Blogging Holiday

Theresa and I are going for a holiday on a cruise to some islands in the Caribbean. Along with friends we should have seven days of adventure. I love the opportunity to visit some of the smaller islands and to roam around their markets and historical sights. Every island has it's own treasures to share and because tourism is such a large part of their economy the people are friendly and helpful. Many nations have a stake in the region but the European influence is diminished.

You can see the development of the economy gearing up for tourists but the future also has oil and agriculture to help the local people live a better life.Many of the islands received their freedom from their masters in a peaceful manner but some fought to gain their right to self government.

During the past five years many of the islands have been devastated by hurricanes and earthquakes and when the main source of income comes from agriculture outside help is required. Haiti and many of the smaller domains  had their trees ripped down and their homes destroyed. Although these people live right next to the USA, Canada, Mexico their well being is not a big consideration by any of these powers. In times of  disaster these powers do come to the rescue but long term help has never been a basic foreign policy for any of these economic giants.

Cruises have made it possible for millions of people to see the living conditions of some of the poorer Islands and hopefully some of their concerns will rub off and we might become better partners in helping the developing islands in the future.

I really like what cruises offer in addition to wonderful food and entertainment and return more dedicated to offering a helping hand through Kiva.

Budgets

At this time of the year the word budget is on the lips of everyone who is part of the budget process. Federal, provincial, state or municipal bodies are struggling with huge deficit budget concerns. Everyone who runs for office claim that they are for smaller government, balanced budgets and cutting the debt load of their jurisdiction.

Soon after being elected the pressure from those who helped you get elected begin the process of payback politics. Few have the guts to actually make the decisions required to honor their promises. Social issues must be carried out; workers must be paid and cuts become very difficult to make.

I have observed political matters for many years and the only way that politicians will make the proper decisions is to legislate their behaviour. A law requiring balanced budgets would force those in power to become creative and learn how to spend the available tax dollars in a appropriate manner.

When I first ran for public office I was given two minutes at the nomination meeting to state my case. I was second last in a group of more than twenty and the crowd was getting smaller by the minute. I decided to make my speech a one liner. I stated: we don't need to elect people who will dream up ways to spend the tax payers money but rather to elect people who will use the available dollars in a wise manner.

I was elected that year and many more and used that one liner every time. I would love to hear our leaders say something like that today. There is an end to reckless deficits and it is not good. Let's hope our leaders have the fortitude to rein in useless spending and put our house in order.

Italy, Portugal and Greece have found out the hard way and it could happen here. Canada is doing better than most but more has to be accomplished before we are safe financially.

Nile Monitor

There are many Nile Monitors in the 450 miles of canal in Cape Coral..We have seen pictures, heard stories and looked forward to seeing one in real life. Two days ago Theresa was driving on a road across the canal closest to us and saw this animal crossing the road. As she approached this animal Theresa knew it was a monitor. About 6 or 7 feet in length with a snake like appearance there was no mistaken what she was seeing.

I wish I had been there. The monitor ran up the driveway of a vacant house and Theresa stopped to get a better look. It moved close to the  wall of the house and lay down. Theresa did not approach it as their bite is dangerous. That was the first sighting we had and a sign that they are on the increase. Some estimates are up to 7,000 in our area but since their food supply has been good so far they rarely leave the water.

They are good swimmers, can climb trees and eat anything they can get a hold of. Fish, turtles, small alligators, birds and small pets are in danger when they are hungry.They found their way here in Cape Coral as a released pet and multiplied rapidly as they have no real enemy. Their situation is the same as the snake problem in the everglades where huge numbers of snakes have habitat ed most of that National Park. They got there after a hurricane destroyed a business which sold huge snakes. Nature is fragile and now we have a foreign animal  roaming these areas and killing off many of the local wildlife.

Stand Your Ground Law

Florida has a law which causes many to question its value. The other evening a young black man went to a corner store to buy some candy and iced tea for his brother. On the way home a community volunteer who is armed and works with the police confronted the boy. The boy noticed that he was being followed and phoned his sister to ask what he should do. She told him to run home asap. The volunteer thought the 16 year old boy looked suspicious and phoned the police headquarters to ask what he should do. He was told to do nothing and walk away.

Seeing the boy run away this person caught the boy and in a struggle he claimed his life was threatened so as the boy ran away he was shot four times in the back. The chief of police heard this story and released the volunteer with his gun and badge.

A terrible outrage followed and the next day the chief took a leave of absence. The town was in an uproar and the governor called an inquiry. Meantime there were no charges and the volunteer is out on the basis of this law called stand your ground.  This law in simple terms means everyone has a right to use leather force if they feel their life is threatened. Does this sound like a good law?

Now the ugly face of racism comes into play and sides are drawn. We will never get the full story as there were no or few witnesses. There are other gun laws here in Florida which makes it difficult to maintain law and order when nearly everyone had a hand gun and has the right to use it.

I hope that the Governor will take a hard look at this piece of legislation and correct its application and avoid its miss use.

Airplanes By The Thousand

Today I attended the international air show in South Florida. Over a 100,000  people attended on a perfect weather day for the show. From 9 am until closing there were airplanes in the sky. I am crazy about planes but this day blew my mind. There were planes from  all ages. The pilots were absolutely skilled and made the old and new planes do things I could not imagine.

The American Air Force and Navy were present and put on a show I cannot describe but the retired personnel with their own planes were even better. For hours I sat and tried to take pics but the speed of the craft made it impossible to get most of the action.

My camera battery gave out and I was unable to get more pics but my mind's eye has all the pics in my head.It was a wonderful day and I must say that it was worth the drive and $25 for all the events.

Morning Bike Ride

Early this morning I had to attend the dentist for the second day in a row and came home with a sore jaw from a lengthy root canal ordeal. What better way to wait for the freezing to leave my face than a bike ride (actually a rum would be better but at 10.30, NO!). Theresa and I had a day without wind so we proceeded to travel a little further than usual.

We took a shortcut through the Catholic church and passed the trail for the Stations of the Cross. There on the tenth station was a beautiful ( and saintly) hawk. It was not afraid so I took several pictures. It's partner was close by spying a squirrel for lunch. We observed the pair for a while and they got bored with our company and flew off giving us the loudest screeches for interfering with their hunt.

We travelled to the eagle nest and there was the baby and it's mother. It is unusual for them to go back to the nest once they are forced to leave. The canal beside our place was so peaceful that Theresa took a picture. There were no alligators here today

As we arrived home there was this young Ibis on the road beside our house. It was a bird day for sure and I forgot about the freezing in my face.

Our Doves Are Surviving

The nest of doves are keeping a nest right outside of our bedroom window. Such good parents so far as the nest is never left unattended. There are many nasty birds who would love to get those little eggs. Bluebirds have been keeping a close watch over the nest as are the blackbirds. So far the expecting parents are weathering the storm.

We are enjoying the event but will be sad if the doves are driven off the nest before the chicks are born. Nature is like that so be have to expect the bad with the good.

Spring

Nearly every celebration or festival connected to spring flowers or trees has had to make adjustments.  Flowers, trees and shrubs are coming in at least two or three weeks early.A scientist who studies these things says that the wild bees are coming out of their hives 8 days early. Birds ans animals are also nesting and having their young earlier. There must be some concern at the pace global warming and climate change is occurring.

Satellite pictures of the north and south poles shows a drastic change in the ice patterns and yes the oceans are rising, slowly but rising for sure.Here in Florida the weather people keep saying that we are experiencing summer weather in the spring time. Every day records are broken and the Arizona receives 26 inches of snow.Odd and irregular behaviour patterns of weather catches us off guard. Tornado's in march, huge rainfalls in the southern states and so on.It makes for good conversation.

We cannot individually do much about it but our life styles can make a tremendous difference collectively. It is something to think about.

March Birthdays

March was good for our family as was February. In march we had David, Carol Anne, Shawna and Lynda all celebrating their special days. My two youngest siblings were happy to have a birthday in good health and looking for more of the same. My granddaughter who lives further away from us at five hours driving or four hours if her mother drives is having a special year. Shawna is graduating from secondary school and already accepted by all three schools she applied to.

Her choice of schools could bring her to Toronto and within an hour of our home. If this actually occurs we would see more of her and her Mom and Dad. That would be a bonus for shore.

Lynda is our oldest daughter and my writing inspiration. My wish is for her to complete the editing of my book to relieve her from a tired arm. She writes all day at work and continues when she comes home. Lynda along with my other three children make our life interesting and complete. They along with their children and friends make quite a group when we get together. We wish all of them a happy birthday and continued close association with the clan.

This year more than most caused me to look at our family and realize that we have aged in a hurry. This fact always makes me anxious to fill every minute with life issues and gain the rewards you receive from such a ethic. Theresa and I always feel blessed as far as our family is concerned and look forward to our next family get together. This year we will be having our first wedding of a grand child and that will be special.

Flowers Everywhere

This morning Theresa and I were cleaning up around our home and were happy to see that after a month all our flowers are in full bloom. Since we are only a few days away from the first day of spring it is natural and right that nature should be putting on a show. We love the flowering trees that grace our boulevards and even thought the area has little rain there are plenty of signs of  spring.

Ontario Snowbirds

Many of the local people here in Lee County complain about the people who come down to have their holidays. They say we crowd the roads, drive too slow, cause lineups at their favourite restaurant and generally are a nuisance. A report in the local paper today featured the value in dollars an employment due to the influx of Canadians.

The average Canadian tourist or snowbird spend millions of dollars and the one who come for a week add $7,000 to $10,000 to the economy. The ones who live here for half a year usually add $30,000 to the local coffers. It was a very convincing article and one of the best to make the local crackers  aware of our contributions. Canadians usually settle a little further north but there is a trend for people to come further south to guarantee the best weather Florida has to offer.

I agree that there is an overflow at restaurants and on the roads but really that is the good part and in so far as an inconvenience to the locals they should be smiling all the way to work or play. There appears to be a attitude change and a more optimistic view of the future. Buildings are being built again and that feeling that the sky is falling has disappeared from the lips of most of  the people here in Florida.

Ball Game

Every year Theresa and I try to get to see a few ball games in the pre-season. We have two teams who make our town home for their spring training and we see some good ball. The Twins and Red Sox have good stadiums and practice facilities here provided by the County. The Red Sox have a brand new $80,000,000 facility provided by the county and it is an exact replica of their home park in Boston. It even includes that green monster, a high wall in left field.

Yesterday we had a perfect day,86 degrees and a light breeze for our game. Pittsburgh ruined the Twins home game by getting eight runs on eight hits in the first inning. The stadium was packed with about 10,000 fans and were treated to four home runs and over 20 hits. It is party time at the park and because it was senior day free hot dogs and pop was provided. They even had transportation from your car to the stadium.

These teams add a big surge in tourism during the spring and entertainment for the locals and tourists. We enjoy the day out and watching the fans from the various teams cheering on their team.

Living Together Alone

Theresa and I have been married for twelve years but this is the first time  we have been alone except for holidays. There is a special freedom with this new arrangement and we have been enjoying this new found circumstances. The time factor is the biggest difference. Since we do not have to concern ourselves with others we are able to manage our own time. Little things like being late for lunch or rushing home to prepare supper because someone depends on you for this service.

The spontaneity of decisions and the ability to change or alter plans without considerations for others is a pleasure we have noticed. Mealtimes and the menu can be simplified when you just want a snack instead of a meal and you want to put off having a dinner all together is easy.

When there is just the two of you all kinds of discoveries are possible and you become a different person because you are able to express all the facets of human behaviour without reservations because of the privacy of your life. I always realized the need for privacy and the value of this element in marriage but circumstances have prevented this from becoming a reality. The time we lived with others had a strong influence over our behaviour and much of that was great. The sharing of your life with a family member is one of the wonderful gifts you can bestow on a family member. We have been rewarded over and over by the presence of our mother  in our family.

This year because of insurance and other reasons we do not have our 95 year old mother with us. To say we miss her would be a mild term as never a day goes by but she comes up in our conversations. Although we know she lives in beautiful surroundings we hear words expressing her sorrow living without us.

We truly love the freedom we have but it comes at a cost. We hope that we will be able to afford the price.

Box Garden

Since I am not permitted to have a real garden I decided to go with a pot or box garden. Ten large pots with excellent soil was the start of my plan. Lettuce, beans and tomatoes became the crop which would become edible in our short stay this year. I planted this garden three weeks ago come Friday. There was almost an instant response as the lettuce and beans as they popped out three after watering.

The tomatoes were 5 inches high when I planted them and as of now they are covered in blossoms and there are a number of small tomatoes forming. I should have ripe tomatoes by the 10th of April. The Amaryllis grew to a large size during the summer and when I cleaned it up and replanted it the sprouts grew several inches every day. These flowers have eight flower heads on each stem. This is the sixth year for them and I really love the size and colour. All the rest of our garden is having perfect weather for spring growth.

I should be in good shape to grow a real garden when I return to Ontario. It seems there is no winter in the north this year and the south is many degrees above average for this time of year.

Golf

Tuesday is golf day and my friends were there to welcome me back from surgery. I felt good and after a first day with all kinds of trouble I had high expectations for a good game. I am not supposed to use my driver so I used my #4 wood to drive. As I could not bend I dropped my ball and attempted to hit it like a driver. Water won and I had a second chance to drive from the bank of the lake. Another water ball and so on. In 18 holes I lost 20 balls, had one par and three bogie's for 5 points. My average is 17 points  so I had a bad day.

My friends wanted to tee my ball but I said I was better off the turf. I was happy to play but I was a little embarrassed with my performance. Golf is a game but when you play for money it is more than that. Today was the worst game I ever played but I had a good time in spite of the  poor play. Next week I will be better and it is only a game ...I think.

Sea Grapes

This tree will grow nearly anywhere and thrive near moisture. It is able to withstand drought heat and hurricanes. There are some special features  that this tree has which help it to be a favorite in Florida. Sandy, dry areas like beaches usually have these trees grown to hold the soil. They grow quickly and can be pruned any time during the year.

Beautiful colors come as the leaves age. The leaves are very hard and hold their moisture. These trees actually have grapes.Large bunches grow after the flowers pop out and the grapes start out a extremely hard berries and at the time of ripening they become soft and delicious but tart. Birds gravitate to these trees and people pick the grapes and make jelly. Since they have a hard  stone in each grape most people ignore them as a food. I picked some of them and enjoyed.

Theresa and I planted five of them to give us privacy on the road side of our home and now they are home  to birds who find them great for nesting.

Bicycles And Doves

Part of our daily routine is to bike around the area every morning. The only negative factor is the wind. For some reason we have been blessed with strong wind every day. If you get out really early you may miss the worst of it but by 9am you can count on the wind factor.We try to map out our ride by having the wind on our back coming home.Some times we do not plot our course and pay the penalty.

Yesterday our neighbor came along with us to see the eagle families and we were fortunate to see the baby eaglets in one nest with its mother and a small eaglet in the other nest. They are quite an attraction and we have two nests very nearby so we count them as our eagles.

This morning I was awakened by the cooing of doves. This in normal but this am the cooing was very close. As I got out of bed I noticed this pair of doves making a nest right outside my window. They were busy constructing a nest. Doves are the worst nest makers of all the birds. When completed the nest is simply a pile of twigs placed between branches of a tree or even on the bare ground in full view of the world. These doves will be with us for a while and should give us some entertainment. Dove babies are ugly but in short order they become the beautiful birds that they are. Doves may not construct the best houses but they know how to fill them. They are one of the most abundant of our birds here. This in spite of the fact they are regularly killed by the hawks and owls.

Yesterday I had a pleasant visit by phone with a long time friend from Pembroke who is recovering from surgery and learning to walk again. It is these little happenings that make life interesting and worthwhile.

Birds

There are birds a plenty everywhere we look here in Cape Coral. Theresa and I were on a short bike ride when she spotted this red shouldered hawk on the fence . This hawk was not afraid and we were within twenty feet of it for some time. There are many hawks here but this type are the most numerous. Theresa was able to get very close for this picture.

Another bird which is plentiful in our yard are the white bird of paradise. They grow to be up to twenty feet high and are prolific flower bloomers. There can be dozens of these flowers on each plant. Yellow belly sapsuckers love to come and feed on the sugary sap of these plants.

The amaryllis flower grows wild here and this particular one is six years old. Every year we plant it and it blossoms for about a month. We then dig it into the soil and let it go dormant and when we return it quickly responds and blooms again. This one is 10 days old.

Memory Lane 1953: Johnny Miles Day

As a youngster my father told me about one of the greatest long distance runners in the world....Johnny Miles This was a young man who could run for Long distances and never be tired. He was a youngster who had a dream of running the Boston Marathon. His work was delivering milk to the people of Sydney Mines, Cape Breton. He wore rubber boots because of the weather and the conditions but that never slowed this man down.

Johnny Miles won every race he went into and became quite a person in the athletic scene. He decided to enter the Boston Marathon and hitch hiked to Boston for the event. He had no running shoes but bought a pair for less than a dollar before the race.

He entered the race as an unknown but before long he was known all over the world. He not only won the race but broke the record in spite of being lost during the race. He returned home a hero but the world called him to race everywhere there was a classic race and he met the challenge. As a young man I tried to become a little like him as uncle Matt used to make us race long distances for our own good.

I became quite a half miler in my day but long distance always called me to try the long races. I ran the 5,000 and 10,000 races for the Olympic trials in 1960 and loved the competition. I did make the finals that year in the 800 meters but that was a far off challenge to the Marathon.

I tried the marathon several times and always finished but my time was a little off the record. I looked up my best time and found that in 1961 there was a race where the winner had a time of 2 hours 27 minutes 37 seconds. My time was 2 hours,46 minutes and 44 secs. I came 27th. That race was for Johnny Miles. I only raced one more marathon and in that race I was just a finisher. I never ran a long race again but I loved the challenge and the name of Miles was always on my mind.

Miles was a Sydney miner and so am I and I shall always be proud to say his name and talk of his record.

Fly Away On Young Wings

Today Theresa and I had the privilege of once again seeing our young eagles fly away. As large or larger than their mother this young eagle took the final step and flew from its home 70 feet in the air to become commander of the whole sky. Black as the ace of spades and with a wing span of over five feet this bird becomes larger than life. After months in the tree resort with parents who offered protection, food and tough love it was time to leave its place out on a limb and join its kin as master of the skies.

Every year we watch this family and as of now we have seen #17 and #18  leave the nest and become magnificent symbols of America and the whole bird world. I marvel at the strength of these birds and one time one came up behind Theresa and I as we were biking and from ten feet away as they passed overhead they had a wash like a small plane.

When the young eagles leave the nest for their first foray in the heavens they are like all young children and speed, glide, dive, tumble and with sheer power burst on the scene which will be their home for many years. I never  tire of this yearly scene and once again I was in a special place as I watched this wonder of nature.