So far, so great...

  Looks like the adoptee's are livin' the good life!

 If you missed this story, you can read about it here.
...here
...and  here

Song for Friday...for the campers...

This weekend is a long weekend for some...

Here it's Victoria Day...parades, people heading out with trailers and tents...

...bbq's, cider on the porch...

The official start to summer.

And it's a glorious day!

Here's an old Bruce Cockburn song done by a pretty little lady from Newfoundland...

Have a great weekend all!

 

Bees...

Bee keeper Bob and his helper were out the other day trying to

take advantage of a non-rainy day.

The grass had gotten really high around the hives, so

he came out to do some maintenance. They don't like the sound

of weed eaters, so Bob and helper were in full regalia...

I stayed back a bit sans bee suit.

They're also taking some hygiene measures and using a synthetic

form of oxalic acid (naturally occurring in rhubarb leaves),

fumigating the hives for mites.

The oxalic acid doesn't harm the bees.

Mites have been the bane of the bee keepers existence and

have been responsible for huge mortality rates in bees.

Some honey farmers have been devastated and have lost 90% of their stock.

Bob was also explaining to me about the dangers of a cool, wet spring.

In particular, apple blossoms need a certain temperature to 

produce nectar...a.k.a bee food.

No warmth = no nectar = no food = no bees.

No bees = no pollination = no food for us.

Remember, 30 % or more of the food we eat is from honeybees pollinating flowers.

Think about that. 

Almost everything on your dinner plate is there because of a little bee.

And don't forget that gorgeous amber honey they provide us with...

So not only are we hoping for the weather to warm our skin and soil,

but also to keep our bee population up.

Seen here in happier days last summer...

Book review...

If you've ever sat and wondered what your dog is thinking, then this book will 

grab you from the start.

I see so much of my dog Griffin in this story.

I will let Harper Collins give the review...

The Art of Racing in the Rain

Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver. Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he se..Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver. Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he sees that life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast. Using the techniques needed on the race track, one can successfully navigate all of life's ordeals.

On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through. In the end, despite what he sees as his own limitations, Enzo comes through heroically to preserve the Swift family, holding in his heart the dream that Denny will become a racing champion with Zoë at his side.

A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life...as only a dog could tell it.