A Pictorial Narrative

This is what I have heard from many many people. There is a way that visiting family is supposed to go. There's supposed to be heaps of drama and cat-fighting, maybe even some sibling fighting, as well, if the cats are napping. So I was wondering if I had caught a pictorial narrative of such family gatherings while observing the mongooses (mongeese?) at the Vienna Zoo in Schoenbrunn.

Is this how it should go? You tell me.

Hellew? Anyone home?


Oh hellew! I am so glad to see you, um please not to be jumping on me anymor....


Seriously, man, WHAT IS YOUR DAMAGE? GET AWAY FROM ME! I'LL TELL MOM!!


The reason I was curious is that this is normally what happens when I visit my family...

Oh I'm sorry, I was busy doing nothing. Did you need something? No? Good. I need to go back to just lounging here. In the sun. Get me a beer while you're up, please?


Why, yes, I will indeed have something more to eat, how kind of you to ask.


And I wonder why I need another vacation when I get home from the grueling vacation to see my family! Which is why I am planning on going wine tasting this weekend, for 4 great days. Hey, I'm in Canada, eh, I gotta celebrate Canada Day with everyone else or they might start to suspect I'm not really Canadian. Shhhhh!

Quickie

I've got a lot of running around to do in the next few days. And I have just spent about 3 hours figuring out why the internet decided to just go away. So that was a good afternoon! Kirsten needs a nap.

Tucked In

Anxiety

I have long hair. Very long hair. To my belt long hair. Well, really, past my belt these days. And I have an appointment tomorrow to get it tidied up and shore up the ends so they don't look so sad. Or you know, an appointment to cut it all off because OH MY GOD I AM SO TIRED OF IT. We'll see. But I must admit that I am more terrified of hair dressers than dentists, doctors or any other medical professional combined. And I direly FEAR medical appointments. So, today and tomorrow morning will surely be not stress-free.

I might end up with a faux-hawk, but I think it looks better on him....


(Yeah yeah, its just a bokeh'd female mallard and not a faux-hawk, but it does look pretty slick, right?)

Yes?

I can't actually understand the ducks, but I'm pretty sure that my translation is correct.

Yes? Did you want something?

I don't know why but I'm not getting pictures prepared for upload very quickly lately. I'll work on that tonight and over the weekend and see if I can't improve. I'm sure there's a story coming soon.

Quickly

Look, I found pretty flowers!

Two

Request

Before going on a walk a few weekends ago, I asked a friend what I should shoot. So, here is the biggest tree I could find among the many many trees around the lagoon.

One Tree

Still unpacking and organizing. Wheeeee!

Cold, cold, cold snow

I am officially done looking for a new apartment to move into at the end of this month. I have a lease to sign already for one of the places I've already seen. And I'm oh so glad I don't have a fear of heights, as the place is on a very high floor. The skies have turned grey and dreary lately - perfect for spring cleaning! Please enjoy another installment of me attempting to embrace my least favorite season...

Twinkling

Heavy Eaves

Embracing Old Man Winter

In an effort to not be so hot and bothered (HA! FUNNY PUN!) about the long, cold winter, I ventured to the top of a local mountain here to take in the sights and enjoy the entertainment value of all the locals enjoying the snow sports. And the following weekend, I went up to Whistler for a little skiing adventure. Its like I'm trying too hard to embrace the passing season, and sharing it with you just two photos at a time. This is part 1 of about 30. Or really maybe more like 4. Somewhere between 4 and 30.

Faintly Mooned

Tracking Wildlife

Death by Cuteness

I'm clearing out archives. Can you tell?

Otter, Cute

More written word coming soon.

Winter, I get it

Coming up this weekend, the prognosticator of prognosticators will make his prediction about finally finishing off this dreary and drab season of winter. And if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, I'm going to curl up in bed, pull the covers over my head and hibernate for 6 weeks to avoid the dreadful end of winter. Or I'll pack up a bag full of clothes to last for weeks and go back to my California hometown, which is currently enjoying sunshine and temperatures in double digits! (Oh for those in the States... that means above 50 F...)

I need me some bright and cheery!

Sunset

Peony

(That pic of Phil credit - Punxsutawney Phil By Gene J. Puskar -- Associated Press)

Mediocrity

Snacking
Snoozing

The Return, The Highlights

While driving and turning and enjoying the sunshine, we came across a few odds and ends. I now think I want a house so I can have a front yard to display plastic pink ostriches. Or maybe giant rubber duckies. Or rusty sculptures. Either way, a front yard is top on my list of things to look for when looking for a new place in the next few weeks.

Here is a small sampling of the highlights of the California Coast, and the sights to see on the Pacific Coast Highway...

Over the Edge

Company; Car

Company; Bovine

Company; Cretaceous Period

The Return, Part: The First

Jumping in the car at 8 in the morning on New Year's Day was the best plan ever. Coffee within 5 minutes of getting in the car was an even better plan, and the caffeine prepared me well for the pretty things to look at.

Bridgework

On the Road Again

Its really a good thing I was not still drunk, but I surely could have done with about 6 more hours of sleep. Thankfully, the coast of California? Its VERY PRETTY. We drove up the Pacific Coast Highway, aka Highway 1, or as it is known to me, "That road that just turns every 100 feet THE ENTIRE WAY UP THE FECKING COAST". But, remember, its VERY PRETTY. So I had something to look at in between all the turns I was making. And luckily, since I was driving, I got to stop the car whenever I felt like it to take pictures, or have a 2 minute walk, or get un-dizzy.

Mostly, one part of the coast looks pretty much the same as most of the rest of the coast. It is all just pretty.

Greenery

Rolling Hills

To be continued...

Road Trip!

Of the 8 days after Christmas day, I spent 4 of them driving a car. Initially, the plan was to drive down the coast to SF from probably somewhere a little west of Seattle. The reality of the southerly drive was not at all along the coast. We left late because I procrastinate.

Canadian Sunset

Highway 99

Because we started off so late, there was very little coverage on the first day. We managed to get from Vancouver to Seattle for an early-ish dinner. Consequently, we hoteled in Portland.

Ace

Right Here

The bar we went to for a few drinks to take the edge off driving for the end of the day was awesome. Because it was actually Boxing Day, there weren't many people out, which was just fine - more time under the beer tap for me. It was a perfect way to put my ass to sleep.

Boxing Day plus one... We bought chains for the car (by the way, I have a car, did I mention that?), I drove, white-knuckled for two hours over the Siskayou Pass where it was snowing and there was slush and I felt like I might have had control of the car for like 10 whole seconds over those two hours. Oh and it was pitch black. Needless to say, it was terrifying. I'd recommend it to everyone.

Haze

Left

Felled

Fluffy White

The snow, it looks so pretty, but, no sir, I don't like it.

To be continued...

Boyscout motto

I have some plans to do some traveling in the next week or two. I really do hope to be able to start uploading some of the shots I take from the road without having to stack them up too much behind the line-up I have here of shots that already need uploading. Expect a day or two with more than one post, and I hope to be clearing out more than 1 or 2 shots per post.

The following shots are from a weekend trip to Victoria. None of them were taken at Butchart Gardens. All of them were taken on walks around town.

In the meantime, think about all the things that you would need on a car ride that is supposed to last about 20 hours and tell me what I need to pack to be prepared for the inane-ness. Books for passengers to read aloud to me? CD's I should not forget to take? Anything? PREPARE ME!

Spike

Shy

Highlights

Bunches

And my favorite of this batch....

Doubled

Blenheim Palace, Catching up

A Place to Rest

Enter Here

Pond at the Palace

Fluff in the Skies

Doors, Iron

Under the Sea!

I'm trying to distract myself with the pretty pictures from the aquarium. So help me out, which one of these do you like better?

Spike

Against the Glass

Aquatic Life, again

A couple weekends ago, I made it to the Vancouver Aquarium for the first time after living here for over a year. I know! It only took a year! SO impressive!

I was enchanted by the sea otters. The adorableness with which they swim around and snack on pieces of fish is unmatched by any other living being (in that aquarium) and after a couple weeks, I have nearly stopped reciting "I WANT ONE!" Nearly, but not quite. I never knew that they can break ginormous hunks of ice into edible little pieces and who knew they like frozen water for snacks? And, also? Toys! Those little guys are so smart!

There was one Beluga Whale that made bubble rings to play with, which I consider to also be nearly unbearably cute. He was very good at smashing a bubble ring with his tail, as well. Oh and later? I found out that he's good at splashing everyone standing above the pool! One a rainy day! I'm so sad I wasn't there with all the rest of the wet people. So sad!

Jelly-bean


Crush


Slippery little Fins

Like a fish

I'm doing a lot of emailing and writing of letters lately. I'm all aflutter with communication. And I feel a bit like I'm swimming upstream. In camo. Like this trout.


And here's the most appropriate joke that was sent to me in email as a reply to a recent post here.

You know you're really drunk if you can't lie on the floor without holding on.

From way back when

I'm trying to clear out the archives which I haven't yet uploaded, so here are a few shots from England.