Tidbits.

I'm just going to post some random tidbits from my life lately. Nothing profound I'm afraid.

Victoria Pride was fun, but kinda small, compared to what we were used to in the US. Then again the Victoria metro area is smaller than where we came from so that is probably to be expected. It was fun though!

Bard & Banker, the new pub/restaurant in Victoria is a very nice place to stop for a bite of lunch. The food was generous and very good, pricing was a good value and the decor and people watching is first rate.

We have not had rain here in East Sooke for weeks!! The fire hazard in our area is extreme so one has to be very careful. The reservoir that the area derives most of its' water from is still at 85% so we are told there are no worries. There is no rain in the forecast for the week.

We have been having morning ocean fog lately and today, Monday, it did not burn off/blow out of here until about 1pm. We've been told that is typical for the West Shore of Vancouver Island. It also gets rather windy at times, coming in off the ocean, so we just have to get used to that. That will play a major factor in adding to the gardens since we have little protection from the elements, aside from the inside of the greenhouse.

Speaking of greenhouse, our tomatoes are doing quite well with daily harvests now taking place, but just enough usually for supper. That seems to be changing due to the fact that I saw a LOT of red out there this morning when I was watering the little buggers. The cucumber plants are doing very well and I have to rig a system for them to cling onto and climb. I think I have maybe a week or two to get that accomplished.

We purchased a composting bin this past weekend and it is all assembled, made in Canada, thank you very much! I had a pile of debris composting in the lower yard, but, due to lack of rain, when I turned it this weekend I discovered that it is dry!! I suppose I will transfer some of that to the new bin and cross my fingers. The bin was purchased at Rona, if anyone is interested, from the garden center department.

We are getting ready for visitors in two weeks, Dixon's mother and her husband. Dixon took off the week they are here and I suspect he may have to do most of the entertaining during the day. More reasons for that in a future post.

We found that the magazine selection is MUCH better at Chapters in Victoria, on Douglas St. vs. Munro Books on Government St. Also, Murcheys Tea shop on Government St. is a good value for boxed flavored teas pr Dixon.

That's it for now. Thanks for tuning in.....

I couldn't make this up.

Well, maybe I could make this up, but I didn't. It gave me quite a chuckle so I thought I'd share with my readers. Enjoy!

Woman Shoots Herself While Trying to Kill Mice

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

POTTER VALLEY, Calif. — A Mendocino County woman who was trying to kill mice in her trailer with a gun ended up shooting herself and another person.

The 43-year-old woman pulled out her .44-caliber Magnum revolver after she saw the mice scurrying across the floor of her trailer on Highway 20 in Potter Valley, sheriff's officials said.

But she accidentally dropped the gun, which went off as it struck the floor. The bullet went through the woman's kneecap, bounced off the keys sitting on the belt loop of a 42-year-old man in the trailer and grazed the man's groin before ending up in his coin pocket.

Authorities did not release the shooting victims' names.

The mice escaped the shooting unharmed.

???

So, I'm wondering what all the other US-to Canada ex-pats tell Canadians when they ask WHY you moved to Canada.

We get that a lot, once people find out we came from the US, and at times we are not exactly sure what reason to give. Perhaps it is still that US-grown protective stance that tells us to proceed with caution as we usually think we'll get a negative comment, or maybe worse. As time passes, and we try our luck at answering more honestly, we find that we really don't get any negative responses from Canadians. Of course our main reason for moving was political and wanting a home where we can live openly and honestly. (Hmmm, that "honestly" comment just sounded a bell in my head, with regard to US not being completely honest with our answers to people.) I'm sure that as time passes, and we grow more accustomed to our new environs and it's people, we'll just tell them why we moved and let it go at that. As far as peoples reactions to us moving here from the US, they range from a simple "Oh" and then moving on to the conversation at hand, to the complete excitement of a couple that are our neighbors who reside full time in Edmonton and use the house on the Island for vacations and holidays - at least until they retire in a couple of years. We have a standing invite for coffee in August, when they are here for the month and I'm sure we'll be presented with a myriad of questions for us to contemplate the answers.

I suppose it comes down to just trying to 'read' the person inquiring and providing the answer we think they will like? Maybe for now. And for us to get used to this wonderful new place that we call home, and the truly accepting folks that made this country so great. The US could certainly take some lessons from their neighbors of the North.

In the meantime, share your thoughts and experiences with me and maybe that will help us adjust. Perhaps it is just in our heads....

Don't forget to click on the link to the left to Help the Animals, and as always,

Thanks for tuning in!

Laughs for all!

After my last post I figured I needed a good laugh so I remembered this comedian and thought I would share her. Let me know what ya think.

Bewtiched, bothered and bewildered...

Today, July 4th, I find myself in a contemplative mood. Even though I was born and raised in the US I am no longer finding this a day to celebrate America. The America I knew has since been bastardized. Perhaps there no longer is a medium for the voices of the people to speak out. I certainly don't see it in the US media. Bloggers and websites protest but the word on the street is that they are monitored. Is this just paranoid me talking here, thinking we have taken a turn toward '1984', something that most people would never imagine? Perhaps, but I have sought refuge in a much happier place, away from all the doom and gloom that is the US these days. And don't even get me started on what I think about the upcoming election season. I will keep those thoughts to myself, and perhaps one or two others, and just see how things play out. I really don't want to say "I told you so." but fear that may be the outcome.

One small thing I ask is that you look at things outside the box - search the internet and take a look at how others view the US, expand your horizons, flex that brain of yours, go beyond the local media. Try BBC, or heaven forbid, get the viewpoints from the Middle East or Asia! Everyone on the planet should just be able to live their lives, provide for their family, enjoy what time they have on Earth, but it is getting more difficult to do that with an elite group of people thinking they can 'convert' everyone to what THEY think is the perfect life. Guess what, it isn't perfect for everyone, is it? Why can't we all just get along and live in peace? Ponder that.

Don't forget to click the link on the left to Help the Animals...

And thanks for tuning in to my miscellaneous rambling...

FOG!

We are completely fogged in here on the west coast of Vancouver Island this morning. It is almost 11:30am and I can barely see to the bottom of our lot. There is a huge blanket of heavy fog that rolled in overnight from the Pacific and it is being very persistent. A few times the sun has peeked through to brighten our yard, but the fog keeps its' heavy hand wrapped around the harbor entrance below, and beyond. I really would even welcome some raindrops from the heavens as the garden is very dry these days. Our forest fire level is very high right now and there are extreme restrictions on all outdoor burning.

We have been harvesting cherry tomatoes on an almost daily basis now - not a ton of them but rather just enough to accompany dinner in the evening. The seven cucumber plants were transplanted over the weekend to larger containers of soil and they too will remain and thrive, hopefully, in the greenhouse. I am contemplating the purchase of a roll of chicken wire, or a similar fencing, and suspending panels from the greenhouse ceiling beams for the cukes to climb up and prosper. I've seen it done by a few other people and think it is an easy solution for this year, until we get a plan into motion for permanent planting beds in the greenhouse, which will most likely be for fall or next spring. I do have some broccoli seeds to plant for a fall crop - fingers crossed. After that, who knows where we will go on our adventure to grow some of our own food.

Remember to click on the link to the left to Help the Animals,

And thanks for tuning in...

3:30pm update - the fog has lifted, sort of. It still is a low lying mass over the water but at times I can see over it and across to the mountains in WA state. Very strange indeed, but kind of cool too.