HEATSEEKER

We have to Go Down that long Highway to Hell... but maybe Hell Aint' a Bad Place to Be.
I listen and hear Hells Bells, so don't Give It Up, because There's No Beating Around the Bush - we're on The Razor's Edge.
After all, we could build our home in Sin City and our House of Jazz would also be known as This House on Fire.
I say, come Hell or High Water, we'll Stand Up and do it.
Are You Ready - then Let's Make It!
We can be the Rising Power, but only If You Dare!
I know It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock and Roll), but I really could be a Rock and Roll Singer and Rock Your Heart Out in a place where Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution.
I hear it's where Ruff Stuff, Some Sin for Nothin' and Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap are a way of life.
Maybe we'll meet a Rocker, a Love Hungry Man, or a Problem Child along the way, but there's Gonna Be Some Rockin' for sure and we'll definitely Shake Your Foundations.
There is a Danger, I know - it's Dog Eat Dog out there and a it's a place where Evil Walks.
We might see the ones who were Shot Down in Flames, those that died of an Overdose, and all the other Riff Raff with a Mean Streak who felt as though they were Kicked in the Teeth.
This is all becoming a Touch Too Much - I think I'd better Give It Up, because I'm All Screwed Up and I Can't Stand Still.
But no, don't Hold Me Back - She's Got Balls and Let There Be Rock!
Quick, somebody get me some TNT, so I can have a Meltdown while Kissin' Dynamite...
I Can't Stop Rock and Roll and I'll end up Damned for certain, but then Who Made Who?
On the other hand, maybe I'll Have a Drink on Me and pour myself a Whiskey on the Rocks, or keep a Stiff Upper Lip and Ride On just to keep the Boogie Man at bay.

I know That's the Way I Wanna Rock and Roll and this must be what comes from years of Breaking the Rules.

So, Goodbye and Good Riddance to Bad Luck...

We're Thunderstruck!

I dedicate this to Val and Gypsy - my partners on the road and my "inspiration".
The song title credits go to Young, Young, Scott/Johnson - compiled by me.

Confused?

I have been staying up so much later than I usually do.
My mind is racing.
I have so much to say and so little time to say it.
Hence my weblog.
I have always wanted to write - but to just to get it out...
What do I say?
How do I say it?

I love Rachel for pointing me to this "blog" outlet.

I'm like an overflowing river - avoid a swear word right now - but it's like I've been freed - sort of.
...someone will read this eventually.

My blog is full of "stuff", but I look at it and think how manic I am - intellectually speaking to not-so-intellectually speaking...

...And I love it!
I guess that's me.

I know that when I embrace life, I don't have time to put it all into words and when I embrace words, I have no time to put it into life...

This is my personal paradox.

Not to mention the bloody mosquito that keeps biting me...

....now.

My Da Vinci Ode

The Poo Man

He was my man today!

I had to hang about the house all day watching the septic tank lid float around in a thick murky waste while I waited for Mr. Poo and his suck truck.

The news was not encouraging when he showed up. Apparently our septic field is plugged up - ugh...

Next weekend we will spend elbow-deep in muck as we unplug the distribution box, dig up the lines and shovel a trench in which to drain the pipes.
Sounds all too much like war to me.

I'd rather eat haggis...

Backyard Camper

We have a camper trailer that is parked in our backyard.
On summer weekends we load it up, hook it to the truck and head for the hills.
Our favourite camping spot is a place called Dunbar Lake. It is a tiny, deep freshwater lake tucked into the folds at the base of a mountain that goes by the name of Lead Queen - I have always thought that would make an excellent name for a rock band...

Right now our camper is at home, yet it is occupied.
I have always had a soft spot for strays - usually animals - but this time I happened upon an acquaintance who has nowhere to live.
The poor dear found herself stranded with two young girls and no place to hang her hat.
The circumstances surrounding her being without a roof over her head are sad, but suffice to say, she is better off now.

We have opened our door to her and the children indefinitely, but she will more than likely be leaving for her home on Vancouver Island at the end of June. She wants her oldest to have the opportunity to finish the school year here.

My heart goes out to my friend and I remember a time when I was in need and received a kind hand up.

I am simply passing along the favour.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MUSE

This is a portion of the letter and a copy of the framed portrait that I sent Pete last year for his birthday.





Dear Mr. Townshend

Please accept this gift as a token of my admiration of you and of my great appreciation for your work. I have never made it a habit of writing to people that I do not know, although I find myself relatively familiar with you through your writings and your musical compositions.

May I note that you are rather revealing in your writing... You will no doubt have heard it all before, but this time there is a difference – it comes from me.

I take special delight in your ease to oscillate between omnipotence and self-doubt. You wear your heart on your sleeve. You are the Star, albeit the self-professed reluctant one, and yet you have the knack of maintaining your own down to earth, approachable, human qualities.

I will introduce myself as briefly as possible, although I do tend to be rather verbose, for I enjoy writing. It was with the encouragement of others, including my husband, that I was ultimately able to pluck up the courage to prepare and send this to you. As well, I find my own artwork to be of a highly personal nature at this early stage.

I was born in 1957 in Montreal where I lived with my family until I was eighteen. It was then that I moved to Edmonton where I went to college and studied Horsemanship. Two years later, after graduation, I began to muck about working with horses throughout Saskatchewan, Alberta, Quebec and British Columbia. I became disillusioned with the horse business and I eventually moved to the rural town of Canmore just outside Banff National Park. While living there, I worked with the tourism industry in the Town of Banff.

My oldest daughter was born in Canmore in 1990 and during that year I went back to college in Calgary where I studied Accounting. I considered it not the most glamourous of professions, but I enjoyed doing it and it offered good employment opportunities for a single parent.

In 1993 I settled in the small resort town of Windermere in the Canadian Rockies where I now live with my husband, George and three children, Beth (15), Bobby (9) and Jenny (8). I work part time at the local Ford dealership in the administration department and I also do the books for my husband’s auto body business.

We spend our summers camping, mountain biking, horseback riding, swimming and boating on the lake - we are only two blocks from our local beach and marina. Winters are spent snowmobiling, skating and skiing at the nearby resort of Panorama Mountain Village.

When I was young, my family and friends encouraged me to nurture my artistic talents. I enjoyed writing and my stories and compositions were the ones that were consistently read to the class in school. During those years I did some sketching as well, and was on my way to developing a flair for drawing horses. I eventually ended up pursuing my outdoor activities instead, and I put away the pens, pencils and paper - until now.

I discovered my talent for human portraits a very short while ago. In fact, it was only in June of last year that I attempted my first pencil portrait. The result is a sketch of Keith Moon. This may appear odd, but I felt compelled to do the piece after reading Moon’s biography. In keeping with the theme, I decided to attempt a sketch of you, thus the enclosed portrait. I am presently working on a third piece. It is a long process, given life’s challenges and time for myself is limited, but I am persisting.

I have always been a champion of The Who and their music. During my teenage years, while all my girl friends were immersed in Beatlemania, I was completely swept away by your fascinating “bad boy” band - and I do admit that I was subject to a schoolgirl’s crush on Keith Moon.

The one, striking moment happened while I was listening to Quadrophenia and I found myself completely blown away (for lack of any other term). It was then that I realized it was no mere “rock star” writing and composing this music. That was the point where I truly discovered the genius behind it all.

Enough to say, that since then, I have observed you through your tragedies and your triumphs and I continue to be inspired by you.

Happy 60th Birthday, Pete!


...somebody saved me, I thank you my friend

IT FEELS LIKE SUMMER !

The above panorama is a view from the north west end of our lake. We live along the east shore past the first point on the left of the photo.

The weather has been hot, hot, hot and we have gone to the beach after school and work every day this week.

Run-off has begun, the water level is rising and it's COLD!

COLLEEN

My best friend from Saskatchewan is coming to visit!
Hooray!

I lived in that province from 1978 until 1986 and we had some great times together in that land of oil and wheat.
We were in our twenties and we did many fun - and some crazy - things.

When I was a newcomer to that prairie province, I was instantly made to feel welcome. My first residence was on the family farm of a friend with whom I went to college.
My college friend and I spent one winter breaking and training four young horses and getting them ready for sale. In the spring we moved into town and got regular jobs.

I met Colleen, a local farm girl, at a "Smiley Manes and Tails 4-H Club" gymkhana meet. I was judging the event and Colleen was a competitor and we have been fast friends ever since. We have seen each other through many a happy time and the odd not-so-happy time, but that's what friends are for!

Although I have not lived in Saskatchewan for twenty years, Colleen and I have kept in touch.
I have always wished we could keep in closer contact and it looks like my wishes have been granted.

Welcome to blogdom, my dear friend - this one's for you!

CAN YOU SEE THE REAL ME

No matter how much I like Angus, I really don't look like him...

It's anarchy I say!

The pets are running wild!

It's like Animal Farm in here!

MUD PUPPIES!

I found this photo on the net and it is an excellent rendition of what my kids were up to this afternoon...

Another Piece

This is a pastel I did when I was sixteen - just a couple of years ago...

IDENTITY CRISIS

I had so much fun on Gypsy's blog this week!

Now I don't know who I am...

FISH FLOATS FUNNY

There has been a death in the family...
I went to feed the fish this morning, only to find Chicken Nugget floating upside down in the water.

He/she has been a fixture in a lovely bowl on our buffet, along with his/her buddy, Spoons, for almost two years now.
Our little Jenny will be devastated - I sense a funeral in the making for this afternoon.

At the moment our dear little goldfish is still resting at the surface of the water - very much at peace, it would seem.
For Spoons, it appears to be life as usual...

Our children have experienced the passing of several pets and it's never easy, but they are learning a major fact of life.
I would love to protect my little ones from ugliness that goes along with the all beauty of this life, but that would be unfair. Life must be lived - the good and the bad.

My bets are that Jenny will want to locate a replacement goldfish as soon as possible!

Remembering Tiger Lilies

This evening my family and I were sitting around the dinner table and the topic of our favourite flowers came up.
It put me in mind of my own favourite blossom, the tiger lily.

Tiger lilies remind me of when I was a small child at our summer home.
Our cottage was made entirely of stone and built into the hillside overlooking a small lake in the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec.

My Mum's garden was a lacy riot of colour that flowed around the rocks and shrubs and down the gentle slope toward the water.
Having family picinics on the rolling lawn beside a garden of wildflowers, with the tiger lilies bobbing and waving above the others, are among my earliest and fondest memories.

...bees are also persistent in those reminiscings...

I love wildflowers and this year I will be planting them hither and yon in my own garden - with tiger lilies again watching over.

Angus and Art

I am listening to "Highway to Hell" and drawing.

I don't know if that is the ideal inspiration...

This sketch is the result of five minutes with a pencil - no eraser - and a piece of scrap paper.
The poor little fellow looks like he's on his last legs.

Maybe I should be listening to "It's a Long Way to the Top"...

A NEW SEASON

I found this photo on the internet and posted it, because the landscape is very similar to where I live and mountain bike.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water...

The ski season is all but over now - but mountain biking season is well on its way.

...this is my summertime passion!

A Stone Rolled...

Reports have it that Keith Richards is recovering in a hospital in New Zealand after receiving a concussion caused by a fall from a palm tree. He and his wife, Patti, had been vacationing on the lovely island of Fiji.

The prognosis became worse when a blood clot formed in Keith's head at the site of the injury. Fears were that he would have to undergo surgery, but apparently it was not necessary after all.

I love Keith dearly and, in my youth - and his, I considered him a very dashing and handsome man.
Age and the rock and roll lifestyle have taken their toll on Mr. Richards, but nothing has taken from his amazing songwriting and guitar-playing talents.

I cannot imagine how Keith got up that tree in the first place...

THE ROAD WE TRAVEL

This photo is of one of the magnificent views along the highway in Kootenay National park. It is located between where we live and Banff, Alberta.

My son had a doctor's appointment the other day in the town of Canmore, just on the other side of Banff, and we had the opportunity to take in the beautiful scenery along the way.

As I have always said - and always will say - we are so very lucky to live where we do!
Hopefully my children will also appreciate the benefits and opportunities available to us living in these mountains.

It's a beautiful day - touch me, take me to that other place, teach me...

the magical mister mephistopheles

...the minister's cat is a conjuring cat...