Splash of the Chitons!

They actually do not make a splash...nor would they even cause a wave. But they are some crazy cool mollusks that live on the floor of our deep blue seas. And, I have been fortunate and lucky and blessed to have found a couple of their shells...the remnants that the Seagull or Oyster Catcher who feasted on their 'delicious I'm sure', insides. Strolling down the beach on Monday with Clint & Maggie, enjoying the sights and smells of the ocean...finding and stowing away new found treasures of beautiful beach glass...something different catches my eyes. "What the heck is that?!" I had never seen these turquoise coloured, wood bug looking creatures before. Clint said it looked like a tail of a lobster...yet it was clearly not torn off of a body...one full piece. Wow is all I could think. I felt it was something special and I relished in the fact that I had found such a magnificent part of the underwater world. Three steps further I found a second one. What are the chances and what incredible luck! Yippeeee!

I got home, and what did I do...power on computer. Take photo of cool little shell creature dudes...post photos on Facebook page and ask what the heck are they??? Chiton...pronounced "Ky-tin". Of course all of my West Coast buddies knew what it was. How am I supposed to know? I am a Prairie girl!..I can tell you what a June Bug or Fishfly looks like. ha ha ha!! But a Chiton I have never in my life seen...or so I thought. I have seen their bodies attached to a low tide rock. But they look different when they are suctioned on to the side of a rock then when they are dead and on their backs displaying their beautiful turquoise insides. Like this dude has sucked himself onto a rock or perhaps sunken boat piece. (I just grabbed this Googled image from the Internet...bio class at Berkley) When it looks like that you can't see how precious it really is. I guess that keeps them safe in a way...predators are generally attracted to colour...as are beachcombers like me! ;op (Even though I know what they are now...I would never rip one from it's life grip to take home...that would be wrong.)

 The super special part of being a Chiton is that they have evolved from what were known as Trilobites. We now only have fossils to remind us of the creatures that lived on earth back then...trilobites date back 526 million years ago...CRAZY! I basically have some dinosaurs now...in my possession! Does that give me superpowers? Can I fly? ;o)

These are my very own special Chiton. The blue reminds me of the Caribbean Sea...even some spots on Gabriola when tide is low and the white shell sand is visible...oooo pretty!! I love the colouring of the outside of the upper Chiton. There is black, blue, orange and brown...like an abstract painting.

I am a lucky girl!

Solstice was so last week...

But this video makes me laugh so hard I have to post it! hee hee hee hee. I was taping a little tide pool that was full of what I like to think are baby ling cods, cause I watch them grow through the summer... (but supposedly they are guppies??) I was enjoying watching them swim around so full of life. Then of course noticing the baby dungeness crabs milling about between the rocks and snails and sea weed and just reeling in the life that is on the first beautiful day of summer. Just as I am about to speak my mind and discuss the teeming life in the pool, Clint walks up behind me with something to say...errr sing...ha ha ha!

I hope everyone enjoys a summer full of life and love and happiness. Rock on party people in da world!

ceramic fun!

Just can't stop talking about...ceramics hooray!! I just got to sing it from the mountain tops...or in this case from my wooden desk chair staring out into my yard and deck where all of my pretty flowers are. So I am singing to my flowers I suppose! And they like it. They are growing quite nicely. hee hee! Anyways...ceramic=good time for all! I feel the constant need to thank Mariko for bringing the art of ceramics into my life. Seriously. Monday and Wednesday nights are my favourite! If I can, I head directly to Feedlot Studios, I do not pass GO...I just GO and get my clay on! It's pretty much "Ladies night" with the occasional male drop in to play dans le clay too. I like getting together with the ladies. It's great to have some time set aside where you do get together with a group of friends...some close and some acquaintances...but you are in a creative and friendly and encouraging atmosphere. It is really quite lovely. Who knew ceramics could bring people close! :o) I am thankful for open ceramics night!

Last Sunday was Father's Day. I really never know what to get for my dad. Not like he needs or wants for anything but love from us kids...I just like to send a little something each year. (Last year...I didn't send anything but a card...at least I remembered that!) Generally I will buy him something to do with trains or wolves. ha ha ha ha ha! Yup. The wolf is his favourite animal. He is mesmerized by them. They are a pretty amazing creature...and incredibly beautiful. Their eyes are like soul quenching pools of white/blue Caribbean water...giving you a peaceful warm feeling. (but they'll still bite yer head off if they feel like it!) So, I have bought him things like t-shirts and little vignette knicky knacky wolf things. And trains...well they are an obsession of his since his childhood. He loves trains...like he REALLY LOVES TRAINS! I wish I had a photograph of his office at the Greenhouse. I remember the office being quite roomy...like maybe 11'X11'...and all four walls were covered in framed photographs. His photographs of trains that he chased all over North America. (with the exception of four photographs on the wall behind his desk...for when he turns around his family is in those frames closest to where he spends a lot of time.) Some of these "chases" he would drive on his own to get the best photos he could in the coolest and most magnificent places. And other times he would chase these trains on our family vacations...some times I think the vacations started as an idea in his mind of a location he had been dreaming of for an awesome train shoot.  And that's okay. We would get a theme park or some other kind of fun out of it too. I am pretty sure we have been to every Six Flags of America! I would say 8 times out of ten, we drove to our final destination in order that daddy got his wishes too. I have traveled a ton of the inter-state highways in the U.S...but I have traveled just as many of the side and farm highways too. These are highways that brought us to some gorgeous canyons, with train bridges passing over them...and the engineers on my dad's scanner with their crackling voices calling out co-ordinates into our vehicle would lead our way. As much as we complained and asked "How much longer til we get there dad?!?"...we were pretty happy to have some amazing adventures along the way. I have a million train spotting stories! Thanks dad for the fabulous memories of things I've seen...I will cherish those moments forever. (Love you)

In honour of my dad for Father's Day this year I spent a few open ceramics nights creating the perfect gift...the perfect gift for him. He is going to freakin' love it!

I have combined his love of train and wolf in this piece. :o) Oh how I love to play in da clay!

those are grey wolves...I am not a good drawer! ;op

twelve...douze...zwölf!

I love the number twelve...J'aime le numero douze...Ich liebe die Nummer zwölf! It is not my favourite number...that would be 66. (why #66?? that is a whole other story.) I was born on the twelfth day of the twelfth month. 12-12!! Almost on a daily basis I see 12:12 on the clock...so does Clint. He thinks it is special and another tiny thing that connects us. ;o) I almost always see 11:11 and 1:11, sick and mini-stick time daily too...oh yeah...and 12:34. All fun times to notice! ha ha...if you get a kick out of the incredibly simple things in life. I get a kick out of it. I like the numbers. I like license plates too. Sometimes you can play with the numbers and make something up in your own head cause it's fun to do...especially when you are really bored of driving around. And it doesn't even have to make sense really. as long as you find it amusing in your own world and it brings a smile to your face. Smiles are always good, no matter what caused them. Years ago our truck license plate was 714 AJR. 71 was Clint's year of birth...74 mine...714. AJR...A Junior. It was like the numbers were aligned and we would have a kid! ha ha ha! Oh so cute! At least we thought it was.

I am also really good at remembering numbers. It never helped me with math, as that was my very worst subject ever...although I have always been an excellent cashier in my life. I can tell you in seconds what your change will be back no matter what $$ you pass me. (another thing I was good at besides being a  hostess with the mostess...I was cashier supremo!) I still remember some of my best friends phone numbers from elementary...Laura Watts was 257-7057...Sandra Beauchamp was 257-3526. Our Greenhouse business numbers were 255-8866 and 253-1866. I even remember the number for McDermot Ave Baptist Church...775-8096!! Too funny. I wonder whose numbers they are now. My obsession even goes as far as to me being precise with the number of minutes something takes. This drives Clint nuts! But my girlfriends thought it was funny the other day. It was Solstice and we were on Mudge Island. The lovely Veronica took us for a quick walk to visit her parents and see the home she grew up in...(nicest property ever!!! Paradise!)she said it was a 4 minute walk from Chad's place where we were enjoying a lovely evening with a cob oven and homemade pizza! When we got to the property I said..."Veronica, this was not a 4 minute walk"...she turned around to look at me wondering what I could possibly say...I said "It is more like 7 minutes!" ha ha ha! Not that the 3 minute difference even made a difference. I am just precise. ;o)

Last night, Clint commented on a daisy painting I did years ago. He was thinking that it was pretty cool how I did everything in 12's..."Was it on purpose?" What? I didn't even know. 12 petals, 12 dashes and 12 squares. I guess my brain just functions in a dozen at a time! ;op (whatever that means?!?) That got me thinking about all of the other 12's that have passed through my life. Growing up one of my very best friends was Kendra Sass. We were tight! When we were younger, her address was 1212 Kildonan Dr. Is that a kawinky dink? I think not. We were destined to be friends. ;o) On my champagne birthday...turning 12 on the 12th day of the 12th month...I decided to have a slumber party. A blizzard started that day. Only one friend showed up...bummer I thought. But, Tara was recently moved from NWT. So when the heavy snow stopped, we went into the backyard and built our very own igloo! It was awesome! I wouldn't have learned to do it without her showing up to our special blizzard slumber party! Thanks Tara wherever you are!!! ;o) That birthday got me thinking about my NEXT champagne birthday. I'm sure a lot of people get to have two in their lives. But not all. So I feel that it is special. Next year I will have my December 12th birthday in 2012!! (9days before the end of the world...LOL) and I feel it will be incredibly special. For this time I CAN drink champagne...even if it's not my favourite...I am a big girl now! Just something new for me to look forward to. Yippeeee!!!

It truly is the simple things in life that we can enjoy! ;o)

Peace!!

Soulstice...

Today is officially summer! It's 10 am and it's +17...I really hope it gets a heck of a lot warmer during the day. I feel today is the day I must jump into the ocean...in order to do so, I need to feel hot. So please, please, please Ms. Sunshine...heat us up! She is shining pretty hard already...our front yard is sparkling! I love the magical feeling that the summer brings. Waking up in the mornings...slipping on a little sun dress...watering the pretty flowers and herbs and strawberries and tomatoes on my deck...taking Maggie on a sunny beach or sparkly forest walk...summer is an endless time of fun and soul rejuvenation. And I can say with all sincerity that I am entirely in love with summer!

this is first opened

Soooo...what about my pretty flowers. Well, one of my roses opened up yesterday! Yippeee! The very first rose always is a different colour...at least on my two plants. So, when she opened yesterday she was almost orange in colour...a pale orange/ yellow. And of course the sweetest fragrance you ever took in. Better than any perfume EVER made! Today she is yellow. :o)

this is her this morning

I have a California Lilac bush just on the outside of our deck. (deers do not eat them...phew!) What a beautiful flower and fragrance it has. And the bees...well they are also quite fond of them. You can hear the electricity from the bees the second you walk outside our front door...soooo exciting! ;o)

Eat up little bees!

Look at the huge amount of pollen on his leg! Mmmmm. Have you ever tasted bee pollen? So tasty and immensely amazing for your health!

In the spring when I was doing some mega yard cleanup...I found a little peony trying to grow through the mass amount of stinging nettle choking out all the grows in the bed. I think I may have saved it's life...for if I hadn't uncovered her this year...she would be choked out by the nettle. Which is also so good for you...but it just is so invasive. Anyhow, one single beautiful flower budded and opened for me. Thanking me for renewing her life and giving her a second chance to grow big and strong! :o)

And these birds...they hang out inside my dining room window...they make sure the birds that are full of life do not fly through! I just loved the way the sun was sparkling through the beautiful Tammy star that hangs out with the birdies. :o)

Yay! Summer. I love thee! I wish everyone an amazing, magical summer. Have fun!! xoxoxox

Sex, Drugs & Rock and Rooooooll!!!!

How many times have I heard that saying...and always in a high pitched, screaming voice  with the devil rock fingers up high in the air. Can you hear it? Yeah, yeah...sex is good. But REAL sex is awesome when it is with the person you love and are sharing your life with. That's what Isaac Hayes referred to as "Makin' Love"...anything less is just plain old sex. Still might be fun but it's worthless...and can leave you feeling worthless too. Same with drugs. Sure, you can have some fun time on some "recreational" drugs. I've been there in my life time...I'll admit to using some drugs that I probably shouldn't have. Shouldn't have, mostly, because these drugs that are manufactured in somebodies home made "lab" could kill you the first time you take it. But when you're young you take silly risks...and half of the time you don't even see it as a risk...everyone else is doing it! So just like my momma used to say..."If everyone else jumped off a bridge would you?" And, of course as a smart assed teen I would say "Well, yeah...if it looked like it might be a fun thing to do!" Oh, my poor parents! ;op But that IS exactly the way peer pressure goes. Your friends and/or acquaintances are going out and taking some pills or snorting some substance up their noses and then seemingly they are having the time of their life...so you think what harm can it possibly do? Well...news stories over the years have informed us of teenage deaths at parties. They were teens and their young and strong hearts gave out after taking some drugs that were perhaps mixed wrong or whatever. How do you have a heart attack at the tender age of 15??? Bad drugs. It's that simple. You never know where stuff comes from when you are purchasing these evil little pills and bags of powder. And yeah, I know that sometimes the drugs that kids and adults are taking are over the counter headache pills crushed up and snorted. Doesn't make them safe...these too can have serious affects on our organs. I am not wanting to stand on my soap box and preach to everyone to not do drugs. I mean...in a perfect world it would be great if no one used bad drugs...but our world is less than that. And there are people in this world who enjoy doing bad things like producing bad drugs...just cause they can. 

In a way I find the drug culture amusing...not like funny ha ha ha...but funny like...what the heck?? Ecstasy, or MDMA was first made to help stop abnormal bleeding way back in the beginning of the Twentieth century. In the 1950's it was given to couples to aid them in their love making...or at least allow them to feel sexually charged about one another. In the 1970's psychologist's used MDMA in their sessions with patients as it helped them relax and talk more openly about their problems. But, I can tell you that it was produced in a lab by real scientists...just like any other prescription drug. (I wonder what drugs made by Pfizer may have traces of MDMA in it...anti-depressants possibly??) These days MDMA and MDA are made by Internet scientists...people who have read online how to make it and then produce it in their backyard dirty shed. Wow...that seems like a safe and clean environment to produce something for consumption. Not! The more I think about drugs at all...even prescription drugs, I see the harm they cause all over the place. "Respectable" men like Rush Limbaugh (just so you know...I have 0 respect for the guy) even get addicted to the feeling they get from drugs like Oxycontin...it is a derivative of heroin. A highly addictive substance made from what used to be a beautiful poppy...but yet it is manufactured in a lab. So it is NOT natural as some people may and will always argue. (Marijuana IS natural...it is a weed that grows in soil...it buds...you smoke the buds that never had anything added to them. That is a natural drug.) My Dr. prescribed me Oxycontin and Dilaudid (hydromorphone), (heroin and morphine), to help with my pain. Neither took away my pain...just made my head feel big and detached. A feeling I did not like, and shortly after starting to take the meds...I promptly went off of them. Who wants to feel like that? Plus I would feel pukey all of the time. Yuck!

Anyways, like I said earlier, I am not here to preach because that would be the pot calling the kettle black...and I don't want to do that. I just want my friends and others out there to be careful what you are putting into your body. My friend overdosed almost two years ago. That was from overdoing the "social" drugs that he felt helped him get along with others I guess. It was heartbreaking. It sobered up a lot of people in our community. Me included. I don't think I have been really drunk since it happened...I am now a two glass of wine cheap date! Remember alcohol too is a drug...as is coffee. We just need to be smart. It doesn't help to tell kids not to do drugs...they will just take more. It's called rebellion...been there...done that. Talk to your kids like they have a mind. Explain to them why it is unsafe to party all of the time on drugs. As adults, encourage your friend to get off the drugs and come back to reality. I've just seen far too much of it in my life and I keep losing friends and acquaintances either by death or complete stupidity. Everything in moderation at least. Even if you are a pot head...tek it easy on the weed mon. It's natural and not harmful except for maybe to your lungs if you smoke it. But you want to remember life too...no? Treat your body like it is an expensive rich Corinthian leather suitcase...maybe even a Louis Vitton, cuz that would be waaaaaaay crazy over the top extravagant. And would you carry that beautiful suitcase through the mud, that you worked for 9 labourious months to save for til you finally brought it home? No, you wouldn't. It's incredibly special. Our bodies are special. And we are given only one. Take care of it. Please. (even all of you rock 'n rollers...settle down!!!)

It's summer now...well tomorrow officially...so it's the social overload time of year again. Have fun...be safe...and Rock 'n Roll!!! 
Cheers...and...
PEACE! :o)

Oh my word!!

I just can't believe...I mean, I guess I can believe that it actually happened. I have seen rampant idiocy in actual real life, in front of my face, but so much more in the news always. And last night I had to watch it on TV, in the beautiful city of Vancouver that I called home for 8 years...I had to watch the chaos ensue over the loss of the Stanley Cup, with downtown Vancouver getting pulverized by hoards of drunk, foolish and foot stomping like an angry child, kids. They were kids. The ones that have been caught by still shots and those that were videotaped by news crews and tons of onlookers...the majority of them seemed to be in the age range of 15-25. For real...is this what a drunk temper tantrum looks like? There were even some stupid drunk older men getting in to some of the earlier action of the evening. There is a photo of this dude, probably 45, running out of a tuxedo shop with two new suits in hand. Loser. Another photo is of a girl...maybe 20, passing out Coach bags from inside a broken store front window. Photos of newspaper boxes getting thrown through store front windows and the bank. Photos of boys flipping cars over and starting them on fire. (I can't even imagine the millions of $$ of personal insurance claims for cars alone.) Who does this stuff?? Well, the people whose faces are spread all over Facebook and Twitter and You Tube...these are the morons who do these kinds of horrible acts. And what are they acting out on? There is no political crisis (besides the fact that we have a conservative majority...boo!), no dictator taking away any freedom that we have, no other Country is trying to push ours down...nothing is happening to warrant a riot in the streets. I don't really believe a riot is ever good...but they can happen when people's passion heats up because of massive turmoil. But a riot because of losing a game? There is some deep rooted something in all the kids doing the destroying...I hope their parents see that and get them some help. Or even try talking to them their self. We all need guidance sometimes...and that's okay. But, I guess this all has happened before. I vaguely remember...it was 1994 and the Canucks lost in game 7 of the finals. I lived in Winnipeg...we were losing our Jets...that is all I remember about hockey that year. There was a riot Downtown Vancouver that year. It made the city weary about ever allowing such a big public event again. Then we were given the chance to prove to the world that we can play games and have fun no matter what. The Olympics were hosted in February 2010 in Vancouver & Whistler. There was a minor riot that a group of anarchists started to oppose the games and the $$$ that go in to them...windows were smashed in downtown and it was ridiculous to watch. That got sorted quickly. After that, Vancouver did an amazing job as Host to the world. It was an exciting time. We even went to Vancouver to stay with friends to watch the gold medal hockey game. It was thrilling...the excitement and fervor...the feeling of pride for being Canadian and living in such a beautiful province that tourists are in awe over. It was great. Go Vancouver!

Boston shuts out the Canucks in Game 7 with a score of 4-0 in the final game to win the prestige of Lord Stanley's Cup. Boston is happy. And they should be...their team played a most spectacular game. It was a great game to watch actually. Two amazing teams battling it out til the bitter end. The Bruins just played a more solid game and therefore took home the Cup...good for them. And I bet even the Boys...the Canucks feel this way too. They did their best, but it just wasn't enough...and that's okay. A new season starts in September...all is NOT lost. Cheers to you Canucks for making it to the Finals! And three cheers to the Bruins for winning the Stanley Cup! ;o) I know it is sad. I also know AND understand that every single Canuck and Canuck fan is feeling sad today. I feel sad and I don't even care about hockey...but I fully expected to watch the Canucks beat the Bruins. I believed! ;o) So, it makes me feel sad for the team because I know they wanted it bad...as did their millions of fans. And almost all of those millions are sad but okay...and still proud of the team they love for doing such a good job. It's that teeny, tiny little group of fans and then just plain dumb troublemakers who just went to cause destruction...they ruin it for all. So to all of you children...boys and girls...learn from your mistakes and NEVER repeat. You are not pack dogs...it doesn't have to be monkey see monkey do when it comes to immature and irresponsible and criminal acts. So get the heck out there today and help the city get cleaned up. And then do some more for your city some how. Clean up the litter in your neighbourhood. Learn some respect for the beautiful place you call home. Grow up.

Peace out Canucks and loyal fans! The sun is out...the air is sweet...the birds are singing...it IS a good day! :o)

Don'cha wish pics could be scratch and sniff? Nothing like a good huff of Wysteria...mmmmmmmmm!!

Wasser...Agua...Eau...Water

It's my favourite drink. I love a heavy hot summer rain that you can dance in and watch it flood the streets in minutes. I love swimming in a fresh lake. I am always a yes when asked if I want to go to the pool or water park...fun times!! Water is awesome and fun and good for you. And recently I have found out how valuable water REALLY is. Our source of water in this place is a cistern...fed by rain from the roof. It holds 1550 gallons of water. That sounds like a lot of water...it isn't. People have 2000 gallon cisterns primarily for watering their garden. We have 1550 to cook with, shower with (I can no longer have baths...how sad is that?), do laundry with, water my plants indoor and out with, do dishes with, flush the toilet with. ;op I recently heard a funny island saying..."On this isle of fun & sun...you never flush for number one!" ha ha ha!! We are super water conscious. I shower when necessary...if I don't smell or am not greasy, I simply won't shower. We have been talking about being more European and doing the whole sponge bath routine. It's just that when you realize how much water gets wasted doing things that you have always taken for granted...ie: showering...it's quite effective on your brain to make a change. Even a quick shower will probably use 20 gallons of water...maybe...I don't know actually. I should probably figure out our water GPM...that'll help ease some anxiety! I am now showering with my mop bucket. It catches some of the water...and it's annoying. But I will do what I can. ha ha ha! The first time I did it I brought all of the water receptacles in with me. As you can see...it did not leave me a whole lot of room. An obstacle course in my very own shower. ;op Now with just me and big blue...it is slightly less irritating. But not as irritating as I am finding it to be wishing for rain. I love summer. I love the sun and heat and seeing daily growth of all of my flowers and veggies and stuff. I would love to have summer 2009 back...all sun all the time. That was rad! But, I would like each night to pour rain down for a few hours to feed my cistern and water all of the plants who don't get watered regularly. Everyone will be happy then. And then I can take a bath! ;o)

I have just been imaging what it would be like if the world did start running empty on water. Isn't that what Mad Max was all about? I don't want to live there...unless I could get me some Tina legs! But imagine it...you had to hunt for water so that you could stay alive. It's quite extreme. Yet in just one century of time a lot can happen. And our water systems are depleting all over the world. BC sells California water because they don't have enough. It's already happening. Even in the city I think people should be conscious of the water they are using. We are so wasteful with stuff like that...water, electricity. So easy to make sure the tap is tight and not dripping after your shower...it doesn't take much to push a button to turn the TV off when you are done watching. There is so much that we can do to conserve the earth and what she gives us, most of it is just making super simple little changes in your home and to your lifestyle. If we all cared...we could save the world. Wouldn't it be awesome if our grand children's grandchildren could enjoy looking out at the beautiful ocean and canoe a mountain fed lake? I think so. Let's do some real thinking and changing. What can I do today??