My World Tuesday - Dare to plant it

Time to splash some cash at the garden centre

and be brave, with regards to our weather.

I am now finally convinced that Spring is officially here, and there's nothing anyone can do about it!

My World Tuesday

Noisiest Cat

My favourite Friday headline, seen here on the BBC website:


Guinness World Records announced Smokey, 12, who is a British short-hair cat, achieved the loudest purr by a domestic cat, peaking at 67.7 dB.


He can purr as loud as a vacuum cleaner apparently!

And my favourite: 


Guinness World Records is a veritable catalogue of fantastic felines, and Smokey is a welcome addition to the family.

Way to go Smokey!  Puuuurrrrrrrr.


Anyone else think he looks like a cat that would kick ass anyway? He's a No-messing kind of moggie.  He was going to get that award, come hell or high water.


That's a Paddington Hard Stare if ever I saw one!


(And for those of you not familiar with Paddington Bear, he was a famous story-book bear, with a fearsome stare when he disapproved of something or someone!)

Animal Magic

While we were out in the back end of beyond at the weekend (visiting our "rural" friends as I like to call them), 

I spied a big tall lump on top of a fence post.

As I focussed better, the big tall lump grew feathers 

and then swivelled it's enormous head 

and peered at me with stunning yellow eyes.

My handy wildlife-for-amateurs book tells me this is a 

Great Grey Owl. Isn't he gorgeous? 

And he was huge, probably about 30 inches high.

Can you see anything in this picture?  We were also lucky enough to hear a couple of these fellas whooping and hollering through the woodland - they sounded like monkeys.   Well, they sounded like monkeys before they hit their stride with a traditional knock-on-wood session.  

These are Pileated Woodpeckers, I believe.

And of course, spring time in the country has to involve pictures of a cute calf or three.

(Hasn't this wee fella (the brown and white one) got great markings on his face?)

And since we last visited, ten new chickens have arrived.  

So soft.  No shortage of eggs here soon.  As long as the bears don't get them again!

Another fun day out in the wilds of Alberta.

Spot the Difference

This is what I like ...

And this is what I've got...

OK - let's play again.

This is what I like...

And this is what we've got...

Worked it out yet?

Yes, ladies and gentlemen - "Green" is M.I.A.

When I lived in the UK, January and February were the longggggeeesttt months.  

We've all got those, wherever we live in the world, I am sure.  

Mine was the I'm-skint-and-need-a-holiday-and-some-flowers-and-where-is the-bloody-sun kinda feeling.

Now I live in Alberta, I have lots more sunshine - but I still get moments of

I-need-COLOUR.

But it's happening, slowly.  

Reporting live from just outside Calgary, I can confirm the recent sighting of not one, but several blades of green grass - it's finally happening folks - god, it's so exciting!

And my tulips have re-surfaced again - carefully sticking their little noses out of the soil - and not seeing any snow for at least four days now, they are going for it!  Yay - c'mon my brave little soldiers!

I am CRAVING a riot of colour.

SkyWatch Friday - Goodnight sun

Beautiful evenings this week.  Beautiful skies.

Have a lovely weekend, and happy SkyWatching.

To see more skies from around the world, click here.

That Wedding ...

Every news channel, newspaper and magazine is currently dedicated to a little wedding occurring in Old London Town on Friday.

The frenzied Republicans are having a field day denouncing the whole thing.  The loony Royalists are showing off their collections of tat to anyone who will listen.  The news channels will be smothered in "and-reporting-live-from-Buckingham Palace" accounts of every glance of eyelash, satin shoe, horse-drawn carriage or over-dressed celebrity.

I have no strong opinions for or against the Family, but my day-off coincides with the wedding - so I shall set my PVR to start recording at 4am and I will wander downstairs at a more civilized hour, and then raise a toast to the happy couple with my morning cuppa - and I truly wish them well.  They are going to need it.


I can then fast-forward through all the adverts to the best bits - which for me will be the location.

(With thanks to the English Heritage website for this photo)

From afar, I shall look forward to aerial shots of Londonengland and cast a wistful eye over the majesty of the 1000-year old Westminster Abbey, the backdrop of a lively and colourful city with some stunning architecture - and sit smiling at all the thousands of mad, joyful people getting ready for a right Royal knees-up.

All the naysayers can bugger off just for one day while I wave my metaphorical flag.

My World Tuesday - Dogs and Puddles

When the snow melts, large puddles appear.  

Reflections of fences in the still and still-freezing water.

Honey's eyes light up with sheer delight.  

Time to go for a quick dip.  The muddier, the better.

Smudge calls out to his mates 

- let's play fetch ... right over here.

And after a ball-chasing run-around session, 

all sensible dogs should dip their toes...

and grab a quick drink.

See what you humans are missing?

My World Tuesday

See what everyone else is up to.