I love turtles! They are a most beautiful and unique animal and they bring joy to so many people’s lives. I will be sharing a few ‘turtley’ blogs over the next little while and I’m very excited to jump right into this one…
The Peacebus just finished its first art competition of the year and it was a great success. I had a lot of fun and I know that the students did too!
The subject of this competition was… turtles!!!! All of the artworks were amazing, but I’m going to focus on just one group of art creations for this story.
Ava is a student in grade 4. She has been one of my star artists since the beginning of the school year. During this competition she became a ‘Turtle Art Monster’ – LOL – creating close to 25 unique artworks!!! Way to go, Ava!
Yesterday, after I had arrived home after my morning bus runs, Joanne and I spent the morning looking at all of Ava’s drawings. As we were enjoying them, I began to shuffle the drawings around, organizing them in a way. While I was doing this a story began forming in my mind. It was a spontaneous moment of inspiration.
Three hours later, I had completed writing my first ever book, using Ava’s drawings as my inspiration.
Later that evening, I went to a local printing centre and one hour later ‘A Turtle’s Great Adventure’ was complete. I made three copies: 1 copy for me to read to my soon to be born son, 1 copy for Ava and 1 copy for Ava’s school.
Just an hour ago, I went to visit Ava’s principal, to show her our book. I asked the principal to visit Ava’s classroom to present this book to her teacher. This will be such a delightful surprise because Ava does not know – yet – what I have done with her artworks. I can’t wait to see her smiling face at the end of today!!!!
So… with no further adieu… I am honoured to share with all of you….
Wasn’t that a great read?!!!
I’ll be sharing this book with my son many many times over the next few years and I’m sure that he will enjoy this story too!
If you would like to find out what other kind of ‘turtley’ adventures I’m involved in then I will ask you to join my first Facebook group – Turtle Book Ink! http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/turtlebookink/
Last Sunday’s Foodstock event in Honeywood, Ontario was a great success! Over the last couple of days, people have been sending me photos from their experience at this event cuz they knew that I was unable to attend.
My sister joined in the fun and had a plate of food for me! Thanks Sandra!!!!!
CBC radio had been promoting this affair and I’m sure that they were there to get some first hand interviews from the many who were there to enjoy all the great food as well as to learn more about what can be done to halt the destructive plans to turn my homeland into North America’s second largest open-pit mine!
The struggle to halt this quarry will be continuing over the next year or so, I would suspect, and be assured that I will do my best to keep you updated.
Foodstock was a celebration of the land and the food that this land provides. Since Joanne and I had to stay close to home cuz our son could be born at any time now, we decided to have a Foodstock of our very own! A celebration of our own small peace of land and the food that we grew this year…
… like this pumpkin! This was just one of the eight pumpkins that we grew this year and the best thing about this is that if was free!! In the spring, I emptied our composter onto one small patch of our garden and all sorts of free food started growing from it.
The first thing to do with your pumpkin is to cut away the top centre stock. Make sure your knife is very sharp.
Using the same knife, cut your pumpkin in half, lengthwise. I find that an ice cream scoop is the perfect tool for scooping out all the seeds and innards of the pumpkin. Later, these seeds will be towel dried and sprinkled with a dash of salt and a drop of oil and using cookie sheets, we’ll bake them until golden. What a great little snack!!!
But, before we do that, the pumpkin halves are placed onto the cookie sheets and baked at 350 degrees for a little over an hour. When we first started learning how to cook squashes, we would steam the squash instead of baking it. We learned that a baked squash is much more flavourful and that it retains a lot more nutrients.
We let the baked pumpkin sit and cool for a couple of hours and then I use the ice cream scoop, again, to separate the pumpkin meat from the skin.
You can do quite a lot with just one pumpkin. As I mentioned, we grew eight of them this year, so you can imagine how much of this yummy stuff we’ve got in our freezer to enjoy over the cold winter to come.
I read that a baby’s first solid foods should be vegetables that are coloured orange and yellow. So, along with the many bags of pumpkin that we’ve stored in our freezer, we’ve got yellow beans and carrots that also grew in our garden, ready to be mashed into baby food.
Once the onions become translucent – just before they brown – add 900 ml of vegetable soup stock and let simmer for 30 minutes. Then you add 4 cups of the baked pumpkin and simmer for another 30 minutes. Toss in several generous tablespoons of Rosemary during the last few minutes of this process.
I find that the Rosemary really seals to deal for this soup recipe. I’ll have to add this herb to my veggie garden next year cuz I love it so much!
We use a hand-held blender to create a nice even texture for our soup.
Now you remove the soup pot from the heat, add 2 cups of a light cream, stirring thoroughly and you are ready to enjoy!!!!
I love it when Jo’ makes this soup even better by baking a loaf of Beer Cheese Bread to go along with it!!!! Super Yum!
Our freezer now has many a container filled with this simple yet delightful soup and we’ll be enjoying these flavours throughout the coming winter!
I’m glad to share this recipe with you and I hope that I’ve inspired you to think about planting your own vegetable garden next spring.
As our societies begin to understand that humanity must undergo many profound changes over the years to come to ensure a habitable planet for future generations, the first questions that we all ask is, “What can I do?” The simplest step is learning how fulfilling it is to take care of our most primal need – food! After that, most other actions for change seem to just fall into place.
Wow! What a view!! Considering how flat the land looks in this photo, one may think that this image was taken from a plane or a hot air balloon, but that’s not the case. This photo was taken somewhere along the edges of The Niagara Escarpment.
This natural phenomenon was created during the last ice age and it stretches from the southern portion of Ontario to very far north. While the surrounding lands remain hollowed out by the receding glaciers, the escarpment reaches up to some extreme heights.
Just a few minutes from where I grew up, in the valleys and hills of the escarpment, there is an area where one can see the night lights of Barrie and Toronto at the same time! This peak is thought to be the second highest landmark in Southern Ontario. This is my backyard!
But, lately the views and vistas have been filled with images of a different concern…
Ahhh – yes… the mega-quarry! Many of you may have read my detailed blog about this issue earlier this summer -http://bitsandpeaces08.blogspot.com/2011/06/dufferin-county-jobs-and-destruction.html . I’m not going repeat myself with all of the reasons why this proposed quarry will be the demise of this region, affecting six major rivers that flow through the Toronto and Niagara region of Ontario, cuz I already did that. I’m going to continue this story sharing the many things that the citizens of Southern Ontario are doing to preserve these lands for future generations…
It was mid July, in Orangeville, Ontario and I was going to a rally to support the halting of the mega-quarry. It didn’t take me long until I saw the first signs…
… telling me I was in the right area!!!
Just behind the town hall, groups of people were gathering to learn more about this issue and to find ways to help local organizations gather strength to challenge the American Industrialists who want to reap profit from Canadian soil.
It was a hot day, and many people found a small corner of shade to stand in while speakers took the stage to share with us.
I was extremely impressed with the caliber of all the speakers. We listened to farmers retell the stories of how they were tricked into selling their farmland. We listened to environmentalists detail the impact that this quarry will have on this land as well as neighbouring areas. We listened to local government officials as they encouraged us to continue fighting to preserve these unique lands.
I was most impressed with one of the speakers who told us that his goal was not to put a halt to just this quarry, but to set legislative precedence so that future proposals of this nature will require the environmental assessments that are now non existent. That’s right! This proposal to create North America’s second largest open-pit mine does NOT have to prepare an environmental assessment! That’s just wrong!!
There were booths where one could purchase signs of opposition to post onto front lawns, to help spread awareness. There were booths filled with petitions that were signed by all attendees. And there were booths filled with local chefs who had simple foods available for the crowds, to highlight the crop diversity from this region that would become spoiled if the plans for the mega-quarry cannot be halted.
I liked how the chefs had arranged a unique way to get the hungry people involved in making their own food. This is a bike-powered flourmill! If you wanted a homemade soft-shell taco for lunch you had to dedicate a few minutes of your time to grind the flour that would be used to make your taco shell!! Everyone thought that this was great!
It sure would have been a boring event if all we did was stand around and listen to people talk all day, so a variety of local musicians took to the stage between speakers. Coming from an area that has annual fiddling events, we were entertained with a few fiddlers, and a short while later these drummers entertained us.
Another event that happened this summer was the ‘Paint In’, which was hosted by The Artists United Against The Mega-Quarry.
30 artists had gathered to create a unique series of paintings depicting the beauty that these landscapes have to offer. Now that this issue had been building so much positive publicity, many people came to view these dedicated craftsmen in action!
Sandi Wong is the person who I’ve been in contact with to learn more about these art events. This is one of her creations. Absolutely gorgeous!
Just two weeks ago, Sandi organized the first of several art exhibits that will be taking place over the next year. Her paintings highlight both the rolling hills of the area and the ‘big sky’ that fills our heart while strolling along these country sideroads. I’m hoping to create another original landscape over this winter so that I can personally support this cause.
Sandi is compiling a large email list to keep interested people up to speed with these events, so if you would like to learn more please visit her website - www.sandiwongartist.com
Over the years, I have created many landscape paintings inspired this region of Southern Ontario. This painting was also the inspiration for a song that I wrote about a walk through the hills during a Thanksgiving visit to my parents’ - who still live in this area.
This region has always been an inspiration to me – it is the most beautiful region in all of Southern Ontario. I grew up here. This is the place that I call home! It will be interesting to see how my ambition to save my homeland affects my future art creations depicting this area.
So… these are some of the events that have happened in our recent history.
Now… I want to share one event that is going to be happening this coming weekend. I would love to learn that this blog inspired some people to visit this area and attend this event.
The following has been edited from an article appearing in the Toronto Star newspaper…
Chef Michael Stadtlander is the driving force behind Foodstock, an Oct. 16 fundraiser in support of the movement to Stop The Mega Quarry. He's in the potato field of Dave Vanderzaag, who is one of four farmers who didn't sell to an American-backed company that wants to develop one of Canada's biggest rock quarries. JASON VAN BRUGGEN PHOTO (from Toronto Star) Activist chef Michael Stadtländer is spearheading a farm-based food protest and hopes 20,000 people will join him.
The Oct. 16 event is called Foodstock and it’s a pay-what-you-can culinary and musical rally against a proposed limestone mega quarry on prime agricultural land next to the Niagara Escarpment. The project’s opponents fear for the region’s water, farming and quality of life.
“We have to protect land that can grow food,” Stadtländer said Thursday. “We’re just at the dawn of localism, and after seeing the drought, hurricanes and floods that have happened in the United States, I think we had better secure where our food comes from.”
Most of the chefs are from southern Ontario, but at least three are coming from Nunavut, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia. Each will create a dish using locally grown or procured items like potatoes, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, apples, smoked lake trout, beef and pork.
“In a way, you will taste the land that is in jeopardy,” promised Stadtländer, a longtime supporter of organic food and localism.
The article continues to mention that some prominent Canadian musicians will also be in attendance. Wouldn’t it be the coolest thing to spend the day winding your way through these hills at the height of the Autumn colours before settling down to the greatest meal you’ll ever have and while your on your way to the donation jar you shake hands with Jim Cuddy or Sarah Harmer!!!!?
Last Friday, I was at a library, researching news articles, and checking my emails for more information for this very blog, when a ‘chat’ bubble popped up on my Facebook page. It was from someone who used to be my neighbour. Jeremy Taggart asked me if I was going to be attending this event. I told him that I would love to go but since my wife is due to give birth to our son near that date, I just couldn’t take the risk.
Later, my wife joked and said that if we did go, and she did have our baby that it would be like Woodstock!!!
By this time, I figured that Jeremy was going to be there and I asked him about his plans for the day. He told me that he was to be the host for this event. Very cool, indeed!
I haven’t seen Jeremy since we were teenagers, right about the time when he decided to go out into the world to become the drummer for Our Lady Peace! It would have been great to see him again, so I could give him some of my peace Stik-ers to share with the band!!!
So… there ya go! One day! 20, 000 people! 70 Canadian chefs! And a handful of Canada’s finest musicians! Let’s make the Canadian government witness our united effort as we make a glorious stand to preserve our food and our land for our children and theirs!!!!!
‘Nuf said! I’m hungry… where does the food line start?
Like the great tasting Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. Yum! Yum!
Like the Peacebus rules.
And the following three interesting photos…
Explanation: What's that below the Milky Way? Historic kilns. Built in the 1870s in rural Nevada, USA to process local wood into charcoal, the kilns were soon abandoned due to a town fire and flooding, but remain in good condition even today. The above panorama is a digital conglomerate of five separate images taken in early June from the same location. Visible above the unusual kilns is a colorful star field, highlighted by the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy appearing along a diagonal toward the lower right. Many famous sites in our Galaxy are visible, including the Pipe Nebula and the Dark River to Antares, seen to the right of the Milky Way. The origin of the green mist on the lower left, however, is currently unexplained.
Explanation: The scene might have been considered serene if it weren't for the tornado. During 2004 in Kansas, storm chaser Eric Nguyen photographed this budding twister in a different light -- the light of a rainbow. Pictured above, a white tornado cloud descends from a dark storm cloud. The Sun, peeking through a clear patch of sky to the left, illuminates some buildings in the foreground. Sunlight reflects off raindrops to form a rainbow. By coincidence, the tornado appears to end right over the rainbow. Streaks in the image are hail being swept about by the high swirling winds. Over 1,000 tornadoes, the most violent type of storm known, occur on Earth every year, many in tornado alley. If you see a tornado while driving, do not try to outrun it -- park your car safely, go to a storm cellar, or crouch under steps in a basement.
Explanation: What is that on the horizon? No, it's not an alien starship battling distant Earthlings, but rather a sun pillar. When driving across Ontario, Canada in early June 2011, the photographer was surprised to encounter such an "eerie and beautiful" vista, and immediately took pictures. When the atmosphere is cold, ice sometimes forms flat six-sided crystals as it falls from high-level clouds. Air resistance then causes these crystals to lie nearly flat much of the time as they flutter to the ground. If viewed toward a rising or setting Sun, these flat crystals will reflect sunlight and create an unusual column of light -- a sun pillar as seen above.
I just love all the amazing wonders that exist on our incredible planet!!!!
These photos and their stories were taken from a NASA website. This site showcases a different interesting photo every day. I like to peruse their archives to see all that they have to show - http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html . Please enjoy!
So! I’ve filled you with inspiration to realize that our Earth is a magical place. But my job is not yet finished, for today. Before I end this blog, I feel I need to share with you a concern of great importance….
Yes – our world is full of wonder! But – we humans have created many, many problems that could destroy this world for future generations!
Yes – our world will never die! But – do we really want to create a situation that will cause the Earth to have to heal itself for other life forms, knowing that this healing process could take a few million years?
The future depends on what we do now! Let’s all do our part to raise awareness and instigate positive actions that will lead us to our glorious future!
Since today is International Peace Day, I thought that it would be most fitting to share some of the artworks that the students of The Peacebus have created since the beginning of the school year.
It doesn’t bother me that some of the artworks have spelling mistakes or that some of the peace symbols aren’t drawn perfectly. What really matters is the thought and creativity that goes into all of these expressions.
I’m a really lucky guy! I think that the students who ride on my bus are the most friendly, kind and peaceful people I have ever met. And I mean all of them!!!
In the past, the older students used to sit only at the back of the bus while the younger students sat at the front. I was very surprised and delighted to see that there is a lot of mingling going on throughout the entire bus. I had nothing to do with this – it’s just the way they are… and I’m glad!
Some of the older students have younger brothers or sisters and they often times sit together. The older students will share stories and play silly games with the friends of their younger sibling, who are sitting nearby.
Sometimes a young student will have trouble finding a place to sit and there is always an older student nearby to offer assistance.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen this type of behaviour before and I’m so glad that this is happening. Students of all ages working together is a very positive thing!
I got to work a little earlier than usual, on the first day of this school year, because I wanted to put up a few peace artworks so that my new students would be happy with the bus.
I greeted each student, as they boarded The Peacebus, in my usual silly way and by the time we arrived at the school I could see many smiling faces. I knew that this was going to be a great year!
Because I will soon be very busy with my wife and our newborn son (… and the countdown begins…) I knew that I would not have the time to work with my students on crazy and great art projects, as I have in the past. I decided to tame me down a bit, this year.
This fact has not stopped my students from – already – overwhelming me with their cheery inspiration! On the second day of school, in the morning, one young girl handed to me The Peacebus’ first artwork of the school year!!
That afternoon, two other students also presented me with their artful expressions! Day 2 and already three artworks for the bus!!!
By the end of the first week, fifteen artworks had been given to me to decorate the bus. I was in delighted shock! See what I mean when I say that I’m a really lucky guy?!
Last week, I asked the students if they knew why September 21st is one of my favourite days. The first few answers that were shouted out were, “It’s your birthday!” and “It’s your anniversary!”
I quickly told them that this day was not a special day because of something happening specifically in my life, “September 21st is a special day of celebration for ‘something’ that happens all the way around the world! It is a special Earth event.”
The students scratched their heads, thinking. I told them that they should ask their teachers and parents if they knew the answer. The next day, several of the students had the answer and soon everyone was talking about what they would do on International Peace Day!
This morning, I was blinded by the light at each of my bus stops. Almost all the students were wearing peace T-shirts, earrings, bracelets, shoes, handbags or hair-bands. I had a ‘Peace-Crew’ riding the bus! If the student didn’t have anything with a peace symbol on it, then they were wearing T-shirts with ‘Earth’ images on them – like trees, flowers, birds and animals!
I told the students that we could do other things to celebrate Peace On Earth Day and soon I was teaching them one of my favourite ‘repeat-after-me’ songs! We pulled into the schoolyard, singing very loudly and teachers and other students began to smile as our song filled the air!
HAPPY PEACE ON EARTH DAY, EVERYONE! May we be continuously inspired to realize that we can change the world, we can make a difference and we can build a future where we all work together to add a richness of colour to our planet that has never been seen before!
This is an excerpt from a recent press release:
Jim Kogelheide is a visual artist, poet, musician and animation designer by accident. During a self-initiated walk across Southern Ontario in 1996 to gain support to halt the clear cutting of this planet's last remaining old growth Red and White Pine forestlands found in the Temagami region, Jim found a breath of pure inspiration. "It was after this experience when I discovered that I had been given a special gift to share with the World." In 1998 Jim began a visual art project that will (when completed in 2020?) find one specific creation in each of Canada's thirteen provinces and territories. To date, he and his wife have lived in Manitoba, British Columbia and Nova Scotia where these art creations have been donated to elementary schools. " I feel, deep in my heart, that the children of today will play the most significant part in creating a world structured on the actions of peace and love." www.bitsandpeaces.com
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