Symbols
are marks of character...emblems of significance...
representative
of something...can be a numeral or alphabet letter.
We use 'symbols' in everyday life ~ consider these: the forefinger
and middle finger, when outstretched represent the letter V;
occasionally a driver using the middle finger, signals an obsene
message to another in rudeness; even pointing a finger at something,
suggests another pereson view it; and I recall this gesture of a
waving forefinger by a parent as instruction to heed a desirable
behaviour.
My vehicle licence plate represents 3 things: the RI is Rotary
International, an organization in which I was a member for many
years...the 01 and 07 are odd numbers which I prefer.
For
several years, working in the real estate industry, I wore hats...and
it wasn't long before being recognized as
The Hat Lady. To
a male realtor in Mississauga, the symbol of his business was driving
a Pink Cadillac. And
in recent news, Pantone
selected Purple as the 2018 Colour of the Year. Pantone
described this hue as a dramatically provocative and thoughful
'purple shade' that communicates originality,
insenuity and visionary thinking to point us to the future.
Historically,
there has been a mystical or spiritual quality attached to
ultra-violet
~ associated with mindful practices...which
offers a higher ground to those seeking refuge from today's
over-stimulated world.
This
purple shade inspires the desire to pursue a world beyond our own.
(And if that isn't sufficient positive direction, 'Purple' inspires
Benevolence...Enlightentment...and Psychic Powers!)
The
Burlington Teen Tour Band
was
recently colour featured on a full page of The Hamilton Spectator.
Why? Impressive it was!!! Dressed in their gold-trimmed red
uniforms and black-topped hats: two members carrying a banner:
Burlington
Teen Tour Band...Celebrating 70 Years. Behind
them was a Drum Corp (?) or is it the Colour Guard (?) with a dozen
teens carrying numerous flags waving in the breeze...as they welcomed
in the huge musical contingent behind them...all marching to the
music played! They stole the street scene with full seated bleachers
along the curbed street.
And
these are Our
Burlington Teens
who upon previous invitation(s)
have marched in this parade, I believe, photographed in Pasadina,
California.
Alerting
you to the foregoing is for 2 reasons as disclosed on the recent Spec
page: Less
than 4 months to go before California's Rose Parade on New Year's
Day, the 220 Burlington Teen Tour Band members, including 60
newcomers, have to be uniformed and brought up to speed...learn to
march... learn the fiield show...memorize 20 pieces of music...and
get conditioned for walking the 9-kilometre parade route! For
them, the Rose Parade represents the Olympics of the band world!
Only 4 international marching bands are invited to attend the parade
each year.
And our teens wear their red band jackets with pride!
Life-long
friendships are made and a 'band
geek'
knows how special it really is to be part of something so big! Be
sure to watch the televised Rose Parade on New Year's Day, January 1,
2019...as I recall at 10 or 11 a.m. which in Burlington I watch on
Channel 2.
The
alternate reason for this dramatic photo of the Teen Tour Band
marching en-masse, is that Friday, October 19...on CBC's new series
CBC Docs
POV (point
of view)
premieres this week with Band
Geeks included
in the program. Film-maker, Morgan Elliot has been making
documentaries for 25 years, shooting in 48 countries. She directed,
wrote and produced this documentary ~ being a 'home-coming' for her
~ as she was a member of the band, herself, 4 decades ago.
Burlington proudly recognizes its Teen Tour Band...
as for a long time, a 'Symbol” of its city...
also world-wide in United States and European cities....winning
several events.
Also on this colourful page are: Band Geeks who contributed to the
documentary...Dylan Ngo, 14 with cymbols in hands at the Rose Parade
previously in California...and the back of the red jacket reading:
BURLINGTON...Teen Tour Band...Ontario, Canada (and several
circular motifs below).
If the foregoing does not instill pride with joyful tears ~ I'll be
amazed!
Roam,
Chew, Charm, Repeat!
A beautiful colour photo of Aurora captured my attention!
She's pleasantly happy and peaceful, nibbling on her choice food.
Aurora, a friendly Cashmere Goat owned by Wayne Terryberry
at work in McMaster Forest ~ a 115-acre site used for the
university's conservation research
made
the front page of The Hamilton Spectator's recent issue.
Kathy Renwald writes: Cashmere Goats at 'McMaster Forest'
might be the most hard-working and friendly 'weed killers' you'll
ever meet!
“The
doors open and Mona,
May, Ella, Aurora and Hildy hop
out of a van
and into their field of dreams. In the tall grass, the cashmere
goats find their food. They will gnaw on shrubby buckthorn, trefoil,
phragmites and knotweed. These invasive species are thugs of
conservation lands, parks and gardens, turning rich habitats into
ones dominated now by single species. The goats need very little
help doing their job. The congenial little cashmere goats are gentle,
friendly and love the company of humans. “When they're not weeding,
they just look adorable and bulk up their cashmere coats for
shearing,” stated Wayne Terryberry, co-ordinator, outdoor
recreation and natural lands at his site.“Theyre a winter-hardy
breed and really adapt to this environment.”
The five working in the McMaster Forest
are
part of Terryberry's own herd of 30 that he keeps on his farm in
Carluke.
“Goats
are browsers, not grazers,” Wayne Terryberry is telling a group of
McMaster University students, standing in what used to be a potato
field. “They prefer to eat shrubs and new shoots of trees. The
grazers (cows and deer) like grass and low-growing plants.”
The McMaster Forest is a hidden gem.
Next to the open field, a trail runs around the perimeter,
passing through about 25,000 trees being inventoried by students.
“The
ash trees dominate among butternut and eastern dogwood and
old-growth-sized maples, oaks and hemlocks,” says Noah Stegman,
environmental science student at McMaster and co-ordinator of the
conservation corridor. After McMaster bought the farm ~ and it was
no longer worked, the invasive trees and shrubs moved in! It took
about a year to cut down 10 acres of the nuisance buckthorn trees
that formed a dense thicket...and when the trees were cleared, the
goats were on duty in the field... eating new buckthorn seedlings
that threatened to repeat their aggressive take-over of the land.
A
herd of goats can clear an acre in a week!
Now, in addition to their browsing duties, the goats are teaching
students
about sustainable ways to restore habitat diversity.
Many animals aid mankind in various ways...and how much credit do we
really give them?
Author: Merle Baird-Kerr...written October 17, 2018
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