Enjoying the Autumn

Looking out over the university NNE from Mount Tolmie

Lichen-covered branches against Garry Oak and Hemlock

Pine needles in sun and shade

(Purple) blue spruce

Garry Oak meadow

My Spielberg look-a-like

Autumn

It’s clearly Fall up here on Triangle Mountain. We have leaves, rain, apples, deer, rabbits, raccoons, another birthday. This is our first Autumn here, and I like it. Although we have been here almost a year and sometimes it seems like we are old-timers in the neighbourhood, my backyard visitors remind me that we are new, and perhaps interlopers where they have been for generations. I’m glad they let me stay.

Colourized rain drops on the sun roof

A pile of wet glistening leaves

Birthday cake

Someone's been nibbling our apples and pears awaiting processing

Who, me? Couldn't be.

I bet it was her.

Or maybe him.

Couldn't have been me...

Maybe it was them- they're all thieves

On a completely different note, I have some other stories to tell, some of which have been bubbling out of me this weekend. Fiction stories. Erotica, in fact. In the interests of not terrorizing my gentle readers here, nor wanting to attract unwanted attention to my personal journey on this blog, I have started another blog under an alias. Be forewarned that the stories and language over there are very graphic and racy, but if you like that kind of thing- enjoy! 

(I hope to have a chapter up there later tonight...)

I thought I was a-political

I’m annoyed. Frustrated, even.

We had a federal election today in Canada. Because we have a multi-party system, it is possible for us to have a minority government, which is what we have had in all three of the last elections. In of itself, this is not a bad thing. It can mean greater accountability and the need for increased co-operation between parties in order to get bills passed.

It can also mean instability and a lack of confidence within the ruling party. Because of a desire for a more definite mandate, and for other reasons I don’t fully fathom, the current Prime Minister decided to call an election early.

For the last 6 weeks, we have been immersed in election merde from all sides- the Americans are (and have been, seemingly forever) leading up to their election, municipal elections are coming (although I don’t know when) and this last minute federal nonsense.

Voter turn-out appears to have been at an all-time low for this federal election. Indeed!
The popular vote belies the results within the ridings. For instance, the New Democratic Party, represented right across the country, pulled in approximately 18% of the popular vote, but only 12% of the elected seats. The Bloc Quebecois, running candidates in only one province (75 out of 308 ridings), picked up less than 10% of the popular vote, but holds nearly 16% of the seats.

As I said, I’m frustrated.

I need us to move forward with an electoral system that allows me to vote for 3 things: the leader of my choice, the party of my choice and the local candidate of my choice. I need our actual votes as they are cast to bear some relationship to which officials are elected. I would like to see some kind of meaningful democratic electoral process; maybe we would then see improved voter turn-out and a whole lot less dissatisfaction with government and elections.

A-Political?

Giving Thanks

• seeing CATS with the gals from work this weekend
  
• Sam’s head lice infestation, found this weekend, seems limited to him and is now well under control
  
• the power outage, covering the entire south end of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, was fairly brief (~ 1 hour), and caught us at home, after supper
  
• Rob made a spectacular thanksgiving dinner- I loves me some turkey!
  
• I made everybody say something they were thankful for: good health, family, food, our house, our animals all made the list
• Linus’s pet guinea pig did not need to be euthanized (although it would have been nice if he’d made it, as the vet seemed to think he would, but he was quite elderly and unwell)
  
• life is good, n’est-ce pas? (I’se all about the silver linings)