What will happen in 2012 ?

 Is it going to be the end of the world as some illuminates say or is it going to be the same ol same ol routine stuff day after day?  As we say in Québec “Métro, boulo, dodo”.  Well actually, lately it’s been more: stuck in traffic, work, stuck in traffic and sleep.  But let’s not start the New Year on a negative note.  Let’s get positive.  Let’s say that the Champlain Bridge won’t fall, that the economy is gonna get better and I’ll stop getting older.  Wishful thinking? Maybe for the last one anyway.  

However, there are some things that I’m sure of:

1- I will get a new computer.  I have been thinking about it for awhile but now I have the perfect excuse to go get it: I need a portable one for class.  It’s required, so now I don’t have a choice. I need one since I have been working from my boyfriend desktop for the last year.  Hurray, I finally can get a MacBook Pro.

2- I will start my website on Laurentians wild flowers.  Those of you who’ve been following me know that I love flowers, so I decided to put my love and knowledge to use.  I’m building a site that will help people easily identify the flowers that they find when they go for a walk in the woods, a park or in their neighbourhood.  I’m hoping that it will raise awareness in the importance of preserving environment.

3- I will expose my photographic work at the local Community Art Center. This is all part of the plan to get people interested in their immediate natural environment so they will be more incline to preserve it.  Some of my wild flower pictures will be shown for one month starting April 1, 2012 at la Maison du citoyen et Place de la Culture de Boisbriand.

4- I will continue taking courses at the HEC Montréal to improve my management and e-marketing skills.  I have already taken two courses and I am working toward a DESS (Specialized graduate diploma) in E-business.

5- I will work as a consultant for l’AVEQ (Association des Vétérinaires Équins du Québec).  I’m in charge of getting their Website functional and writing its content.  That’s a project I have been thinking about for a long time.  Now it’s going to happen.

As for the rest: eating better, getting more exercise, being more patient, and winning the lottery…..I’ll try to make it happen, but that, I’m not sure about.

To all, I wish a Happy New Year and a lot of sure and less sure things.

It's that time of year again

Snow on a buch of Echinacae

Well, it's that time of year again, Christmas Eve.  What are you guys doing right now?  Running around trying to buy a last minute gift for uncle Whatchama Callit that you haven't seen in ages and is coming over tonight.  Or maybe trying to figure out how you are going to sit everyone at the table for dinner or better yet, you just burnt the turkey and will have to get St-Hubert and stuff it with what you were able to save for the bird that is now looking like the Griswold family one in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.  Or maybe you are a well organized person and have everything ready and is enjoying a hot cocoa in front of a nice fire looking forward to gift giving time.

However you are celebrating Christmas, my cats, my family and I are wishing you all a nice Holiday with the ones you love.

I tried to get the cats to sit for a Christmas pictures but they didn't feel like sitting still with a Christmas hat (which is actually a Christmas stocking,  shhhh.....everybody doesn't have to know) on their head.  Sachat stayed around long enough for me to get one shot.  Grisgris saw me coming and ran away so here is what you get.  I have added a couple of wintery pictures so you wouldn't feel like I let you down.

Sachat before she decided that the hat was enough

Mésange à tête noire (Black-capped Chickadee)
Boisbriand, QC Décembre 2011

For those who were wondering if Québec is going to have a white Christmas.  It seems like it.  There is about an inch of snow on the ground that fell yesterday. And the forecast calls for cold temperatures so the snow is going to stay at least 'til after Christmas.  We will have a white Christmas, at least in Boisbriand.

Ice on a Rosebush in our yard

Snowfall from yesterday

So Merry Christmas to all of you who are reading me and I talk to you next year or maybe sooner.

My Cats Nicknames

Officially my cats have one name each; in reality they have about a dozen.  It’s always been like this.  Over the years none of the cats I owned kept their original name.  They had their official name, the one I gave the vet or told my friend when they asked.  But in fact, I started given them new ones as soon as I got to know them and they showed me their personality.  Since that changed over time, the names evolved along with it.

As you know I presently have two cats, a brother and sister.  We brought them home 1 ½ year ago.  After a few days of trying different names to see if they fitted and debating among ourselves which one would fit the best, we decided to call the female Sachat with a t (cat in French is chat) and the male Grisgris like the voodoo charm and because he is gray; gris being the French word for gray.  It didn’t take long before their name started to chance.

Grisgris when he was 3 months old

Grisgris became Gris for short than Risris or Ris.  Sachat became Sache.  As they grew older their hair coat became longer and ticker so, I started calling them les Wooly moumoutes in reference to the extinct wooly mammoth and, moumoute in reference to a French word used to designate a man’s hair piece.  The name Wooly moumoute turned into Moute again for the sake of shortness or Woolute and Woolite. On another tangent we got the unavoidable reference to cats being flee bags, which in French is les Sacs à puce.  From that was born the derivatives Les Sacs à pouette and Les Pouettes.

Sachat at 3 months

Grisgris is also called Gros Ronron Ponpon or Le Point.  Don’t ask me where that last one came from. I don’t have a clue.  Recently I started calling Sachat Choupette.  You know the Disney movie about the VW bug called Herbie? Well in the French translation it’s called Choupette.  It’s also used as a term of endearment.  Of course Choupette could not stay Choupette so it became Choupe, than Shwip and Shwipette.  Oh… and before I forget there is also Chouine and Chouinette.  Since these are feminine names, I needed a masculine counterpart for Grisgris, so came along Le Chouin and Les Chouins designating both of them.

Grisgris this Fall

I use the names alternatively depending on my mood and theirs, I guess.  I know, you all must think I’m crazy and crazier yet to talk about it on a blog.  I would be happy to hear what nicknames you call your pets.  It’s ok, you don’t have to have as many as I do.   Don’t hesitate, in doing so you’ll reassure me that I am not alone in my craziness.



Sachat a couple of weeks ago

First snow Fall ?

I know, although it still looks like fall, winter is coming and I need to call the garage to get winter tires for the Mini.  That made me think; when do we usually see the first snowfall in the Montreal area? Is it in October or November?  I don't know, so I did what I usually do when I don't know, I googled it.  This time Google let me down.  I could not find a precise answer.  But I found some interesting information that can give you an idea.

According to Environnement Canada, which shows data for the last 30 years, there is an average snowfall of 22 cm in November in the Montreal area.  Usually there are 8 days where snow falls, and most  of them with less than 5 cm.  The average temperature in November is 1,6°C and I am pretty sure that this year average will be a lot higher.  The record daily high temperature for November is 21,7°C and was set in 1948.  The record low was set in 1949 and is -19,4°C.  There is no mention as when we usually see our first snow though.  The closest I could get to a date was between December 1 and 15.  But that's not quite the dates for the first snow, but the ones for the first day of 14 consecutives days where the snow coverage on the ground was equal or greater than 2cm. You have to love statistics and thank Natural Resources Canada for them. However, I did get a date for Quebec City, on average their first snowfall is around October 11 (according to Climat-Québec). 

I personally think that the end of October, beginning of November is about right for Montreal. What do think?  

What is your bet, will it be soon or will we have a snowless Christmas ?

While you wait let me show you a couple of nice pictures I took yesterday as I was walking in my favorite trail along the Rivière des Mille Îles.

Red fruit, Boisbriand, November 21, 2011

Little white cotton balls, Boisbriand, November 21, 2011

Fuzzy Fruit of a Sumac Vinaigrier

Little white buttons, Boisbriand, November 21, 2011

Maple seeds that never fell, Boisbriand November 12, 2011

Windows in Provence

The last time I went to Europe I had the chance to go to Provence. It was the spring of 2006. I know it's been a while and I definitively need to go back soon. When I was there, I started taking pictures of windows. Sounds weird, doesn't it? But it's not. It's actually pretty colorful and campagnard. You will see why shortly. In the south of France, there are a lot of large casement windows with awnings in bright colors. They are great subjects for pictures. When they are all put together it makes a nice montage. So I thought I'd share them with you and tell you a little bit about where they were taken.

The first three were taken at the Châteauneuf du Pape village. Yes, the one renowned for its wine. It's a little bit ironic that I ended up there because I don't really like wine. That’s probably why I didn't take pictures of the vineyards and decided to look at the windows. I did take pictures of the old castle and stacks of wine cases though.

The bottom three were taken in Orange, a small town north of Avignon. In Orange there is an Antique Theater that was built around the years 40 BC.  It's part of the UNESCO World Heritage List.  When I was there, it was under restoration. Now it's finish and they're having outdoor shows in it. It looks magnificent. I definitively need to go back.

Since I talked about the castle, the wine and the theater, let me show you what they look like.  Otherwise it's like getting a Christmas present and not being able to open it.

Châteauneuf du Pape castle

Wine Cases in Châteauneuf du Pape

If you would like to know more about the Castle that was the home of Popes here is a link where they talk about it.  Château des Papes

Now let me show you the roman theater in Orange.  And here is the link for more details about its history as well as the one of the city. Théâtre Antique - Orange