ten things we've observed about life in Canada

....some observations. you can decide for yourselves whether each one counts as a pro or con....

1. It seems that I enjoy cooking in Canada.
2. We have seen skunks, chipmunks, otters, raccoons and groundhogs all within five
minutes of home.
3. There is no postal delivery on Saturdays in Canada.
4. Halloween is much more popular out here.
5. Canadians whinge about the weather at least as much as the British.
6. Wool is cheaper in Canada.
7. It is harder to give family and friends hugs from overseas.
8. Paul now spends up to five hours a day at weekends sat on the balcony watching the
world go by.
9. David Gray is big in Canada.
10. English accents are exotic here - even mine!

that is all. x

Autumn....oops - Fall!

Eek its almost two months we've been here now. Reports from home suggest we left the sunshine back in the UK. We seemed to have moved from one country famed for its weather obsession - to one even more so! The warnings about the inclement winter come thick and fast - time will tell how much is fact and how much exaggeration!

For now it is changeable. Generally warm but odd showers to keep you on your toes, no great change! The autumn colours are stunning and inspire lots of photos - Jasper is gradually becoming accustomed to me stopping for a spot of photography after so long waiting for Paul! This weeks I have been mostly photographing fungi....if that floats your boat head to flickr.

Jasper seems to have overcome his illness of last week and has now caught my squirrel obsession and spends a large proportion of his day sat on the balcony trying to spot them - when they spot him they sit in the trees and tell him off - very funny!

The mammal count has rocketed this week, with another Beaver spot yesterday afternoon, no piccies but both of us saw it so witness testimony. Then on return from the cinema we saw our first skunk! I thought they were dainty little things - they are huge! This one could have happily taken Jasper on....too many Pepe le Pew cartoons as a child I think.

So, October rolls on, I've been off on knitting adventures into the countryside (see flickr again), we've been exploring the local parks and Paul's been ordering computer gadgetry! Another three day weekend coming up, and our first Thanksgiving - another food-based celebration woohoo! For now, more gourd shots from the market to leave you with autumnal colours once again....

Jet lagged pooch

His royal highness Jasper has arrived safe and sound in Canada, and I met him at the airport yesterday - he was mildly pleased to see me, but much more excited about the squirrel chasing opportunities that Ottawa has to offer....
He is also jet lagged, and I was walking him round the park at 1:30am, and Paul at 4:00am - what larks! He is now patiently waiting for me to get my act together and take him out again - at least its daylight now!

In other news we are very settled in our new apartment (for piccies see flickr and I am managing to get dinner on the table so Paul is still smiling....

Not sure what the weekend holds for us - so far I have a pyjama party tonight while Paul is out on the town with the boys (?!), and possibly wall-climbing tomorrow....there may or may not be photos later!

moving....

We have moved!
I baked cookies.
No internet for a little while.
That is all. x

Volunteering and making it into the paper!

Well, yesterday marked a month since we arrived, so I decided it was probably best that I broadened my horizons, signing myself up to some activities other than knitting! I registered at the Ottawa School of Art for an etching/printing course which starts on Weds 15th - my shopping list includes a sketch book and rubber gloves.... not being a natural artist there is little I find more intimidating than a blank sketch book, maybe I'll do some fingerpainting to get me going. I may share my 'successes' at a later date....


Then this morning I finally made it to the Fletcher Wildlife Garden which I found online back in June. They have a volunteer session every Friday morning which I was made very welcome at, and I have been asked to look after the pond while its regular attendee is away - I did warn them reportedly that I know next to nothing about gardening and will need the weeds identifying so I don't pull up anything precious. Plenty of fellow birdwatchers too who helped me identify the garden visitors, proper views of northern cardinal and blue jay at last, along with yellow warbler and rose-breasted grosbeak. We also saw a bird of prey swoop past which we decided was probably a northern harrier.....so much easier when someone else is doing the identifying.
Anyway, I'll be back in search of the pileated woodpecker next week - mainly because of its resemblance to woody woodpecker from the cartoon!

My bird-watching antics have also led to a mention in The Ottawa Citizen.....Paul and I set each other 'get your names published' challenges a couple of years ago and this is my first victory! (He meanwhile has published several geeky-science articles....but at least I'm on the scoreboard now!).

Getting dinner on the table

This week Paul has started work, and I am slaving away behind a hot stove.....and wool shopping....and reading books....and exploring the city.....but dinner is on the table so all is well.

folk off

Our first taste of the music scene in Ottawa was pretty special, a fine day spent in the park at Britannia Bay, in the sun, listening to some folk at the Ottawa Folk Festival. We arrived just in time for the morning Ukulele Jam, swiftly followed by some beautiful (and mostly improvised) Music to Garden By and the unexpectedly great uke-cello duos, led by James Hill and Victoria Vox. You haven't lived until you've heard the uke-cello cover of Psycho Killer by Talking Heads. No, really.

My favourite moments of the day were probably from the saxaphone and flute of Linsey Wellman, very much in the avant/free jazz style of John Coltrane. He played two incredible solo pieces as part of the Life in Japan workshop, it really was music to disappear into.

Special mention also goes to the Balloon Orchestra, a group with instruments made from (yes) balloons. They avoided going a bit Stomp by innovations such as the balloon bass, complete with pick-up, and generally stayed firmly in the good part of "experimental".

We left before the headline acts (but after the majestic sunset over the bay), all a bit too mainstream folk rock/country for us dabblers in the experimental and traditional end of the genre. But play me squeeze box, rag time, uke-cello, hoe-down, jug band, electric cello, gourd, guitar, zither, shamisen, shakuhachi flute and the rest anytime!