We walked all the way from our place in SE Burnaby, BC, to Central Park at the west end of the city. Did a loop through the park, and walked home.
It was a gorgeous day, deep blue skies, cherry blossoms starting to appear, and lots of birds.
Bald Eagles
Cherry blossoms
Lovely view of The Sisters
Northern Flicker drumming on roof flashing in our complex
Spotted Towhee
Cool fungus on a tree stump on the urban trail beneath the Skytrain line
I spent a couple of hours rambling Byrne Creek Ravine Park and Taylor Park in SE Burnaby, BC, today. It was a lovely sunny day, and lots of birds.
House Finch
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Varied Thrush
Dark-eyed Junco
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Anna’s Hummingbird
Black-capped Chickadee
American Robin
My morning Byrne Creek and Taylor Park ramble turned up a Cooper’s Hawk, four or five Anna’s Hummingbirds, and a Varied Thrush.
Cooper’s Hawk
Anna’s Hummingbird
Varied Thrush
.Putin is waking up people all over the world who have Ukrainian roots, those who support them, and those who cherish freedom and democracy.
I was a “Super-Uke” in my youth and early adulthood.
For many years I was in a Ukrainian youth chorus, was an altar boy and Sunday school teacher in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, was Saskatchewan provincial president of the Ukrainian Students’ Union of Canada, was a teacher at Ukrainian youth camps, and a teacher at Ukrainian language summer schools.
And eventually I burned out and abandoned most of my Ukrainian connections.
I went to Japan to teach English for over a decade, and then do journalism for Tokyo-based English-language news services for a few more years. That was about as far away as one could get from Ukrainian-Canadian issues .
It wasn’t until after I returned to Canada in my 40s that I started gradually returning to the Ukrainian world, assisting an aunt and my late mom in translating and editing some 20 volumes of Ukrainian literature into English.
My Ukrainian is very rusty now, after several decades of little involvement with the Ukrainian-Canadian community.
But, Putin, you’ve inspired me to be more active, to perhaps polish my weakened language skills.
P.S. I don’t hate Russians, I love your resistance. I just hate Putin and the oligarachs.
You all deserve better, and I admire your protests.
I came across four or five Steller’s Jays hanging out together during my morning walk in SE Burnaby, BC.
I also heard a bird drumming on metal flashing, and figured it would be a Northern Flicker. I eventually spotted it atop a tall utility pole.
And today, as with many days recently, there were Varied Thrushes hanging around Byrne Creek Ravine Park.
Steller’s Jay
Varied Thrush
Northern Flicker