Discovering My Green Thumb

It may seem a little premature to be talking about Halloween but it really is the thing that triggered a new interest for me.

Around Halloween about six or seven years ago I decided I would try and carve Scooby-Doo on a pumpkin. It was a little more advanced then my usual triangle eyes with a jagged mouthed Jack-O-Lantern.

The kids that came to our house loved my Scooby-Doo pumpkin so the next year I thought I would try something else so I did Dori from Finding Nemo and the response was great! Not only did we have the same kids coming back to look at the pumpkins, but they were bringing their parents up to see them too! Thus a tradition was born.

Every year kids would come back to see the pumpkins and the parents came up right behind them.

About four years ago I was in Michaels and discovered that they sold fake pumpkins that you can carve, so I bought one to try and was very happy with the results. You can carve it like a normal pumpkin, but can keep it year after year.

So now every year, I carve one or two real pumpkins and then carve at least one fake one.

Now what does all of this have to do with discovering my green thumb? Well this year I thought I would take it one step further and grow my own pumpkins this year. Little did I know that would spark something in me that I didn't know existed. My green thumb!

I have never been good with plants, so I wasn't sure how I would do or even how to start. I decided I would buy some different types of Pumpkin seeds and see how they did. That way I would know what kind to grow next year. I also bought two pumpkin plants that were already started so I could see which way I liked best.

On the May long weekend I built a garden and planted my pumpkins and have been watching them grow! After about a month they have spread and there flowers are even starting to bloom!

Taking care of this pumpkin patch has been so much fun for me, I love going out and watering them, and I even enjoying weeding. I have already made plans for expanding my garden next year and adding more vegetables. I have even taken some pots and planted some flowers around our deck.

I am still learning, planting one garden has in no way made me an expert, but I look forward to learning more and planting more in the future!

Just for fun, if you are looking for some fun pumpkin carving ideas I suggest checking out Zombie Pumpkins! They have fantastic patterns of some well know characters both lovable and scary.

Turtle Power!

As I have mentioned earlier. I am a HUGE Ninja Turtle fan. I also mentioned that Sideshow Collectibles was making statues of the 4 Turtles. I am very excited because the 4 statues have been made, thought they haven't all been released yet. I thought I would post the pictures of the statues because they are really cool.

What came as a surprise to me was sideshow has made a 5th statue that will be a San Diego Comic-Con exclusive. The statue is of a Mouser which is a robot that Baxter Stockman created to originally catch mice but Shredder then took them to fight against the Turtles.

Luckily just because it is a Comic-Con exclusive, doesn't mean you have to go to San Diego to get it. You can still order them from the Sideshow website. Which is totally awesome!

Going a Little Batty

So this was a bit painful for me. It isn't pretty but here is my book talk! If took about a dozen takes but I finally got one that isn't completely horrible.



Oh and that is my dog Dante beside me. He was my support on this one.

P.S. I love how youtube always grabs the most flattering image to use at the main picture.

A Little Something Tahitian

Well it has been awhile since my last post and on this rainy day I got thinking about Hula, so I thought I would share a video. This is my dance group "The Island Dancers" performing about a year ago. When most people think of Hawaiian dancing they think grass skirt, when really the grass skirt is worn for Tahitian dancing. Tahitian dancing is generally a lot faster then Hawaiian dancing and a lot of it is done to drums and chants. The song we are dancing to in this video is called "Patia" which mainly consists of Drums. The implements we use in this song are called ii iis (pronounced ee-ees)Which kind of look like cheerleader pom poms.


Enjoy!

Happy Earth Day!

I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.
~Elwyn Brooks White

To find out different ways you can help out our planet check out the World Wildlife Foundation.


If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.

Spring Has Sprung!

There is nothing like coming back from Vacation to beautiful weather. Putting the Winter coats away and bringing out the sandals. There is something about Spring that is so refreshing. Makes you walk with a little bounce in your step. While I was enjoying my walk outside on my lunch break I was thinking about this and I instantly thought of a "Mutts" comic that I have recently seen.


For those of you who are not familiar with Mutts, it is a comic strip created by Patrick McDonnell that features, among many other characters, a cat named Mooch and his best friend Earl the Dog. The comic strip has a very strong emphasis on being "animal friendly" and supporting your local animal settlers, protecting today's wildlife and an overall well being. McDonnell is so good at getting the message across in these stripes using the cute, funny and mischievous characters that not only leave you smiling, but thinking about what you can do to help.

If you are an animal lover and are looking for a smile, check out Mutts.

Maple Madness

On Saturday my husband and I were invited by some good friends to join them at Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area for their Maple Madness. Despite the cold and drizzly weather we had a great time.

When we first arrived we jumped in line for the wagon ride that took us up their sugar shack where the maple tree's are tapped and the syrup is made.
There they had a short trail you could take through the trees and they had set up different stations where you could see the different processes it took to make maple syrup. After we checked out that we were getting pretty hungry for breakfast, and I can't think of a better place to eat pancakes than the Sugar Shack! We hopped in line and got our pancakes, hot of the grill, and poured warm fresh maple syrup all over them and grabbed a spot on the picnic tables and dug in. Those pancakes where DELICIOUS!


After we got our fill of pancakes we headed back up to the wagon rides to hitch a ride back to the main building so we could hit up another trail and feed some chickadees. On the way to the chickadee feeding area we had to cross a wooden bridge the water was full of cattails. I love cattails so I decided to take the opportunity to take some pictures.



























Once we got to the chickadee feeding area our friend Jordan stuck out his hand full of birdseed and waited patiently. Some of us were a little skeptical but Jordan had done this before and knew it was worth the wait. After a lot of waiting one little chickadee emerged from the trees and flew down into Jordan's hand.









Once we saw that we became believers and Kevin quickly grabbed some birdseed and stuck his hand up in the air.

Unfortunately the only chickadee we saw was the one that flew into Jordan's hand, but even just seeing the one made it worth while. We plan to go back again sometime soon when there is less going on. There were a lot of people around that day due to Maple Madness so I think if we were to go back on a quieter a warmer day we might have more luck.

After that we headed back up to the main building to head home. But before we could leave we had to go up into the lookout to check out the view. Due to the bake sale that was going on that day the lookout was closed but since our friend Jordan had worked there the summer before he pulled some strings and we were allowed up. What a beautiful view. I can only imagine what it would look like in the summer when everything is green and in bloom.



It was such a great day I can't wait to do it again next year. If you haven't been I highly recommended it. It is a great fun for all ages. There is still time to check it out this year. Click here for details.

Never leave home without it!

Giraffe at Busch Gardens, Florida
I love Photography. Though I don't get as much time to play around and experiment with it as I would like but I never leave home without a camera. You just never know when an exciting photographic moment might occur and you must be prepared! I was first introduced to photography in grade 11 when we were given the choice of taking photography or art. I thought....Cool! Photography, and I have loved it ever since. I even had my own darkroom at my house. I haven't had a lot of schooling in photography, mainly just two years in high school and my first year of college but I just love taking pictures, I can't say they are amazing by any means, but I could spend hours taking pictures and then playing with them on my computer. I do have a friend who is a photographer and she is amazing! You can take classes all you want but when it really comes down to it you have to have an eye for it and Boy, does she ever! So here are a few photos I have taken, a little bit of everything.

Cavendish, PEI

Ladybug

Flower

Banff, Alberta

Mission San José in San Antonio, Texas

Mission San José in San Antonio, Texas

Dante

Gloria the Duck

The Road to Iowa

Heroes in a Half Shell

Ever since I was a little girl I have loved reptiles and amphibians. So of course my favourite cartoon was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I had all the toys and movies and just couldn't get enough of those green fighting machines. I was never good at getting rid of things as I got older and as a result I have a pretty sweet Ninja Turtle collection. I often go to Toy Shows with my husband and am always on the lookout for anything TMNT I can find. The last couple years have been especially good for Ninja Turtle fans because 2009 was there 25th anniversary (we were born in the same year - how cool is that!), which means there are loads of anniversary toys and collectibles hitting the market.

One thing that I am extremely excited about is 5 statues that Sideshow Collectibles are creating to come out this year from the TMNT line. The first to be released is of Donatello it is expected to come out sometime in the first quarter of this year. The picture I have shown here is actually the exclusive that you can only get through the sideshow site. What makes this exclusive unique is actually the purple headband that so many people use to identify each turtle. In fact originally when the turtles hit the scene in their first Comic book by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman they all wore red headbands and the major distinguishing thing between the turtles was their weapons. It wasn't until the hit children's cartoon aired in 1987 that each turtle sported a different colour. They did this because they thought children would have a easier time identifying each turtle if they had a colour associated with them but when most people think of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles it is these ones they think of rather then the originals all in red.

The turtles have been re-vamped many times with new looks, new animation and new toys but my heart is mostly with the 1987 version that is most well known. My collection consists of mostly vintage action figures and collectibles. A lot of which I have had since I was young. I was even a Ninja Turtle for Halloween a couple times. The costume shown here is one my aunt made for me one year. It is very appropriate because my cousin use to call me "Raphael Rachael"

Unfortunately due to lack of space I am not able to have all my turtles out on display but here is a small part of my collection.

The villains of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles














Their leader The Shredder along with his right-hand men BeBop & Rocksteady


The Good Guys


Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael & Michaelangelo


Neca anniversary Turtles based on the Original Comic Series


Seasons of the 1987 Ninja Turtles Cartoon Series

This is just a small selection of my collection. I hope to one day have it all put on display. I also have a big collection of the Ninja Turtle Comics, a couple of them are signed and I even have a sketch in the back of one of them.

Notice the awesome stand I have for my Dvds. It is the Video Game stand for the new Turtles Game Smash-Up.

I am Feeling Very Olympic Today

I am finding myself more excited about the Olympics this year then I normally am and it isn't because they are in Canada, which I still find exciting, but more because I really have a reason to watch. My cousin's girlfriend Brigitte Acton is an Alpine Skier and has made the Olympic team this year and will be competing in both the Laides Slalom and the Ladies Giant Slalom.

It was touch and go for a while on if she was going to make the team because there were cutbacks on how many Canadians could be on the team but she made it! Turin was her first Olympics but these are the games she has really been working towards and we are very excited for her and can't wait to watch. The giant Slalom is on February 24 but her specialty is the Slalom which is taking place on February 26. If you happen to be watching make sure you cheer her on! Check out her Olympic profile here.

Go Brigitte Go!

Oh So Tasty!

There is nothing like going for your daily walk on your lunch break to stumble across a beavertail stand you didn't know existed. I am sad to say it wasn't a permanent stand, it was only up for Kingston's annual Feb Fest, but what a treat it was indeed. There is nothing like a big piece of dough that has been deep fried and covered in cinnamon and sugar. YUM! I will never say no to a beaver tail.

For those of you who don't have a beavertail stand close at hand you can always try making one at home! I have done it before and they are quite good. Check out this beaver tail recipe. Enjoy!

Aloha

Aloha is probably one of the most well known words in the Hawaiian language. It is also a very unique word in that it has many meanings. It can mean hello or goodbye, it can mean love or affection. The Spirit of Aloha means the "presence of breath" or "the breath of life" Aloha isn't just a word, it is a way of life.

About 3 years ago I was dragged to my first Hula class by a very close friend of mine. I say dragged because she had been after me for quite some time about joining her and I didn't really know what to expect. After a couple 'Amis, Kaholos, and Around the Islands, I was hooked, and I have been dancing ever since. It is something different, something fun and great exercise to boot! One of the best things about my hula class is the wonderful ladies I dance with every week. We range in age, I am the youngest and we have a couple ladies in there 70's! Isn't that wonderful. I love dancing with the different generations, learning from them and having something in common to share and love despite the age difference.

Hula is my happy place. It relaxes me when i am stressed and it cheers me up when I am down. We do a lot of shows for retirement homes and I love the reaction we get from everyone. The most rewarding part is at the end of our show we ask people to come up and we teach them a hula. There is nothing like being in a room full of seniors as you all wiggle your hips around and around together. It is just so much fun and a great way to end your day.

ALOHA!

The Lizard-Spock Expansion

I have recently become quite fond of a fun little show called The Big Bang Theory. So fond in fact I find I can't get enough of this show. I can put it on in the background and enjoy it over and over again and I just don't seem to get tired of it. In fact since December I am sure I have seen every episode of the first and second season at least 2 or 3 times. Call me crazy but this show just puts me in a better mood. I think it's important to have something that you know will always put a smile on your face and that what this show does for me.

One of my favourite scenes from the show is where Sheldon (played by Jim Parsons) explains to Raj about the expansion to the game "Rock, Paper, Scissors" which he now calls "Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock" Jim Parsons has an incredible gift of memorization. I don't know how anyone could manage the lines he has to say without stumbling or getting tongue tied but he makes it look so easy.



I really could go on and on about this show because it is just so much fun to watch but I will leave you with this instead. If you ever find yourself getting bored with the old "Rock, Paper, Scissors" I suggest "Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock" It's very simple - Scissors cuts paper, paper covers rock, rock crushes lizard, lizard poisons Spock, Spock smashes scissors, scissors decapitates lizard, lizard eats paper, paper disproves Spock, Spock vaporizes rock, and as it always has, rock crushes scissors.

Things that Freak me Out

There a are a few things in life that truly freak me out. Spiders are a big one. Though I am better than I use to be, if one catches me off guard you will be sure to see me running around shuddering and making a commotion.

Another thing that freaks me out is clowns. Though I think I can pin point where my fear of spiders came from, clowns I just don't know. So if you have ever seen the movie "It" you will understand why it freaked me out so much as a child.

The last thing that creeps me out, and this one is the real reason for this post, is dolls. Now don't get my wrong, not all dolls are bad in my books, but some of them just give me the heebie jeebies. Like this little fella I came across at Value Village today. Now some of you may think he is cute, which is fine. But if I had this little guy in my room while I was sleeping, i would be keeping one eye open for sure. I think maybe it is his shifty eyes. I just don't like them.

Let's Get Lost!

I am a HUGE fan of the show Lost and last night the season premiere started for it's final season. I must admit I slept in this morning because I stayed up too late watching it but it was totally worth it. I did make it to work on time too which is good.


Boy they sure know how to start of a season. The thing I love about the show is most of the time you really have no idea whats going on. There are always so many questions running through you mind and when they finally answer one question for you they leave you with about 20 more new questions.

While I am sad that this is it's last season I am happy that they are ending the show on their terms. I hate it when a show you love gets canceled and you are just left hanging. I also hate it when a good show goes bad because the writers just keeping dragging it on and on because Hey! they can, and it looses it's story and everything you loved about it.

For any other Lost fans out there you might find this a fun little read. Thanks to my good old friend the Scifiwire. Here is a list of 20 crazy things that nearly happened on Lost (but fortunately didn't)
I think my favourite one is where the props team put a Dharma logo on a shark as a inside joke not thinking it would show up on camera and when it did fans went Crazy trying to figure out the meaning behind it.