Flower of the Day: Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrred!

A little explosion of geraniums. Not sure if that’s grammatically correct, but oh well. What is the plural for geranium, anyhow? Gerania? Either way, it’s a happy bloomin’ example of the wonderfulness popping up in flowerbeds now being planted. Geraniums are popular as potted plants here, but in Sudbury’s Bell Park (pictured above) they formed a more massive display of flaming red awesome.

My grandmother (who passed on several years ago) was a cute little old lady. And her favourite colour was red. Now, she was Belgian from Brussels, raised speaking French., and like many french speakers in Ontario, she rolled her R’s quite flamboyantly whenever she could because most English-speaking people here can’t Whenever someone asked her ‘What’s your favourite colour of (blank)?’, she’d always answer with a  very emphatic ‘Rrrrrrrrrrrred!’

This picture reminded me of her, so I dedicate it to her memory.

Stray Thoughts on a Lazy Sunday

The docks by the lake near my house is a favourite destination in a walkabout through town on a lazy day. Always helps me clear my head.

 

There’s a lot of things to be grateful for. That list includes the people I know, things I’ve experienced, and the ability I am privileged to have to live comfortably in this world.

Right now, I’m just thankful to be happy. I had a great day today, it’s not something I often experience. I’m looking at the painted sunset over my town, the headframe in the background, the cat snuggled up beside me, and I’ve got a giant smile plastered on my face.

What a lot of people don’t know about me is that I occasionally suffer from mild depressive episodes. There are things a lot of people don’t know or realize about depression and how badly it can affect a person. The inability to function because of being intimidated by dark thinking. Or how stress can badly affect your health. How the drop into depression can be affected by things like malnutrition or lack of sunlight or any other number of factors, both biological and psychological. I’m really blessed to have friends and family that, understanding who I am and what I go through, are sympathetic and help me shake it off best I can. I should say I have very mild bouts of depression compared to most people who are diagnosed depressives. It is something a few people I’ve known and family members have dealt with, so in helping eachother cope we learn ways to fight the sadness.

There are three things that massively help me combat depression every day:

1. Sunshine and outdoor activity.

I normally find that when I have down days, it’s directly related to a turn for the worse in the weather or the fact I’ve been indoors way too damn much. On those occasions, I hit the garden, go for a ride on the bike, drive to town with the windows down and music blaring… ANYTHING to get me out of the house. Starting from there, I do other things. Taking photos of flowers. Hiking to a spot for lunch outside. Wash the car at the coin-op then heading to the beach to read under a tree. Often, these small activities cheer me right up. Even at work, if the day is dull, I’ll head out with my smoker co-workers for a bit of sun when they go for their breaks, watch the ravens fly around the worksite and shoot the breeze about the playoffs. Little breaks like that help you forget about things for a bit. Some folks like to take this one step further and get the endorphins working OT with some working out, or team sports, or whatever. More power to ‘em The days I hop on my bicycle that’s exactly what I do. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, feels better than chugging a cold glass of water after a good cardio workout.

 

2. Good nutrition, including a daily multivitamin and good homemade food over 3 square meals a day.

I get up in the morning and the very first thing I do, is grab a multivitamin and a massive glass of apple juice to take with it. Now, there’s a lot of people saying that ‘juice is full of sugar and it’s evil’ and yadda yadda flippin’ yadda. Anything in moderation is OK and I have 2 glasses of apple juice a day. That’s it. As for the multivitamin, I can’t say for sure why, but man, if I skip a day without it, unless I’m eating crazy healthy, my mood tends to plummet. Since nobody’s perfect, I stick with it, and I believe I’m happier for it. As for the rest of the nutrition thing? Well, I figure good health and looking good is just as important to my happiness as anything, so keeping my body well fed with good health home-made food is a good step towards that. The other thing I will mention is that , for me, it’s imperative to stay away from alcohol when I’m in a period of down days. It just amplifies whatever I’m feeling, so I tend to stay away when I’m feeling sad for obvious reasons. I don’t do other drugs myself (never really had the urge) but I’d recommend doing simliarly with any other substances. So far, it’s working. I’m no saint, so I’ll tell you that on days I go slumming with junk food I definitely notice how much lazier and literally how awful I feel. So, I can tell you from my own experiences that trying to avoid junk foods, high-fat and high-sugar foods in excess, definitely makes a difference.

 

3. Positive thinking and actions.

One day I had everything go wrong in the morning. I slept in, the cat made a mess, my husband was ill, everything was going to shit and I had tons of work to do and I just wanted to run screaming away form everything. All of it, wanted to pitch it all right out the window. But I didn’t. Sometimes, like on days like that, I really have to force myself out of that mode of thinking, that everything is bad or out to get me, or I’ve f***ed it all up again. I tell myself ‘one step at a time; it’ll all work out ok.’ And you know, it usually does. There’s something to be said for the concept of self-fulfilling prophecies, that, if you believe it to be so, that’s the way it is. If this works negatively, I believe it can also work positively. Take a look at what you can reasonably do to make the situation better and do it. Don’t talk yourself into ‘it’s not going to work, it’s not worth it, I’m not good enough, there’s no hope.’ Just psych yourself out to believe it WILL work and get on with it. Force yourself. The Little Engine That Could, and all that. If you think you can, you can. End of. It’s not complete bull, it works.

 

Anyway, that’s my story. I hope you find something in here that helps you if you find yourself in the same situation. I’m no doctor, and none of this is guaranteed to work, but if all you have is mild periods of gloominess it *might help.

If you’re in really serious trouble where you feel like you need help, I very highly recommend going to a counselor or someone you trust to talk to to get things off your chest. Most good employers have employee assistance programs that provide free counseling, ask about it in your HR department. Most universities and colleges also have free counseling services, and you can find out about those at your student services center. Several organizations in cities offer free counseling to residents in need of assistance, from homeless shelters to women’s shelters to LGBT groups and organizations for various health afflictions and addictions. Ask around and you’re sure to find someone who will help you. I’ve been to counselors before and they can help if you’re 100% honest and open and go in with the attitude that you’re willing to listen and act on the advice they give you, while also keeping in mind your needs, of course.

In Canada, for people under 25, you can call Kids Help Phone toll free at 1-800-668-6868 anytime for anonymous help, or visit the website at http://www.kidshelpphone.ca. There are free resources there also for anyone, but do keep in mind they are geared for children and young people.

 

Perfect Pitchers for Summer Gatherings

The arrival of summer brings certain things to the fore. One of those things is, it must be said, pitcher drinks.

Not a lot of people can handle the taste of Gin or Tonic, but for some reason, together, on a hot day, with a shot of lime, and HOLY GOD it’s a phenomenal combination.

 

Here’s what you need (makes 3 to 6 servings)

- The juice of 1 lime (about 2 tbsp.)

- Several Cross-sectional slices of 1 lime (as shown in photo above, reserve a few for garnish if desired)

- About 6 shots Tanquerray Gin

- 4 to 7 cans Canada Dry Tonic Water

 

For a Lazyman’s Mojito

I grow my own mint but you can easily find fresh stuff at most better grocers. If not, buy a plant and grow some, it smells awesome and you can’t kill it unless you try REALLY hard. Also, I like using Sprite because it’s sweeter and gives that fruitier flavour. You can also go traditional and use club soda and simple syrup instead if you prefer.

- A bunch of washed mint, muddled in the bottom of a pitcher.

- 6 shots of your favourite White Rum (Personally I never drink anything but Captain Morgan Spiced, which is golden, to each their own)

- 4 to 7 cans of Sprite. (7 up doesn’t have enough sugar)

- A slice or two of lime and lemon.

Have fun with your families and friends this summer! Remember to enjoy responsibly~

No impaired driving, no impaired passengers bugging the sh*t outta the driver, either! Please be nice and say thanks to the person who volunteered (or got voluntold) to drive your drunk bones around

Flower of the Day: Multicoloured Mound

Took this photo in Downtown Sudbury last summer. They have MASSIVE flower baskets there on their light posts, and last summer was exceptional for growing flowers, so the two added to these giant poufballs of petunias that just exploded with colour! Love it.

The Camulod Chronicles, by Jack Whyte

Historical fiction is probably my favourite genre of reading. It nurtured my love of history, making me curious about the various things that ACTUALLY happened, and got me thinking about why the research into the ‘what ifs’ of life is important.

What if, for example, the Arthurian legends of England are actually based on a bit of true history? What if Arthur himself, and Camelot, are the direct result of a failing empire and the desire of people to survive in a community?

These are exactly the stories Mr. Whyte explores in the The Camulod Chronicles (also known as A Dream of Eagles in Canada or The Arthurian Cycle elsewhere), a series of nine books by this amazing author. Reading Skystone, the first novel in the series, transports one back in time to the fall of the Roman empire. There, painted for the reader, is an elaborate picture of the life and times of Roman England. The story goes into detail about the legacy of these people as they form what will be Camelot (Camulod in the books), out of the remnants of lawless towns and villages, consolidate the famlands around the new holding to eke out an existence as a city-state. And, of course, the story centers around the plausibility of the forging of Excalibur, the future kingmaker.

That is just the start, the series goes on to include all the familiar faces, like Merlyn and Arthur and you will see the legends that you know of come to life in a more historical vein, whereby what once seemed fantastical is now humanized into a more comprehensible alternate history.

I will warn you: like many historical fiction novels, the onus on description of surroundings to minute detail can sometimes add quite a bit to lengthen your reading experience, and each of the books in this series is quite long. The series itself also progresses slowly, but that is the right of the author. For what in history happens in the blink of an eye except legends–like the creation of the Earth, or even the formation of the court at Camelot? So, the series is a commitment. But, anything worth doing is worth working for, and this is one such thing, in my opinion.

These books have a personal meaning for me: My Grandfather who passed away many years ago now, was reading these books when he was ill in hospital with the Cancer that would eventually take his life. I found his bookmark in the third novel. As the older generations passed on their legacy to the younger ones in the novels, so too did my Grandfather pass his love of history and fantastic stores to my dad, who passed them on to me.

In this way, I saw the meaning of the Camulod Chronicles novels. It is, in fact, the theme of most of the historical fiction I’ve enjoyed.

We pass our beliefs and values on to one another through the ages, for what is hopefully the betterment of humanity.

For more information about Jack Whyte, the Camulod Chronicles and other books he’s written (which are mostly excellent), please visit the author’s website:
http://www.jackwhyte.com

Flower of the Day: Basket of Sunshine

I bought this flower basket full of petunias and what look like a kind of daisy and… maybe… cornflowers?

Whatever they are I really loved the fact that the look like a big basket of sunshine all together, and every time I see it it brings a smile to my face.

Flower of the Day: Neighbour’s Tulips

When I woke this morning I was lucky to be early enough to catch my neighbour’s sunny yellow tulips just as they were opening.

It’s neat to watch tulips welcome the sun, how thew go right open wide during the day then close up at night to ward off the cold.

House of Cards brings excellent cloak and dagger to small screen

If you ever were into politics, or the fast and witty writing of Aaron Sorkin in The West Wing, you need to know that there was a Netflix series released this past February called House of Cards.

It follows the career of Francis Underwood, the House Majority Whip, on his way to higher power in the US government. This is not an inspirational tale. It is a darker realization of the brokerage of power. The man who knows everything and manipulates it to his advantage; the wife that keeps up appearances and aids strategy when all reality is in contradiction. Reporters fed by the political agenda, pawns sacrificed in the flames of rhetoric in the house, all of it–and very satisfyingly written and acted.

The series is based on both a book by Michael Dobbs and a former BBC initiative of the same title produced in the early 90s–bot of which merit attention in their own rights. More recently, David Fincher (of Fight Club, The Social Network and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button fame) got his hands on the first two episodes of the American series as producer ans director, and combined with the relatively newish talent of writer Beau Willimon, made them into immediate masterpieces. It certainly didn’t hurt that they cast Kevin Spacey in the lead role as Underwood, and Robin Wright as his companion Claire. These two provide an intimidating and enigmatic power couple to the series which is necessary to carry off the series’ darker undercurrent.

Perhaps the biggest wrinkle in this story is the fact that Netflix outbid AMC, HBO and Showtime to carry the series (http://www.aoltv.com/2011/03/18/netflix-builds-house-of-cards-Kevin-Spacey/). Netflix, through its production of its own original series, is now beginning to rival these networks for quality content. As a regular consumer of Netflix’s offering, I have to say I’m very impressed with this series, and will continue to try more of its original offerings as a result.

One word of warning:

You may love this series so much you watch it all in one shot. Highly recommended.

What if people told European history like they told Native American history?

I’m reblogging this because I think it’s absolutely true and so incredibly unfortunate.

I want to tell you a bit about why I think so. The following is mostly my opinion based on observation.

When I was in high school, I was in a history course that called itself “Canada in a North American Perspective.” There was nothing about Canada in this course. It was American history. And while we spent months covering, at length, the Vietnam War, Korean War, the American Civil War, and the colonization of North and Central America, very little was said about the pre-Colombian societies that created a rich and exciting cultural tradition easily equaling that of our own.

It is unfortunate that this is still the case. I’m originally from Ontario and there is a deep and involving history here. It’s a black mark on our education system that the long history of wars and treaties that led to the formation of the Iroquois Confederacy is little studied; that the role of Native Peoples like Tecumseh and his and his brother The Prophet and their followers in the War of 1812 is nowhere mentioned, despite the important role they played in the ability of British North America to retain its separation from the United States, allowing it to one day become Canada; that the struggle for recognition Louis Riel and others of his Metis brethren endured in our young nation’s history are but a short blurb, despite the long impact it has on the assertion of the rights of native peoples.

When I took the above-mentioned course, I made a paper on the history of New York City, and struggled to find any reference to the Native American peoples that lived there before Dutch settlement. It really disappointed me that this was the case. When I included what I could find in my presentation, I received a “BorrrrrrrINGGGG” as my thanks. It made me so angry to see that a class full of people eager to study the history of our homeland couldn’t bear to look into the past beyond the last 500 years.

I find this attitude contributes a lot to racism against native peoples and insensitivity with regards to previous treaty arrangements and promises.

I find it interesting the parallels this reblogged article brought to me the minute I read it with regards to how Native North American peoples are treated in our texts. The truth is, Europeans were little more advanced than the least of the tribes, and frankly often more brutally savage than the most advanced of the confederacies.

I read that and immediately thought about Europe. I thought about how my ancestors didn’t come to North America until the 1950s, so most of my extended family is still in Germany and Belgium. Until the 1700s, I’m sure most were poor serfs or farmers living in dirty hovels much as is described in the passage. Some were clergy and served the God that is spoken of, because to do so was to spread doctrine and to lessen the burden on your family.

Then I thought about now, modern Europe, and the economic crisis. I thought about the resurgence in right-wing politics and how racism was driving much of these parties and that the irony was: People are now coming into the old colonial powers’ countries from other places. The right-wing natives of these countries are pushing back against immigration because they see it as an invasion of foreign workers taking jobs and resources from the people who need them, that the native people of their country should come before outsiders.

My next thought was: “Karma is a bitch and she carries a big ol’ 2×4. Where was that thinking in the foundations of the New World? Why could settlers not respect the preexisting cultures in North America and work within rather than against them? How were early settlers ever surprised that the peoples already living there fought to protect their homelands?”

We live in an interesting period of time, where the world and its power structure is changing. It will be interesting to see how the old confederacies cling together as the New World Order comes to pass in the next 100 years.

And if you’re from North America, I highly, HIGHLY, recommend you read up on the history and politics of your area before settlement. You may be surprised at what you find, what claims/treaties are still in effect or still influence the policies of your local politics, and what attitudes have arisen as the direct result of these and other actions from past people in government or leadership. I can see these items being driving forces in the future politics of our land.

Because you see, despite having ancestry elsewhere, I was born here and this is my land too, and I love every ounce of it–even the dirty, troubled past. I want to help drive Canada’s future, and make it a better place for everyone who lives here.

 

What if people told European history like they told Native American history?.

Flower of the Day: 1st Daffodil of Spring

 

While it’s been spring in other parts of the world for quite a while, it only recently reared its head here. As proof, I present to you the first flower of 2013, my neighbour’s daffodil. Actually, the whole garden was blooming, full of daffodils and violets and looking rather lovely.