If we had no
Winter, the Spring would not be so pleasant.
(Ann Broadstreet)
Winter Curb Appeal for Your
Home: Even with snow on the
ground and on roof-tops...and your garden in 'sleep mode' you can create a warm inviting outdoor
landscape that will put your home's best face forward. Add a little life! Plant some winter flowers (perhaps for
another year) such as honeysuckle, snow berry, winter jasmine or fountain
grasses. Evergreens, holly bushes and
yews can be put in plant pots and stand up well even when the snow flies. Window boxes can be filled with winter
greenery. Add additional lighting: solar lamps, spotlights or rope
lighting. Stay on top of shoveling your
drive and walkways. Paint your front
door a bright colour and add a wreath for a pop of colour and charm. Your home can look as great in winter as it
does in June!
Busy Season for Flying
Tires: With snow tire season
upon us, police warn this is also the season of rogue wheels flying down the
highway. Roughly, 3 wheels a week come
off vehicles, driving on the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area highways
(according to OPP statistics). New
wheels are substantially more likely to fly off and remind drivers to
'double-check' the wheel fasteners the day after a change. It sometimes can take a few kilometres for
the tires to adjust and settle properly.
Health is Wealth: STOP EATING BEFORE YOU ARE FULL. Years added?
Being 100 pounds overweight can subtract a decade from your life. (Did you see the Hagar the Horrible cartoon
today? Standing close to each other,
Hagar asks, “Have you noticed that the longer we're together, the closer we
get?” Helga replies, “Yes, I noticed!” This box shows them from head to toe, facing
each other, both now heavily set with their full-figure stomachs touching!)
USE SUN SCREEN. Years added?
Possibly 20.
KEEP YOUR BODY MOVING. Years added?
At least 3.
Holstein-Frisian Cow ~ 'Snow Countess'; She is a life-size cement statue, greeting
you on entry to Woodstock, Ontario.
Born November 1919 and dying August 1936, she produced 9,062 pounds of
butterfat (more than any other cow in
the world), She held this record for 21
years. Built at a cost of $4,000, this
life-size statue weighing 5 tons, was mounted on a granite base on August 4, 1937.
Nature's Riches: Canada's natural areas are the envy
of many countries. With approximately 3.5 million square kilometres of forested
area, three ocean coastlines, an enormous supply of the world's fresh water and
an amazing abundance of wildlife and wild spaces, Canada has an enormous amount of
area to conserve. These remarkable wild
spaces found across the country provide food, water and shelter for millions of
living creatures...including humans!
Animal Compassion: There is a hotel in Vienna, Austria
that caters to the dogs of its guests. In the 19th century, the
Hotel Sacher was once owned by Anna Sacher who loved her French bulldogs. In
keeping with the pet-loving history of the hotel, the current management
decided to provide special rooms with all the things that dogs need: baskets, blankets and feeding bowls. A dog's owner can obtain dog food from the
concierge...or if desired, can order a steak from the hotel's kitchen. Rules do
apply, however. Furry guests are not
allowed in the spa or in the restaurants.
Furry guests must be
kept on leashes at all times.
Bizarre Amazing Fact: True!
In 1835, a man attempted to assassinate the American President, Andrew
Jackson, with 2 pistols. However, both
pistols misfired...and Andrew Jackson proceeded to beat the man to near death
with his cane at age of 68. (Note: this fact not verified by me)
Valentine Bus Love: Getting married on a bus is not something
most couples would think to do, but for
Nina Schmidt and Jarred Greff of Vancouver, British Columbia, it only made
sense. The pair first met on the No. 3
TransLink bus during a commute one day.
They noticed each other and when a seat became available beside Nina,
Jarred sat down beside her. They went
bowling on their first date and not long after, realized they were in
love. It was arranged for wedding guests
to take seats on that very bus to witness the nuptials. Fittingly, the wedding took place during the
city's “I Love Transit Week” and it was sponsored by the transit company.
Best Sermons are Lived: “Today, my father told me, 'Just go for it
and give it a try! You don't have to be
a professional to build a successful product.
Amateurs started Google and Apple.
Professionals built the Titanic!”
(Courtesy of a collection from Carolyn)
MBK's NewsBits: Recently I viewed a black and white photo
that grabbed my attention...of Jeff, a six-year-old orphan from Austria who
embraced a brand new pair of shoes just given him by the Red Cross. He sits joyfully smiling on a concrete step,
hugging these new shoes. Wearing shorts
and a jacket, his feet display baggy old socks, well-worn running shoes with
barely any soles and broken laces. He is
absolutely ecstatic!!!
From Copenhagen:
“Danes Ready to Lay Claim at UN
to North Pole”
Denmark
says scientific data shows Greenland's continental shelf is connected to a
ridge beneath the Arctic Ocean, giving Danes a
claim to the North Pole and any potential energy resources beneath it. Denmark
will deliver a claim to a United Nations panel in New York
that will eventually decide control of the area, for which Russia and Canada are also coveting.
Notable Dates
February 2
(Monday) ~ Groundhog Day & World Wetlands Day
February 14
(Saturday) ~ Valentine's Day
February 15
(Sunday) ~ Nirvana Day & Canadian Flag Day
February 16
(Monday) ~ Family Day (Ont., Sask.,
Alta)
Louis Riel Day (Manitoba)
Heritage Day (Nova Scotia)
Islander Day (Prince Edward Island)
February 17 (Tuesday) ~
Shrove Tuesday
February 18
(Wednesday) ~ Ash Wednesday
February 19
(Thursday) ~ Chinese New Year
February 20 (Friday)
~ Heritage Day (Yukon)
Words of Wisdom
Nature chose for a
tool...not the earthquake or lightning,
to rend and split asunder...not the stormy
torrent or eroding rain..
but the 'snow
flowers' noiselessly falling
through unnumbered centuries.
(John Muir)
Merle
Baird-Kerr...created January 8, 2015
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