Saturday, March 17, 2012

One Year Later

Hanne between two trees

Cawston in Spring


Spring Colors
One year later and we are still blogging here ! Last year at this time we lost all our photos and had to abandon this software for a while, but attempts at replacements were not as efficient, so we returned for another go. So far so good. In the meantime google+ was introduced. I don't know how many of you tried it out but it seems too involved for us. I think we will stick with it the way things are....

Friday, March 16, 2012

Hoodoos

Hoodoos usually have a cap of harder rock on top, but these don't, so maybe they are "Tent Rocks" We are showing you photos from our West Hill Drive "explore", in dull snowy weather. These last few days we are experiencing a series of low pressure systems coming in from the west, whereas in the East of Canada some places are getting 21 degrees and sun; others are cold and wet and stormy. They are playing golf in shorts in Manitoba! Have you ordered your new iPad yet? They are skyping with iPad in Syria organizing resistance to Assad!
Four photos from our drive up Green Mountain Road


We are not quite sure if these are Hoodoos or Tent Rocks
Snow on the Mountain Tops


A lady was trying to shoo these wild horses away with a plastic sheet. They ignored her!

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Shingle Creek Road

Remains of Transport


Watch Out!

Fences and Shadows

Acuity

We were out exploring the last two days, and the first day on Shingles Creek Road the sun was out and everything was sharp and clear. The second day on West Hill Drive it was misty and snowy, so things were a little dull. However, thanks to the sharpening button and slider our photos all turned out clear and our visual acuity was restored.
On the news recently we heard the new use of the word acuity. It is now being used to denote severity of need for medical care. If one's acuity level is extreme, a helicopter is dispatched. If low, a band-aid is applied. It is the sensitiveness of need that is addressed by its label of acuity level. In my day the word only referred to the sensitivity of vision or hearing mostly. This is one of the interesting consequences of living a long time: your language changes!
(The following photos are not representative of the last two days except the first one. I am having trouble emailing in just at present. Hope it resolves later....)
Wild Horses on First Nations Reserve Land


Shushwap River



Rail Line to Armstrong

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

The Element

The Element: Water. (Osoyoos Lake)

Okanagan Lake

Okanagan Lake in Black and White

Osoyoos Lake waiting for Spring

Shushwap River
If you are "in your element" you are happy and relaxed because you are doing something you like doing and are good at. It is the meeting place between natural aptitude and personal passion. The Liverpool expert on this is 62-year old polio victim Sir Ken Robinson who has written an interesting book called "The Element". I met him today on this video.
We hope today will find you in your element, at least some of the time, as you pursue your personal passions!
Calm Water is the subject of today's photos, one of the four elements, Earth, Water, Air, and Fire. But that will be another post.....

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

In Travel Mode

Beach near Bucerias Mexico 

Calm Seas


?Cornwall (Digital Painting)



Back Home Again. Sunset, Penticton (sketch)
What with Allen going to the Canaries we are in travel mode. It is wonderful though to be able to travel via the internet, no packing or tickets or passports required. So here are a few images of far-away places....
PS If you feel like a trip to Alberta, have a look at this three minute video.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Rainy Day

Another rainy day today Monday. A good day to stay indoors and blog and read and watch Man City lose on the telly. In the news I read that the French are abandoning the word "Madamoiselle" in all official documents. It has always been too sexist and discriminatory against women, after all the men were only " Monsieur." But it is such a beautiful word, madamoiselle, it will be sad to lose it. From now on all women will be "Madame". Apparently they haven't used "Ms." 
 Another bit of obvious news, in the UK they are going to ban suntanning salons for teenagers,the highest cause of death being skin cancer in this age group. About time all countries did this.
It is hard to guess how it will all end in Syria. But if one looks at the history of Lebanon, maybe they will go the same route eventually as in that country.
Paris enjoying his Breakfast at the Hooded Merganser


Rain approaching from the North, Okanagan Lake.

Listening to his iPod

Hanne, Ellen, and Paris fooling around with the kids after breakfast at the Hooded Merganser.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Friends

It is raining today; we have survived with an hour's less sleep; this evening we will be eating supper in daylight; and this morning we are out for breakfast with friends.
Digital Painting

Ellen is going out for breakfast with her husband Paris and us today

Digital Painting

Digital Painting
Yesterday's photos have arrived via some "cloud" from my computer onto my iPad. Soon I will be able to sit in my armchair and direct our TV wirelessly from my iPad. This modern technology boggles the mind! Maybe soon TVs will disappear altogether, like landline telephones and cheque-books. Maybe I should switch backwards for a change and get a horse and live in the 19th Century. It would be a challenge! Probably just as big a challenge as moving forwards.....
Another thought: I've always been thankful that in medicine the human body stays the same, even though treatments and diseases come and go. So in life, we have to hang on to those things that stay the same, whilst trying to cope with the things that change....