In Honour of Pride Week - Why Can't You Own A Canadian?

 HAPPY PRIDE WEEK

Show your colors Vancouver! 

This is Pride Week in Vancouver and in my opinion this is one of the best celebrations that we have here.  Not only is it a lot of fun, but it brings together such a diverse group of people all co-operating and having a lot of fun without a lot of trouble.
Every year my partner and I participate in the parade. I take lots of pictures and usually post them on here and my flickr page so everyone can share  a bit of the fun. Unfortunately this year we are unable to go to the parade. We have a wedding for a close friend to attend.  However, this piece was sent to me the other day.I have no idea where the original post came from but "thank you " to whoever posted this.  It gave me a chuckle. In honor of Pride Week and because listening to Dr. Laura makes me retch I have reprinted this for your amusement.

In her radio show, Dr Laura Schlesinger said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22, and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following response is an open letter to Dr. Laura, written by a US man, and posted on the Internet. It's funny, as well as informative: Dear Dr. Laura: Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination ... End of that debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them. 1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians? 2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her? 3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of Menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15: 19-24. The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense. 4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them? 5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it? 6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination, Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there 'degrees' of abomination? 7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle-room here? 8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die? 9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves? 10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14) I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I'm confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging. Your adoring fan. James M. Kauffman, Ed.D. Professor Emeritus, Dept. Of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education University of Virginia PS: It would be a @#$% shame if we couldn't own a Canadian

Hayward Lake

We have given up on Kilby this year. The bad weather, high tide and mosquitoes  have forced us to check out some of the other lakes and possible swimming holes for our dear Miss Lucy.  We decided to check out Stave Lake  and stumbled upon Hayward Lake instead. It was a gem of  a find.
There are lots of trails for hiking, nicely kept picnicking area and sandy beach for swimming, but best of all was the dog off leash swimming area. Miss Lucy thought she was in heaven. The water was clean and clear and there were few other dogs around to crowd her style.

For me it was time to take out the new lens that I got for my birthday and try it out. While snapping pictures at the dog park I heard that very familiar cry of my favorite bird, the eagle,  and managed to get some really nice shots before he took off for the the other side of the lake.

It was  a really nice day and I got very lucky to get these shots of this magnificent bird. I am always awed by the beautiful kings of the sky!

A Walk Among the Tree Tops

My daughter Alana (she has forbidden me to publish her picture)  is on holidays right now and as it was my birthday on Friday she decided that we should do some vacationy type things.  I agreed to the plan and the first place we went was to Capilano Suspension Bridge in West Vancouver.

This was a place that we had been to when she was a child, but has really evolved. When we were last there all there was were trails through the woods and the suspension bridge. Now there is a cliff walk, and tree top walks and seven suspension bridges. It was a lot of fun and a very enjoyable day.

Later we drove to the Cleveland Dam and sat for awhile at this very beautiful spot as well.

We finished the day with dinner at the Boat House.

What a treat!! 

Unusual Summer

It is hard to tell if it is summer here on the west coast or early spring. We have had very little sunshine and lots of cold rain. 

This week we drove to Kilby where we always take Lucy to swim in the summer.  Although it looks like a lake Kilby is actually where the Fraser River and the Harrision River meet.   Usually at this time of year we take our beach chairs and sit out there for the whole day  letting her play all she wants, but this year is a very different matter. 

This is a picture of what Kilby usually looks like at this time of year.
Here is what we encountered this week.

The wind was blowing and the water was much higher than I had seen it. I am wearing two hoodies and I was still cold.

While I do not want it to be really hot I would like it to be at least short sleeve weather!

To My Friends South of the Border

Happy Independence Day!

Happy Belated (not my fault) Canada Day!

Yes - Happy Canada Day one day late. I had this wonderful creative post with all kinds of links and fun things for the day and you would have loved it!! (Really, honestly I know you don't believe me but would I lie about a thing like that?)But alas - Like many people in the lower mainland our Canada Day gift from Telus was no internet!

We did not let it stop us from celebrating and of course we celebrated it with our beloved Canadians Baseball team. I went prepared to give my full attention to every minute of the game so that I could be properly let down when they lost as they seem to do every year on Canada Day. 

I ask myself why they cannot win a home game on Canada Day - to me it is the patriotic thing to do. We sang our national anthem loudly. We cheered like they were the world's greatest heroes. We did the chicken dance and sang Take Me Out To the Ball Game with gusto... but still they lost miserably.

Maybe they can use these pictures to practice up for next year.

Keep your eye on the ball...here it comes - get ready to swing!

 I said SWING!!!