tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27466796617876525682012-02-16T23:03:16.791-05:00A U.S. writer living in Canada examines borders, boundaries, and other invisible (though not imaginary) lines.Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comBlogger4651100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-2879170151540324202011-05-10T10:06:00.002-04:002011-05-10T10:23:59.019-04:00

Ha ha, a little government publication humour there.As I mentioned, I'm not updating this blog anymore. However, here are a few excellent resources for people interested in things Canadian-and-American-ish.Hillwatch.com has a clearinghouse of public policy resources here: http://www.hillwatch.com/PPRC/For accents, here's a site, the International Dialects of English Archive (IDEA): http://

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-68414382080276625862011-04-05T12:14:00.004-04:002011-04-05T13:07:05.065-04:00

We have a new car. Buying it was a difficult decision, one a long time in the making. We decided for no real reason, or rather, for "squishy" reasons. We still need two cars. One of ours was 17 years old (the other is 8). Roy and I connected with a particular sales person who sold a particular kind of car we already knew we wanted. Et cetera.Similarly, I will no longer be blogging here. Quitting

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-82898826657020272432011-03-31T05:22:00.003-04:002011-03-31T06:57:44.368-04:00

On my reading list, I have finally come to Sherman Alexie, the Native American storyteller and writer. His voice is courageous and mesmerizing. Both The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, for young adult readers, and The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, a collection of short works, layer humor and heartbreak with extravagance and understatement.Also, here's the podcast in

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-89035127178690441112011-03-30T08:58:00.004-04:002011-03-30T09:41:06.121-04:00

As anyone who watches Stephen Colbert knows, there's Chaos in Chaonada because of the election. It's interesting to follow election coverage on Twitter. You really do get a sense of the campaign world. Journalists are sequestered with candidates to travel all over the country; they have to find and file stories from veeerry scripted photo ops and canned announcements. It's interesting, but in

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-80045113524738959152011-03-27T14:47:00.004-04:002011-03-27T15:05:09.355-04:00

Canada's having an election. It's silly season up here. By mid-morning, the election was officially happening; by 2, we'd had a call about putting up a yard sign, out here in the boonies.But here's something that's cool. This tool is a window into Canadian political parties: the VoteCompass survey. The developer, based on published statements from the political parties, has prepared sentences.

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-25395227622077757572011-03-23T08:36:00.003-04:002011-03-23T08:54:09.353-04:00

Such doings in Canadian politics! Or maybe not.The House finds the Harper Government in contempt of Parliament. This seems to be the official version of a head-shaking finger-wagging "tsk tsk," because it doesn't launch any other action. Rather like the non-governmental fallback, the sternly worded letter.Or, I guess, a censure of a President in the U.S. And then, the Harper Government proposed a

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-37846344685940857492011-03-21T09:30:00.005-04:002011-03-21T09:49:50.467-04:00

Everybody knows Canadians say "aboot" for the word "about." Well, at least all Americans who have seen Bob and Doug McKenzie know that. But wait! From a fascinating blog that looks at all kinds of accents comes the assertion "Canadian Raising: Nobody Says Aboot." I suspect it's dangerous to say that "nobody" says "aboot." However, it's obviously accurate to say that "not all Canadians" say it.

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-55971977351630806472011-03-18T09:31:00.003-04:002011-03-18T10:15:06.516-04:00

Initial answer: Both, but learning science lets you focus on the cool while being appropriately cautious.For example, Japan and the nuclear plant and all the questions about radiation are easy to classify as "scary." Part of the fear is the "not knowing"--first, not knowing whether you can trust information that comes from the people responsible for accident in the first place.But the phrase "

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-54204542770929518802011-03-15T08:33:00.007-04:002011-03-15T09:23:06.885-04:00

The pictures from Japan are shattering to look at. Those from the earthquake and tsunami are frightening enough. All physical signs of human habitation destroyed in a matter of seconds. The frailty of humans up against the power of nature. Et cetera.And there are the nuclear plant explosions. Broadcasters say things like, "Japan is the best-prepared country for handling a crisis like this," and "

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-44564791190262189142011-03-10T14:19:00.003-05:002011-03-10T14:27:17.189-05:00

One thing about healthcare in Canada. When what you have is a flu bug, or is possibly your body complaining vehemently about your devotion to dietary fibre (American: fiber), the healthcare system can't do anything for you.Unless you count the fact that I could go to a walk-in clinic (or ER, if I were particularly worried) and find that out for free, without feeling stupid. Well, then. I guess

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-56266220970329760422011-03-07T08:20:00.005-05:002011-03-07T09:02:08.848-05:00

How come I can labo(u)r away in obscurity but most of the people who belong here can't seem to find it?I like obscurity, by the way. I have lived my whole life in Flyover Country, on both sides of the border, by choice (after the first 18 years). You can't get more obscure than that and stay on this continent.In public life, the concepts of "shame" and "inappropriate behavio(u)r" seem to be

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-38511623652550017052011-03-04T17:28:00.004-05:002011-03-04T17:53:17.276-05:00

And I don't want to write about them today. But before I don't write about them, I have to say that governments in both the U.S. and Canada are on double-secret probation, as of this moment. Cut out the monkeying around with other people's jobs and livelihoods and make sure you're doing your own job. I just deleted examples because I really really don't want to write about them, but they're

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-46620314411756556802011-03-01T08:30:00.003-05:002011-03-01T09:57:33.693-05:00

A recent story in the Globe and Mail, by the gifted and talented Joe Friesen, reports on a European survey of immigration policies. Thanks to new efforts to recognize immigrants' professional credentials, Canada now ranks "just short of the best in the world." How very Canadian (pre-podium-owning, of course).According to the story, one area in which Canada could improve is in political engagement

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-31249186137583225372011-02-24T10:12:00.005-05:002011-02-24T10:41:13.934-05:00

Today, it snowed a little in the morning--just topping up the couple of inches we got yesterday and last night. Now the sun is out and we're heading toward a high above freezing. It's Delusions of Spring Day in Thunder Bay.Today is the day I wash all the now-baggy-elbowed heavy sweaters I've been wearing as "top layers" for (too many to think about) MONTHS. Because when the days are sunny and the

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-28012755607121512432011-02-20T19:51:00.005-05:002011-02-20T21:08:00.000-05:00

I've already tipped my hand about What Is America, by Ronald Wright.* (To recap: I'm not a fan.) But after hearing comments about this book at a book club meeting over the weekend--a book club that contains perfectly lovely, educated people--I want to explain why I think this book does a disservice to American-Canadian political discourse. For those of you who haven't read the book, here's what

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-16394819463294007622011-02-18T11:23:00.004-05:002011-02-18T13:26:57.902-05:00

Lots of back and forth, this week--the cultural equivalent of the weather this February. One day the temperature is above freezing and everything in sight is melting; twelve hours later the temp is 11 below C or 11 above F, the winds are howling, and it's snowing again. Go figure.So here are three other pairings.High tech: In Canada, several federal agencies--Finance, Treasury Board, and Defense

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-62753205754122974142011-02-15T13:48:00.002-05:002011-02-15T14:40:39.783-05:00

Yesterday, one of the government's Ministers admitted to altering a legal document after it was signed.The document awarded funding to Kairos, an ecumenical group of Canadian churches that advocates for international peace and justice. Or rather, the document apparently offered that aid when the bureaucrats signed it.Then Bev Oda, International Cooperation Minister, or someone for whom she is now

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-81638617389917959162011-02-11T09:30:00.004-05:002011-02-11T09:50:43.797-05:00

Because it's awards season. And in no particular order.1. Mary Pickford (born Gladys Marie Smith in Toronto)2. Donald Sutherland3. Kiefer Sutherland (born in London but to Canadian [actor] parents; grandson of CBC's Greatest Canadian Tommy Douglas) (full name: Kiefer William Frederick Dempsey George Rufus Sutherland) 4. Pamela Anderson (sometimes Lee)*5. Michael J. Fox6. Jim Carrey 7. Enrico

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-28045168573014592302011-02-08T08:50:00.005-05:002011-02-08T09:16:14.060-05:00

So there was a big sporting event recently (Canadians: not hockey) and somebody flubbed the words to the U.S. National anthem in front of bazillions of people and one kid in a Darth Vader costume. I am not an apologist for overhyped, overexposed divas. However, here are some thoughts about THAT whole thing.1. Americans, you're highly offended that said diva doesn't know the words to the national

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-36377188919880017592011-02-05T15:23:00.003-05:002011-02-05T15:33:30.991-05:00

So, Mr. Harper goes to Washington. He and President Obama talked about border security. They made some announcements about increased security and free trade and more cooperation.This is the kind of announcement that should provide something interesting for me to say. So I keep waiting for something from this trip to be really earth-shattering and important.[crickets]These days, the U.S.-Canada

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-40896640458366907162011-02-02T21:35:00.003-05:002011-02-02T22:11:47.403-05:00

Perhaps this should be called "Essential Differences Deux." Here's what we were talking about before. But just when you think the U.S. has chosen to focus on the weather, somebody somewhere does something bizarre.A state representative introduced legislation in South Dakota that would require each adult over the age of 21 to own a gun.He acknowledges it's a stunt, designed to show that federal

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-39111778620051216982011-01-29T09:31:00.004-05:002011-01-29T10:49:38.929-05:00

Apparently there's a book that posits something important about the Essential Difference between male and female brains. I am not touching that discussion with a ten-foot piece of softwood lumber. I'm also not talking today about a way to tell Canadians from USA-ians. The world is more nuanced and subtle than that, thank goodness.No, because it's all about me here, this is about how I am

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-19500422106759509872011-01-25T08:11:00.002-05:002011-01-25T09:07:42.914-05:00

As other attacks (Moscow) and shootings (Florida) take over the news internationally and in the U.S., Tucson is getting a bit of a reprieve from the spotlight.It's been interesting to hear what Canadians tend to discuss in relation to the shooting, as opposed to what the discussion seems to be about in the U.S.Canadians tend to want to talk about gun control. To a lesser extent, Canadians relate

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-65564770936774070542011-01-18T17:37:00.005-05:002011-01-18T18:32:17.922-05:00

From the department of pronunciation, this just in.A local TV personality has a pronunciation quirk that makes my husband nuts. (No, I'm not getting specific; she does a fine job otherwise and frankly I find this kinda entertaining.) There's this local golf course. It's the "municipal" golf course. That's "myoo-ni-SIP-pul." (I can't explain it; I just report it.)Everything else in town follows

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-73621407591792829162011-01-13T08:38:00.002-05:002011-01-13T08:57:33.464-05:00

1. Now that we're officially in the "dead of winter," could we all agree to avoid the phrase "the white stuff"??? It's SNOW, people. Snow. Or something else, which might be "sleet" or "mixed rain and snow," depending on your country. It's not heroin or cocaine, it's not cotton balls, it's not wool, it's not printer paper, it's not milk--any or all of which could also be called "white stuff" (

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-65984930013356437152011-01-10T14:44:00.004-05:002011-01-10T15:28:27.214-05:00

Since moving to Canada, I have learned that if I wear a coat with Velcro fastenings, I should avoid wearing knit scarves (meaning the muffler variety of scarf, a use of the term "muffler" which is apparently out of fashion). Knit scarves invariably get caught in the hook side of the velcro.That's two rabbit trails in two sentences. "Muffler" is something you read about in books, but most people (

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-56839678213651335992011-01-07T13:29:00.004-05:002011-01-07T14:14:11.730-05:00

Since a recent birthday (that ends in zero), I have found myself wondering about a few things.Like: When did I become the person who, with (ahem) relative ease and competence, throws together a turkey dinner for the holidays? (I used to be the "next generation" person, a daughter or in-law, who helped the family matriarch get everything together.)Like: When did I become someone who inspects every

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-35624602282548272602011-01-03T15:43:00.003-05:002011-01-03T16:08:54.752-05:00

I noticed an incremental lightening of the sky at 7:15 this morning, but the stars were still vivid against the pacific blue/liz-eyes/sky-blue progression. I'm telling you this because, true to form, the January sky is usually clear. As in, devoid of clouds. Which means it's also cold. And this morning was no exception: -5F, so -20+C.It's warmed up since. I got out for a very trundly walk and

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-40761899947870947572010-12-31T12:49:00.003-05:002010-12-31T13:24:44.362-05:00

You know what my most un-favo(u)rite word is? It's "no."Normally I'd be writing about that word here, in reference to receiving rejections from publications and publishers.But I have discovered that there are lots of ways to augment the complete sentence that is "no," and many of them are not to my liking.Most recently, these are my least-favo(u)rites."No, you are not a match for your brother" (

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-7073859698735230202010-12-26T17:51:00.002-05:002010-12-26T18:05:43.166-05:00

To truly appreciate a holiday like Christmas, it's important to remain open and alert to the possibility of meaning in unexpected places.Here are a few memorable moments from this holiday weekend.Christmas MorningMummy: WHAT IS THIS, POO? WHO? WHO POO-D??All: Not me. Nope. No!Mummy: OK then, HOW DID THE POO GET ON THE SMARTIES??Driving Through the Woods to G's HouseMummy: Oh, look! Three deer!

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-57569365283940874872010-12-23T08:07:00.004-05:002010-12-23T11:27:14.381-05:00

Most Canadians have only a vague idea of (and vague-r interest in) where Oklahoma is. I usually explain it's "Texas lite."What is impossible to explain is what it's like to live there. How you can have regular conversations with people who are so kind and generous, and then hear them say that they hate people whose skin is a slightly different color. People who are polite and thoughtful but

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-67959595733469075112010-12-20T19:46:00.004-05:002010-12-20T20:08:57.689-05:00

As I have mentioned (albeit obliquely) before, my brother Pete is having health issues. Specifically, this year he's had six rounds of chemotherapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia. His post-chemo checkup a few weeks ago didn't bring the results we were all hoping for. He's having a second opinion in the new year, but his future may well include a stem cell transplant.Obviously, this news is

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-31287272808973240282010-12-17T12:01:00.004-05:002010-12-17T12:36:39.409-05:00

Not about the movie with Colin Firth that is getting such buzz. (No doubt deservedly so. And, yes, Colin Firth reading the phone book would be worth seeing.)Instead, this is about something King George VI said in his Christmas message of 1939. Europe was at war. A new year is at hand. We cannot tell what it will bring. If it brings a peace, how thankful we shall all be. If it bring us continued

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-81307898698164317462010-12-13T08:51:00.002-05:002010-12-13T09:07:57.794-05:00

A: The term "sleet" is American for what Canadians call "mixed rain and snow." Not to be confused with "freezing rain," which falls as liquid and freezes on the way down and creates yucky stuff that coats trees and snaps power lines.Wikipedia has an entire entry about Canadian severe weather terminoloy. The horse itself is here: you will go to Environment Canada's glossary at the letter "s,"

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-74850374031087938162010-12-10T09:41:00.003-05:002010-12-10T10:03:48.856-05:00

"Well, I painted on the strips today."Thus began a conversation the rest of which I will spare you, because it is about collecting samples for the Fecal Occult Blood Test. Trust me, you haven't lived until you've heard a Canada Geek describe the bridge he made with toilet paper to, uh, facilitate smear collection.This conversation was a good thing. It happened because a new nurse practitioner

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-38834564463471318042010-12-09T08:44:00.003-05:002010-12-09T09:51:00.458-05:00

Just now, it happened. I was standing at the front window, looking out. The view is different today. Yesterday at this time, the skies were clear; the thermometer hovered around 0F. The crisp breeze sharpened the edges of the needles on the pines and balsams. Today is gray and warmer, about 10F. Snowflakes fall but they're the kind of snowflakes that would be mist if they were water. Periodic

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-50458308698746975002010-12-04T09:47:00.003-05:002010-12-04T10:20:54.364-05:00

I've been trying to come up with something to say about the Wikileaks "revelations" about Canada. I'm feeling a little...torn, I guess you could say.Here's what my Canadian half has to say.I don't know, I just wonder, maybe, I guess I'm saying that what I think I might want to say, isn't really, you know, very...pithy or interesting or...valid. It's not as good as what Americans say about Canada,

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-83439362722968185572010-11-30T12:09:00.003-05:002010-11-30T12:20:57.537-05:00

A degree, or two, or four, changes this to this and vice versa, I suppose. Technically, of course, it doesn't change bushes to a road. Just the snow to rain and ice.

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-64163467581886274892010-11-29T08:57:00.003-05:002010-11-29T09:32:42.254-05:00

So, Wikileaks. So what?1. News flash: DIPLOMACY REQUIRES TACT.2. As the World High School Turns: Episode summary.Chris, the crusading and/or conniving editor of the school newspaper, found a diary containing the most personal and private thoughts of Usa, the most popular girl in the school (just ask her).Chris, being the crusading type, or possibly the connving type, plans to publish the diary in

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-87671015463737975282010-11-26T09:52:00.003-05:002010-11-26T10:02:17.708-05:00

Here are the posts from the final partial week, along with some closing thoughts. For what this is all about, go here and start at the bottom. ‎47 Days of Thanks, Day 43: I'm grateful for the opportunity to see a live production of The Laramie Project last night. The acting was impressive but the real inspiration was the tangible commitment to the project. It was a wonderful cap to a week full of

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-72707876111103005572010-11-24T14:47:00.001-05:002010-11-24T14:50:26.830-05:00

See? I buy exercise gear when it is on sale and I'm at a discount department store in the U.S. Those are my main criteria. So I'm not even sure what brand these shoes are. They were on sale, though.As a bonus, I'm leaving butterfly-wing footprints all over the driveway!

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-35658028184324930312010-11-20T08:17:00.002-05:002010-11-20T08:29:54.055-05:00

Here we are, week 6 already. One partial week left. For what this is all about, go here and start reading at the bottom.Here's a recap of the week, with thoughts at the bottom.‎47 Days of Thanks, Day 36: I'm grateful for the first snow of the season! It's a beautiful addition to the otherwise relatively bland November landscape.‎47 Days of Thanks, Day 37: I'm grateful for the sense of continuity

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-31570215288720021562010-11-18T14:10:00.003-05:002010-11-18T14:30:19.702-05:00

Recently, I have been trying to collect other language observations but still have just one expression and one pronunciation. So here you go.1. Expression: "keener," as in, "The keeners who finished their assignments early got a lollipop." From context, a keener is enthusiastic. She is eager. She is on that project right away. A quick trip to the urban dictionary confirms my sense that a "keener"

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-9089280539746760672010-11-15T12:56:00.007-05:002010-11-15T13:09:30.188-05:00

The first snow of the season came this weekend. We got just a little out here. Folks in town had more. So you have to wonder: will it stay or melt before we get more? Because there will be more. Meanwhile, we're sorta like this rock--half and half, and half and half.Brown/black, wet/dry.Half hoping, half dreading. Half excited, half resigned. And, like the rock, we're not getting up to go

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-27383163510857241252010-11-13T09:38:00.003-05:002010-11-13T09:51:54.700-05:00

Here's this week's round-up. For what this is all about, go here and start at the bottom.‎47 Days of Thanks, Day 29: I'm grateful for aaaaalll the laughter about changing the clocks: "I turned all the clocks back!" "But I did some of them already" "Did you do this one?" "I don't know, what does it say?" "Well what time is it?" Etc. Note to self: next year, this is the job of ONE PERSON.‎47 Days

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-53594122207579792132010-11-09T15:10:00.003-05:002010-11-09T15:20:42.825-05:00

Here's what it looks like around here today. This is just one tree, too.There will be firewood! And yes, it also looks like this sometimes, or it did a few weeks ago.Living here is definitely worth the work.

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-9436255893655713362010-11-06T09:01:00.004-04:002010-11-06T09:26:04.393-04:00

The days are flying by (tickety-boo*), rather like the years (tickety-boo-hoo) and we come to the end of another week.For what this is all about, go here and start at the bottom.Here are the individual days from Week 4, followed by a lesson or two.‎47 Days of Thanks, Day 22: I'm grateful that I shared part of my afternoon yesterday with a whiskey jack (gray jay). While I sat at the dining room

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-4417599115635334392010-11-04T21:15:00.002-04:002010-11-04T21:36:20.150-04:00

Well, it happened. I heard my third "tickety-boo" today. And when n = 3, and none of those "n"s is is a relative, and especially when one of them was a CBC pundit, I feel compelled to share.So, here you go: "Things were going along tickety-boo when all hell broke loose."I have never heard it used when it wasn't followed by the sense of "but I was mistaken" or "but that didn't last long." As in,

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-11604091336174702552010-11-02T07:46:00.003-04:002010-11-02T08:07:08.227-04:00

Today I am older--by one day, yeah, but also by a year and that year ends in "0" and I am now officially a crotchety old lady.In that spirit, here's what I want for my birthday this year.Americans: Vote. I don't care how angry or disillusioned you are, go vote. Then stop focusing on what "the government" is or isn't doing, did or didn't do, will or won't do. If you have a job, work and be glad.

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-52304280418224581372010-10-30T08:03:00.002-04:002010-10-30T08:28:38.848-04:00

Here are the posts from Week 3. To see "What the heck is this?" and weeks 1 and 2, go here and start at the bottom.‎47 Days of Thanks, Day 15: I'm grateful for days when the toughest pre-9 a.m. decision is "Is THIS gorgeous sunrise worth taking pictures of?"‎47 Days of Thanks, Day 16: I'm grateful for friends whose infectious laughter cuts through the hubbub of a restaurant and makes everyone

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-18013283677141372152010-10-28T11:26:00.008-04:002010-10-28T12:07:44.507-04:00

I hail from Oklahoma. Got my higher education in Arkansas. Clampett country, all of it, though I have to say that my own family isn't particularly Clampett-esque. Love the Clampetts. Nothing wrong with 'em. It's just that normally, I ain't one.However, sometimes having the Clampett cultural reference to draw upon helps explain things. Such as the tires as landscaping aids (which did not in fact

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-44102191573853351592010-10-26T09:34:00.007-04:002010-10-26T10:29:15.856-04:00

Of all the bad timing in the world...I have to renew my permanent residence card. My residence status isn't changing at all. I just need a card to prove my status when I cross the border using a commercial form of transportation. Renewing it requires filling out bazoodles of paperwork and then waiting a year and a day (well, 2/3 of a year), all of which is a blog topic for another day.Because

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-44823047138174580422010-10-23T09:10:00.004-04:002010-10-23T09:29:15.697-04:00

The round-up from the second week of this grand experiment (go here to see what this is or here for Week 1):‎47 Days of Thanks, Day 8: I'm grateful that our dump (uh, landfill) recycles paint! We got rid of a lot of old stuff and are ready to start fresh in the spring.‎47 Days of Thanks, Day 9: I'm grateful that the round of chemo my brother Pete starts today is his last and that his bloodwork

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-14617996535575237342010-10-21T12:11:00.005-04:002010-10-21T12:21:52.324-04:00

April is definitely the brownest month around here, but late October isn't far behind.I haven't been around the house much--running hither and thither in town--so haven't been taking many pictures. Anyway, here are a couple.Here's the light.Here's the tree.So yeah, I've been in town. But also, it's just harder to get excited about taking pictures when you're documenting the decline of verdancy. I

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-78965055450948220742010-10-16T16:46:00.005-04:002010-10-16T17:01:30.005-04:00

Here are the status updates from Week 1. You'll notice (or maybe you won't) I use "Gratitude" in the tag but changed that to "Thanks" in Facebook to save characters. And then I didn't need all those characters after all, which is probably for the best. 47 Days of Thanks, Day 1: A quiet north-of-the-border Thanksgiving. I'm so grateful I had the chance to be with family recently!‎47 Days of Thanks

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-27555610598126047552010-10-13T14:26:00.003-04:002010-10-13T14:39:19.117-04:00

This week I've been doing things to close up "it may be a shack but it's our shack." Things like bringing chairs up from the beach, bringing loads of towels etc. back, clearing out cans of old old old (yes, that old) paint.I've been wearing work gloves. As a bonus, I also found a pair of work gloves over there, a pair I thought I'd lost.After doing stuff on Monday, I left the gloves on the bench

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-79154581918240463422010-10-10T18:05:00.003-04:002010-10-10T18:28:03.345-04:00

As I said last year in November, I have a personal history of feeling ambivalent about Thanksgiving. The ambivalence pre-dates my move to Canada, but now that I'm here, I have two days to feel ambivalent about it. I guess that keeps me balanced.This year, I'm trying something different. Today is Thanksgiving in Canada. (Tomorrow is the holiday, but today is Thanksgiving. No, I don't understand it

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-92070310025221596322010-10-08T15:58:00.003-04:002010-10-08T16:01:26.682-04:00

It's October. It's almost not even early October anymore.So seriously: this is still in the front garden?I swear, this place is so beautiful it makes me cry.See this picture? It's all blurry because I was crying when I took it.Not really. But you probably knew that.I'm serious about the beautiful and crying, though.

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-88098287986501008032010-10-07T09:55:00.003-04:002010-10-07T10:08:53.816-04:00

As I do my rounds of the blogs in the morning,* I sometimes find that one of my regulars hasn't updated in awhile."Oh," I think. "She must be too busy living her fascinating life in her fascinating city, which is more fascinating than the life I live here. She is probably spending time doing worthy things, things far more worthy than entertaining me on a day when I don't feel like doing my own

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-29313101688344681972010-09-29T08:43:00.005-04:002010-09-29T08:54:06.365-04:00

Here's what it looks like around here. Not today, exactly, but recently.And yet, I'm vacating for a bit. Why is that, again?Oh, yeah. People I love live elsewhere, too. Why, again?Oh yeah. So I can visit them.And then come home.

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-16967891034426933562010-09-24T09:56:00.004-04:002010-09-24T10:58:23.703-04:00

I have written elsewhere about chocolate-oatmeal macaroons. (They are distressingly easy to make.) (And I am proud to report that I haven't made any this whole week.)The recipe calls for margarine. Since I had never made them before, I actually used margarine, though I am not nuts about its flavo(u)r, or lack thereof. Side note: last week on CBC's Rewind program, they played an interview from

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-49463983420150239132010-09-20T16:06:00.004-04:002010-09-20T16:26:17.234-04:00

Around here, sometimes red means "pretty." But. Sometimes it means "stop." As in, "Here's the edge of your property."Metaphorically, in my life these days there's too much of the second kind of red: as in "No."Or at least the wrong kind of "Yes."But perhaps that's just my perspective at this moment.Perhaps it will change.At least I still get to live here. Well, not here exactly, but darn

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-27926846890347970192010-09-16T19:09:00.006-04:002010-09-16T19:34:30.729-04:00

Lately, I've been having what I have come to think of as Sherman Alexie moments. That is, those moments in which I feel "between cultures."One of those between-culture moments has to do with language, perhaps not surprisingly, given what I do. As you might expect from an American living in Canada and working with words, I have had to create some mental rules around spelling.When I write something

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-81678951407665860892010-09-14T10:20:00.005-04:002010-09-14T10:36:19.162-04:00

Seasons on the calendar are closer than they appear.The sun slants differently.The water level in the lake is dropping again.It's less cause for concern than in May--the renters are leaving soon,and in any case, Roy's fix kept it fixed. This pretty much says it all. And so, we walk home again.

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-47471870170337177452010-09-09T15:59:00.002-04:002010-09-09T16:17:28.629-04:00

"The past is not dead. It's not even past."William Faulkner was onto something. Twenty-five years ago, my sister and mother looked at each other across a dish of wild mushrooms, gathered from our property here. The mushroom expert was an artist, married to the musician who was also writing a biography of my uncle (see the link to Sackbut Blues at left).The mushrooms were meant as food, by the way

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-25351114994620463832010-09-07T10:16:00.003-04:002010-09-07T10:29:03.180-04:00

We've had one this morning. I was in mid-post, too.But fortunately, we've had only the one.(So far, I add, trying to walk the line between guarded optimism and "sucker!!".) There's a leak into my office--not a bad one, and it's stopped.(For now, I add, ditto with the guarded optimism.)Anyway, it's like this here today. Oh, and the kids go (back) to school today.Wonder how many believe the sky is

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-6333418918631387802010-09-02T17:20:00.004-04:002010-09-02T17:49:06.425-04:00

This morning, on my way into town to run an early errand, I passed a van pulled into a...pull-into-thingy, as I call it...along the side of the road. The van was white, with an orange-gold-yellow-red flame/sun/bright design on it (I was driving at highway speeds so can't be more specific) and had a sign that said, in big letters, SAD. I chuckled at the contrast between lettering and colouring.

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-51673316159820244472010-08-30T10:03:00.004-04:002010-08-30T10:19:14.265-04:00

Hooray. And whew, because of the dry-ish* well.* Technically, it wasn't completely dry. But each "ask" from the pump produced only a couple of cups of water. Until suddenly we got a few vertical inches, as measured on the side of the cistern. Then several more hours of teaspoons, cups, teaspoons. Then another glut. Each glut still smaller than the normal amount the well produces in response to an

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-67161630003806747502010-08-28T07:25:00.003-04:002010-08-28T07:42:03.570-04:00

This may come as a shock to you, as it did to me: the term "dry well" actually refers to something in the real world.It's not just a dismissive way to talk of someone who doesn't have the emotional wherewithal to be intimate.It's not just a description for your creativity when it needs time to meander and stare out the window instead of produce actual creative-ness.There's a concrete thing to

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-51009806956762205882010-08-26T07:43:00.004-04:002010-08-26T07:57:11.492-04:00

Dear Mother, to use the name you signed to the letters you wrote,Sorry to bother you wherever it is you are. I suspect heaven, to be heaven to you, would include a class for you to teach, and you are probably pretty busy. But I think you're going to like what I am going to say. It was something I couldn't or wouldn't tell you while you were alive.Remember how furious I was with you for selling

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-1354374436464687982010-08-24T09:52:00.004-04:002010-08-24T10:01:02.309-04:00

Things I have learned this summer about being a host: if you play your cards right, when the company leaves, 1. You still have half a batch of scones.B. Also blueberry pie. That's two more times eating it!!! iii. Have been to interesting places with your company, some of which you really mean to get to the rest of the year but often don't but now plan to, and some you have never been to before

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-11952642256710425492010-08-21T16:05:00.005-04:002010-08-21T16:12:16.278-04:00

If you have wondered why I have not enabled commenting on my blog, and even if you have not wondered any such thing, you can find the answer here. All is revealed. Well, some is. I guess to be topical I could call it a boundary issue but that might be an example of stretching logic and sanity to fit the theme. Okay. Carry on. Any minute now, a car will hurtle down the driveway and new visitors

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-65507143293734025642010-08-20T16:25:00.002-04:002010-08-20T16:28:40.811-04:00

A ku-hai for your contemplationIt rains, yet the house leaks not.No bears lumber by.I breathe: inhale, exhale, in-

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-73570196227751259472010-08-18T07:57:00.009-04:002010-08-18T08:36:59.480-04:00

SATURDAYChorus: For the company arriveth, and we hath no air conditioning, and humidity it thriveth and temperature (oh the temperature, the temperature) it riseth (riseth!! RISETH!!).Duo (The Princess and Prince): For this is not normal, not normal, it is too hot and muggy. Oh please you cannot touch me, oh please you must assist me, for the company is my family and they expecteth beds in

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-15863689380742289332010-08-13T09:12:00.003-04:002010-08-13T09:30:04.145-04:00

So, people are coming to visit. That means I'm obsessing about the level of water in the well. Which I do with some frequency. Even though I know how it works, the diagrams and whatnot. Most of the year, the well produces enough water for the two of us to do daily ablutions and one water-sucking activity, such as run the dishwasher or wash a load of laundry. Maybe two loads of laundry, if they're

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-34990623150809916422010-08-10T19:44:00.007-04:002010-08-11T10:29:13.944-04:00

I've been under the weather, but I'm recuperating now. I will be enjoying a lot of visitors during August. So of course I'm hoping that the weather shows off for the visitors. Which, I suppose, means I'm still under the weather--under its power, so to speak.However, a day that looks like this seems auspicious.Until it turns into this. Though if you're a duck, I suppose it is still a nice day. And

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-13953007950006778822010-08-04T13:23:00.003-04:002010-08-04T14:09:54.721-04:00

I'm back from a brief sojourn in Winnipeg, where I collected charming examples of all the funny ways in which people in this fine country pronounce their words.Like, for example, asphalt. Note the spelling: a s p h a l t. NOT a s H p h a l t. So why do they say it "ash-fault"?Answer: they just do, okay?And then there's potato. Which I have recently heard pronounced "puh-DAY-duh." I was informed

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-35544273757866151322010-07-30T08:06:00.004-04:002010-07-30T08:48:57.539-04:00

In October, Delta-which-bought-United-Northwest-whatever will suspend its air service between Thunder Bay and Minneapolis.The service has apparently been faltering for some time. It's inconvenient, scheduled apparently without regard to matching the schedules of incoming flights, so that connecting from Tucson requires either a multi-hour wait or a sprint. It doesn't fly in bad weather, which I

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-3411168655571016172010-07-27T10:11:00.004-04:002010-07-27T10:26:07.565-04:00

I know I've written about the Governor-General and the Queen before last Saturday.What I don't seem to be able to "get over, already!" relates more to what I was talking about last Saturday.People in Canada walk around internally okay with someone they didn't elect (or at least have the opportunity to vote against) representing them internationally as their head of state. They're OKAY WITH IT.

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-74826113184168230162010-07-24T08:47:00.005-04:002010-07-24T09:06:51.574-04:00

In an interview on a podcast that I swear I heard but can't find now, Native American writer and storyteller Sherman Alexie said that people who travel between two cultures eventually end up at home in neither one.I will likely write more about that idea, especially when I run across that darn podcast again. And no, I have not read any of Sherman Alexie's work, because I am at heart an

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-13887818497474456842010-07-18T07:59:00.002-04:002010-07-18T08:02:02.591-04:00

Still not sure. But I'm on one. At home. People are here. More people are coming in a month. Hard to say "no" to someone whose roots here are deeper than my own.Meanwhile, I'm experiencing border crossings in the car again. Expect a report when vacation, whatever that might be, is over. Between now and the next raft of company.

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-53511737315013640472010-07-09T09:42:00.004-04:002010-07-09T09:52:53.537-04:00

Re-framing as in the psychological tool that helps you see things differently. Instead of the glass being half empty, you re-frame it to see that you have a glass and it has stuff in it. Like that.It's really great. I love re-framing. Handy especially since my problems tend to be problems of privilege. That is, I have a great life but some part of my fabulously great life isn't perfect. Then I

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-29272436882274170852010-07-08T13:20:00.005-04:002010-07-08T13:28:16.001-04:00

Stuff like this, which showed up last Sunday morning.It's still there, in case its rightful owners come by.Of course, the downside is that the lake also taketh away.We haven't lost anything recently, except for about six inches of the lake herself.Except that also the well is now apparently dry. Bone dry. So dry that there's not even a trickle for the cistern. It's awfully early in the season for

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-88200457726445999992010-07-05T13:45:00.007-04:002010-07-05T14:29:49.941-04:00

Temporarily suspending my Monday tradition (since March, anyway) of posting Today's pictures here. Instead, here's a thought or two for my friends on both sides of this border.Canadians: Peace, order, and good government? Yep. I love the fact that I have access to healthcare here. I love that I can choose the most appropriate medical care for my unique situation, without limits. Why does this

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-73158605586520726562010-07-01T16:16:00.005-04:002010-07-01T18:10:03.380-04:00

Like: Turning the page on the calendar over to the new month. Dislike: The alarming frequency with which I am doing it. Dislike #2: Realizing later that what I mean is rapidity, more than frequency, though frequency is no picnic either. Still, either is better than not turning pages at all.Like: Pageantry, ritual, pomp, and ceremony. Dislike: Smug unthinking patriotism. It's a tough time of year

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-55070813360996240882010-06-29T16:38:00.004-04:002010-06-29T16:51:34.205-04:00

The Queen is here. (Americans: This is the Queen of England. She is Head of State for Canada. That means she... well, except she... or maybe... oh, look it up.)This afternoon, she got to ride on a big ship past a whole lineup of other ships from several different countries. Sailors stood on the decks, holding their headgear, and gave three cheers as she passed by. She lifted her gloved hand in

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-15643596327776990692010-06-24T08:23:00.009-04:002010-06-24T09:09:41.750-04:00

You can tell Canada is going to be in the international spotlight. The wackiness quotient up here is skyrocketing.First is the natural world. Even for the non-apocalyptic non-anthropomorphizing among us, it's hard not to think that perhaps the Canadian Shield is reacting negatively to the impending presence of G20 and G8 participants.Yesterday in Ontario and Quebec: Tornadoes all over southern

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-58096868567494000172010-06-21T09:39:00.006-04:002010-06-21T09:53:32.081-04:00

The deer found the tiger lilies,which is actually kind of nice, since it means the deer are around.We saw the fawn this morning. And other treasures remain, if you know where to look. But not this. (No, it's not mine.)I'm going to pretend it was lost overboard, not left behind.That makes it a castaway, not a castoff.(Private property. As Piglet said, Trespassers William.And all that. Grrr.)

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-6242366598937458222010-06-18T08:56:00.004-04:002010-06-18T09:48:48.775-04:00

It's nearly full-on summer around here (officially on Monday). The warm dry days of May are now the cooler but warmish wet days of June. The out-of-doors is available for enjoyment about 20/7, since "night" accumulates near midnight and the sky starts to get light at about 4 a.m.Everything grows like crazy these days--energy made visible at the ends of evergreen branches, at the tops of lily

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-1992320358793883542010-06-14T09:43:00.004-04:002010-06-14T09:50:25.906-04:00

Some trees must fall.(Two, actually, although you can only see one.) Fortunately, some lilies are also blooming--and more will, too.Unless the deer get them. Although the deer seem to be scarce this year--we've seen one fawn, one time. Then again, today I learned there's a yearling bear in the area. Which may be why. Trees, fawns, bears, flowers: Going to my happy place now. Ahhh.

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-50535774495101596612010-06-10T08:04:00.005-04:002010-06-10T08:22:15.207-04:00

To some people, at least. Beer at the baseball game, at the barbecue, with the hot dog or the bratwurst or the Italian sausage. Beer on a hot afternoon in the shade.I'm not a big beer fan, but I am interested in advertising, and beer is one of the "you've made it" brands that every ad agency wants. According to Terry O'Reilly on CBC's Age of Persuasion, anyway.And, from one of Terry's recent

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-21921083159481388782010-06-07T17:47:00.005-04:002010-06-07T18:06:22.487-04:00

This summer is different than previous years in lots of ways. For one thing, in the cosmic sense every year is different (to me) because I'm different. For another, every year is different because the lake is different. Also the trees, some large number of which reach the end of their lifespan and fall down, usually in an inconvenient spot. And this year, we have unrelated people living next

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-40099623079061651942010-06-04T08:19:00.004-04:002010-06-04T08:30:27.193-04:00

The holiday frame of mind...and yet, work remains.Deadlines and whatnot.Even "fun work": goals, you know. But when I make the time to raise my head, I can usually see something like this gull, standing there being a gull. And that's still pretty darn cool.

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-54965966475981414682010-05-31T09:33:00.008-04:002010-05-31T09:50:00.712-04:00

When you live at your former vacation destination, you can start to see things differently.And not in a good way.For example, you might look at this picture and say, "Hmm, time to get out the mower and take care of that grass."Well, YOU might not get that way. But others might.So, although today is not a holiday in this country, and school is not out for another month, and the calendar summer

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-60182776753420792532010-05-27T13:39:00.007-04:002010-05-27T14:43:55.397-04:00

I love nuance and shades of meaning. Really, I do. But sometimes, all that chiaroscuro gets to me. I like a world in which problems have solutions, not just "well, this might be the least bad option." I like it when I can figure out a scientific solution to a problem and dredge up the technology to implement it. I like it when I can find out information that helps me make decisions. I like when I

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-71391524983247779542010-05-24T10:54:00.008-04:002010-05-24T11:03:20.048-04:00

One of the most fabulous things about this time of year is the rate at which things change. Like the "bunchberry" blossoms. Saturday, I cleared out some gardens and raked leaves. These suckers were harldy recognizable as buds. And today, hello! And then there's the stuff that doesn't change, not really. Like this. So the water's a little lower, the sky today is moody, the lake is undecided as

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-63525691295154330652010-05-23T07:28:00.005-04:002010-05-23T08:01:42.752-04:00

At this time of year, everything is greening (and releasing pollen, bleah), which means that we're surrounded by beautiful photos. We snap our fair share of them, but I am also making a conscious choice to enjoy the view instead of taking (or missing) the picture.This morning, this view sent me to find the camera and snap some shots. And now? Meh.What can I say? It looks better in real life. The

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-30139757817811277332010-05-19T22:14:00.005-04:002010-05-19T23:01:18.728-04:00

Oops, I did it again. In spite of my best resolutions, I again forgot to take a "before" picture, so any "after" picture I were to post now wouldn't show the true results of my hard work.Which is okay, since I don't happen to have an "after" picture. I could go take one, but it's not really "after" yet. I'm not sure when "after" is going to be. I've been making our larger camp ("cottage" in

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-50795356366294803412010-05-17T10:42:00.010-04:002010-05-17T14:48:33.837-04:00

Sometimes I know I am Heard.See? (Lots of heavenly pictures around here in the morning.)Yesterday, my husband's solution to the water issue seemed promising. Today, I plucked a few moments from the rest of my to-do list to go see how I could help. Then I heard an old van full of handy-guy stuff lumbering up the path. (Similar to a percussion ensemble.)Yippee! the guy who knows all about our water

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2746679661787652568.post-44945665550166381592010-05-16T09:45:00.003-04:002010-05-16T10:03:10.019-04:00

I wouldn't post this to Craig's or anyone else's list, but just in case the Universe is listening, here are a few things we could use around here.1. Fewer side effects. My brother (and the rest of us [his family], plus every other person touched by cancer)--we appreciate the whole existence of chemotherapy and all, but the drugs are difficult to tolerate. Please help researchers figure out better

Marion Agnewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17181824413501047519noreply@blogger.com