Tangled love

If you don't have young kids in your life right now, you may not have been exposed to too many animated movies recently.  This may be a blessing or a missed opportunity depending on your point of view!  But I am going to try and tempt you to rent one film, and relax into animated contentment.

A firm favourite in our house is "Tangled" and is the 2010 Disney-fied story of Repunzel.  It features the usual doe-eyed young lady, a charming, smooth-talking and chisel-jawed hero and a fabulous evil step-mother.  

The script features some real laugh-out-loud characters and humour and, specifically, doesn't take itself too seriously.  Oh - and of course, someone bursts into song every fifteen minutes.

Try this one too - just fabulously over the top, fantastic lyrics and a stunning voice (sung by Donna Murphy).  Repunzel has taken it into her head that she wants to leave the tower and explore the world.  "Mama" ain't too keen.

C'mon - you can't tell me that doesn't look fun! 

Autumn

The days are still wonderfuly warm this week - 

once again Alberta has offered us an extended summer by hitting 23º to 26ºC degrees all week.  

Clear blue skies all the way, and it's so hazy that I cannot see the mountains.

But the evenings are noticeably shorter and the sun is setting by about 8.15pm.  

Temperatures at nightime are actually comfortable.

And the beautiful prairie autumnal yellows are everywhere.

I've mentioned before that our landscape does not really offer the red hues for the fall colours, as our growing zone does not support the maples and the variety of tree-life that show off the crimsons.  

So we draw our colours mostly from larches and poplars - and then the majority of trees and shrubs will subtly hint at some oranges, but go straight to the yellows too.

Occasionally there is a specimen plant or tree that sparkles in someone's garden to remind us of the richer tones.  

And throughout my neighbourhood, 

we can observe colour in the berries.

Otherwise, it's nice to click on an Ontario or New England blog to get a red fix!

Have a peaceful autumnal week.

Linking to Scenic Sunday.

Ball...Ball...Ball...Ball

A day in the life of an obsessive dog.

First, apply huge puppy-dog eyes to 

The Boss and persuade him to throw the ball.

Chase said ball...

..and return it to him.  Drop carefully on the ground and apply pleading eyes again.

Catch and return as many times as possible.

Show off masterful swim-and-retrieve skills...

...and practise looking cute while completing the 10 metre doggie paddle.

Fend off the late-comers who try to swoop in and take the glory.

Present the soggy sphere.  And repeat.

And shimmy, shimmy, shimmy.

Brill.  Ain't nothing better.

Linking to Camera Critters.

Cell phone SkyWatching

 Forgetting to take your decent camera everywhere is not always a bad thing.  

Cameras on mobile phones these days are pretty good - especially when you remember you actually have one in your bag.

Here are some random and not-at-all perfect shots of skies around Alberta over the past few weeks.

I have only straightened and cropped the photos, and then rubbed out the splattered bugs on windscreens!  No other special effects.

Not bad for a little camera, eh?

Have a lovely SkyWatching week.

I'm not fat, I'm fluffy...

It's that time again.  My Bi-Annual Big Diet.  

There comes a point in everyone's life where the scales laugh in your face and your jeans refuse to close. Sometimes you reach that point over and over again, and you still don't learn.  I've reached that point, and some.

If I put on any more weight, the friction from my chubby, chafing thighs might just cause me to self-combust.  And that can get expensive.

I could lie and tell you I am curvalicious, or buxom, or shapely.  And while I am technically all of those things, it's just all a bit more rounded-off than it ought to be!

It's a sad fact that I cannot access about a third of my wardrobe. And I don't mean I can't reach it - I mean that I can't button it. Resembling a shrink-wrapped lumpy sausage is apparently not this season's hot new look.

The last few months have passed in a delightful blur of too-busy work days, lazy vacation days, as little physical exercise as possible...

and the terrible discovery of Maynard's Swedish Berries 

and Costco's ready-made Margaritas.  And it's been great! 

But all good things ...

I can't even tell you that I battle with my weight because that would assume some element of effort.  I am genetically lazy and I am apathetic in maintaining a good weight, until I reach the point of no return.  

Then I witness a hot holiday on the horizon (read that as need-to-wear-a-swimsuit-in-public) and the full horror and realisation of my wobbly bits comes fully into focus.  There's a very good reason I only have one full-length mirror in the house - and we are not well acquainted.

Me and these same ol' 15-20lbs are so familiar with each other. But I am bored with them.  Be gone with you.

So - back into the rhythm of normality - new term, new job, new season - please wish me some cyberland good vibes as the calorie counting begins.  Again.  

Oh, and good luck yourself if you are attacking some poundage right now.

Canmore Highland Games

Canmore is a beautifully situated town nestled at the base of the Rockies - a few kilometres from the entrance to Banff National Park, Alberta and luckily for me, it's only about a 50 minute drive from home.  

During our recent Labour Day weekend, they held their 22nd Annual Highland Games.

Big people and little people prepared for the opening ceremony.

Little people danced their hearts out.

Big people threw almighty great cabers around - if it lands at "12 o'clock", you're onto a winner.

And my people made essential purchases - Curly Wurly's are definitely an irresistable favourite British chocolate.

Art and craft stalls selling evocative items...

...and essential metal-ware for any 

self-respecting Scot.

And approximately 14 Drum and Pipe bands from around Western Canada made the journey to battle one another in competition.

They came from Edmonton and Calgary in Alberta, there was a band from Kamlooops in British Columbia, another from Saskatoon in Saskatchewan and at least one band made it from Winnipeg in Manitoba - now that is long drive!

We spotted the Calgary Police Pipe Band, and my husband recognized one of their drummers, so we gave them an extra cheer.

A lovely, albeit noisy way to spend the afternoon, 

as our Alberta summer comes to a close.

Linking to Scenic Sunday and 

OurWorld Tuesday.  Have a lovely week.