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...

This week, I heard about a report that calls sitting the new smoking . Yes, we spend so much time parked on our tushies that sitting is now a killer.   We're sedentary during meals and our commutes. We sit at our computers, around meeting tables, in classes, and in front of TVs and gaming devices.   Well, it's time for a break from the chair.   In Canada, today marked Take Me Outside Day , an annual event to encourage adults to set a positive example for future generations. On October 25th, Canadians are urged to step outside with children or teens.   Get up. Get out. Take in fresh air and commune with nature. As ideas go, this one's        AWESOME !   Resources: 2012 Report Card on Active Healthy Kids Canada Eat Well and Be Active Educational Toolkit (Health Canada) Study on prolonged sitting and the association with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death ( published in Diabetologia ) - Free ...

It's tough not to enjoy campfire or wood-stove embers? Entrancing colour and comforting warmth. You can prod and poke logs to make more bits tumble into the simmering pile of embers. And you're guaranteed that anything you roast over those embers will be        AWESOME!

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.)

The Bay of Fundy region presents visitors with breathtaking vistas and memorable experiences. For those of you who are right-brain dominant, who can resist these wonders: fossil cliffs, reversing rapids, the world’s highest tides, incredible trails and lookouts, diverse wildlife, quaint lighthouses, Hopewell Rocks and other geological treasures, tidal bores, covered bridges, the world's oldest Red Spruce tree, waterfalls and much more. If you’re driven by the left side of your brain, then below you’ll find numbers pointing out how lucky we are to have the Bay of Fundy . 100 billion tons of water flow in and out of the Bay of Fundy twice every 24 hours 1 billion years of geological evidence making up the 300 million years ago the Joggins Fossil Cliffs formed 2,500 square kilometers – size of the Fundy Geopark (Stonehammer) – North America ’s only UNESCO recognized geopark   350 migrating bird species feed along the Bay of Fundy’s Nova Scotia shore...

By major, I don't mean in-town green spaces, but rather the vast areas where we can connect with nature. As Canadians, we are fortunate to have access to so many exceptional national and provincial parks. People flock to these parks to hike trails, swim in lakes, pitch tents, picnic, stroll beaches, canoe, kayak, sailboard, observe flora and fauna, and build campfires. Fond childhood and teenage memories from two Ontario provincial parks―Ipperwash and the Pinery―continue to fuel my drive to explore more of Canada ’s protected areas. There, dedicated park employees strive to guard endangered species and sensitive ecosystems from invasive plants and diseases. They maintain park facilities and staff interpretation centres for all to enjoy. Even though summer is waning, don’t let that keep you from the parks. Many are accessible throughout the year, so visit them despite the onset of cooler weather. You just might gain a better appreciation for the parks when ...