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Cattails in the WInd

Cattails in the WInd

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Georgetown, Ontario's Hometown Canada Community
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CRTC Gouging! Calling all Canadians!

Posted by Lorac Tuesday 22 March 2011 4 comments

This is where Canadians take a stand against price gouging by big phone and cable companies

Phone and cable companies are about to put a pay meter on your Internet use.
This means we're looking at a future where big telecom companies will charge per byte for Internet use, the way they do with smart phones. If we allow this to happen Canadians will have no choice but to pay MUCH more for less Internet. Big phone and cable are obviously trying to gouge consumers, control the Internet market, and ensure that consumers continue to subscribe to their television services.
These Big Telecom companies are forcing small competing ISPs to adopt the same pricing scheme, so that we have no choice but to pay these punitive fees.
This will crush innovative services, Canada's digital competitiveness, social progress, and your wallet.
We urgently need to send a clear message to decision makers in Ottawa that we refuse to be gouged by big phone and cable companies. Enough is enough.

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Supermoon!

Posted by Lorac Sunday 20 March 2011 7 comments

This looks like the sun coming up through the trees. A sight I see on sunny mornings. Strangely though this is the moon rising last night. A "Supermoon".


Earth's closest celestial neighbour  appeared to loom larger and brighter than usual on last night, due to a cosmic event called an "extreme supermoon".
Scientists say the natural phenomenon — in which the moon reaches its closest point to this planet — will cause abnormally high and low tides worldwide.
The occurrences, technically known as "lunar perigees," were previously visible in 1955, 1974, 1992, 1993 and 2005. But what makes this one particularly special is that it coincides with a full moon, which hasn't happened since 1993, according to Geoff Chester of the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C.
Astrologers have been quick to blame last week's disastrous earthquake and tsunami in Japan on the supermoon.
But Dr. James Garvin, the chief scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, said in a release Friday that the effects of Saturday's moon should be minor.
"According to the most detailed studies by terrestrial seismologists and volcanologists, the combination of the moon being at its closest to Earth in its orbit, and being in its ‘full moon' configuration … should not affect the internal energy balance of the Earth since there are lunar tides every day."
The full moon should appear to be about 15 per cent larger and up to 30 per cent brighter than usual on Saturday evening, U.S. scientists said.
The moon was so bright I even got a photo of the brilliance it was putting off.
It was indeed a beautiful moon!

SkyWatch Friday

Posted by Lorac Thursday 17 March 2011 16 comments

We are seeing a lot more sun now. Temperatures are on the rise and snow is melting. The birds are returning once again, singing in the morning. I am on the lookout  for the first Robin. Beautiful sunrises and sunsets at this time of year. With the time change we are seeing a lot more daylight and I am looking forward to spring this Sunday!


Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!
Leprechauns, castles, good luck and laughter.Lullabies, dreams and love ever after. Poems and songs with pipes and drums. A thousand welcomes when anyone comes... That's the Irish for you!

For Skies the world over go to SkyWatch Friday!

SOOC

Posted by Lorac Saturday 12 March 2011 13 comments


Lots of ways for the animals to cross the creek with fallen trees to guide them! The creeks and streams have been wild with all the melting snow and heavy rainfalls and then heavy snowfalls we have had.
Go see more Straight Out of the Camera shots!

SkyWatch Friday

Posted by Lorac Thursday 10 March 2011 38 comments

If you see the light, should you go?



Sun-dancing!


Love seeing what's in the skies? Go to SkyWatch Friday for many more!

There are many little creeks and streams in this area. I love walking along the banks and listening to the tinkling of water on the ice in the winter. It really is musical!


The ice can make some beautiful formations in the frozen creek.


This one looks like stalagmites from a cave.


Go over to Watery Wednesday to see many water pics from all over the world!

Muddling along...

Posted by Lorac 8 comments

 I am in a bit of a mind swamp, all muddled up with various thoughts. I think winter has done me in.

Here's what I'm thinking.....

I wonder what the new single male neighbor will be like.

My son thinks he knows everything. Then why doesn't he know to put down the stupid toilet seat?

Both my cats have cabin fever. I have cabin fever.

My energy left me sometime in January.

Why has time been kinder to some people than others?

I have procrastinated calling for a doctor’s appointment because I hate going.

I think I pissed off all my friends and family. No one has called me in a week.

My house plants need water. Sucks to be them.

Why is my cat only comfortable sleeping on me or my keyboard?

Rum is in favour this year.(month, week, day, hour)

I want a dog. My cats don’t.

NEED spring to arrive.

I need more coffee than I am allowed to have.

I need time away from myself.

Snow is just another word for nasty.

I am an impatient person being forced to be patient. Grrr…

Is there ever any good headlines now or are they all asinine.

And how are you feeling so far this week?

A day for the slow cooker!

Posted by Lorac Monday 7 March 2011 7 comments

 I have several meals that I like to cook this way but hands down my favorite is Chicken Sausage Gumbo! I have it cooking now and it smells so good I can hardly wait. I promised the recipe a while back and here it is. I think you will really enjoy it. You can change around the sausage to your liking. We often use Oktoberfest sausage. The taste goes well with everything else. Really any Smokey or Spicy sausage will do, andouille or kielbasa are recommended.



2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 pound smoked sausage, such as andouille or kielbasa cut crosswise 1/2-inch thick pieces
4 large chicken breasts, skin removed cut into 1 inch-4 cm pieces(can use legs)
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 lb Okra cut crosswise thick slices ( if you can't find fresh, frozen works great!)
1 large yellow onion chopped
3 stalks chopped celery
1 red or green bell peppers seeded and chopped
1 salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 cups chicken broth 
1 can Diced plum tomatoes (14 1/2 oz or 500ml)
White Rice, for serving

Cook the Chicken
In a large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned about 8 minutes. Transfer  the chicken to the slow cooker, then add sausages. Scatter the Okra, bell pepper, celery and onion on top.
Make the Roux
Return the frying pan medium-high heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle the flour into the frying pan and cook, stirring slowly and constantly for about 4 minutes, to make a golden brown roux.
Stirring, slowly add the chicken stock and tomatoes with their juice , and cook, stirring, until well combined. Bring the mixture to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat. Season with the 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the cayenne pepper and then pour over the vegetables, chicken and sausage in the slow cooker.
Cook the Gumbo
Cover and cook on the high heat setting for 4 hours or the low setting for 8 hours. Season to taste with salt and cayenne
Serve with fresh bread or buns.
Optional- Spoon rice into the bottom of deep bowls or large cups and ladle the gumbo on top. 
I hope you enjoy this as much as we do. It is a great meal to put on in the morning and when you come home it is cooked and ready to go! 

Scenic Sunday

Posted by Lorac Sunday 6 March 2011 11 comments

Belfountain is a beautiful park and walking trail in south Ontario. There was a flour mill on the river many years ago. This large grinding wheel was from that mill.


The waterfalls that drove the paddle wheel for the mill.


So many more places to see at Scenic Sunday!

Sunday Bridges

Posted by Lorac Saturday 5 March 2011 9 comments

Burlington Bay Canal Bridge: Burlington, Ontario, Canada: October 19, 2008: There were five different moveable bridges located on this site since 1830. The present bridge was opened in 1962 and carried two lanes of vehicular traffic across the canal. This structure originally had tracks for the Hamilton — Northwestern railway which were removed in 1982 when the road way was widened to four lanes. The bridge structure is a tower driven, vertical lift and moveable bridge. The lift span is 380 feet long, weighs 2200 tons and has a vertical lift of 110 feet. A system originating in the towers contains machinery, sheaves and wire ropes is used to move the lift span. There is one 150 horsepower drive motor in each tower to supply power to the machinery and one 150 horsepower motor in each tower to synchronize the drive motors.

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The bridge from a distance looking over Lake Ontario.


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Many more bridges to see at Sunday Bridges!

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Lorac
Georgetown, Ontario, Canada
I have lived in Georgetown for 37 years but have traveled around a great deal. I own my own business which takes a lot of my time but try to blog as much as possible! I love to take pictures, no training, just a love of photography. Enjoy the pics but please do not copy them.
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Copyright ~~All content and photos are original to Carol Merten, Ahhh...The Cottage Life! and are copyrighted. Please do not copy, or download any content without express written consent. All content and photos remain the sole property of Carol Merten.

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