Smucksville - It's Hunksville

Smucksville, it is hunksville! Makes you want to do the paradise wave!

Bruce is very easy to look at. However, Neil in his wild Canadian ways, well. Trace Adkins, yikersville, the plumber has done very well. Last but by no means least, is the gentleman of John Prine.

Four male musicians, all very different - but in my mind - much the same.

Federal Election

As some of you may know, Canada is heading to the polls, May 2nd, 2011.

This is the person/the party I will be voting for - Jack Layton - New Democratic Party - The NDP.

Polls, if you believe in them, have shown Layton is running next to the current leader.

I have faith.

Spring Is Here!

Happy Days, spring has arrived! Here is a photo of my small flower garden, the tulips and daffodils are sprouting. If you look closely at the picture you will see a tiny square (in the center of the picture) - it is a fish and whistle - or perhaps a whistle and fish! To the left are some of my rock hearts. I love my little garden, I have a little chair to which I sit on - watch the birds go flying by - sing them some Prine.

Fish and Whistle - thanks - Charlene.
Fish and Whistle - thanks - John Prine.
All else - thanks - Mother Nature.

Lydia ~ 2011

Introducing, Lydia 2011 - proudly awaiting a visit from Donald. Not the Trump. Donald, as in the Donald from Donald and Lydia - John Prine. Oh my, I do not know Donald's last name, I do not think he has one.


Perhaps, because Lydia is located in the pine trees, standing there for months pine-ing, prine-ing for Donald, I should name Donald ~ Donald Pine!


Good lord, where my mind takes me - well, I too - sometimes wonder, pure wonderprinement!


This year Lydia is sporting a new belt, hat, gloves, shirt, and one boot! The boot is filled nicely with rocks; she tends to lean on her left leg ~ her runway abilities are limited. To balance her out is a gasoline can filled with water, Lydia has gained some weight since last year, it lOOks good on her.


Lydia has had no weight gain on her face, no weight gain to her eyes. Her beautiful red lips await a kiss from Donald, her arms are opened wide to greet him.


~~Such fun I had in bringing Lydia back to life for another year. We Prine well together, she is very much like me!~~

Egads!

Since the seasonal folks are flocking in for the Easter weekend, I decided to bake a devils' food cake to share with them. Generally, when I bake ~ everything turns out fairly well. Not this time. Pieces of cake actually fell out of the upside down cake pan while I was cooling them! Good Grief!

I tried my best at piecing it all back together, to no avail. In the midst of this, my seasonal neighbor comes over. He sees this cake falling apart before his very eyes and asked, what is it that you are making. I replied, I do not know. I have never made a cake like this before. My neighbor, knows each time they come here; I will have baking for them.

I give up on my cake and decide to do some lip flappin' instead. After he left, I said to Noisemaker, what I am going to do with this cake; I hate to toss food out. I remembered I had purchased some waffer bowls. Got it now - I took the waffer bowls, filled them up with the broken cake pieces, on top of that - strawberry ice cream - and then, chocolate sprinkles! Delightful!

I took them over for my neighbor, his eyes just beam - he says - god they look so good! Made my heart warm. Now I shall make some up for my other seasonal neighbors and for my neighbor (permanent) who lives down the road.

Happy Easter weekend everyone. . .

...here comes Peter Cottontail coming down the bunny trail
but that crazy bunnykin is singin' Prine...

HoNk, hOnK

ah, two new friends have been with us for two days now, we are trying to think of names for them. Post if you can think of anything appropriate.

Geese are beautiful birds, but they do poop mega. Such a language they have, they are honking and doing mating rituals. Well, I think it is a mating ritual; they mate for life.

Last year, they had their babies here and were training them in the creek. Such a precious site to see.

The Sandhill Crane family has also return. What a HonK, hOnK they have; lordy sounds like the fire alarm.

100 Pounds

As some of you may know, I have always had a weight problem. Not like most folks who try to keep pounds off, I try to keep them on. Yesterday, I reached 100 pounds. I knew I was gaining, but geez when I stepped on the scale and saw 100 pounds, well - I yelled at the Noisemaker to come on over and view. I have worked so hard to gain weight and I am mighty proud to be sporting the three digits. Prior to moving to the mountain side, I had already started to have pounds fly off me like a bird departing from its' perch. I had always maintained 98 lbs., but as the way of life started to rapidly fall apart, my poundage was falling too. In June of 2005, my four legged love moved on to dog heaven. My Noisemaker lost his job and was being hounded by the tax man. There was no way out but to sell out, pay Noisemakers' debt, and proceed - hence the home on the mountain side. As a side note here - August 5th, 2005 - John Prine - Vancouver. That Prine concert had so much meaning to me because I thought I would never see him again - where was my Prine mind? ...I always have kept the faith... My weight loss 'gained strength' at this point. In months I was down to 83 lbs. and I knew should I ever catch a flu bug; I would be screwed. No matter what I would eat, pounds were not on the menu of the day. Finally, I went on a big binge of potatoes. Mashed with butter - three times a week. Ice cream, whipped cream, anything with calories - I would eat. Today, yes - I sit a 100 lbs. I am so proud. My goal is now, to maintain it. I am eating a lot of fruits and grains - just trying to maintain...just getting by...and yes, I do watch the birds :) And for all you folks out there that consider yourself overweight. You are overweight because society says you are. Society looks at you folks, they never give a blinking eye to the underweight. Granted, some folks need to ditch a few pounds, but eh, don't ditch too many because if any bug is out there to catch ~ you will not have pounds to fight it with. Trust me, this I know. That 9 lb. hammer, John - it still a bit to heavy, buddy ~ for my size, size, size - buddy for my size.

Near My Home

This is the start of the creek, not many steps from where Noisemaker and I reside. Much wildlife, Noisemaker and I enjoy. The winter is long - like a Long Monday ~ John Prine.

True Grit - Iris Dement

Last night I was watching the movie - True Grit (with Jeff Bridges). Near the end of the movie I hear this sweet angel singing - I knew it was Iris Dement. She was singing a very old hymn, my Mom would have loved it. The song was Leaning On The Everlasting Arms. Words by Elisha A. Hoffman - Music by Anthony J. Showalter (1887). I have never seen Iris in person, but I do have her first cd - the postman brother bought that for me. It would be really something to hear her sing with John Prine in concert. See more at http://www.irisdement.com/

Kokanee

There are two different types of kokanee.

One is fish, a kokanee salmon.

The other is a beer.

Our property - well, the front yard is a creek. The kokanee salmon spawn here every September. It truly is a sight to behold. I can sit there for hours, watching the fish, watching the eagles. When the kokanee are not spawning they are a silver-gray color. When they are spawning; they are orange/red like the picture. Kokanee fish are also caught in Colorado.

I have never fished for Kokanee, I would rather just watched them spawn.

The fishing I have done for beer has been that of rummaging through a cooler!

Currently, at the creek there are many eagles, they are fishing. We are hoping to join up with them soon.

Ode to Pee

Noisemaker and I lead a very unusual life style, we accomodate wildlife - but, sometimes the wildlife, is us! As most of you know that read my blog, I go bed early and I get up early. The other morning, no different from any other morning, I awoke - had my porch time - came into the computer room and sat a spell. About an half hour later, I felt the need to pee. Noisemaker and I, we do not hear to well, nor apparently do we see too well. I went from the computer room to the washroom, thinking Noisemaker is still asleep; I do not hear anything, I cannot see anything, and I do not turn any lights on as I opt not to disturb Noisemaker. I proceed to the washroom, my hand goes across the countertop, I turn and shut the door - then, I hear a voice - my Noisemaker. Scared the you know what out of me. There he is in pee territory. Myself nor Noisemaker think not to turn on the lights, no - no - we fumble around - and then I start to giggle. Are you all getting the picture - it is smucksville - shadows abound. It is two days later, I am still laughing, holding my stomach!