Winter is coming …

Hank Snow himself would probably get a smile out of this.

ilusion-from-guitarra-del-fuegoc2a9-by-johannes-linstead.For Cindy 
https://cindybruchman.com/2020/09/02/1-shot-wednesday-sunrise-sunset/#respond

From Google Maps

James is starting new Blog. Looks pretty good.

Ghost Riders in the Sky / Craig Duncan

Going to Banff for 3 days. (not my idea). But Banff is quiet right now. (I’m told). Cuz of Covid. Nobody is travelling except us Albertans. Had to cancel 2 holidays we had planned previously – one to Tofino on Vancouver Island – and the other to Newfoundland (which has shuttered itself up tighter than Alcatraz). So it’s been a weird year all the way around.

After Banff we come back here – then head out again – to the stomping grounds of my youth – out Drumheller way and other places around Central Alberta. There’s plenty to see and do around here – no need to go to foreign empires. This should be very interesting (for me at least). And it all seems like some kind of closure – full circle. Maybe it is. 

We’ll be taking a ton of photos and I’ll toss some up on this board. 

I hope you are all getting by OK with all that has happened  (and we ain’t ‘out of the woods yet’) It’s going to take longer than we all hoped – unless they really do come up with some kind of vaccine? Who knows? Some folks probably think things will then go back to ‘normal’. But I don’t. This has changed the world. “Going forward” is the catchphrase of the day. 

See you there. 

“Confluence Park”??!
Why sure … it’s right next to Effluence Creek.
Never let a beaurocrat name anything.
I can assure you that 90% of the people around here call this
Split Rock Park.

There she is … reclining in the meadow.

Evidently it didn’t roll here by itself.
But was discarded like a pebble from a passing Glacier.

I’m told that “Split Rock” was once part of Mount Edith Cavell
in Jasper National Park.
That’s about 210 miles away.

No estimate how long it took to get here – or how huge that Glacier musta’ been.
But I’m sure you could have beat it in a foot race.

You might recall my recent posts on our trip to Jasper National Park
where we hiked up to Mount Edith Cavell.
I never noticed any rocks missing.

I figure Buffalo used to rub themselves on Split Rock before us White folks showed up.
And shot them.

See? I told ya there was interesting stuff on the prairie.

Split Rock Park.

Starting a New Life / Van Morrison

A bit of a gloomy day on the prairie. 

This way? or thataway?

A prairie landscape.

Some folks might think there’s nothing to do or see on the prairie,
but as a kid I lived out there and it has its own kind of wonder.

Coyotes in area. Well … it is the prairies.
Keep an eye on your dog.

There’s plenty of sandstone in Alberta. 
There was once an ocean here.

Rest point and plaque.

A prairie coulee. 
Only marred by the encroaching city.

Small wonders.

Nose Creek

The fool on the hill.

Coming: Split Rock Park

 It rained for about a week, but we’ve still been getting out …
Visiting a few parks around town. 

Felix is not impressed.

Rose had spotted some American Avocets in a marsh wetland near by.
We head over to snap some photos.

There’s they are!

Don’t recall ever seeing this bird before.

Beautiful! These birds are called Stilts. (because of their long legs).
The black and white one is called a Black Necked Stilt.
The other is the American Avocet.

Black Necked Stilt and Blue Winged Teal

Today I will emerge from the tunnel – my cave – having worked 9 of the last 10 days. Whew!
I have my trials. But I’ll get right back to posting something useful up here! 

Thanks you all for your patience – and good will. 

Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head / BJ Thomas

Periodically this happens to me. I get stuck. I’m always working on Posts and I have several in the offing, Just haven’t been able to get anything on the board. I’ve been sick. I was Depressed for over a week which is very unusual for me. I was really low. Don’t know where it came from, but it affected me greatly. We all have our ups and downs of course, but I usually pop right back up and carry on. I’m the guy who is usually cheering everybody else up. Santa Claus. Not this time. I think I’m OK now. ?? Now I’m also working 9 out of 10 days. Crazy schedule. Then I go on a 10 day Holiday – where we had planned to go to Vancouver Island. Then Covid hit and everybody’s plans flew out the window. All things could change back shortly (who knows?) and I expect we will progressively get back to a more usual routine. It’s an amazing experience though and I think we will appreciate what we have here, but that it all can swept away overnight. Love, and our families, friends, are vastly more important than our material things. Love – that irrational and unprovable thing is what we are all here for and all about. Yet, we do have to survive. I hope that you are making it through OK.

I’ll be up and running shortly – like a flower emerging from the snow. Take care All. 

GP Cox over at Pacific Paratrooper
https://pacificparatrooper.wordpress.com/2020/04/20/francis-the-talking-mule/
has been posting some Wartime Recipes on his blog. 
This reminded me of a particular dish my (English) Mum used to serve us kids:
‘Creamed Eggs on Toast’!

Now I gotta tell ya that Creamed Eggs on Toast don’t look like much.
BUT Boy!!! it is tasty!!

I’ve heard it said that the the English/Brits don’t have ‘Cuisine’??
They might have a point there?? but they sure got some good honest food.
This is one of ’em. Simple as can be.
‘Down home’ as heck.

This guy shows how it’s done. 

I like how he tosses the sausage patty into the pan.
That’s optional though – don’t need no sausage.
He also says this is Cowboy Food.
But I can’t imagine Cowboys sitting around the campfire eating Creamed Eggs on Toast.
You can also use more than 2 boiled eggs. I’d use about 4.

NUM NUM Thank You MUM!

Francis the Talking Mule with the great Donald O’Connor

“Singin; in he Rain” Donald O’Connor with Debbie Reynolds and Gene Kelly.

Donald O’Connor: His best-known works came in the film Singin’ in the Rain (1952), for which O’Connor was awarded a Golden Globe.
He also won a Primetime Emmy Award from four nominations and received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame throughout his career.
In other words, he was damn good.

Like Creamed Eggs on Toast! 

Heroes / David Fonseca with Rita Redshoes.

I was inspired by the Pandemic to try to come up with something that would lift people up during these times. The Lord of the Rings seemed to (me) have some inspiring elements that I could try to so something with … 

When I start a project/Post an idea first comes to me. An inspiration. It is Art. And like all Art is it alive. It has a Will and Mission of it’s own – that I am just a vehicle/vessel for it’s message. The greater I am at allowing this – the greater the Art. I do not own it and It is not me. Or mine. It has a life of it’s own. I don’t know where it comes from. I do know that if I don’t allow this, mostly what I do is not worth much. Is there a formula for this? If so, I don’t know it. I can’t make it happen, I can only put my pencil to the paper and start – with no idea if will occur or not. Maybe the greatest Artists, Writers, Musicians, etc (for ANYTHING can be an Artform) were the best at this. I don’t know. I do know when it’s happening though. I can feel it. Writers know I mean – when if flows you can’t get the words down fast enough – and the words aren’t yours. 

Here are two pages that I’m working on in Corel Draw: I started with simple idea: Reforge the Ring. Then I started working. Then the project expanded – and truly took on a life of it’s own. This is good – though it may mean I won’t be able to Post much right away. I’m not even sure anything useful may happen. Sometimes I’ll work on a project for days – then weeks – even months. And I have several unfinished. Possibly never to be Posted. Hopefully, eventually, something emerges that is worth something. To somebody. ??? 

Firstly, I strongly believe there are Spiritual elements / purposes behind all things. Knowing this helps me immensely. Even in my darkest times I could see the great hand moulding me to something of greater use. My Destiny / Fate are a reality, but not premade patterns of my unfoldment. My choices are not limited. I am Soul. A perfect atom of God. His child. And the throne will mine. But not to rule over others – but to serve in any way I can. Total Service / Total Love. Unconfined in all aspects I move higher, deeper, farther toward an infinite horizon … 

We’ll get through this thing. And we can help each other.
Blessings … and take care. 

Springtime in Victoria BC …

Springtime in Calgary, Alberta

There’s some tulips under there …
somewhere. 

John Prine died on April 7th. He had been stricken with COVID-19. He was 73.
He won two Grammy Awards in his career and was also
presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020. 

He leaves us with a tremendous legacy of songs. 

John and I never saw eye to eye on Spiritual things.
But I’m sure there’s lots of fishing in Heaven.

Hug Your Bunny

Ahsum Pardner!

Lean On Me singer Bill Withers
dies at 81

Thanks Bill … You done good!