Winter Fancy
(composed by Kate-Lynn
Reavley, a Grade 9 student at Delta
Secondary School)
Today is the
day...I can feel it so sound;
It's like happy
little birds prancing on the ground
covered in
ice...like a thin sheet of plastic.
The day is
divine. No need to be drastic!
The trees are
bare, stripped of their leaves.
The air has been
chilled, as the town's people breathe.
The snow has been
falling for days upon days.
It's harder to see
from winter's white glaze;
But no matter the
weather, the day is still sound.
Those birds are
still prancing
On the cold
winter's ground.
Winter Fire Safety: (from Hamilton's Fire
Department)
Burn dry, well-seasoned wood in
fireplaces and wood stoves to reduce risks of excessive creosote. Allow ashes from your wood stove
or fireplace to cool before emptying into a metal container with a tight
fitting lid. Keep the container outside.
Don't warm up a car
or a snow blower by letting the engine run
in an attached
garage, due to carbon monoxide levels .
Only use portable generators
outdoors and place it where fumes will not enter the building. Keep space heaters at least one
metre away from anything that can burn. Replace worn or damaged
electrical wires and connections on vehicles and extension cords...and use the
proper gauge extension cord for vehicle block heaters.
Health is Wealth: (Nuts in moderation) Even though nutrition experts say, “It's a
good idea to eat nuts to keep your heart healthy,” only 1 in 4 adults eat nuts
on any given day...and more women than men consume nuts. Packed with nutrients high in protein, their
consumption shows reduced incidences of heart disease in both men and women.
About a handful of nuts is the daily amount (between 240 & 280 calories)
depending on the type of nut.
Milking the Cow to Testing
the Milk: Yes, I was raised on a
farm ~ and milked Jersey, a few Guernsey and Holstein cows twice daily. The milkings were placed (in large milk cans)
at the roadside and taken to a dairy to be pasteurized. TODAY, Milk Truck Drivers, who are licensed
specialists, take a sample of the milk on each farm they visit. The milk
samples are then sent to the University
of Guelph laboratory where they undergo several 'quality
assurance tests'.
From a rural public school autograph book:
They wandered down
the lonely lane…
No love was on
their brow
For he was the
farmer’s hired man
And she was the
Jersey cow.
Nature's Riches: Mother Nature was having a good day when she
came up with the frog design! What a
plan for a species ~ starts as an egg ~ lives like a fish for a while ~ then
crawls onto land to spend the rest of its life jumping like a kangaroo. If that
wasn't good enough, the creature was outfitted with a lightning-fast-tongue
that lets it grab insects out of the air without moving the rest of its
body. And then, there is the 'ribbit'
thing. No identity crisis with this
amphibian.
Coyotes in Distress: They are just trying to survive! Residential areas are becoming inundated with
coyotes. They are not the 'Big Bad
Wolf'! They have the same right to share
this earth as we do. According to Tina Dior, a letter writer to the Spectator,
“It is human greed and destruction that pushed coyotes out of their space...and
brings them closer to us. Surviving in a
changing world is making it hard for all animals and humans alike. Don't put
negative spins on animals!”
Bizarre Amazing Fact: (True)
In 1140 when Wiebertreu
Castle was defeated by
King Konrad III, the women of the castle were granted 'free departure'
and allowed to take what they could carry.
Thinking quickly, the women carried the men on their backs. The King kept his word...and let the men
live!
Best Sermons are Lived: Today, in the cutest voice, my 8-year old
daughter asked me to start recycling. I
chuckled and asked, “Why?” She replied,
“So you can help me save the planet.” I
chuckled again and asked, “And why do you want to save the planet?” She said, “Because that's where I keep all my
stuff!” (Courtesy of a collection from
Carolyn).
Medical Advice: Dr. Oz had a show on 'the fastest growing
cancer in women...thyroid cancer!' The
increase could possibly be related to the use of dental X-rays and
mammograms. He demonstrated that on the
apron the dentist puts on you for your dental X-rays, there is a small flap
that can be lifted up and wrapped around your neck. Many dentists don't bother to use it. Also, there is something called a 'thyroid
guard' for use during mammograms. A
patient states that she felt a little silly, yet asked about 'the guard'
...and sure enough, the technician had one in a drawer. She asked why it wasn't
routinely used. Answer? “I don't know. You have to ask for it.”
We need to pass the
foregoing on to our family females and friends!
MBK's NewsBits: “First Mustangs for China are on the way,”
Ford says its first shipment of around 100 Mustangs has left Portland, Oregon
and is headed to China. Shipments to
Europe will begin later this year. The
2015 Mustang, which is made in Michigan, will be available in more than 100
markets.
“Good Samaritans”: A
resident of the YWCA named Jojo took extra scarves donated to the Y and wrapped
them around a tree in Hamilton’s Gore Park with a sign offering them to people
in need.
At LaSalle Park in Burlington,
Barbara Canney distributes dried corn and peas to the trumpeter swans, ducks
and geese. With the weather so cold, the
water near the boat ramp (where they feed) is frozen. “Friends
of the Trumpeter Swans” keep about 140 swans fed throughout the year.
Notable Dates
March 8 (Sunday) ~
Daylight Saving Time Begins (except Sask.)
March 9 (Monday) ~ International Women’s Day
March 16
(Monday) ~ International Brain Awareness Day
March 17 (Tuesday) ~ St. Patrick’s Day
March 18 (Wednesday) ~ Ash Wednesday
March 20
(Friday) ~ First Day of Spring
March 29
(Sunday) ~ Palm Sunday
Irish Mothers Chat: Kate
and Lorna, two Irish mothers were talking about their sons. Kate says, “My son,
Patrick is such a saint. He works hard,
doesn’t smoke, hasn’t looked at a woman in over 2 years.” Laura responds, “Well,
my Francis is also a saint! Not only hasn’t he looked at a woman in over 3
years, he hasn’t touched liquor in all that time! I’m going to throw him a big
party when he’s paroled!”
Merle
Baird-Kerr…compiled February 17, 2015
To comment…email inezkate@gmail.com or mbairdkerr@cogeco.ca
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