Grad School Lazy = RUN

It is time to get in shape using my shapely form.  Going from teaching all day and moving around for 6 hours organizing children, teaching lectures, providing supplies, starting projects and the general mayhem of teaching elementary school, grad school has left me lazy.  Yes, I blame grad school.  Other than the research I completed this summer at festivals and interpretive centres, grad school required my brain, fingers and wrists to function on overload, but not my other body parts.  Hence I am less healthy and fit than I have ever been in my life.  A once former athlete, I have been a casual participant in sports and other activities over many years, and several years ago was so frustrated in a crazy job that I began working out 1.5 hours a day, just to deal with the daily stress and bur-ha-ha.  I was tighter after that job but the insanity lead me to other paths in my life.  I moved to London and started to travel, during which I walked and moved for hours every day, and tried every delicious looking European snack possible (have you been to an authentic patisserie lately?).  Then I transitioned to grad school and lost it all, my sleek calves, my Carnival shaped butt, my tighter abs, and my single chin.  I want these back and in order for this to happen, and under the pressure of great friends, I joined a running club.

This means I have joined the Running Room for a 10 week Learn How To Run clinic.  Now those who know me know I am an athletic person and many of the sports I participate in include running.  My shins have always cried out in pain after a long workout, so I am learning how to run properly and will ease into running with this clinic.  Perhaps I will share interesting wipe-outs and other such nonsense on this blog.  Be prepared for shenanigans!

So far one of the runners this evening told me that there is a new basketball team starting up in Manitoba for women aged 40-49.  I have not found the link yet.  I will keep looking and share because I would really like to get back into basketball.

That would be awesome....must finish thesis first!

My new New Balance shoes:

Love New Balance, always have.

My new ICEtrekkers:

So I don't fall down and go boom!

My new underoos care of Costco and Paradox:

Note: my legs are far more luscious and curvy :)

Manitoba Prairies

For the past two months I have been conducting visitor and learning experience research at the Farm Food Discovery Centre (FFDC).  The only centre of its kind in North America spreading the knowledge of the world of agriculture, one visitor at a time.  It is part of the larger Glenlea Research Station, and the station has been situated south of Manitoba since the 1960's, but the interpretive centre itself is celebrating its one year anniversary this year in September 2012.  We have adults who grew on farms and in rural communities bringing their children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, who often live in urban spaces, to teach them about rural life and where their food comes from.  Your food does not just show up in a gigantic store wrapped in plastic and cellophane.  Shocking!   The FFDC is one place you can learn about agriculture, farming, food processing and the like, processes far more complicated than freezer-ed cellophane wrapped meat.

The research is similar to the festival work I have been completing all summer, asking people to create mind maps.  Most of the children know exactly what I am talking about because schools, through the work of teachers, have been asking students to use mind mapping to connect ideas and broaden their thinking for about 8-10 years now.  Previous to this, mind maps were not used in schools, so many adults are unsure about this research technique and look at me funny, except for the teachers, they know mind maps.  I am getting all sorts of interesting responses and it is fascinating to see people really think about what they have learned while walking around, reading, talking with others, touching objects, looking at animals, asking questions and engaging in a casual learning environment.  We forget that we are learning all the time, this work reminds people of this.

On the way to complete research today, the Manitoba prairie put on a show.  A stunning view of the sun, barely peaking through clouds, but spilling its rays over the clouds onto the barrels of crops below.  Of course I pulled over to a side road, stopped my vehicle and began taking pictures.  I was trying to figure out how to get all of the sky in one shot when I remembered an App on my iPhone that let's me take 6-8 pictures in succession, stitches them together, then presents the viewer with a panorama of beauty in one photo.  It's called Photosynth and very fun to play with.  

Photosynth by Microsoft

After you take the first picture, you don't have to take anymore as you simply drag your phone/camera to the next section and when the box on the screen turns green, you pause the phone/camera and it clicks a picture automatically.  Move the phone/camera again and continue with this process until you have a series of panoramic shots.  As I said before, the program stitches them together and you have a wonderful shot ready to post, email, save and enjoy.  I then imported into my iPhoto area, cropped it and posted it to my blog.  Oh the joys of technology!

I have not had the time to look at all of the pictures I took this morning but here is one that turned out quite stunning, I must say.  Manitoba prairies showing off.  The beauty on the intricate flat ground.

Check out the Farm Food Discovery Centre next time you are in Winnipeg.
Check out Photosynth.
Keep taking and playing with pictures.

Love Manitoba: Narcisse Snake Dens

In the winter my brother-in-law sent me a link to a set of snake pits, called the Narcisse Snake Dens, that were not far out of Winnipeg and suggested I go.  As the spring approached, I heard many references on the radio, from friends, as well as at other events that snake were beginning to wake up early this year and try to find a mate with whom to reproduce.  Time for another Love Manitoba trip.  

Only one of my Love Manitoba friends was able to make it to the snake dens but we still had a great time.  As we approached the sight we saw small fences, and I am talking small fences, 10-12 inches high, along the highway.  They were so short but meant for the wee snakes we were about to meet, so that they did not meet their death as squashed long meat on the highway.

We parked, gathered our few belonging and noticed that the first thing we forgot was a picnic.  In the heat of a summery May and with tables available we could have brought a light snack or a lunch, which we were not aware as an option.  Shrugging our shoulders and walking on, we noticed several boards pointing out what was in store for our visit.  

There were four snake pits, all active, but with two containing the most number of snakes.  The dirt path led us through and around short trees and bushes to the first deep snake pit.  With a fence to ensure we would not jump in the pit, we saw the following wee snakes.  I was expecting larger ones to be honest having grown up with the images of Indiana Jones falling into the snake pit with huge snakes, or attempting to get out of quicksand with a snake.  Even so, there were A LOT of snakes!!!  

Many bodies and tails.
One wee head.

Snakes all piled on each other in a frenzy.

In view was a pit about 30 feet around with various levels of vegetation, rocks and small alcoves.  In the midst of this natural setting small snakes piled one on top of the other.  The movement of each pile was never-ending and a soon as a pile was created, is morphed into a smaller grouping until only 5-10 snakes were left, then another pile would build a short ways off.  Quite amazing.

We watched the first den and moved on to the second, where the viewers were higher up on a rounded precipice with a fence looking 20 feet down and out about 60 feet out at another area full of vegetation, rocks, dark dirt, and snakes.  

Snakes appeared to be dripping off the edge of the den.

They just kept on moving up, down, around, all over.

The occasional snake took a break and enjoyed some sun.

We were in luck at the second den as an interpretive guide appeared and my friend and I sequestered him for a while and rapid fired questions.  He explained that this was mating season and there were far more male snakes than females, all with the biological need to mate.  As it turns out there is one, ONE female at the bottom of each pile, and HUNDREDS of male snakes on top of her all vying for her attention as she picked a mate.  We asked if she does get to pick and he said yes, that it is in her biological make-up to pick a mate each spring.  He has seen piles as many as 150-200 snakes large.  Imagine being the small wee female snake at the bottom of that pile!?!  Wow!  Animal behaviour.  Quite amazing!

Our trusty park interpretative guide.

Where is the female?  Who knows!

In the third den there was less activity and more individual and small groups of snakes just slithering about.  The snakes had begun their mating early this year but some were sticking to their usual schedule.  

Calm snakes in the sexual storm.

At the last snake pit I took the opportunity to hold a snake that had escaped its thin, small, shallow pit.  With families about, kids holding touching and shrieking, and pets chasing snakes, this pit was active with humans and noise.  

I really liked the yellow and bright orange stripes on the snakes.
Funny enough, my nail polish that day matched.

Many years ago in the 1980's my two mature and extremely cool cousins came to visit and live with us in Belgium for one year.  They flitted about Europe on various travels (while I was stuck going to grade 7, still kinda bitter) returning with trinkets and presents they had purchased themselves.  Cousin Rebecca was obsessed with the recent trend of snake jewelry and purchased herself a snake necklace, earrings and bracelet.  I wrapped the snake around my wrist and it stayed to hang out.  I remembered the jewelry at this moment and took these few pictures for her.  I wonder what ever happened to those pieces?  

My snake skin/real bracelet

The bracelet begins to climb

If you are ever out this way in late April or early May, head to the Narcisse Snake Dens for fun with some little, wiggly creatures that will put a smile on your face.  Remember, snakes aren't slimy they are slithery.  Two very different things.

Winnipeg Jazz Festival

This is my second year volunteering at Jazz Festival in Winnipeg. Four shifts of four hours then I can go to as many shows that I want for free at 6 different venues over 8 days. Not too bad of an exchange in my opinion.

Too be honest, like modern art, jazz, blues, and R&B have taken me years to learn how to appreciate. I was trained as a musician through regimented classical music so the free flowing forms of these genres of music have been more work for me to appreciate. Since I have 2 siblings and 1 in-law who play trombone jazz and blues trios, I have learned to enjoy this music even more. I still don't know how to jam on my flute but rumour has it there are a few open music jam nights in this artsy city and I may head to one of those one of these days.

There is a definite music, art, creative vibe to Winnipeg that I have not experienced as intimately in other cities, probably because I am more involved at this location. As well, I have noticed that the audience not only sees people performing by then often gets to meet, mix and mingle with the artists post-performance in a relaxed setting like a lobby or in the audience. More often than not, I meet the artists before the performance and exchange a few words or see what they may need (I am that friendly volunteer).  :)

Sunday night I enjoyed a Winnipeg classic electronics band Moses Mayes. I saw them for the first time last year and they are adored here in Le Peg. I know now why, they improvise most of their dance worthy tunes, are each incredibly talented and together just smile, laugh and have a great time while performing. This joy in the creation of music floats out into the crowd and the audience is in rapture of their work.

This year when Moses Mayes was on stage, I was inside the art space called The Cube in which the stage is held. I was backstage watching, helping as dancing. What a show! Incredible opportunity! Not sure that would have happened in another city.

Behind the group Moses Mayes and I am backstage 'helping'

The front of The Cube located in Old Market Square

Tonight I am a at club to which I have never been, Juss Jazz, on Portage Avenue. It has just been refurbished and the Steve Kirby Quartet is on stage, member of the Faculty of Music from the University of Manitoba and special guests. So far a traditional jazz show and the club is full. Enjoying free talent. Just a perfect evening.

Juss Jazz, a new jazz club in Winnipeg

40 Fun or New Things in 40 Hours

Over the years I have had many friends and family members organize and celebrate wonderful birthdays with me.  Twenty-one roses and 10 helium balloons, a wake, surprise dinners, distracting movies to a surprise party, 24 cupcakes a cake and many family members, and many more wonderful events.

As my 40th birthday approached I wanted it to be memorable and a real celebration of life and the many wonderful experiences it can posses.  As my brain is wont to do, it connected the dots and in a flash I decided I was going to try and do 40 new and/or fun things in 40 days.  Since that seemed a little long and I am poor (in graduate school), the idea shrunk down to 40 fun or new things in 40 hours, faster, zippier, smaller time frame, shorter things.  The planning began.

I sent out invites asking friends and family to send me ideas and let me know if they wanted to do something specifically with me.  Many friends contacted me and participated in the planning.  At one point I was ready to give up but my Love Manitoba friend's, Christa and Stephanie, would not let me.  They planned much of the last minute new things and saved the day!  As well, my sister Lurene flew in from Calgary for the weekend and things I had done before became new because I was doing them with my sister for the first time (freebees).  See how this works.  None of these new things have to be huge, they just have to be inventive and creative.

So in the end, this is the list, most of which occurred the actual evening of my birthday, March 31 at King's Head Pub in Winnipeg.

40 Fun New or Fun Things in 40 Hours:

1. Drinking Chololate

2. Eating Manitoba

3. Eating Bacon Bark

4. Backwards lunch (started with dessert, ended with main course)

5. Wore steel coloured nail polish

6. Had Henna done on my hands

7. Went rock climbing in Manitoba (indoors, there are no mountains or hills to climb here)

8. Attempted geo-caching

9. Received a flower delivery at home (thanks Marcia!)

10. Visited the crazy purple poster shop at the end of Osbourne Village
(turns out it is not my type of shop)

11. Walked down Osbourne Village streets with one of my sisters

12. Received a mug from my sister (caveat: Marcia - another sister - gave me a mug when I was 19 with her picture on it so I would not miss her.  I still use this mug but I received it on Christmas morning, not on my birthday.)

13. I was hit on by a random stranger on Facebook on my birthday (thank you some guy named Richard or Raymond or something)

14. Ate at the Bonfire Bistro

15. Ate at La Bamba (this is where I had the backwards lunch and the item below)

16. Ate tequila ice-cream

17. Purchased rainbow tights (ready for Folk Fest and other exciting events)

18. Tried Don Jolio tequila (wow, smooth as silk)

19. Played with interactive lights in Central Park, Winnipeg

Bois-des-Esprits or Spirit Trees

While I was walking last spring on the south side of Winnipeg, I came upon a beautiful neighbourhood in St. Vital with its own forest, the Seine River Greenway Forest.  It was a delightful day with leaves all over the path, children actually playing in the forest, small groups of people enjoying a walk.  I happened upon another woman walking by herself and we began a conversation.  She asked me if I had seen the spirit trees of the forest as of yet, to which I replied no.  She walk me deeper into the woods and there it was, the Bois-des-Esprits.    

Stunning multiple faces and animals.
Carved on both sides.

The same tree.
The other side.

This woman and I talked for a while as she gave me more advice of a few different places to visit in the city.  We parted ways and I continued walking out of the forest I spied several more faces that I had completely walked by, not realizing they had been staring at me and others along the path.  The faces were stunning, carved right into the trees, rough slices, with long whisky beards.      

Old tree
Old face

This was the last tree as I left the forest.  I took one picture, stared at the tree for a while, then realized that this was not simply a face.

Old tree
Old face
With a bit of extra

A view from below so I could capture the face's friend.

Sadly, someone committed an act of vandalism this past June and lit the largest of the trees on fire.  One wonders what pushes someone to light something so stunning on fire.  Sign of discontent.  This tree provided me with much content.  I hope people continue to enjoy it despite a part of it now being charred.  I shall continue to walk, talk with random strangers, and enjoy the outdoors.  I am thinking the Winnipeg Trails Association will help.  Love walking!
  

Project Love Manitoba: Caving

It is important to keep good friends who pay attention when an opportunity arrises.  Such are my I Love Manitoba Adventure friends.  Once of them heard about a caving club and attended a meeting, after which she set up a caving adventure with one of the groups organizers.  Brilliant woman and so excited when she called me!  I have been in several caves in the rockies but it was mostly enter the front portion, peek around, then leave as the cave is too dark  This adventure seemed far more exciting and interesting as special equipment, a membership in the club and a knowledgeable guide were all required.  The excitement of joining a club is a well researched topic and fulfills a layer of human need, as well I am an Enneagram seven, trying new things is a strong motivation in my life.  Oooooo, the excitement built through conversations, emails, and gathering supplies, then the caving day arrived!

We gathered in a Winnipeg parking lot, met the guide Scott and three men who were experienced cavers and already members of the Speleological Society of Manitoba (I am putting that on my resume as it sounds very official and intelligent).  I paid my minimal membership dues ($15) then received a book called Caves and Karst edited by W.D. McRitchie and K.M. Monson.  We jumped into cars and headed north of the city toward the direction of the Peguis Reserve and Fisher Branch, Manitoba.

As we drove along I opened my new book to realize I had joined a secretive and exclusive society as the book contained graphs, charts and a language with which I was unfamiliar.  I joked with my friends that I was excited to receive a book but I had no idea what it was telling me.  More research to come complete once back at home after the adventure's end.

I keep forgetting that I am not in Alberta and that there are no mountains in Manitoba.  In my mind's eye, we were going to climb a slight hill, find a hole in the side of said hill, walk in and cave around a bit, but there are very few, and I mean VERY FEW hills in Manitoba.  My expectations were about to be challenged, as they often are.

When we reached the first location, we parked our cars and dressed in our caving gear.  Protection and physical safety are most important elements to caving, and one's personal sense of style takes a back seat.

Christa and Steph in the hood(?)

Bright colours so hunters don't shoot us.

Wat up?!?
I did not wear bright colours.
Prime hunting target.

We began walking into the flat, densely packed but small treed woods and then stopped.  "Here is it," said Scott and we all looked down as a gently slope in the ground, which opened up into a small hidden subterranean space.  Scott stated that this was just a precursor to the actual caves and we enjoyed looking at the change in rock formations as we slowly descended then crouched underneath a rock shelf to peer into a bit if the earth.

Stephanie with two experienced cavers

After a brief stop, we headed to the first actual cave.  Upon arrival my hill was no where to be seen, but there was a hole in the ground.  That is what we were here to do, crawl into a hole in the ground?!?  I remembered that Scott had warned me that I should not expect huge caves and wondrousness but I flippantly dismissed his comment.  I was not disappointed but I had to adjust my perspective to realize that crawling into the belly of the earth was going to be as cool as walking into a small entrance of a vertical rock formation, which is what I had been expecting.  Mental flexibility in traveling; a requirement for a good experience.

Christa being lowered into the first cave.
We used climbing ropes for safety
and a permanent ladder to descend into the cave.

Me at the bottom of the cave entrance looking up.

Cave wildlife found by Stephanie.
Such a cute frog!

As we crawled on our hands and knees, on our bellies, pushed ourselves backwards we got a feel for the first cave which included changing rock formations, a frog, piles of dried poop and bats.  Very cool!  Hole in the ground or not, I was impressed and excited to be caving.

The bottom of the ladder in the cave.
I am in the first small room looking out into the cave .
Sparkles from the rock formations appeared on most of my pictures.  Think of it as glitz and glamour!

Some of us glowed in the dark.
This was good as the darkness was quite consuming.

We waited at the top of the cave for the last two people inside for what seemed like a long time.  After they appeared one of the men explained to us that they had found a large pile of small bones, and one of the men was a palaeontologist / archeologist who had worked at the Royal Alberta Museum for 25 years, was explaining to the other what they had found.  Are you kidding me?!?  This trip just moved from excitement on the travel scale to phenomenal!!!  

The palaeontologist picked a collection of bones out of his pocket and began to explain, "This is a femur of a small animal, probably a rabbit.  This one is a piece of the arm of a prairie mouse, oh yes, and one half of a hip joint....." and he went on as we stood there is awe at our luck.  The excitement in the group rose to a new level as we headed to the next cave.  

The Provincial Parks officer came out to visit us to ensure we were doing well.
She had a bullet proof vest on and a gun.  Wow, what a job!