We participated again this year and had fun. The kids lit a bunch of candles (with me in the room) and we sat and watched a movie together. It was really nice. All the other lights were out. Sadly alot of my neighbours had their lights on.
Till next year when we can do it again!
Here's what WWF- Canada had to say:
Climate Change Message Heard Around the World!
Thank you Canada for becoming part of the solution by sending a strong message to world leaders about the need for action on climate change!
A poll commissioned by WWF-Canada shows that more than half of all adult Canadians (52%) participated in WWF’s Earth Hour on March 28, creating an unprecedented call to action on climate change in advance of the UN negotiations in Copenhagen in December. The main reasons people turned off their lights were to show support for action on climate change and express a commitment to take personal action for the environment.
Globally, almost 4,000 cities in 88 countries participated in Earth Hour, far exceeding WWF’s global goal of 1,000 cities. Canada was again among the leading countries in the campaign in terms both cities participating (more than 280 nationally) and for participation per capita.
The poll results also show that Canadian concern for climate change extends far beyond participating in Earth Hour. Eighty per cent of Canadians believe that Earth Hour is sending a message to the federal government that now is the time to start taking climate change seriously and develop a plan to reduce emissions.
Still time to sign up!
If you forgot to sign-up for Earth Hour there is still time! Do it now and your sign-up will still count to the global count.
People were inspired across the country and around the globe as monuments such as the CN Tower, the Eiffel Tower, the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the Acropolis and the Empire State Building went dark. This year we welcomed new participation from people in countries such as India and China, and welcomed back the countries that celebrated Earth Hour in 2008.
Thanks to everyone for making our climate change message heard around the world. However you celebrated, we hope it was a truly memorable experience and we hope that you continue to take actions every day to reduce your ecological footprint. Remember to make every hour Earth Hour by joining WWF-Canada’s web-based community, The Good Life! The next few months will be critical as we wait to see how global leaders react to this united call for action on climate change.
How low did we go?
The goal of Earth Hour is really about participation but it is also fun to track the energy reductions across the nation.
The results are just starting to trickle in and we'll update you here as we get them.
City/Town, Energy Drop (Energy Drop Percentage)
Alberta
Calgary, 10 MW (1%)
Edmonton, (5,2%)
British Columbia, 72.67 MW (1.1%)
Victoria, (3.1%)
Vancouver, (1.3%)
New Brunswick, 20 MW
Newfoundland and Labrador, (1%)
Nova Scotia, 15 MW (1%) Ontario, 920 MW (6%)
Toronto, 455 MW (15%)
Mississauga, (10%)
Ottawa, (6%)
Oakville, (13.3%)
Peterorough, (10%)
Richmond Hill, 43 MW (27%)
Prince Edward Island, (9.7%)
Quebec, 150 MW (5%)
Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, (1.2%)
If your city or provinces results aren't here please ask your local city leaders or hydro company as WWF-Canada won't be following up directly with any energy providers.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Welcome to March
Its hard to believe its the first day of March. Where has the time gone? As I sit at the desk I can see snow flakes falling down - nothing major but still a reminder that Spring is a few weeks away. Being a winter baby (March 8), I love winter and the snow that comes. But this winter has actually been a long cold one with lots of snow. This snow baby is ready for spring.
The days are getting longer and the sun "appears" to be brighter and thts a beautiful thing!
On the knitting front I still haven't gotten much done. Still working on a scarf but one of these days I will set my mind to it and finish it and the other projects.
With the snow melting I can see the mess I will have to deal with in a few weeks in the gardens, which by the way got neglected alot last year. I am thinking of ripping one up and beginning again.
I went to Ash Wednesday mass with the kids on Wednesday and then headed to work. My goal is to make it to church more during the Lenten season this year. With Matt's accident last year I hate to say I hadn't been to church since last Jan/Feb '08.
Also, I will try and post more here. With the hours I work at work 9-10 hour days its hard to get the daily stuff done let alone all the fun stuff. lol
My daughter, Miki, and I went to a friends 1st Anniversary sale at her Quilt Shoppe. She offered 30% off and I got some fabric to make my recyle bag and a few patterns that I should be able to do. I am not a big sewer but it would be fun to do. Add to the growing list of to do. lol
Well of to finish some laundry, send my daughter's friend home and head to my parents for the day and dinner.
Have a peaceful Sunday.
The days are getting longer and the sun "appears" to be brighter and thts a beautiful thing!
On the knitting front I still haven't gotten much done. Still working on a scarf but one of these days I will set my mind to it and finish it and the other projects.
With the snow melting I can see the mess I will have to deal with in a few weeks in the gardens, which by the way got neglected alot last year. I am thinking of ripping one up and beginning again.
I went to Ash Wednesday mass with the kids on Wednesday and then headed to work. My goal is to make it to church more during the Lenten season this year. With Matt's accident last year I hate to say I hadn't been to church since last Jan/Feb '08.
Also, I will try and post more here. With the hours I work at work 9-10 hour days its hard to get the daily stuff done let alone all the fun stuff. lol
My daughter, Miki, and I went to a friends 1st Anniversary sale at her Quilt Shoppe. She offered 30% off and I got some fabric to make my recyle bag and a few patterns that I should be able to do. I am not a big sewer but it would be fun to do. Add to the growing list of to do. lol
Well of to finish some laundry, send my daughter's friend home and head to my parents for the day and dinner.
Have a peaceful Sunday.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Mid of January
Its hard to believe its the middle of January already. Where has the month gone. It has been a really cold week this past week with temps getting down to -28C with the windchill. Okay its nothing like the West with their temps at -50C but baby its COLD OUTSIDE!
Now we have to contend with snow and more snow. I really am getting tired of it but it beats heat of the summer. Hubby took the sled for a rip at the local park ( a no no) but he hasn't had a chance to ride it up at the farm as the trails are still not open. They got early snow and farmers hadn't taken off all of their corn yet so some of the fields aren't snowmobile friendly.
It's going to be a busy week here - Quincy gets a hair cut on Tuesday and the cats go for the neutering and nails on Friday and come home Saturday. Still not sure about the nails but I do want to save the furniture.
Well my son had his belated birthday party last night and the kids were good. Darling daughter had a friend as well and they didn't bother the boys too much. The kids loved the castle cake I made this year. Isn't anything full of candy good. lol They all left at 10 am and its been a jammy day ever since.
I have three reviews to write up but have no motivation. I did finish reading Fleece Navidad and earlier this week I read Dyer Consequences both by Maggie Sefton. I love her books. Knitting and mystery what a deadly combination! hehe
Well off to get my work cloths washed so I can wear them tomorrow and write the reviews...
Choi!
Now we have to contend with snow and more snow. I really am getting tired of it but it beats heat of the summer. Hubby took the sled for a rip at the local park ( a no no) but he hasn't had a chance to ride it up at the farm as the trails are still not open. They got early snow and farmers hadn't taken off all of their corn yet so some of the fields aren't snowmobile friendly.
It's going to be a busy week here - Quincy gets a hair cut on Tuesday and the cats go for the neutering and nails on Friday and come home Saturday. Still not sure about the nails but I do want to save the furniture.
Well my son had his belated birthday party last night and the kids were good. Darling daughter had a friend as well and they didn't bother the boys too much. The kids loved the castle cake I made this year. Isn't anything full of candy good. lol They all left at 10 am and its been a jammy day ever since.
I have three reviews to write up but have no motivation. I did finish reading Fleece Navidad and earlier this week I read Dyer Consequences both by Maggie Sefton. I love her books. Knitting and mystery what a deadly combination! hehe
Well off to get my work cloths washed so I can wear them tomorrow and write the reviews...
Choi!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Some Scarves I made for Christmas
I actually made 5 scarves for Christmas but didn't take photos of the first two as I was away for training with work. Just forgot to do it as I did have the camera with me.
The white scarf was yarn my mil had and asked me to knit her a scarf. One of the red ones (longer one) was for me to go on a grey sweater that I had bought to wear for Christmas and I made a shorter version for my mil as she commented that she liked the colour.
Sad to say I still didn't complete everything on my list this year but hopefully will get some of it done for next year.
The white scarf was yarn my mil had and asked me to knit her a scarf. One of the red ones (longer one) was for me to go on a grey sweater that I had bought to wear for Christmas and I made a shorter version for my mil as she commented that she liked the colour.
Sad to say I still didn't complete everything on my list this year but hopefully will get some of it done for next year.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Made the 5 minute chocolate cake
Well I tried these and one thing you have to eat them right away of they go hard. I made two and the kids finished a game of bowling on wii sport and the one was hard as a rock.
I had a tiny taste of it before it went lumpy and it wasn't bad. So they both had some of Miki's. Live and learn.
Will post some pictures of them after.
I know what I did wrong! I nuked it for 5 minutes and it should of been 3. Got it for next time.
I had a tiny taste of it before it went lumpy and it wasn't bad. So they both had some of Miki's. Live and learn.
Will post some pictures of them after.
I know what I did wrong! I nuked it for 5 minutes and it should of been 3. Got it for next time.
Saturday, November 01, 2008
October Gales and Geese
I took these photos last week when the winds were blowing something fierce off of Lake Huron. Then I took the ones of the geese a few days later.
Chocolate cake in under 5 mins
Okay for the chocolic in me this is good. Very good! So I was on the Stashalong blog and found this. Sorry just cutting and pasting to my blog so I can make this later. Guess I need breakfast first. hmmmmmmm chocolate cake for breakfast.
AliP (find a link to her in the side bar) emailed me this crazy recipe. Get this: 5-minute chocolate cake from scratch! Seriously! Well, let me tell you: by the time I finished replying to her email (how DARE she send me such a tempting recipe!), I had the thing printed off. I practically floated upstairs to the kitchen and started scoping out the ingredients. By the way, 4 tbsp = 60 ml or 1/4 cup, 2 tbsp =30 ml or 1/8 cup, 3 tbsp = 45ml, measurements provided for your convenience in case you don't want to so the math. Also I couldn't located my tbsp measure in under 5 minutes, so there you go. Oh, and instead of chocolate chips, I grated some baking chocolate into the mix, because you can never have too many calories in a chocolate cake. HEHEH
5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
a small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug
Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous). And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!
As soon as I opened the microwave door the thing started to drop down into the mug. Don't be alarmed, eh? You should have seen my eyes popping out of my head right before it was done cooking; I was seriously nervous about the thing totally messing up the clean microwave (that my husband cleaned a couple days ago!). It was about 3/4 as high above the mug as the mug itself!
That's how it looked for about half a minute, about how long it took me to take a decent picture, before this cake was assaulted by my fork. Slightly chewy on the outside, not as light and fluffy as a traditional cake (duh) but quite edible (if you're not too fussy or don't have overly high standards) and need I say, chocolaty. Not bad at all. I plan on over-indulging on a regular basis! And I'm about to teach this little gem of a recipe to my kids. They'll love me for it.
AliP (find a link to her in the side bar) emailed me this crazy recipe. Get this: 5-minute chocolate cake from scratch! Seriously! Well, let me tell you: by the time I finished replying to her email (how DARE she send me such a tempting recipe!), I had the thing printed off. I practically floated upstairs to the kitchen and started scoping out the ingredients. By the way, 4 tbsp = 60 ml or 1/4 cup, 2 tbsp =30 ml or 1/8 cup, 3 tbsp = 45ml, measurements provided for your convenience in case you don't want to so the math. Also I couldn't located my tbsp measure in under 5 minutes, so there you go. Oh, and instead of chocolate chips, I grated some baking chocolate into the mix, because you can never have too many calories in a chocolate cake. HEHEH
5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
a small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug
Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous). And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!
As soon as I opened the microwave door the thing started to drop down into the mug. Don't be alarmed, eh? You should have seen my eyes popping out of my head right before it was done cooking; I was seriously nervous about the thing totally messing up the clean microwave (that my husband cleaned a couple days ago!). It was about 3/4 as high above the mug as the mug itself!
That's how it looked for about half a minute, about how long it took me to take a decent picture, before this cake was assaulted by my fork. Slightly chewy on the outside, not as light and fluffy as a traditional cake (duh) but quite edible (if you're not too fussy or don't have overly high standards) and need I say, chocolaty. Not bad at all. I plan on over-indulging on a regular basis! And I'm about to teach this little gem of a recipe to my kids. They'll love me for it.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Never a Dull moment in the Grove
I had gone to town today and when I came home I saw all the kids outside of the school along the fence. There were a couple of fire trucks so I thought they were doing a fire drill. Didn't think much of it and hubby mentioned something when he came home about 15 mins later.
So around 2pm I went on my yahoo account and there was an Alert Mail. Normally I delete them but I thought I'd read it.
Well I am glad I did! As this is what it said:
At 1:30PM today Sarnia Fire and Rescue was called to St Michael's school in Brights Grove to investigate a natural gas odour. The building has been evacuated and Union Gas is investigating. There are no reports of injuries.
The alert hasn't been cancelled yet but picture day was cancelled and there's no homework. My sons teacher has borrowed my cell phone to call parents because there's kids that have kids to their house in the class room and no one is allowed in.
From the Sarnia Observer
BREAKING NEWS — Firefighters called to Bright's Grove school
Posted By Observer staff
Firefighters have been called to St. Michael's school in Bright's Grove this afternoon.
Fire officials say they are investigating a reported natural gas odour.
Engines from four fire stations responded shortly after 1 p.m.
Tom Marshall, of Sarnia Fire and Rescue Services, said school officials reported feeling the school shake, which set off an alarm at the school.
The school was evacuated as a precaution and Union Gas officials have been called to the scene.
There were no injuries and the investigation is continuing.
More updates will follow.
So around 2pm I went on my yahoo account and there was an Alert Mail. Normally I delete them but I thought I'd read it.
Well I am glad I did! As this is what it said:
At 1:30PM today Sarnia Fire and Rescue was called to St Michael's school in Brights Grove to investigate a natural gas odour. The building has been evacuated and Union Gas is investigating. There are no reports of injuries.
The alert hasn't been cancelled yet but picture day was cancelled and there's no homework. My sons teacher has borrowed my cell phone to call parents because there's kids that have kids to their house in the class room and no one is allowed in.
From the Sarnia Observer
BREAKING NEWS — Firefighters called to Bright's Grove school
Posted By Observer staff
Firefighters have been called to St. Michael's school in Bright's Grove this afternoon.
Fire officials say they are investigating a reported natural gas odour.
Engines from four fire stations responded shortly after 1 p.m.
Tom Marshall, of Sarnia Fire and Rescue Services, said school officials reported feeling the school shake, which set off an alarm at the school.
The school was evacuated as a precaution and Union Gas officials have been called to the scene.
There were no injuries and the investigation is continuing.
More updates will follow.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Busy Day
I will have to add some photos of the new potted container I did today. I took the oostpermums out and add fall coloured mums with a pumpkin in it. Boy does it look cute! We also but a bail of straw on the front porch with gords and baby pumpkins. The kids and I had fun doing it.
Tonight was the night that I took my staff out to Boston pizza for a pizza and pop party. Nine girls were able to come (next time get RSVPs) and we order 4 different pizza. They were good as usual and here is a sampling of what we got:
PEPPERONI AND MUSHROOM
Signature pizza sauce, mozzarella,
pepperoni and fresh mushrooms.
BASIC CHEESE PIZZA (but did half and half with PEPPERONI).
BOSTON ROYAL
Signature pizza sauce, mozzarella,
smoked ham, pepperoni, shrimp,
olives, green pepper, onion and
mushrooms.
TUSCAN
Pomodoro sauce, mozzarella,
cheddar, spicy chicken breast,
roasted garlic, fresh spinach,
sun-dried tomatoes and feta.
I stayed with the pepperoni and mushroom with extra cheese and it was good! Fresh mushrooms and lots of cheese. The other two looked okay but I am not a shrimp fan and I do not like tomatoes of any kind.
The top three girls that won my little contest (I was one but gave it up for the team) got a $25 gift certificate to our local mall. What did they have to do to win it? Well....we have our annual back to school campaign to get packs for children who cannot afford school supplies. Our goal was set and I thought alittle competition for the most packs sold (cash donations counted as one too and we took those and bought more packs with them) would win a prize. Nothing motivates people than a reward.
Also, I did the pizza and pop party as an additional incentive to come on top for our district. One store was a head pretty much the whole time and my girls brought it and kicked some country ass by 55 transactions.
It was a fun night and I am thinking I'd like to do something like this down the road as a get together.
Well off to get some laundry done and hit the hay
Tonight was the night that I took my staff out to Boston pizza for a pizza and pop party. Nine girls were able to come (next time get RSVPs) and we order 4 different pizza. They were good as usual and here is a sampling of what we got:
PEPPERONI AND MUSHROOM
Signature pizza sauce, mozzarella,
pepperoni and fresh mushrooms.
BASIC CHEESE PIZZA (but did half and half with PEPPERONI).
BOSTON ROYAL
Signature pizza sauce, mozzarella,
smoked ham, pepperoni, shrimp,
olives, green pepper, onion and
mushrooms.
TUSCAN
Pomodoro sauce, mozzarella,
cheddar, spicy chicken breast,
roasted garlic, fresh spinach,
sun-dried tomatoes and feta.
I stayed with the pepperoni and mushroom with extra cheese and it was good! Fresh mushrooms and lots of cheese. The other two looked okay but I am not a shrimp fan and I do not like tomatoes of any kind.
The top three girls that won my little contest (I was one but gave it up for the team) got a $25 gift certificate to our local mall. What did they have to do to win it? Well....we have our annual back to school campaign to get packs for children who cannot afford school supplies. Our goal was set and I thought alittle competition for the most packs sold (cash donations counted as one too and we took those and bought more packs with them) would win a prize. Nothing motivates people than a reward.
Also, I did the pizza and pop party as an additional incentive to come on top for our district. One store was a head pretty much the whole time and my girls brought it and kicked some country ass by 55 transactions.
It was a fun night and I am thinking I'd like to do something like this down the road as a get together.
Well off to get some laundry done and hit the hay
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Toronto Zoo pics
Here are some pictures of our trip to the Toronto Zoo this summer. More photos to come.
Sunday, July 06, 2008
One flower bed done
Well I got one flowre bed weeded so far today and I have 5 more to go. With two of them being nasty! With the one I just got done I planted a yellow clematis (Clematis - Helios - Tangutica). The flowers are bell shape and I think its really cute! The other plant that I planted there was Rudebeckia - Gloriosa Daisy - Becky Yellow. Its sooooo cute. It will only get to be 10-12" tall. Not like the clematis that will be 9-15' tall. So the weeding is done and I miracle growth the crap out, my hanging baskets and my pot.
My pot is looking good still. I am surprised! I also bought some other plants - in yellow and one purple too. Names are escaping me at the moment. But I will let you know later.
I am contemplating buying some mulch now and laying it down so the weeds won't come up as quickly or waiting till I have a few more beds done. But! That might take all summer. Though the rose one - I watered the crap out of part of it and the weeds came up fine and dandy. Can't wait to see them weedless. Or its going to be a "natural" garden.
Have a great day. The weather is beautiful. 25C humidex at 30C. Wish my pool was one to go swimming.
My pot is looking good still. I am surprised! I also bought some other plants - in yellow and one purple too. Names are escaping me at the moment. But I will let you know later.
I am contemplating buying some mulch now and laying it down so the weeds won't come up as quickly or waiting till I have a few more beds done. But! That might take all summer. Though the rose one - I watered the crap out of part of it and the weeds came up fine and dandy. Can't wait to see them weedless. Or its going to be a "natural" garden.
Have a great day. The weather is beautiful. 25C humidex at 30C. Wish my pool was one to go swimming.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Happy Canada Long weekend .......or not
Oops! We actually get screwed out of a long weekend as Canada is July 1st and it falls on a Tuesday this year. Boo!!!! Hissssss!! lol
I can't believe I haven't been on here since April 21st. Holy crap. Its been raining like crazy this past month. Lots of thunderstorms and torrential down pours. Good news is the lake level is coming up.
The kids pasted and are moving up to grades 6 and 4 this year. Matt's walking again! Its been a long haul but he's still limping. Hopefully by the end of summer he will be running. We are taking our holiday the first week of August - and we will be off for a week. Which will be nice. Not sure where we are going but doing something.
The farm still hasn't sold. Bugger! I am hopeful by the end of summer its gone. I haven't been up too much lately, with the gas prices and the kids doing things with friends and soccer tournaments. We haven't gone up much. Next weekend is the family reunion so we will be up there for that. And Brian's sister and her family is home from the UEA! Yeah! Our son will be happy to play with his cousin!
Well off to do some weeding in the rain. Good way to get all of them picked. One of these days I will knit again.
Choi!
I can't believe I haven't been on here since April 21st. Holy crap. Its been raining like crazy this past month. Lots of thunderstorms and torrential down pours. Good news is the lake level is coming up.
The kids pasted and are moving up to grades 6 and 4 this year. Matt's walking again! Its been a long haul but he's still limping. Hopefully by the end of summer he will be running. We are taking our holiday the first week of August - and we will be off for a week. Which will be nice. Not sure where we are going but doing something.
The farm still hasn't sold. Bugger! I am hopeful by the end of summer its gone. I haven't been up too much lately, with the gas prices and the kids doing things with friends and soccer tournaments. We haven't gone up much. Next weekend is the family reunion so we will be up there for that. And Brian's sister and her family is home from the UEA! Yeah! Our son will be happy to play with his cousin!
Well off to do some weeding in the rain. Good way to get all of them picked. One of these days I will knit again.
Choi!
Monday, April 21, 2008
Exciting weekend
I had an exciting weekend...NOT! The start of it was okay but then on Sunday morning I had to start prep to have a Colonoscopy this morning. Wasn't looking forward to it but it turned out normal, for that I am thankful.
I did some knitting this weekend and I read S is for Silence by Susan Grafton. I have pretty much the whole series but haven't read that many books. Now I can get into them and finish reading them before the next book comes out.
I still have to post some photos later but I am on the kids computer. I got a clearance computer at work for $47, plus monitor $15 and a wireless internet card for $39. So for under $100 the kids got a pretty good computer.
Well off to watch some tv - still tired and just want to go to bed but its to early for that.
Leigh
I did some knitting this weekend and I read S is for Silence by Susan Grafton. I have pretty much the whole series but haven't read that many books. Now I can get into them and finish reading them before the next book comes out.
I still have to post some photos later but I am on the kids computer. I got a clearance computer at work for $47, plus monitor $15 and a wireless internet card for $39. So for under $100 the kids got a pretty good computer.
Well off to watch some tv - still tired and just want to go to bed but its to early for that.
Leigh
Friday, April 11, 2008
Monday, March 31, 2008
Wow the end of the Month!
Hard to believe that its Mars 31st! Seems just like yesterday it was the 1st, then my birthday and a blizzard on the same day. Then we had March Break which coinceded with my b-day as well. Next came the first day of spring and then Easter. Now we are knocking on April 1st for the Fool's day.
I did manage to get some knitting done this month. Lucky me! lol Two scarves and 2 baby hats made it to the done pile. The hats are going to Sarnia Craft Supply to be given to Save the Children charity. They are looking to collect 3000 by May 1st. Hopefully I can knit up a few more to go with it.
Oh!! This past Saturday was the Lambton Stich N Bitch! What fun! I had a blast and the girls are great. I even started and finished a scarf there. Okay! Okay! I had two rows to finish when I got home. Will post pictures later.
Speaking of photos: here are a few I took of Ingall's Fall at Easter. Its near Harrison Park in Owen Sound, ON
Enjoy!
I did manage to get some knitting done this month. Lucky me! lol Two scarves and 2 baby hats made it to the done pile. The hats are going to Sarnia Craft Supply to be given to Save the Children charity. They are looking to collect 3000 by May 1st. Hopefully I can knit up a few more to go with it.
Oh!! This past Saturday was the Lambton Stich N Bitch! What fun! I had a blast and the girls are great. I even started and finished a scarf there. Okay! Okay! I had two rows to finish when I got home. Will post pictures later.
Speaking of photos: here are a few I took of Ingall's Fall at Easter. Its near Harrison Park in Owen Sound, ON
Enjoy!
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Earth Hour
Well Earth Hour here in S-W Ontario is about 1 1/2 hours away. Some of the people I have talked to are going to particpate. Go Lambton SNB's!!
Some fun links:
http://www.earthhour.org/downloads/EH_728x90.swf
http://www.earthhour.org/about (the video where it all began)
The sails of Sydney's famous Opera House were plunged into darkness Saturday as Australia's largest city voluntarily switched its lights off Saturday night.
The event, known as Sydney's Earth Hour was billed as a sixty-minute demonstration of Australia's resolve to curb global warming. Thanks to a reliance on coal-fired power plants, Australia is the world's single largest per-capital emitter of carbon dioxide.
If nothing else, the lights of Sydney's skyline were noticeably thinned by Earth Hour, which began at 7:30 local time. Officials had arranged for all non-essential city lights to be switched off, and residents followed suit by darkening their homes and unplugging unnecessary appliances. Hundreds gathered at Sydney harbor to watch the spectacle, while clubs and restaurants served patrons by candlelight.
While billed as something of a party, Earth Hour kicks-off a serious 12-month public awareness push by the World Wildlife Federation-Australia and the Sydney Morning Herald. The immediate goal is to cut the city's greenhouse emissions by 5-percent. In the long run, Earth Hour organizers hope to expand their concept to other cities in 2008, coupling it with a focused initiative to make deep and permanent cuts in the amount of carbon dioxide being pumped into the Earth's atmosphere.
Sydney's mayor, Clover Moore, told Sky News Saturday that his city is serious about addressing climate change.
"Tonight is really important because it's a call to action," said Moore. "We are asking people to think about the action they can take to fight global warming. We all have to act to reduce out ecological footprint."
Scientists worry that global warming -- which the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change links to manmade greenhouse output -- may already be exacting a painful toll on Australia's most treasured natural wonder: the Great Barrier Reef. Marine biologists report unparalleled coral bleaching and dry-off, with a domino-like effect rippling through the aquatic food chain. Australia suffered its hottest and driest summer on record, and some climate change experts wonder if last year's violent typhoon season may have been made more severe by rising ocean temperatures.
While Australia's Conservative Prime Minister, John Howard, is a bitter opponent of the greenhouse emission reductions proposed by the Kyoto Protocols, his government has recently responded to political pressure to take action. Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced in February that Australia will enact energy regulations essentially banning the sale of conventional incandescent lightbulbs after 2010.
So -- what can the average Australian (or anyone else) do to curb global warming? It all starts with small, meaningful changes in our personal energy habits. Australia's WWF Futuremakers website lists Lighter Footstep's article How to Live with CFLs as a good place to start.
You can also take your first Ten Steps toward a lighter lifestyle, give your home an energy audit, investigate local recycling opportunities, and talk to your family and friends. Share a few of your ideas, and you may get some back in return.
Were you in Sydney for Earth Hour? Please share your experience in our comments section!
The Sydney Morning Herald has a photo gallery of Saturday's Earth Hour here.
http://www.smh.com.au/ftimages/2007/03/31/1174761812677.html
Some fun links:
http://www.earthhour.org/downloads/EH_728x90.swf
http://www.earthhour.org/about (the video where it all began)
The sails of Sydney's famous Opera House were plunged into darkness Saturday as Australia's largest city voluntarily switched its lights off Saturday night.
The event, known as Sydney's Earth Hour was billed as a sixty-minute demonstration of Australia's resolve to curb global warming. Thanks to a reliance on coal-fired power plants, Australia is the world's single largest per-capital emitter of carbon dioxide.
If nothing else, the lights of Sydney's skyline were noticeably thinned by Earth Hour, which began at 7:30 local time. Officials had arranged for all non-essential city lights to be switched off, and residents followed suit by darkening their homes and unplugging unnecessary appliances. Hundreds gathered at Sydney harbor to watch the spectacle, while clubs and restaurants served patrons by candlelight.
While billed as something of a party, Earth Hour kicks-off a serious 12-month public awareness push by the World Wildlife Federation-Australia and the Sydney Morning Herald. The immediate goal is to cut the city's greenhouse emissions by 5-percent. In the long run, Earth Hour organizers hope to expand their concept to other cities in 2008, coupling it with a focused initiative to make deep and permanent cuts in the amount of carbon dioxide being pumped into the Earth's atmosphere.
Sydney's mayor, Clover Moore, told Sky News Saturday that his city is serious about addressing climate change.
"Tonight is really important because it's a call to action," said Moore. "We are asking people to think about the action they can take to fight global warming. We all have to act to reduce out ecological footprint."
Scientists worry that global warming -- which the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change links to manmade greenhouse output -- may already be exacting a painful toll on Australia's most treasured natural wonder: the Great Barrier Reef. Marine biologists report unparalleled coral bleaching and dry-off, with a domino-like effect rippling through the aquatic food chain. Australia suffered its hottest and driest summer on record, and some climate change experts wonder if last year's violent typhoon season may have been made more severe by rising ocean temperatures.
While Australia's Conservative Prime Minister, John Howard, is a bitter opponent of the greenhouse emission reductions proposed by the Kyoto Protocols, his government has recently responded to political pressure to take action. Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced in February that Australia will enact energy regulations essentially banning the sale of conventional incandescent lightbulbs after 2010.
So -- what can the average Australian (or anyone else) do to curb global warming? It all starts with small, meaningful changes in our personal energy habits. Australia's WWF Futuremakers website lists Lighter Footstep's article How to Live with CFLs as a good place to start.
You can also take your first Ten Steps toward a lighter lifestyle, give your home an energy audit, investigate local recycling opportunities, and talk to your family and friends. Share a few of your ideas, and you may get some back in return.
Were you in Sydney for Earth Hour? Please share your experience in our comments section!
The Sydney Morning Herald has a photo gallery of Saturday's Earth Hour here.
http://www.smh.com.au/ftimages/2007/03/31/1174761812677.html
A Changing Antarctica Draws 'Doomsday' Tourists
I was reading a really great article on the Antarctica today and thought I'd post it. With Global Warming its nice to see people not wanting this Vast Wilderness to change or to have man kind destroying it.
Climate Connections: Solutions
A Changing Antarctica Draws 'Doomsday' Tourists
by Gwen Thompkins
Audio for this story will be available at approx. 7:00 p.m. ET
Jessica Goldstein, NPR
Antarctica is not as remote as it once was, as thousands of tourists a year visit the continent.
View Gallery: Destination Antarctica
Jessica Goldstein, NPR
Visitors have had a more positive than negative effect on the continent, some say.
More NPR Antarctica Coverage
Antarctica's March of the Tourists
Visits by thousands of tourists each year could damage the world's most unspoiled continent.
Cruising to Otherworldly Antarctica
While travel to the icy continent has become cushy, Antarctica's allure remains powerful.
Antarctica's Sea 'Babies' in Limbo
Antarctica's seas depend on microscopic animals, but global warming is changing that balance.
A Bright Spot of Life on the Icy Continent
What kind of people come for months at a time to live in the most difficult place on Earth?
Jessica Goldstein, NPR
Fleets of ocean liners chug through Antarctica's waters, but tour guides say keeping Antarctica pristine is their top priority.
All Things Considered, March 29, 2008 · At one of the finest cocktail lounges in the Antarctic Circle, Carol Hughes is sipping a mystery drink from a wine glass. It's after dinner onboard a luxury cruise liner. And Hughes, an English clinical nurse, says whatever it is she's tasting is better than anything else she has had tonight.
"It's lovely. It feels cleaner, much smoother," Hughes says, savoring the taste in her mouth. "I'd say there's probably something in there slightly ... something to do with fish, I'd say."
What Hughes doesn't know is that she's sipping an iceberg. When she finds out, she laughs and says, "Is that the one that the penguin was walking over?"
Antarctica, like every other continent, is too big to describe in one take. But Hughes's description of the melted iceberg water is an awfully good start. Antarctica is lovely. It does feel cleaner, and it has something to do with fish.
Still, much of the continent remains a mystery, a cold and curious void. So most people learn the facts and fill in the rest with feeling. Every cabin on the ship has a book that touches on how remote the continent is — what can live here, what can't. And yet all 159 pages amount to a few lines of verse from the poet Pablo Neruda:
There all ends
and doesn't end:
there all begins:
rivers and ice part,
air is married to snow
A Sense of Place
Karin Strand, the expedition leader on the ship, expresses a sentiment similar to Neruda's. "Take some time and simply stop and reflect a little bit about what you're seeing," she advises, "because it's pretty overwhelming."
Put down your camera and get into the spirit of this place, Strand says. You've got to appreciate the beauty, the loneliness, the unlikeliness of this continent that Aristotle suspected was here but could never prove. Only a smidgen of the world's population has ever seen Antarctica. So Strand says that if you decide to come this far, don't blow it.
"Unless you stop and take a look once in a while you will miss it," she says. "Yes of course you will see it, but you won't see it. ... I mean, I am Norwegian and I thought that I had seen enough snow and ice for the rest of my life just living where I am. ... It is a feeling — it's not like you can explain it with pictures or film, really. You just have to be there."
Many of the people who visit the perpetual winter of Antarctica are in the autumn of their lives. They want to unlock the mystery of the place. They also want to learn about the effects of climate change here, why the ice is melting. But more than anything, they want to have fun. Aroon Patel is 70 years old and he walks with a cane. And at one of the boat's last landings on the Peninsula, which stretches north from the continent, Patel slid down a glacier on his tush.
"It was like a roller coaster on your bum," he says, smiling. "Best ride I've ever had in my life. At age 70, you find something like this, different ... it's wonderful. Wonderful."
And that's not the only thing that got his backfield in motion.
On the tail end of the voyage, the ship's crew put on an evening of entertainment that included music and lyrics by Usher, Lil' Jon and Ludacris. There's something surreal about being on a boat in the near-frozen middle of nowhere — and listening to men sing about women in their birthday suits. But you know what they say: Hip hop is the poetry of the streets. Even here, where there are no streets.
Changing the Continent
What the tourists onboard the ship don't know is that they are testing an important scientific principle. Does the very act of observing something change it? In Antarctica, the answer is "probably." Antarctica — so clean, so pure — is now a hot destination. Armadas of ocean liners are troubling her cool, heavy waters. And tourists are sharing terrain vital to the continent's wildlife.
Wherever humans go, Karin Strand says, "we have sort of a brutal way of imposing on nature." But there is a prime aim in Antarctica, she says: Keep it as a wilderness.
That means if anyone drops so much as a plastic bag in the water, Strand says, the ship will turn around and retrieve it.
Robyn Steegstra is guiding a group of Americans onboard the ship. She says Antarctic tourism has actually helped the continent. Bases that conduct scientific research along the coast have been prodded to clean up their act.
"I remember 20 years ago ... some of these bases, they looked like nothing more than dumps," Steegstra says. "The rusted material, the 20 or 30 years of rusting tin cans out back, the old machinery. We've had bases where they would go, 'Oh, you want to see a penguin?' and they would go pick them up. They were just pushing them out of their way; there wasn't this concern for the wildlife.
"But when people started visiting and seeing this, there's been an enormous change in the way bases operate ... regarding the environment and the wildlife. And that was largely due to visitors," she says.
So the industry's bottom line appears to be that sometimes you've got to risk a little to get a lot. An international treaty prevents mining, drilling and dumping here. But tour operators say that the world's last great wilderness also needs goodwill ambassadors for its continued protection. And people like Carol Hughes, the English nurse who drank water from the iceberg, can make pretty poetic ambassadors.
"It's just absolutely magical. I don't think I should be the same person when I get home," Hughes says. "It really makes you feel so humble to think that this is such a wilderness and that we have to preserve it at all costs, really. It's a special place and we mustn't spoil it. We must look after it."
After all, the best lines about Antarctica have been uttered by the people who have been here. "Glittering white, shining blue, raven black, in the light of the sun the land looks like a fairy tale," wrote Roald Amundsen, the first explorer to reach the South Pole.
And perhaps Fritz Klein said it best. He and his wife came here from York, Pa. Klein is no expert on the threat of climate change to Antarctica. But now more than ever, he's dead set against anything or anyone marring the continent's beauty.
As he put it: "They betta' neva'."
Produced by Jessica Goldstein
Also here is a good link of photos of Antarctica:
http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/antarctica/antarctica_gallery/
Climate Connections: Solutions
A Changing Antarctica Draws 'Doomsday' Tourists
by Gwen Thompkins
Audio for this story will be available at approx. 7:00 p.m. ET
Jessica Goldstein, NPR
Antarctica is not as remote as it once was, as thousands of tourists a year visit the continent.
View Gallery: Destination Antarctica
Jessica Goldstein, NPR
Visitors have had a more positive than negative effect on the continent, some say.
More NPR Antarctica Coverage
Antarctica's March of the Tourists
Visits by thousands of tourists each year could damage the world's most unspoiled continent.
Cruising to Otherworldly Antarctica
While travel to the icy continent has become cushy, Antarctica's allure remains powerful.
Antarctica's Sea 'Babies' in Limbo
Antarctica's seas depend on microscopic animals, but global warming is changing that balance.
A Bright Spot of Life on the Icy Continent
What kind of people come for months at a time to live in the most difficult place on Earth?
Jessica Goldstein, NPR
Fleets of ocean liners chug through Antarctica's waters, but tour guides say keeping Antarctica pristine is their top priority.
All Things Considered, March 29, 2008 · At one of the finest cocktail lounges in the Antarctic Circle, Carol Hughes is sipping a mystery drink from a wine glass. It's after dinner onboard a luxury cruise liner. And Hughes, an English clinical nurse, says whatever it is she's tasting is better than anything else she has had tonight.
"It's lovely. It feels cleaner, much smoother," Hughes says, savoring the taste in her mouth. "I'd say there's probably something in there slightly ... something to do with fish, I'd say."
What Hughes doesn't know is that she's sipping an iceberg. When she finds out, she laughs and says, "Is that the one that the penguin was walking over?"
Antarctica, like every other continent, is too big to describe in one take. But Hughes's description of the melted iceberg water is an awfully good start. Antarctica is lovely. It does feel cleaner, and it has something to do with fish.
Still, much of the continent remains a mystery, a cold and curious void. So most people learn the facts and fill in the rest with feeling. Every cabin on the ship has a book that touches on how remote the continent is — what can live here, what can't. And yet all 159 pages amount to a few lines of verse from the poet Pablo Neruda:
There all ends
and doesn't end:
there all begins:
rivers and ice part,
air is married to snow
A Sense of Place
Karin Strand, the expedition leader on the ship, expresses a sentiment similar to Neruda's. "Take some time and simply stop and reflect a little bit about what you're seeing," she advises, "because it's pretty overwhelming."
Put down your camera and get into the spirit of this place, Strand says. You've got to appreciate the beauty, the loneliness, the unlikeliness of this continent that Aristotle suspected was here but could never prove. Only a smidgen of the world's population has ever seen Antarctica. So Strand says that if you decide to come this far, don't blow it.
"Unless you stop and take a look once in a while you will miss it," she says. "Yes of course you will see it, but you won't see it. ... I mean, I am Norwegian and I thought that I had seen enough snow and ice for the rest of my life just living where I am. ... It is a feeling — it's not like you can explain it with pictures or film, really. You just have to be there."
Many of the people who visit the perpetual winter of Antarctica are in the autumn of their lives. They want to unlock the mystery of the place. They also want to learn about the effects of climate change here, why the ice is melting. But more than anything, they want to have fun. Aroon Patel is 70 years old and he walks with a cane. And at one of the boat's last landings on the Peninsula, which stretches north from the continent, Patel slid down a glacier on his tush.
"It was like a roller coaster on your bum," he says, smiling. "Best ride I've ever had in my life. At age 70, you find something like this, different ... it's wonderful. Wonderful."
And that's not the only thing that got his backfield in motion.
On the tail end of the voyage, the ship's crew put on an evening of entertainment that included music and lyrics by Usher, Lil' Jon and Ludacris. There's something surreal about being on a boat in the near-frozen middle of nowhere — and listening to men sing about women in their birthday suits. But you know what they say: Hip hop is the poetry of the streets. Even here, where there are no streets.
Changing the Continent
What the tourists onboard the ship don't know is that they are testing an important scientific principle. Does the very act of observing something change it? In Antarctica, the answer is "probably." Antarctica — so clean, so pure — is now a hot destination. Armadas of ocean liners are troubling her cool, heavy waters. And tourists are sharing terrain vital to the continent's wildlife.
Wherever humans go, Karin Strand says, "we have sort of a brutal way of imposing on nature." But there is a prime aim in Antarctica, she says: Keep it as a wilderness.
That means if anyone drops so much as a plastic bag in the water, Strand says, the ship will turn around and retrieve it.
Robyn Steegstra is guiding a group of Americans onboard the ship. She says Antarctic tourism has actually helped the continent. Bases that conduct scientific research along the coast have been prodded to clean up their act.
"I remember 20 years ago ... some of these bases, they looked like nothing more than dumps," Steegstra says. "The rusted material, the 20 or 30 years of rusting tin cans out back, the old machinery. We've had bases where they would go, 'Oh, you want to see a penguin?' and they would go pick them up. They were just pushing them out of their way; there wasn't this concern for the wildlife.
"But when people started visiting and seeing this, there's been an enormous change in the way bases operate ... regarding the environment and the wildlife. And that was largely due to visitors," she says.
So the industry's bottom line appears to be that sometimes you've got to risk a little to get a lot. An international treaty prevents mining, drilling and dumping here. But tour operators say that the world's last great wilderness also needs goodwill ambassadors for its continued protection. And people like Carol Hughes, the English nurse who drank water from the iceberg, can make pretty poetic ambassadors.
"It's just absolutely magical. I don't think I should be the same person when I get home," Hughes says. "It really makes you feel so humble to think that this is such a wilderness and that we have to preserve it at all costs, really. It's a special place and we mustn't spoil it. We must look after it."
After all, the best lines about Antarctica have been uttered by the people who have been here. "Glittering white, shining blue, raven black, in the light of the sun the land looks like a fairy tale," wrote Roald Amundsen, the first explorer to reach the South Pole.
And perhaps Fritz Klein said it best. He and his wife came here from York, Pa. Klein is no expert on the threat of climate change to Antarctica. But now more than ever, he's dead set against anything or anyone marring the continent's beauty.
As he put it: "They betta' neva'."
Produced by Jessica Goldstein
Also here is a good link of photos of Antarctica:
http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/antarctica/antarctica_gallery/
Sunday, March 16, 2008
What a wonderful weekend we had
I can't believe that Mother Nature actually gave us a nice weekend! Wow! It started friday and went till today. Though we did see some snow flakes this morning they were gone by noon.
I am still knitting on my foo foo black scarf and my Celtic Cable scarf for the Project of the month group. I have quite a way to go on it.
My sons leg is coming along. Each day it gets alittle easier to get up. He still won't be back to school this week - though hubby and I would like that alot! Our daughter goes back tomorrow which reminds me I better tell her to go to bed or she will be cranky in the morning.
Oh! A neighbour of mine saw a robin either during the snow storm or the day after. I bet the little bugger was cold! lol Spring is coming and the snow is melting.
Have a great night. Keep knitting!
Leigh Ann
I am still knitting on my foo foo black scarf and my Celtic Cable scarf for the Project of the month group. I have quite a way to go on it.
My sons leg is coming along. Each day it gets alittle easier to get up. He still won't be back to school this week - though hubby and I would like that alot! Our daughter goes back tomorrow which reminds me I better tell her to go to bed or she will be cranky in the morning.
Oh! A neighbour of mine saw a robin either during the snow storm or the day after. I bet the little bugger was cold! lol Spring is coming and the snow is melting.
Have a great night. Keep knitting!
Leigh Ann
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