Knock Knock!

We have a new guest! There is a woodpecker knocking on a tree in our front yard. We caught a picture of him, (and all the holes he has put in our big Cedar tree.)

Random Island Photos

A Good Home

Our new puppy has had a great weekend with us, and is starting to settle in nicely. He's very smart and playful. In fact, I get worn out just watching him!

Three Dogs?

Today, my Mom and I were driving to see Daddy for lunch, and suddenly, on the four lane highway before Duncan, a car swerved nearly out of control ahead of us! Another car slammed on the brakes too! Luckily we were far enough behind the cars ahead of us to brake in time. The problem was a puppy was in the middle of the highway

**This photo is our new house-mate hiding between my legs from the other dogs :) **

My Mom pulled over and quickly got out of the car to try and get the scared animal off the road.
Luckily he wasn't hurt, but VERY frightened.
While Mom tried to keep him near, a woman called out for him from a house up on a hill. When we followed him up there to tell the woman how close the dog had caused a major accident, she told us she found the dog earlier that week up the road and was waiting for someone to look for it.

Mommy asked Daddy to go get the poor pup, and bring him home to a dog loving family,...and here he is!

We think we should call him "AUTO" since he IS a German Shepard,..and he was nearly killed by a highway full of automobiles.

Robert Burns (January 25, 1759 – July 21, 1796) was a poet and a lyricist.

Born in Alloway, Ayrshire, in 1759 to William Burness, a poor tenant farmer, and Agnes Broun, Robert Burns was the eldest of seven. He spent his youth working his father's farm, but in spite of his poverty he was extremely well read - at the insistence of his father, who employed a tutor for Robert and younger brother Gilbert. At 15 Robert was the principal worker on the farm and this prompted him to start writing in an attempt to find "some kind of counterpoise for his circumstances." It was at this tender age that Burns penned his first verse, "My Handsome Nell", which was an ode to the other subjects that dominated his life, namely scotch and women.





Address to a Haggis.



Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o the puddin'-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang's my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o need,
While thro your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An cut you up wi ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Then, horn for horn, they stretch an strive:
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
The auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
'Bethankit' hums.

Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi perfect sconner,
Looks down wi sneering, scornfu view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit:
Thro bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll make it whissle;
An legs an arms, an heads will sned,
Like taps o thrissle.

Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies:
But, if ye wish her gratefu prayer,
Gie her a Haggis!

A Trip to Cathedral Grove

CLICK ON ANY PHOTO TO ENLARGE
CLICK ON TITLE TO GO TO THE CATHEDRAL GROVE WEBSITE

Cherry Point Beach

We stopped at Cherry Point Beach on the way home from Duncan yesterday. I was warm and dry sleeping in the car while Mom & Dad stood outside and took some quick pictures.

Falling asleep with a cookie...

SIX Months old!

I forgot to tell everyone,..on Friday the 19th I turned 6 months old!

A Firewood Adventure!

I had a great time getting the firewood from Uncle Mark at Fort Rodd Hill. It was especially fun because I got to sit in between Mom & Dad in the front of the truck. I love to watch Daddy drive.



We also saw three navy ships come into dock at Esquimalt Naval Base across the harbor.

We are going to see Uncle Mark tomorrow,..
He works at Ford Rodd Hill, a National Historic Park.
I haven't been there yet, but from what everyone tells me, it's fun. There's a big lighthouse!
Uncle Mark has a load of firewood for us, and we are taking Grampa's truck to get it.

I Love Uncle Mark,..

He feeds me things when no one is looking.

Here are some intersting facts about Fort Rodd Hill,

Fort Rodd Hill - a National Historic Site - is a coast artillery fort built in the late 1890s to defend Victoria and the Esquimalt Naval Base. The Fort includes three gun batteries, underground magazines, command posts, guardhouses, barracks and searchlight emplacements. There are numerous interpretive signs and audio-visual stations, as well as period furnished rooms and friendly, knowledgeable staff. (UNCLE MARK) Visitors can explore gun batteries and underground magazines built a century ago, as well as searchlight emplacements, command posts...and much more.

Story Time

I've discovered Dr. Suess, and my Mom found some books that use to be my big sister Amber's...14 years old!

For My Uncle Lon,

My Mom told me you were a huge Montreal Canadien fan, and that you claim they are the best team? Well I watched last nights game with my family, and I just don't see how that is possible.
(Then my Daddy told me a number of our players were from Montreal or played for the Canadiens at some point. I think he was defending you a little)

CANUCKS RULE!
DATE: Jan. 16th, 2007

WHERE: Bell Centre

ATTENDANCE: 21,273

OPPONENT: Montreal Canadiens

CANUCKS 4 – CANADIENS 0

First Period

Goals
1. Van – Green 2 (Bieksa, Kesler) 6:36

2. Van – Krajicek 2 (Bulis, Naslund) 8:58 PP

Penalties
Perezhogin, Mtl (hooking) 7:55; Kovalev, Mtl (boarding) 16:22

Second Period

Goals
3. Van – Kesler 6 (Bieksa, Green) 13:51

Penalties
Krajicek, Van (hooking) 5:22; Souray, Mtl (tripping) 5:39; Sedin H., Van (high sticking) 15:02; Souray, Mtl (hooking) 15:59; Bulis, Van (hooking) 18:42

Third Period

Goals
4. Van – Bulis 8 (Kesler) 0:55
Penalties
Fitzpatrick, Van (tripping) 1:28; Bouillon, Mtl (elbowing) 6:04; Chouinard, Van (boarding) 9:13; Cowan, Van (fighting major) 14:28; Downey, Mtl (fighting major) 14:28

Shots on goal
Vancouver: 9-7-8 24
Montreal: 8-9-13-30

Power-plays
Vancouver: 1 for 5
Montreal: 0 for 5

Goaltending
Luongo: 0 goals on 30 shots
Huet: 4 goals on 24 shots







CANUCKS 4 @ CANADIENS 0 !

Outside Fun

My Mom put me in a roasting pan this morning and pulled me around a little. The dogs think she's crazy!

Icy Weather

Rob Shaw, with files from Kim Westad, Times Colonist
Published: Thursday, January 11, 2007

Victoria was coated with the kind of weather that made for perfect snowballs yesterday, but will likely turn driving conditions treacherous today.

Between five and 14 centimetres of snow hit the ground around the region, bringing the morning commute to a virtual standstill in spots and keeping tow trucks busy throughout the day.

Some snow had melted by the afternoon, but temperatures were forecast to drop sharply last night and turn the slush into black ice this morning.

That could make for a repeat of yesterday's traffic problems: countless fender benders and cars in ditches.

"There were lots of accidents," said West Shore RCMP Cpl. Doug Brayley. "It was so slippery, some of the people were getting out of their cars and pushing them up the Trans-Canada Highway."

Black ice is blamed for two accidents around dinnertime on the Point Ellice Bridge and the Johnson Street Bridge. Each saw two cars hit each other. And while no one was injured, traffic was tied up for about half an hour.

Police cars prepared for the ice by putting chains on all their vehicles.

One of the biggest problems was jack-knifed semi trucks, said Brayley. They blocked traffic in numerous areas, particularly at the bottom of the Malahat near Goldstream Park where motorists trying to get in to or out of Greater Victoria were left waiting for hours.

Things were just as bad in Sooke. RCMP closed Sooke Road at Gillespie Road near the 17 Mile House Pub and Liquor Store, from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. because cars were unable to traverse the nearby hill. The resulting backup created around a two-hour wait.

"We've been lucky, we haven't had anyone hurt," said Sooke RCMP Cpl. Kerry House. "But if it gets a little colder, we're going to have serious problems."

Unfortunately it will get colder today, thanks to an outflow of cold air from B.C.'s Interior, said Anne McCarthy of Environment Canada.

It's snowing again....

It's nice and warm inside, and Mommy plays with me!