Brain food

Our mother used to tell my sisters and me that fish was food for the brain, and did her best to convince us that eating it would make us smarter. She must have believed it was an ingredient we needed as she was often telling us to 'smarten up.' In truth, I always suspected the fish theory may well have simply been her way of getting us to eat sardines.

But the reason I'm thinking about brain food is that today is officially Puzzle Day. And if the reports are at all true, I've not (as my mother liked to scold) been wasting hours of my life by engaging in puzzles. As it turns out, they provide exercise for our brains. 

We 'puzzlers' (the official term for those who enjoy doing puzzles) are a tribe all our own. This is a term I happened to learn from a very fun book I read last week with the puzzling title of Jigsaw. 

I'll admit to being kind of a puzzle geek, as I love Sudoku, crossword puzzles, Wordle, and as you can see from the photo above, jigsaw puzzles, the biggest time-passer of all. 

Both of those puzzles were gifts I received at Christmas, but I haven't started either one of them. The round one, with 500 pieces looks challenging, but possible. While the beautiful Avatar-like image on the other is tempting, its 1,000 pieces leave me hesitant to even open the box, as 750 is my usual maximum. Still, with a new month approaching, the time may be nigh for new horizons with bigger challenges. 

Wouldn't you know--in the process of poking around for this post, I learned that eating fish maybe really does make you smarter. Once in a while I guess those mothers of ours managed to get a few things right after all. 

Oh yeah??

 

I'm not in the habit of arguing with 'answers' on Jeopardy! but hey, today this is just plain WRONG. 

Coldest I can remember it ever being. This morning, our little weather station read minus 15. Hardly what I'd call mild. 

Ta-daaaa!

A new year, hurrah! One that's almost sure to be better--or at least happier--than 2023 with its many horrors and wars. And I hope being a few days late with its bud opening doesn't make it any less appropriate for the new year. After all, what's a few days among friends. 

I suppose a flower seems an odd way to celebrate a mid-winter observance, but...to me the showy blossom of the amaryllis looks a lot like a horn that's trumpeting good news. 

At least I sure hope that's what it's announcing. 

 

December roses

A walk in my neighbourhood often reveals something I haven't noticed before. This time, it was a yard with several rose bushes in bloom. I didn't want to barge onto a stranger's property, so I had to make do with a quick snap from just outside their fence. 

Temperatures here have been very pleasant, though unseasonably mild. Today's 13 (that's Celsius here in Canada, Fahrenheit conversion is 55) feels like a day when a hoodie should be fine for a stroll. 

That's not altogether good news, especially as it's a current trend in much of the continent--yet another sign that our overall climate is changing. 

But I've posted that little rose for yet another reason. Today should be the birthday of a very dear friend. Sadly, he was one of the many who died because he had a nasty surprise from the drugs he thought were safe to use. 

And just yesterday came the news that proposed changes to rules intended to protect the lives of those who are drug-dependent--along with people who may be near them--have been dispensed with (at least for now).  

It's a problem that's not going to go away by merely wishing it so. Nor will any change in legislation bring back any of those now gone. I can only hope for the safety of those who, like the little roses, manage to hang on, as if looking for better times ahead. 

Return of the light

For a few minutes yesterday the sun managed to cut through the clouds just long enough to make a small splash of light on the ocean at White Rock. I felt lucky to catch it, as that little spot of brightness didn't last for long.

And now today is when we observe the Solstice, the day the sun 'returns' bringing us more hours of light, the joy of what we think of as longer days. 

In truth, twenty-four hours is all that any day gets, but oh, that precious light--what a difference it can make to how we live and how we overall feel--I suppose a natural kind of solar power. 

Sunset here today was 4:16 pm and won't move even a minute forward until Saturday. Still, it's good to know we're on our way to longer days and more of that beautiful light. 

Karma Kardmelion

Okay, so Boy George wouldn't much like the way I've rearranged that name. I've been up to my elbows in making and sending out holiday greetings to family and friends, people I don't see often enough. With some of them, it's because they're too far away, be that England or Australia. If I had a transporter beam, I guess visiting would be easier. But since I don't (and I don't think anyone outside of Star Trek reruns does), cards are my best bet for staying in touch. 

The dining room table's been pretty much out of commission, owing to the invasion of the cards, though I admit the mess of them strewn across that surface has at least started to diminish. 

The other day I mailed out over 30. Today was a smaller batch by half. The last seem to mostly be ones where I'm having trouble tracking down an address I know has changed, or other such complications. 

So, where do thoughts of karma enter the picture?

Walking back to my car on my way home from the post office the other day, a flash of blue caught my eye. Sure enough: a small reward in the form of a five-dollar bill lying on the ground. Natch, I bent down and retrieved it. 

What can I say, but thank you, Universe!

City by the sea

The nearby city of White Rock calls itself the 'city by the sea'--and they have every right to, as the town stretches its entire length (about two miles) along Semiahmoo Bay, an arm of the Pacific Ocean.

But the city by the sea in my photo isn't White Rock, nor is it any other actual city. 

It's a creation that resides on top of a car, one that's been lovingly decorated by someone with much more talent (and patience!) than I will ever possess. 

I encountered this wonderfully fun creation while visiting one of my favourite towns, Port Townsend, Washington. 

Just out for a walk, taking a shortcut through a little-used parking lot, when I came upon this creation. 

Really, how could I not stop and admire it from several angles. And then of course, I had to take a few photos. 

I'll bet you would have had to as well. 

So much for clean energy

It's over a week since I've been home from a trip to Victoria. My reason for being there was the launch of a new anthology that contains a bit of my work. 

While a friend and I were leaving, taking the bus out to Swartz Bay to get the ferry home, we passed a group of people outside a building where the government was holding a meeting. Many of them carried signs, some of them even had 'Site C' on their banners. 

Their goal appeared to be reminding those inside of their public commitments to care for the environment. Yet sadly, we know that pretty much ALL the power generated by the mega-dam will go to Northeastern BC to power fracking operations. 

Frack. A word that I still believe will, in the future, replace our current F-word as an ugly expletive, as it won't be long until people understand how dangerous fracking is, and how it has the potential to despoil our precious groundwater, a resource (unlike petroleum) we cannot survive without. 

A new experience

One of my favourite film characters, the Countess Mathilde Chardin (better known as Maude from Harold and Maude) places a high value on the 'new experience' and its importance in enjoying life. So today's post is about a small but definitely (for me at least) new experience. 

It started about a week ago when I was at a friend's house where I noticed a beautiful tree, laden with golden fruits. Although they were about the size of a mandarin orange I knew that's not what they were. For one thing, oranges don't grow (yet) here in B.C. 

I wasn't sure but thought they might be persimmons, and sure enough, that's exactly what they were.

Turns out the ones on this tree were the Fuyu variety, which are kinder in terms of their readiness to eat. The other kind, Hachiya, has to be fully ripe before they're any good to eat, as they're far too astringent.  

So last night, we sliced one up for our dessert, and bingo, the new experience proved to be a good one.

I'm just sorry I didn't pick more than I did. 

The end of the End of the Long Dash...

It was November 5th, 1939 that the CBC first broadcast the National Research Council's official time signal. For those in the Eastern Time Zone, that occurred at 1:00 pm each day. For those of us here in BC in the Pacific Time Zone, the beep came at 10:00 am. And that beep after the long dash was a sound I heard most mornings, as that was when I liked to be sure the radio was on so I could hear the day's news. 

Sadly, we're no longer getting this notification. Plenty of reasons were given, though none of them seemed all that important to me. This was just another of those small observances we've become so glib about tossing aside. 

By next year, we may also NOT be going back to standard time, but may instead be making daylight saving time the rule for the whole year, not just the summer months. 

The most ironic aspect of ending the tradition of the time signal is that, if I'm working dates out correctly, it ended on Thanksgiving. Talk about a kick in the head. 

All I can offer is my own long dash --------- 

                        followed, of course, by that clear-toned Beeeeep which for now, I guess, you'll have to play in your imagination. 

All set for spooky fun!

Every year, it seems that more people in our neighbourhood decide to decorate their yards for Halloween. Tonight, the one in the photo above even has scary sounds emanating...Ooooooh, scary stuff!

We're more traditional (probably many would say 'boring') as all we have are a couple of jack-o-lanterns and a bag with a candle in it (luminaria) to guide tricksters up the walkway. 

Further down the street, there's a pair of skeletons taking a ride to who-knows-where! 

Good fun for a special night, and happily, one without rain.

End of the Line

It might seem odd to feature an image of apples, long associated with new beginnings (think Eden, even), in a post marking the end of something. In this case, unfortunately, those wonderful apples are the last of their kind. I'm not even sure what variety they might be, but because I know the people who rented a house on the land with the tree, I've had access to these for quite a few years. 

The parcel of land with the house has now been sold. Like so much of the land near here, what was once farmland has now been zoned industrial. Sigh. But back to the apples.

Not great for in-the-hand eating, but wonderful for pies or applesauce or, as I mostly do, dehydrating. Odd perhaps, but I no longer use an actual dehydrator, as I've discovered that the pilot light on our gas fireplace makes for just the right temp to slowly dry the fruit. 

Little bags of dried apples will find their way into gift packs at Christmas, though I guess for next year, I'll have to find some other old-timey apple tree that will serve me with a supply of windfall fruit. And hoping for sure, with all the strife currently raging in the world, that this holiday season won't be the end of the line for everyone. 

Eclipsed?

Earlier this morning I headed outside, hoping to get a glimpse of the partial eclipse that was supposed to be visible here. 

But instead of a view of the sun, I was greeted by clouds. 

Still, because I know how quickly our weather can change (yes, it can be an all-weathers-in-a-day kind of place), I poked around in the garden a bit, waiting in case the clouds might blow past.  

Luckily I knew where my special eclipse-viewing glasses were--the same pair from when I'd watched

the total eclipse in 2017. When I put them on, I thought they must have gone 'bad' from being so old, as I couldn't see anything through them. But I guess that's exactly how dark they're supposed to be, as a few minutes later when the sky cleared a bit, there it was--a partially occluded sun!

I didn't want to fry the light-sensing unit in my faithful little camera, so I refrained from trying to shoot with it. As a result, all I can do is tell you what I saw: in essence, a 'crescent sun' with the 'C' of its shape pointing downward, the black circle of the moon beneath. But here's a link to a news story about the event as it took place on the south end of Vancouver Island, not so far from here as the proverbial crow flies. It contains a few amazing images, which may help satisfy your craving for a glimpse of what I got to see today. 

Traditional

How lucky--to be invited for a Thanksgiving dinner--one I didn't have to make! About the only thing I needed to do was go along to the local store in search of a roasting pan that would be big enough to accommodate this beautiful bird, as the one in the cupboard was too small. 

After its ride in the oven while the rest of us went out to a local park for a stroll, the golden bird was ready for sharing. 

As we sat down with our meal, we remembered a dear one who had made turkey dinners for all of us in the past. And in honour of her, we were lucky enough to be feasting on food that came from some of her recipes. 

A feast to be thankful for, complete with all the trimmings. 

 

Ten-four plus two

Sometimes, my brain gets distracted by internal number games. Probably that's one of the reasons I like playing Sudoku. 

But the other night as I was falling asleep, it struck me that the day's date, October 4th, 'translated' as 'ten-four,' a phrase I've heard on too many cop shows (think: the classic Highway Patrol for one).

So yesterday (10/5), I thought I'd start poking around to check out the meaning of ten-four. And sure enough, it not only translates as 'okay' or 'all right' it turned up as an answer to a clue in that day's New York Times Crossword, another of my almost-daily addictions. There it was, 31-across: "Understood" and indeed, the answer, strung across seven blank squares required filling in T-E-N-F-O-U-R. Which means that I got at least one of their brain-teaser clues answered correctly. 

I took that as confirmation that I needed to look up what ten-four really meant, and found (who knew) that there's a whole list of 'ten-' codes with today's date (10/6) meaning as 'busy' (which it was). 

A further trip down the rabbit hole of the Internet informed me that October 4th is indeed ten-four day, and a special day for saluting radio operators, though I'm not sure how many of those there are anymore. 

I figured before I tried figuring out codes for the whole month, this would be a good way to end the week--especially where this is the long weekend when we celebrate Thanksgiving. I know that I have much to be thankful for, in particular, the bounty of this season's harvest. I certainly hope that you have much to be grateful for too. And to that, for now, I can only say 'ten-four'. 

Nearing the speed of light

All right. I admit to an exaggeration, but...I can't believe how this month has flown past. 

Sure, there's been plenty going on to keep me busy--from Word Vancouver to last weekend's BC and Yukon Book Awards Ceremony. 

Quite a few of the Word events are still available online, and many are worth tracking down. 

As for the book awards, the ceremony isn't online, but at least the results are posted. 

And yes, quite a bit of the month was spent looking after that kitty I wrote about last time. 

Technically, the season changed officially last weekend. And technically, this morning was the official time of the full moon. Still, I'm sure it will be just as big and beautiful tonight as it was yesterday evening. 

Today was another of the cleaning-up-the-yard-for-autumn days, with a substantial amount of debris from the blackberry hedge making it into the green bin for next week's collection. Both hibiscus trees are now indoors, and the outdoor cushions have been stored away, but there's plenty more to do to get things set for the winter. Still, it'll happen. It always does. All in good time, and definitely slower than the speed of light. 

The tale of a tail and more

Earlier this month, I spent some time cat-sitting--not something I do very often, as I have allergies, but...This kitty is special. Her name is Miss Molly. 

It didn't take many days for her to train me to understand her needs, including when to brush her, pet her, go outside with her, and of course, dole out the snacks. 

She'd sit near me and give me 'the look' which fortunately, I learned to understand. Standing by the kitchen door was the easiest, as it meant she wanted me to grab my book and for the two of us to go out to sit on the deck on the puffy-cushioned chairs. 

When my tour of duty was nearing its end, I was packing my things and had left the bag for my rainboots and extra shoes on the floor. 

Since pretty well all paper bags are fair game for kitties to climb into, that's exactly what she did. 

But little did I know that she'd curled up inside. So when I went to pick up the bag, it was much heavier than I'd expected it to be. Then slink, out she came, clearly not happy that I'd disturbed the place she'd chosen for a nap. 

I'm hoping that particular experience didn't sour our relationship too much, as I'm planning to go back there in October. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what she decides, whether I will remain worthy of her friendship or not. 

Foraged

While I am very grateful that I don't have to rely on my foraging skills to eat, it's certainly an activity that I enjoy.

As the various fruits have ripened over the summer, I've been picking and packing those away as wintry treats. So far, four kinds of berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries) are either in the freezer or stored as jars of jam. As for apples and pears, I've been freezing or canning them, and may still dry a few. Some of these treats will fill gift bags at Christmas. Others will be hand to enjoy with toast or yogourt. Frozen ones will serve as filling in crisps or pies. 

It's not time yet to go out seeking mushrooms, especially where we're still experiencing drought conditions--once practically unheard of here in Canada's rainforest province. Those need the kiss of moisture to bring their fruiting bodies to the surface of the woodlands. 

So yesterday saw me exploring the rocky shoreline for seaweeds. I suppose because I'm somewhat adventurous, I enjoy adding these to soups or stir-fry dishes. As the tide receded, there were so many different kinds to gather. Our province is home to a huge variety from giant bull kelp, some of which are now endangered as are so many species on our fragile planet.  

When it comes to preserving them, drying seems to work best, and they reconstitute quickly when they hit the hot broth. They'll be an interesting taste treat in the coming months--and in addition, a nice boost of vitamins and minerals, including iodine. 

Like I said, I am fortunate to not have to rely on what I forage, but it's something I will probably always like doing.

Just peachy

Poking around for information about peaches, I found that there's a state in the US that claims it as their state symbol. But gosh, wouldn't you know that it would have to be Georgia, the state that's making more than its share of news these days. 

I'd rather not hear or see more about he-who-shall-not-be-mentioned. 

Instead, I'm looking forward to being able to pick and eat one of these glowing orbs from the brave little peach tree in our back yard as it's spent the summer surviving extended drought and now, smoky air. 

Nonetheless, I'm counting on it tasting as explosively delicious as its companions have in previous years--one of the highlight treats of summer! 

Are people getting stupider?

I'm not sure, but it seems to me that some folks indeed are getting stupider. And I have a few reasons for thinking this--not all of them completely stupid. 

My number one reason is the number of folks in the US who continue to believe that he-who-shall-not-be-named is a truth-teller and, as such, is worthy of being able to run (and be elected) as the next president of the US. 

Another reason comes from watching today's news where California is being drenched by rains from Hurricane Hilary (only one L there, so no politicizing, please). As a result many roads have been closed now that waters are rushing over them, temporary rivers.

But hey--what's that I saw a little while ago on CNN??  Yep, folks driving past the 'road closed' signs as if they were mere decorations. Stupid. And I suppose if their car gets wrecked, they'll be looking for compensation from their insurance provider. 

The reason I even thought about this in the first place was a message on a box of cereal in our pantry. Look closely (you can double-click on the pic to enlarge it) at the box of Vector and you'll actually find 'directions for use' offering instructions for how much cereal to put into your bowl as well as how much milk (skimmed--oops, I use 1%) to add. To think, for all these years, I've probably been doing it wrong. Duh!!