The sky has cleared of smoke in BC’s lower mainland, the sun is out, and the birds are glorious.
How to Learn Estonian in One Minute
Apparently I just became fluent in Estonian in the course of writing one Tweet. . . : – )
Hm, that’s hard to see, but between my Tweet and my photo is a little link that says “Translate from Estonian.”
Baking on a Muggy Day
Not sure how I got into baking on a warm, poor air-quality advisory day, but the results are looking good, if a tad rough around the edges : -).
MLA Chouhan, MP Julian Summer BBQ in Edmonds
Fun shooting photos at the annual summer BBQ put on by local MLA Raj Chouhan and MP Peter Julian.
Muggy, Smoky West Coast — Keep Your Pets Hydrated
Dunno about you, but I’ve been downing liters of water, unsweetened lemon juice, cold green tea, and, um, OK, a beer now that the clock is ticking into the evening hours. . .
What about your pets? Make sure they are hydrating, too. Especially with cats, it may take a bit of effort, but make it fun, and they’ll drink.
Fortunately our cat has a well-established drinking routine, and seeks us out for mutual hydration.
Cleaning Sediment Trap on Byrne Creek
Every couple of years the sediment trap upstream of the artificial spawning channel on Byrne Ck in SE Burnaby needs to be cleaned out. Enviro techs, City staff, and volunteer streamkeepers salvage fish, lamprey, crayfish, etc. with nets and move them downstream as the water is pumped down.
It’s hot, muddy work, but also great fun to see what turns up!
Fraser Foreshore Park Ponds Teem with Wildlife
Lots of action down in Fraser Foreshore Park in south Burnaby.
Choco and Yumi Capture the SPCA’s ‘Ask Me About My Cats’
Our SPCA adult rescue Choco with Yumi — we got Choco from the Burnaby SPCA in August 2005.
I just went upstairs to get a drink and there they were, with Yumi wearing her SPCA “Ask Me About My Cat(s)” T-shirt
Barred Owl Chows Down on Mole in SE Burnaby
We heard a Barred Owl call during our afternoon walk in Byrne Creek Ravine Park in SE Burnaby. We looked for it, and eventually spotted it high in a tree. It sat there staring at us, while we stood there enjoying its beauty for several minutes.
We then realized it had caught a mole, and it began to nonchalantly shred and eat it as we watched. We didn’t hang around as we didn’t want to potentially disturb the owl’s meal.
A nature show right in “our backyard!”
Unfortunately I got only a few usable shots out of about a hundred taken with my pocket Canon 720HS. I was hand-holding at max 40X optical zoom, and had the ISO boosted to 1600, both factors limiting image quality.
Here’s a wide shot to show how high up it was.
Welcoming New Hiking Boots
I’m a rambling man. . .
An early birthday present. Vibram soles, breathable uppers.
Thank you my darling wife!
Dunno how many pairs of hiking boots I’ve worn out over the decades, ranging from traditional full leather to modern weird stuff.
These seem to be a nice balance of tried-and-true soles and moderately high-tech uppers.
