Dressed for success?

CANUCKS UNVEIL NEW HOME AND AWAY SWEATERS

Yesterday the Vancouver Canucks unveiled their new threads for the 2007-08 season
at a mid-day media conference. Aprox eight thousand Canucks fans deserted the beaches to go to GM Place on a beautiful sunny day to see five of their favourite players, Markus Naslund, Trevor Linden, Mattias Ohlund, Willie Mitchell and Kevin Bieksa skate onto the ice in their full home blue and road white uniforms for the first time. Who else has such devoted fans in the middle of summer but in Vancouver eh!

It was such a relief to see a strong bold really meaningful uniform thats relective of the Canucks heritage and the province of B.C. Remember, it could have been Halloween orange again! Blue is good! Blue is nice! I like it! The addition of the curved Vancouver is really nice. It was also good to hear the're a better design with more ventilation and are made of a fabric that'll keep them much cooler this season.

The combination of the original blue, green and white colouring, along with the Orca Whale celebrates the past and present in Canucks history.

Our new home uniform is primarily blue with classic horizontal green and white stripes, reflective of the Canucks first NHL season of 1970 and symbolic of BC’s natural landscape.

The original stick and rink mark has evolved, yet maintains its simplicity and connection to the game, while providing more definition to the Canuck 'C’. It's featured on each of the shoulders of both the home and away sweaters. The front of the sweater is adorned with the familiar Orca Whale, a true reflection of the west coast of British Columbia. This is the jersy that could take us to the cup....
Go Canucks go! Pics stolen from http://canucks.com

Canadian Junior A Lacrosse Championship game

Did you know that lacrosse is Canadas national sport? Lots of people think its hockey. Lets just put it this way - maybe its hockey in the winter, lacrosse in the summer? Whatever, its a good game and getting mre popular now.
These pics are from a Minto Cup competition game between the New Westminster Salmonbellies and the Edmonton Miners (box lacrosse) It was held at the Queens Park arena in New West. This arena has the only wooden floor in Canada and doubles the pleasure of the game because you can hear the ball bouncing and the thunder of the players running.
Might be crappy pics but i was hit by a stray ball once (ouch!) now i have to sit behind the dirty glass. It wasnt as bad as it looks in the pics and it was a good game.
http://www.lacrosse.ca/home.aspx CAN ANYBODY TELL ME HOW TO MAKE A CLICKABLE LINK?

So fast they're just a blur!

The fastest game on two feet

O Canada

The Salmonbellies goalie

We win 9 to 2

A day at the PNE

The marketplace....well, what can i say; its my favorite building. Crowded as usual with the usual. There was slicer dicers, famous shammies, amazing mops, brooms, ratchet pruners and the always welcomed chance to sit in a massage chair or on a foot massager thingy and to sample the goodies of the $800. blender. ooohhh i wanted that blender esp. right now as i'm still in my smoothie phase and my old one just died. It was from this same company and i purchased it there at the PNE in about 1987 or so. They make good stuff!
But all i got was the incredible amazing long lasting, non smearing blue lipstick, which on me magically turns out to be just the coral/rose pink colour i've been looking for. No pics of any of this but look at the cool drainpipe i spotted outside.
Then it was hard to bypass Jimmies lunch and the famous little donuts, whales tails, curly fries, corn on the cob, baked potato and turkey legs,ice cream, candy floss and all kinds of international fare on our way to the racetrack for smorgasbord but it was worth the wait. Plus dh won a good triactor which is no easy feat. (yippee he shared half with me!)I kept betting exactors but on every race just one of my horses came in. Well, the other one did too, he'd eventually come limping in last, lol. Finally went in with 2 other ladies on the last race triactor; we each picked a horse and we won!
I took pics of some of the new rides in Playland but they didnt turn out very good. The only other one to show is of a little decoration i liked in the prize home. Just to let you know - when i win the prize home think i'll be selling it; theres wayyy too much wood and brown decor for this kid. Its going to a waterfront lot on the Sunshine coast. I like it there, but not enough to actually live there. But then hey, we could always use it as our summer place and if i win you're all invited to visit early Aug. 08 for the Sleepy Hollow Rod Run. Bring your fishing gear, we'll win a boat too. And don't worry about eats, i think we get a years supply from Save-On, IGA or whatever. its ok if you make a mess too - we'll win a maid for a year as well. Yeah, looking forward to it already!

They're on the backstretch

Here they come!

Card stacking

Guiness world record holder card stacker Bryan Berg was fun to watch. Hes working every day of the 17 day Fair building a massive city. Then on Labor day he'll implode it with a leaf blower! There was a people practice area and believe me, it was a task requiring a steady hand. Not many could set up even 3 or 4 cards.

Baby chicks, baby ducks, baby piggies

A rainy day at the P.N.E.

It was fun anyway with lots to see and do, and eat and maybe even win a house or a car! Hot rod owners were invited to show their cars (last Sat) and there was a good showing with lots of interested people viewing them.
We were parked near the sand sculpture competition and got to see artists from 7 countries working on their creations throughout the day.

32 more boxcar art

Are you getting tired of boxcar art yet? Any of the 3 of you? Me neither!....lol...
Well, its a good pastime and its what i do on Sunday afternoons now and sure alot cheaper than playing and losing at poker.

Sundays because theres too many trucks around my fav viewing spot the rest of the week; also security guards who look worried when i drive slowly by but i don't even get out of the car most of the time. I don't know if they're worried for me or about me. Anyhow pic taking will probably be coming to an end soon as the rainy season will soon be upon us, and it always rains on Sundays.

Meanwhile i've got tons more.....really good ones; wanna see them? Dont forget you can click on the + to speed up these slides shows.

Elvis... Jan. 8, 1935 - Aug. 16, 1977

I thought i'd pick just one favorite but couldn't do it, theres just way too many. I usually say Kentucky Rain is my favorite, but then i think of something else, and another and another. Each one has a specific memory attached and i can't pick just one. Can anyone? I love all of Elvis'es songs. Dosn't everyone? Heres a few of my favs.

(1) Kentucky Rain (really great pics on this video)
(2) I Forgot To Remember to Forget You (more great visuals)
(3) I Want You, I Need You, I Love You (not correlated to video but great sound)
(4) Its Now or Never (Elvis in the army)


I Want You, I Need You, I Love You was the first Elvis song i ever remember hearing.I know it wasnt his first out but i lived high up in the mountains and radio reception was really poor and we were wayyyy behind the times. I was like 11 or 12 at the time and also i just hadn't paid too much attention to music until the night i heard Elvis. I lived in the highest city in Canada at the time and radio reception was either static or iffy. CKEK was 20 miles away and the only radio station that came in clear during the day. They played popular music for just one hour a day and if you wanted to listen you had to run home real fast after school. However, sometimes on a summer evening we could pick up the Vancouver station CFUN if the air currents were right. It was summertime and the kid next door was camping out in his yard in a tent with his radio on. My window was open and i heard the most fabulous voice drifting through the night and i was floored, flabbergasted, totally hooked and hopelessly in love. When the song was over i hollared from my window "hey Jackie, who was that singing?" That was the day i not only became a lifelong Elvis fan but i woke up to music in general. Take care of business and R.I.P. Elvis

27 chalk messages from the travelling art show

The blackberries are ready

Mother nature was generous when she gave the world Rubus armeniacus; the Himalayan blackberry.
They’re ready for picking now, and free everywhere. They grow abundantly on waste grounds, sand bars, roadside ditches, back alleys, alongside the railroad tracks and in your garden if you let it.

This plant can be invasive and is a pest in many areas of the Pacific Northwest and the lower mainland of B.C. because of its resistance to disease and natural predators. The canes grow straight up for several meters then arch and bend to touch the ground where the tips can take root. It can also rise from meter deep underground runners that can run for over 10 meters. The canes can grow over 7 meters long in a single season of the wet coast climate and 76 cms of rain annually. It also spreads by seed with birds and other animals carrying them around. It can form dense stands that can prevent animals from accessing watering holes.

I love the big sweet black berries and look forward to an annual excursion or two or three to my favourite picking grounds at Deas Island Park. Theres lots of cute little bunnies hippity hopping around and i often see bald eagles and hawks soaring in the sky as well as other wildlife and birds.

Blackberries are quick and easy stand – up picking but you do have to be cautious of the thorns. But no matter how careful I am my hands and arms always get torn up because i always spot the biggest juiciest berries tucked behind the thorns or a little too high and the hand goes quickly before the brain has a chance to click in.

Warning do not eat the berries that are growing near the ground, especially in parks where dogs accompany their owner!

Easy Blackberry Jam with gelatin and artificial sweetener

Pick, wash and crush about a Quart of whole blackberries. Measure out 2 C. of the crushed berries or combine enough pulp and juice to total 2 C. (you can sieve some of the berries, strain and discard the excess seedy pulp if you prefer. Just make sure the fruit and juice totals 2 Cups)
4 tsp. Unflavored gelatin
1 ½ TBS. Lemon juice (do not omit or alter this)
2 TBS. liquid artificial sweetener (or enough to equal 1 C. sugar)

Soften the gelatin in ½ C. of the juice from the crushed berries. Meanwhile heat the remaining 1 ½ C. of crushed berries and/or juice to boiling and remove from heat.
Add the softened gelatin stirring until it is dissolved.
Add lemon juice and artifical sweetener.
Return to heat and bring to a boil.
Pour into hot sterilized jars leaving 1/8” head space.
Seal.
Store in refrigerator and use within 4 weeks, or freeze for longer storage.
Makes 1 pint.

Blackberry Smoothie

2 C. cold milk or 1 C. milk and 1 C. yogurt
1 C. blackberries or a combo of seasonal fruits
3 TBS. Sugar or equivalant artificial sweetener
Ice cubes

Press berries through sieve and remove some of the seeds
Place in blender with sweetener and ice and puree until ice is dissolved.
Garnish with a mint leaf and enjoy.

Flower, thorns and green berries

A few weeks too early yet

Looks like another bumper crop

Wild blackberries have thorns

Half a pailful in no time flat

Fordy was on the dash plaques!

BIA choice in the Cloverdale show Aug 11

yes, thats our car on the award!

Best modified in the Sleepy Hollow Rod Run at Sechelt last wknd

Here comes the train

Riding the rails

Boxcar art

What are these signs?
Is it a face? A name?
A question? An answer?
Is it a message for other travellers?
Who makes these marks and why?
Give me some more clues.
Your art is beautiful
i'll keep searching.


by a boxcar graffiti artist

The world looks different from a freight train. There's no heat and no a/c. No meals are served. The restroom is wherever you find it. There are no buttons to push or cords to pull when you want off. The train goes where it wants when it wants to, and sometimes it doesn't go at all. It doesn't care about your wishes. It doesn't like or want you, doesn't even know you're there. It can kill you without a thought, can leave you behind, maimed and bleeding, without a moment of remorse. There's no getting around it - it's ridiculously romantic.