Mmmm. Scary Sounding Stuff

I should refer you to the orinigal post on my brother's blog - I'm reposting the link here because the information is worrisome if it is true. I never even considered that it would be possible, but I'm not really a consistant follower of internet politics.

I don't like the idea of pay to send email. Although, it is probably less creepy than the Service Providers tinkering with your equal access to all parts of the web. Here is the link:

Its certainly some world we live in.

Jennith

Fall at the Old Fredericton Barracks

After essentially turning my last post into a to do list for today, I thought I'd better post another picture. Especially since I really wanted to get one of Fredericton up. I'm kind of missing it today. It would be nice to walk out on the bridge. I think I might try and get downtown soon - maybe get some pictures while it is still spring.

Really - onto my to do list now :D

Jennith 

April in Ruralburbs of Sussex

I just liked the colours in this picture... I can't remember if I played with it or if this is just how it came out.

Well, it still feels weird being out of New Brunswick. I've accepted that job hunting may take longer than I'd hoped and that I'll probably have to settle for a not engineering job in the interim. I'm not giving up, but I'm taking a few days to research "Knock Them Dead" resume's and cover letters and I'm looking into certification with AutoCADD or Arcview that would push my name to the top of the pile. I'm also working on HEC-RAS and SWMM and thinking about reviewing my programming. I'm even pondering doing my masters, or at least looking.

In more exciting news, I'm planning on baking banana bread, now that I've unpacked the recipe. I think I'll cook up some pumpkin chip muffins too. In the mean time, going to get a bit of exercise and and clean up the half unpacked boxes I brought up yesterday from the garage.

Cheers,

Jennith 

Sneaky Little Budget Cuts

The photo above depicts Awenda in sepia tones. Its perhaps an odd choice for a blue landscape, but it does have a different charm in the warmth of sepia tones.

These days I'm nervous about reading the newspaper - not that this stops me, but every time I do it reveals a quiet sneaky little budget cut, many of which I can't make sense of. Today, the report I saw was cutting grants to homeowners who made renovations to their house to improve energy efficiency. While I know that there are scarce government funds to cover the wide demands of the masses, it just doesn't seem like a sensible move for this government. The conservatives are cutting its Kyoto funding for a "made in Canada" green house solution, framed in that context this cut seems counter intuitive. The Energuide program appears to be a perfect way for improve energy efficiency (thus reducing fossil fuel consumption and green house gas emissions) by giving citizens an incentive to renovate. Citizen's still foot the majority of the bill (I'm not entirely sure on the facts, but the average subsidy was about $750 - and renovations aren't cheap.) and it also pumps the economy in Canada as most renovations hire local contractors and I'd imagine purchase material in Canada. I wouldn't be surprised to see the same program reintroduced as part of the new strategy just so that the current government would get credit. Cynical, aren't I?

Here is a link to the Toronto Star Report.

Cheers,

Jennith

Sifting through the mysterious treasure of my basement

I'll start by admitting that I'm a hopeless packrat. I'm sitting here in a oil and paint stained Vuarnet shirt that at some point I had tie dyed yellow and pink. Once a favourite, then a favourite work shirt - but do I still need it? My last Steetsville Meadowvale soccer shirt - I was number 6 for the IGA sponsered team - should I part with it? What about the two warm shirts that I'd painted myself - they're ratty but they still fit. My highschool spirit suit is hideosous and I'd never wear it again - yet its a piece of my history and who I am. The signatures and graffetti a record of an era of my life. Then there are t-shirts of real canadian historical significance - my "Let's debate not seperate, Canada's 125th anniversary and "Kim Campbell for Primeminister" - can I let them go since I probably won't ever wear them.

I have a collection of Doe Lake T-shirts. They are mostly in rough shape after a summer of wearing them every saturday and sunday followed by a few summers of wearing them on other days. They're unique and XXL - ah what to do? My graduation sweatshirt from grade 8, my souviner washington dc tshirt that I wore like all the time in highschool. My searsfest t-shirt. And this is just clothing - never mind the junk, nicknacks and dust collectors. I found two tattered canvas knapsacks patched and covered in graffiti - again a record of my high school days. Probably both are carriers of serious grossness and neither would survive being washed. I haven't even looked at the boxes of cards, letters, papers, notebooks, drawings and schoolwork from Lakehead and highschool. I found a gift that never got sent, and a photo that was a gift from Tania Killian. Stuffed animals without names, jewelry a gr. 4 student gave me for christmas when I was a student teacher - she'll be graduating from highschool this year.

Oh, and hats - like the australlian one that my mom bought me to keep from wearing the scuzzy ball cap that I'd been wearing (both of the worst of those I haven't seen...) and miles of corking (maybe I should make that mat) and programs from plays I went to see and slippers I got at the cottage and all the bits and pieces that were a part of making me who I am that would have no value or meaning to anyone else. Sigh. So it is back to trying on clothes for me. I'm not sure whether to be glad or sorry that my parents have lived here long enough to get to this point.

Wish me luck and the will to sort the value from the nonsense.

Jennith 

An Inspiring Tale

If you never thought that a single woman could make all the different in the world, ask the 10,000 children in Burundi and other war torn parts of Africa about Madam Maggy. The Globe and Mail Story tells the story of a women whom miraculously survived a civil war incident after being forced to watch 72 Hutu neighbours be brutally murdered.

Some might have spent the rest of their days frozen and traumatized, but this woman clearly gritted her teeth and did what she needed to do to save as many of the children of her country as she could. Bravo. May we all take a bit of her spirit and forget the petty stresses of our lives and rise up and make a difference in our world.

Cheers,

Jennith 

Waiting Patiently for the Shutter Bug

I apologize (Erin) for jepordizing my diabetic readers with my sugary sappiness.

Patient wolf waiting -
Packmate busy sniffing trees
Along the spring trail

Arrrroooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

I miss yooooooooooooooooooooooooou!

:D

Jennith 

Uphill Trout Lilies

I took this shot at Rattlesnake before Gabe returned to NB.

The other crazy big excitement this week was watching my brother in a play (The Twelth Night - 1920 style)
at the Woodlands.

It was so much deja vu. I ended up talking to Mrs. Wilkonson, the director of the last play I acted in in Highschool - new Canadian kid. She is well. I was sad that Mrs. LeRiche wasn't their, although I've heard that she's retired.

Alex was hilarious and the play was neat. Its weird to think that was us 11 years ago.

Sun sentinals stand
Demurely bowed to queen bee's
Pollination grants

Jennith 

Tree Planting and Other Accomplishments

Greetings,

The picture above contains several trees that I actually planted. I found the call for volunteers on the Credit Valley Conservation Authority website and it was nearby. So, I was up early and out to Erindale park this morning. For the avid gardeners among you, I wouldn't recomend the soil, being a mix of clay and stones - but the people were neat.

We even got filmed and interviewed by Environment Canada. I guess the neatest part is knowing that there are a couple of trees that I helped put in the ground in my own community.

The neatest people I met had dropped in on a visit from up north. I ended up picnicing with them after the plant, and maybe even made some friends. There were mostly poplar trees, but a few white spruce and white pine too.

The other accomplishment is that I graduated (or at least made the official May 2006 graduation list) today with First Class Standing or First Division as UNB obscurely labelled graduating with honours.

Sad thoughts, Sleeman's is appartently up for sale to a big company. This makes me sad to think that all the big Canadian Beer Companies are no longer wholely Canadian - but then again, neither is Tim Horton's or Hockey these days.

Gabe is doing well with his projects. I think he is actually ahead of where he expected to be in spite of the bugs and the heat.

Hmm, my current project is to continue unpacking and sorting. Sigh. Explains why I'm blogging.

Better get back to work for now.

Jennith 

A Spot Out of the Rain

This local cardinal was sheltering from the rain on the downspout under the overhang of the roof until he was chased off by a grackle who took the spot over.

Jennith 

Up close and personal with the trees

So much for stockpiling pictures - I just had to post this one! I guess I'll have to take some more soon to keep this blog going.

Spreading petal arms
Invite love from promiscuous
Insects - for sweet gift 

Surburban Sring

It's not Algonquin Park or the Rugged shorelines north of Superior, but it still has its own charm. Despite missing the somewhat more wild trails of Fredericton, I've been glad to have somewhere to walk while I'm home that has its eye catching this moments.

I never appreciated crab apple and cherry trees until this spring - but they are spectacular and have definately added to the view in the suburbs this spring. One of the things I love about my hometown - is that the city doesn't spray for Dandilions. This irks some folks on a quest for the perfect suburban lawn, however, by and large it means more interesting views (as a biologist I'm a fan of biodiversity and don't find any plant ugly even dandy lions - although, it would cool if we promoted native species to out compete it too) and its safer than spraying poisons all over parks where children and pets are meant to play. Yeah!! I'd rather see the city spend the money on something practical - like playground equiptment or road maintence.

Next I have some research to do into doing something with our own Garden - anyone with suggestions for a species of grass that is shade and grub tolerant let me know. Wildflower seeds are apealing too.

Okay - back to work for me.

Jennith 

Fresh from Yamma Aight

This one is for Erin! I'd like to draw your attention to how neatly the leaves and petals line up in this shot - it took some doing to get the camera in just the right spot - never mind finding just the right Trillium.

This one is growing in a small patch of over used woods called "the Edenwood" In spite of its overuse, the Trillium still bloom in numbers not seen in some local conservation areas and more distant provincial parks. Somehow I find this reassuring, although it may simply be a result of poor biodiversity. However, at least kids aren't picking them to extinction.

I went to find Yamma Aight - being a specific place in the Edenwood, but it doesn't seem to be there or rather the defining landmarks have been partially obliterated by a new bike trail. Hard to say, perhaps it merely escaped my search. The enormous stump that was once an impressive headstone for a lighting struck (oak) tree (I think on the oak Tree - could have been a white pine too) has been reduced to a few bits and pieces. Weird how things change and stay the same.

It was certainly a plesent walk.

Good night again,

Jennith 

Snap Happy Spring Days

1. Some more intellectual thoughts. . .
   
   1. Reading the newspapers is not good for your optimism regarding the human race. Walking your dog can be.
   
   2. Not reading the newspaper is bad for your awareness of current events.
   
   3. Schools should do a better job of finding out students special talents and give them support in achieving them.
   
   4. Schools should do a better job of promoting non-academic skills at the high school level, especially for students who struggle with acedemics. But this should be focused on finding gifts, not treated as second class programs for non-academic oriented ones.
   
   5. Sleepy people shouldn't put opinions on their blog.
   
   Goodnight,
   
   Jennith

 

Lighter than Air

Lighter than the air
Ready to alight the wind -
Drifters travelling

I didn't mean to press send with out writing about the first picture, but a young cardinal was trying to fly through my bed room window. Maybe I'll have to get some of those static-adhesive hawks.

All the pictures that I'm posting today were taken on the way to the bank (my excuse for leaving job hunting for a few hours on a perfect sunny afternoon - without taking the dog)

I got my butt whipped in online Canasta today by Gabe - well, it was close, but I lost. I don't know where the day went. Tomorrow is another intense job hunting day as is Friday. On Saturday, I'm volunteering to plant trees in Erindale Park and Sunday, I'm going to visit my grandmother. Friday night I'm going to see my baby brother act in the 12th night - a play at the woodlands. The first I'll have gone to see without being in it in. (I'm not usually in this part of the world during the school year. I'm tempted to look up the Sears festival in Toronto, and I'm hoping to see Ms. LeRiche at the play.

Okay, I'm going to put some more pictures up and keep writing.

Jenn 

The Rose Family's Contribution to an Unusally Full Bloomed Spring

 

Sorely Missed

Ah for the gulf of 1400 km between me and Sussex, NB. Here is another picture of one of my favourite people taken at Awenda Provincial Park. Gabe is busy packing, cleaning and salvaging back home. He is sorely missed, but we have lots of great plans for when he gets here.

I'm busy creating cover letters and researching various companies in the local area. Its hard work, but its left me feeling inspired about the opporunties for me in the future. If only I can land a job in my chosen field without having to do more school in the near future.

Wish me luck,

Jennith 

Spring in the Forest

Here is another Rattlesnake point picture from last weekend - was that only a week ago? I've almost made a workable living space (yeah bookshelves). My computer seems to be suffering from some quirky settings after I updated some windows thing and it become exceedingly frustrating. It closes all of my open explorer windows everytime I try to open a new one, which means I'll have to job search one place at a time on the internet, it isn't going to be much fun. Sigh. Or figure out how to fix my computer.

A View to the Future

I had a wonderful walk with Kaylee today around Lake Wabakyne. I kept wishing that I had my camera so that I could take pictures of all the beautiful swales and storm water management infrastructure in our subdivision. I'm thinking I'll take some pics next time and put a CD together for Dr. Wilson.

Sigh, engineering does strange things to your brain. I'm never going to look at a lot of things without seeing them differently. I don't think I fully registered that Lake Wabakayne was a storm water pond until this year. I knew at some level, but it never really seemed important.

There were tonnes of kids on bikes by the lake, racing each other and generally being kids. Made me think about community and what my real non-career related goals were. The kind of legacy I wanted to leave behind with my life. In the middle of this musing, I noticed some of the kids had their bike upside down and were clearly frustrated. So, I helped them get their chain unjammed. They were really appreciative and polite. I remember some adult doing the same thing for me 20 odd years ago probably not too far from there.

Walking your dog seems to make you among trustworthy strangers. People said hi to me and were far more friendly than they would have been, had I been by myself. I"m sure some of this is simply Kaylee's charming manners, but I guess peopel figure that if you are doing something as normal as caring for a family pet you probably aren't packing heat or out to kill anyone. Maybe it depends on how you interact with your pet. If an animal trusts you, and you treat it well. People might pick up on this and take the dog's character reference at face value. Who knows? The long and the short of it is that I feel very strongly about wanting to be involved in my community. I want to volunteer to make it a better place. I also am glad that inspite of being in the city, people still talk to strangers, even if you need a pet to vouch for your harmlessness.

There you go, thought for the day.

Good night,

Jennith

P.S. The picture was taken May 1st, 2006 on Rattlesnake Point. 

Galaxie Diner - Wasaga Beach

Here is the promised picture of the diner.

Jennith