A Local Attraction

Many people here think they have seen Clayburn Village because they have driven through on Clayburn Road, but off on the side streets, there a few little treasures. This is an historic little place, once the home of the employees of the Clayburn Brick Company.  

The old school house has been preserved, but not exactly refurbished. I was asked to quote on doing some extensive work here a few years ago, but my bid was rejected, as were the bids of several other contractors. The society had no idea of the costs involved and were probably just testing the waters. But it was my opportunity to see the interesting nooks and crannies of this old school house, not unlike the school of my boyhood years.

Across the street is a fine old church, constructed of Clayburn Brick, naturally.

It is still used as a church. I have not been inside this building,

But would love to see what is on the other side of those doors.

Tomorrow, some of the homes and the old country store of Clayburn village.  

Musicality

Jesus loves me

This I know

For the Bible

Tells me so

Little ones to him belong

They are weak

But He is

Strong

Liam Michael W. Smith ...uh....er...maybe some day.

A Frosty Saturday Morning

It was a bright but very chilly morning yesterday. As I was watching the Chickadees pick the seeds out of our peanut butter and bird seed laden pine cones hanging above our deck, I noticed the sunlight glinting off of the frosty edges on the leaves. 

I temporarily abandoned by hot cup of coffee and thick slab of Starbuck's pumpkin loaf, slathered with butter, and ran for my Nikon. I'll let my shutter do the talking. Click on the photos to make them  larger.

There is so much beauty all around us if we only take the time to look for it.

And it looks like 'Old Man Winter' is getting a choke hold on Autumn, but not before he sprinkles everything with a dusting of icing sugar. Beware of those who tempt you with sweet things.

WF Wrestling

Yesterday, we awoke to a blanket of snow covering everything, at least everything outside. Driving to work, I was pleased to see the coloured leaves covered with snow. It is quite early for our first snow fall as the leaves have not yet all turned and the ones that have are still clinging for dear life to the branches. It is like Winter and Fall, wrestling to see who will prevail. Historically, Fall does not win this battle.

There are other battles being waged this weekend. Tonight we find out how the water referendum was received (or not) by our city's citizens, as well as getting election results for Mayor, Councilors, and School Board members.

On the sport front, the western final is being played for a CFL (Canadian Football League) berth in the up-coming Grey Cup match being played next weekend in the newly refurbished BC Place Stadium. With all this early cold winter weather, I will be following both contests in the warm confines of my home.   

Questionable Fall Fruit

Fall harvest is done and gone, but in the forest there are still edible things growing. Or not. If even the birds do not eat those delicious look alike blueberries, maybe we should not either. On the other hand, if they are one of the 30 species of Elderberry, we could sample them without the resulting pain and stomach pumping that arises from ingesting the more poisonous berries. I am not one to experiment with things growing wild.

I have eaten wild mushrooms, but have made very certain they are of the edible variety. I think these were Shaggy Mane mushrooms in their early stage, and that would have made them quite delicious and safe, but there are several species and these did not look quite right on top. It may be the soil conditions, but again, I am not one to experiment. These may have been lovely on a burger, but may have been the last burger I ever ate.   

Saturday Vote

Blue berries come from Red bushes.

We are having an election here this Saturday to chose new local government officials. Funny how a local governing body effects us so much, and yet we seem to know so little about the candidates. I must admit that I know more about federal and provincial politics than I do about local government. I live here, drive here, work here, pay huge taxes here, and yet feel so powerless when it comes to choosing the people who make the important decisions. Over riding all other issues, is something called P3 water supply. P3 stands for Public Private Partnership. The present mayor and council are spending our tax dollars to convince us that we will run out of water by 2016 if we do not go along with the agenda of tapping the waters of Stave Lake, a fair distance away, but at huge cost. I will not get into all the issues but leave it to say that I am convinced that there is a rotten fish smelling up the water issue, so I will not be voting for it. Come 2016, I may regret that decision, but I highly doubt it. There are viable alternatives at fractions of the cost. What we really need is a new mayor who is not agenda driven at all costs. Too bad there are no serious contenders.  

We voted last night in the advance poll. We did not like the prospect of fighting the crowds on Sat. Turns out we fought the crowds tonight. I guess there were a lot of folks thinking like us. Then we get home and I am informed that there was cougar sighting in our neighbourhood yesterday. It was only a block or less from our house. We have no bush anywhere near us, so this is rather baffling. I hope he was after my neighbour's dog.

Fountain of Youth?

Reflections in Fish Trap Creek

By the time this post is published, I expect to be back at work. The last few days have been a drag and although I should feel rested and rejuvenated from a bit of time off, I am feeling rather punk. I do not know if it is psychological or physical, but I am finding it difficult to drum up any energy at all. I am trying out a new miracle herbal remedy that is supposed to make me feel energetic and allow me to sleep more soundly at night. I am giving it the recommended three month trial, but after reading various testimonials, I was expecting some results by now (one week).

I look in the mirror in the morning expecting to see a twenty year old, any day now. I want the sagging skin to tighten up a bit, the hair to darken, and the urine to flow like Niagara Falls. I was hoping that the aches and pains in the joints would disappear, and that my chest would rise up out of my drawers. I fully expect to toss the progressive lenses, and maybe even grow new teeth. (Take that, you dentists!) But, instead, what do I see? Actually, not much, because my eyes are failing. What's that you say? Speak up, I'm getting hard of hearing.   

A Stream Bed

Wandering around, deep in a forest, the light is not great so the quest is to find something interesting. The bright glare of the early morning sun was blinding in the darkness of the canopy, as it found a path between the giant Cedars and Maples, and reflected like diamonds off the water. It could be any time of year, but for the dried Maple Leaf hung up on the rocks.

As I looked upward, I saw the shaft of light directed through what remained of the morning fog, like smoke from a camp fire.

I played with the light temperature settings and made it look like a warm sunny day, and not the cold November morning that it was. The solitude on this quiet little walk through the woods made me want to stay there longer, but my fingers were freezing. A photo can be deceiving.

A Cool Spot

In Spring this little stream is overflowing its banks and floods the plain just below it. The road to this park is underwater and the little community downstream is flooded. Later, in summer, this is a very cool spot on a hot day with all the tall trees, shade, and rippling water. In Fall, salmon come up this waterway to spawn. This photo, taken in late Fall, shows how beautiful it is when the water is at a reasonable level. The downside is that this is a popular dog walk and one has to watch one's step when wandering through here. Not all dog owners are responsible.

Shedding Cedars

While looking for Fall colours in Willband Creek Park, I came across these Western Red Cedars that seem to be displaying coloured leaves, but actually this is a phenomena called 'flagging'. I was relieved to see it here because our own
Cedar in our garden is doing the same thing. It is a random happening where the tree sheds some of its excess foliage. It is hit and miss throughout the tree and when these brown leaves fall off, the tree is once again healthy looking and green. The cedars love the cool wet conditions here in the valley and are very prolific.

All three grandsons are here for the whole weekend. Lots of fun and lots of action. Liam (three years old) is down for a nap, as I write, so we all get a little breather.

The Hills are Alive

I drove through the southern edge of Matsqui Flats to catch the red fires of the Blueberry bushes in all their Autumn glory. Those are the shrubs in the foreground. I saw some nice light developing in the background to I swung my camera slightly to the right and zoomed in. I half expected to see an Angel come floating down from the sky.

Remembering

I often have several posts waiting in the wings, scheduled to be automatically viewed on selected dates, so I overlooked the fact that today is Remembrance Day and my post for today is not appropriate for such an important occasion.

Over the years, I have worked for many war veterans and heard many heroic and not so heroic stories, but the one person I always think of on this day is a fellow I got to know when I was only a kid. I blogged about him once before, but it is worth repeating.  http://terryography.blogspot.com/2009/09/pumping-gas.html

He was just a young man when he went to war, and it scarred him forever. What will happen when his generation passes on? Will his grandchildren and great grandchildren forget what he did and why he did it? History repeats itself because we do not learn from it. Either we are ignorant of it or we think we are too advanced to make the same mistakes again. We should think again.

Can I Say That?

Sedum (Autumn Joy)

This afternoon was a glorious, warm, and sunny Indian Summer day. Ooops! Am I allowed to use that term? OK. It was an Aboriginal Summer day. A Sto"-Lo Haida gwaii kind of day. The Sedum, or Autumn Joy as is it commonly known as, gets to be a richer and deeper red as the days cool down. Our lawn has never been so green, so lush, and so healthy as it is this fall. We cut it for the last time this week and now we will let it rest for the winter. One of the most amazing things to me, as a teenager who moved to this land from the prairie provinces, was that many plants and grasses stayed green throughout the winter. There is little 'winter kill' here, and that fact certainly makes winter more bearable. But not totally bearable. I was at a travel agency today, confirming a little trip that we planned quite some time ago. I wonder if they will have Sedum where we are going.

When is a Barn not a Barn?

I mentioned the other day that I was contemplating a new Blog project this winter featuring some of the architecture of my little city in the country. One of the structures I had in mind was our agricultural research center. We are primarily a farm driven economy here so it makes sense that we have research facilities at hand. This hi-tech project is housed in barn style buildings with a unique flare and the Autumn colours enhance the style and colour of the various structures. These buildings are easily spotted from the Trans Canada Highway but these photos were taken from the 'back side'.  

Down in the Mouth

As seen from Old Yale Rd. West

I cannot remember when I have hurt so much after a dentist appointment. The tooth being worked on was in a tough spot, upper left and next to the wisdom tooth, so I was almost stood on my head for the good Dr. to get a handle on it. There was so much stuff hanging out of my mouth, and stuck in my mouth, that I am sure it resembled an autopsy more than a dental procedure.

I find these episodes requiring more endurance as I get older. The pain is not in the tooth, not at all. It is in my neck and in my jaw. Also my gums and cheeks were so chewed up I could barely eat my lunch and dinner today. I was also informed that because the new crown is opposite a gold tooth, it also has to be metal so the less expensive ceramic tooth has been cancelled and a gold one is on order. And you know the price of gold these days. But what is one more source of pain?

 It must be awful to have a career for your whole life where everyone you see does not want to see you. I have known many dentists through the years, who have been my clients, and I have liked everyone of them, and have enjoyed working in their homes and getting to know them. I just never want to see them in their office.

Buy Now, Pay Later

As of today (Nov. 8) Greek bonds are yielding 200%. That is a good return if you can stand the risk. The quote on my photo, by Ambrose Bierce, is an indication of what has been going on there for far too long. But before we point a finger, we (Canada) do this too, but on a smaller scale. We trust our governments to borrow enough money to fulfill all their election promises, and they do. No problem. Our grandchildren, who do not even know what is going on, will pay it back. Why? Because they will have no choice. They will remember us fondly.

How to Get Gas Prices Down

More back yard beauty.

I have long believed that there had to be a solution to the lack of competition in the gas prices in our neck of the woods. The prices rarely correlate to the world price of oil, or our fluctuating dollar. We feel helpless, but I think the answer is to boycott one of the major gas companies until they are hurting and then they will lower the price. That could start a competition going, not only to get back customer loyalty, but prevent a further boycott. But how does one get an operation like that up and running? Most people have heard of such an idea and would be willing to participate, but getting the consumer organized seems to be an insurmountable task ... until now.

In the last few days, there has arisen a movement spawned by the spirit of the 'Occupy' movement that proves my theory. Through social media and networking, a groundswell of anger against the big banks has translated to a massive movement away from them and into Credit Unions all across the USA. The numbers impressed me so much just that I am convinced it could work here with the gas price problem. In a matter of a week to ten days, 650,000 customers have transferred $4.5 Billion worth of business from the banks to the non-profit Credit Unions. And it is just starting. The Banks, in response, have already dropped a proposed $5 per month transaction fee for ATM withdrawals.

It works!

Go Figure

Our Maple tree just outside our kitchen window.

Don't you love the suspense? Now you can read about the reason for my groin injury, when I should have been at work, where, perhaps I could have fallen off a ladder and killed myself, but with a healthy groin intact.

A local building company called to let me know that their client had their wallpaper in hand and they were ready to have us come and install it. The homeowner was looking after everything so the builder was only a source of contact for a sub-trade, otherwise, I would have asked pertinent questions and saved myself a trip. We unloaded the tools and brought in the long ladder (I had heard the ceilings for the feature wall were 12' high). I asked for the paper and she brought me three rolls. I asked her where the rest of it was. She said that is all there was, and she knew it was not enough. My blood starts to simmer when this happens. 

"Why did you call for us when you knew it was not enough?"

"I thought you might somehow come up with a solution"

"Like what did you have in mind"

"Just paper from the corner to the window .. maybe?"

"And then what?"

"I will order more."

"And when the new roll comes and it is a different dye lot, what happens?"

"Will you notice it?"

"Oh, you will notice it, in colour, texture, sheen, and pattern match . And then you will pay us to take down all the paper we hung, and then you will order a whole new lot of paper (at $100.00 per roll) and then we will come a third time and hang it the way it should have been done in the first place."

"But, it is a Swedish design and made in Denmark."

"So?"

"It will take months."

"You should have thought of that when you ordered the first time. What were you thinking?"

"I thought the ceilings were 9' tall, not 12'"

So, we packed up all the tools and went home, the day shot. What do you when your plans go awry? You could always go out and pull your groin muscle.

   

The Fall

I learned that there is a reason for naming this season 'The Fall'. I was out and about enjoying the leaves and a bit of sunshine through the early morning fog. The trails are a bit treacherous with all the slippery decaying leaves, but especially on the board walks on Discovery trail. The wooden walkway under the leaves is wet and mossy, making it slick. I had just let the cyclist pass, when right on the spot marked by an 'X', I slipped. I would have fallen, but I corrected my stance with a jerk, mostly to protect my camera. My camera is fine, but my groin is not. I hobbled a few hundred yards to the main road and called for transportation. It was at least another 4 Km. home and I knew I would not make it. The irony is that I would have been at work, where, apparently it is much safer, had it not been for ........   well, I will save that for the next post. I need to take another anti-inflammatory right now.

To Wash, or Not to Wash

Cool blues and warm yellows, a combination that only works in nature.

You know the routine. The vehicles are dirty, the weather is nice, you have a certain amount of pride, so you wash them .... both of them. The hose gets tangled, your hands get dirty and ice cold, you kick over the soapy bucket of water, and you almost slice your finger on the licence plate. You dry them off, you stand back and admire your work, touch up the spots you missed and then put everything away. Then you winterize the outdoor taps because with the heavy frost coming, you do not need a frozen faucet.

And then, you drive your vehicle one time, park it, and it begins to rain. It will be nice to know that tomorrow as I am commuting to work in the rain, that I will have the cleanest truck on the road. It is but a fleeting moment in time. As usual.

Four Years Old

This is a busylizzy inspired contribution.

In a few more days I will have been blogging for four years. It started out as a lark, but as time progressed, I enjoyed it more and more. I have, to date, published 1434 posts, most with my own photography attached. I have never once considered packing it in, but there have been a few times when I was going 'dry'. Some days I feel very creative, other days I am so distracted by issues in my life that I struggle to put two words together. During those times, I kept on going because it has helped me to focus. I suppose we all need constants in our lives, and this blog spot has become that for me.

I am amazed that I have had almost 35,000 visitors and a good number of 'Followers', viewers who look in regularly because they have requested notifications on their computer or mobile device. If nobody ever read or even looked at my blog, I doubt I would continue. Who enjoys talking to a brick wall, other than those devout Jews at the old Temple Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. I am still keen on photography and words and am a story teller so I am expecting a few more years of terryography. A BIG thank you to all my readers.     

Autumn Flames

This shrub is known as a Flaming Sumac Tree, and the reason is apparent. At least the 'flaming' part is.

They are among the most brilliant of the fall foliage, but this year they are extraordinary. I think they turned very quickly because they are in very good condition even though the colour is a sign of decay.

They are the colour and shape of flames, but turned downward. I do not think that leaves could be more beautiful.

Annual Halloween Assessment

As I write this, the last of the ghosts and goblins have vacated the streets and all is quiet except for the rowdies and their illegal fireworks. Last year we had more that 100 kids come to the door so this year I was prepared. I purchased 2 bags of 120 treats each, hoping it would be enough, with some left over for the biggest trick or treater of all, me. Let's see now. 240 treats, less what is left over, around 40, less what I ate before, during and after the onslaught of beggars .... wow! We had more than 150 come to the door tonight. It is a new record. But what is also a new record is the number of teenagers who unabashedly held out their bags, and their hands, for a freebie. One very large fellow and his friends came trudging straight through our flower beds and when it was his turn, simply held out his hands. I asked where his costume, or mask, or loot bag was and grunted that he had none of this things. I told him quite bluntly that when he did have the required items, he could come back for a treat. He did not take it well so I am half expecting some trouble from him later tonight.

One fellow was almost 7 feet tall and as he was walking away, down the driveway, another older kid asked him if he was nineteen. "Only seventeen", was his reply. Do these kids have no pride? This night is for the little ones, dressed in their princess outfits, or Star Wars costumes. There were way too many teen aged girls, and many of them dressed like sluts. (Pardon my English, but that was their intent)

My favourite little visitor, looking like a mini Spider Man, said, as I placed a small box of smarties in his bag, "I'm not allowed to have Smarties." Off in the shadows, down the driveway, a playful adult voice said,"But his dad is allowed." I gave him the Smarties and a Kit Kat.

It's always fun if I don't let the big kids spoil it for me.