She Who Seeks

Way Up Yonder in Winnipeg

2012-01-27T05:30:00.000-07:00

I don't know if many people remember her now, but Gisele MacKenzie was a popular singer and performer in the 1950s and early 1960s. She often appeared on the TV shows of stars like Jack Benny, Pat Boone, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Dinah Shore and Ed Sullivan.

Gisele MacKenzie was also a true Canadian sweetheart because she was born in Winnipeg and studied music in Toronto before becoming successful in the U.S.

In 1960 on the Perry Como Show, she performed a tongue-in-cheek salute to her hometown of Winnipeg. Every stupid stereotype about the Great White North was thoroughly milked -- endless winter, freezing cold, dogsledding, Indians, Inuit and dancing Mounties. The result is hilarious, I think. It is truly the cheesiest of cheesy tributes.

Unfortunately, YouTube won't let me embed the short video but you can watch it by clicking here.

Enjoy!

Scots 'n Aussies

2012-01-25T05:30:00.000-07:00

Today is Robbie Burns Day, the birthdate of Scotland's greatest poet, och aye. And tomorrow is Australia Day, mate! So tie yer kangaroo down, throw another haggis on the barbie and celebrate both festivals together by watching this crazy Australian TV ad. Enjoy!

My Favourite Hobby

2012-01-24T05:30:00.008-07:00

The second meme question I've chosen is posed by Vickie of Aoibheal's Lair: "If you had to choose just one hobby, what would it be and why?"

Hey, how the hell did that get posted? *shakes fist at Her Royal Highness the cat* It's a pack of lies, I tell you!

Actually, blogging is my favourite hobby, not bestiality. I enjoy thinking up things to blog about, finding appropriate photos or cartoons to go with my posts and yammering on and on.

Here's a few truths about the blogging life that I'm sure you will recognize from your own experience as I did, LOL!

Year of the Dragon

2012-01-23T05:30:00.000-07:00

Gung hey fat choy, everyone! Happy Chinese Lunar New Year!

In Western mythology, a dragon is an evil fire-breathing creature which must be slain by a hero (preferably a knight in shining armour on a white steed). But in Eastern mythology, a dragon is a wonderful creature of dynamic energy, prosperity, wisdom and protection. Dragons get the love and respect they deserve in Asia!

What can we expect in this Dragon year? According to Susan Levitt and Jean Tang in Taoist Astrology:

The year of the Dragon is a time of ambition, power, and daring. Events seem as if they are magnified threefold with increased intensity. The energy and vitality of the Dragon year may make some people overly optimistic. A Dragon year is an excellent time to start a business, marry, have children, and take incredible risks. On a global level, expect extreme earth changes, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tidal waves.

Don't forget to exchange a coin with a friend today to ensure good luck and prosperity for the upcoming year! Click here for details.

The Long Arm of the Paw

2012-01-20T05:30:00.000-07:00

This video is for My Rare One who hates getting tickets of any kind -- speeding, photo radar, parking, whatever. Yet somehow she has managed to accumulate a nice collection of all of them over the years. (*cough* heavy foot *cough*)

If only our cat, Her Royal Highness, would come to her rescue like the fearless feline in this video! Sic 'im, kitty, sic 'im!

(Note: There's no sound on this video. It was recorded by the cop car's dashboard video cam during a routine traffic stop in Texas.)

I swiped this great video a while ago from Caroline's wonderful blog Constantly Evolving -- thanks!

La Barriere Park, Part 2

2012-01-19T05:31:00.000-07:00

In 1869, the Canadian government obtained control of the Red River Settlement from the Hudson's Bay Company. The Canadian government sent an English-speaking governor to run its newly-acquired territory. But the French/Native Métis people of the area feared that the government would take their land and treat them badly.

Their leader Louis Riel and his armed men rode out over the prairie to stop the governor from arriving. They built a barricade -- in French, la barrière -- near the village of St. Norbert. The governor was halted and sent packing back to Ottawa. This was the start of the Red River Rebellion.

Louis Riel formed his own provisional government (pictured above) at Upper Fort Garry (now Winnipeg) and ultimately negotiated the Settlement's 1870 entry into the Canadian Confederation as a full province called Manitoba.

The barricading and successful expulsion of the Canadian government's representative is commemorated today in the name of St. Norbert's quiet and peaceful little park. I'd love to go back sometime and walk in its woods again.

La Barriere Park, Part 1

2012-01-18T05:31:00.010-07:00

Three people have recently tagged me with the "Eleven Random Questions" meme so now I am positively swimming in questions! What I'm going to do is answer one question from each tagger in individual posts over the next little while. Yes, I am completely disregarding the rules of the meme by doing it this way but I make my own rules, LOL!

First up, Hannah of The Silence of the Moon inquires "Where is your favourite place?" I have many favourite places, but today I'm going to tell you about La Barriere Park in Manitoba where I used to live.

La Barriere Park is an ordinary little greenspace park located just south of Winnipeg near the village of St. Norbert. It's quiet, natural and secluded. There's a small bridge over a little creek, some BBQ pits, a few picnic tables and a wooded area with walking paths.

I used to go quite often to La Barriere Park with my then-girlfriend, Big Bad Butch, and our cat named Cinnamon Nutmeg. We would barbeque potato packets, wieners and marshmallows. The cat would explore the picnic site on her leash. She loved being outdoors. Then we'd go for a little walk over the bridge and through the woods before heading home. La Barriere Park is a wonderful spot.

The park's name comes from Manitoba history. More on that tomorrow.

Calling All Book Lovers!

2012-01-17T05:30:00.000-07:00

This delightful stop-action film called The Joy of Books was made recently in Toronto by Sean Ohlenkamp, his wife and a whole lot of volunteers who spent several nights rearranging all the books in this small bookstore. Original music is by Grayson Matthews.

What a whimsical love letter to books! Kindles and e-readers can't do this, can they? Go buy a book from an independent bookseller today and support your local bookstore!

Hunker Down and Find Your Mittens

2012-01-16T05:30:00.004-07:00

Here on the prairies, we've been pampered for the past month with beautiful, mild weather. It has seemed more like April than December/January. But all good things must come to an end. We're back in the deep freeze now, with temperatures between -20 and -30°C.

So it's a perfect time to post this delightful video by the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Choir. The choir sings suggestions for staying warm set to the glorious music of Carl Orff's "O Fortuna" from Carmina Burana. Watch it full screen for best visibility of the subtitles!

Be Not Afraid!

2012-01-13T05:31:00.000-07:00

For those who honour the Divine Feminine, Friday the 13th is a lucky day of blessings and celebration. Of course, every Friday honours the Goddess because "Freya's Day" is named for the Norse Great Goddess. But when a Friday also corresponds to the 13th day of the month, it is especially blessed. Thirteen is the sacred number of the Goddess because there are 13 moons or lunar months in a lunar year.

In early centuries, Friday the 13th was given an evil interpretation by the Christian church which was in the difficult process of christianizing Europe. If you can't suppress or eradicate something, demonize it. That was the Church's policy then and it continues today. Tried being a gay Catholic lately?

So enjoy Friday the 13th, everyone!

Today is Sir John A. Macdonald Day!

2012-01-11T05:30:00.000-07:00

Canada's first prime minister was born on January 11, 1815 in Glasgow, Scotland. As a small child, he emigrated with his parents to Upper Canada (now Ontario). Trained as a lawyer, he made a spectacular career for himself in politics.

Macdonald was a true visionary. His vision helped create the Canadian Confederation of 1867 and then pushed it westwards across the continent with the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Of course, he had his foibles. A weakness for drink. The occasional brawl in the House of Commons. Some pocket-lining from CPR kickbacks.

But hey, Canadians love a bit of a bad boy. So happy birthday, Sir John A.!

[Cartoon by Brian Gable of The Globe and Mail]

Liebster Blog Award

2012-01-09T05:30:00.000-07:00

What a nice surprise -- last week, Jane of Jane's Jewels gave me a Liebster Blog Award!

As Jane explained, "Liebster is a German word meaning dear, sweet, kind, nice, good, beloved, lovely, kindly, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome." Wow! A very nice compliment indeed. So thank you for including me in your list of Liebster Blogs, Jane.

Now it is my pleasure to pass on the Liebster Blog Award to another five dear, sweet, kind etc. blogs. I've picked five bloggers whose blogs I think you will enjoy checking out. Please pop by and say hi to them!

Francie M at A North End Journal

Victoria at Awake with Charm and Spirit

CorvusCorax12 at Eye in the Sky

Chris at Retired and loving it

LaelShine at Soular Sister

Chrystos rodyvsya!

2012-01-07T05:31:00.000-07:00

Today is Ukrainian (Orthodox) Christmas under the old Julian calendar. The traditional greeting on this day is Chrystos rodyvsya! *

My Rare One is in Manitoba right now celebrating the holiday with her Ukrainian aunties and cousins. There are so many of them that they have to rent the local community hall just to hold their feast and party. Have a perogy or ten for me, miy malenky tsybulyna! **

This painting of a traditional Ukrainian Christmas Eve was painted by the great Ukrainian-Canadian prairie artist, William Kurelek. When I was in Manitoba a couple of weeks ago, I went to the Winnipeg Art Gallery to see a major retrospective of his work entitled William Kurelek: The Messenger. The exhibition is also available for interactive viewing on the web -- if you're interested, click here.

* Christ is born!

** my little onion!

Want to read a funny book?

2012-01-05T05:32:00.000-07:00

Travis Erwin, who writes the blog One Word, One Rung, One Day, has just published his first novel and it's a doozy! The Feedstore Chronicles is the hilarious autobiographical story of Travis's own coming of age, but a little embellished with the finest of fine Texas bullshit, of course.

Travis spent his high school years in Amarillo working at Pearl's Seed and Feed for an unscrupulous moral bankrupt named Doyle Suggs. A parade of weird and wacky characters traipsed through the store, including some unforgettable animals as well. Let's just say that after reading this book, you'll never look at bulldogs the same way again. Or pigs or chickens, for that matter.

While the book recounts one laugh-out-loud funny predicament after another, Travis also has a keen eye for the truths and foibles of human nature. Another reviewer has called him "the David Sedaris of Texas." I think that's a pretty accurate observation, but I would throw a comparison to Mark Twain into that mix too.

Anyway, if you need a good laugh, pick up a copy of The Feedstore Chronicles. You won't regret it, believe me! The book is available on amazon.com in the U.S. and on amazon.ca here in Canada.

Paths of the Soul

2012-01-04T05:30:00.000-07:00

Laughingwolf recently sent me this beautiful video montage of labyrinths, mazes and sacred spirals set to one of Philip Glass's ethereal minimalist compositions. It's so wonderfully meditative just to sit back, listen and watch these images pass by. Thanks, guy!

Zen Cats

2012-01-02T05:30:00.000-07:00

Well, after the frenzied craziness of Christmas and New Years, I think we could ALL use a little zen bliss, courtesy of those who know it best. Ommmm! Purrrr!

New Year Resolutions

2012-01-01T05:30:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the Universe helps us stick to our resolutions even when we don't want to!

Happy New Year, everyone!

An Important New Year's Eve Message

2011-12-31T05:31:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone. Father Time here. I have one question for you all.

Where the FUCK did 2011 go to?

Wasn't it just yesterday when I was the New Year's Baby, all cootchy-coo and cute as a button? And now here I am, a grizzled old codger about to get the bum's rush out the door.

I know, I know -- tempus fugit or time flies or some such bullshit -- but this is frickin' ridiculous, you people!

My only consolation is that YOU'RE all a year older too. Keep that in mind during 2012.

Now get out there, live life and have a great year!

Moms

2011-12-26T05:31:00.000-07:00

The Divine Feminine as Mother Goddess has been an important spiritual image since time immemorial. She Who Gives Life is a universal part of all our own personal stories too. So I'm off to Manitoba to visit my Mom in the nursing home for a few days now. I'll see you all again on New Year's Eve!

The Christmas Story . . .

2011-12-25T05:30:00.000-07:00

. . . as written and performed by the children of St. Pauls Church in Auckland, New Zealand.

It's a refreshing (and perceptive!) take on the old, old narrative. And as they say at the end of the credits, it's "based on a true story" LOL! My favourite part is the animal poop.

I saw this video last year on Jim's blog, Ocean Breezes -- thanks, buddy! I tucked it away to use this year on my own blog.

Christmas blessings to you all!

Occupy Dickens!

2011-12-24T05:32:00.000-07:00

Remember, Scrooge -- the three spirits will visit you tonight on Christmas Eve! Heed them!

Festivus Cakes Just For You!

2011-12-23T05:31:00.002-07:00

Now do something nice for me in return, you ingrate.

I worked my friggin' fingers to the bone decorating this cake for you. Yes, those are corn niblets. So what? [Update: Sorry, everyone, apparently those are acorns . . . I know, WTF? And this is Sandra Lee's Kwanzaa cake, not a Festivus cake at all. Oh well, screw it. It deserves to be a Festivus cake too.]

What are you bitching about? It's got sprinkles!

Words To Live By

2011-12-22T05:30:00.000-07:00

Winter Solstice

2011-12-21T05:30:00.000-07:00

According to Universal Time (UT) measured at Greenwich, England, the winter solstice occurs at 5:30 a.m. on December 22. So why am I posting my winter solstice greetings today? Because my time zone of Mountain Standard Time (MST) is 7 hours earlier than UT, so in Alberta the winter solstice arrives at 10:30 p.m. tonight. Depending on your time zone, the winter solstice may occur today or tomorrow.

Either way, winter solstice blessings to you and your family! May the returning light herald a wonderful holiday season for you all! *SMOOCH!*

The Festival of Lights Begins!

2011-12-20T05:31:00.001-07:00

My cat, Her Royal Highness, wants to wish Happy Hanukkat to all her feline friends of the Jewish purr-suasion.

Tonight at sundown, the first candle will be lit on the menorah --

Have fun playing with your dreidel cat toys, everyone!

And enjoy all the special foods and yummy treats of the holiday!

Mazel tov and Meow!

HRH Helps with Holiday Baking

2011-12-19T05:32:00.000-07:00

Straight-Up Christmas

2011-12-17T05:30:00.003-07:00

Disregard the annoying 30 second ad at the beginning of this video.

A Classy Christmas Outfit

2011-12-16T05:30:00.000-07:00

Just perfect for that festive office party, church gathering or other holiday get-together! Beep beep, Rudolf!

A Classy Christmas Craft

2011-12-15T05:31:00.000-07:00

Yes! It's a charming angel made out of a tampon! (An unused one, it goes without saying.) Full instructions on how to make this extra-absorbent celestial being are found at I-Madge-ine the Twaddle blog -- click here! Get crafting, girls!

[Thanks to Elly at BugginWord for featuring this on her blog first!]

The Christmas Can-Can

2011-12-14T05:32:00.000-07:00

There's something for (almost) everyone in this modern carol! I snagged it from Sarita's blog, A College Girl's Days. She always finds the most awesome videos!

Sankta Lucia's Star Boys

2011-12-13T05:31:00.000-07:00

Today is the feast day of Sankta Lucia (St. Lucy), the very superficially Christianized version of the Nordic Goddess of the Winter Solstice, She who brings the returning light after the longest night.

Last year I wrote about the girls called Maidens who accompany Sankta Lucia in the traditional Scandinavian Lucia pageants held on this day. This year I want to focus on the boys who also participate in the ceremony.

Sankta Lucia's male attendants are called Star Boys. Dressed in winter white like the girls, Star Boys wear tall conical hats sprinkled with stars and usually also carry a star on a stick. Star Boys walk in the procession and sing the praises of the Solstice Goddess. Their stars reflect a bit of Her sacred light during the night of long darkness and act as a promise of the greater light to come.

[Photos found on the internet]

Blue Christmas

2011-12-12T05:30:00.000-07:00

There's a tradition in the Canadian Unitarian Universalist church (and perhaps in other churches as well, I don't know) of having a December event called Blue Christmas. It's a special service of meditation and readings which acknowledge and honour the fact that Christmas is not always a happy time for everyone.

For those who are ill, alone, grieving, depressed or in difficult circumstances, Christmas can be an excruciatingly painful time with its single-minded emphasis on fun, family, jollity and high spirits. Christmas can be salt in the wounds of many.

It's important not to force expectations of Christmas joy and merriment on those who don't feel it for whatever reason. It's okay not to be happy at Christmas and it's okay to need emotional support to get through it. Hugs, understanding and no pressure are the best gifts for us to give.

Maria Lanakila Labyrinth, Part 2

2011-12-09T05:31:00.000-07:00

Every labyrinth has its own unique "feel" to the experience of walking it. For me, the Maria Lanakila Labyrinth will always be associated with the sounds of children laughing and playing.

My Rare One and I visited the labyrinth on a sunny Thursday morning. Just as we started walking it, all the school kids came outside for recess. As can be seen in the following photo, the Maria Lanakila Labyrinth multi-tasks big time! The school playground is right beside it. A basketball hoop for the use of budding NBA players shares the labyrinth's pavement. The labyrinth even doubles as an amphitheatre stage, with a permanent bank of tiered seats along one side of the circle.

A young boy and girl walked part of the labyrinth with us. Others played a fast-paced game of tag around us. But these children understood perfectly well why people walk the unicursal path and they were careful not to disturb us.

As we walked the labyrinth, listening to the laughter of the school kids, thankful for the shade of the big trees, we also gazed at the beauty of the West Maui Mountains in the distance.

[All photos by Debra She Who Seeks]

Maria Lanakila Labyrinth, Part 1

2011-12-08T05:31:00.001-07:00

Lahaina is a bustling tourist town on the west coast of Maui, full of shops, restaurants and entertainment. But in bygone days when Hawai'ian royalty ruled the islands, Lahaina was the capital of Hawai'i. In the 1800s, the town and its harbour were central to the whaling industry. Christian missionaries flooded into Lahaina during that period as well.

One of the oldest churches in Lahaina is the Catholic church of Maria Lanakila, built by Belgian missionaries who arrived in the mid-1800s. "Maria Lanakila" means "Our Lady of Victory" in the Hawai'ian language.

The church contains a beautiful mosaic portrait of St. Damien, the Belgian missionary priest who in the 1870s-80s ministered to a large leper colony on the nearby island of Moloka'i . Living among the lepers, St. Damien eventually contracted the disease as well and died in the colony.

Beside Maria Lanakila is an old cemetery with many historic gravestones, including those of Hawai'ian royalty.

Behind the church and cemetery is the Sacred Heart School which was also founded by the Belgian missionaries. In a corner of the schoolyard, there is a full-size Chartres labyrinth painted on pavement under the welcome shade of several ancient monkey pod trees.

Tomorrow: walking the Maria Lanakila Labyrinth.

[All photos by Debra She Who Seeks]

Winnipeg's Drummer Boy

2011-12-07T05:30:00.002-07:00

Have you seen this great video yet? It's in the process of going viral on YouTube. Not only is it a wonderfully fresh, modern take on that old Christmas carol Little Drummer Boy, it was created by a 16 year old Winnipeg high school student named Sean Quigley. He skipped school one day last month to make this video.

Sean arranged the music, played every instrument, drummed and sang, as well as directed, shot and edited the video. His youthful enthusiasm and talent just leap off the screen! And who else but a crazy Winnipeg teenager would be out in the snow wearing shorts and no parka!

I also love that the City itself is featured in the video -- Charleswood, Assiniboine Park, the Forks, the Riel Esplanade leading to St. Boniface, and of course that last shot of Sean drumming against the downtown skyline. And in true Canadian multicultural tradition, Merry Christmas greetings appear on signs throughout the video in several different languages.

The 1 Purr-cent

2011-12-06T05:32:00.000-07:00

The 99 Purr-cent

2011-12-05T05:31:00.000-07:00

CBC Memories: Little Mosque on the Prairie

2011-12-02T05:31:00.000-07:00

This is actually a "current CBC Memory" because Little Mosque on the Prairie is still being broadcast. This Canadian sit-com started airing in 2007 and is currently about to start its final year. The show concerns the lives and tribulations of a little Muslim community in the small fictional city of Mercy, Saskatchewan, where the Muslims rent space for their mosque in the parish hall of the local Anglican church.

Much like King of Kensington before it, the comedy of Little Mosque on the Prairie is a smidge corny, a wee bit earnest, gently satirical and full of understated Canadian humour. It too promotes the values of tolerance and multiculturalism through humour. But every once in awhile, the writers do pull off a real zinger!

In 2008, the Fox network in the U.S. planned to make an American version for south of the border. But while good-natured joking about Christians and Muslims is fine and accepted in Canada, it is apparently too hot to handle in the States. An American version of Little Mosque on the Prairie never made it to air.

CBC Memories: King of Kensington

2011-12-01T05:30:00.000-07:00

In 1975, King of Kensington was one of CBC's first forays into sit-coms. The wonderful actor Al Waxman played Larry King, son of immigrant Jewish parents, who ran the family convenience store in Toronto's ethnically diverse Kensington neighbourhood. He lived above the shop with his WASP wife Cathy and his mother Gladys.

The comedy was a little corny, a little earnest, gently satirical and full of understated Canadian humour. The show reinforced the values of tolerance and multiculturalism which were then being actively promoted and developed in Canadian society. King of Kensington strove to be a direct contrast to All in the Family, its blue-collar American equivalent.

I enjoyed King of Kensington despite its shortcomings. I agreed with its values, then and now. And who can ever forget that iconic opening theme song?

(American readers may remember Al Waxman as Lt. Bert Samuels in Cagney & Lacey and as the archangel Judge Othniel in Twice in a Lifetime, before his untimely death in 2001).

My Drumming Circle's 10th Anniversary

2011-11-30T05:30:00.000-07:00

In October, the Women's Drumming and Goddess Chanting Circle which I facilitate marked 10 years of celebrating the Divine Feminine! When I started the Circle in 2001, who knew it would last so long?

This definitely called for a parTAY! So, of course, there must be balloons . . .

. . . which must of course be in the colours of the Triple Goddess: white for the Maiden, red for the Mother and black for the Crone.

And what's a celebration without door prizes in pretty gift bags?

The swag included an assortment of smudges, a set of Louise Hay affirmation cards, items honouring the Goddesses Yemaya and Athena, plus a lovely Wheel of the Year from the Glastonbury Goddess Temple.

Here's a shot of the Circle set up in our downstairs family room prior to everyone's arrival. We had 18 women attend that evening and believe me, we raised the roof with drumming, singing and much snacking on goodies!

Blessed be my Circle's past, present and future and all the women who have attended and will attend! I am grateful for all.

Catvertising -- You're Forewarned

2011-11-29T05:30:00.002-07:00

Her Royal Highness's new ambition in life is to be a catvertising star. Watch for her soon on a television or computer screen near you!

Clawed and Mauled! sob

2011-11-28T05:32:00.000-07:00

Final score: B.C. Lions 34, Winnipeg Blue Bombers 23.

The Lions led throughout the game, but the play was pretty desultory until the 4th quarter. Then all of a sudden, both teams came alive and touchdowns abounded! The Bombers fought hard but it was too little, too late and they could not prevail.

And the worst thing of all is that now I have to put up with a smug cat for the rest of the week. Her Royal Highness will be absolutely insufferable.

Grey Cup Preview

2011-11-25T05:30:00.000-07:00

It's Grey Cup weekend again! This Sunday, the championship game of the Canadian Football League will be fought between the British Columbia Lions (Western Division champions) and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Eastern Division champions). And this year the lucky buggers won't even have to freeze outdoors in the snow because the game is in balmy Vancouver's domed stadium.

I usually cheer for the West but this year I must cheer for my old home town of Winnipeg. The Peg is actually a Western Canadian city but it has been placed in the CFL Eastern Division so that both Divisions have an even number of teams.

The Blue Bombers have not won the Grey Cup since 1990, which is the longest drought for any team in the CFL. Another good reason why Winnipeg deserves to win! Go Bombers Go!

Her Royal Highness is cheering for the B.C. Lions, of course. Cats always stick together.

What I DIDN'T do on holiday

2011-11-24T05:31:00.000-07:00

Tattooing is a huge part of traditional Hawaiian / Polynesian culture. We saw so many fabulous tattoos while we were in Maui! In Honolulu where Disney recently built a fabulous new resort hotel, the powerful Mouse Corporation had to relax its otherwise unbending prohibition on employees with tattoos or else it would not have been able to hire staff.

Tattoo parlours are everywhere, of course. I love this beautiful, if narrow, laneway entrance to one in upcountry Maui (in the town of Pa'ia, if memory serves correctly).

But I did not succumb to the lure of ink. My pasty white Canadian hide remains unmarked.

[Photo by Debra She Who Seeks]

What I did on holiday

2011-11-23T05:31:00.000-07:00

I ate too much. I drank too much. I shopped too much. However, I did show some restraint when it came to sunning myself so did not get sunburned.

My Rare One and I drove on one-lane, sheer cliffside roads with no guard rails (yikes). We hiked around the 'Iao Valley and the Seven Sacred Pools as well. We went to the volcanic craters of Haleakala on Maui and Diamond Head on O'ahu. And in Honolulu, we had a free ukulele lesson!

One of my favourite things was visiting 5 labyrinth sites on Maui. I'll be blogging about them over the course of the winter so stay tuned. But here's a sneak peek of a labyrinth at Dragon's Teeth Point in Kapalua, complete with a beautiful rainbow!

[Photos by Debra She Who Seeks]

Aloha! I'm back!

2011-11-22T05:30:00.000-07:00

My Rare One likes to go to Maui every 5 years when she reaches a significant birthday milestone. "Birthdays are painless in Hawaii," she says. We stayed in a condo hotel in Kihei and drove around the island enjoying Maui's sun, sand, surf, sightseeing and shopping. We also spent a few days visiting friends in Honolulu on the island of O'ahu.

The weather was a beautiful 25-30˚C (80-85˚F) with only a couple of rain showers while we were there. Warm breezes, sunny days, blue skies. This is what we saw from our patio window --

We arrived home in Edmonton to -20˚C (-4˚F) and a white blanket of snow. This is now our view from our frosty kitchen window -- and yes, that's our labyrinth peeking through the snow. Reality check, LOL!

[Top photo by My Rare One; other photos by Debra She Who Seeks]

Later, Gator!

2011-10-28T05:30:00.001-06:00

Hey, everyone -- adventure calls! I'll be back in a month. Giddyup now, horsie!

Modern Witchery

2011-10-27T05:29:00.007-06:00

Mouse Hotel -- oooo, scary!

2011-10-26T05:32:00.001-06:00

Last year we also constructed a Mouse Hotel for the front steps. This is much easier to make than a jack-o'-lantern because you don't need to clean out the pumpkin. Just cut a few holes and stick in some plastic mice from the dollar store. Easy-peasy!

Here's my attempt at an arty photo with witch's hats, candy and rubber rats. Yeah, I know -- "don't give up my day job." The rats' names are Cardinal Ratzinger and Archbishop Fang. They squeak when squeezed and have been with us for a few years now. Her Royal Highness the cat does not care for them. I think it's their little evil red eyes and long ratty tails.

And here's a blurry action shot from the front steps on Halloween night 2010. Scary, eh? LOL!

Jack-o'-Lantern Frenzy!

2011-10-25T05:31:00.000-06:00

Every year, My Rare One and I carve two jack-o'-lanterns to sit on our front steps on Halloween night. We try not to make the JOLs too scary because most of our trick or treaters are pretty small kids. Typically, they pay no attention to the pumpkins anyway, being totally focused on candy. But their accompanying parents often comment favourably on our efforts, LOL!

Usually we employ one of those carving kits that come with several patterns, pointy sticks for making the pattern perforations on the pumpkins and little saws for cutting out the design. Actually, it's pretty amazing what a good job you can do with those easy-to-use kits. Last year, however, I designed my own "diabolical vampire cat" pumpkin --

My Rare One used a pattern to spell out this seasonal greeting --

Here they are together --

Not quite so compelling in full light though! Darkness and candlelight work wonders. My Rare One and I find that to be true in other contexts as well.

Halloween Week

2011-10-24T05:31:00.000-06:00

Is that the sound of a car coming up my driveway?

Yes! My bat alarm has been activated. Fly, my pretties, fly! Warn me of the intruders' approach.

Oh, foolish one! Do you dare to approach my humble abode?

Very well, then. I'll come and open the gates for you . . . . creeeeaaaakkkk . . . . sorry, pay that sound no mind -- it's just my hip joint acting up again.

Hello, brave and foolish visitor. Welcome to Halloween Week at She Who Seeks blog. Come closer . . . if you dare.

I'll lay a big smooch on ya, sweetie! Mwah! Mmmmm . . . tasty!

Come closer and tomorrow I'll show you my . . . *cackle* . . . pumpkins!

[Cat art by Ryan Conner and found here at her Etsy store]

Ukulele Baby

2011-10-22T05:31:00.000-06:00

This Spring, My Rare One gave me a charming hula girl for my car dashboard. With beautiful dark hair, a colourful lei, her own ukulele and a synthetic grass skirt, she does her hula dance whenever the car is moving.

But this Summer, I discovered that she's actually a bit of a . . . well, a bit of a hussy. In a hot car, under the blazing summer sun, the glue on her skirt softened and let go. OMG, my Ukulele Baby was doing a strip tease! Her hula moves started to seem more like a bump and grind!

I thought she was soon going to be flashing her bare ass to the world, but no. Turns out she has no ass per se. Only a metal bouncy spring. Phew!

Time to get out the glue and restore her modesty!

HRH Acts Up and Acts Out

2011-10-21T05:30:00.003-06:00

Well, Her Royal Highness the cat has been giving me nothing but attitude lately. At 16 years old, she is like an out-of-control teenager -- except that in cat years, being 16 makes her 80 years old. So maybe she's really like an out-of-control senior citizen. Both are impossible to deal with, quite frankly.

I do the best I can to maintain a calm, even keel but I've had to put my foot down about the language she's using. Where she learned to swear like a sailor, I'll never know.

Where did my sweet little kitten go?

Follow-up re Louise McKinney Park Labyrinth

2011-10-20T05:30:00.000-06:00

Thanks, everyone, for your questions about yesterday's post. As a result, I did some research and discovered some fascinating things!

The labyrinth at Louise McKinney Park was designed and built in June 2010 by Leah Dorion. She is a Metis artist from Saskatchewan who constructed the labyrinth as part of The Works, Edmonton's annual art and design festival. The labyrinth's official name is Turtle Rock Effigy and here is a description of its significance from the festival program:

Turtle Rock Effigy combines the First Nations turtle rock effigy with a Celtic labyrinth path on its back, a symbolic representation of the bringing together of First Nations and European cultures.

Zing! The lightbulb comes on! Turtle Island is the traditional native name for North America. And so all those rock piles around the edge of the labyrinth must represent the head, limbs and tail of the turtle! I certainly didn't figure that out when I was there, so I must return to walk the labyrinth again sometime in light of this new understanding!

[Photo of Leah Dorion and her turtle labyrinth artwork found on her website. Photo by Debra She Who Seeks.]

Louise McKinney Park Labyrinth

2011-10-19T05:31:00.000-06:00

Louise McKinney Park stretches out alongside the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton's beautiful river valley. I heard that the park has a rock labyrinth so one day this summer, My Rare One and I set out to find it.

We tramped up and down the whole length of the park -- no labyrinth to be seen. We asked passersby -- who were unanimously clueless about what a labyrinth even is. Finally, an older lady said she didn't know about any labyrinth but there was an "aboriginal stone circle or something" near the parking lot. Bingo!

The labyrinth is a small 5-circuit Chartres labyrinth. There's a magnificent view of the river valley as you walk it.

The problem with rock labyrinths on grass is that they're impossible to mow and keep groomed, unless you have a dedicated team of grounds people with whipper-snippers. Consequently, such labyrinths tend to get very overgrown and shaggy looking.

But clearly, many people do walk the Louise McKinney labyrinth on a regular basis because the grass in the circuit paths was quite trodden down.

But, after all is said and done, this labyrinth is still located in a downtown urban core setting. At its sacred centre, the only offerings present were . . .

. . . two crushed Kokanee beer cans.

Ceiling Cat versus the Protestants

2011-10-18T05:31:00.000-06:00

Ceiling Cat is coming for the Protestants next.

The pulpits of this land will soon be filled with pastor cats. The pews will all have copies of the LOLcat Bible. And everyone will be praising Ceiling Cat's holy name.

You Protestants may notice a wee change in the basket of bread that gets passed around for Communion . . . .

But you'll get used to the cat hair in no time. After all, it's worth it to get eternal Caturday!

Ceiling Cat versus the Catholics

2011-10-17T05:30:00.000-06:00

Have you heard? Ceiling Cat has taken over the Catholic Church. Now guess who appears on the balcony of St. Peter's in Rome . . . .

The Vatican's great works of art have all been revised accordingly. Take a look at the new Sistine Chapel ceiling!

The roster of Saints has been slightly amended as well.

Pope Benedict is no fool. He's always been good at adapting himself to whoever is in power at any given time (*cough* Nazis *cough*). He, for one, welcomes his new Feline Overlord.

See? Catholics aren't nicknamed "catlickers" for nothing!

CBC Memories: Hymn Sing

2011-10-14T05:31:00.000-06:00

My straight-laced grandmother's other favourite CBC program was Hymn Sing, which was on every Sunday afternoon for 30 years. A Manitoba production, the Hymn Sing choir featured lots of wholesome, clean-cut singers from the Mennonite Bible Belt south of Winnipeg. No panty-showing on this program! The choir would sing beloved hymns and other sacred choral works while standing ramrod straight in decorative natural or indoor settings.

The only clip I could find of Hymn Sing is the 30-second promo at the very start of this video (the remaining promos are of other old CBC shows):

A popular part of the show was the "singalong" segment when the hymn's lyrics would scroll by at the bottom of the screen so people at home could join in. Sometimes my grandma and I did. Sometimes we didn't. But we would always belt out "The Old Rugged Cross" if it was the featured singalong because it was my Grandma's favourite hymn.

CBC Memories: Don Messer's Jubilee

2011-10-13T05:32:00.000-06:00

When I was a kid, my family never missed an episode of CBC's weekly half-hour show Don Messer's Jubilee. We loved the old-timey music played by the great Maritime fiddler Don Messer and his band The Islanders. The show's cast of regulars included Marg Osburne and Charlie Chamberlain who always sang the show's opening theme, "Goin' to the Barndance Tonight."

The show also featured square dancing. My grandmother loved Don Messer's Jubilee too but was always very shocked whenever the female dancers' skirts and crinolines would twirl up to reveal their panties. "Oh, there's no need for that sort of thing," she would tsk tsk disapprovingly.

Only Hockey Night in Canada was more popular on TV. When the CBC cancelled Don Messer's Jubilee in 1969, there was a nationwide protest and angry questions in the House of Commons.

Don Messer was such a beloved musician in this country that his violin has become a national treasure. Years after his death, his daughter personally chose the next great Maritime fiddler to be given the violin to play -- like a sacred trust -- Frank Leahy.

CBC Memories: Intro

2011-10-12T05:30:00.000-06:00

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, our publicly-funded national radio and TV broadcaster.

In the 1960s when I was a kid growing up in a one-horse prairie town in the middle of nowhere, the only TV channel we had was the CBC (in black and white, of course). The CBC was definitely the dominant cultural influence in my life until I was a teenager and a couple more TV channels finally became available to us.

I loved the CBC then and I love the CBC now. So to honour its 75th anniversary, I'm going to explore some of my favourite CBC memories in a series of posts. Canadian readers (especially "those of a certain age") will remember many of the same things too, I'm sure. And as for American and other readers -- well, here's your chance to learn about Canadian culture, LOL!

As usual, this series will appear periodically and randomly over an unknown length of time, i.e., whenever something occurs to me!

What an Ass-terpiece!

2011-10-11T05:31:00.000-06:00

Perhaps I should get a lovely tramp stamp like this, eh? What do you think?

Rather predictably, Her Royal Highness the cat is lobbying for a different design --

You can dry run your own tramp stamp designs over at Image Chef -- click here! Thanks to Copyboy at Not Worth Mentioning for the link.

A Thanksgiving Celebration in the Garden of Friendship

2011-10-10T05:30:00.000-06:00

Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving, everyone! Today when we celebrate the bounty of the earth, we should also remember to celebrate the many blessings of friendship.

I hope you'll enjoy this seasonal poem written many years ago by a Unitarian Universalist minister named Rev. Max Coots. This version is slightly revised and condensed.

Let us give thanks for a bounty of friends:

For generous friends with hearts and smiles as bright as their blossoms;

For feisty friends as tart as apples;

For continuous friends who, like scallions and cucumbers, keep reminding us that we've had them;

For crotchety friends as sour as rhubarb and as indestructible;

For good-looking friends who are as gorgeous as eggplants and elegant as a row of corn, and for other friends who are as plain as potatoes and as good for you;

For funny friends who are as silly as Brussels sprouts and as amusing as Jerusalem artichokes, and for serious friends who are as complex as cauliflowers and as intricate as onions;

For friends who are as unpretentious as cabbages, as subtle as summer squash, as persistent as parsley, as delightful as dill, as endless as zucchini and who, like parsnips, can be counted on to see us through the winter;

For old friends, nodding like sunflowers in the evening time, and for young friends, coming on as fast as radishes;

For loving friends who wind around us like tendrils and hold us, despite our blights, wilts and witherings;

And finally, for those friends now gone, like gardens past that have been harvested, and who fed us in their times that we might have life today;

For all these friends, and for those friends of whom we have yet to partake, we give thanks.

Big Wheel Keep on Turnin'

2011-10-03T05:30:00.000-06:00

Busy week . . . huff, puff . . . won't be posting anything . . . pant, pant . . . see you next week!

The 40-Year-Old Tattoo Virgin

2011-09-30T05:32:00.000-06:00

As you know, people often get tattoos to mark significant milestones or turning points in their lives. After several years of waffling, I made up my mind to celebrate my 40th birthday by finally getting a tattoo -- something Celtic or tribal perhaps? Or, what the hell, if all else fails -- a labrys!

But fate intervened. A few months before my 40th birthday, my job was abruptly downsized in government cuts. Without a healthy income, I went into strict survival mode, dramatically cutting back expenses and not spending any unnecessary money until I could find another job. A tattoo became a luxury I could not and would not spend money on.

So my 40th birthday came and went and I remained a tattoo virgin. Although I found another job in my field within a fairly short time, I never did get my once-planned tattoo because, as they say, "the moment had passed." And I've never had a serious hankering for a tat since.

Thus, ladies and gentlemen, I remain the non-ink-stained wretch you see here before you today.

To Tattoo or Not to Tattoo? That is the Question.

2011-09-29T05:31:00.000-06:00

Of course, not every lesbian is a fan of tats. For example, it was a point of pride with my girlfriend at the time, Big Bad Butch, that she did not have any tattoos. She ran with the bikers when she was young so it actually was quite a miracle that she remained uninked.

However, now that I was a card-carrying member of the Lesbian Nation, I started to seriously think about getting a tattoo.

But I could never really decide on a design that I felt was sufficiently unique. I didn't want to get anything that I would eventually regret, outgrow or even just get bored with in the future.

What to do? What to do?

I became an indecisive female Hamlet.

[Tomorrow's post: will Hamlet get off the pot?]

Lesbians ♥ Tattoos

2011-09-28T05:30:00.000-06:00

I never saw a woman with a tattoo until I started hanging out in Winnipeg's gay bars in the mid-1980s. Occasionally, old-school 1950s butches would show up with tattooed forearms like the men of their generation had. Younger dykes would have feminist tats on their biceps or shoulders -- woman power symbols (with or without fists), Amazon labryses (double-headed axes), stuff like that.

Lesbians led the way in popularizing tattoos for women. Long before it became a mainstream fashion, lesbians loved tats for their edgy, defiant, gender-bending vibe. When I first came out, getting a matching tattoo with your lover was a popular way to demonstrate "family ties" before our relationships had any legal status. Barbed wire and Celtic knotwork armbands circling a bicep were favourite lesbian choices at that time too. Eventually tribal tattoos were all the rage. And so on and so on.

[Tomorrow's post: will our heroine get a tattoo?]

It's a Cat's World (Part 2)

2011-09-27T05:31:00.006-06:00

It's a Cat's World (Part 1)

2011-09-26T05:32:00.000-06:00

It's Hockey Night in Winnipeg!

2011-09-24T05:30:00.007-06:00

Earlier this week, the resurrected Winnipeg Jets played their first home game in 15 years at the new MTS Centre in downtown Winnipeg. The Jets triumphed in the preseason exhibition game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Ecstatic Winnipeg fans were in a frenzy. Here's the scene as described by sports writer Roy MacGregor of The Globe and Mail:

"In 2011," the MTS Centre scoreboard read, "The NHL Returned to the Greatest Fans in the World."

And it certainly seemed so. They screamed throughout the warm-up and sang O Canada as if the players on the ice had just won Olympic gold.

And then they got really loud. A mere 37 seconds into . . . [the] game, Byfuglian levelled Columbus's Cody Bass with a single punch -- Bass likely unaware of Byfuglian's mood, given that the big Winnipeg defenceman had been formally charged only hours earlier by Minnesota police for allegedly being under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol while operating his boat in late August.

Once the fighting penalties had been served, it was Byfuglian setting up Paul Postma for a point shot that became the reborn Jets first goal . . . of the new era.

*sigh* Oh yeah, baby, now that's sweet hockey. Very sweet indeed.

Welcome home, boys! All is right with the world again.

[Photo by Phil Hossack of the Winnipeg Free Press]

Autumn Equinox: Hail Kukulkan!

2011-09-23T05:32:00.000-06:00

Every spring and autumn equinox, the plumed serpent of light named Kukulkan makes an appearance at Chichen Itza, the ancient Mayan site in Mexico. For about half an hour, sunlight strikes the staircase bannister of El Castillo pyramid in such a way as to create an undulating body for the snake deity whose carved head is found at the base of the stairs. Kukulkan appears only twice a year, when day and night, light and dark, are equal and in balance.

My Rare One and I visited Chichen Itza in 2004 (but not on an equinox, alas). I climbed El Castillo's sacred staircase, a difficult task because of its extremely steep and shallow steps. I descended the stairs in the traditional manner -- sitting and bumming my way down each step! It's the safest method because it is so very easy to trip and fall all the way down if you walk upright. That's why an ambulance was tucked away in a nearby grove of trees, as we later noticed. In fact, I read recently that tourists are now no longer allowed to climb the pyramid, precisely because an elderly lady did have a fatal fall on the staircase.

Happy Hobbit Day!

2011-09-22T05:31:00.000-06:00

Do you know what today is? Yes, you're right! September 22 is the shared birthday of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, everyone's favourite hobbits from The Shire! Let the partying and fireworks begin!

And it's also now Hobbit Day! Every September 22 since 1978 has officially been declared Hobbit Day by the American Tolkien Society. In fact, this whole week is declared Tolkien Week in honour of the man who wrote The Lord of the Rings saga.

I love The Lord of the Rings, both the books and the movies. I first read the books 35 years ago when I was a young university student. I was so engrossed and thrilled by the story that when I was finished, I turned right around and read them all again a second time. Then about 10 years later, I read them for a third time. Someday, a fourth reading will be in order, I know. But now we also have Peter Jackson's magnificent movies to watch. Plus next year, we'll be able to see his film version of The Hobbit -- very exciting!

Extreme Makeovers

2011-09-21T05:30:00.000-06:00

This poem is by a contemporary American poet named Kenneth Pobo. I read it a few years ago on the Plum Ruby Review poetry site and thought it was absolutely right on! I hope you enjoy it too. It's getting more relevant with each passing day.

Extreme Makeovers

by Kenneth Pobo

In the early 70s I put

my hand in the hand of a

hippy Jesus who minced about

in flowers, a heavenly Donovan

with sad-puppy eyes.

The 80s Jesus farted

discreetly, bought a good suit,

worked for a company, carried

a briefcase, and said money

made his daddy happy.

The 90s Jesus reviled the poor,

fumed about gays

and lurid TV. Currently,

Jesus says his FATHER

is a Republican, and if you don't

like that, get fucked,

you won't be entering our kingdom,

we'll see to that. I miss

my silly hippy

and his lemon meringue backbone,

love wasn't an attack dog to him,

and when he held my hand

he meant it.

Avast, ye swabs!

2011-09-19T05:30:00.002-06:00

Today be International Talk Like a Pirate Day, matey! And I, Her Royal Highness the cat, be The Pirate Queen! Hand over yer gold and I'll spare yer miserable life, you poxy landlubber.

And that's not all there is to celebrate today, me hearties! This be the 3rd blogoversary of this scurvy rat-trap of a weblog so here's a round of grog for you all! If ye be not a follower already, curse ye and sign up now! We're feasting later on all the cake and rum ye can stuff into yerself . . . .

Oh, sorry, wrong cake. Here be the real one . . . .

Arrrrr, ain't she a beauty? (And just ignore the 4's on it -- pirates can't count, except it be gold doubloons.)

Tats to the Rescue

2011-09-16T05:34:00.000-06:00

My father served with the PPCLI -- Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. After arriving in England from Canada, the Princess Pats were shipped to the Mediterranean, participated in the invasion of Sicily and then fought their way up through Italy and Nazi-occupied Europe until the war ended.

At some point, Dad was shot during a firefight in an Italian barn. He fell behind a low wall or divider, with only one arm protruding into the open. Luckily his sleeves were rolled up. A buddy recognized his tats and carried him to safety.

And that's how those sweet and wholesome tattoos saved his life.

[Photo of PPCLI soldier at Ortona, Italy, 1943, found here].

What the Tats Said

2011-09-15T05:33:00.000-06:00

My father chose very sweet and wholesome tattoos, as befitted a prairie boy straight off the farm. No naked women for him!

One tattoo said "Mother." On his other forearm, a second tat memorialized a sister who had died young of tuberculosis. Hearts and flowers surrounded each name.

A third tattoo said "Good Luck" in the midst of four-leaf clovers and a horseshoe. Not too hard to figure out why he got that one.

His fourth tattoo was somewhat patriotic in nature -- "Death Before Dishonour." I can see how that noble sentiment would have appealed to his teenage idealism.

When I was a little girl, I used to sit in his lap and trace his tattoos. He would tell me how they had originally been solidly multicoloured -- red, yellow, green. But with the inferior dyes of that era, the colours soon faded out, leaving only the dark blue outlines.

Guard Duty

2011-09-14T05:31:00.000-06:00

My dad always swore up, down and sideways that he was not drunk when he got his tattoos. He got four of them -- two on each forearm. That was the place where servicemen commonly got their tattoos, so the tats could be displayed when their sleeves were rolled up.

Unfortunately, Dad made the mistake of getting all four tattoos done at once. As a result, his arms were so excruciatingly sore afterwards that he could scarcely hold up his gun while on guard duty. But he dared not report to sick bay because the army classified tattoos as self-inflicted wounds -- a court martial offence.

So he held up his gun for hours, paying a painful price for over-enthusiastic tattooing.

My Father's Tattoos

2011-09-13T05:32:00.000-06:00

Unlike many people I've met over the years, I did not grow up with a negative view of tattoos as weird or ugly. That's because my father had tattoos and I grew up seeing inked skin as normal and commonplace.

Dad served with the Canadian Army during World War II. That's why he had tattoos -- many servicemen from that war did. He volunteered for the armed forces in 1942 when he was 18 years old. He got his tattoos not too long after that. I suspect getting tattooed was a way for many young men to demonstrate bravado and machismo during a very scary time when their survival was not guaranteed.

Tattoo Chronicles

2011-09-12T05:32:00.000-06:00

So how do you feel about tattoos? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Got any? I don't, but tattoos intrigue me. They always have. That's why I'm starting this new series dedicated to tats. As usual, these anecdotes and musings won't necessarily be posted consecutively or regularly but will appear in my usual meandering way. I'll discuss fascinating topics like lesbian tattoos old and new, the time I almost got a tattoo, my disastrous Mexican temporary tattoo and as a bonus I'll even throw in some tattoo haiku.

Tattoo Chronicles will start off by regaling you ALL THIS WEEK with the story of my father's tattoos.

Ten Years Ago Today

2011-09-11T05:30:00.000-06:00

No words are needed.

No words suffice.

May all the victims who died rest in peace.

May all the survivors find peace and healing.

And the Golden Buddha goes to . . .

2011-09-09T05:30:00.000-06:00

ELENA of MY QUEST!!!!

Congrats, my girl! May the Buddha bring you an abundance of everything your heart desires! I'll send you an email privately to obtain your mailing address. The Golden Buddha will be on his way to you shortly.

Her Royal Highness says congrats too!

Thanks for entering, everyone! I appreciate your continued readership.

Nom Nom Nom in The Peg: Original Pancake House

2011-09-08T05:31:00.000-06:00

Every time I'm back in Winnipeg, I try to make it to the Original Pancake House on Pembina Highway for a Baby German pancake. It's my favourite kind of pancake and I can't (*sob*) get one anywhere in Edmonton.

A Baby German pancake is baked in the oven. Brown, with slightly upturned edges, it has a denser texture than a griddle cake. And you don't eat it with syrup, oh no. You squeeze fresh, juicy lemon wedges all over it and then shake icing sugar on top. The thick sugar dissolves in the lemon juice and makes a creamy, delicious sauce. Mmmmm, heavenly!

The Original Pancake House was one of my old stomping grounds when I was a university student. It was a little shabby and rundown in those days. The owner obviously did not want to put a lot of money into upgrading or refreshing the decor. A skinny old geezer, he always sat on a hard wooden chair near the cash register at the entrance so he could keep his rheumy gimlet eyes on the waitresses and kitchen staff at the same time. He just sat there hour after hour, the undoubted king of his castle, barking out an occasional command.

After his death, the family extensively renovated the restaurant and added a beautiful solarium wing. No wonder it's one of Winnipeg's most enduringly popular brunch spots. I think they have a couple more locations now too. But I always return to the original Original.

And you know what? Even with all the changes, they still use the same brown coffee mugs they used in the 1970s! I suspect the old geezer's ghost likes that.

Just a Reminder . . .

2011-09-07T05:32:00.000-06:00

Today is the last day to enter my Golden Buddha giveaway! Click here to enter, if you haven't already. Entries close at the stroke of midnight.

May the Buddha smile upon you!

All Praise and Glory be to Ceiling Cat

2011-09-06T05:30:00.000-06:00

This is how it started. A simple knock on the door.

Her Royal Highness is always open to discussions about Ceiling Cat. She's quite a spiritual little puss, actually.

The next thing I know, HRH had purchased an evangelical symbol of Ceiling Cat and insisted that I stick it on our car. As she explained to me, we've got to keep up with those fish-loving Christians and even those Darwinian scoffers whose fish symbols have evolved little feet for climbing out of the primordial ooze.

So now I'm driving around town sporting this damn thing on my car trunk, just to keep HRH happy. She really does believe in living her faith.

"As for me and my peeps, we will serve Ceiling Cat," she quotes piously from the LOLcat Bible while sanctimoniously licking her paw.

[Hey everyone, remember to enter my giveaway if you haven't yet -- click here to do so!]

The White Collar Holler

2011-09-05T05:30:00.000-06:00

Happy Labour Day, fellow wage slaves! Hey, ever notice that miners, farm workers, truckers and other blue collar types get all the great labour protest songs? But what about us modern white collar workers -- where are OUR songs, eh? I know of only one. And I proudly present it here today, brothers and sisters, in solidarity with our common struggle.

Although this recording is by the late, great Canadian singer-songwriter Stan Rogers, the song was not written by him but by an ex-pat Canadian musician named Nigel Russell. He wrote other humorous songs too like Zen Gospel Singing and I'm Confused. Click here if you'd like to hear them -- it's worth your while!

[And click here if you haven't already entered my giveaway -- there's still time!]

Where I'm From

2011-09-02T05:31:00.000-06:00

I am from the cool and dark earthen cellar, the trap door with its heavy iron ring, from chrome-rimmed arborite and from insulbrick.

I am from lunch when the noon-day siren sounds and supper when the jigger comes home.

I am from the pink peonies on my brother's grave, the robin's nest in the lilac hedge with four sky-blue eggs and the sharp smell of creosote on a hot summer's day.

I am from hard work, hard lives and rage, from pioneer and immigrant, soldier and chamber maid.

I am from the Eaton's catalogue and squeezing nickels 'til the beaver shits, from hanging on past all endurance and then hanging on some more.

From whistling girls and crowing hens, from big rock candy mountain and you are my sunshine.

I am from a silver tinsel Christmas tree and St. Paul's junior choir practice on Thursday evenings.

I'm from across the tracks and across the ocean, from jello salads and Velveeta.

From the partially severed hand in the flour bag, my father's tattoos, patriotic bunting and "all white help."

I am from a cracked china bulldog, a bronze cherub blacksmith, a ring from Vimy Ridge and a Swiss music box.

************************************

Last month, Elly at Bugginword posted her version of this poem and I was very taken with it. The original poem was written by an American poet, George Ella Lyon, as a poetry workshop exercise. You can see the original poem and learn about its popularity as a poetry exercise here. If you want to try your own hand at writing a personal version, there's a handy-dandy template for the poem here.

Try it yourself -- it's amazing what images it can conjure up from the past!

[P.S. -- Have you entered my giveaway yet? Click here to do so!]

It's Giveaway Time!

2011-09-01T05:30:00.000-06:00

This happy, fat, golden Buddha is all about abundance -- good living, lots of joy and no worries! He sits on a huge gold ingot festooned with jewels and emblazoned with dragon and phoenix imagery. He holds a smaller ingot in his hand and sports a diamond on his third eye. (Of course the diamond and all the other jewels are real! How can you even ask?) This charming statue is about 4 inches high and 5 inches wide. Unfortunately, the photo does not adequately capture how it gleams and shines and catches the light!

And because this blog now enjoys a super abundance of 300+ followers, I want to give this Golden Buddha to one of you! Here are the giveaway rules:

1. You must be an official follower to enter. Old, new or just signed up in order to enter the contest, it's all good! And it doesn't matter where you're from in the world, I'll mail the Golden Buddha anywhere.

2. In addition to being a follower, you must leave a comment on this post. If you leave a comment but don't want to be entered, just say so.

3. One entry per person (leaving 10 comments will still only result in 1 entry!)

4. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. Mountain Daylight Savings Time on Wednesday, September 7, 2011.

5. The winner will be chosen by a random draw made on Thursday, September 8 and the results posted here on Friday, September 9.

Good luck, everyone, and thank you so much for following my blog!

And Now For a Brief . . .

2011-08-01T05:30:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone. FYI, I'm not going to be posting anything in August. Oh, I'll still be around -- visiting blogs, taking photos for upcoming blog projects, collecting LOLcats and other funnies, writing up some future blog entries, etc. I'm just giving myself a little summer break from posting, that's all.

So I'll resume posting on September 1st. With a giveaway if the blog hits 300 followers by then!

Moochie the Entrepreneur

2011-07-29T05:30:00.000-06:00

Yes, Moochie had indeed turned over a new leaf and set himself up in business. He boasted to my parents that he had acquired a stable of three aging prostitutes who he was pimping out at the local skid row hotel. "My heavy chevies," he proudly called them. Business was pretty good too.

My parents were mortified, of course. They prayed he would not identify himself as a relative to anyone they knew.

Moochie's career lasted for a while but eventually he was arrested and convicted for "living off the avails of prostitution" as it's called. Presumably he served a bit of jail time. Or perhaps not. Who knows? The last we heard of him was that he had moved to the West Coast where his brother lived. He died there a few years ago.

I'm sure he was able to con his way into heaven. Rest in peace, Moochie.

[Photo by Sean Carruthers and found on his website here]

As The World Turns

2011-07-28T05:31:00.002-06:00

True to form, it didn't take too long until Moochie lost or sold or totaled the car, whatever. My mother breathed a huge sigh of relief, knowing there would be no more sneak attack visits. Life moved on. I grew up and left home. My parents and sister moved to a nearby city.

We heard about 10 years later that Moochie and the wife had separated. We assumed it was just a case of welfare fraud so that they could claim more assistance as two single people than as a married couple. But it turned out to actually be true. One day, out of the blue, Moochie showed up in the city and declared himself to be a single man. And -- even more shocking -- he was working.

Well, so to speak.

Tomorrow: Moochie the Entrepreneur

The Big Bag o' Teeth

2011-07-27T05:31:00.000-06:00

You have to understand that Moochie and his wife had no teeth. Oh, they each had a set of false teeth but, as explained to us, those were "welfare teeth" and so didn't fit right. Rather than hurt their gums by actually wearing the teeth, the Moochies simply carried them around in a brown paper bag stashed on the ledge of the car's rear window.

When supper was ready to be served, Moochie said to one of the kids "Go get our teeth" and the kid obediently ran out to the car to fetch the Big Bag o' Teeth. Moochie and the wife fished around in the bag, figured out whose uppers and lowers were whose, shoved them in their mouths, gobbled down their meals and then promptly took the teeth out again. Back in the bag for next time!

Nice.

Tomorrow: As The World Turns

Moochie's Sneak Attack!

2011-07-26T05:32:00.000-06:00

We discovered that the Moochie clan was mobile one pleasant summer evening when they all showed up on our doorstep -- unannounced -- about half an hour before supper time. The law of hospitality required that they be fed, of course. It took a week's worth of groceries to do so.

We were far from being a well-off bunch ourselves so seeing all that food disappear in a single meal was a heavy blow to our family budget. My mother was not pleased.

They stayed for about an hour or so, just long enough to eat and have a short visit. Finally, Moochie pulled my father aside, bummed some smokes and gas money off him and then they all motored off in a cloud of acrid exhaust fumes.

Boy, did my Dad hear about that later, too.

Tomorrow: The Big Bag o' Teeth

My Cousin Moochie

2011-07-25T05:31:00.000-06:00

Every extended family has at least one ne'er-do-well and in our family it was my cousin Moochie. Once upon a time, he had been apprenticed to a sign painter but had never subsequently worked a day in his life, so far as anyone knew. I don't think he had addiction problems or anything. He just preferred to lead a life of leisure. This gave him lots of time for sex which was a favourite activity, obviously, because he and the wife had 10 or 12 kids over the years. Moochie was a fun guy, always laughing and joking. He was a bit of a con artist too, with no qualms whatsoever about creative mooching.

When I was a kid, we didn't see Moochie and his family all that often because they lived about an hour away from us. Municipal assistance was not generous enough for the Moochies to be able to afford a vehicle so they were pretty restricted in their movements.

Until that one fateful summer when -- how, God, how? -- Moochie managed to acquire an old beater of a car. A bit of gas mooched from somewhere or another and . . . woo hoo, road trip!!!

Tomorrow: Moochie's Sneak Attack

What's in a Name? Part 3

2011-07-22T05:33:00.000-06:00

Another couple of my older female relatives also had somewhat unusual names -- at least, unusual for their time and place. One was named "Beryl" which is a family of crystal gemstones. Beryl comes in several colours like pink, green, yellow and clear. Types of beryl include emerald, aquamarine, heliodor and morganite.

It's a very pretty name if pronounced properly as "BARE-ill." But everyone called her "BURL" which robbed her name of any musicality whatsoever.

Another aunt from my ultra-WASP family was inexplicably given the Spanish name of "Inez." Where her parents out in the middle of nowhere on the Canadian prairies ever learned that name is a complete mystery.

Again, pronounced properly, it is a beautiful and melodious name: "ee-NEZ." But of course everyone anglicized it and reduced it to the considerably less tuneful "EYE-ness." Matching her Spanish given name first with English and then Irish surnames, my auntie was a pioneer of Canadian multiculturalism in action!

What's in a Name? Part 2

2011-07-21T05:31:00.000-06:00

My family's admiration for all things British continued into the early 20th century. One of my older relatives was named "Baden Powell," after the Brit who founded the Boy Scout movement.

Another old uncle of mine was named "Minto," after Gilbert John Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto, who was the British Governor-General of Canada from 1898-1904, the period when my uncle was born.

Nor were women in my family immune to this commemorative mania. A female relative born in 1917 was named "Vimy" by her parents to honour the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

Suffice it to say, I never ever met anyone else with any of these particular monikers. These relatives truly had unique names and always stood out in a crowd!

What's in a Name? Part 1

2011-07-20T05:32:00.000-06:00

I don't know about your family but in mine, some relatives chose quite unique names for their children. Sometimes these names came from the Bible or commemorated famous people or events. Other times the choices were just kind of strange. I'm going to tell you about some of these names in the following three posts.

The most spectacular Biblical name in my family belonged to my great-great-great grandfather Eleazar. So who the heck was "Eleazar" in the Bible?

He was the second High Priest of Israel, having inherited that title from his father Aaron, the brother of Moses. As High Priest, only he could enter the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. Eleazar's early life experience included the exodus from Egypt and 40 years of wandering in the desert.

I guess my great-great-great grandfather's destiny was in his name because his early life involved an exodus as well. During the American War of Independence, his New Jersey family remained loyal to the British Crown and afterwards fled to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. They settled in the Niagara region of what is now Ontario.

So thanks, Eleazar! You and your family are the reason why I live today in a country with universal health care, same sex marriage and no crazy Religious Right!

My Cat the Foodie

2011-07-19T05:31:00.000-06:00

Just like last year, Her Royal Highness and I are sharing meal prep duties while My Rare One is away. Actually, HRH rather fancies herself as a gourmet cook and has made outrageous promises about the delicious meals she'll be serving. Pretty big talk for a little cat, I say.

Anyway, her friend Gordon came over today to be her sous-chef in the kitchen while she cooked. Who knows where she meets these people?

Gordon seems like a nice enough guy but he does have a bit of an anger management problem. And he swears like you wouldn't believe. Always dropping the F-bomb. It's a good thing that HRH is no slouch in that department. In fact, she is more than a match for him.

So . . . things started off well enough. But inevitably, the bickering began. Two temperamental chefs in the kitchen is NOT a good idea.

Eventually, of course, it all degenerated into flying fur, razor-sharp claws and blue air. Gordon narrowly escaped leaving with a cleaver in his back. The last words out of him were that we would be hearing from his "fuckin' lawyers." Pffft! Wuss.

Unfortunately, none of the dishes turned out. Too much cilantro. HRH says she'll just open a can of something or another for our dinner. I sure hope she means Chef Boyardee.

Rodeo Life

2011-07-18T05:30:00.000-06:00

Once again My Rare One is on the road driving the truck and horse trailer for her barrel-racing Cowgirl Niece. They'll be hitting a number of small town fairs and rodeos in Manitoba and Saskatchewan over the next couple of weeks. Good luck, girls!

And this song's for you!

Visual Bach

2011-07-15T05:31:00.000-06:00

I love baroque music, especially anything by J.S. Bach. The beauty and mathematical precision of his music speak to my finicky Virgo soul, LOL!

I read once that the "clockwork precision" of baroque music reflected the 18th century European belief in a "clockwork universe" -- namely, their unshakable belief that The One True Judeo-Christian God was firmly entrenched in heaven, was in absolute control of everything and that all things worked strictly according to his Master Plan.

Want to see a fascinating visual representation of Bach's clockwork musical precision? The following video graphically illustrates how his music builds on itself, how the edifice of sound is constructed, so to speak. Watching his music adds to the delightfulness of listening to his music!

Thanks to Mercurio who posted this video on his blog, Captain's memoirs, which is where I found it.

We Can Deny Them Nothing. NOTHING.

2011-07-14T05:30:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Kal over at Calvin's Canadian Cave of Cool for finding this video! By the way, Her Royal Highness sends greetings to Admiral Fluffy and says she'll see him at astronaut camp this summer.

Trains Up Close and Personal

2011-07-13T05:30:00.000-06:00

When I was a kid growing up in a small one-horse prairie town, we lived right beside the CPR train line. And I mean right beside! Every time a freight train went past, everything in our house rattled. Of course, we didn't really notice the noise and vibration since we were so used to it, but any visitors would just about jump out of their skins the first time.

But believe me, our proximity to the railroad tracks was nothing compared to this short video of a train going past a vegetable market in what appears to be China or some other Asian country. Check it out -- you will be amazed! I can't embed the video, but click here to go to it.