Predicament!!!

          Every once in a while we find ourselves in a challenging predicament. Today was my day to be caught in a bind.

          My back door lock decided that this was the last day it wanted to serve me. My back door is on the side of my house so most of the time if I sit or work in my back yard I lock the door for security. This afternoon when I went to go back into the house the key just turned round and round. There was no way the lock was going to open.

       What to do? My wife was away for the afternoon. I knew that we would have to go through the bedroom window which on this house is a little more than 2 meters off the ground. Luckily the bedroom windows were open since it was hot. I prepared things so that when my wife came home I would go through the window. So I lined up the step ladder and poked a needle through the screen to unlatch the screen. I pulled back the drapes.

      When Home Farm Girl got home I explained our problem and that I would go through the window. She said do you want me to go through the window? "No," I said, " I can do it." Well, after several attempts it was apparent that I was not going through the window. My body was just too long to allow me to fold my legs enough to swivel through the window. Okay Home Farm Girl, it's your turn. She made sure the step stool was lined up under the window inside, up the ladder , twist and through the window. What a relief! Her body was short enough to allow her to swing through the window.

      So two stubborn independent 70 year olds, crawled through the house window to unlock the door from inside. None of this calling the lock smith for us. Tomorrow we have to find a new lock set. But right now we're just happy to be in the house.

     I asked Home Farm Girl if she'd go up the ladder and through the window so I could take pictures. She was not amused.

Book Review: 1421 the Year China Discovered the World

     I just finished reading "1421 the Year the Chinese Discovered the World" written by Gavin Menzies. A few posts ago I reported on the Man Who Loved China and I called the post "How Accurate is Our History." This is more on the same theme about the advancement the Chinese had made and then closed themselves off from the world.

     Both books explore the same theme and really make you question the history we were taught.

     Menzies proposes that in the year 1421 the Chinese with numerous large ships   travelled to all parts of the earth. He has much evidence that he puts together to support this view of history. The Chinese had regularly traded with India for 600 years. The Chinese had ventured down the east African coast for  200 years. The Chinese understood to a high degree the basics if navigation. This meant they were able to go to unknown areas of the earth and be confident that they could find their way home. They could also chart with some accuracy the lands they visited.


     The first European explorers had a map of where they were going. Menzies believes Columbus and others had charts made by the Chinese. Ship wrecks have been found dating from the 1421 in various areas. Artifacts such as the blue china the Chinese produced has been found in the areas the Chinese discovered. The Chinese collected plants from vast areas and took them home as well as establish them in other locations. Menzies puts these ideas together with many others and gives a very convincing argument that the Chinese were the first to discover the world.

     By the time they returned to China the old emperor had died and the new emperor had all evidence of this exploration destroyed and China went into a long period of isolation from the rest of the world.

    Next, I will read 1434 and after that a book that argues with some of Menzies evidence.

First Meal of New Potatoes in 2009

      Okay, I know! I know! I know! I posted a piece on "First Meal of New Potatoes Today" on Aug. 9 2009. But this is the first meal of new potatoes in 2010, so that's special too and deserves it's own post.

      So let's face it, I really like potatoes...especially new potatoes. Potatoes boiled, fried, deep fried, baked, scalloped, hash brown ...I love them all. I eat all the other starches like rice and pasta but I prefer the potato.

      My vegetable garden is very small so I only have room for a few hills of potatoes. My garden is also messy as you can see a gooseberry bush, volunteer sunflowers, lettuce, a clump of Home Farm Girl's flowers and the compost box. A bit messy but the potatoes are great!

     I was driven to distraction when Linda announced that she was having new potatoes! If she was closer I would have had to raid her potato patch.

     So I hope all people enjoy their new potatoes as much as I do.

I Hate Garage Sales

       I hate garage sales! Well, I hate only 50% of them . I hate my own garage sales. I like everybody else's garage sale.

       My own garage sale is a tremendous amount of work and bother. First, I have to sort through all my possessions and make a decision on each one. Do I need this anymore? Do I use this article? When's the last time I used this thing? Much consideration has to be given before I decide this is kept, goes on a garage sale or is thrown out. Then the garage sale pile is set up. All items then must be priced. A gamble for a suitable sale day or days is made. All precious articles then must be hauled out to tables for display. This year we had a wide variety of items...sports  equipment, clothing, nick knacks yard stuff. Take a look at the pictures to see the wide variety.

      Through all these steps consultation has to be made with Home Farm Girl. Some of this is done easily and quickly and some of it results in strenuous debate and argument. Some of these issues are not resolved for years.

      This year Home Farm Girl had a chance to go through her massive clothing inventory and prepare about 40 items for sale. Historically she was a size 4. She is no longer size four so the decision was simple...sell some clothes.

      Sale day or days occur and some things sell and some are left. We have usually decided ahead of time what comes back into the house and what never comes back and goes to a charity. It's always interesting to see what loony things sell quickly and what quality items are ignored. All of this may be interesting but it mystifies me.

     So my garage sale for this year has come and gone. It was quite successful. And yes, all the eager customers who come for a look are as much enjoyment as getting rid of some of my useless. treasures.

Heritage Weekend

      HAVE  A GREAT

HERITAGE WEEKEND!

Red Deer River Summer Vistas

        You saw pictures of the Red Deer River in early April in a post called Red Deer River Vistas.. There were still snowbanks in the shady areas. You commented and caused some more ideas to form on the Red Deer River topic.

       So here are some summer pictures of the same area of the river that was shown in early April. I also found a couple of late July flowers to include. I hope you enjoy these.

Looking up river again on a long straight stetch. You can just see a white house at the top of the bank at the far end.

Looking up river from the parking lot around a wide lazy bend.

Looking down river over a two to three hundred meter long set of rapids.

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Northern Bedstraw(Galium boreale) a common plant a long the edges of the woods.

The Perigrines Have Fledged

        Since mid April I have had a link in the top right hand corner of my blog to a web camera which was in a peregrine falcon nest. The link has been well used, but most important, the web cam views were a tremendous hit. There was a comment space on the site so there was much conversation about perigrines.

      I have posted twice before on the peregrine falcons. Once on April 28 called Peregrine Falcon Web Cam Set up at Red Deer. And the second time on June 10 titled Peregrine Falcon Eggs Hatch at Red Deer.

       We watched as the five eggs were laid. Then incubation began. The incubation period is around 30 days so it was a long inactive process. Two eggs mysteriously disappeared about the middle of the incubation period. The three eggs hatched over a five day period so the one bird was very small and many viewers worried about the survival of the little guy. The young birds  grew slowly at first and then grew rapidly and developed their feathers. Feedings were often and rather gross. Now the nest is filled with left over bones feathers and blood stains.

      Yesterday the peregrines left the nest for the first time. They were away all day. Two of them returned to nest box at night. Soon they will not return.

     I found the whole experience very interesting. It was amazing to see how interested the public was.

     So in a few days the web cam will be turned off and we will be planning for next year. We already have plans to mount an outdoor web cam.

     Thanks to all those who came to the site I am happy that it was enjoyed .