Yellowstone Park

September 10th, 2010..... Pretty Heh?

That's about 6000' elevation ...

They shut down the East Gate to the park in the morning because of 2" or less of snow on the high passes.

I was in a lineup of cars from Utah.. Colorado...Wyoming... Alberta...Minnisota... BC and Quebec.... places where we get snow and ice driving 6 months a year!

On the other hand there were folks from Florida and Georgia and Louisiana....


Consensus in the line was .... let the Canadians go and the Americans would be happy to follow.

Mrs. OMMAG was reluctant to have me demonstrate donuts in the pull off areas where the plows had pushed the slush.....

Cheers!

OMMAG

Friday .... Summer .... Winnipeg

Bad News from the Camp

Darcey ...... of Dust My Broom legend .... stuck down.... but not a finishing blow.

Get up Darcey .... Dust yourself off and get strong again!

All the best my friend.



OMMAG

Back Country Sports

Whenever someone goes out in the wilderness and gets themselves injured or dead there is always some body who starts whining about regulation.

For the record:

There is no need to regulate people who wish to experience adventure and raw nature.

It does not matter whether you go there by foot, by ski, by dog team or by machine. It does not matter whether you go in a large group, a small group or alone.

If you go into the wild you go at your own peril.
Of course the BC government Likes the idea of meddling!


Suck it up cupcake!

OMMAG

Hoar Frost

Sunday Morning .... after coffee.... the whole neighbourhood .....

OMMAG

Wednesday .... It Must be Weather

Experts Science and The MSM

The Amazon recovering rain forrest?

In an article from Der Spiegel on line:

Felipe Garcia's shack backs up against a wall of forest. "My neighbors abandoned their farm seven years ago," says Garcia, a farmer. "Now the jungle has taken over their property once again." He strokes his round belly, and says: "And if I don't till my field, it'll look the same way in a few years."


Gee! Do you mean to tell us that those anonymous experts so often refered to by the media ... back in the day when rainforest deforestation was so tres chic a topic for discussion ... were full of crap when they proclaimed that the jungle would be irrecoverable?

All of those British rock stars and the world's fashionistas wrong?

David Suzuki out to lunch?

How could that be?

I am sure that I heard one expert or another quoted dozens of times asserting that the land was to be barren forever.

Perhaps an unasked question is just why these farmers are abandoning their land..... Like perhaps without the goverment subsidies the farms are largly unprofitable. And perhaps with the land reforms some of those beneficiaries really were not that keen on all the hard work involved. The socialists of Brazil must be very annoyed that their plans are not working out so well.

Not to worry though the MSM will have plenty of other experts to explain why.

Hattip to Georges at !NoPasaran! for pointing to this.

OMMAG

No Trees On The Prairie

I was struck by the lack of trees when I first drove across the prairies about 40 years ago.

So why don't the trees grow here?

Wind.................

Those are round hay bails that we always make fun of cause they look like giant Muffets.
They weigh over 1/2 a ton (or tonne if you're metrically inclined) and the report from the locals is that they blew as much as 5 miles in the wind. Happened last year but I never saw pictures like this before.


A Hat Tip to SDA and Larry Webber who posted this along with some other photos.

OMMAG

Our Friend's Back Yard

Right here in Winnipeg.

One of the "Holy Smokes!!!" Moments........

Every Year ...

For the past 20 or so ... my Iris blooms.
Most years before May!

All those years the MSMers have been crying that it's unseasonal warm temperatures...

All those years it was hoped by some that this was a sign of the apocalypse.

All those years it was because I drove a full sized truck and an SUV or used too much electricity or some reason calculated to instill guilt.


All those years it was somehow ... someone's FAULT .... Even though My Parent's Iris's bloomed before MAY more often than not.

So in 2009 ... after all this tongue clucking and finger wagging ... June 19th is the day the Iris Bloomed.

Can I BLAME someone?

OMMAG

When Winnipeg Gets Warm

It's Global Warming ..... Right?

Today after the worst spring weather in memory after one of the worst winters in memory...
Winnipeg got into the mid 20s, 25 c (77 f) ... after the weather we have had so far this year ... it felt like 90 .... sheesh!!

Winnipeg, MB

Today's Conditions Observed on: June 14 2009 at 07:48 PM CDT, Winnipeg

Current Clear High: 24 °C Low: 11 °C POP: 0 % Evening Clear Low: 11 °C POP: 0 % Pressure: 101.3 KPa Visibility: 24 Km Humidity: 34 % Wind: 15 Km/h SE UV: Very High Sunrise: 05:19 CDT Sunset: 21:38 CDT

Long Term Forecast

Monday Sunny High: 27 °C Low: 11 °C POP: 0 % Tuesday Showers High: 23 °C Low: 17 °C POP: 60 % Wednesday Sunny High: 25 °C Low: 14 °C POP: 0 % Thursday Sunny High: 25 °C

OMMAG

A Brief Sojourn To Attend to the Realities of Personal Life

A few days spent in the old stomping grounds a chance to see some old friends and the time needed to attend the bedside of stricken loved one.

Life can be harsh. Even when you can see that train coming from the far distance you might be tempted (and we often are) to dally on the tracks and just ignore it's existence.

Those trains that carry your fate with them may be sitting on a siding for some time before they move. And then, they do move and they pick up momentum.

You're still standing around catching a whiff of the flora or gazing into the near pools or taking in the sounds of the world or maybe just basking in the warm sunshine dreaming the little dreams of joy and life, when the next thing you know, that train just sent you into the next world.

Maybe you come back, maybe you don't.

One thing for sure .... you're life will never be the same... as it was before you were kissed by the train.

I'll say a few more prayers for your recovery brother. I'll be praying that you spit in the reaper's eye and laugh. And that I'll have the chance do it with you.

For what it's worth ... this is the time we regret allowing so much time to pass without enough sharing. A few more laughs and maybe a few tears wouldn't have hurt us.

So if our fates allow it... here's hoping we get a few more chances to do so.

OMMAG

Sunday Sunshine - Winter Sun and Shadow

Today in the prairies global warming climate change struck hard, forcing temperatures to rise from the -30c range to a mere -3c. Residents of the region were shocked by the 1000% increase in ambient temperatures.

As temperatures soared to nearly the melting point. Some dared to venture outside!

Outside to witness disappearing snow and ice in this never before experienced extreme weather. They were seen desperately attempting capture what may have been their last opportunity to take in the beauty of the frozen landscape.

Some were forced to abandon their protective winter parkas and thick boots in the hellish heat. Hats and mitts were removed or even left inside as residents panicked.

City streets were clogged with people walking and exercising their pets. Parks were full of skaters, cross country skiers and children anxiously struggling to experience what may well be the last ever slide or glide. Confused children were seen grappling with suddenly exposed playground equipment.

Nature was in turmoil as squirrels were forced to awaken from winter nests and seek relief from the heat. Many species of birds were flitting about in confusion over the disruption of the natural cycles.

I was not able to personally locate any experts to explain this but I was witness to all these terrible and unsettily things.




OMMAG

First Day of Winter

Well, here we are at the Winter Solstice ... the shortest day of the year and the arbitrary first official day of winter.

Even though in the prairies winter effectively began in November this year and in other years it's been October, the problem I'm having is that this winter is a full on pain in the ass.

First it was wet snow that ended up freezing on the streets. Then it was cold and wind followed by more snow and more cold and wind.

Today's Conditions Observed on: December 21 2008 at 07:30 PM CST, Winnipeg

Current Clear High: -24 °C Low: -31 °C POP: 10 % Evening Clear Low: -31 °C POP: 0 % Pressure: 103.1 KPa Visibility: 24 Km Humidity: 63 % Wind: 17 Km/h W Wind Chill: -37 C UV: Low Sunrise: 08:25 CST Sunset: 16:30 CST

WIND CHILL WARNING A WIND CHILL WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE CITY OF WINNIPEG. VISIT WWW.WEATHEROFFICE.GC.CA FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

Long Term Forecast

Monday Sunny High: -24 °C Low: -31 °C POP: 0 % Tuesday Sunny High: -22 °C Low: -27 °C POP: 0 % Wednesday Sunny High: -21 °C Low: -29 °C POP: 0 % Thursday Sunny High: -16 °C Low: -24 °C POP: 0 %

I for one could care less if it was 2 degrees warmer around the world.

Merry Christmas!

And don't forget to plug in your block heaters and warm up you SUVs for at least 20 minutes every time you go out.

Turn on all your lights and leave them on because if Mankind can make it warmer then that is exactly what we should be doing.

OMMAG

The 50's .... Going Going ...

This past week saw the passing of another icon of the 20th century.

Bettie Page the template for pin-up models and pin up art to this day left our world at the ripe old age of 85 years.

By Bettie ....

Iris Alert !

More than a month later than last year ......














If you want to read something use the links on my Blogroll .... they're all good reads!
Now I'm going outside...............................


OMMAG

Sure Let It Snow !

Environment Canada went from predicting highs for Friday Sat. Sun . of 17 , 21, 25 as of last Thusday ... To Fridays actual 9high low -5 ... still holding out hope for Sat. of 17 and Sunday 20


Well to make a long story short .... Saturday reached 9 and froze AGAIN overnight.... And here we are SUNDAY .... at Noon ... Its -2 and SNOWING !!!

Survival Basics!

It never ceases to amaze me that people like this act surprised when nature does what is only natural ... And Tries To Kill Them

"ALERT, Nunavut - The British adventurer stymied in her quest to become the first woman to ski solo to the North Pole has left the world's most northerly outpost with a smile, no regrets and a promise to try again next year."

""..."I'll be back, I'll be back," Hannah McKeand said Wednesday as she prepared to leave the Arctic military installation at Alert on the northern tip of Ellesmere Island and fly to the hamlet of Resolute further south. ""

Snow was deeper than expected by the "experienced" adventurer? Fell through crust on the top of an ice ridge? Got Hurt? Had a "Good Cry"? Rescued by Canadian Military?

Not that it bothers me that this twit takes pride in her public efforts to kill herself ... I call it suicide by nature .... it's probably better for all of us that you spend your time doing this than ... oh let's say breeding.

Just so long as we get reimbursed for the time and cost of using our resources to bail your stupid ass out!!

OMMAG

Inherit Happiness?

Well I can think of ONE way .....
But apparently some researchers have found others :

British and Australian researchers...

"We found that around half the differences in happiness were genetic," said Tim Bates, a researcher at the University of Edinburgh who led the study. "It is really quite surprising."

Ok I guess this makes sense .... But I can't help wondering whether the Good Genes just provide the raw material for successful living!

Success = Happiness !

OMMAG

Thanks Giving !

Some things we are grateful for!




Regardless of where we live or what we do there is a very good reason to take an occasional pause from our routines to think about the things that we have to be grateful for.
So, whether or not we subscribe to a particular faith or ideology.... take part in religious or social customs of a nation or people or just happen to have some tradition of your own family ... it's good to give yourself time for pause and reflection.. even celebration of what is good in life.

I've always liked the Thanksgiving tradition.

The sharing of company and food is a great thing and in our family we wanted to make something different and something in the way of our own unique celebration of things we love and wish to share.
So, since 2000 we have made day of outdoors activity and a non-traditional picnic and campfire with some friends who share a love of the outdoors as we do.
We make this event our official marking of the change of seasons ... a farewell to the fair weather and the acceptance of the approach of our winter. A traditional feast in the non-traditional setting.

OMMAG