The PDYC 2016 Sailing Season Has Started

I have been crewing for the practice race and the first 2 races of the season, so Monday night was my first night on the Committee Boat this year. It was also the first night for us to try out the new (to PDYC) boat that will be used to teach the Keel Boat Course on and that we will be using to manage the races on Monday nights, Genesis. Unfortunately we found out, when she stalled in Port Dover harbour, that she needs a new fuel pump. Luckily we had one on hand:

Brian hand-pumped the fuel the whole time we were under way.

Once the tetrahedron has been set and Genesis tied up to the central marker (the marker previously known as Happy Face - now Wilson) we could turn the engine off and Brian could relax until the return trip.

Enigma checking in. The marine forecast issued a Severe Weather Warning but the evening started out sunny with a good breeze.

But we were starting to see some dark clouds over Port Dover.

Really dark clouds, and way off in the distance, lightning.

Just as we started the race the wind dropped. This is not unusual just before a storm front (the calm before the storm) and although one boat went over early, many were stuck way behind the start line without enough wind power to get them going.

The wind picked up again. As usual Ritual is the first boat to complete 2 legs of the course, up and back.

Kestrel

Sequence and Flyer in close quarters.

Goldfingers

The star of the show, for me, on the Committee Boat, was the sky.

 A squall came in as the boats were finishing the final leg of the race, resulting in everyone screaming across the finish line at a great speed and

some spinnaker struggles.

Hook-in at Martina Lesar's

Saturday, J.J. Ruggers members drove to Martina Lesar's for a hook-in (and some shopping). What a lovely day and location. We met, and carpooled, from Paris, driving through rolling countryside (occasionally just a little lost) and arrived right on time to Martina's.

Bordered by a beautiful, professionally restored, dry stone wall.

I don't think I have ever seen a dry stone culvert before.

Martina's store and studio in a restored log building (the original homestead on the property).

It was perfect weather so 14(?) of us hooked, chatted and snacked on the patio for 5 hours.

When we needed a break 

or to stretch

we could shop or

 just bask in

the colours and textures of

Martina's selection of off the bolt and dyed wool, yarns and hooking necessities.

We could also just enjoy the pastoral setting.

L

It was a productive day with Brit working on a moose (I think it is one of Martina's designs),

Pam on a proddy,

Heather on a Santa (he just needs his beard in this picture)

and I worked on the Van Gogh that I started at the Annual.

I completed it the next day as it was grey, windy and rainy (the perfect, guilt-free, hooking day)

Long Point- Spring gardening

Spring chores here include taking down the snow fence and solid fences, putting up the privacy fence and lots and lots of sand shovelling as the bulldozer can't get right up close to the cottage. That is nearly completed but time was ticking away, so the vegetable beds had to be prepared (dug over and compost dug in) and planted. Victoria Day weekend.

This year it is pole beans, cherry tomatoes, green peppers, kale, garlic, bush beans, beets, lettuce, basil and oregano.

Also English Daisies and Pansies in the pots by the steps

and of course Pansies on the porch posts.

After a hard day of gardening I broke my "no drinking alone" rule and had a glass of wine while surveying the fruits of my labours. I like to have my morning coffee on the deck overlooking the lake and sometimes relax with a book, in the afternoon, on that deck too, but I like to sit on the "back" deck in the evening sun. From here I can also watch the birds at the feeders.

There's always red winged blackbirds, they eat me out of house and home (along with a chipmunk who also has a voracious appetite)

Blue Jays, Sparrows, Finches

Cardinals, Nuthatches, Grackles, Cowbirds, Mourning Doves

Hummingbirds

and a Downy Woodpecker who likes some nectar for dessert after the suet. The Orioles are, so far, too shy to get their pictures taken but they can drink the feeder dry in a couple of days.

A very entertaining end to the day.

A day at the Edmonton Zoo

I have been sick with Avery's cold since I got back from Edmonton, so this post is a week and a half late.
We took Avery and Maya to the Edmonton Zoo. Actually, they are really too young to appreciate it, we took ourselves to the Zoo and the kids came along for the ride.

Aimee only recently learned that Edmonton had a zoo, and they have lived there for years.

Just inside the gates and you can see the otters from beneath the water

and above.

There were attendants out and about with the animals so we could get up close and ask questions.

Looking at this you might think that Avery wanted to get closer to check out the turtle. You would be wrong, he just wanted to pick up the grass and throw it in the air, his current obsession.

He was happy to be able to run around, pick up stones and grass and ,every now and then ,be carried, by Dad, to the next exhibit.

One of my favorites.

And another, love those floppy ears.

I hadn't realized that Mike also has an addiction to information boards, but he was happy to read them and pass it all on to Aimee and I (natural habitat, chance of extinction, number of species etc etc). Makes me laugh because on family outings it was always me reading those things out loud to Chris and Mike.

The zoo has a fabulous collection of Birds of Prey.

I think I just got winked at.

While his partner is nodding off.

The baby mountain goat was finding the climbing a bit tough.

The elephant was out for a walk. Its not until you can get up close and there's no fence or moat between you, that you realize how huge ( and intimidating) they are.

We also saw monkeys, reptiles, nocturnal animals. Its a lovely small zoo, perfect for young children. The animals have lots of space but they are close enough to see and the walk around only takes an hour or two. I have never seen as many animals out of their cages, on leashes or being watched by their keepers, where you can get really close and have an expert at hand. It was very interactive. I look forward to taking the kids when they are older and can get more involved with the experience.

One final wild animal ready to pounce from his lair.