Play Ball

Summer day at the beach.

Ron, Sophie and of course Mr.Orangie.

Was It Real?

".......and then there was this BIG hairy MONSTER coming at me 

with some strange ORANGIE thing in its mouth!

Oh yeah and an alien pointing this 'laser-type thingy'

right at my face........"

Humidity can do strange things to you.

On The Fly.......

As close as I could get to this Red-Winged Blackbird down at the beach.

Are they fast!

Contemplative Monday

I can really relate to this 'lesson' today.
Had I only known when growing up I could use it as a training ground......

The following quote is from 'Heart Advice, Weekly Quotes from Pema Chodron'. (click)

BODHISATTVAS AND WARRIORS

"Bodhichitta (an awakened mind) exists on two levels.

 First there is unconditional bodhichitta, an immediate experience that is 

refreshingly free of concept, opinion, and our usual all-caught-upness.

It's something hugely good that we are not able to pin down even slightly,

like knowing at gut level that there's nothing to lose.

Second there is relative bodhichitta, our ability to keep our hearts and minds

open to suffering without shutting down.

Those who train wholeheartedly in awakening unconditional and relative bodhichitta

are called bodhisattvas or warriors....not warriors who kill and harm 

but warriors of nonaggression who hear the cries of the world.

These are men and women who are willing to train in the middle of the fire.

Training in the middle of the fire can mean that warrior-bodhisattvas

enter challenging situations in order to alleviate suffering.

It also refers to their willingness to cut through personal reactivity and self-deception,

to their dedication to uncovering the basic undistorted energy of bodhichitta.

We have many examples of  master warriors-----

people like Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King----

who recognized that the greatest harm comes from our own aggressive minds.

They devoted their lives to helping others understand this truth.

There are also many ordinary people who spend their lives
 training in opening their hearts and minds in order to help others do the same.
Like them, we could learn to relate to ourselves and our world as warriors.
We could train in awakening our courage and love."

Eclectic Tastes

I would like to introduce you to my nephew, Jacob Cuvelier.
He is my brother Dennis' son.

Jacob is 20 years old and attends my Alma Mater....Acadia University
which is in Wolfville, Nova Scotia
and which happens to be Ron's hometown.

Jacob has been recording 'rap' for a few years now
and has been (last night too actually) opening for 
 visiting musicians in the city.

He really enjoys making music.
This selection, Mr.Sandman,  is the only one 
I feel comfortable playing here and my personal favourite.
I would say it is G-rated.

If you want to hear more, be forewarned.
His other pieces may be offensive to some people.

Saturday Morning Post

Sights of summer along Nova Scotia's coast......

Sophie is back to herself again after a couple of very uncomfortable months.

Grass and wild flowers on MacDonald Hill in Lawrencetown.

A spectacular sky to frame Ron and Sophie.

A 'beach rose'.

Remnants of a pier in the Northwest Arm, Halifax.

Watching the sun set.

A foggy morning in the dunes at the beach.

Wild flowers at the park in Halifax.

Summer is afoot!

'I come in peace'.

A frog in the pond at the park.

A man with his toy on MacDonald Hill.
Could that plane fly!

Looking towards West Lawrencetown in the evening.

Different shades of dune grasses at the beach.

Got this 1930's 'cargo suitcase/mini-trunk' while thrifting this week.
Amy, my colleague at the shoppe snapped it up with a flash!
She plans to use it for her $2 trunk filled with really good deals
of vintage clothing and shoes. All proceeds go to an animal charity.

Um.......Sophie?.......

This is Barb on the left and Louise on the right. They are sisters.
Louise, from 'Standing Into Danger' fame on blogger,
went to school with Ron back in grade 8!
After 50 years they met again at our place on the weekend.
Great to meet them both!

Ron photographing a 'shore plant' which apparently grows out of rocks!

This fellow never did 'take off' while we were on the hill one evening this week.
He must have been waiting for the proper lift-off winds.

Probably Halifax's oldest and most famous diner....The Chickenburger.....in Bedford.

Guests, Barb and Louise, getting the tour down at the beach.

Until next Saturday....see you later.....I'm outta here!

I Wish That I Had Duck Feet

I spent most of yesterday 'thrifting'.

I had half a dozen or so shops to visit.

At the last one I found these vintage, mid 50's and early 60's,

'I Can Read It, Beginner Readers'.

All of the authors worked together for this series of children's books.

One of the authors, Theo LeSieg, was the pen name used by

Dr.Seuss himself......Theodor Seuss Geisel.

Last evening when at the shoppe adding these to the other books I have there,

the massage therapist, Jen, noticed this new pile.

She bought one immediately for her son, Sam who is 4.

Can you guess which one?