Remember those days when I used to write about things I was doing? This is going to be like one of those entries, like the olden days!
Last Friday I went to see Brian Dewan presenting filmstrips in a classroom. I know him from him as a bit player in the history of They Might Be Giants, with those Hello CDs, his electric zither, and “shrines” that he built. He always seemed like an interesting guy. Lately it seems like what he’s mostly been doing is creating these filmstrips. Filmstrips in the old *boop* change the slide sense. Each slide is a handpainted picture, and the strips cover topics from the ostensibly educational (“Civic Pride,” “Innovation”) to folk stories ("The Death of the Little Hen") to weirdly poetic fiction masquerading as fact (“When The White Man Came” and one about the sea). Those last two might have been my favorites. As Brian flips through the slides, a soundtrack with narration plays. If you’re familiar with the Dewanatrons, you’ll know how the soundtrack sounded mechanic and funny, like Raymond Scott.
And how about those slides? They were pretty amazing on their own. I wouldn’t be ashamed to hang any of them in my house. They seemed like they were done mostly in watercolors or markers, and there had to be at least a hundred per filmstrip, so I can only imagine the work that went into it. At first it seemed like the dozen or so attendees didn’t know the proper way to react to the filmstrips. Applause? When was the last time anyone ever watched an honest-to-god filmstrip? But after the first one, it seemed like everyone really got into it, sticking around for the whole show, and laughing at the funny bits. To give you an idea of the type of humor throughout, the biggest laugh probably came at the end of the The Death of the Little Hen with the line, “So then they were all dead.”
Brian Dewan Filmstrips – A+ WOULD ENJOY AGAIN
Saturday we went to Woodford State Park near Bennington. Since it’s still early in the season and the gates were closed, Caitlin, myself and Maeby pretty much had the place to ourselves. It was very peaceful. In fact it was so quiet that we let Maeby go off-leash, and she promptly ran up the hill and disappeared into the woods. She does this every time, but it never fails to be scary. She will always turn around, come back and look at you like she’s wondering why you can’t run 40 miles per hour. We leashed her and walked the 2 mile trail around the reservoir. I was surprised at how quiet it was, being so close to Bennington and being such an obvious pick for a sunny Saturday hike.
Woodford State Park – A+ WOULD ENJOY AGAIN
Inspired by an old entry on All Over Albany, I wanted to visit an old cemetery in Bennington. It’s by the classic white church as you drive into town. Robert Frost is buried there, and aside from him, there were some of the oldest, most well-preserved gravestones I’ve seen. Many from the 1700’s, with those bug-eyed winged skulls on them. Also, they had a guy who died on the Titanic, whose grave had new flowers around it because of the anniversary. And there was the odd stone that described how the guy died (by being dragged into a thresher by the foot).
Bennington Cemetery – A+ WOULD ENJOY AGAIN |
|
|
Apr. 10th, 2012 @ 05:37 pm
|
|---|
They might as well change LiveJournal’s motto to “I promise to write more often.”
So, how about those death panels? |
I’ve been reading a lot of frequent flyer blogs recently, and this game came up on New Girl In The Air. Even though this is not a travel blog, it seemed fun enough.
Age you went on your first international trip
I went on a cruise at age 9 with a few ports of call in the Caribbean, so Nassau, Bahamas might have been my first, but I would count my trip to Italy at age 18. Surprisingly, despite Connecticut’s vicinity to Canada, I did not step foot in that country until after college.
Best (foreign) beer you’ve had and where
Okay, I’ve only recently started to appreciate beer, so I could probably count the ones I’ve had in another country on one hand, and I can’t remember what they were anyway. My favorite beer (not foreign!) was an Oyster Stout from Harpoon Island Creek.
Cuisine (favorite)
This is tough, but right now I’m all about Norwegian/Swedish food. I really like how fish-centric it is. Lebanese, Greek, Polish, and Russian are all up there, too.
Destinations, favorite, least favorite, and why
Favorite
Venice, Italy. That place is touristy for a good reason. They dump all of the tourists in San Marco Square to run amok, but once you go off on your own and explore the thousands of canals, side streets and alleys, there is not an inch of that city that is not eye-catching.
Least favorite
I flew to Peoria, Illinois once to visit my wife’s sister. Since Peoria is basically the Albany, New York of the Midwest, this has to be my least favorite. Not to say I didn’t have fun there, but the enjoyment was not really related to being in Peoria.
Event you experienced while traveling that made you say “wow”
Coming off a cruise boat in Jamaica, my dad and I went on an “excursion” up into the rainforest to visit a banana plantation and to the top of some mountain/hill for the view. The “wow” was not a good “wow.” I did feel like I was seeing a genuine part of Jamaica, which was interesting in one way, but that also includes abject poverty. Seeing homes built out of road signs and scrap metal was an eye-opening “wow” moment.
Favorite mode of transportation
Bicycle. Airplanes have the stalest, grossest air. I don’t mind buses. Ferries are actually great, if only they were a viable mode of transportation. But riding a bicycle around with good music on the headphones makes for a memorable experience sometimes. I have no memories of my daily commute in a car. Bicycling more is what made me really not enjoy driving each day.
Greatest feeling while traveling
A feeling of accomplishment in a beautiful environment. Like getting to the top of Mt. Marcy in the Adirondacks or Ha-Ling Peak in Canmore. Or going for a run on a bike path in Groton, Vermont in October with the leaves changing and listening to my autumn playlist. Or riding a bicycle from our campsite to the foggy and violent Marconi Beach at the Cape Cod National Seashore.
Hottest place you’ve traveled to
I’m not big on hot places normally. I stopped in Cozumel, Mexizo on a cruise to tour Mayan ruins and it was absolutely scorching. No shade, no water. That sucked.
Incredible service you’ve experienced and where
Going back to that cruise again, there is a lot of good customer service on cruise ships, but the best was when the captain stopped the ship from leaving port because my dad and I, and another father and son, hadn’t gotten back yet. Basically, we were at a resort, napping by poolside, and I was the only one to realize the time difference and that everyone from our bus group was gone. We hired a taxi back to town, where there were cops on the streets with uzis, then hired a plane to get back to the port. It was an embarrassing adventure. The other father and son arrived probably 30 minutes after us. Looking back, seeing as how our taxi driver knew exactly where to bring us, this probably isn’t totally uncommon, but still… I thought we were going to be stuck in Mexico.
Journey that took the longest
Strangely, probably a bus trip to Toronto. We drove 2 ½ hours to Syracuse, then got on a bus to Toronto, which took 8 hours. The flight to Italy years ago was probably longer, but at least that was overnight and I could (try) to sleep.
Keepsake from your travels
Photos.
Let-down sight, why and where
The First Nations Museum in Banff was a complete letdown. For basically the same price, you can go to the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, which has a superior First Nations exhibit, along with floors full of Albertan history.
Moment where you fell in love with travel
Driving west out of Rocky Mountain National Park and south to Colorado Springs. I remember looking at a map and plotting out our drive and thinking, “Wow, we’re out west, totally free, and can basically drive this rented Chrysler Sebring wherever we want, as long as we end up at the hotel for the night.” Suddenly, the reality of being able to explore anywhere hit me. We ended up driving through the small town of Granby, which looked strangely ripped up, with half the buildings falling down. We found out that one day earlier, Marvin Heemeyer had driven through town in his infamous homemade “Killdozer,” destroying public buildings. Despite being a huge crime scene, traffic was moving through the center of town like normal. You never know what you’ll find when you go off the beaten track.
Nicest hotel you’ve stayed in
This would be a converted convent in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was named, creatively, El Convento. Just a really nice place with a open central courtyard containing tapas restaurant, and abundant incredible free coffee. This answer might change after our trip to the Marriott Ocean Club in Aruba in December.
Obsession – what are you obsessed with taking pictures of while traveling?
Animals? I don’t know.
Passport stamps – how many and where from
Uh, not many.
Quirkiest attraction you’ve visited
As a person who uses an old Roadside America book as a guide for visiting new cities, I’ve been to a number of odd places: Miramont Castle, the site of the Boston Molasses flood, the Christian Science Museum and Mapparium, the abandoned 1964 World’s Fair site, many Ripleys and Guinness museums... The oddest place has probably been Sponge-o-rama in Tarpon Springs, Florida. I was familiar with the museum from reading my RA book in high school. But when I was on vacation with my family near Tampa, I didn’t realize that during a day trip, we would be walking right by this place. So it took me completely by surprise. It was like seeing a famous person. I know that place! Sponge-o-rama, with its horrifying, grimy dioramas of sponge-diving accidents, delivers just as Roadside America promises.
Recommended sight, event or experience
Driving across the Rocky Mountains.
Splurge; something you have no problem forking over money for while traveling
Food and experiences. Anything that I cannot eat or do elsewhere.
Touristy thing you’ve done
My family used to make a yearly trip to Disney World/Universal Studios Florida when I was a kid because we have relatives down there. Those two cruises definitely count. The worst might be eating at a Planet Hollywood in Florida once.
Unforgettable travel memory
This is definitely tough, but probably the strongest vacation memory I have is from a drive through Rocky Mountain National Park. We had already done a few short hikes and pullovers for photo ops when we were driving basically over the continental divide, the highest point on Trail Ridge Road. We had been listening to Slim Cessna’s Auto Club’s Always Say Please And Thank You, and then soundtrack to Kill Bill, Part 2 when Caitlin wanted to get out and take one more photo. Malcolm McLaren’s “About Her,” a mashup of Bessie Smith and The Zombies was playing, and I took a photo of Caitlin taking a photo just as the chorus rose up in the middle of that song. That combined with the majestic scenery really made an impression. Here is the photo and song.
Visas, how many and from where
Zero.
Wine, best glass while traveling and where?
Like the beer question, I haven’t really drank outside the country. But my local favorite is Dr. Konstantin Frank’s Semi-Dry Riesling.
Xcellent view and from where?
Pick a mountain in Banff National Park and climb it.
Years spent traveling?
On my own? Eight years.
Zealous sports fans and where?
Florence, Italy. There was some soccer tournament going on. Not the World Cup, but since Italy was playing, they delayed the fireworks were going to see over the river until the game ended. Seconds after the game ended, the fireworks started up, and Italian soccer fans started streaming out of the bars, waving flags and cheering. I guess they won.
|
What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?
Planned a surprise birthday party.
Got my first credit card ever, just for the frequent flyer mileage.
Ate elk jerky.
Went on a charity dog walk.
Met sled dogs.
Saw a friend perform on-stage with a semi-famous person.
Made loans to people through a peer-to-peer lending service.
Supported a protest movement.
Went inside a deactivated prison.
Celebrated the legalization of gay marriage in New York with two lesbian couples.
Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Last year, I said I wanted to make the exercise room look more like an exercise room, and do something to stop the front porch from collapsing. Neither got done. We didn't do any major improvements to the house this year in anticipating completing them next year to collect the state historic home tax credit.
This year, I want to exercise more. This is not a generic aimless goal where it's impossible to verify if it's done or not. It will be quantifiable. I will exercise for one hour on 200 days next year. Exercise that counts includes going on the treadmill, jogging, bicycling, aerobics, weights, etc. It does not include walking. I will be counting the days with an iPod app.
I'm also making a resolution to read 12 books in 2012. That's one book each month. I will also be tracking this on my iPod also.
Where did you go on vacation?
Went to Cape Cod over Memorial Day weekend with Spaniel and David.
Then visited Spaniel and David the next weekend in Philadelphia. Went to Eastern State Penitentiary.
Visited Waltham and Boston in June.
Camped at Cranberry Lake for a letterboxing gathering in late June.
A week at Kring Point in the middle of July.
Cape Cod again over Labor Day weekend.
And then Canmore, Banff, and Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada the first week of October.
Did you do your patriotic duty on the second Tuesday in November?
Yes. But out of a dozen races, eleven were unopposed Democrats.
Did anyone close to you give birth?
Cousin Philip and Bridget had Anna.
Did anyone close to you die?
No.
What countries did you visit?
Canada. Again.
What sporting events did you go to?
None.
What concerts did you go to?
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings at The Egg in January.
Max Raabe and The Palast Orchester in Peekskill in April.
They Might Be Giants and Jonathan Colton in Great Barrington in September.
The Music Tapes and Olivia Tremor Control in September in Boston.
Andrew Bird at Troy Savings Music Hall in October.
What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
Last year, I wanted a cheaper parking space. Well, I got it. But I also got a different job and was nearly laid off by the governor.
Next year, I want a layoff-proof job. I am not very hopeful that I will have an office in Troy again.
What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why:
September 24 - the day of Caitlin's surprise birthday party. Same day as last year, although it was for a Pavement concert then.
October 1 - The day of our flight to Calgary.
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Pulling off a 16-person surprise party? I don't know.
What was your biggest failure?
Working too hard.
Did you suffer illness or injury?
Colds.
What was the best thing you bought?
Plane tickets to Canmore.
Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The UC Davis pepper spray guy.
Where did most of your money go?
Mortgage payments. Also, spent $1,000 more on groceries this year than last. Here are my top ten expenses:
Mortgage Payments - $10,260
Groceries - $6,869.80
Gas & Electric - $3,685.44
Gas - $2,740.24
Education - $2,509.24
Pets - $2,467.04
Insurance - $1,808.33
Dining - $1,710.79
Auto - $1,348.27
Recreation - $1,481.87
Gifts Given - $1,301.24
What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The trip to Canmore.
What song will always remind you of 2011?
Ariel Pink's "Witchhunt Suite For WWIII." It got all mixed up with the death of Osama Bin Laden, and also the Occupy movement for me.
What was your favorite TV program?
Breaking Bad, The Amazing Race, and Community which I am just starting to watch.
What was the best book you read?
The Unnamed.
Also: Chronic City and Let's Talk About Love
What was your greatest musical discovery?
Ivan Mladek's Banjo Band.
What was your favorite cultural moment of 2011?
Maybe when He Who Shall Not Be Named gets his from that one kid in Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone Part 7 (Part 2).
Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier.
ii. thinner or fatter? I weighed 165 at this time last year. Right now, survey says... 169.
iii. richer or poorer? Richer.
What do you wish you'd done more of?
Exercising.
What do you wish you'd done less of?
Google Reader.
How will you be spending Christmas?
In Fredonia with the in-laws.
Did you fall in love in 2011?
Come on, now.
Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Andrew Cuomo.
What did you want and get?
A Roku.
What was your favorite film of this year?
Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Although if we're talking films from any time period, then The Birds. Animal uprisings, anyone? I fully expect both of these scenarios to play out before the coming global super collapse in December 2012.
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
On my birthday proper, I do not remember. I do remember going to a Connecticut Whale game as a surprise from Caitlin and seeing my old friend Jeff there.
What kept you sane?
Caitlin.
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Wild Flag Carrie Brownstein, just ahead of Portlandia Carrie Brownstein.
What political issue stirred you the most?
Occupy Wall Street/Albany.
Who was the best new person you met?
Your mom.
Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"I'm known to eat a sandwich" - Das Racist, "All Tan Everything"
Meal/restaurant of the year?
Best meal of the year was a fancy steak dinner in Calgary at an old-world restaurant called Caesar's.
Best podcast
The Pod F. Tompkast
Superego
Mike and Tom Eat Snacks
WTF with Marc Maron
Best radio show/podcast
The Best Show on WFMU
This Is That
|
| » Apologia |
|---|
I meant to post my yearly 40 Things About 2011 recently, but my computer monitor died. It had been taking longer and longer to warm up each time I switched it on, so I had been looking up good replacements on Amazon. Then a few days ago, it started flickering and the left side of the screen got dim. So I decided to go ahead and order the new monitor. The screen then started flickering badly, and less than five seconds after I completed the order on Amazon (LITERALLY!) the screen went black. Like it was holding on for dear life until I could order its replacement.
So needless to say, I have been without a computer screen at home for a few days, which is why the 40 Things entry is not up. That is to say, I have been without a computer screen, not counting the iPod Touch, Nook, laptop, and television screen that doubles as a second monitor for the desktop. You really don’t know how tough it is until you have to live with four LCD screens in the house. But now the new screen has arrived, and 40 Things will post shortly.
Jan. 5th, 2012 @ 06:39 pm
|
| » Julie, I don't know you |
|---|
Forgot to pay you for Rick's predent. Next time I see ya....
I can't stop laughing whenever I think about your Eva Longoria comment!
Dec. 30th, 2011 @ 05:19 pm
|
| » Lending Club update |
|---|
Just thought it was fair to update you on my Lending Club progress, since I did write about it months ago when I first started my account. Right now I’ve got 50 loans outstanding, each for $25, and I’m making 11.73% on average. So yeah, that’s pretty sweet. I like to check in almost every day because I get those little micro-payments all the time from the lendees, and once they add up to $25, I make a new loan. It’s actually pretty fun, like a game, choosing out who to make a loan to. Plus since it’s making over 11%, it’s doing better than any other investment these days. So win/win.
Nov. 11th, 2011 @ 06:43 pm
|
| » WordHate: “sump pump” |
|---|
Pretty much up until I owned a house, I thought the word was "sub-pump," because it was in the basement, subterranean. I even thought it was probably an abbreviation of a longer name. So when I found people were actually saying "sump pump" and not "sub-pump," I was completely grossed out. Sump?? What is that?? It’s not a word! It can’t be. There are few words that are as vile to pronounce as "sump pump." It sounds like your mouth is taking a crap.
Oct. 31st, 2011 @ 05:39 pm
|
| » new tv shows |
|---|
Just got an email sent directly to me. By accident as usual.
----------------------------------
From Julie****** @ gmail.com
new tv shows
AMC's new one starts nov 6. . "Hell on Wheels" - a contemporary western about post-Civil War America that focuses on a Confederate soldier who sets out to exact revenge on the Union soldiers who have killed his wife. Also about the building of the transcontinental railroad. The star is nice eye candy.
Also, Boss has started on starz. the one where Kelsey Grammer plays chicago's mayor.
-----------------------------------
Ah right, the one where Kelsey Grammer plays Chicago's mayor. I am going to check out Hell On Wheels, though. Thanks, Julie!
Oct. 30th, 2011 @ 07:32 pm
|
| » Canmore, October 5 |
|---|
Have I mentioned Canadians, or at least Canadian radio, still love the Barenaked Ladies? This is my first prolonged exposure to Canadian radio stations, and I've heard the BNL four separate times already. Also, there seems to be one station that only plays Canadian artists.
Now that that's out of the way.. Woke up this morning and got my daily fill of Mantracker. Mantracker won. Sent my postcards at the post office, then headed off to Banff. The plan today was to do indoor stuff, but since tomorrow is supposed to be the rainiest day, we're saving the museums until then. The first stop today was the Cascade Gardens. Would've been better had anything been growing. Everything was dug up in preparation of bulb planting. Still the old stone buildings and knobby wood bridges are neat.
Walked down the street to the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel, one of the classic mountain retreats. Reminded me of the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY, although I've never come close to visiting it because you need an expensive day pass or pay for a prohibitively expensive night at the hotel. The lobby was nice. We looked around the first floor mall which included every tasteless store you'll see in casino malls. Money can buy a lot of things, and one thing it definitely can buy is bad taste.
Decided to do a few short trails up in Kootenay National Park, which, unknown to me, is located in British Columbia, meaning I can check that province off my list of places visited. On the way there, we finally spotted an elk on the Bow Valley Parkway. A few cars stopped to look. It walked right by our car, just like no big deal. It didn't have any antlers. It's amazing how quickly you can turn into an annoying animal tourist, shouting at an elk "Hey elk! Look over here!" as if he's going to listen. Anyway, we got a couple good photos.
We did the Marble Canyon trail , which is short and sweet. The canyon is very narrow, but extremely deep. So deep you can't see the river in some parts. You eventually come to the waterfall and the gentle meadow stream that generates it. Impressive.
We then planned on driving to the Paint Pots trail nearby. The Paint Pots are yellow, orange, and red ochre beds used by Native Americans in body painting. The bridge over Vermillion River was closed though, so we had to hike in from Marble Canyon, 40 minutes both ways. It was a pretty trail. Caitlin thought she saw a bear lying down on the trail, but it turned out to be a convincingly bear head-shaped tree stump. The ochre beds were interesting, and I can see how tempting it would be to start painting yourself with it. It got it on my fingers and it did not come off for some time.
By then it started raining and we headed back to the car. It was only at the very end that we found out there was a very real threat of a bear attack in the area. They posted by the restroom door that multiple grizzly bears had been spotted in the area. Thanks for alerting us with that little sign near the bathroom, Kootenay. On the way back down Bow Valley Parkway though, we had another pleasant wildlife experience, another elk spotting, this time one with antlers.
Came home and made supper, did laundry, and watched more Canadian comedy shows. Can I just mention that the horror of This Hour Has 22 Minutes might be outdone by Just For Laughs: Gags? Just For Laughs, yes brought to you by the same people who produce the huge comedy festival of the same name in Montreal, is a silent hidden-camera gag show. I was able to guess pretty quickly that it was a Quebecoise production meant for worldwide distribution, owing to its queer European sense of humor and lack of spoken language.
It was just the most bizarre hidden-camera show, with premises I could only describe as Stupid with a capital S. In one, a man in a gorilla suit gets loose in a zoo just as unsuspecting passersby are admiring him. I say "man in a gorilla suit" because there is no way anyone would believe what they were looking at was a real gorilla at the zoo. Some people were obviously acting. "Oh no, honey! The gorilla is loose!" But others might have sadly honestly believed what they were seeing.
Then there was the blind guy eating spaghetti at the mall. Off of a normal diner plate. He asks an unsuspecting passerby where the garbage is so he can scrape the spaghetti off his plate into the trash, the passerby directs him, but then a janitor pushes away the trash can before the blind guy gets there, revealing a baby carriage behind the trash can, and the blind guy subsequently scrapes the spaghetti into the baby carriage. Suspend your disbelief for a moment. If you've bought the face that you can order spaghetti at the mall, you might also believe your food will come on a dinner plate, and that a blind person might mistake a baby carriage for a garbage can. A perusal of the Just For Laughs: Gags Wikipedia page lets you in on one of their other pranks, where a passerby notices a rustling in the bushes at the park and an alien pops out, and also this frightening fact: There are 2,000+ episodes.
Oh, and it's your lucky day. Just For Laughs: Gags has a YouTube page. My favorite part might be when they wordlessly explain the concept of the prank in about 3 seconds. Or the mischievous smiles of the people working behind-the-scenes, like Mr. Remote Control Car at 0:50 here. A lot of these are strangely mean-spirited. Although I have to admit, I like some of these surreal pranks, like Horrible Car Crash. So sue me.
EDIT
Ah, the prank that started it all. Spaghetti In Stroller Prank.
Oct. 6th, 2011 @ 02:11 am
|
| » Canmore, October 4 |
|---|
Woke up this morning and had some of my very expensive Honey Nut Cheerios and bacon while watching Mantracker. They are in Season 6 now, which I haven't been able to bit-torrent, so it was new to me. A very good episode that actually had me cheering for one of the prey to escape the clutches of Mantracker.
Got started around noon again and decided to stick around Canmore today. Went to the Grassi Lakes trail which is in the same direction as Ha Ling Peak. It's a pretty simple 300 meter climb up an old mining road. Along the way you can see what's left of a few cabins. Coal mining did not end in Canmore until 1979, at which point the town was handed over to the gods of tourism.
The hike up to the Grassi Lakes provides, can you guess, more incredibly picturesque views of the surrounding mountains. Once you finally reach the Grassi Lakes (the guide said 40 minutes, but we did it in 25), it's something of a natural wonderland. The two ponds are the same deep glacial azure color as the other lakes around here. One pond flows into another, which flows into another, which then flows out over a waterfall. By this time, there are high rock walls on both sides of the ponds, and there were a few groups of climbers attempting to scale the walls, and not getting very far.
If you go further up past the ponds, you get to see some incredibly faded Native American petroglyphs on a boulder. They're about 1,000 years old. Yeah apparently all the good cave artists lived in France. This "Stick Figure With Ball" stuff did not do it for me. The good part about hiking up that far, was that I could hear the pika call again. I didn't see them, but it's hard to mistake that shrill "EHHH!" echoing off the rocks.
The only trees that change color in the fall here are the aspens. Everything else is evergreen. So right now everything is green and bright yellows. I'm a big fan of the Gang of Seven painters, a group of Canadian artists you can think of as the Hudson Valley School of Canada. They basically tried to landscape paint the whole country. I've noticed before that they included a lot of green/yellow paintings, and now I can see why.
We went to the Canmore history and geoscience museum after the hike. It's located in the sparkling new town government building. It was nothing to write home about. Really. Then it was time for our second trip to the Old Tyme Candy Shoppe. Came back to the hotel for a rest and some candy, then it was time for a tour around more trails and neighborhoods around Canmore.
There is so much new construction around here, and so much of it is good. The new developments do not look cookie-cutter, each house is different from the next, and though the houses are not cabins by any means, they definitely reflect a western Canadian architectural vernacular that's hard to resist. It also helps that everyone around here is probably rich. It also has that incredibly active Boulder, Colorado population thing going on. There are countless hiking and biking trails, and I've seen every mode of transportation from skateboards to unicycles to those weird summer ski-skates.
We ended up going back into town specifically to search for the (in)famous Canmore bunnies. Sometime in the 80's, someone let loose their pet rabbits they didn't want into town. Rabbits are as rabbits do, so as of right now, the population of rabbits in town is estimated to be 2,000. At 6:30 PM, they weren't hard to find. Over the course of a few blocks, we spotted two dozen bunnies, most eating up people's lawns. There are rabbit holes dug all over the place, and many people have chicken wire attached to their normal fences just to keep the rabbits out of their yards. Any other pests would be exterminated by now, but since bunnies are so cute, people mostly tolerate them.
Just this week, though, the issue has come up again. "What do we do about the rabbits?" They draw predators like coyotes into town, and obviously do damage to gardens and lawns. The town just wants to be rid of them by any means possible. But a woman named Susan Vickery from Vancouver Island runs a rabbit refuge and will take the rabbits to the refuge and neuter them for a price. Good luck, bunnies! I hope they don't kill you!
Night.
Oct. 5th, 2011 @ 01:07 am
|
|
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92.1){kind=small}
vinylboy20's journal
