Photo-Finish Friday -- The Old Home Town

Part of Main Street Fort Assiniboine, Alberta. We're heading east down the street to the store.

Feeder Action -- Out My Front Door

A chickadee digs in to the feedball. 

This downy woodpecker is a frequent guest.  

Mama deer is hungry, but perplexed by the feeder.

No after the fact enlargement done on any of these photos.
I was playing with the features on my Nikon CoolPix like B&W (top) and vivid colour (centre) along with the telephoto. I am pleased to note the zoom did the above all by its lonesome.

Gratitude Monday -- New Camera Edition

My birthday was Friday as noted on that date here on the blog.
I am grateful for many things in my life and among them that I've lasted this long.
I had a good birthday which included brunch and dinner on Saturday. It was way more relaxing to hold over the celebrations a day.
I welcomed it because it let me have a double birthday.
Among my gifts was a Nikon CoolPix. I've wanted a good point-and-shoot for quite some time as the Pentax gets a little heavy on the neck when we travel.
I picked out the camera few weeks ago. It's lightweight, has more features than I may ever use, and the zoom equivalent is 675 mm in the Old Tongue.

It's added colour to my life.

And I really think it's helping me branch out.

 

Photo-Finish Friday -- Birthday Bookends

This is me, on the left, at age two, with my sister, Dawn.
Please note I am smiling.








This is me a few months ago in Estonia with my husband Mike, age 54. Still smiling.

Today is my 55th birthday.
I haven't changed much since this photo from last spring. Some may argue I haven't changed much since the top photo either.

I say the photos serve as reasonable bookends for my life to date.

Gratitude Moday -- Renewed

Two weeks ago today I tossed aside my prescription heart medications.
I haven't felt this good in years.
This was a goal. I set out on it a few years ago. I slowly and methodically had my beta blocker dosage reduced from 200 mg a day down to 25 mg a day. The 25 mg was cut in half with 12.5 mg or thereabouts twice daily.
It was good enough, but I aimed to do better.
The digoxin was already at the lowest normal dosage.

I still have atrial fibrillation. It will likely take invasive medical intervention to cure it.
This does not interest me.
I take a low dose ASA. I am investigating mineral supplements to make me even healthier.
A-Fib, as we in the know call it, doesn't stop me from doing much except maybe shovelling snow.
This is not an issue for me.

My cardiologist said I could throw away the digoxin, but I have to keep the metoprolol (the beta blocker) around in case I have a  problem like shortness of breath.
I have no intention of having any problems.

I feel mentally sharper and physically more energetic. In short, renewed.
For this, and for having had the medications and for all they did for me, I am grateful.

I  feel as bouncy and agile as this goat.

Photo-Finish Friday -- Turtleford

Mike and the turtle at Turtleford, Saskatchewan.

November Melt

We had cold.
Now it's warm.
Later it will get cold again.
The sun beat down mercilessly on this icicle Monday afternoon causing it to lose integrity and melt into the frozen water underneath. The steady drips wore a hole in the ice.
I thought it was interesting. It shows we must proceed as Nature dictates and hope for the best.
When external forces win, then we can only bow and let them ride over us until we can regain our position.
Lessons are everywhere, even in an icicle.

Gratitude Monday --Thanks

This is my mother, Pauline Thomson Utas.
She served in the Canadian Women's Air Force during WWII where she, among other duties, learned to tap dance.
She attained the rank of Leading Air Woman, a natural progression rather than a promotion proper.
It also progressed naturally to the standing joke,  "Follow me I'm a Leading Air Woman."

This is my dad, Eugene Utas.
He was conscripted to the army in WWII at 22.
It is said Canada had an all volunteer army and I am here to tell you this is nonsense.
Dad was given three opportunities to sign a form that said he volunteered.
No one was punished for not signing, but neither was one promoted.
Dad respectfully declined each time on the grounds he did not volunteer and would therefore be lying.

Thanks, folks, for all you did.

Photo-Finish Friday -- Let Sleeping Dogs Sleep

This dog looks so happy and comfortable snoozing away on the grass.
I wish I could do it, too.
The flower in the foreground is something in the general calla lily family.
My husband took this photo during our vacation in Guatemala.

Gratitude Monday -- Another Day, Another Chance

It's another day above ground.
The rest is gravy.
It's another day to make things right or screw them up for another day.
The point is the day is here, open, and ready to accept whatever we choose to throw at it.
We can make the best of it or make the worst of it or muddle about in between.
It is an opportunity to do something, anything, or even nothing, but it is an opportunity, and for that I am grateful.

Photo-Finish Friday -- Camping Cuisine

We didn't get out camping this past summer.
Now with November upon us we won't have a chance again until next May.

I missed out on campfire cookery this season.
This photo is my way of remembering.