'NO to Enbridge' Pipeline Protest

Today we were radicals and joined in with fellow protesters at the Comox 'Our Coast, Our Decision' rally against the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline :)

There was an amazing turnout with people coming in by the bus loads from all ends of the island, Vancouver, Powell River, Quadra and so many more.

We had a great time cheering and singing, listening to the speakers and checking out all the fun signs people brought.

One very special speaker was 11 year old Ta'Kaiya Blaney who is Sliammon First Nation. She created the song Shallow Waters in the youtube video below last year to bring about more awareness to the pipeline and you've got to listen to it. It's really good! I didn't know that she was going to be speaking but I'm glad that my son who is only two years older got to hear her speach as she is such an inspiration that being so young she is accomplishing and doing such amazing things.





I'll leave you with one last video tonight of all of us singing along today with Tina Filliponi :)

PS. if you are reading this via email you will probably have to hop over to my blog to see the youtube videos.

Hugs,
Rosina

Deer Watching

I just had to share these neat photos of a deer that stood right outside our family room window :) We were all sitting here as it walked right up the pathway and at one point stood right in front of the window looking in!

The youngest two tried as hard as possible to stand quietly without fidgeting and talking but no matter how much noise they made the deer didn't seem to take much notice. All I can think is that it must have been mighty hungry. It ripped off mouthfuls from the cedar tree at the edge of the window rapidly while glancing our way every once in a while.

Such a neat experience to be only mere feet away :)

We did have a mighty nosy bear that stood outside this very window a few years back and even pushed on it with his paws (some of you might remember Dennis the Mennis) but this was a much more enjoyable experience *grin*.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend :)

Hugs,
Rosina

Seedy Saturday

Seedy Saturday.... the unofficial start to spring *grin*.

I must say it was mighty spring like today in the comox valley :) The sun was shining and it actually felt warmer. Maybe it was all in my head LOL. My morning didn't start out all that spring like as we scraped thick ice off of the car windows and fought our way up to my mom's house through the icy ruts of snow that had formed over the last couple of days.

At 8am we were all packed into my car and slip sliding our way out of the yard when I came across actual parts from underneath my car frozen into the humps of snow in the driveway! I'm always worried that something is going to break off as we scrape and skid along the icy snow in the winter and it finally did. My dad had a good look underneath and couldn't see anything seriously damaged as it was just part of a rock guard underneath. Phew, nothing to to bad but not good either.

So back into the car we went and once we finally hit the highway the car started to shake and lump along the pavement. My heart sank. Something was wrong with the car. We limped it back home slowly fearing the worst and had good old dad check it over again *grin*. The final verdict... my tire had frozen solid in the position I had stopped in last night so that when we drove on the pavement it was round three quarters of the way and the last quarter way around the tire was frozen straight like a board!

In all my life I have NEVER had my tire freeze flat on the bottoms in the snow and ice. My cousins in Ontario who experience -30 or lower temperatures have talked about it before but here on Vancouver Island!? It was like some crazy dream LOL. By 10:30 things were thawing and my tires assumed their regular round shape and off we went *grin*.

Spring, you can hurry up and come anytime now! LOL

Just after noon we finally arrived at the seedy saturday :) In past years we've been there right at 10am and the lineup to get in is HUGE, but this year it was actually nice to just walk in without having to wait. Although we did miss out on all of the interesting and unique potted plants that would have been available for purchase for the opening hour.

Inside was an entire room filled to the brim with organic seeds, fruit trees and bushes, rhubarb and strawberry plants, seed potatoes, garlic, mason bees, honey, gardening supplies, informational displays, seed swaps where you can bring your seed to trade with others for new veggies or flowers you don't have and so much more.

At one of the tables my youngest who was with me got to watch a batch of mason bees emerge from their winter cocoons. So cool!! They were very docile as they came out so they let us have good look inside the jar without the lid :)

At other tables we got to sample Jerusalem Artichokes, crack hazelnuts with fun little wooden screw type nut crackers and at one table M even found one lovely lady that happily fed him cookies while I browsed the seed racks *grin*.

I picked up quite a few different tomatoes for canning this coming summer, a great assortment of sprouting seeds for fresh sprouts, beans, peas, and I even purchased a giant block of Oyster Mushrooms so that we can grow our own mushrooms. I can hardly wait to see them start sprouting up! The fellow said it should take about 2 weeks and we'll be able to start harvesting them :)

I think we were there at least a good hour browsing and shopping but I could have spent much more time. They host a series of workshops throughout the day as well. This year's topics were seed saving, the zero mile diet, mason bees, healthy soil and more. One of these days when all of the children are old enough to be left home I think I'm going to take advantage of the seminars :)

Have fun at a seedy saturday near you!

Hugs,
Rosina