AMFR Test

Okay - quick blog because I'm studying for my AMFR test tommorrow and so I'm relearning all sorts of first aid trivia and latin terms for body parts.

Today was a mix of sleep inducing lecture (actually some of it was quite engaging, but the horrible chairs were never designed for 6 hours of use by mortal humans. They cut the circulation off to your legs something terrible and encourage slumped posture (to relieve the pressure on the legs) which leads to sleepiness. I think I managed to stay awake for all of it, aparently I was noticably asleep on Friday night. In my defense, I am sick and it was a long day.

Okay, so enough excuses. This afternoon was 9 situations - each invigilated by a returning team members. It wasn't quite as awesome at the ones at LU, but on the other hand Chris straka did not bonk me over the head with a recycling barrel while wearing only a pair of boxers. I guess I'm old too. But the LU event was intense - with casualty simulation and running between situations all over campus. Heck - I would even describe most of the senarios as serious, but reasonable. Sigh... I guess you can never go back to that point in your life where this is new and exciting and something. I'd still describe myself as rusty. Improved from earlier this summer when I was first on a scene in a public place and realized just how much I'd forgotten, but I can't say I'm happy with my performance (and yes I'm beating myself up a bit by comparing it to my competing days.) I did okay, but I could have be much more decisive and what's missing and I should be studying right now is that body of knowledge of symtoms and treatments and the flow of working with other responders. So, that is all I have to say about that. I'll let you know if I make it and if I'm quiet about it and never mention it again.. well, don't ask.

I hear the howl of a returning wolf, escaped from the dungeon of slave labour see Geoff at www.araska.org.

Okay. Here is my engineering DIGG. "Bad Kung Fu" (this being my new favourite saying gained in the last 2 weekends) on Montreal overpass. My mom always said they were cheap about roads in Quebec, but this is a pretty scary story. Read it.

Okay... got to go.

Jennith 

In the land of Guelph

My apologies for the lack of pictures today. I haven't had a chance to capture any of the beautiful early fall scenes that I drive by each day, wishing my camera were somewhere I could reach and that I had time to stop driving and just record what I'm seeing.

FRT training continues to be going well... and I need to be going... well, now!

For some reason this post didn't post - probably not just the lack of original content.

I did find a picture of them repaving Winston Churchill... only a civil.

Neat machine.. I'd never seen a paver up close.

Anywho,

Back to work.

Jennith

Greetings and salutations,

Here is a short update on my life. School is going well. I'm enjoying both the courses I'm taking and the one that I am TAing for. The commute is a little brutal, but it is nice that I at least get to spend time with family (my sister and law) on the way back and forth, and the carpooling makes it affordable. I still haven't gotten as much use out of my Halton Conservation Areas pass as I'd like, (having only used it twice in the last 4 months) But every day I drive pass Kelso and the escarpment and wish I had time to stop and hike it. Gabe and I are both recovering from various colds and strep throat (I hate strep throat!). I do have to atest to the efficy of honey-lemon tea since I can't start the anti biotics until my swab produces a healthy colony of strep bacteria.

I'm trying out for the U of G Emergency First Response team. I'm not sure if this is proof that I'm crazy or absolute genius. I'm thinking that it'll give me a night a week that I can work late when the office area is uber quiet and I can escape 2 hours of commuting. We'll see how it works out. I may not make the team, I'm pretty rusty. At the very least I'll get Medical EFR certification free (for giving up two weekends and not being a complete moron) which will save me $75 in June since I won't have to recert and be a bit of a boost to my resume which tells a story of excellent past certifications that I've let lapse.

Alright, back to the grindstone. I hope I get a chance to hike soon.

Jennith 

Morna the Marten

Every once and a while I think I see a squirrel that turns out to be a member of the weasal family. This time a curious marten posed for our cameras. The light was awful, but here is at least proof that we saw the little critter.

The other time was at Doe lake when a short tailed weasal was busy chasing a toad around my tent in the middle of the night.

My apologies for being missing in action... not much to write on other than having a sore throat.

Cheers,

Jennith 

A Bog Blog Classic: A pitcher plant flower

Laugh at me all you want, but these days I think about my blog and it makes me increase my picture taking so I'll have some stores for those times when I don't have time to take pictures and I still want to post, but don't have the time to write anything meaningfull either.

This has been a year of abundance. I have never seen the pitcher plants in algonquin as big or numerous as this year and the maples and ashes and spruce are laden with keys and cones respectively. It maybe be an easy winter for wildlife.

I'm crossing my fingers it'll be a quiet year for humans. I think that the news has had a surplus of sensational news items. I hope it'll be a year of people quietly rebuilding their lives and getting back to normal. Oh yes, and I hope they pick Bob Rae for the new leader of the liberal party. I've always liked him, I even appreciated the thought behind Rae days. I think unpaided holidy for everyone is better than a whole bunch of people being laid off and less disruptive. So, here is my support for him. I think that he is intelligent (Rhodes Scholar), experienced (Premier of Ontario during an ugly recession), personable (he was so likeable that he surprised himself when the NDP were elected in Ontario), a good speaker, and someone whose ethics I trust.

Cheers,

Jennith 

Red Leaves by the Marsh

Hmm. This could be fun to paint I think with the colours and highlights. I guess maybe I'll have to hope for a few hours.

Jenn 

Jay calls from Tamarack

 

The moose on zoom

Okay, for those of you who wanted a better look at the moose... here she is.

Weeds in mouth - breakfast
In shallow waters standing
A sturdy young moose 

Moost Mooshy

Hello All,

I've been neglecting this website lately, but hopefully things will get a little less wild soon. Famous last words I'm sure. Sometimes I wish I could be as relaxed as this moose chomping on weeds in West Rose Pond, Algonquin park.

The next 2 weekends I have dedicated to first response tryouts and the following weekend I am hoping to take advantage of the long weekend. I do hope that I can find some time today to go for a hike on the escarpment.

I discovered the rapidly descending signs of fall when highway traffic encouraged me to take the back roads home - leading to a delightful tour of escarpment country. The leaves are really starting to turn now - it would be great for getting some nice photos.

School is going well, I'm settling in to the routine of studying and classes and writing. I taught a large group of students for the first time yesterday, and was pleasantly surprised to find that university students are entirely different from grade 8's.

That said. . . I still sometimes miss Kashechewan and my students. I'm sure it would be beautiful up there right now and everyone would be excited about the goose break. I hope that things have settled down a bit now and the students are having a more normal school/life experience this year.

Anywho, back to work for me.

Jennith 

Fallen Soldier

Fallen Soldier
Reflected in pooling blood
Inevitable 

The Fencer

Straight-backed in old age
The fencer dances slowly
Fierce in his resolve 

Tree Shadows

Tree shadows standing
Against the misty backdrop
Sentinals await

Chill morning mist wraps
Secrets in soft grey blankets
Whispers of changes 

Mizzy Mists

 

Webminton

Mizzy Lake puts on an impressive show of dew spangled spider webs early in the late summer morning. You have to wonder if the spiders ever play webminton with bug carcases.

Otherwise, I'm back to taking classes (just 2 and TAing 1) and juggling all of the bits and pieces of life that must pass through the appropriate time gates.

I'm lucky. I have an office and I share it with two really neat students. I'm pretty excited about both my courses, but I think they'll both be a fair bit of work.

I thought of my roomate Shannon when I got my LL Bean Catalouge. Its weird how much things make me miss Fredericton. I met a former employee of UNBSJ while walking back from getting my parking pass. We laughed that only 2 former maritimers would have randomly struck up a conversation - so it wasn't freaky coincidence that we both left new Brunswick from UNB recently.

Otherwise, the next few weeks look busy between work/school and trying out for the EFRT at Guelph. I'm not sure if I'm entirely crazy or not, but I figure it is work getting the recert and more exciting that the upcoming WHIMIS training I have in store for me.

So, that's my life this week. More Algonquin pics to come.

Jennith 

Through the Mizzy Mists

This year, for the first time, I actually hiked the Mizzy Lake trail with someone. That someone was Gabe, of course! We managed to be up, dressed and off the site (with a light breakfast) by 6 am and on the trail by 6:45 am. It was cool (about 6 degrees) and misty and I had this sense of deja vu from the last summer since the timing, weather and light were nearly the same.

Gabe and I took over 200 picture between us (even after Gabe delete his blurry ones.) We also took about 6 hours o hike 11 km - owing to our picture taking. We high tailed it on the last half to make up for our slow progress on the first part.

The early part of the day produced the nicest pictures such as this mizzy hillside.

Cheers,

Jennith 

Angel's Above

An angel - most certainly. He is able to difuse a cranky Jenn without resorting to cookies. He takes heavenly pictures too. 

Spike

Don't know what kind of plant - but it grew on a rocky outcrop overlooking rock lake. My gut feeling is that it might have been ginsing or something. 

Touch Me Not

Hanging like jewels (not surprising for Jewelweed) along the edges of Wilmot Creek, this spotted touch-me-not lent brightness to scene as we surveyed the reach. 

On the Edge of Holiday Country

Another traditional roadstop on the way to the best place on earth :D

Jennith 

Hobblebush

Easy to identify with its large leaves and naked buds, Hobblebush is a colourful part of the forest floor in both Ontario and New Brunswick. 

Return from the Bog

Here is the first of many pictures of Algonquin Park. These carnivorous sundew plants were growing on a log in a beaver pond on the Beaver Pond Trail off of the highway 60 corridor.