Chinese wisdom

What do you do on wasted road trips...no car repairs can be done and from this picture you can see my plans for an afternoon at the beach are out too.

But, oh the things you learn in a Chinese restaurant.  If I were on a mission to find the best Chinese restaurant in my neck of the woods. The boardroom in Hay River would get my vote. Very tasty!

I'm basing this decision on only one visit, which might not be totally fair, but hey, any place that can make me sound good, has my vote.

I think I'll milk the inspirational characteristic for a while yet, even if it might not be completely true. I would however like to think that I am a good parent, and since it's in writing, it must be true.

Then there are my offspring...my little snake, who I agree is beautiful, but not really vain...seriously though, what out for that temper!

Then my rabbit...which is bang on the mark.  Hmmmm, if his opposite is the Cook, does that mean we shouldn't eat what he cooks????

Beyond a doubt they got the talented part right...case in point his latest artwork (prints are available at a ridiculously inexpensive rate).

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=363339913728030&set=a.229751793753510.56918.151670854894938&type=1

So, this is how I entertain myself, when I am totally bored...scary isn't it?

Rapids of the Drowned

You probably won't remember my mentioning the Rapid of the Drowned since it was a post I did over a year ago.  There is a viewpoint, just down from the store overlooking the full rapids.

Yesterday, I thought I would take a walk to see if I could get closer.  There are tons of Pelicans congregated in that area.  That's what those little white specs on the rocks are.  Obviously I didn't get close enough.

I figured I must be at the wrong spot for all those great Pelican pictures I see from everyone else...so, I hiked along the trail further into the woods.

Then I saw this...

Remember my post about the bears; so is this bear fur or dog fur?  I was thinking bear, which is why I was talking and singing to myself all along the trail; yep, like a complete idiot.

I never did get close to the Pelicans, or bears for that matter, but I did witness a murder

and I got some awesome pictures of leaves and lichen.

And I never see Jack Pines without thinking Tom Thompson.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

What? Snow in June?

Not really, that's just the pesky pollen that is making my eyes feel so scratchy.  

I can't open my door without a pile of it blowing in.

Then of course, there is the dandelion fluff blowing around too.

But as itchy as all this stuff makes me, it is sure worth it to see such pretty blossoms.

So beautiful!

Oh no, more buffalo?

I know, I know, you are most surely baffaloed out; these pictures were just so good I had to share them.

Just look at these baby pictures, too cute NOT to share!

Okay, now I will try to restrain myself from posting
more baffalo pictures for a while.  I'll still take them of course.

That's some pothole

Actually it's the sinkhole at Angus Tower. I posted a picture of this sinkhole last year, but this angle is much better.  This whole area is pock-marked with these giant sinkholes.  They fenced this one off a few years back because buffalo (and people) had fallen in.

I guess they didn't think anyone was smart enough (or stupid enough) to just walk around to the other side.

 I'm not sure which one I qualify for, but it makes for a much nicer picture on the "unprotected" side.

What is it?

Here is my challenge for all those people who are much smart than I am...what kind of bird is this?

I know it's far away and hard to see... but the nature of these wild critters is that they usually scoot away if you come too close.

I'm thinking some kind of crane.  Guesses anyone?

Bear, bear everywhere

Yesterday, I made the short trip to Hay River for lunch; of course "short" is a relative term up here. This short trip is really about 3hours each way. More if you stop several times to take pictures along the way.

Anyway, on this "short" trip to and from Hay River, we saw a minimum of 7 bears.  It occurs to me that this is actually quite a bit, given the vast area they can be roaming and these ones were all in the area surrounding the road.

Some bears are camera shy and run away, which means no photo or ones like these where they are mostly hidden or all you can catch is their hind end as they boot it into the bush.

Then there are those who are indifferent and go about their business as if you aren't even there.

And of course to round it all out there are those who are considerably more inquisitive...

or maybe down right nosy. 

Perhaps even hungry...

 Which leads me to remind everyone that a "fed bear is a dead bear"...please keep wild animals wild and don't feed them.