Naturalists and Me

Naturalist:
A scholar or student of natural history. A Wildlife enthusiast or a Conservationist.

In returning back home and showing people my pictures of the amazing places I went, I often kept hearing "..well, as you know, we have all this in our own backyard." Okay, maybe not the volcanoes, but we do have lots of mountains, lakes, and parks.

Like most people, we often take things that are right in front of us for granted...so........I signed up for a nature hike. I heard about these hikes via a session I went to at the library one night. They sounded pretty cool, and had all sorts of levels. I picked the easy day hike, mid week.

Without knowing much else... other than the meeting point, and having signed a waiver form plus a health form sent to me via email.... I head off to meet the group. I kind of suspected they would be an older group........I mean, really, who takes mid week off to go hiking?

I suspected correctly.

With the other seven folks waiting at the meeting point, we car pool to Porcupine Hills..... going via Turner Valley and Chain Lakes. I've never been down this highway before. Pretty spectacular scenery along the way. Cows and more cows. Llamas. Oil pumps. Hills. Mountains.

Once we arrived at our hiking spot, the group starts to get ready. Walking sticks, change from driving/everyday shoes to hiking shoes (plus water shoes...as we had to first cross a stream of very very cold water), suntan lotion, bug spray, hats, sunglasses, cameras, binoculars and their daybacks with food/water.

Good thing I was already ready. I just wore my hiking shoes straight off the bat...no change of shoes for me...other than changing into my flip flops to cross the creek. WOW that was super cold water! I had my baseball cap on and had put suntan lotion on at home. My daypack was full with a bit of food........a turkey/swiss cheese sandwich I prepared the night before...and lots of water. I also brought my camera....just missing the binoculars and walking sticks. Not bad........I fit in okay I'm thinking!

Well............ let's just say that the most I contributed to the conversation was...."sure smells nice". I know next to nothing on flora, trees, birds, animal footprints and everything else they seemed to be talking about.

The hike confirmed that I even know less that I thought I knew.

We saw coyote foot prints. Black bear foot prints (not to be confused with the grizzly...you can tell this by the line of where the toes end.......or something like that............my god....a bear is a bear..........but I guess you need to protect yourself differently before they eat you). Deer and moose prints. Deer poop. Moose poop. Birds of all kinds. Red-tail hawks. All kinds of trees. Various types of wild flowers. Oh.......the list goes on and on.

These people were experts........stopping everywhere to smell the flowers. We even had a poem or two! Oh........and during our lunch break, while sitting under this massive tree with an awesome view of all shades of green along one of the hills, one of the guys makes a whistle! Yup...a whistle from one of the branches. AND........it really worked.

It took me awhile to adapt to this very slow pace of enjoying everything around me.

I'm just glad they didn't start singing the "Kumbaya" song..........

My Understanding of the British Lingo

• Kip: short sleep
• Pants: underwear
• Bullocks: bad
• Dogs Bullocks: best
• Full stop: period
• Flog: sell
• Taking the piss: Are you kidding me?
• Fag: cigarette
• Tea: real tea to drink and can also refer to lunch

Those are just a few of the words I kept hearing while I was in South America travelling.

Crazy people. I wonder what that would be in Brit lingo.

Cheers everyone.

Life Lessons Reminder

1. . Pain exists. Life can hurt. Like a lot.
2. That pain back in Life Lesson # 1 was for your benefit.
3. Life is more mystery than misery.
4. You always have a choice of emotional responses to life.
5. Judge a tree by its fruits. And ditto for people.
6. Never go shopping for kiwis in a shoe store.
7. We each have our own needs and speeds for growth.
8. Each of us has our own "human nature" because you are "a thing of nature"- just like a plant.
9. The only constant is change.
10. All too often fear stops you from going where you need to go.
11. If you keep doing what you've always been doing, then you'll keep getting what you've always been getting.
12. In order to see the path to what you want, you must first see clearly what is holding you back.
13. If you want to change your life, you must first be ready to see and feel some painful truths.
14 You must declare your own Independence Day, then your own Independence Year, then your own Independence Life. The purpose of your life is to find the purpose of your life.
15. You must unlearn.
16. Rationalize. Rationalize. Rationalize.
17. You must celebrate Non-Judment Day, Non-Judgment Year, then Non-Judgment Life.
18. You must relax and enjoy the ride.
19. You must not live in denial that disappointment and failure and pain and conflict and darkness and evil exist- they are out there.
20. You must have Great Non-Expectations.
21. You must remember: You are here now...no, no, NOW... no, now!
22. It doesn't matter how fast you get there, if you're heading in the wrong direction.
23. When you practice regular meditation, you find you are able to see so much more.
24. When you become calm and serene on the inside, the world becomes more calm and serene on the outside.
25. You must understand that there is chaos in this world- as well as order in all chaos.
26. You must show more respect for the invisible world, because often what you don't see is what you get.
27. Worry and doubt can actually be prayers and visualizations- and self-fulfilling programming-for things you do not want.
28. Chaos Theory affects you daily-there is order and pattern where you might think there is only randomness and unpredictability.
29. There's great power in: I Think Therefore I Have.
30. You cannot expect to see results from your Postiive Thought Diet Program unless you follow it consistently and over time. Believing is seeing.
31. Your faith determines your destiny. So you must make sure your faith remains stronger than your mood.
32. Never compromise your dreams.
33. When you let go of unnecessary attachments, you pick up speed in heading toward your true goals.
34. You must live your life using the same philosophy a mountain cliber uses to climb a mountain: "Never look down. Keep looking forward and upward."
35. Letting go and climbing up to higher life levels, means building new emotional muscles. And just like with all muscle growth, you will always feel the pain before you see the growth.
36. Everything has its process. You must respect this process.
37. Often doing less, gets you more.
38. You must create your own good luck, You must be pro-active- and even pre-active.
39. Money will never bring you true happiness- however, happiness will bring you true money.
40. You need balance, baby. It's called the weekend- and not the "weakened".
41. Love is the drug. Love is what you're always looking for in all the things you're looking for.
42. Just like there's sexual attraction, there's love attraction. When you feel the love energy inside you, other people feel it coming off of you- and find themselves wildly- and oddly- attracted to you.
43. There's a difference between knowing vs. doing.
44. Live now, procrastinate later.

Thirteen Thousand Steps and More

With a sudden burst of energy this morning, I head out to the Lilac Festival.

I walk.

It took me a little over 45 minutes and aprx 6,500 steps to get there.

This was the first time I used a pedometer, so of course I had it attached wrong the first time...but... once I figured it out, the gadget was quite cool to use. It counted every stride I took!

I found this pedometer and the book that came with it when I was cleaning out my office at home. No idea when I purchased it. Knowing me, it must of been a sale item at some book store..........

Did you know that the average person in the western world takes about 4,000 steps a day and the reasonable daily target should be 10,000 steps?

Good thing I like to walk.

Artistic Me

My effort at tonights workshop at one of the craft stores.

One stroke painting.

Easy & Fast.

I liked it.

Compliments and The Color Orange

I love this color. Bright Orange.

Today I was wearing my little bright orange hoodie I bought in Antigua. I bought it at the Gallo, cerveza stand near my favorite internet place. Great memories.

I was also wearing my other orange runners that I bought last summer.

I so matched and looked really cute.

Sitting outside at Starbucks late this afternoon, I had this person walk by and stare at me, then shortly afterwards, walk by again and come tell me that the color looks fantastic on me.

Everyone reacts differently to compliments. I think it depends on one's mood, the subject and who is complimenting.

I was in a great mood...........so I replied with a smile and said "thanks".

As I was getting reading to keep in the habit of blogging, so I won't forget how to do this on my next trip, I thought I would google what the color orange means.

This is what I've discovered:

Orange is a power color. It is one of the healing colors. It is said to increase the craving for food. It also stimulates enthusiasm and creativity. Orange means vitality with endurance. People who like orange are usually thoughtful and sincere.

Very interesting.

Technology & Me # 2

I did it.

I finally purchased an IPOD nano. 2GB.........500 songs.

I had to control myself and not load all Lenny Kravitz music.

The Zoo Food Chain

I went to the zoo several weeks ago to see Richard the new baby giraffe.

I like going to the zoo.

The fun part was seeing the lions next door looking down the food chain!

Too bad the zoo was crazy busy with all those kids.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calgary_Zoo

It's Great To Be Me...Top 5

• I found my orange high top all-stars just by parking with Joe in front of one of the stores on Whyte Ave in Edmonton. 1/2 size too small........but I love them!


• I booked a flight to London for a great price the other day. One way. I'll worry about getting home......later.


• My addiction to Tazo Chai lattes is being fulfilled everyday now that I'm back at home. I'll stop drinking these when I'm out of North America.


• Our Farmer's Market is starting to get local fruit & veggies. Yippeee..........


• I have great friends calling and emailing me from all around the world. I like being popular.