Take a Hike - 3

I've recently had the opportunity to take a couple of photo hikes through Chickakoo and on someone's suggestion, look for mushrooms and berries. It's funny how you never notice what is there until you look for it. I've hiked Chickakoo about a dozen times this season and rarely noticed anything beyond a few Bracket Fungi. but on these trips, fungi, berries, flowers, and lichen abounded!
Gives a bit of credence to "Stop and smell the roses."...

I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Photos here

SPLASH!

Having been fished out of the proverbial pond, I was a bit surprised to find myself suddenly back in the water.

Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming... I'll get there eventually. For now, it is back to emails, wishes, and dreams.

SPLASH!

Come Walk with Me

Come and walk with me

What we'll see and where we'll go is something only fate can know.
The path may be steep and the obstacles plenty.
But I'd rather walk with you than one of the many.

Let's climb a cliff of amazing height, close our eyes and leap into the night. 
Like a star traveling the midnight sky.
We'll soar, we'll sail, we'll fly.
My hand in yours, we'll let destiny pick the course.

(unfinished)

9/11

9/11

We all recognize the date and to each of us it means something different.

For me this is a day of remembrance for those who perished and for all that was lost as the unimaginable became reality. But it is also a day of celebration. Celebration of the strength, courage, community, and compassion of a nation. My nation.

I will never forget where I was on 9/11/2001. I will never forget how I spent that day or the eery quiet of the skies as all flights were grounded.

We came together as a country & community. Let's remember the feeling of love, support, & compassion and take that with us where ever we go in life.

Walking Edmonton

New hobby - Walking around Edmonton!!!

I don't know much about Edmonton but there sure are some great sights to see, especially when there is someone special to see them with.

Take a walk with me?

View from The High Level Bridge

Another View from The High Level Bridge!

Soaring by the Sun

High Level Bridge

Grant MacEwan University

Mushroom Man

How can I even begin to describe the adventure that I have had today? I'm not sure that there are words enough in any language (or even in all languages combined) to paint an accurate picture of the amazing day that I am experiencing.

Some of my favorites will have to suffice: Joy, Excitement, Jubilation, Bliss, Ecstasy, Contentment, Sunshine, Butterflies, Dragyns, Smiles & Rainbows.

Finding Happy

How do you find "Happy"?

hap·py

[hap-ee]

adjective, hap·pi·er, hap·pi·est.

1.delighted, pleased, or glad, as over a particular thing.

2. characterized by or indicative of pleasure, contentment, or joy.

When I think of "Happy" I equate it to delight, contentment, and joy. I think of myself as a happy person who finds joy in the adventure that is life. 

But how do you find "Happy"?  

The most important thing that I've learned in life, so far, is that YOU are the only person who has the power to find your own happy. Sure, you can feel happy with someone but they can never make happiness for you. And you sure as hell should never give anyone the power to cause you to be unhappy. Each person needs to take responsibility for their own life and happiness. And only when you do can you successfully find happiness in life and with other people. Hard lesson but one worth taking to heart.

If you are always waiting on someone else you will never do anything and you sure as heck won't find Happy. Now get out there and do! :D

 

Jubilation

ju·bi·la·tion

[joo-buh-ley-shuhn]

noun 1. a feeling of joy or exultation

You make me smile. 

Catching Fish

There are plenty of fish in the sea... But where is this proverbial sea?

By now we are all aware that I have been "fishing" in the online dating pool for some time. And by "some time" I mean 2 months. Man, it feels like FOREVER! :) Where has it gotten me in that time?

First, it's gotten me frustrated. I mean, I'm a super social butterfly here with no one to talk to! Why? Because online dating has changed over the years. This isn't my first time fishing the choppy seas. Let's hop into the wayback machine and have a look at online dating in 1997. Yeah, I said 1997.

1997 - Online dating consisted of Yahoo! chat rooms & Messenger. You logged into a chat room and were instantly connected with real, live people who were looking to, surprise of surprises, CHAT! There were local chat rooms where you could find people who lived in your area. There were "romance" chat rooms where you could find people who, like you, were looking to meet people (some for dating, and some for other not so dating purposes). The point is, you were instant messaging (pre-texting era) and actually talking to people.

2013 - How is online dating different today? Glad you asked! Today, you log into a website, write up a profile (say anything you want about yourself, by the way), post a couple of pictures and start window shopping. So what happens next? You find a fish you think you may be interested in and you email him/her. And you wait. They are typically not online when you send your email and you are now waiting for them to get back to you. Before they do though, you can rest assured that they are going to read your profile and they are going to consider every perceived character flaw before they decide whether they will email you back. Gone are the days of a polite, "I'm not interested, thank you". No, it is browse and move on, not bothering to take a chance on anyone who doesn't fit a specific physical mold. People, you cannot tell whether you have something in common with someone based on a photograph. It cannot be done. Trust me. 

Let me ask you, when you walk into a social gathering and you see someone that you think you might have an interest in, do you hand them a profile and an email and then sit across the room waiting for them to get back to you or do you go up and say hello (maybe after rallying some courage) and start a conversation? Exactly! I truly believe that the advent of online dating websites has killed online dating. Leave, as quickly as you can, and head back to messaging, text, chat, social gatherings, and the like!

That being said, I am happy to report that after many fruitless emails, I have finally had the good fortune to encounter a fish that I am delighted to get to know. ;)

Stay tuned...

From Here

Where do I go from here?

View from Mt Jefferson, New Hampshire

So here I am, 2.5 weeks after "The Ride", 4.5 weeks after the BIG hike, and I'm wondering: Where do I go from here?

How does one pick the next goal - big or small - to head off on? Perhaps I've already done it. I'm riding in the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer again in August 2104. But what about the hiking I want to do? Can I train to bike and still hike tall mountains?

I'm going hiking from here and I'll leave you with this: Anyone who dares to dream, manages to get out the front door and make it to the trail head of ANY mountain, is a real & serious hiker. It doesn't take fancy gear or require every weekend hikes. All it takes is a dream, a plan, proper preparation, and getting there. Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that we are all the the same. We all dream, we all aspire, we all strive, we are all the same.

See you in the hills...

VOTE Fleece on Earth

VOTE for Fleece on Earth

Martha Stewart American Made 2013 - Audience Choice

 

VOTE 

Fleece on Earth

Welcome to Fleece On Earth!

Fleece On Earth has been outfitting stylish babies and kids in originally designed fun and functional clothing since 1989. All of our garments are designed and made in Vermont.

Voting closes September 13th - you can vote up to 6 times per day.

P.S. The wonderful owner of Fleece on Earth is my very beautiful sister, Bonny! <3

He Ran Away

Let's meet contestant number (I've lost count) ? in our quest for online social interaction!

He claims to be looking for someone to run away with though he spells it "runaway". Maybe he's confused between airplanes and women.. maybe.

Okay, what are his interests?
Red wine, Golf, Skiing, Family, Beaches, Cooking, Working out, Muscle cars, All kinds of music, Camping, Fishing, Traveling

Well rounded, athletic, likes travel and music. GREAT! We have several in common. Let's have a look at what he is looking for:

"Where do I start..I would like to apologize for the guys that wreck this site and put some much miss trust into you ladies..its made it very hard for me to find what I'm looking for.... (so he feels bad that men on online dating sites tend toward jerkiness - we can work with this. It isn't really up to him to apologize for all of guykind but okay.) this has been a long journey for me in the last 4 years in search of my soul mate... maybe I'm a little too picky after everything I've gone through in life.. (This should have thrown up a red flag immediately! At least he can admit that he is picky but what is he basing his pickiness on? Looks? Cause that is all you got to go on here on an online site, looks.) I think there's someone out there for everyone... and we're all looking for happiness, it might take a little longer then others such as myself...I'm a great guy once you get to know me...so don't judge me on my pics please!!... (He doesn't want to be judged by his pics. Okay, I can understand that. Does this mean that he won't be judging on pics? We'll see!)

About me????......I'm 6 foot tall, 215 lbs and take care of myself... (I don't really know what that means. Can he hold his own in a fight? Can he cook, clean, pay the bills? What does it mean?) i have my own house, 2 vehicles and have a good job that ables (I dont' think "ables" is a word) me to do the things I enjoy, of which I'd like to share with that special someone...My passions are muscle cars and cooking...and yes I'm looking for someone too travel with ..I've been asked many times why I'm on pof...I guess as we get older our friends get married and move away , I work lots, and don't do the bar scene anymore...so here I am ladies!!!

If you have any questions just ask :)"

Well, he has a good job, his grammar isn't the best, and he is looking for someone special. Oh, and a note, one of his pics says "August 2013...i know most girl don't like the no shirt pic...oh well lol"
It was a pretty good looking pic. Let's email him, shall we?

My email: "You shouldn't apologize for the other guys, they should grow up and apologize for themselves. And that no shirt pic is really great (I'd say hot but that is a little cliche). Anyway, just thought I'd drop by and say hello. So... Hello! :D"

At this point I'm going for the minimalist approach: say something nice, and see what we get. I mean, I think I've used up my best lines already.

He humored me with a very minimalist response: He ran away - nothing!

Casting the line in again...