An inspiration
Month: June 2015
A DAY AT THE ZOO
A Day at the Zoo
Summer is here. I know we haven’t yet reached the solstice, but the weather is summery and so are the outings coordinated by Ogden House 50+ Seniors Club.
What says summer better than a day at the Zoo? On June 11th, a group of 50+ members journeyed through, the Canadian Wilds, Eurasia and Africa.
It was a sunny day. A light breeze batted around the white seed packets of fluffy fuzz which fall from The Cottonwood and Poplar trees prodigiously growing around St. Georges Island.
Upon arrival, our little group of 17 was dwarfed by the sheer number of school children, all walking in orderly lines holding hands while being directed by teachers and volunteer parents. Their excitement was palpable, it propelled their tiny bodies forward so fast they appear blurred in some of the photos I took.
Our first stop was the Penguin Plunge, where we enjoyed the antics of the Penguins playing in the outside pools while we waited in a short line to get inside the Penguin enclosure. Lucky us. Once inside we were treated to the overwhelming smell of fish and the chaos of feeding time. They don’t receive all the nutrients they need from the lifeless fish, so are given daily supplements to compensate for the lack of nutrition.
The sleek black and yellow birds swam, jumped and vocalized as they enjoyed their lunch of dead fish. .
After the cool air of the Penguin Plunge the heat of the sun felt extra hot, as we trundled our way across the bridge to the picnic site. Happily, we picked out two green tables shaded under the protection of the huge fully leafed trees.
We sorted ourselves and took a few moments to decide where we wanted to visit first. We had an hour and a half before lunch. Everyone set out on their own adventures, some with buddies others on their own. I was on the lookout for possible Calendar shoot spots. I had no preconceived plan of action, just to wander where my whim and the animals led.
The surprise of the day were the Peacocks.
They were everywhere. Each and every one was displaying their beautiful plumage fans. Everyone once in a while one would call, that eerie piercing caw of theirs, sending shivers down my back.
One in particular was a camera star. He must be in love with the camera. I observed that as long as a camera was focused in his direction, he flaunted his feathers. At one point, I put my camera down to change the lens, he brought in his fan and dropped the feathers into the beautiful trailing train.
When I had finished the lens switch and brought the camera back up, he turned toward the camera, fluttered and fanned this tail out as wide as it would go.
He was such a poser I had the best time snapping more shots of him than I should have.
As I travelled the African continent I encountered many of the favourite animals taking naps in the shade, walking about, relaxing with their babies or working on fixing their homes.
Resting Hippo
Red River Pig Mother with spotted baby
Sleeping Gorilla
Zebras strolling around their enclosure
A Misty Waterfall in the Rain Forest
Yellow Bird tending to its’ home
Turtle taking a stroll
It was hot on my journey through Africa, so I was happy for the break when lunch time came around. Back at the picnic table, we were treated to Subway sandwiches, chips, cookies and Juice.
It was a yummy meal and a welcome opportunity to sit in the shade, catch up on where the others visited and what they saw.
After lunch we had another hour and half to explore more of the micro world of the Zoo. Since being out in the sun walking around is not my natural habitat, I chose to stay and chat with a few of the others who also enjoy a quiet visit in the shade.
By the end of the day we were tired but satisfied with our adventures. We piled into our vans for the short drive back to Ogden House. Everyone had an exhilarating summer day at the Zoo. One I am sure we will want to repeat next year.
Cheryle Baker June 2015
RUBBISH
POETRY REHAB 101
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RUBBISH
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Discarded
Put aside
No longer wanted, tossed
Alone
Across a pile of the broken
The outdated, the spoiled
.
Left to mingle and slide
Deep into the stench
Pawed over by claws
Food for the unbidden
The hidden hordes
Spiders, beetles, millipedes and roaches
.
Decay descends
Pieces split away
Slime grows white, green and black
Rain dissolves the remains
Washes away anything
To prove I existed
Cheryle
Poetry 101 Rehab June 3, 2015
Missing link found between brain and immune system
Yay!Science!
RECENT AWARDS
I would like to thank Aquileana, Julia and Rameesha for nominating me for several blogger awards: The Premio Dardos Award, The Leibster Award and the Versatile Blogger Award.
I encourage you to pop in to each of these blogs and see what they have to offer.
Aquileana has an amazing history and mythology blog where I am learning so many interesting things.
Julia’s Red Page blog is a quirky collection of fashion, recipes, movie reviews, poetry and photography. All excellently crafted to tantalize my visual and intellectual taste buds.
Rameesha has created a blog that is both beautiful and filled with thoughtful inspirational insight.
The criteria for the awards include posting the Award Logo on your page, link to your nominator, answer the questions pose, nominate other bloggers and create your own questions for your nominees to answer.
I am humbled and so happy to be nominated. I appreciate their support and the encouragement the nominations represent. However, I no longer accept awards as I have difficulty nominating others. Not that I cannot find bloggers who are deserving, but because I agonize over picking one over another. I have difficulty making decisions. I will respond to the questions asked as part of the award, but decline the nomination process.
All of the bloggers I follow are wonderful and are deserving of awards, each for their own unique approach to life and style. If you wish to be nominated for one of these awards, please let me know. It would make be happy to nominate your blog.
Julia from https://myredpage.wordpress.com/2015/05/12/premio-dardos-award/
Rameesha at https://rameeesha.wordpress.com/2015/05/10/yay-second-nomination/
Aquileana at https://aquileana.wordpress.com/
Here are two sets of questions posed by my nominators.
- Why do you blog?
I began blogging in January of this year (2015) in an attempt to give my day some structure, provide me with prompts and topics, a writing community and an opportunity to work on my discipline.
- What do you blog about?
I am an introvert, not one to blog about my daily activities. I do blog about meditation in The Meditation Cushion. Other than the prompts I enjoy writing poetry, posting photos and am still looking for my voice.
- What is your craziest passion?
I am addicted to chocolate. I’m not sure it can be called a passion, but I am passionate about it. I can’t help it. I can’t keep it in the house. It’s crazy I know but that is the way it is.
- What inspired you into writing?
I began writing when I was a young girl, Poetry commemorating the death of my Great Grandfather is the first time I can recall writing, other than for school projects.
- What do you like to read in other blogs?
Inspirational topics, travel, other cultures, history, slices of life, poetry, photography and art.
- What is your favorite book and how did it change you?
I love Anne of Green Gables and all the sequels. It opened my eyes to the possibilities of female equality, feminism and of being independent in a time when women weren’t thought of as being capable of leading their own lives.
- What is your favorite quote?
Everything happens for a reason. Not easy to accept sometimes, but in the end with hindsight it proves to be true.
- What do you love about writing?
The words, the language, the putting down on paper my ideas and thoughts, the beauty of how words can be visually stimulating.
- What are you most likely to think when you look up at the blue sky?
Wide open spaces, freedom.
- How do you define happiness?
As a meditator happiness is a stabilized mind, where I don’t experience extreme highs and lows of emotions. Helping others always makes me happy in my heart, always has always will.
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1.What is the thing you think about the moment you wake up?
My dreams and my day
- What is satisfaction to you?
Getting to the point in a project when I know it is done. There is no more to add or subtract, maybe just a little editing.
- What is your surmise on sacrifice?
Sacrifice is essential for growth. It is not always possible to take the step which sacrifices something you cherish, a belief, a relationship, the status quo in order to move forward to the unknown.
- Where is the line between insanity and creativity?
I believe that depends on who is defining it. Many people think creative people are insane, they live their lives so differently than the norm. A person can be insane and not creative and visa versa. Insanity is a destructive, negative force or mind set. Creativity is born of creation and hope.
- What defines you?
My soul, which represents all of my experiences from the beginning of existence until the present and the future.
- If you had to teach someone one thing, what would you teach?
To meditate. It helps people become compassionate and loving. There is no room for hate and intolerance when meditating.
- When you think of your home, what immediately comes to mind?
Sleeping in my own bed all comfy and cozy
- What is infinity?
The illusion of time
- If you dropped everything to pursue your dreams, what would you be risking?
Everything that represents stability, family, status quo, possibly sanity.
- If you spend a day watching movies when you should be working a day wasted or well spent?
Well spent if I enjoyed the movies. I can always use them for inspiration.
Lightwalkers Blog 