthopedics/Rehab Nurse whose nickname at work is NeuROSEs.

When said renovations take place outside, it's wise to spend a few dollars in a big cooler, lots of ice, and a selection of refreshing beverages for the crew. This small investment will yield a large return in more and better labour. Trust me on this one.

Sometimes, I think I my job entails far too much ahem excrement, both literally and metaphorically speaking. After reading this local news story, I shall not complain about my job!

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may ...

2009-06-13T19:14:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago, on a Saturday evening, just after sunset, the coyotes in our back forty erupted into howls. It wasn't the usual yip-yip-yipping that accompanies a successful hunt, but a beautiful and haunting chorus that made the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up. After a few seconds, I realized that the coyotes were harmonizing with the sirens of one of the local volunteer fire departments.

Not again, I pleaded with the fates. There had already been too many terrible car crashes in this area over the past few months.

Again, replied the newspaper the next morning. Again, and again, and again, and again. Four young lives extinguished in the blink of an eye. Five, if you count the unborn child that one of the deceased carried in her womb. In an instant, a moment of Saturday night shenanigans resulted in hundreds of broken hearts. I can't help but think that this was the reason for the coyotes' mournful serenade.

At first, I didn't recognize any of the names in the ensuing news articles. After a few days, I realized that I had a very tangential connection, in that the father of two of the victims was a regular visitor to one of the long-term patients on my unit. And then my blood ran cold, to think of the unspeakable pain that this man and his family now faced.

Within days of this tragedy, I read the obituaries of three people who had been my patients a few weeks earlier, when I had been floated to another floor. Their deaths were expected, but still, I was jarred. Shortly thereafter, my Great Uncle passed away. I had just gone to visit him a week earlier. He was clearly not well then, but his death still came suddenly and sooner than expected.

As odd as this may seem, coming from a nurse, I don't encounter death very often, and certainly not in such clusters. I could wax poetic about the fragility of life, or spout some existential nonsense here, but the simple truth is that I've been jarred out of my complacency and procrastination. Projects which have been on my "someday I'm gonna .." list are getting done now. The rosebush, pictured above, is the one that has brought me the most joy so far.

I trust that all of you are well, and hope that you are finding beauty and peace in your respective corners of the world.

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, my friends.

Raindrops on tulips

2009-05-27T19:27:00.002-04:00

Don't panic.

2009-05-25T10:15:00.002-04:00

I know where my towel is. Do you?

Perfection

2009-05-22T20:17:00.002-04:00

At my house, just now.

Wait .. WHAT????

2009-05-19T09:37:00.006-04:00

At the risk of sounding glib and tempting fate, my household has remained largely unaffected by the financiapocalypse. The combination of frugality, discipline, and sheer good luck have left us sitting pretty and feeling quite secure in these troubled times. And while I do realize that the slightest change in the winds of luck could have pushed us in an entirely different direction, I have little to no sympathy for individual consumers who have lived beyond their means for the past several years, and are now - finally - having to pay the piper. They made their beds with the overpriced Bajillion-count Egyptian cotton sheets that they so "desperately" needed, and now they can pay for them, with interest. C'est la vie, et ce n'est pas mon problème.

As it turns out, though, it might become mon problème. Consumers like me who use their credit cards wisely, and pay the balance in full every month, may soon feel the clammy hands of the credit card industry dipping into their pockets. To quote Edward Yingling, the Chief Executive of the American Bankers Association: “Those that manage their credit well will in some degree subsidize those that have credit problems.”

The "free ride" enjoyed by people like me, in the form of reward programs, may come to an end. I'll be the first to admit that I've made out like a bandit on the rewards program offered by our LL Bean Visa card, and I have the closet full of clothes and the vast collection of tote bags with free monogramming to prove it. I think it's safe to say, however, that the rewards program was more of a carrot on a stick for me, and that LL Bean comes out ahead in this particular equation. If the banks start punishing "dead weight" consumers like me, who pay no interest or fees, I'll simply stop using the bank's services, and I'll put my money under the mattress. I have no intention of bailing out greedy, undisciplined conspicuous consumers, or the greedy, undisciplined banks who subsidized their shopping sprees.

And to Mr. Yingling, I must issue this warning: Don't blame me when Maine's economy collapses and we run out of tote bags. It will be entirely your fault.

Country living in glorious technicolour

2009-05-18T10:54:00.004-04:00

Prince Edward County, Ontario, May 2009

Powerful, dangerous, and beautiful

2009-05-18T06:44:00.002-04:00

Lake Ontario, May 2009

Flying jewels

2009-05-10T11:04:00.003-04:00

Bird on a wire

2009-05-10T09:32:00.003-04:00

The hummingbirds are back, and I am filled with joy.

A walk in the woods

2009-04-24T14:09:00.009-04:00

The kidlet and I returned to one of our favourite spring haunts today. The trails at Wellesley Island State Park are, simply put, the best science lab and the best gym a homeschooling family could ever hope to find. We find it to be most beautiful in the spring of the year, when everything is waking up again after the long, cold winter.

The Ospreys, whose regional population was nearly decimated in the middle of the 20th century, is clearly thriving in the region now. One swooped in front of our windshield as we crossed the Thousand Islands bridge this morning, the closest we have ever come to this bird of prey.

After dozens of excursions to the beaver pond, we finally spotted the busy engineer at work, and were treated to its iconic slap of the tail against the surface of the water.

The Canada Geese appear to be settling in to their nesting grounds, and may have already begun to lose their flight feathers. This one made no effort to fly away as we walked past its section of the marsh.

No sooner did I wonder aloud if the garter snakes were awake yet, did the first of a dozen rustle through the leaves and taste the air.

The chipmunks entertained us with their Napoleonic posturing.

And, to our utter, utter surprise and delight, we saw the season's first ~

~ wildwood flower, ~

~ butterfly, and, ~

~ A BLUEBIRD!!! SQUEEEEEEE!!!!

They're back!

2009-04-18T19:51:00.003-04:00

Some of my favourite birds are back, much to my delight!

The delightful harbinger of spring, ready to make her nest.

The Great Blue Heron was patiently waiting for the pickerel.

The ospreys have returned to their nest near the Lennox Power Generating Station.

And away they go ...

Great minds think alike

2009-04-12T18:55:00.003-04:00

As I have previously mentioned in these pixellated ramblings, I greatly admire the President and the First Lady. I was especially impressed by Mrs. Obama's initiative in planting a Victory Garden on the South Lawn of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and I was charmed by the fact that the President and the Secretary of State held a meeting at the picnic table adjacent to Sasha and Malia's swing set. What a breath of fresh air, eh?

The other day, as I was blissfully hanging the laundry out to soak up the sun, I mused that it would be awesome if the First Family started using a clothesline as well. Surely, if anyone deserved the God-given luxury of sleeping on line-dried sheets, it's our President and our lovely First Lady.

It appears that I am not the only person who is so obsessed with clotheslines. There is already an online petition to ask the First Family of the United States to dry their clothes on the White House lawn during a one day photo op. This symbolic act will send the message to America and the world that our nation is ready to regain energy independence.

I urge all of my friends to go and sign the petition. Let the fresh breezes continue to blow through this great land.

This is as it should be

2009-04-06T15:40:00.003-04:00

As a Canadian citizen married to a (now retired) American soldier, I have often lamented the vastly different ways in which the media of our respective homelands have covered the deaths of soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq. While the Canadian media puts the relatively rare casualties of Operation Enduring Freedom at the top of the newscast and often breaks into regularly scheduled programming to cover the repatriation of fallen soldiers at CFB Trenton, its American counterparts were prevented from doing the same for the fallen soldiers of OIF and OEF.

Until now.

President Obama directed Secretary Gates to review the ban on media coverage of the repatriation ceremonies at Dover Air Force Base. Now, with the approval of family members, the media is able to observe and report about the return of our fallen heroes.

The first hero to be honoured in this manner is Air Force Staff Sgt Philip Myers. May he rest in peace.

Vee-Dub Love

2009-03-29T11:55:00.005-04:00

From the archives ...

My Great Aunt Margaret is holding me in this picture. That's my big brother giggling in the foreground. To the right is the front bumper of my parents' 1966 Volkswagen Beetle. It was the first car I ever rode in.

My brother and I in front of my parents' 1965 VW. My Dad tells me this was a 1500 Varient. I have no clear recollection of these vehicles, but I believe this must be the genesis of my love for German engineering.

Best. Birthday. EVER!!

2009-03-25T11:17:00.003-04:00

For the past several months, we've been contemplating the replacement of Wolfgang, our 2004 Jetta Wagon. Wolfgang has served us well over the years, but his warranty was close to expiration, and his transmission, like many of his ilk, has been cranky and ill-tempered of late.

But what to get? The choices around here have been plentiful, to be sure. There has been a plethora of gently used, late model, higher-end cars and SUV's on the local lots. None of the choices have really wowed us, though. There are also some great new cars on the local lots .. but all of them, it seemed, were grey, silver, or white. White is an inappropriate choice for an area which receives snow for at least five months out of the year - unless one likes to be camoflaged in the winter, of course! And grey and silver are just too boring for our tastes. Yes, I am a pampered princess. Why do you ask?

Last week, the Mister and I were discussing dream vacations. The idea of driving through central and western Canada on the Trans-Canada Highway, and then south to California, was floated and received with much enthusiasm. The conversation then turned towards what type of vehicle would be most suitable for such a journey. We immediately agreed that the new diesel Jetta Sportwagen TDI would be perfect. As it happened, our local VW dealership had a couple of them on the lot, but they were the most hideous, boring shade of gray imaginable. Blech and ptooey and all that childish, pampered princess stuff!

And then .. and then .. my blog heroine and the object of my serious girl crush, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, aka The Yarn Harlot, bought a red Jetta TDI sedan. Well, that did it for me. I needed a red TDI Sportwagen, period, end of discussion.

The Mister, who was undoubtedly thrilled that I finally made a definitive decision for once in my life, went out and test-drove one of the soul-crushingly grey TDIs on Monday. He was impressed by many of the improvements that Volkswagen has made to the Jetta Wagon, but he didn't care for the highly-touted automatic transmission. Well, said the friendly VW salesman, we do have a TDI Sportwagen with a manual transmission coming to our lot tomorrow. It's red, by the way.

By staggering coincidence, the red TDI Sportwagen arrived on the lot on my 40th birthday. Can you guess what I got for my birthday??

His name is Amadeus. Isn't he lovely?