Is Chivalry Dead?

Or is it just to embarrassed to be seen in public these days?

Tink over at Pickled Beef offered up a challenge, because she was feeling down about people in general behaving like self-centered boors.

The challenge is to do a chivalrous act sometime this weekend, some good deed that you don't expect reward or thanks for. Then either post about it or tell her about it in her comments on Monday.

I think this is a wonderful idea, because frankly I don't see a lot of people letting others in front of them in a grocery store line, or offering their seat on a bus, or holding open doors anymore.

I thought I would pass this along to the few readers I have that maybe don't also read her blog and maybe we can get a movement started and then maybe chivalry won't be so embarrassed.

So, do a good deed, something kind, hold a door open whatever you fancy and let Tink or me know. You won't win anything, but I'll bet you feel a bit better about yourself after.

Have a good weekend all.

P.S. To read a wonderful post about my new hero Casey go to Knight's Blog.

Random Friday

Just some photos that I didn't get put up anywhere else that I thought I would share. Please click to enlarge.

I really like this with the baby on the back of mommy. This was at the zoo and daddy kept charging the glass walls. It took us a while to see the baby and figure out what daddy was up to.


This was at the zoo too, right around the birds of prey... cocky little bugger!

My Sibu, loves the spruce trees.

Fall is here.


He loves to eat grass.


The only way we see red in the autumn around here is if people plant maples in their yards.


This is what you get when I get up in the mornings.


This is outside a grocery store in Hinton.


This was pulled for my sister's garden.


This was from a backyard in the neighbourhood.


Have a good weekend all.

WWC: Primitive & Modern

Ha, you all thought I forgot! No, I am just slow, everything kept freezing up last night, so I gave in and called it a night.

The Weekly Word Challenge is hosted by the charming Tink of Pickled Beef and this weeks words are Primitive and Modern. Very interesting words to interpret as they encompass such broad descriptions. For example the term "Modern" was invented in the 16th century and "Primitive" can encompass everything from biology to machine code or the computer sitting on your desk right now ;) * sigh * certainly mine!


Here we go, click to enlarge any photo.

Primitive construction with farm tools & wagon wheels

Primitive farm equipment & wagon wheel

Primitive flute - stamped "Aloha Hawaii" and "Japan" C.197whenevermom&dadwenttoHawaii

Modern art, Primitive materials

Modern glass works

Modern blown glass

Modern sculpture

Primitive design on Modern materials

I hope you enjoyed. Have a good day all.

MTM: Valley Zoo

I must confess that I am torn as to how to write this post. Part of me doesn't like the idea of zoos while another part appreciates the opportunity to see wildlife that I would never otherwise get a chance to see. Zoos are also taking a hand in the preservation of many species that would otherwise be extinct in short order at the rate man is eating up the resources of this world.

Edmonton's Zoo is located on 5 acres in the river valley, hence the name Valley Zoo. Back in 1959 (gee that year sounds familiar) when I was born it was started, it was called the Storyland Valley Zoo. It was mostly a petting zoo and remnants of that are still there to be found:



Over the years, the zoo has evolved as most everything does and is now an educational facility as well. In 1992 it joined the international Species Survival Plan and is involved in programs for: Grevy's Zebra; Snow Leopards; Red Pandas; Siberian (Amur) Tigers & Goeldi's Monkeys.


The Valley Zoo is owned and operated by the City of Edmonton and in 2005 the city approved a master plan to revitalize and provide continuing developments to the zoo over the next 10 years. I can only hope that this means massive improvements to some of the enclosures, because frankly some of them are just sad right now.


Most of the birds at the zoo have arrived through rehabilitation programs & they put on a demonstration with the birds of prey during the summer months. The zoo partners with the Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Edmonton to preserve wildlife through education programs and events throughout the Edmonton area.



Lucy, is our very own artist in residence and she does some very interesting stuff. All the proceeds from her art sales goes right back into projects at the zoo. Needless to say the first and most impressive improvement was the elephant house.


As far as zoos go, the Valley Zoo is quite a young entity and we can only hope that the rising construction costs in this area will not put and end to the planned improvements. It was a wonderful morning to visit, but some of the exhibits were a bit disturbing as to their size.

Click on any of the photo mosaics, or you can drop by my Flickr site to see each photo. I will try to get them identified tonight. I unfortunately didn't get photos of everything (darned near though) and some of those I did get are not great - chain link and glass do interfere somewhat.


Have a good Monday all.

Photos from the Ranch

Last week, as you may remember, I went with some friends to visit my sister the Bag Lady, who ranches a bit further North in AB than where I live. These are just some random photos I took around the ranch before we got soaked walking through the pasture meeting the cows.

Click to enlarge.


I found this weed pretty. Purple Loostrife


It has been a bit wet.


Apparently this is a noxious weed. Or not


As I said, a bit wet.


This is from her Clematis.


A lone Viola, still blooming.


Remember, I said wet.


A lone sentinel in the pasture.


I couldn't leave you without a calf.


I think this is Pegasus. Sis will correct me if I am wrong though. Yes, it is.

Thanks Sis! I just remembered to put in the link too, I think I got distracted earlier.

Have a good day all.

Tag! I'm it!

First off, I must apologize to Hebba for taking so long to answer her challenge. Way back at the beginning of September Hebba from Jeep Girl 17 tagged me for this little game started by Being Brazen.

I'm supposed to name 5 things that I'm currently addicted to and then tag 2 more people.

What only Five! Well, okay here goes:

1. Coca-Cola - "it's the real thing", "things go better with" and all the other slogans they came up with just wormed their way into my heart and onto my tastebuds and I can't shake them. I don't want to either!

2. My camera! My preciousss! I have rediscovered the joy of capturing the beautiful and bizarre and recording it for posterity.

3. Reading. Anything, blogs, books, magazines, just following links in Wikipedia from page to page and learning things I didn't know before.

4. My computer, which encompasses blogging, learning new things, emails. Google Earth lets you can look at other peoples photos of different places in the world and see how pretty and different things are and opens up your imagination.

5. Smoking! Yes! I saved it for last, because it is the worst and I am trying very hard to shake the demon from my back. I will rid myself of it one day - hopefully soon.


There they are, now I have to tag two people...um, lets see. I usually wimp out on this and let people that read do it if they choose to, so this time I think I will pick the letter "J". If anyone has the letter "J" in any part of their real names (and some of you do and I know who you are) why don't you do this meme. And if that is more than two, well and good.

Have a good day all! ;)

WWC: Male & Female

It is Tuesday and that means Weekly Word Challenge time! As you all know Tink from Pickled Beef is our hostess for this little bit of fun we have, but some of you may regret her timing for the words MALE and FEMALE. You see, I just took a little road trip up to see my sister (the Bag Lady) and ...well, see for yourself: (click to enlarge if you dare!)

We stopped at Rochfort Bridge for a break - good thing I had the camera.

Female
Male

We also met this very friendly, obviously male dog while there. (My female friend petting him)

My sister's dog, is also quite obviously female..... yeah, it gets worse.

My sis lives on a cattle ranch...this is a female.

The one in the foreground is quite certainly a male!

Female outlet.

Male bike, although it is ridden by a female (me).


Trying to get a photo of the power cord, I guess Sibu decided he had to show that he could be included too under the "no longer" male category.

Here is the cord, one end male, one end female.

The female socket of a lamp. (converted from an old oil lamp)

Light bulbs have male ends.


Thus ends the torture. Hope you all enjoyed! Odin, I am sick aren't I?

If you want to join the fun go see Tink at the link above.

Have a good day all.