Thursday, August 12, 2010

Skywatch Friday. Punk Birds

These pileated woodpeckers were in our back yard today, pecking away on the wood on the hydro pole.





I missed seeing them though, my man was the one who took these photos of them outlined against the sky.


They are large birds, 18 inches long, and the noise they make hammering into the wood can be heard over a kilometre away.


Aren't they fabulous? I hope they come back again.

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Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Skywatch Friday


The sky over the village on Tuesday


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Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Wordless Wednesday

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Monday, August 2, 2010

Bonfires and campfires

A fine Canadian thing  to do. Just sitting round the campfire chatting with the neighbours.


They had an effigy on the bonfire which was an old scarecrow that the kids had made. It reminded me of the tradition of the British Bonfire Night which is held on November 5th to celebrate the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot. This was an attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London in 1605. One of the conspirators was Guy Fawkes and effigies on bonfires in Britain are called  'Guys'. It used to be that kids would make their guy and then parade down the streets asking for money - 'a penny for the guy'. This doesn't happen very much now, it's seen as begging and children are no longer allowed to buy fireworks. It's also been replaced pretty much by Halloween trick or treating.

 
There are private and organised firework displays with  food, jacket potatoes wrapped in foil and cooked in the fire- they always burn - sausages, apples, beans, ginger cake. It usually a cold and wet November evening but it's fun. Our neighbours liked the sound of it all so we are going to have a Bonfire Night Party in November. I'm looking forward to that.