108% Sure

source

We’ve all had our wars with insects. Whether spiders, mosquitoes, flying ants, and especially spruce beetles, the struggle is real. But honey bees? No problem. Sure they sting. Not pleasant. But more typically, they are busy saving the world, literally. Essential to human survival, not only do our precious bees make honey for our glazed doughnuts, they also make protective wax for those round little cheeses we all like. Oh and they pollinate crops and flowers and trees which is basically everything we rely on for nourishment. Yes, the little bee, like a tiny hairy farmer in black and yellow overalls, is essential to our food production and our food economy. Food’s pretty cool to have, isn’t it? So yup, bees = good.

But what about those other bees? Yes, I’m referring to the bee’s aggressive relative, the ones I’m 108% sure are never invited over to any bee family reunion: wasps and hornets. AKA flying arses. 

Sure, they resemble some sort of super-cool prototype for futuristic flying machines but they have one mode: hair trigger. And one emotional response to everything: WHAT? OH REALLY? MAKE ME! WANNA GO? WANNA GO? We all know at least one wasp or hornet who’s bragged on social media about

• ruining a BBQ.
• ruining some kid’s birthday party.
• ruining an outdoor wedding.
• ruining the outdoors.
• flying around the bar set up on the deck trying to steal drinks like, well, bar-flies (on steroids).
• constructing the only deceptively delicate paper mache art-pieces that (when suddenly encountered) induce terror.
• snorting bear-spray.
• killing a lady-bug.
• kidnapping caterpillars and feeding them to their young, live! (Not even kidding.)
• generally stealing happiness by causing everything in their path to wither.

But you know what else wasps and hornets do? They make a really sweet sound when you hit them with a badminton racket. There: now you have something I don’t recommend you try at least once this weekend. Wink. 

Just so you know, the answer is no.

"Happiness is absorption." T.E. Lawrence

Can the world do without your art?

Just so you know, answer is no.

My father's day card this year. Love it.

Is this wrong?

#summer

Things that deserve the stink-eye:

Ever have a day like this?

days like this.

Things that deserve the stink-eye:

Uh, is it just me, or does the latest google doodle have a subliminal message happening? Hmmm.

#whoa
#disijustseewhatithinkisaw?
#happysummernorthernhemispherepeeps

Things that deserve the stink-eye:

#ohhellnoCostco

This is my hood.

Pay attention. Celebrate.

There's something about fireworks. Even from your balcony far away when you can't be at the celebration.

Where I live fireworks don't begin until almost midnight because at that time, the summer sun is finally setting. When I moved way, way north two decades ago, the remarkably late setting sun amazed me. It still makes me pay attention. In early July, I can be fishing at ten o'clock. I can be boating down the river at 11:00. I can read a book on my balcony until almost midnight.

Happy birthday Canada. Love you.

Hanging there. Looking smug.

     Maybe you've seen them too? Just hanging there. Looking smug. Smirking. Knowing they make us uncomfortable. Knowing what’s coming even before we can fully sense it. Daring us to ignore them. A little wave here and a little wave there like that neighbourhood bully we couldn’t ever seem to shake. Putting us in our place. Sort of mocking us. And definitely multiplying. Not even afraid to jump. Red. Yellow. Orange. Maybe even green but a little mottled by a touch of frost. You know what I’m talking about right?
     Yup. Autumn leaves. They’re gathering like a group of rowdies and haters at a concert nobody wants to end but they’re just waiting to boo summer’s final performance.
     Although the sunshine and heat have faded somewhat, we must remember something though. Summer is tough. And sometimes she won’t leave without a fight or at least a lively encore. I like it when summer goes a little “gangsta” and spits out a few 25 degree days here and there. Despite her tenacity though, it’s inevitable. Summer will lose this battle. Always does.
     Therefore, I must change along with the season and adjust my attitude. That's why I made a list of fantastic fall things. So I won't hate autumn. And it worked. Kinda.
1. A lot less sweating.
2. Not looking chunky in your bathing suit anymore.
3. Dead insects.
4. Pickles.
5. And yeah, uh, I can’t think of anything else.

This is what I did today....

Go here! Do this! It's awesome. (Although no one my size should ever wear a wet suit.) http://www.rafttherockies.net/newfiles/rafting/rafting.html