Nancy House at the Experimental Farm

On Sunday I met Nancy and her dogs. We were all at the Experimental Farm enjoying a beautiful morning.   She called me over to a big Butternut tree to show me a cicada that had just molted. 

It was amazing.  She found the hard shell on the ground and picked it up to show me.  Apparently she was walking by the tree when the light green of the wings caught her eye. 

Now, I love meeting new people and Nancy was very interesting.  She is a biologist with the Federal Government (explains why she knew so much about bugs- wait is that a double entendre?).  In fact, she works in the same department I left but in a building of well over 1,000 people it is not a surprise that we never met.  She has the two most endearing shelter dogs.  Sally lives a few blocks from my house.  She said she and her husband bought their house for its future not for what it was at the time.   I love talking houses with the people in my neighbourhood.  She said she hopes to live there until the end of her days. 

Of course, I learned a lot more about her but some conversations are just too long to repeat.  I hope you like seeing what Nance, the biologist showed me.

Justin and His Helicopter at the Experimental Farm

I decided to go back to the Ornamental Gardens to see if there were any peonies left.  I saw a couple of late bloomers but not the glorious array from two weeks ago.  Still, I had my camera and time so I walked around taking photos and talking to people   Of course, I only had my macro lens on the camera so thought I was limited in what I could photograph.  Well, apparently, there are limits but not many (I am really proud of the portrait of Justin and of the helicopter).  

Justin had a remote control helicopter and was learning to fly it in an open area of the Experimental Farm.  Of course I had to stop and talk to him.  What a wonderful young man.  It makes you proud of the next generation.  Here is what I learned about Justin.  

He is an apprentice electrician who comes from Cape Breton.  I did detect his accent and it was pure Cape Breton lilt.  

Justin has one more year to go to get his journeyman’s papers.  

To get work, Justin has worked in the Alberta Oil Sands project.  Work is work and you go where you can find it.  
Justin is in Ottawa with his girlfriend and looking for his next assignment.  He needs to be under a journeyman to continue with his apprenticeship.    

If Justin does electrical work with the same skill that he has flying his helicopter then his is going to be one very lucky catch for some employer.  

Downsize and Declutter: Closets

We never have enough room in our clothes closets.  Now, before moving and finding that the downsized house has even smaller closets, is the time to sort and purge.  Here are  9 things that you should rid your closet of and never worry that you have made the wrong decision:

  1. Never keep wire hangers. They ruin your clothes
  2. Any clothes with stains that cannot come out and cannot be hidden.  You are never going to feel good wearing these.
  3. Toss those fashion mistakes. What were you thinking when you bought flesh coloured (aka pink) leggings?  Do you really wear that check jacket?  How about the blouse that shows three inches of cleavage?
  4. If you never paint or only paint once a year, why are you saving clothes for painting and why are they in your closet?  Put them to the dust bin.  They are the worst of the worst.
  5. Blouses too tight across the bust – let’s face it, breasts get smaller and bigger and sometimes they sag so that no bra will fix it.  Time to buy and wear clothes that fit.  For men, the same applies for shirts.  If the button pops at a meeting (and I have seen this happen) then toss the shirt and buy clothes in your new size.
  6. Any clothing that you bought more than  10 years ago – take a serious look at it and wonder why you are keeping it or why you are still wearing it – even if it is in perfect shape it is likely not in the right colour, cut or size.
  7. Toss any clothes with rips that cannot be decently be fixed.  Who are you kidding?  Invisible mending is not always invisible.
  8. Your fat clothes now that you are thin or thin clothes now that you are no longer a size 2.
  9. If your clothes could be costumes, then they shouldn’t be in your wardrobe.  Do you really think you have vintage clothing worth something?  Shop around and read about vintage clothing.  What you may have is just junk.

When downsizing your wardrobe you need to be cruel to be kind to yourself.

Photo credit:  Wire Hangers

Hoover and I won the Prize at DAWN OF A NEW DAY

I got a phone call Saturday morning telling me that Hoover (my Westie) and I had won a basket of dog goods from a draw at the groomer’s shop.  Having a Westie means that you get to know your dog’s groomer very well.  Chantal Raby has been grooming my dogs for the past several years and she is wonderful. Hoover is so relaxed with her that he falls asleep during the process.  That alone is a high recommendation.  

Chantal owns DAWN OF A NEW DAY. She and the other groomers do amazing work on both cats and dogs. The shop is very large so there is space for dogs to stroll around, drying areas an big wash tubs.  

The last time I took Hoover in for grooming, he was the 5th or 6th Westie for that day.  They all looked smashing after the cut or hand stripping.  Chantal grooms all dogs and cats (??!!??).  What a brave woman to take on cats!

If you are looking for a terrific groomer in Ottawa, I highly recommend Dawn of a New Day.  

Dawn of a New Day
Pet grooming and styling salon

20 Pretoria Avenue (in the Glebe behind Loblaws)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1S 1W7
613-236-4005

Peonies at the Experimental Farm

One of the benefits of living is Ottawa is the location of the Federal Department of Agriculture’s Experimental Farm.  Access if from Carling Avenue or Prince of Wales Drive.  It is like a huge park.  Included on the Farm is the Ornamental Garden.  This week the peonies are going strong.  There are hundreds of peonies and some that I have never seen.  It is worth a trip to the Ornamental Gardens to see the peonies.  Don’t forget your camera!

Organizinger: What can I do about all those keys?

Even the smallest things in our lives can occupy considerable time and effort.  Have you ever lost your keys?  Have you ever found a key in the house and have no idea what it is for?  As you get ready to move, you may come across keys in every room.  Here are some ideas on what to do with keys.

Always put your keys in the same spot in your purse or briefcase and, when you get home, in the same spot in the house.  This will save you months of time over the years that you would normally spend searching for keys.

Tag all the keys in your house.  Sometimes we don’t use a key for a couple of years and then are left wondering what the key opens.  Especially tag the neighbour’s key and the key to your relatives’ homes so that you can find them in a hurry – should you get the emergency calls.

Many key shops sell fancy metals for their keys.  If you have trouble distinguishing keys on your chain, try having them made in leopard print, one in blue and the third one in flowers.  Have some fun.  My dad used to paint the keys with different nail polish from my mom’s collection.  Try anything that helps distinguish one key from another. 

Find a small tin can (from biscuits or candy).  Label the outside of the tin “Keys”.  Here is where you will put all of the keys that you find or own but do not use on a regular basis.  Label every key ring with what the keys do.  If you don’t know, open a small Ziploc bag and toss in the keys with no home.  If, in two years, you have never opened that bag, throw it away.  Those are keys from college, from your third last home and from neighbours that have moved.  You don’t need them!!!!!

Finally, never leave your whole key ring at the auto repair shop or with a parking valet.  Find a key ring where you can remove your car key – or better yet – give them your spare key so that you will be able to keep a car key yourself.   You can trust your mechanic but maybe not the security of company keyboard. 

Photo credit:  Lockless Keys   http://www.flickr.com/photos/plenty/5593143750/