How Old Are You?

 As you get older, there are lots of great “perks”! Now that I have reached that exalted “senior” time in my life, I have started to take advantage of these “freebees” and “discounts”. Who wouldn’t?

However, it wasn’t always this way for me. I used to “refuse” to take advantage of these special “senior” benefits. My “pride” would get in the way! I just didn’t want to admit that I was getting older, past “middle age”, Judi was always admonishing me and would say ~ “ARE YOU CARZY? TAKE THE MONEY!”  I used to “cringe” when she would say that, but invariably I would “ignore” her “advise”, not a “wise” thing to do!

I should have learned from my “dear learned” father who, when MacDonald’s announced that seniors would get free coffee, he started to “shake with excitement” (perhaps a little exaggerated). He had just turned 55 at the time of the announcement! He wasn’t ashamed of being a “senior”, he was just thrifty! He was a lot more in tune with himself then I was.

I am learning though. Especially with inflation and higher living costs (food,gas,etc.). I needed this kind of “sledgehammer” to come around, to be “thriftier”! Now I stop to pick up a “dime” off the ground (it used to be a penny or a nickel). I think that I am not, actually, getting “older”, just “smarter”?

As they say (I not sure who), “your parents seem to get smarter the older you get” … I wonder?

Here at TIMS!

 Well, here I am at Tim Hortons. It’s been a long time! You know, the pandemic and all of life’s challenges. Before Covid-19, I use to visit TIMs regularly. In fact, it was my “go to” places to write my articles and Blogs. It was either TIMS or the library. If I was going to the library, I would stop off at TIMS to get my “inspirational” takeout coffee. I must have needed the caffeine to get my “create juices” flowing!

It's funny, the noises and activity didn’t seem to bother me. Actually, atmosphere seemed to heighten my creativity! The same with the library. I just was able to think more clearly… “go figure”.

So, it’s back to TIMS to write new, and I hope entertaining, articles and Blogs. Hopefully it will be the start of some “fabulous” writing! If not, I’ll just have to blame TIMS!

Unique Drives!

 As many of you know, Judi and I love to travel the backroads of Ontario, “Finding Roads Less Traveled”. During these fun trips, we have experienced many fascinating and interesting things. A short time ago, we were driving along a gravel backroad and spotted a phenomenon that we had never experienced before. On a remote farmer’s fence post we came across a huge bird (and when I say HUGE, I mean huge!) with its wings spread fully out. It was just sitting there, not moving. At first, we thought it was just a stuffed decoy. On closer look, we realized that it was alive. We couldn’t believe our eyes! We stopped our car and started to take photos. The bird just sat there, wings spread out, not moving. Several minutes passed by, and Judi decided she wanted to get better and closer shots. Judi stepped out of the car and moved closer. The bird didn’t move! Judi moved a little closer, and the bird finally decided to move. It slowly lowered its massive wings, did a lazy turn on the fence post. It then took off. The bird’s flight only lasted a few seconds. It leisurely glided to a nearby post and settled back down to rest.

 

At that point Judi and I decided that we had “interfered” with the bird’s “rest time”, and we left it in peace. After all, the mighty “Turkey Vulture” had plenty of “cleanup” duties to perform!

INSIDE with the Festival Nomad (No. 38)

 INSIDE with the Festival Nomad (No. 38)

Over the years I have attended, worked with and organized hundreds of festivals and events. With this new series, "INSIDE with the Festival Nomad", I want to give you an "inside" look at some of the festivals and events that I have been involved with or that I have visited. Along the way, I have had a lot of fun and sometimes frustration, but I have never been bored!

Back Door...

Then there was our visit to the Assiniboine Zoo in Winnipeg. Once again, we were treated to the inner workings of the Zoo. I must say, it was fascinating. It certainly gave Judi and me a better appreciation of just how well loved the animals were and how well cared for they were cared for. It was an unforgettable experience! Perhaps the most insightful “Back Door” experience was at the Toronto Zoo. We not only got to experience the inner workings of the Zoo, but we were able to talk to the Zoo's main Zookeepers. The amount of knowledge they collectively had was awesome. I think what impressed me the most was their willingness (and eagerness) to share their knowledge and experiences. Apart from Zoo and Aquarium "Back Door" visits, one of my most memorable encounters was meeting and talking with the Cincinnati Zoo’s “Jack Hanna”. I was attending a large art show in Charleston, South Carolina (the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition [SEWE]). Jack seemed to be the same “in person” as he is on “TV”. He was fun, chatty and knowledgeable and, of course, he had an array of animals to show us!

This is the last of my “Inside with the Festival Nomad” articles. As you can see, Judi and I have had great experiences! Our next Blog will be about an amazing interview we just had with a very famous person. Stay tuned!

INSIDE with the Festival Nomad (No. 38)

 Over the years I have attended, worked with and organized hundreds of festivals and events. With this new series, "INSIDE with the Festival Nomad", I want to give you an "inside" look at some of the festivals and events that I have been involved with or that I have visited. Along the way, I have had a lot of fun and sometimes frustration, but I have never been bored!

Back Door... (Part One)

During our travels, both as Festival Nomad’s and as fine art sales representatives, Judi and I have had the privilege of seeing things through the “Back Door”! As Festival enthusiasts, we have been able to talk to and interview many interesting and some famous people. I think Judi’s interview with Terry Grant, aka THE MANTRACKER, best illustrates this. However, as Fine Art travelers, I think our “Back Door” adventures were more spectacular! Take, for instance, our visit to the Vancouver Aquarium. At the Aquarium we were taken “underground”, behind the scenes, to see and experience the real workings of the aquarium and its residents. We saw how the fish and animals were fed; how they were cared for and how they lived. I was amazed by the number of pipes that ran underground! Ii looked like a tangled maze, but each served a specific function! The people at the Aquarium were amazing and took a great deal of pride in showing their facility.

INSIDE with the Festival Nomad (No. 37)

 Over the years I have attended, worked with and organized hundreds of festivals and events. With this new series, "INSIDE with the Festival Nomad", I want to give you an "inside" look at some of the festivals and events that I have been involved with or that I have visited. Along the way, I have had a lot of fun and sometimes frustration, but I have never been bored!

Canadian Parks Partnership (Part Two)

The Best Laid Plans...

About two weeks before the Ceremony, Bouchard quit the Cabinet and the Progressive Conservative government and he went over to the Bloc Quebecois to lead it. There was panic in the halls of Parliament! Eventually Minister Bouchard was replaced by the Robert de Cotret, Minister of the Environment and the ceremony in Banff was back on! Michael and I flew to Calgary and then drove to Banff and checked into our hotel. The ceremony was to take place the next day. We arrived at the appointed place, at the appointed time and participated in the ceremony. I think it took about 15 minutes. Michael and I had flown a thousand miles or more to a ceremony that took only a few minutes! Fortunately, it was all the expense of the Canadian Government and, of course, the Canadian Taxpayer. Michael and I had a great time! One of the benefits was that the tickets we purchased made us stay in Banff over a weekend. We toured the area in our rented car and ate some great meals. It was a time for me to get to know Michael, the person, as well as Michael, the fabulous artist. I can tell you, travelling the countryside with Michael is an awesome experience. I learned more about nature and wildlife in a few hours then I could have by reading many books in a lifetime!

INSIDE with the Festival Nomad (No. 37)

 Over the years I have attended, worked with and organized hundreds of festivals and events. With this new series, "INSIDE with the Festival Nomad", I want to give you an "inside" look at some of the festivals and events that I have been involved with or that I have visited. Along the way, I have had a lot of fun and sometimes frustration, but I have never been bored!

Canadian Parks Partnership (Part One)

Planning For the National Presentation...

A number of years ago I worked for Edwin Matthews, who owned both the Gallery-on-the-Lake in Buckhorn and Buckhorn Fine Art Publishing. One of the projects I worked for with Ed, was with the Canadian Parks Partnership. This was the Federal Government’s department that coordinated with all of the "Friends of" organizations for the Federal Parks and Museums across Canada. Ed and his star wildlife artist, Michael Dumas, had developed a series of prints that depicted Canadian wildlife. These prints were beautifully packaged and were going to be offered in Park and Museum stores across Canada. My job was to help promote these products to all of the “Parks Partners – Friends”. To introduce this National program, the Federal Government decided that they would “kick” the program off in Banff. Edwin asked me if I would accompany Michael to Banff and the “kick-off” ceremonies. I, of course, was delighted to accept the offer. The ceremony was to be officiated by the then Federal Minister,  Lucian Bouchard. As described on Wikipedia, "In 1988, Bouchard returned to Canada to serve as Mulroney's Quebec lieutenant, and was elected as a Progressive Conservative from a Saguenay-area riding. He was immediately named to Cabinet as Secretary of State and later Minister of the Environment. While still a strong Quebec nationalist, he believed that Mulroney's Meech Lake Accord was sufficient to placate nationalist feelings and keep Quebec in Confederation. However, after a commission headed by Jean Charest recommended some changes to the Accord, Bouchard left the Progressive Conservatives in May 1990, feeling that the spirit and objectives of Meech were being diluted. Mulroney rejected his reasoning, later commenting that his most regrettable and costly error as Prime Minister was having trusted Bouchard. Bouchard sat as an independent for a few months. After the failure of the Meech Lake Accord, Bouchard formed the sovereignist Bloc Québécois with five former Tories and two former Liberals." Our airplane tickets were purchased, hotel reservations confirmed and automobile rented! Everything was set!