Lise's Ramblings

Which do you suppose came first, the burning bushes or the fire hydrant? Even if you aren't into gardening, these fiery Euonymus alatus (burning bushes) would have drawn your attention last week.  I spotted them on my way to work. And sure, I appreciated the splash of fall colour , but I also giggled. Perhaps the homeowner intentionally juxtaposed the plants with the fire hydrant. I would like to think that this is merely inadvertent humour to dabble my day with       AWESOME!

When you spot a few ornamental gourds, you may write them off as nothing more than misshapen, colourful fruit. But, seen en masse , those hordes of gourds will strike you as       AWESOME! Gourds at Balderston's Farm Market , Prince Edward Island

My bushel of Honeycrisp apples from Balderston's Family Farm (Prince Edward Island) Kah-runch!  Dribble, dribble, dribble.  After biting into an fruit, it's easy to get distracted by that tart or sweet taste, leaving nothing to stop juice from pouring down your chin, your wrist and your shirt.  If you've only sampled an apple or two so far this fall, then get out to your local orchard, farm or market to stock up on more fresh apples. During the other 10 to 11 months of the year, you'll pine for apples as tasty as the ones available now. Beyond the flavour, here are some added bonuses:  The selection of varieties (gone are the days when you could find only Red Delicious, Galas and Macs) No storage and no transport = minimal bruising Principal ingredients for autumnal comfort foods (Did someone say "Crumble" or am I fantasizing again?)  An abundance of apples adds up to       AWESOME! I favour...

Statistics Canada reports that Canadian commuters spend an average of 52 minutes daily traveling roundtrip to work. In major centres such as Montreal and Toronto, more than a quarter of Canadians spend at least 1.5 hours commuting back and forth every weekday. Ugh. Commute times grow when you add one or more of the following: construction, bad weather, police spot-checks, a sinkhole, an accident or long-weekend crowds.  Any wonder the international Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) rates shorter commute times as a key variable in studies of health and quality of life.  There just aren't many upsides to long commutes, apart from time to listen to podcasts, music or audio books. Sure, dozing, reading, writing and other activities are possible when public transportation is available, but still you aren't spared from delays and lengthy travel times.  I'm grateful for my short d...

Driftwood at Panmure Island, Prince Edward Island  Substantial pieces of driftwood serve as natural benches at the beach, whether you huddle there to gaze at the waves by day or sing campfire tunes at night.  At dusk, driftwood can also serve up eerie silhouettes. "Wait, is that a moose up ahead?" Even basking in the sunshine, driftwood takes on many forms. At times I see antlers, but I have also spotted a teeter-totter, a Hobbit dwelling, an oversized sea horse, a pile of brooms, an antique bird cage... Do you ever wonder where those weathered tree trunks and branches started out? I would like to know if a piece of driftwood started life as a sapling on exotic shores. I contemplate how it looked back then and what animals sought shelter there. Did a swing dangle from one of its branches? Was a fort tucked away among its leaves? Were initials carved in the bark wrapping the trunk? And...

Every once in a while, a special place becomes extra delightful. That's exactly what I witnessed this past weekend.  We're fortunate to have breathtaking views on Prince Edward Island. While the shores and ocean views are incredible, I consider New Glasgow to be one of PEI's jewels. Tourists know the village for its New Glasgow lobster suppers and the PEI Preserve Company . Golfers know about the Glasgow Hills course, because everyone receives free mussels after every round of golf. Families make the trek to visit the Toy Factory , where you can buy handcrafted wooden toys, including a ferry or a lobster boat. I enjoy driving to and through New Glasgow. I marvel at the rolling hills, parceled fields, and all the birds feeding and nesting along the Clyde River, which meanders through the village. However, Sunday's drive to New Glasgow exceeded my expectations, because of a magical new addition.  The bu tterfly house. I fina...

The Daniel Brenan Brickhouse , a Charlottetown-based restaurant, presents your bill in simple terms: the damage. How refreshing to see a direct, honest message.       AWESOME!

Tourists and residents take advantage of the Confederation Trail , Prince Edward Island's former railway line. The system spans the length of Canada's smallest province and includes offshoots to villages and attractions.   Trail in the Gatineau Hills   I'm lucky the Confed Trail cuts through campus, so I can get exercise during my lunch break. I can also spot chickadees and warblers nearly as often as I see red foxes and bald eagles. On the opposite side of the country, my sister and brother-in-law build and maintain trails for mountain bikers. Unlike PEI's pastoral and shore views, the North Vancouver trails cut through mountain terrain dotted with towering Western Red Cedars and potentially dangerous wildlife. When I lived in la belle ville , trails lined the Lachine Cana l to lead Montrealers and visitors to tourist hot spots and commuting destinations. (Thank you, Parks Canada!) I love that the metropolitan city also had trails up Mount Royal, where I...

My quads felt Sunday's two-hour trek along Strathgartney Provincial Park's hilliest trail. Suffering from winter doldroms?  Try out snowshoeing. You can choose from either a social outing or a solitary trek for introspective time. If you bundle up and select a relatively wind-free route, then you can burn calories, get from point A to point B, spot wildlife and benefit from fresh air. You may even gain a new appreciation for areas you’ve only ever seen when there were leaves on the trees. Unlike many rushed sports, snowshoeing gives you a chance to take in your surroundings. It’s also a relatively inexpensive, easy-to-learn and safe winter activity. (Even a spaz like me has an injury-free track record when it comes to snowshoeing. Yes, that’s saying a lot considering I’ve chalked up countless broken bones, torn ligaments, bruises and sprains from regular activities like walking, doing laundry, playing in the backyard and skiing.) Sure, we can depend...

The stars came out in droves for Sunday night’s Academy Awards ceremony in California . Meanwhile, here in Canada , a select group marked the occasion in style. When I arrived at my friend Shirley’s house, the red carpet extended from the driveway, up her front steps and right to her front entrance. Indoors, I marveled at the food, drinks, ice candles and floating candles, shimmery tablecloths, swag bags and coveted prizes. The hostess hadn't overlooked a detail. I was on the scene to serve as paparazzo to the stars (a.k.a. the Calendar Girls). These women have a long-standing tradition of gathering to celebrate the Oscars. Throughout the year, these ladies have many other reasons to get together, and the good times roll on those occasions too, but Oscar night is extra special. Why? Well, for the Calendar Girls it’s an excuse to seek out and wear outfits they’d never dream of putting on for a regular evening out. This year was no exception. There were g...

Am I the only one who thinks of Grover's near-and-far skit while zooming in and out with a camera? OK, maybe that's just me. As much as I love that Sesame Street clip, I like zoom capability even more. Telephoto lenses and optical zoom technology can score you a picture that looks like you were right beside your photo subject. Digital cameras and even mobile phones that let you snap close-up shots without disturbing wildlife make photo outings       AWESOME!!! Red Fox in the Cavendish area of Prince Edward Island National Park Pin It (Note: Trust me, you'll want to disable the digital zoom option or you'll end up wasting your photo opportunity. You'll also want to steady your camera on a tripod or anything else that's available, because zooming in magnifies movement and can interfere with your photo quality.)

I remember tearing up when a young woman sang “Oh Canada ” on Parliament Hill to kickstart the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation’s CIBC Run for the Cure back in 2002. Granted, that is a particularly emotional run. Cindy and Kelley at Friday's performance Sometimes the lyrics of a song can overwhelm you. Other times, the way someone sings a tune can open the floodgates. On Friday evening, I had the pleasure of experiencing the perfect storm…beautiful lyrics belted out by an incredibly talented songstress, PEI ’s Kelley Mooney. Opening for another PEI artist, Catherine MacLellan , at the Moncton Press Club, Kelley outshone the headliner. Not only did she perform a number of original pieces from her current album (Tomorrow) , she also sang her version of a classic Leonard Cohen tune. Now K.D. Lang, Jon Bon Jovi and many others have covered “Allelujah,” but Kelley takes it to a whole other level. She rewrote the lyrics to tell the Easter tale, and even Leonard Cohen has given...

Dr. William Glasser, a famous psychiatrist, asserts that people are “driven by genetics to satisfy five basic needs: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom and fun.” His math adds up to five, because he counts love and belonging as a single need. Jean Vanier, founder of L’Arche and son of a former Governor General of Canada, disagrees. He contends that that need to belong runs far “deeper than the need to be loved.” As children, one of the worst threats a classmate could fling at you ran something along these lines: “Oh yeah, well you’re not invited to my birthday party.” The danger wasn’t that you’d miss out on cake. No, it was that you’d be excluded. Inclusion was important then and the same holds true for us as adults. Grown ups may not lose sleep about birthday parties, but we go to great lengths to feel accepted by members of social clubs, families, professional associations, sports teams, churches, unions, classes, sororities/fraternities, volunteer groups, guil...

Aurora borealis sightings are rare in populous areas of Canada . But when those ethereal green and red hues do dance across the horizon, they mesmerize us. The colours are fleeting and ever-shifting, so snapping photos or recording video of the Northern Lights is tough. Yet, every now and then a talented photographer captures the magic.    In August, local photographer Stephen Desroches happened to spot the Northern Lights in the PEI National Park . Here are links to two of his photos, http://365.focusedonlight.com/index.php/Landscapes/2011-08-07/   http://365.focusedonlight.com/index.php/Landscapes/2011-08-06/ which are nothing short of          AWESOME! Less than a month after Stephen posted his photos, the crew of the International Space Station shot the following video of the Southern Lights ( aurora australis ―the Southern hemisphere’s equivalent to the Northern Lights). Enjoy the video in all its awesomeness....

Perhaps you've met one or two of these hospital volunteers and they've made a difference for you or someone you love. Beyond the traditional candy stripers, there are the generous souls who crochet hats and knit blankets or booties for newborns and preemies. Or, how about the women's auxilliary running the gift shop? What about those who visit and read to patients in palliative wards?  In Charlottetown, some talented volunteers used their sewing supplies, skills and time to make a visit to the breast health centre a little less clinical. Check out these handmade gowns...johnny shirts with floral flair.       AWESOME!

 Sunrise at Kool Breeze Farms, Summerside, Prince Edward Island  Early risers tend to benefit from waking up before the rest of the world (plus r ousing before your alarm clock is a sure sign you’re well rested and ready for the day). You can have time on your own before the real world bombards you with demands, news, car and lawnmower noises, important decisions and general yammering. If you have a busy household, the crack of dawn may be the only chance to have the bathroom or kitchen all to yourself.  Maybe getting up and out the door before others means you can score the best cardio equipment at your gym or be the sole jogger on a quiet trail. For some of you, setting out early may even help you gain precious time by avoiding traffic tie-ups, line ups at coffee shops, etc. For me, early mornings are when I savour reading and writing. My optimism and sense of well being seem to peak in those wee hours. I also seem to accomplish far more in those ...

Last weekend, Islanders lugged odds and ends out to the curb for the 14th annual 70-mile yard sale . Every year, junk migrates from one home to a neighbouring one, and proximity to the ferry means that some stuff even makes its way across the Northumberland Strait to settle in Nova Scotia. Before Kajiji and eBay, people parted with unwanted belongings primarily through yard sales, consignment shops, flea markets, thrift stores and moving sales. Even in today's electronic age, there are diehard garage sale shoppers who will go to great lengths to find the right bargain. These individuals are early risers, expert hagglers and persistent seekers. (I'm convinced my mom doesn't even need to slow down her car to spot a Fisher-Price piece to complete one of her precious 1970s toy sets or a spoon to match a rare silver service.) Rummage through your attic, unearth boxes from your basement and reach back into the recesses of your closets. Chances are you'll discover...

Members of the SkyHawks Parachute Demo Team  Last weekend, I took in the 2011 Atlantic Canada International Air Show. It struck me that everyone enjoyed the event, despite the wide range in ages. Young children squealed as they clamoured up static displays run by the Canadian Forces. The Generation Z kids also cheered from strollers and grown ups' shoulders . Teenagers were mesmerized by aircraft breaking the sound barrier and star struck by pilots and parachutists. Adults gasped at the are-they-out-of-their-mind feats and the precision of the manoeuvres. Senior citizens and WWII veterans watched patriotic performances and reminisced about seeing an antique aircraft in its heyday. Your age just doesn’t matter ; the consensus is that air shows are       AWESOME! Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, GenXs, Millennials (GenYs) and GenZs take in the 2011 Atlantic Canada International Air Sh...

As adults, we go out of our way to avoid showing up somewhere dressed like anyone else. If I end up sporting the same outfit as a friend, we can chalk that up to an irresistible sale or similar taste in clothes. From then on, we'll call or text one another before leaving home wearing that particular item of clothing. But remember when you were young and you thought it was cool to dress like your best friend or a sibling? My childhood friend Jolanda and I used to have matching leotards for rhythmic dance classes at the Y and sometimes our moms sewed identical dresses for us. Matching outfits made us feel like kindred spirits…two peas in a pod…        AWESOME! Two cuties at Old Home Week 2011, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island