Folk

"I don't think much of that chap!"

Happy Farmer's Market Seller

Smile Please! Johann takes a photo of a pair of young lovers.

"There's nowt so queer as folk" was a Yorkshire saying from my early life. It is still true today. We are all different, and see the world in vastly different ways. It is amazing how well we all get on with each other really. Most of the time. Take the recent Queen's visit to Ireland for example. The contrasts between the two countries couldn't be greater, But somehow I think history is being written. Now if only Libya, Iran, and Syria could get with it and sort their leaders. Not to mention a few other countries...
Here in Canada we have a bunch of folk newly appointed to the cabinet, who are going to have a go at running the country for Prime Minister Stephen Harper. 38 of them. All earning just under a quarter of a million dollars a year. What an interesting bunch! A few strange ones amongst them. It wouldn't do to call them queer these days....
You know, I am so old, I used to earn $25,000 a year at the same time as our prime minister's salary was $25,000 a year! Boy! was I rich then! Goodness knows what his salary is now.....

Learning to Listen

Crab Apple Blossom

Hawthorn Blossom

" Addressing the Ball"  Tee No15. Penticton Golf Course. 389 yard par 4 with Lilac Blossom.

The nice thing about blogging is that we learn so much from each other about the world around each of us. We are perpetual students as well as teachers and journalists. But we only learn if we listen. Do teachers ever do polls or studies or questionnaires to see how much their pupils listen, learn, and inwardly digest? I suppose they do get feedback from exam results and school league tables. I am constantly being bombarded with questionnaires from all the organizations I do business with. They want to know how they are doing. Letters of complaint however have no power and are consistently ignored. Even letters to the paper have little effect most of the time. Nobody listens. Demonstrations in the streets backed up by TV and Facebook do a lot better. More people in authority listen then. Thanks Tabor for your comment on the previous blog about sending and receiving; it got me going on this one!

Reception

Writing from the Grapevine?

Cherry Orchard with Shed ( Digital Painting )

I was just thinking ( a rare event you may say ) it is easy to try to communicate these days by "sending", we have so many technologies old and new, but it is the receiving that seems to be the most difficult. The advertising industry knows this only too well. Our daughter-in-law uses texts on her mobile phone, and gets a beep if there is an answer. She phoned us the other day on our land-line using Skype. It only costs $2.95/month. She only checks email once a week, however, and doesn't see Picasa. Google is constantly inventing and re-inventing ways to grab our attention. My friend in England sends hand-written airmails. We here on Blogger seem to use posts, comments, and emails. But all is to no avail if there is nobody at the other end....or is that necessarily true?
Today we had grapes for breakfast, with muffins and a boiled egg, and toast. On one of the grapes was what appeared to be writing. I think some caterpillar was on the grapevine, trying to send us a message.... I wrote my interpretation, but I'm not sure of the language. Anyone out there have an idea what it says?
Reception is key to all communication...

Afternoon Out

Yesterday we went out with friends for afternoon tea, beer, or coffee. Hanne and I had afternoon tea, Ellen had coffee, Paris had beer. ( we all have our preferences, or allergies, or likes and dislikes, coming as we do from English, Danish, and Greek backgrounds.) On the lakeshore, the powers that be had restored our (previously vandalized ) bronze sculptures of three children playing on the rocks, to a suitable spot outside the Peach refreshment kiosk, i.e. the kiosk in the shape of a Peach. This is where we photographed our friends. The Peach is one of the symbols of Penticton. It is variously called "Peach City", "Ironman City" ( because of the annual triathlon event ) and in the summer when they hold an Elvis Presley music festival, for a week, it becomes "Elvis Town".

Ellen and Paris outside the "Peach" kiosk

Children playing on the rocks. ( Bronze sculpture ) see link in text...

Tulips, Mallards, and the Fountain outside the Lakeshore Resort

Here in the Okanagan, as well as in many other North American places, we are plagued with floods, as the Spring run off from melting snow takes place. In Alberta however they have 84 forest fires, with high winds making the flames spread. In one town of 7000 the whole population are evacuating, and 1000 firefighters are trying to minimize the damage. Here in Penticton, it is quietly pouring with rain. Very unusual....

Farmer's Market

Face Painting

Cut Flower Purchasing

Basket-weaving display

The Farmer's Market has started up again on Penticton's Main Street every Saturday morning. The authorities close off about six blocks to traffic. It is a pleasant time for meeting up with friends post-hibernation, and handing out congratulations all around for the new babies, puppies, or outfits.... opportunity also for artists, dancers and musicians to display their talents. Naturally too, it is a chance for photographs!