It's a Small World After All

For the past week or so, I have been ruminating. Looking around, thinking about this and that, bits, bites, books and birds.

Wondering what's new, and what's hot. Newsworthy, or not.

And with the exception of a few small things, I find that the more things change, the more they remain the same.

Friends and family and just plain folk -we all continue to struggle with:

LOVE

How to find it, court it and keep it.

HEALTH

How to be stronger, faster, thinner, smarter, harder, softer, better.

HAPPINESS

How to nurture, share, savour and care.

Besides love, health, and happiness -what else is it that the human spirit searches for? The degree to which we are successful in our quest can move mountains, molehills and armies of men.

The more things change, the more they remain the same.

This is the lesson I have learned in the past year or several.

And it's not that it's good or bad. It just is.

 While visiting Montreal over Christmas, I came across this amazing scene in the windows of a little Italian restaurant in NDG. Like all things small and intricately wrought, it drew me in..and I spent a lot of time just looking at this amazing vignette. Wondering how it got started. Who started it? Who keeps it up? Who creates it? Who protects it? Is it a village effort? Who's hands have made the tiny tools? Who's mind has decided what's needed next?

Who sets it up? Who takes it down?

And within it all, there are a hundred stories being told.

Each one set up to let you linger, to question, and to enjoy.

Which I did. And which you can too.

Happy New Year. May your life be as full as this one!

Take My Picture and Make it Snappy!

I know. I KNOW!

It's not easy being beautiful, and please don't hate ME because I am.

I see you no-shells. You swirl around me, and make loud honking sounds, and get close to me, and then leave (!) your shiny shells and place yourselves in great danger of being hit by other shiny shells, just because you see ME.

You want to help ME cross the big, gray, dry stubbley river.

You know you like ME.

It's not easy being beautiful.

Does YOUR Mother love YOU?

Mine would likely snap my head off if she was still around!
But she's not. Uhn -uh. No siree. Left me lying in a gravel pit on the side of the gray stubbley river. She left me! So I pecked myself out, dusted myself off, and headed for the nearest swamp. There are likely still flecks of Mommy dearest on my wrinkly carpacious back. Thanks to YOU and your disposable  shiny shell things.

Bet you  didn't know that I am the OFFICIAL REPTILE of New York. Chosen because I am crusty, cranky, and on a scale of one to ten? I'm an eleven.

Bite you.

(That's what I'll do if you come too close.)

And you want to talk about claws? Hah! I nailed that one!

And political cartoons? Hah hah!!

ME! 1807. I was the first!

Betcha didn't know that  Ograbme is Embargo spelled backwards! And this little snippet is all about the Jeffersonian Embargo.

I'd bite anyone who tried to trade with  the British.

You love ME!

Now, make like a turtle. And make it snappy.

A Fish Story.

Ah, holidays are great! Here I am enjoying the fantastic weather and the absolutely beautiful beach on Assateague...part of the Barrier Islands of Virginia. Sun, surf, and sand...and hey, check out the guy sitting in the beach chair behind me...




He is definitely into the R&R zone...cooler at hand, sunscreen (I hope) and he's not really nodding off, he's actually fishing! Who knew how relaxing a sport it could be! In fact, he has three lines on the go...and while there were several other fishermen on the beach, buddy seemed to be the only one catching anything.
As I watched, he reeled in a small Sand Shark. For someone from the Ottawa Valley, who thinks fishing is about small mouth bass, this is a BIG DEAL! Even bigger deal was the way in which he deftly reeled in the shark, quickly unhooked it, and threw it back into the water. I liked that.


Then, a few minutes later, his reel started to bend in that way that means "get over here, now!" So, of course being nosy tourists, we did. One guy must have said something especially nice, because all of a sudden, HE was the one reeling in the big one, while Mr. Catchanrelease watched and coached. See? Fishing is easy! It took about fifteen minutes of effort, and finally, what to our wondering eyes should appear?

A Stingray!! A large, lethal one that is closely related to the one that killed everyone's favourite crocodile hunter, Steve Irwin! And Mr. Catchanrelease just smiled, lifted its tail and pointed out the deadly spurs to the witless woman watching with mouth wide open. (Me).








And then, he did something even more amazing! He rolled the stingray onto its back and began to rub its belly, and talk softly to it while the guy who landed it gently removed the hook. OMG.




And THEN, he took the time to show it to a little toddler before he carefully moved it back into the surf, free once more to tell the whole school of stingrays about the adventure on the beach it had just had!

The guy who brought the beast in loudly proclaimed that landing it successfully had been better than sex!

And I decided I was in love. With fishing.

And if you happen to be Mr. Catchenrelease in this photo...thanks, it was great! TTFN