Lise's Ramblings

In winter months, firefighters rely on guide markers to help them locate fire hydrants buried beneath snow. Boaters count on navigation markers to steer cruisers and sailboats through narrow or rocky channels. We all use guide markers from time to time. Perhaps you install temporary markers at your lawn’s edge to make sure you don’t mangle your grass as you rid your driveway of snow and ice.  Or, maybe you’ve hiked remote trails and relied on guide markers to lead you through dense forest.  When the usual doesn’t suffice At least trees, driveways and fire hydrants stay put. In Canada’s Far North, the landscape changes, so guide markers are a matter of survival. Inuit cope with extreme winds and cold, shifting ice, near-zero visibility, extensive periods of darkness and other challenges. Mere flags, sticks and posts cannot withstand or be seen in such harsh conditions. That’s where a rock inuksuk (pronounced ee-nook-sook) comes in. Towering up to a metre or more in...

No matter where you live, you've likely wasted time idling amid traffic jams on highways. If you haven't, then count your blessings for finding a sweet spot where you don't need to stare at tail-lights for hours on end. Meanwhile, the rest of us can appreciate what a relief it is to find open roads, especially when we expect to face the usual traffic tie-ups. Regardless of your final destination, cruising right along at the speed limit as you cross large metropolitan areas is       AWESOME! "Circulation fluide" An unusually empty autoroute 40 (La M é tropolitaine),   part of the Trans-Canada Highway , in Montr éal.

When I added #40 to my Lofty Life List , I wrote the entry as a lighthearted wish. I had zero expectations of ever brushing shoulders with one of my three larger-than-life heartthrobs: Hugh Jackman, Jon Bon Jovi and Lenny Kravitz.  Lucky for me, Bon Jovi's 2013 “Because We Can” tour afforded me the closest chance I think I'll ever get to meet one of the three guys on my list.  Bon Jovi set list and ticket Yesterday evening, Jon and I shook hands as he headed up from the stage pit to the outer stage. Serendipity played a part in the meeting, but I was also determined to make the trek to see Jon and his crew from New Jersey. With no stops in Atlantic Canada for the Bon Jovi tour, I decided to drive to the nearest venue, either Montréal or Ottawa. A road trip crossing thousands of kilometres in winter, why not? After picking up decent 200-level tickets for the Ottawa show, I figured that was as close as I would get to Jon. This was an instance when I was glad to...

Flutter, flutter. How your heartbeat can shift while you hold hands with someone you love. Having a loved one gaze at you, say your name and reach out for your hand, well that's enough to make your day.      AWESOME!

Write a note, share a special meal, whisper sweet nothings, stroll hand in hand, read a story together, sign up for an adventure... As for me, I built a Valentine's Day message out of retro Lego pieces. I posted the original photo on Pinterest Expressing your love in a way that suits you and your loved ones is       AWESOME!

Quick and basic meal preparation       + a briny, deli-style pickle       + ooey-gooey goodness capable of conjuring cherished memories      =      AWESOME!

For several weeks now, I’ve savoured one to two pages daily from Imagination Illustrated: The Jim Hensen Journal . In this book, curator-archivist Karen Falk and Jim Hensen’s eldest daughter Lisa Hensen combine excerpts from the Muppet creator’s journals with photos, sketches, script doodles and biographical notes, spanning 1954 to 1988. What a joy! While most of us know Jim Hensen’s work―ranging from Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock through to The Muppet Show and scores of other TV specials and movies―people recognized his talents well before any of those accomplishments. By the time he headed off to the University of Maryland, nobody could overlook Jim Hensen’s creativity. He had illustrated high school publications, designed sets for shows and performed from time to time. As a freshman, he secured his own TV show, Sam & Friends , and started a poster business of his own. He quickly moved on to creating funny commercials for Wilkins Coffee Co. In 1958, the ...