Dogs, Dogs and More Dogs

I never thought that I would ever complain about dogs as I have a deep appreciation and love for these furry creatures. However, there comes a time where enough is enough and this week was that time. One neighbour had two large Heinz 57 dogs. Quickly there was a litter and seven dogs filled their backyard. They tried to sell these mongrels with little success and kept five. They grew and grew and barked and barked. The final straw was that they learned to open the gate and suddenly these dogs would appear in a rather threatening manner.

Our other neighbour moved in to a four bedroom house across the road and he had an old yellow lab who never barked but roamed loose and did his business on my lawn. Mowing the grass became a dangerous occupation. This good neighbour had a girl friend who moved in with three children and four more dogs. These people let their dogs run loose and suddenly the neighbourhood became upset. All our other neighbours have one small dog each except us, we are dog less at this time.

What proper steps should be taken to correct this situation without being an ogre. As we planned to talk to the neighbours a white truck with a large officer suddenly appeared on the scene . He was forceful and persistent as he arrived two days in a row. He came as one of our other neighbours complained formally. Within 24 hours our neighbourhood returned to a comfort zone. The barking stopped and the dogs are restrained either in a fenced area or on leashes.

For a few weeks we were held hostage by dogs and with a little help it was restored. People who keep dogs have a responsibility to care for them in a reasonable manner. A recent article in the local paper showed a financial breakdown for dog ownership and it was shocking. The costs came to almost as much for two dogs as a child. Pet food companies sell more product than companies sell baby food. Medical attention for pets rival the costs for humans and still mans best friends outnumber children in many areas of the country.

Dogs have always been mans best friend and it probably will always be so as their loyalty and acceptance is unparalleled. Our responsibility is clear and as long as it is carried out there should be no problem with co-existence.

Woodstorks and Brown Pelicans

Golfing is just a game to give me the opportunity to observe wildlife. Our area in Florida is home to several large colonies of wood storks. Our golf course was home to a couple of hundred of these birds today. It is mating time and this year there is enough rainfall to support the fishery which feeds these birds after hatching. An endangered species which is ugly while wading in the shallow waters but absolutely marvelous while soaring high in the sky. They can soar like eagles and during their aerial mating dance in the sky they perform acrobatic maneuvers unlike no others.

Brown pelicans were badly damaged during the oil spill crisis in the gulf and it was a treat to see a pair on the fourth hole today. They do not frequent our golf course often but are a treat when they do. Wild parrots were out in numbers as were all the Florida wading birds. Our golf course takes precautions to make sure the birds are not harmed by dangerous chemicals.

When we hear of the recent bird kills during the migration this year it makes you wonder. At least four massive kill were reported and the numbers of dead birds numbered in the thousands.The exact cause of death was not determined but you can bet is chemical in nature. Many of the golf courses are given special tax considerations if they qualify as conservation  areas.

My friends on the golf course accept me now as a environmental nut and some even comment about the natural beauty as we engage in competition. It is the main reason I golf in Florida.

Time to Think

Waking up this morning I was greeted to the  prospect of a good rain. There has been over a month since we had any amount of warm rain and the trees and grass show signs of stress. With no prospect of outside work Theresa and I shopped to fill up our freezer with necessities.We no longer completed our shopping when the wind came up and the rain poured down. Tornado warnings were posted for our area for several hours but after some thunder and lightening the sky cleared.

It is good to have days like this as I was able to watch some of the festivities honouring Martin Luther King. To hear that famous speech again brought back memories. Playing the tapes from the years he struggled made me think of how much has changed and yet so much remains unchanged. To experience the brutality employed against the marchers and the bombings brought back the reality of America fifty years ago. It was a time for thinking and seeing the needs of our first nations people in Canada still unfulfilled. Drinking water, health care and housing are but a few of the many needs our people need.

Watching U  Tube and hearing a child from British Columbia addressing an international conference on environment and world needs brought everything into focus. This conference being held in Brazil gave her the opportunity to speak of the hopes of the youth of the world., to leaders who could make a difference. Time to think why we as Canadians promise so much at the photo ops but fail to deliver a fair share on the ground. I was so proud to be able to identify with this child as she made point after point to a somber audience who were baffled by her eloquence.

On a happier note the day ended with a beautiful sunset and brought beauty and hope to an otherwise somber day. My family had a get together for my grand daughter on Sunday and we were not able to attend. Perhaps that is one reason I was in a pensive mood.

Martin Luther King Day

The celebration of MLK day marks an important aspect of American History. After years of strife the African American people found a leader to champion their cause to gain equality. Their leader was not without faults but bravery and the ability to lead was not one of them. He fought to empower his people talking through the church and later marches in the most bigoted and dangerous cities to make his point.

He stayed the course through peaceful disobedience and marched in the front row of the marches walking with his head held high while being subjected to the most violent rhetoric and physical abuse. He built a team who moved through the south and mobilized millions of people both white and of African heritage to bring their cause to the doorsteps of Capitol Hill in Washington. For many of us who lived through these wild years remember that great gathering on the Hill when countless people assembled to hear that great speech by Martin Luther King.

That speech changed forever the way people perceived the social changes sweeping across America. He became a living legend and the rest of his life became history. Like so many American leaders he too was killed. It was a sadness that gripped the nation and leaders asked for calmness to save the nation form further bloodshed. His funeral was an event which placed his contribution to American History forever remembered..

The American People saw the need to have a day set aside for the nation to build on his work in gaining freedom and equality for a large segment of the population. Martin Luther Day stands right there with other American National Holidays in order of importance. He was a great American.

Climate Change

Much has been written and talked about the effects on our life from climate change.While I was reading the morning paper and half listening to the news on TV I was amazed how the weather was the big news. Every continent was mentioned. The big freeze in the north east USA, the tragic floods in Brazil and Australia, the freeze up in much of China and of course the horrific weather in Europe. We have to be aware of the climate changes over the past few years but particularly this year.

A smaller story about horoscopes showed or reported that the gravitation of the moon changed the alignment of the stars so there will be  changes in your sign. I will no longer be a Capricorn and so on. Although these events probably are unrelated you only have to use your imagination to see startling ramifications if ever there were changes to the solar system and who is to say it could not occur. Science can only observe, report and try to predict the important changes that might come about as a result of events in space.

Sun spots were observed years ago before our communication systems were in place but look at their effect when they are acting up. Everyone talks about the weather but only a few really understand how dependent we are on reporting and using scientific data in our daily lives. This morning I can only say that the sun is shining and it is a perfect day to garden or better still, play golf.

TUCSON

THIS WILL BE A NAME NOT EASILY FORGOTTEN.The tragic events that transpired over the few minutes will be analyzed and be subject to careful scrutiny to try to prevent such a event taking place again. American history has been built on tragic events and there will be more in the future.The freedoms that make the USA a great country also allows individual freedom to commit such acts.

There will be the usual call for more and closer gun control, closer security for government officials and a number of other measures that will make life safer and better for all. The whole country wept when hearing of this tragic event and the leaders came together to praise the dead and lift the spirits of the living. I would give these same people a week before they are back to the same reckless, demeaning rhetoric which poisons the minds of nearly everyone towards political leaders and the youth of the country close their ears and minds to the political process.

In this free society where every day there are radio programs dedicated to the destruction of the political party in power and spew half truths over the airways to bring down the system , how can we expect respect for the institutions which oversee this country.I read editorials every day calling for servility and co-operation to try to make the system work but within weeks of elections the newly elected members become part of the old system with devastating results.

Tucson will be used by many to further their causes but this tragic event was the result of one deranged person capable of bringing down Innocent people and he did just that. We do not have to have long memories to count similar happenings and recalling the attempts at harming our leaders reads like the history of American Politics. For we who abhor violence and prefer rhetoric to guns feel sad for America today but we also realize that as long as we wish to honour our freedoms,  events like Tucson will occur again.We must change the tone of or rhetoric to offer a calmer and more wholesome environment to show the world that we live in a great nation.

Comfort Food

There is nothing better to do on a cold day than prepare some warm comfort food. Corn bread, home made beans and cabbage rolls would rank high in our home.  Monday was such a day and after a visit to the market on Saturday we came away with a 10 pound cabbage. It was a little too big as the outside leaves made two rolls. We follow the traditional preparation by freezing the cabbage and imersing it in very hot water to remove the leaves. The cabbage skin is translucent and wraps without breaking.

After stuffing the two dozen cabbage rolls I cover the whole thing with home made spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes and tomato juice. For the last few years I have added a generous amount of ginger and this gives the end product a warm taste.We make this comfort food several times a year and one of the reasons is that they freeze so well. You can keep them for a lunch over a period of several months without any loss of taste or texture.

So on the next cold day when you have nothing to do,  try cooking cabbage rolls or some other comfort food, it is amazing how the aroma which fills the kitchen will fill your mind in a positive way. Think about the smell of home made bread or apple pie, I feel better already.