How to identify a birdbrain

I met a woman at the hairdresser recently who was so excited to meet me she could hardly contain herself.

Now I don't believe it was due to my magnetic personality....but rather because we shared bird stories while being coiffured. In a whisper she would tell me things about herself and I would nod and confirm that I am the same. She`d confide, 'I have a heater in my bird bath'...(me too...two of them!). Excited, she would add, 'I have a little pond for the birds'...(me too). Her eyes would widen...'I have bird feeders all over the place'....(me too)...and on and on it went as we both share a love of birds, butterflies, flowers, and wildlife. By the time I was leaving, she had learned my name from the hairdresser and called goodbye to me, saying wistfully that she hoped we could meet again soon. Because we are of 'the same kind' I believe we could be the best of friends.

I'm not saying it takes one to know one....but there are ways to tell when one is obsessed with birds to the point that others think they need therapy. Here are some of the signs....

 1) People who come and go from the birdbrain's house will be advised of the appropriate time to come in the house or leave. If there is, in particular, a cardinal feeding at a feeder outside the door, no one will be allowed to either leave their vehicle to come into the house, or allowed to exit until the cardinal has finished eating and has flown off. Other birds may also be allowed to remain undisturbed, depending on the decision of the birdbrain.

 2) Supper may not be ready when the family arrives home, but the birds will have been fed and watered.


3) If a family member calls to chat with the birdbrain, they will usually first ask....'Are you watching birds right now?'

4) Birdbrains will keep an eye on the feeders because if they are empty, the birds, squirrels, and chipmunks will peer in the windows as if to say, 'We're all outta grub here! We're waiting!'. Birds will even land on the feeder while still in the birdbrain's hand if the bird feels the birdbrain has not responded quick enough.

5) Those birdbrains with severe therapy needs have even been known to drop everything and run outside to shoo hawks away from 'her/his' birds. Hawks need to eat, but the disillusioned birdbrain may actually believe the hawk should dine at some other establishment other than her/his own, almost believing the birds to belong to her/him. The same reaction applies to neighbourhood cats, who contrary to hawks, do not need to eat birds.

6) The front hall floor of the foyer of a birdbrain`s home will inevitably have plenty of birdseed scattered across it as people track it in on their shoes while walking past the feeders on their way into the home. Hopefully that is all they have tracked in. I have heard that some visitors to birdbrains' homes often live for weeks with nightmares of The Birds scattering in all directions and coming to attack them. Strangely sad.

7) Birdbrains will invest in 1-2 birdbath heaters for the winter months to ensure there is plenty of unfrozen water for drinks and baths for the birds (and squirrels).

8) When the birdbrain brings in the outdoor Christmas bows and lights to be stored away, many of them need to be discarded or cleaned due to.....white stuff..... (not snow) on them.

9) When everyone else has put away their snow shovels in spring, the birdbrain is diligently shovelling 6-12 inches of niger seed out from below the birdfeeders lest it suffocate everything beneath it that is trying to grow.


10) In springtime, when others are cleaning up their yards of sticks and brush and cutting down last year's perennials (if they left them standing through the winter for the birds to eat), the birdbrain sees much of this stuff as great nesting material and rather than discarding it, spreads it out for the birds to scrounge through. Of course, that might not be enough choice for the birds, so the birdbrain will also supply yarn and/or dog hair  for the birds to gather for use in their nests.

11) Most people remove nests immediately if a bird sets up living quarters in close proximity to a house. The birdbrain, however excitedly sets up tripods and cameras to film the action. Of course bird identification books, camera, and binoculars are always at the ready near the windows.


12) No one pays particular attention to the robins who are hopping about when there is still snow on the ground, nor thinks about the fact that they are not locating any worms on the still frozen ground. The birdbrain however, will daily slice up grapes and spread them on the ground along with raisins to ensure the robins have some food to gobble up until the ground thaws.

13) It should be noted that a birdbrain would never hardly ever be late for work simply because they were replenishing birdbaths, feeders, and slicing grapes for robins before leaving for work.

14)  The birdbrain is attracted to events that feature birds.... such as special parades that other birdbrains attend (see sample below shot in Biebertown).



15) Finally, while there are many more oddities in the life of the birdbrain....I leave you with this heartwarming story on video. It's interesting that a birdbrain sees a Youtube video such as this one below, and feels a kinship to those who `walk with birds`......and worries about what will become of Maria.....and would build a pond for her in a heartbeat. It's sad, but the birdbrain often does not recognize his/her 'illness'. Do you know anyone like this?? Me neither. Now while you watch this video, please excuse me while I go and cut up some grapes....to eat...along with some worms raisins.

Evening musings

I went for a walk early this evening to enjoy the longer light hours and the warm spring breezes. Kids had shed their coats and were playing ball hockey. Others were walking dogs and biking. One young-man-wannabe was shining up his motorcycle. I could hear squawking and singing robins in abundance all around me. I think we're back to where we were last year - that is, 2-4 robins per household. I couldn't help wondering if among all this noise might some of those voices belong to any of 6 robins born and nurtured last year on my front porch?

Those little ones who turned so quickly from this

and this

into this?

I'll be watching the leftover nest to see if Momma returns, rebuilds, and rebirths!

Towards the end of my journey, I greeted a Japanese couple as they smiled while walking their dog. My thoughts turned abruptly to a country where thousands of people who only weeks ago were affluent, now wait....

shivering in bone-chilling cold and darkness,
frightened of an invisible killer,
starving for the basics of food and water,
longing for peace from the ache of loss of life,
weary from incessant trembling ground beneath them,
pining for a return to some semblance of normal.

I pray that not one word of complaint has fallen from my lips today, nor any spirit of ungratefulness gripped my heart. I am blessed beyond words. And of those who have much ...much is required to be given. What am I doing about that?

Amazing art in motion in the skies

This is absolutely amazing art in motion in the skies of England.

My neighbours have commented on the proliferation of birds in my yard......but if it ever begins to look like this, I will definitely stop feeding the birds!

Blotchy is good

The goldfinches are getting blotchy. That's a sure sign of spring. If you know nothing about male goldfinches, they turn a dull kind of olive green/brown for the winter months, and then when spring is approaching they begin to gradually turn to a very brilliant beautiful yellow until the fall when they will once again 'blotchify' and change into their winter garb.

I noticed some other promising signs of spring last week. Several mornings my ear was suddenly tuned to hear that melodic male cardinal song that is silent throughout the winter. Normally through the winter, groups of cardinals have gathered at my feeders - a mixture of males and females - and though they chased each other a little, they were still tolerant of one another while feeding. Last week, while still in the thick of cold, snowy weather, I caught a glimpse of 4 male cardinals chasing each other around the trees, with one dominant male returning, paired with a female and the two of them ate together at one of the feeders. Lucky them to have exclusive rights to this lady's feeders. They will never go hungry!!  For Richard's stunning pictures of cardinals in his At the Water blog, click here and here.

Are you as fascinated at 'Instinct' as I am??

Instinct: "an inborn pattern of activity or tendency to action common to a given biological species"

Inborn.        Tendency.             

So, you mean birds don't have calendars back at their roosting spots where they settle in for the night? They don't pull out their Audubon Calendar and say, 'Oh my gosh! It's almost March and I don't have a mate yet!' But really....if it's still cold and wintry and they were just born in the summertime, how the heck would they know that this cold stuff is all going to end in the next couple of months - it's all they've known for half their life -  and they have responsibilities to find mates, drop eggs, and raise babies? And when it's nest building time, and they've never built one, nor (obviously) seen their mother build the one they were raised in for all of two weeks, how do they know which materials are 'only' used for the type of nest their kind makes? Nests are all uniquely different for each type of bird. What if a cardinal starts building the way a wren would - with all the wrong materials and in the wrong place. Everyone knows it's all about LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.


It's why spring fascinates me every year. It happens.....faithfully. 

The cold...the dark...the brown....the damp....and the dead......

all becomes the warmth....the vibrant....the colours.....the scents.....the life! 

And it's why birds fascinate me. They are atune to it all, even before it begins. Their songs begin in earnest before life bursts forth and the melody of the earth begins. 

You may think things are pretty quiet.....but tune your ear to the melody. Don't miss the show! Grab a front seat and get ready to watch the fascination of creation in action. 

  The heavens declare the glory of God;
   the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
  Day after day they pour forth speech;
   night after night they reveal knowledge.
 They have no speech, they use no words;
   no sound is heard from them.
 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
   their words to the ends of the world.

Psalm 19 : 1-4 (The Bible)

Clean 'N Green - #4 The Hookless Shower Curtain

Last year when I stayed in a lovely hotel for a couple of nights on work-related training I absolutely loved the bright and spacious shower in the bathroom. They had installed one of those curved shower curtain rods and it was amazing how much more space this actually created. I took special note of the shower curtain and determined that if I ever saw one like it, I would buy it. What's to get excited about a shower curtain??

I've been accustomed to buying vinyl shower curtains because they are relatively cheap, but they are not easy to keep clean and once they became mildewy I would toss them....or use them as drop sheets when painting....although they are not the best for that either. So, is opting for cheap really the most economical if you have to keep pitching them when they won't stay clean? And is vinyl a 'green' product anyways?

I was excited when I randomly found the shower curtain in a Bed Bath and Beyond store and now that I own it I am even more impressed with it.

It is called a Hookless Shower Curtain - there are many types of hookless curtains now, but the one I love is all fabric and is antimicrobial treated. The 'hookless' part is just a bonus. The 'split rings' along the top of the curtain simply open and snap shut onto the curtain rod so no hooks are required. So it's a breeze to put up or take down. The curtain is made of fabric and has a 'window' along the top portion so it almost feels like you've installed a light inside the shower because it's so much brighter.

But my favorite part is that although it is a single curtain, there is a second layer of fabric which falls inside the tub and is attached inside and below the window with snaps. So once a month I unsnap this inner lining that has been exposed to all the water in the shower, throw it in the wash with my sheets, and snap it back in place after laundering. The rest of the curtain can also be easily washed when required and is a breeze to pop back in place.

No more mildew or throwing away shower curtains. Always fresh and clean. And easy.

What a great product. And if you could combine it with a curved curtain rod you'll enjoy bright and spacious every morning.

Unless of course, you're REALLY green and conserve water by not showering. In which case you might not only be green....but also mildewy and grungy....like my old shower curtains!

Clean 'N Green - #3 Why are you cleaning with chemicals?

For the last several months I have been primarily cleaning my house with water - no chemical cleaners, and I'm loving it....as much as you can love cleaning your home.

I had read about a couple of miracle cleaning cloths but my search to find and order them left me frustrated.

One such product is ENJO, whose website makes this statement,

"We believe you need to see ENJO products work in your own home, on your own dirt. By showing you the products in the comfort of your own home, you can truly understand their benefits and learn more about what ENJO can do for YOU."
 
Sooooooo. Even though I can watch a complete demo video on their website, they must believe I cannot make an informed decision on my own to decide I just want to buy it, nor do they give me the tools to buy it online or on the telephone! No, I need to find someone who is hosting a party that I must attend and we all know how obliged you feel - even with 'no pressure' when you attend these little parties - with no offense intended to those who are involved with ENJO. But ....there are no prices that I could find on the website and really......can we just not admit that this is more about building the ENJO business by recruiting consultants? I have no doubt it's a great company and a great product - but likely well overpriced. I wanted the cloth NOW, so I left ENJO to search elsewhere.

I also checked out Norwex, which has a similar anti bacterial product called the Enviro cloth. Again, it's all about the process, and finding a representative in my area took forever on the internet so I gave up.

Frankly, all of these cloths are microfibre cloths which are sweeping stores like a storm....and can be readily found in dollar stores. I'm sure that Norwex and ENJO would argue fiercely that their products are higher quality and more importantly, anti-bacterial. I don't doubt that, but I couldn't believe that they would have the exclusive patent on that, and that I couldn't find something comparable for cheaper and easier to simply pick up and buy.

In the meantime, I picked up several microfibre cloths from the dollar store, and when we took apart our FILTHY windows last fall, I used one wet cloth to wipe all of the dirt, cobwebs, etc off, then wiped the windows well again with the rinsed out wet cloth, and then shined them with a dry cloth. The windows gleamed! I did the same with mirrors and household surfaces and every thing shone beautifully - no chemicals required.

I was still on the lookout though for that 'antibacterial' edge to a microfibre cloth. While shopping in Home Sense a while back, I found my answer.

Enter the E-cloth, antibacterial cloth.

Reasonably priced, and there for the buying - no party required! Since then, I have seen them in Winners as well - although they do seem to get snatched up quickly and are often out of stock! (I have also seen them in a natural health store, but twice the price!).

And so I leave you to do your own research. I know we have made several trips to our city's hazardous waste disposal services to do away with most of the chemicals in our home and I have proven to myself that I don't need them - for both the sake of our health, our environment, and our pocketbook!

Better than chocolate

I'm amazed by my husband at times.

He knows that healthy food has been my pursuit for quite some time now and to that end he gave me a very thoughtful Valentine's gift - a beautiful bouquet made out of fruit. With just a touch of chocolate on the strawberries!

Incredible Edibles

This gift is a close second to the toilet I got for Valentine's Day  ....which is also a great gift if you eat a lot of fruit!

If we have a thoughtful someone in our lives, we are reminded of our appreciation of them at Valentine's Day. I'm reminded that almost one year ago, my husband rode an ambulance to the hospital with some very scary symptoms and remained there for several very long days while every test in the book was run on him. We are so grateful he is fine with no residual affects. In those moments of not knowing, I wrote here about the starry sky I looked up into and pondered our mortality.

We dare not 'cling' to our loved ones but instead, love and cherish them each day we have.

Even if we think we are 'alone', all of us have a Special Someone in our lives whether we are aware of Him or not. I am grateful beyond words and amazed by a love that is so deep......so wide.......and so great.

If I had $150.00

If I had $150.00 (plus tax and shipping and handling...) to blow and nothing more important to spend it on....

if only for the entertainment value.....

I'd buy this.....



but I don't....

so I won't.

What's your tatoo?

Don't you feel bad for those people who are in a lasting relationship who get a tatoo with their lover's name on it?

And then it doesn't work out?

Painful enough getting the tatoo....much more painful for the breakup.....and now to get the tatoo removed....ouch!

The girl to whom my son is engaged to marry has a tatoo on her wrist with the name of her first love on it - and it's not my son's name. Will she have it removed? I pray she never...never....never does, and that she keeps her devotion to her first love all the days of her life.

There is no one who is as committed to or loves us more than this Jesus - God the Father became one of us to get our attention - to let us know that His thoughts are continually on us and His love for us is unending. Really......why would we NOT want Him? Why would we 'break up' with the most profound love there is?

"But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul."

I think the last part of that verse which I underlined is where too many of us miss out. Rather than being relentless in pursuing Him for a lifetime (because though we find Him, there is so much more of His love to discover), we either search in all the wrong places, aren't willing to give up anything in the process, or we almost want Him to do all the work - strike us with some divine bolt of lightning to 'prove' Himself to us and give us what we think we need. That is at the very least, arrogant of us. When Jesus walked here and raised people from the dead before their very eyes, some people still wouldn't believe the undeniable evidence because at the root of it, for whatever reasons, they didn't want HIM.  He gave everything He could laying down His life - even to the ones who didn't want Him. Do we cherish that and want to love Him with all of our heart, soul, strength, and mind - 'tatooing' Him to us for all time, so to speak? It's that longing for Him with everything within us that will carry us through the wilderness times in our life - the hard times when things don't go as we planned, or we lose a loved one, feel abandoned, or depressed. He is the Rock we can depend on. He doesn't change in spite of our ups and downs.

I recently watched a video clip featured at Big Ear Creations and haven't been able to stop thinking about what was said towards the end of the clip. I share it at the end of this post. It is of Charles Stanley, a pastor explaining a moment, even after years of being in ministry, that he finally 'got' that he was profoundly loved by God. We can hear it all our lives and still not get it.

I will tell you that in my own life, I only remember one time that my parents hugged me and told me that they loved me - and that was because leaving my teenage years I finally couldn't stand another moment of living in a home where love was never expressed in any manner. I just typed that last sentence easily, but I can tell you that the years of turmoil, emotion, and the impact of a somewhat dysfunctional family (as well meaning and wonderful as my parents still were) is something I can't begin to tell. I don't blame them - I know they loved me but had difficulty ever expressing it. I'm sure they had their own stories, but they never told them. I'm glad that they are now experiencing being perfectly loved in the presence of their Creator. I wouldn't give up for anything the struggles I fought in that stage of my life and still battle at times, because it has caused me to cling to my Heavenly Father with everything within me. We all need to 'get' that we really are loved. But even imperfect human love is not enough.

We were lovingly and thoughtfully created in hopes that we would respond and love the One who knows us completely.

He first loved us before we loved Him. It's a healing love.And once seen through a heart that truly wants Him, it changes everything. He comes to live where He's welcomed.

That's a love I'd be a fool to ever break up with.

Don't count on it

Speaking of wasting time.....the other day I was perusing Facebook :-)

I was 'encouraged' to 'reconnect' with an old friend. Curious, I clicked on that friend's name......curious, because sadly......that friend is no longer with us on this earth. Her Facebook page is frozen in time from the last day she was on it two years ago. Her 'wall' is filled with recent postings from friends and family who miss her terribly as time marches on. She left too early, suddenly and without warning, in her early twenties.

Reviewing the year 2010 in the newspapers is another poignant reminder that too many left early from this journey called life - many at a young age.

I don't say all this to be morbid. Quite the opposite.

I encourage you to give every day your utmost attention to live it to the fullest - every day you've been given.

For me personally, that means letting God be first and foremost in my life.....and focusing on what gives lasting results and makes a difference both during and after this life. Even though people will say, 'follow your heart - do what feels right to you', that statement always brings me back to the Bible's wisdom that says you can't trust your heart!!! Trusting our heart is what more often gets us in trouble!

Instead, we are directed to lay up what is most important to us - our treasures - in heaven where it lasts forever. If that which is most important to us is not eternal, it's time to evaluate why we consider it our 'treasure'. It leaves me needing to determine daily what is most important in my life in each decision I make, word I speak, and action I take. And those decisions, words, and actions impact many, many people - like ripples or waves across the water when a ship passes by.

Eternity is a whole lot longer than the 2 - 25 - 50 - 70 - 90 years we might be allotted. So start your savings account now, depositing daily where it matters, and you will be richer than you can ever imagine.

To remind me, this picture hangs in our bathroom:

This additional reminder now graces our corner kitchen nook:

I leave you with a song by Chris Rice, which the first time I heard it on his CD which I had purchased, I played it over continuously at least 25-30 times - and now at least a couple of times on my birthday or New Years Day. I'm weird like that when I want to infuse lyrics into my soul. Enjoy......and play it as many times as you like!

Don't throw the baby (Jesus) out with the bath water

There are Christians who are upset because they believe there is a 'war' on Christmas. Yes, Canada is perhaps the worst for swinging the pendulum of political correctness so far that it is laughable....laughable because those who might be 'offended' at Christmas aren't offended at all. Those of us who are civil and loving, wish each other a Happy Hanukkah, Ramadan, Christmas - whatever applies to the one celebrating,... while politicians treat 'Christmas' like a swear word - not to be uttered in our schools or government places. But each year, regardless of mandates for 'holiday trees' and 'winter parties', I still hear plenty of songs at the mall about Jesus and 'Merry Christmas' falls from the lips of most, whether they are of faith or not. I frankly wish we'd let the whole 'war' perception drop and let the politically correct rules just look as ridiculous as they are. I even heard recently that Santa Claus is being replaced with Frosty the Snowman....until we find something wrong with him I guess. Let's just carry on enjoying Christmas regardless!

I don't believe Christmas is in any more danger of disappearing than Christianity is.

That being said....I do see a trend in North America of many being 'done' with church and no longer holding to a particular religion, though many will still say they believe in God. This isn't true in countries where Christians are persecuted for their faith. Those numbers of Christians are growing in leaps and bounds, spreading like wildfire while meeting under threat of their lives. They don't have cool modern churches, awesome worship leaders, amazing music, the latest technological equipment, and stirring 7-step sermons to health and happiness. While we won't get out of bed for church one day a week.... they lay down their lives for their faith in God. What do they know that we don't?????

I think they have responded with abandon and love to a Saviour whom they know they desperately need. We're not so desperate here.

I 'get' why people leave church and never come back. I 'get' why they may never go in the first place. They are imperfect places and quite frankly, we can worship God wherever we are without church attendance. At the same time, I am baffled at people who leave their faith in God behind in the pew, because there were hypocrites there and they were 'hurt' by them. What did you expect? And how intact was your trust in God if a person could shake it from you? The best of us are hypocrites at times because we are human. People frustrate each other whether it be home, work, school, or church. That's life. But God hasn't changed.... so we are left without excuse for walking away from His presence in our lives when that has nothing to do with another person - it's between us and God and what WE do with Him.

Perhaps in all of this, we've forgotten about the baby that prompted angels to amass the sky with brilliance and melody never seen or heard on earth. God made a grand announcement about His Son and had been telling us about Him for ages beforehand that He was coming. Why was He coming? To bring life and light and eternity and meaning to our lives. To point us to His Father who desperately loves us and wants us to know it. But we're distracted. We've shifted our focus to people and things. We live unaware of just how close He is to us and how much He wants to be a part of our lives. We're not desperate for Him. We can manage just fine without Him. In the midst of His birthday celebrations, He is forgotten.

And so we throw the baby out with the bath water of religion - as if He had anything to DO with religion! Funny thing is....no one abhored hypocrites and 'religion' more than Jesus. He was all about relationship with His Father that He wanted us to know we could embrace.

Throw out religion - gladly. Throw out hypocrisy - who needs it! But don't throw out the baby whose birth we now should celebrate with joy. If you've lost any passion you may have had about Jesus.....dig in and find out all you can about Him for yourself and read what He had to say about Himself, His Father, and you.

Pride, self absorption, and the distractions of life will eclipse Him from your view.

But desperation for Him, humility, and trust in Him opens the door to His Spirit to actually begin to show you amazing mysteries of His love for you and a whole beautiful eternity that awaits us.

If we thought the hosts of angels filling a sky with heavenly melody to some guys tending sheep was thrilling....especially when his announcement was all about His love for us.....I think that sky was only a very tiny taste of the awesomeness of his power and majesty - we haven't even begun to fathom what we will see in future! He is, after all, the Creator. I'm overwhelmed at the thought of the day when I see Him face to face and dissolve in worship. Until then, I always want to be desperate for Him.

"As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God." (Psalm 42:1)

Listen to this song....play it loud.... and picture yourself beneath those skies...or even above them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Clean 'N Green - #2 Never use laundry soap again?

I was intrigued with the idea that I could use a truly green product - one that did not require the use of laundry soap but claimed to get my clothes clean in the washing machine. So I purchased a SmartKlean laundry ball for $45.00.

The lady who sold it to me was very sincere and said that she will never use laundry soap or fabric softener again. She just puts this laundry ball in with her clothes in cold water and sets her machine for only the rinse cycle - as the wash cycle is not needed. So she saves on both soap and electricity.

Here's how it works as found on the website for SmartKlean:


SmartKlean_med from SmartKlean on Vimeo.

So now that I've used the laundry ball since the summer, what is my opinion?

Not totally convinced. The instructions with the ball state that you will still need to pre-treat stains on clothes as you normally would. My kids are grown so maybe that's why I rarely per-treat anything anymore - although I can slop stuff pretty good on my clothes. Perhaps I've been irresponsible to the environment...but I know that if I throw really dirty clothes in with some Tide (and I use very little Tide), they come out clean without pre-treating. SmartKlean suggests that with your whites, you can throw in some sea salt and vinegar to help them come out white. I purposely tried that with some dingy looking white towels and they were still dingy after washing with the SmartKlean ball, but came out white with Tide. What I felt like I was doing was wasting water because my clothes weren't as clean as I'd like and isn't that the purpose of washing them?

I think the laundry ball is just fine with loads that are not terribly dirty and it's good for your clothes to get a break from time to time without detergent. Many people would love this product especially with electricity bills that are predicted to go sky high. If it works for you even part of the time, go for it! But I'll admit I miss the fresher smell of detergent washed clothes.

I'm afraid I'm a failure at staying green with my laundry. Although I am quite willing to try a few more green laundry detergents. I've tried a few, but always seem to wander back to Tide. I will continue to do my part by using very little detergent, washing only with full loads in cold water (most of the time), running the washer for shorter cycles and less often, and hanging the laundry outside when the weather co-operates.

Incidentally, the internet tells me that "Tide Coldwater is the first detergent ever to be awarded the new Green Good Housekeeping Seal. Good Housekeeping also noted that Tide stood out in terms of

corporate responsibility due to the measures they are taking to become transparent in their practices."

I'm still not sure what Tide is made of - that's a little hard to find on the internet - but for now I will stick with what works with the electricity and water I am using!

Random

I have a friend who is a 'senior' though she doesn't look it. I want to be just like her when I grow up.

Most will never know that she carries Tim Horton coupons in her purse, and when someone she encounters, such as a cashier, looks kind of down or discouraged, she slips a coupon into their hand with a warm smile and a wish for things to get better.

She visits folks in hospitals and nursing homes on a regular basis. Makes meals for those who are grieving. Listens to people who just need a friend. And on and on and on. Every day.

Her life is random acts of kindness at every possible opportunity. She loves people the way their Creator loves them.

I wish we had more people like her in this world. But I must ask myself....what's my excuse if I'm not like that?

"Blessed are those that can give without remembering and receive without forgetting."

Author Unknown

Clean 'N Green - #1 Drinking water

Several posts back I pledged to start a-blogging on some green topics.

Let's start with the basics - the water we drink.

Our family has used reverse-osmosis water for years from a water cooler. We visit our local water depot-type place, sanitize the jugs and fill them up at a cost of less than $3 for an 19 litre bottle. It saves on using individual water bottles which of course are now the scourge of the eco-friendly masses.

Why not drink city-tested and approved water?

I don't doubt the safety of our water and I'm very grateful that we have clean water for bathing and washing and don't fear getting ill from drinking the water. But years ago we went for a tour of the local water treatment plant because my daughter chose to do a school project on the subject. We had a friend who worked there, and he gave us the grand tour. I saw and heard where the water comes from and of all the interesting things that get filtered and removed from the water. I saw the processes that remove all the contaminants, and subsequently the chemicals additives that are poured back in to make it drinkable. As we were leaving, I asked our gentleman friend whether he drinks the city water and he was quick to say, 'Oh no. I get my water from a natural spring near here.'  Mmmmhmm.

That was years ago and now even the springs have been shut down as unsafe. That visit to the plant left a bad taste in my mouth and since the water depot-type places advertise that reverse osmosis removes any pesticides, herbicides, and chlorine that the city didn't (when used with a carbon filter), I concluded that it must be better to drink. However, according to HistoryofWaterCoolers.com, the downside of reverse osmosis is that it also removes the healthy, natural, beneficial minerals that should be in the water we drink. That website suggests that both reverse osmosis and distillation are extremely wasteful methods of water filtration, discarding 75-80% of the water with the contaminants and both remove the healthy minerals we should be drinking with our water. It suggests that carbon water filters are cheaper and the least wasteful.

Again, I am not implying that you are killing yourself slowly by drinking municipal water or doing yourself any harm. But if it is something that you're interested in and would prefer an alternative, do your research.

Here's an alternative that our family has recently purchased that caught my interest. It's called the Santevia Water System. Everyone who walks by this unit in our kitchen for the first time, does a double-take. Because the 'tank' contains a layer of gravel-like stones,  it looks like it should have fish swimming around in it! To summarize in a sentence, this system uses your ordinary tap water (no need to buy and lug bottles), filters it further through 8 stages, and then re-mineralizes the water to make it as close to natural spring water as you can get while adjusting the Ph level, according to their statements. They challenge you to get your Santevia water tested to prove their claims. You can read all about it here. They also have Youtube videos with 'wordless' demonstrations of assembly, maintenance, etc.

We purchased ours at a natural healthfood store, but they can be purchased easily on-line from their website. No, I am not getting a commission, nor am I endorsing it. I am informing you so you can make your own choice! Here's their introductory video....and you be the judge!

Proud

I get so tired of negativity.

I'm not talking about people who have legitimate needs and express disappointments and difficulties.

It's the daily onslaught of negative opinions about politics and people and situations.....and sometimes it's just more than tiring to listen to it. It doesn't solve anything. It drags us all down....makes us grumpy and ungrateful. (Did we just celebrate Thanksgiving??)

Enter, memories of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

If you're Canadian and you're proud of your country, your heart will swell as you watch the video clip below and remember. I don't recall a time when so many Canadians were united together in excitement and pride in their fellow countrymen. It wasn't simply the medal winning. It was the stories behind those who were giving their all to win. They were ordinary people often dealing with extremely difficult situations, working hard, staying positive, and doing everything in their power to win for their country. Who can forget the face of Alex Bilodeau's brother Frederic - his biggest fan? (Google him - he's famous now!), or the perseverance of Joannie Rochette who tragically lost her mother suddenly in the midst of the games, but kept on going to win a medal for her Mom.

We could learn a thing or two from these Olympians. Hard work. Staying positive. Committed to the team. Pride in their country. Pulling for the next guy.

Our country is made up of people....of which I am one. If I could capture and keep the spirit of the Olympics alive in my daily life....along with you....the landscape of our culture could be vastly different.....so much better. Pulling for our neighbours...instead of criticizing them. Praying for our politicians in spite of their shortcomings. Cheering each other on. Watching out for and lifting up those who fall down.

Be inspired to spread some Olympian-like fever where ever you go. Let's hope it spreads across the country again!

Sweet Nikki

Rest in Peace Sweet Nikki

23 October 1997 - 6 October 2010

We love you!

Have you ever met someone like this?

This was too priceless not to share.

Mr Bean: Ya missed him

Mr Bean makes me laugh most times. That's probably an indication of my intelligence level.

Have you seen the one where he's in the church service trying to stay awake and attempting to fit in with what the others are doing and singing? Ya gotta laugh....particularly if you've been in some of those kinds of services.


Unfortunately, the hymn used in that clip is a beautiful one. I refuse to let the memory of Mr Bean ruin it for me when I hear it!

Now, we don't sing hymns much in our church any more. They have gone by the wayside with the organ. But this past Sunday we sang that hymn that Mr Bean tried to sing. I'm happy to say, I blocked Mr Bean out of my conscience entirely and drank in the words of that hymn. They speak everything that I live and breathe about my Creator. I wonder at times if too many of us are as self-absorbed and oblivious to God as Mr Bean was in that clip (and likely most of that audience with him!).

God is referred to as the 'Father'. To some of us, He either doesn't exist....we don't care or aren't sure He exists.....or we think of Him as a distant entity out there somewhere that might respond to desperate pleas, and we hope that if there's a heaven, one day we'll make it there.

Jesus is the 'Son'. Most understand that he was an actual historical figure that lived and breathed, had a lot of influence, and died. Whether we believe he was actually God and is our Saviour....that is our choice.

But what about that '3rd' part of the Trinity that we read about in the Bible? The Holy Spirit. We often forget about Him. He's the one that Jesus said would be with us when he left the earth.  He would be our Counsellor, would teach us all the things Jesus had said. Jesus was exiting the scene, but he wasn't going to leave us on our own. He was leaving his Spirit with us to be close to us and mediate to the Father for us. That's a pretty cool deal.

Most of us are looking for someone who is completely trustworthy, is there for us when we need them, loves us unconditionally, and understands the deepest parts of us. Hello? That one we need is here with us - closer than our breath - and offers much more than a human being ever could. He speaks into the deepest part of us...confirming the mysteries of a Creator's love on a personal level. He may not be visible...like the wind.....but I can see his affects in my life and in those around me. I don't want to become indifferent to his presence or unresponsive to him - ever. Really, why would I not want someone who loves me that completely?

Here's that hymn for your listening pleasure - All Creatures of Our God and King - as sung by the David Crowder band. And....because Mr Crowder doesn't 'let loose' in it as he is capable of ....I have added a second link with another of his tunes. If you are a person who is getting to know your Creator, your heart can soar while you listen. The third link is the funkier version - definitely no organ.

Making scents of it all

Can I see a show of hands? How many of you are allergic to, or extremely sensitive to strong scents?

Ahhhh. I see....quite a percentage of you.

Perhaps you're like me. Not allergic, but starting to be bothered when you have just walked through a fog of someone's perfume, cologne, deodorant, or lotion. The office I work in has tried to become 'scent free', but I always know when a certain few are in the office that day because I can smell their trail even if they have walked through ten minutes earlier. (Picture a wolf....nose to the air). I kid you not. This could be amusing if it wasn't for others in the office who....if they catch that trail of scent....may end up leaving work and spending the rest of the day in their bed, lights out, blinds drawn, and dizzy with a migraine. Those same migraine-prone people have to sit out of meetings and listen in on their phone at their desks if the 'scented' ones will be attending the meeting. Several months ago, the smell of the perfume of a very sweet co-worker whom I love reminded me....seriously....of cedar chips. Every time that dear woman got near me, I was reminded of our dearly departed guinea pig.

A friend at my church can often be seen moving about to another part of the congregation because she is affected by scents as well. It makes it very difficult to be seated when you're not sure if you are going to react to the person next to you!

Since I have observed what these people go through, I've become more aware of strong smells. We've all walked by someone while shopping who takes your breath away and leaves you choking in a cloud. I've been served by a waiter whose very strong, sickening cologne overwhelmed me every time he attended to the table - at a place where you should be free to savour the aroma of the food.

When I was home from work with my first child I did some volunteer work in the evening tutoring adults who wanted to improve their literacy. One dear, kind man in his 50's (somehow that seemed old back then....sigh), came to our home some evenings and we sat down at the kitchen table to work on improving his reading skills. Unfortunately, he would wear strong cologne every single week and I would literally have to keep leaving the room wanting to be sick. Today, I would have no problem respectfully requesting that he not wear any cologne, however back then I was too timid to say anything.

I'm glad the government in this neck of the woods has banned the use of pesticides on our lawns. I've known people who had to lock themselves literally in their homes when their neighbour got their lawn sprayed because they would be ill until the residue had dissipated.

I love the scent of lovely candles and flavoured coffees, but there are those who can't enter lovely candle/gift shops due to those smells either.

I guess I say all this to make us all more aware of the affects we can unknowingly have on others or on our own health. And don't forget....what you may think smells wonderful and you douse yourself in it, might smell horrible to someone else (cedar chips or incense, anyone?). The next time you walk by a young guy and you think.....why does he smell like my grandfather?....you'll remember...... what's Old (Spice) and was shunned, is new again, thanks strictly to clever advertising and, dare I say, the gullible. (I have actually always liked the smell of Old Spice....my dad used to wear it!).

I have personally been on a mission within our home to eliminate products with chemicals. It's been an education! There has been an incredible amount of stuff gathered from our cupboards and taken to our city's hazardous waste disposal depot. It's been a challenge to find replacement products without harmful ingredients and it's still a work in progress. I will try any product once that someone has personally recommended to me or that I have read up on, and if satisfied, I love to share what I have found with others.

So, over the next many posts, I hope for your reading pleasure and education, to feature a different 'green' product each post that you might like to try in place of something potentially harmful you might currently be using on a regular basis. We all have to use cleaning and hygiene products (pleeeeeeease), so we might as well be supporting great companies who produce products that nourish and don't harm.

Makes scents.....don't you think?

Not enough

A friend sent this link to a little video in an e-mail (thanks Paul). While I watched it, I thought the images shown are but a tiny drop in an ocean of the wonders to be found on this planet alone.

Though creation is vast, it works together in symmetry - interconnected and dependent on the laws of nature to provide in so many ways.

If one planet is so amazing
(....just the birds and flowers alone in my yard are amazing!!) .....
the balance so delicate and stunning.....what must God be preparing in heavenly places?

I can't begin to imagine.


There's not enough.......
words.....
images.....
time.....
books.....
space.....
room, in my tiny finite mind......
to comprehend enough....
of how big God is.

Click here and let your imagination soar.

If Earwigs Could Fly

I thought seagulls only ate fish and chips.

I also thought they were only nuisance birds.

I formed my opinion of them long ago when, at the beach, a seagull had the nerve to dive at my two-year old son to try to grab the soother out of his mouth. I was not impressed. I've been at the zoo and had them swoop down at my lunch. Of course, there are always flocks of them in town at burger joints, peering in car windows, waiting for a french fry to drop and then.... look out.... as six of them dive for it at once. "MINE, MINE, MINE, MINE!" (Just ask Nemo when you find him)

But tonight my image of them softened. As I sat sipping my tea on the front porch this evening, I watched a couple dozen seagulls circling our neighbourhood. I immediately wondered who had put french fries out in their trash, but then noticed these birds continue to glide and then pause midair as they gulped bugs that were flying about. They continued for a good hour until they moved on. Far above them, were swallows swooping and diving after bugs as well.

Last night, our resident bats (no, they don't live IN our house) started the night shift early before dark, performing their acrobatic feats and plunging from high in the air to then skim the surface of the back lawn. (That would be the yard that when you walk through the grass or garden, swarms of mosquitoes emerge). It must be a buggy season...what with our hot, muggy, rainy summer.

So imagine if earwigs could fly?!!!!  Between swallows, seagulls and bats, we'd be rid of them in no time!

Mmmmmmm. Maybe not. My imagination is conjuring up images of walking into a flying swarm of earwigs and it's a despicable sight.

We'll be thankful things are just the way they are. Someone must have been thinking when this whole interactive chain of nature was conceived.

In honour of the G8 and G20 summits....

My son is working behind the scenes at the G8 summit as I am typing this. My daughter will be working tomorrow near the G20 summit as it switches locations. Close to home this time around, but important events for sure as world leaders meet to discuss crucial matters that affect many countries.

More important in my world is the event on my front porch (yes...I do jest). Momma Robin, whom I have observed returning to the old nest the last few days, rearranging the furniture....has laid an egg today. And so it all begins again. One egg on the first day of the G8, another will surely be laid when the G20 begins, and perhaps a final one on the last day of the summit meetings....maybe even just one more to be sure when the leaders are dispersing to go home. And so these will be special Summit Babies.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                    I caught a few minutes of an interview with John Manley on the radio this morning. He is a former Canadian Liberal finance and foreign affairs minister and he was asked why all these world leaders don't just meet, in this technological age, by video conference and save all these dollars spent on getting together. It's a fair question that's been asked frequently lately. His answer gave pause to think and I hadn't looked at it before the way he painted the picture. He cited examples of times when specific Presidents and Prime

Ministers had crucial decisions to make and in those moments, a leader from another country came to them, just as a close friend would, to talk one on one. Some leaders have been very influential to others in helping with decision making, simply because they had become fast friends and confidantes, beginning with these events. Mr. Manley said that these times that leaders get together are very important face-to-face to forge friendships that are needed in their jobs. When you think about it, how close can leaders in high positions get to others with whom they can share in confidence.... who will understand the circumstances and have wisdom for the task?

I have also listened to John Tory, former leader of the PC Party describe what it was like in the public eye and it wasn't pretty. You take the most foul abuse thrown at you where ever you go - people think they have the right to lambaste you. They might not do that to the average person....but somehow they feel politicians are not human beings and can be treated with disdain and have insults hurled at them from every side, even threats on their lives and those of their family. I know what some of you are thinking. There's lots to criticize. Politicians are dishonest, money hungry, power seeking, blah, blah, blah. Yes, some are. But I wonder if we knew some of their spouses and their children and families, we might find that many are actually hard working, honest people who entered politics because they wanted to make a difference. But still, they will take criticism for every move they make.

Yes, there are lots of crucial mistakes made in the political world.... waste, dishonesty, wrong priorities....the list goes on. We can criticize and drone on about it for hours and nothing will change.

Criticism is useless.

Protests? Maybe they've accomplished some good if done wisely....but most seem to be just noise and simply invoke a negative response in return. Honest dialogue, tackling noble, worthwhile issues with practical and thoughtful insight would accomplish more. But as long as we're not willing to work that hard.....criticism is easier...... it puffs ourselves up to feel that we know best.

And nothing changes.

Next time you hear a robin sing that lovely, evening summer melody that signals the setting of the sun and the close of another day......pray for your world leaders. As wrong as they might be about much.....they are fallible human beings (like us!) who are in a position in which they must make crucial decisions and affect change. Pray.... not that they will do YOUR will....but that God will be in the midst of the decision making.

If it's all we can do.....let's pray. Because that truly does change things.....with a side benefit of changing our attitude.

You think YOUR kids grow fast...!

I was compiling videos of the robin babies, but before I could get the movies up, the darn things grew up so fast they flew the coop in two weeks! It's all ancient history now, but I wanted to share some pictures.


They went from this.....

to this......

and so on....

Then, things were just getting too crowded and one flew out of the cuckoo's nest to a nearby tree.

The next day, the other two worked up courage to follow.

And now I can spot them and hear them in the trees as they call to Mom and Dad who still faithfully deliver worms and bugs to their little ones.

I miss all the action outside the front door. Even my family (who mocks me for my bird watching) clambored from the dinner table to watch when someone shouted that a baby was about to fly from the nest! The robin parents were actually quite respectful of us and we never had to use another door because of them. Mom even came back to clean the nest after all the babies were gone! Now there's a great Mom!!

I am beginning to see the babies on the ground accompanying their parents as they begin to search for worms all by themselves....without those little mouths always looking for a handout!

So what will I do without baby birds to watch? Well, here's a couple of pictures I took outside of my bedroom window  the same day the robin babies left. I received this lovely birdhouse for Christmas and there are definitely chickadee babies in there! Harder to view but we'll see......

The videos are below for your viewing pleasure. I have many more which I may share at a later date.

Warning! Contains graphic scenes which may disturb! If you're queasy about worms, get over it. But if you really can't stand dirty diapers, you'll shudder at 'clean up'.

The first video is of Mom and Dad when the babies were 6 days old....

One happy family from Beebalm on Vimeo.
The babies in the next video are now 10 days old. It's hard not to fall asleep while waiting for Mom or Dad to come...but when they do arrive....it's a fast awakening! Thanks for the worms Mom...now here's our gift to you - help yourself....

Any time Mom....we're waiting.... from Beebalm on Vimeo.
Things are getting crowded in the nest. It's okay when they're sleeping. But when one moves....everyone else has to shift! Can't you just picture what these siblings are muttering to each other?  Notice the change in 10 days from a mass of flesh to flapping feathered wings! Somebody's gotta leave soon!

Tight Quarters from Beebalm on Vimeo.