Geoffrey's blog

2010-05-10T06:01:00.000-07:00

GOYA Theatre's production of Strange gods completed its run the weekend before last and was successful. I played the role of Fr. Karl Henshaw, a parish priest, and received very positive feedback for my performance. I am told my technique in acting is showing demonstrable improvement, which is very nice to hear. It was a good cast and production team who made this production a success.

2010-03-26T07:02:00.000-07:00

I gather that the protesters at Ottawa U find Ann Coulter and her opinions offensive, fair enough. If you do not like what she has to say, don’t listen to her. Two weekends ago Mika and I were invited to a friend’s birthday party, held at the Shanghai restaurant on Somerset Street. We discovered during the meal that Friday nights at the Shanghai features stand up comedy. On this occasion a fundraising event was staged for some charity seeking to end violence against women. The emcee was a young man, an aspiring comic, his act needs some polishing, and the main event was an array of fat, homely women trying to be funny in telling crude jokes about men, sex organs and bodily functions. Mika and I came to the restaurant for our friend’s birthday party, so we politely declined to offer a donation to the cause, then quietly asked for our bill and took our leave of the premises. There was no need to heckle or cause a disturbance or run and file a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Commission because we found the material offensive. We simply voted with our feet.

Had Coulter gone on with her speech at Ottawa U without the fuss that was raised, it would have gone largely unnoticed. Regardless of who called off Coulter’s lecture, she is the one who came out on top. She walked off with her speaker’s fee and expenses in her pockets and a great deal of free publicity. As for those opposed to having her on campus, protest is fine, but setting off a false fire alarm crosses a line well beyond the bounds of freedom of expression. The fire department had to respond and establish that there was no fire. What if there was really a fire somewhere else while they were tied up with this false alarm?

2010-03-10T08:50:00.000-08:00

Reahearsals for Strange gods continue. The more I review my lines, the clearer the relationship between Father Henshaw (the character I play) and Father Manning becomes. The two men are friends, but find themselves in conflict. The basis of the conflict between Father Henshaw and Father Manning is over the management of the Catholic school system. Father Manning looks beyond the school system in concerning himself with greater institution of the Church, its administration and finances; whereas Father Henshaw looks to the well-being of his parishioners and the staff of the Catholic school system. The focal point in this conflict is the competition for a promotion to vice-principal in one of the schools over which Fathers Manning and Henshaw preside. Father Henshaw favours Richard Moretti’s candidacy as Moretti represents all that is good, right and desirable in the local Catholic community. Moretti is a family man, raising his two children in the faith, a competent and dedicated teacher and basketball coach. He does show poor judgement in hooking up with Laura Braxton, an avowed secularist, but this pales in comparison to the hypocrisy and shameless philandering of his rival, Bill Douglas.

Throughout the play this topic nags away at Father Henshaw. We learn from Father Henshaw that "Ball-peen Bill" as he is commonly referred has applied repeatedly for promotion without success, presumably because he lacks the qualifications, that he is a faithless husband and shameless social climber. He leaves his wife, proposes marriage to Felicia Jewell becoming the protégé of the Family Jewell. In doing so, he demonstrates acumen for politics in that he out-manoeuvres Richard Moretti in the competition for promotion to vice principal. The Jewells are wealthy benefactors to the Church, so Father Manning will see that Ball-peen Bill is promoted rather than risk killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

This is intolerable to Father Henshaw, because it is unjust and surely to sully the reputation of the local Catholic community and prove demoralizing for the staff of the Catholic school system. The Church’s detractors, Laura Braxton comes to mind, will see that the sleazy Bill Douglas’s sexual impropriety is overlooked while Father Dorsey is sent packing from the priesthood solely on the basis of an unfounded accusation of sexually abusing a student. Richard Moretti loses out on a promotion he earned and this will not go unnoticed by his friends and colleagues. As Father Henshaw might say, “this stinks to high heaven.”

There is more to Father Karl Henshaw than meets the eye. Certainly he is not an intellectual giant. He is brutally frank and opinionated, he metes out discipline with a heavy hand and uses some colourful expressions in common parlance, but he is also a good judge of character. It would be so easy to play Father Henshaw as a buffoon, a caricature, picture Ralph Kramden or Fred Flintsone in clerical garb, but this would only detract from the drama. As we continue through the rehearsal process, I want to find and perform at a level that honestly portrays the character of Karl Henshaw as a man who is dedicated to the well-being of his parishioners and the good of the Catholic school system under his purview.

2010-03-08T06:22:00.000-08:00

I am well into rehearsals for a new play called Strange Gods, a drama that deals with Roman Catholicism, the Church, its traditions and how the institution conducts itself in day-to-day life. I am playing Fr. Karl Henshaw, a parish priest who is frank, irascible, prone to gossip and using some colourful expressions. Despite being known as "Hacksaw Henshaw" by Separate School students, Fr. Henshaw is a good judge of character. I am eagerly taking up the challenge of developing the character of Fr. Henshaw. I was surprised when the director saw fit to cast me on the spot at the audition late last November. Normally one expects to have to wait for a call back before getting cast.

Last year I played Rev. Arthur Beebe in a production of A room with a view. I generally got favourable comments on my performance, people noting marked improvement since I undertook some private coaching sessions with Jim McNabb, a respected actor and drama teacher here in Ottawa. Still, there is always room for improvement. I am told by my best friend and confidant, Mika Kocks, that my acting technique can still use some refinement. I honestly appreciate constructive criticism, as hard as it is to hear at times, because without it there would be no improvement in performance. I hope with more experience on stage and more training I can refine my technique and succeed in getting cast in productions put on by some of the higher end theatre companies in Ottawa. Time will tell.

2009-05-13T09:21:00.000-07:00

I received the first item I ever bought on ebay yesterday, a copy of a novel, Follow my leader, written by James B. Garfield in 1957. I read a paperback reprinted version of the novel as a boy. It is juvenile literature. It tells the story of a boy named Jimmy Carter who loses his sight in a playground accident. It is a rather inspiring story of how he learns to cope with his blindness, is given a guide dog he calls Leader and comes to forgive the boy who caused the accident. The seller from whom I bought the book is honest. The price for the book and the shipping charges were very reasonable and I received the book within two weeks of purchasing it.

I studied children's librarianship and children's literature when I was in library school. I worked briefly as children's librarian for the Smiths Falls Public Library many years ago. I was hired as a replacement for the librarian while she was away on maternity leave. I still have an interest in literature for children and young adults and this particular book, in my opinion, ranks among the best. It is still available in reprinted editions and I strongly recommend it for young readers.

2008-12-05T06:56:00.000-08:00

It looks as though the proposed Liberal-NDP coalition has failed. Polls show that Canadians want none of this coalition and overwhelmingly support the Conservative government. I am cautiously optimistic that the Conservative government can reach an agreement with enough of the opposition to bring in a budget that will meet with parliamentary approval. The governing Conservatives and the opposition Liberals, NDP and Bloc Quebecois will have to compromise to make this possible. There are elements on both sides of this sordid drama who are loathe to make concessions. I notice in the news today that gorgon Rebick was hosting a rally in favour of the coalition in front of the parliament buildings yesterday, just as the Prime Minister advised the Governor-General to prorogue parliament. Rebick and the rest of the rabble/babble crowd's hatred for Prime Minister Harper and the Conservative Party of Canada is manifest. It must be heart breaking for them to see their fantasy of a "socialist-feminist" putsch crumbling. However, not being one to count his chickens before they hatch, I wait with baited breath, hoping that cooler heads prevail and this crisis is resolved either with the Conservative government remaining in office, or if the government is toppled, a general election ensuing in which Canadians can choose either the Conservative Party of Canada or the Liberal-NDP coalition to form a new government.

2008-12-04T09:30:00.000-08:00

The Governor General accepted the Prime Minister's request to prorogue parliament. Good. Let cooler heads prevail, think carefully about this Liberal-NDP coalition and hopefully lay it to rest. The problem remains that for people who harbour a profound dislike for Prime Minister Harper or the Conservative Party of Canada or the outcome of the election that was held on October 14th, 2008, they will support any effort, no matter how unrealistic, to topple the Conservative government. If this coalition is given the green light to form a government, it is likely it will collapse in short order. The Liberals and the NDP have very different agendas and bases of support. The Bloc Quebecois is in a league of its own. The three parties have been at odds with one another up until they decided on this hare-brained coalition. It will unfold probably much the same way as the Canadian Alliance in 2001. Time will tell.

2008-12-03T09:43:00.000-08:00

I am watching the absurd drama unfold in parliament which started with the general election held on October 14th, 2008 in which the Liberals and NDP who were both handed their collective hats in the recent general election, the Liberal leader, Stephane Dion was handed his hat by his own party too. Dion led the Liberal Party into its most sound defeat at the polls in history. The Conservative government, headed by Prime Minister Harper, was re-elected with more seats in parliament than they had going into the election. They have less than a majority, but still more seats than the Liberals and NDP combined. Despite the outcome of the election, the Liberals and the NDP have decided that what this really means is that it is the Conservative government that does not have the confidence of the Canadian electorate.

To this end they have formed a coalition with the aim of toppling the Conservative government and taking its place. If this Liberal-NDP coalition is to fly, it needs the backing of the Bloc Quebecois, a regional rump party that only puts up candidates for election in Quebec. The Bloc is essentially a separatist party. It serves only the "national" interest of Quebec. Its only mandate is to demand "what's in it for Quebec." Despite the fact the Bloc has more seats in parliament than the NDP, under the terms of this proposed coalition government, the Liberals and NDP will form a cabinet, with six cabinet posts allocated to the NDP. The Bloc will have no representation in cabinet, but this is moot as the Liberal-NDP coalition will be entirely at the mercy of the Bloc to prop it up. In effect, it is the Bloc, the "what's in it for Quebec" party who will be governing all of Canada if this comes to pass. This has got to be the most hare-brained scheme anyone could have imagined. Heaven help us if this comes to be.

2008-05-30T07:29:00.000-07:00

Political correctness is rearing its ugly head in Toronto yet again with the recent announcement that Mayor Miller and his toadies on City Council intend to cancel the leases with two shooting clubs on city property and enact a by-law prohibiting any new businesses in Toronto from manufacturing or wholesaling firearms. I cannot say I am surprised by this. Toronto has a silly history of imposing inane, politically correct policies including the ban imposed against a home grown pop band, the Barenaked Ladies, from performing on city property on the grounds that their name "objectifies women." The ban was overturned, but not before the Toronto City Council had become a continent-wide laughing stock.

The CHIN Picnic was run off city property by the City Council, because it features a swimwear competition. Young men and women, aspiring fashion models no doubt, model swimwear in this competition. The competition is one of the more popular events I understand. Ah, but this is offensive to the slavish adherents of political correctness, particularly the rabble/babble crowd whose swimsuit sizes typically range from buffalo butt to Rebick rump. The CHIN picnic continues to draw large crowds and the swimwear competition goes on in spite of the politically correct prigs on the Toronto City Council.

A Christmas tree is put up every year at Nathan Phillips Square in front of Toronto City Hall at Christmastime. It was decided by a city bureaucrat that the tree would be referred to as a "multicultural" tree so no one would feel excluded. Mayor Mel Lastman put paid to this foolishness when he pointed out that "anyone can see it is a Christmas tree!" Anyone, it seems, save the politically correct can see this.

Two shooting clubs that have operated for decades on city property without incident are having the rug pulled from under them by Mayor Miller. The club members will no doubt continue their sport, they will have to take up membership in clubs that do not operate on city property. The arbitrary closure of these shooting clubs is supposed to stem the problem of gangs and shootings with black market guns. For anyone who believes this, I have the title to a bridge in Brooklyn for sale.

I have never liked Toronto. I feel like a fish out of water in larger cities. I have no trouble at all in continuing to avoid visiting Toronto. I hope Torontonians finally come to their senses and turf the prize purple twit Miller out of office in the next municipal elections.

2008-04-24T10:23:00.000-07:00

I am not sure why, but my genuphobia is particularly acute this past week. Everywhere I go I am seeing people's naked knees, which is making me excessively squeamish. I really do not understand what causes phobias in people or why knees frighten me so. I am doing my best not to pay attention to or think about knees, as hard as it is do do so at times. I hope this episode passes soon. Sometimes I really wish knees had been abolished.

2008-03-24T13:36:00.000-07:00

I notice the rabble/babble crowd is gloating over the dismissal of a libel case brought against the crown and Pierrette Bouchard, the author of a publication entitled "School Success by Gender: A Catalyst for the Masculinist Discourse," by Ken Wiebe, a father's rights activist in British Columbia. This document was published by Status of Women Canada. Wiebe publishes a website for B.C. Fathers, a support group for fathers in custody cases. Wiebe and portions of his website were featured in Bouchard's publication in which he is characterized as an anti-woman hatemonger. He took exception to this and sued, arguing that this was defamation of character. The case was dismissed as the B.C. Supreme Court ruled that the though the characterization was defamatory, it falls well within the bounds of fair comment. Fair enough, but I wonder if the rabble/babble crowd appreciates that fair comment means that they and their pet causes are subject to defamatory characterizations, provided they keep in the bounds of fair comment. Based on what I have observed of the antics of the rabble/babble crowd, somehow I doubt this very much.

2008-03-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

I see that in the UK fire extinguishers have been prohibited in private and public apartment housing blocks. It seems that the British powers that be decided that ordinary citizens lack the basic competency to use a fire extinguisher, that they would put themselves at undue risk if they were to try to put out a fire themselves, that they should just leave the premises and wait for the fire brigade to come put out the fire. I sincerely hope this does not come to pass here in Canada. Back in 1995 I had a serious fire break out in the house I was sharing with three housemates. I used a ten pound fire extinguisher to stop the fire dead in its tracks before the fire department arrived.

I remember the incident well. It happened in the time it took one of my housemates to leave the house to buy a bottle of pop at the confectionary a block away from the house and come back. It was a windy night in October. A housemate had put out candles as we were having friends over for drinks that evening. A freak gust of wind blew the drapes hanging in the living room window into the flame of one of the candles, and the drapes ignited. I had just gotten out of the shower and slipped into my socks and drawers when I heard the smoke alarms start shrieking. My first thought was "that's odd, the smoke alarms don't usually sound after someone showers," but then I put two and two together, thinking candles! I rushed to the top of the stairs and could see flames through the doorway leading into the living room. I went downstairs to find the drapes ablaze in the living room. After an instant when the shock set in, the training I received while serving in the Canadian Army kicked in. I turned back toward the stairs and shouted "Fire Fire! Get out! to the two housemates upstairs. Then I ran to the basement stairs where the fire extinguisher was mounted. I retrieved the fire extinguisher and brought it into the living room. By then the flames were covering the front windows and coming across the ceiling. I snapped the plastic tie on the fire extinguisher, pulled the pin, aimed the nozzle and squeezed the handle. There was a big puff of yellow dry chemical and the fire was extinguished. I gave the handle a second squeeze to be certain the fire was out, then directed my housemates to open the windows and retrieve a fan from the basement to put in the rear window to clear the smoke. I grabbed a flashlight to check to see that the fire was out and heard the sirens of the fire trucks approaching, so I went out to the porch and signaled to the fire fighters with the flashlight.

The fire fighters came storming into the house and noticed that the fire was out. One of them pried away at the wall and ceiling with an axe to make certain the fire had not gotten underneath. I stood there in my socks and drawers, shining the flashlight on the ceiling for him. He noticed me standing there and said "this smoke is not doing you any good." I was given the bum's rush out of the house onto the lawn in full view of the neighbours. Paramedics put a blanket around me to preserve my modesty and had me breathe oxygen for a while. They thought I must have been suffering from smoke inhalation as I was not hysterical. I told them I had been trained how to keep a cool head in a crisis and to fight fires when I served in the Army. The Fire Chief told me I had done a good job in putting out the fire. The insurance company was happy too as I had stopped the fire before it had done much damage to the house. I have always taken pride in my ability to be self-reliant. I was concerned at first that I might be prosecuted for having taking matters into my own hands, but it seems that private citizens in Canada still have some leeway in taking initiative in dealing with emergencies. A few months later a house across the street from us was gutted in a fire. Its occupants left the house and waited for the fire department, but by the time the fire fighters arrived, there was little to do but extinguish what became a smouldering ruin.

I am left wondering where on Earth does the nanny state crowd get the idea that people cannot take care of themselves, that they must be made to be completely dependent on big brother for their welfare.

2008-02-28T09:44:00.000-08:00

Robert Latimer is a murderer. He freely admitted his guilt, that he did kill his twelve year old daughter Tracy in 1993. He used the exhaust fumes from his pickup truck to gas her to death. He was duly arrested and charged with second degree murder. He was convicted in two trials of second degree murder and following appeals up to the Supreme Court of Canada he was sentenced to life in prison with no parole for ten years. He maintains that he killed his daughter Tracy, because she was severely disabled and suffering a great deal of pain, that killing her was an act of mercy. He was prevented from using this argument as a defense in court, but to this day insists he did nothing wrong. He has just been granted day parole. He is to be gradually released back into society. It is true that he is unlikely to re-offend, but the fact remains his daughter's life was not his to take. Canadian law does not allow anyone to perpetrate a "compassionate" homicide. I sympathize with the plight he and his family faced in caring for their disabled child, and hope that he can rejoin his family and get on with his life before too long, but the public record must show that he is a convicted murderer.

2007-12-04T08:12:00.000-08:00

My last hope of getting cast in a play this year was dashed at an open audition call with the Ottawa Little Theatre last Sunday afternoon. The audition call was for a production of The Miser by Moliere. I gave two cold readings in two different scenes just to be interrupted by the director with a curt "thank you," midway into each reading. Fair enough, this is the reality of open audition calls. I showed up at the audition brimming with confidence, only to have my hopes dashed summarily. I just smiled and left the stage. People of my generation were taught to lose gracefully. We learned growing up that you do not always win or get what you want. Failure is a part of living, an unhappy fact of life. However, despite what I was taught as a child, winning is everything. You realize this is true so well when you lose a job competition. If you are unemployed, losing a job comepetition can mean you are facing destitution. If you are employed it can mean being passed over for promotion, which may not be as bad as having no job at all, but still is a pretty hard knock. How well you play the game matters little when you have destitution staring you in the face.

I will rebuild my confidence and go on to the next audition, whenever that may be. I auditioned a number of times this past year and was cast in only one production. However, I was told the directors who called me back to say they could not use me that I had given a good audition, and invited to audition for future productions, which is nice to hear. I will continue to turn out for auditions in 2008 and hope for the best.

2007-08-17T07:09:00.000-07:00

I viewed with some astonishment posts in the feminist forum on rabble/babble yesterday in which a babbler who goes by the nick sven was bold enough to challenge the doctrinal truth: it is for no other reason that men and men's penises tenaciously cling to their power over women there is disparity of incomes between the sexes. Actually, in the rabble/babble universe this doctrinal truth, presumably revealed to the rabble/babble crowd by the Goddess of Historical Materialsim applies to everything in terms of relations between the sexes and the condition of the planet, Western Civilization, etc. Men and men's penises are to blame for everything from the last ice age to everything else that is wrong with the world. Anyone who challenges this doctrine is typically branded a heretic and silenced. Strangely though, sven was granted latitude to develop his argument, even in the face of name calling, insults and threats from moderators that he would be silenced. Can it be there is hope that the rabble/babble crowd can be plied with reasoning and rhetoric? Perhaps this is wishful thinking on my part. On the basis of what I have viewed on rabble/babble since its creation, my impression is that this is to what George Orwell was referring when he wrote ignorance is strength.

2007-07-24T07:46:00.000-07:00

I witnessed justice served to a rude, aggressive Ottawa motorist last Saturday morning. I was driving back from the parklands where I take Maggie for her daily training run. I was cruising along Riverside Drive at about 70 kph, just slightly over the posted limit, but still among the slowest vehicles on the road. Some cretin came speeding up from behind me in the right-hand lane, swerved in front of me without signalling and sped on his way. Too bad this cretin executed this manoeuvre under the gaze of a policeman who in an unmarked car was on the lookout for just such a rude and stupid motorist. I saw the policeman chase down and pull over the cretin. I had a chuckle as I drove past the scene. I hope the cretin was served a hefty fine for his rude and reckless driving. I am confronted by motorists of this sort on an almost daily basis. It is so refreshing to see that some are caught and sanctioned.

2007-07-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

While I was out walking Maggie late last night I saw a cat toying with a mouse. The cat let the mouse run out onto the road where Maggie spied it. When the cat saw that Maggie intended on making a meal of the mouse, he scooped it up and made off with it. Maggie likes to chase cats, at least the cats she sees outside when I take her for a walk. She was fine, however, with my mother's cats indoors when I visited mum and dad last Christmas. Cats generally have nothing but the greatest of disdain for dogs, although there are some cats that really take to the dogs with whom they are kept. One thing about cats is that wherever you go you can pretty much count there being cats watching you. I see cats perched in the windows of the houses I pass by, sitting on porches and verandas, hiding in the shrubbery and under automobiles, always giving passersby a baleful glare. Sometimes an outdoor cat will come up to you looking for a friendly pat, other times they scurry away. One night I remember seeing a cat that had just been run over and killed by an automobile. Another cat was sitting with it as if keeping a vigil. I scooped up the dead cat and moved it off the road. I put its remains near a house whose occupant leaves food and water outside for the stray cats. I thought this person might see that the deceased cat was given a more dignified disposal. There are still plenty of cats to be found in the district of the city where I make my home. There is no shortage of people who like keeping cats as pets.

2007-07-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

The Roman Catholic Church asserts that its legitimacy and authority is derived from the Sacred Scriptures and the Apostolic Tradition. This is not unlike Judaism which has the Torah and the Talmud, i.e., a sacred text and sacred tradition in which the text is interpreted. Protestant Churches accept neither the primacy of the papacy nor the Apostolic Tradition. Skeptics consider religious belief nothing more than stuff and nonsense.

That the Roman Catholic Church asserts its primacy in Christendom should not surprise anyone. If you are a practicing Catholic this is nothing new. If you are Protestant, you disagree and maintain that the authority of the Church rests in the Sacred Scriptures alone. If you are a skeptic, you likely could not care less. There are some interests who have an axe to grind with Christianity, Roman Catholicism in particular, rabble/babble crowd comes to mind, but so what? The principle of the separation of church and state prevails in Western societies. Religious leaders are free to pontificate, and religious organizations are free to operate their own hospitals and civic organizations, but government remains steadfastly secular. If you are not an adherent of a particlular religion in the Western world, you are not subject to the rules of said religion. Get on with your life and live and let live.

2007-07-06T08:40:00.000-07:00

I wonder at times if I am too passive. Everyday as I drive to the fields where I run Maggie I am confronted with rude, aggressive motorists. People frequently barge ahead of me without signaling or looking to see if the way is clear, they run stop signs, yield signs and red lights, tailgate (like they think tailgating me is going to make the vehicles ahead go faster), lean on the horn when I insist on coming to a full stop at stop signs and red lights. It makes me angry at times, but I try to let it go. I drive defensively; I expect the worst from other motorists, and they usually do not disappoint me. Occasionally, cretins bellow "asshole!" at me if I refuse to let them cut me off. Does the fact that I refuse to take the bait or succumb to road rage mean I am overly passive? Is it worth risking a collision or a confrontation with a rude and aggressive motorist over who has right of way? I have been driving since I got my driver's license at sixteen years of age. I have never received a speeding ticket and the only collision I had was when a man driving a pickup truck skidded into the back of my car on black ice. Damage to my car was minimal, a chipped tail light; whereas the front of his truck was badly damaged. I kept my cool. He asked me not to file a claim with my insurance company, offered to pay for repairs to my car, because this was not his first collision. As there was no damage to my car to speak of, I told him not to worry about it. I hope to maintain my spotless driving record as the years go by, but wonder if maybe I should stand up to rude, aggressive motorists more often.

2007-06-26T05:54:00.000-07:00

Maggie is spooked about something. She does not want to go for a walk outside the house. It takes a great deal of coaxing to get her to come outside for a brief walk, just long enough for her to empty out. She is a funny little dog sometimes. She went for a good long run in the fields I take her everyday for her daily run. This came as a relief. While we were out I found a cedar waxwing's nest under construction, checked on the eastern kingbird's nest and found a robin's nest. I was careful not to disturb the birds in all cases. I have mastered the ability to view wild birds on their nests unobtrusively. While I was out running Maggie, I practice my audition piece. I took the day off yesterday as I was concerned about Maggie and feeling anxious about the audition yesterday evening.

As for the audition, I arrived in good time and found another actor, a younger man who was reading for the male lead. He is English so he has the desired accent. He was called in to read repeatedly, so I am guessing he must be in the running for the part. Three more men arrived while I waited my turn. A younger man who was auditioning when I arrived joined us. He was asked to read once more then departed with a wave. I was called in to read alone before the director. I performed my audition piece and read a scene with him. He said thank you and asked me to wait as he wanted to have me read with another actor. A short time later I was recalled and read the same scene with the other actor. At the end of the reading, director said thank you, "thank you, I have more auditions on Wednesday, will be casting sometime after that." I left with mixed feelings. Can you ever know what a director is thinking? I chatted with the other actors while waiting my turn and found they hate auditioning as much as me. Directors always say thank you when you audition, even when you are not cast. Only thing to do now is hope I made a good impression and move on. If I get cast, great. If not, just move on to the next audition.

2007-06-19T06:04:00.000-07:00

I have an audition coming up on June 25, 2007. I am auditioning for a role in a comedy called The Lady's Not For Burning by Christopher Fry. I read through the script. The script is in blank verse which will be a challenge. I have training in Shakespearean performance and want very much a chance to apply it. I am reviewing my notes on Shakespearean performance and practicing the delivery of lines using Friar Laurence's opening speech in Romeo and Juliet. My biggest fear is that I will come across as one of those deluded wannabes you see on those Idol shows. Putting yourself out in front of directors and casting directors at auditions is very difficult. I try to remain positive and recall the good notices I have received from directors and professional actors with whom I have performed. While I always hope to get cast, I realize that not every audition leads to landing a role. What is important to me is giving a good audition. Every good audition helps boost my confidence. Bad auditions are particularly devastating, especially if the director is making a video recording of your audition. You leave the audition wondering if this recording is going to turn up on YouTube under the caption Losers giving bad auditions. Mercifully, this has not happened as yet.

2007-06-15T08:26:00.000-07:00

I spied a letter to the editor in today's Toronto Star from Ron Charach. It is no secret that Charach does not like guns. Today he claims that "the systemic problems that stoke violence are not uniquely local and include such variables as male youth unemployment and boredom, lack of positive male role models, searing summer heat that fosters aggressiveness, drug trafficking and addiction, and the availability of high-powered, concealable weapons that give angry young men a destructive capability." He repeats his tired old canard that it is "availablity" of guns that causes a few miscreants in Toronto to take up a life of thuggery, but not just guns, but summer heat among other things. He continues with the claim that "the black community seems to be increasingly stepping up to the plate and condemning youth violence with a unified voice. The gun-collecting community remains stuck in a "Don't blame us" posture, decrying the most sensible gun-control initiatives, aided and abetted by a federal government that is more into cops 'n' robbers than real prevention strategies."

I really am missing the point of his latest rant. There is no one to blame for the spate of violence among black youths in Toronto except the miscreants themselves. The claim that licensed gun owners and manufacturers of firearms are somehow to blame for this is just plain stupid. This makes no more sense than claiming it is breweries, distilleries and automobile manufacturers who are to blame for the people who drive while impaired. When a drunken motorist is caught and put on trial, claiming that the booze is to blame and rather than driver is not accepted as a defence in court. Neither can it be offered as a defence in court that it is the firearm that is responsible in assaults, robberies and homicides. Individuals are responsible for their actions and must expect to face the consequences when they they wilfully choose a life of thuggery. Race, ethnicity or class does not matter. We are all equal under the law.

2007-05-29T10:05:00.000-07:00

Musophobia reigns in my workplace. The woman who works in the work station next to me found a mouse had gotten into her stash of snack foods over the weekend. She was a little distressed over this. Mousetraps were baited and set in her desk drawer and under her desk. Later in the afternoon I heard the snap of the mousetrap being sprung followed by a little scream from my coworker. I went over to her desk and found her flustered. I checked the desk drawer and found the mousetrap was still set. I looked under her desk and found the mousetrap sprung and the mouse kicking its last. I retrieved the mousetrap, removed the mouse carcass, put the carcass into a plastic bag and took it outside where I deposited the bag into a garbage can. The mousetrap was reset and so far no more mice have turned up.

2007-04-19T09:10:00.001-07:00

There is a great deal of debate going on in the blogosphere about the recent tragedy at Virginia Tech. This debate is over values. Gun owners are enduring the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune anew from the ranks of gun prohibitionists. Gun prohibitionists want prohibitions on gun ownership applied to private citizens, the "only policemen and soldiers should have guns," refrain is put forward again. They cite studies that claim a positive correlation between gun ownership and shootings and use the tired old post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy in claiming that the "availabilty of guns" causes people to commit assaults, homicides and suicides with guns; therefore, guns must be banned. In doing so, they get it "bass ackwards." Individuals form the intent to murder or to commit suicide. This was the case in the Virginia Tech tragedy. It is reported that "...authorities disclosed that more than a year before the massacre, Cho was accused of sending unwanted messages to two women and was taken to a psychiatric hospital on a magistrate’s orders and was pronounced a danger to himself. But he was released with orders to undergo outpatient treatment." Because of this, under Virginia law, Cho Seung-Hui, was prohibited from possessing firearms. In fact, the US Bureau of Justice Statistics report "Survey of State procedures related to firearms sales, 2005," with regard to the sales of firearms in the state of Virginia. Virginia law prohibits: possession of a firearm by a person who is acquitted of certain offenses by reason of insanity; purchase or possession of a firearm by a person who has been adjudicated incompetent or incapacitated, or involuntarily committed.

That Cho Seung-Hui was prohibited from possessing firearms under Virginia law should have shown up on the routine background check that is required before a firearm may be lawfully purchased. This point was noted in a report in the New York Times from which I quote "the special justice's order in late 2005 that directed Mr. Cho to seek outpatient treatment and declared him to be mentally ill and an imminent danger to himself fits the federal criteria and should have immediately disqualified him, said Richard J. Bonnie, chairman of the Supreme Courtof Virginia's Commission on Mental Health Law Reform." This being the case, had existing laws been properly enforced the Cho would not have been able to lawfully acquire a firearm. Unfortunately, this would not have made any difference. Cho was determined to go forward with his killing spree. He would have turned to the black market to acquire firearms for this purpose. The sad reality is that there is no stopping an individual who is intent on mayhem. It is stupid and insulting to liken hunters, sport shooters and collectors to the likes of Cho.

2007-04-11T10:15:00.000-07:00

The student newspaper at the University of Western Ontario published a spoof issue as an April Fool prank on March 30, 2007. Included in the spoof issue was an article entitled "Labia Majora Carnage." The article pokes fun at a campus feminist organization, its annual Take back the night event, and the prurient fixation some feminists have with sex organs. The article is decidely raunchy, to say the least, it includes rape jokes, but it is put forth as satire. In spite of the intent of the editors to satirize, there is now a terrible hue and cry being raised. Campus feminists are up at arms over this complaining they feel as though they were raped among other things. The Rabble/Babble crowd is fuming over this too. It strikes me as odd that the left-leaning and politically correct interests are reacting so emotionally to a raunchy article in a spoof issue of a student newspaper. It seems that satire and humour is only appropriate when it is the politically correct who make nasty and vindictive mockery of individuals and institutions they dislike. I cite, for example, the occasion when Rabble/Babble's cartoonist, Mike Constable, published an animated cartoon featuring a caricature of Pope Benedict giving a Nazi salute to a statue of the Virgin Mary and saying "Heil Mary." This cartoon was very offensive to a great many people, Catholic and non-Catholic alike. I quote the Rabbi Reuven Bulka who called the cartoon “horrible, unwanted and an inexcusable insult” saying “there is no room for this type of satire in this civilized world”. "How dare Rebick and her cohorts play loose with all this, with the Pope's dignity and with the life of devotion he has led and continues to lead." Despite the criticism this cartoon generated, the publisher of Rabble/Babble, Judy Rebick, insisted she “finds the cartoon funny,” and points to Canada’s well-known “history of satire, sometimes biting satire.” Why, then, cannot the campus feminists at UWO and the politically correct denizens who frequent Rabble/Babble just accept that "Labia Majora Carnage" is just in keeping with Canada's well-known history of satire, sometimes biting satire, and move on?

2007-03-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

I am well into rehearsals for GOYA Theatre's production of Half Life by John Mighton. I auditioned at a general casting call and was cast in the role of Stanley. Stanley is a computer featured in a scene where the scientists who constructed him hold a contest to see if one of their colleagues can determine, within five minutes, whether Stanley is a man or a machine. It is one small scene, and I do not appear on stage, I am the voice of Stanley, but as Norma Desmond says in Sunset Boulevard, "there are no small roles, only small people." The director saw fit to cast me out of the great many people who responded to the audition call. As I have just the one scene, I am helping out with this production in gathering music and sound effects. I took part in constructing the set too. Rehearsals continue and a good cast was assembled. I am confident this will be a top notch production. GOYA is one of the higher end theatre companies in Ottawa. The play goes on at the end of April at Ben Franklin Place in Nepean.

2007-01-15T11:25:00.000-08:00

I am finally enjoying the silence in my home. Last week I had a tradesman come in and install insulation in the walls I share with the neighbours living on one side of me. Before the insulation was installed, in my living room and bedroom, I could hear everything on the other side of the walls, and, presumably, they could hear everything going on on my side of the walls. The neighbours can be counted on to make a plethora of disturbing sounds from their fighting and humping to disgusting snorting and horking sounds. The snorting and horking sounds could usually be expected whenever I sat down to eat. I do my best to keep the noise down at home, for the sake of the neighbours on either side of my house. As you may have surmised, I live in a row house. The noisy neighbours never hesitate to complain if I, or anyone else, is disturbing them, but can be counted on to tell you to "it's our house and we can do what we want" when you ask them if they can be a little quieter. Their methods of communicating their displeasure typically consist of damage to your property. My television cable connection was mysteriously severed a few times. This only stopped when I put a webcam out to keep an eye on the cable and informed them I had filed a police report. Why they never thought to come ask me to lower the volume on my tv, assuming that was what was bothering them, I have no idea. I am a reasonable man.

I can still hear the murmur of their voices through the living room wall, but it is nowhere near as bad as before. I may add another layer of drywall to the living room wall later this year to make the sound barrier that much more secure. The bedroom wall was already quite soundproof. The new layer of insulation adds a little assurance for peace and quiet. It is such a relief to be spared the disgusting sounds coming through the walls I share with these people.

2006-12-21T15:15:00.000-08:00

There is a fair bit of discussion going on in the blogosphere over the recent announcement by Judy Rebick, pictured here in a characteristic pose, i.e., screeching into a microphone, that she no longer supports the Green Party of Canda, because of comments made by its leader, Elizabeth May, concerning abortion. Rebick, you see, is the Lucy Van Pelt of the left-wing fringe in Canada in that she is crabby, bellicose, believes women are superior to men, falls back on some very topsy turvy reasoning to prop up her beliefs, is shameless in bullying her cronies on the left into accepting her ex cathedra pronouncements on abortion and other issues of the day. One gets the impression that the Green Party must be in despair now that it has been declared anathema by Rebick. Somehow, I expect the Green Party folk will carry on, stand by their leader, Elizabeth May, and still fail to win any seats in Parliament in the next general election.

2006-12-06T08:44:00.000-08:00

The Carleton University Students' Association voted not to extend funding to campus groups opposing abortion. It seems the intent is to stifle the thoughts and opinions of those on campus who oppose abortion. This is unfortunate in that a university's mandate is to promote intellectual freedom. Whether you are opposed to abortion or not is a matter of personal conviction, but everyone has a right to make up their own mind on the issue and express their thoughts and opinions freely. Students who oppose abortion have as much right to organize themselves on campus as do students who favour free choice on abortion. My own thoughts on the matter of abortion I will keep to myself, but as a librarian, I am disturbed when I see efforts to stifle freedom of thought and of expression, particularly at an academic institution such as Carleton University, which is publicly funded and has clubs on campus representating a broad range of interests, both ecclesiastical and secular, including such controversial topics such as abortion. I sincerely hope that either the current membership of the Carleton University Students' Association or a subsequent membership will reconsider this decision and undo it.

2006-10-19T08:46:00.000-07:00

I noticed today that someone has posted newspaper articles, opinion pieces actually, offering different opinions on hunting, with particular emphasis on hunting deer in eastern Ontario. My impression is that the individual who posted these clippings is an anti-hunter. It is not uncommon to find anti-hunters in the workplace when you are in a job class, as am I, that is dominated by middle-aged and older women. It is just as well that I keep the details of much of my personal life private. I was off on my annual hunting holiday last week, but made no mention of what I was up to during my time off. I had a great time during my week off. I got out lots with Maggie into the uplands, and went waterfowling on the Rideau River and on a wheat field. I shot several woodcock and four ducks in the process. I am not ashamed of being a gun owner and hunter. These are personal ethical choices I have made for myself and will stand my ground if confronted by anti-gun and anti-hunting types. Having said that, however, this does not mean I am spoiling for confrontation with said types. The person or persons here who hold anti-hunting opinions are free to do so and to express them. I will be good enough to ignore them and go about my business in peace.

2006-09-14T17:10:00.000-07:00

When I arrived at work this morning and checked for inter-office email, there was a message from the university administration advising, faculty, staff and students that university counselling services and chaplaincies were available to help us cope with our shock and grief over the shooting at Dawson College in Montreal yesterday. I deleted this message and was left wondering, what were they thinking? Carleton University is nowhere near where the shooting took place. No one at Carleton University, excepting for the possibility that there may be people with friends and relatives who were at Dawson College during the shooting, was the least bit affected by this. From what I saw today, people were going about their business as usual. It was just another day of classes for the students, and another day of work for the faculty and staff, as well it should be. The shooting at Dawson College is tragic, certainly, for those who were there, and particularly for the families of the dead and injured. A young woman died of her wounds in hospital. The Montreal Police, to their credit, acted decisively in containing and neutralising the miscreant who went on this shooting spree. The carnage was stopped short.

I expect to hear the usual sanctimonious blather about the evils of gun ownership from the anti-gun, anti-hunting, misandrist elements of our society, but so far the response in from editorial writers and politicians is temperate. As a gun owner myself, I am familiar with the anti-gun sentiments expressed by the former. Whenever there is a shooting, we get treated to the same tired old platitudes, hand-wringing and finger pointing, e.g., "the gun lobby is to blame for this", "inadequate gun control is at fault", "this shows what men are capable of", ad nauseam. Fact is that no amount of legislation, prohibitions, whatever, is going to stop people intent on mayhem from doing so. The 9/11 terrorists carried out their attacks, hijacking commercial airliners and crashing them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and into the field in Pennsylvania, armed only with box cutters. At the end of the day, while I sympathize with the friends and families of those who were killed and injured in the shooting at Dawson College, I have no qualms about continuing to own and use my sporting guns for lawful hunting and target shooting.

2006-08-31T08:41:00.000-07:00

I am in an exceptionally good mood today. I am on holiday this week, before starting my new job in the university library. I am starting as music cataloguer in the MacOdrum Library on Septemeber 5, 2006. This is a promotion for me, and I am getting back to work in a library proper. I completed my last day on the job at my old job last Friday, August 25, 2006. I was at that job for six years, and it was time I moved on. Some of my co-workers took me to lunch, which was nice of them. Yesterday, I flew to Hamilton, where my parents met me, and bought the Mazda MPV van from my sister. I had a safe drive home. The van is the type of vehicle I have dreamed of owning. It is just what I need for my hunting hobby. It has four wheel drive, lots of space for passengers and hunting equipment, and can easily tow my boat and trailer. Maggie hopped in this morning without hesitation when I took her for her daily training run.

I am looking forward to a good season this year. I found a new hunting buddy at the Stittsville Shooting Range earlier this month. His name is Gordon Mercier and he is an accomplished sportsman. I really look forward to taking him hunting for upland birds over Maggie this Fall. He just bought a Springer Spaniel pup. Her name is Abby and she is showing great potential as a gundog. She is too young to go hunting this Fall, but I look forward to seeing her in the field next season. I hope this season goes smoothly. Last season I had no shortage of misadventures. Six times I drove to the edge of the Rideau River for some waterfowling, only to have to turn around and drive home. I had repeated problems with my outboard motor and leaky boat. Since then, I replaced the boat and had the outboard motor completely overhauled. In addition, something spooked Maggie last season, so much so that she did not want to go hunting at times. She is an overly sensitive creature, but when she puts her mind to it, she is a keen little huntress. I shot a few grouse and woodcock over her last season. I hope she is back in form for this season. I am kicking off this season with a trip to Banin Farms this coming Saturday. Gordon and I are taking Maggie to gun for some chukar partridge. This way Maggie will meet Gordon in a hunting situation and come to associate seeing Gordon with going hunting. This will make subsequent hunts easier.

2006-08-07T14:33:00.000-07:00

Today I got together with Omer to repair the trailer that carries my duck boat. We had to take the boat to the launch ramp at Dow's Lake to get the boat off the trailer. It cost $10.00 to use the launch ramp, not a bad price. While launching the boat, I dropped the rope and the boat drifted away from the launch ramp. I waded in after the boat, but the water level dropped rather suddenly. I found myself swimming and trying to tow the boat back to the dock. I got to the edge of the dock, but it was too high for me to pull myself up. I called to a man passing on a bicycle for help. He and another man came and helped me out of the water. No harm was done, except to my pride. Omer tied off the boat while I thanked the two men for helping me. We made the repairs, it took only a few minutes, and were able to retrieve the boat without anymore drama. We took the boat and trailer for a test drive to be sure our repairs were sound. Everything seems fine. Just seems that Omer and I can never do anything hunting related without there being some sort of drama.

2006-08-05T14:31:00.000-07:00

My day got off to a shaky start this morning. I was up early, shortly after 0600, and decided to take Maggie for her daily training run right away. It is cooler at this time of the morning and I thought she would be more comfortable. Things were going well enough, until I had a run in with two people who complained that Maggie was "terrorizing" the wildlife. She chases rabbits. I do not encourage her to do this, but she is a dog. We live in a dog chase rabbit world. I told these people I would look after my dog. When they persisted with their complaint, I politely told them to mind their own business. When they started to insist that this was their business, I calmly told them to "piss off." They left at this point. I really do not like being gruff with people, but sometimes, it seems, it cannot be helped.

I caught up with Maggie only to find that somehow her collar had come off. The collar, which is fitted with a brass plate with my name, address and telephone number, was lost, as was the cowbell. Her license and rabies tags were lost too. This is an inconvenience, but at least Maggie came to no harm. Collars and cowbells can be replaced. I ordered two new collars when I returned home. I have one cowbell left. I will order two new ones next week. I went to LeBaron Sports and purchased a new collar to use until the new collars arrive. I stopped by the veterinary clinic and obtained a replacement rabies tag, and will drop by City Hall next week to pick up a replacement license tag. I hope there are no more hitches for the rest of this weekend.

2006-05-22T16:28:00.001-07:00

I am a hunter as previous posts indicate. I have had a passion for the outdoors, nature and hunting my whole life. Growing up, my father and uncle went hunting for birds and small game. I remember my father always enjoyed hunting cottontail rabbits. My dad and I still get out hunting together, though his was always a passing interest in hunting. I learned how to safely handle a firearm and shoot from my father. I remember reading hunting magazines my father had amassed over the years, and getting books out of the public library on hunting. As I grew older, I looked forward to my fifteenth birthday when I would be old enough to get a hunting license of my own. I underwent the mandated hunter safety education and passed the tests easily and was issued my first hunting license. I remember well my first opening day [the opening day of duck hunting season], back in September of 1976. I was so excited I could hardly sleep the night before. This was the first time my father and I actually set out for opening morning. We were pretty inexperienced. We waited in the car for legal shooting time to begin, not realizing that we should have been using the time to set out our decoys and getting into position. We were jolted into action when the shooting started. My dad got his first wild duck that day. I came home empty handed, but I had a great time.

From this humble beginning, I have become quite a competent huntsman. I have a very good knowledge of the game I hunt. This is crucial so you know what it is you are shooting. While I am out hunting, I see a great many non game species. I am careful only to shoot game birds and animals, when seasons permit, that I intend to take home and eat. I am proficient with the different types of shotgun and rifle I use. This ensures that crippling losses are kept to a minimum. I go afield with my second gun dog these days. I trained both dogs myself. Whether I am out hunting by myself, or in the company of friends, I always put safety first. I do my best to see that hunts are enjoyable and everyone comes home safe and sound. My friends and I are careful not to leave any litter behind. When we meet up with other hunters and non-hunters in the field, we are careful to observe the proper etiquette. We unload our firearms as soon as we see other people and leave the actions open until they have passed by safely.

I get a great deal of enjoyment from hunting. I am familiar with the opinions of those who staunchly oppose hunting. They are free to hold these opinions and express them, but I am happy and comfortable with the ethical choices I have made. Hunting is legal. It is well-regulated by the state. You require a hunting license and there are closed seasons. I am an omnivore. My diet consists of meat, fish and vegetables. I eat the flesh of both domestic and wild animals. I make the choice to kill birds and animals myself in order that I may eat them. I am sometimes accused of "liking to kill things," but people who make such accusations really do not know me at all. Hunting, as I practice it, is a tradition in which sportsmanship is paramount. The pursuit of game is conducted in a manner that ensures a fair chase. Every bird or animal taken during a hunt has a chance to escape. I do not suffer those who engage in illegal or unethical hunting practices. Hunting regulations are enforced by the provincial and federal Conservation Officers. I have met up with COs on occasion and been complemented on my comportment as a hunter and knowledge of hunting regulations. I look forward to going hunting for many more seasons to come.

2006-05-19T15:44:00.000-07:00

I had an interview today for a job in the main university library. I think I made a good impression. Now I wait and see if they offer me the job. I so want out of the place I am currently working! Here's hoping I am successful this time. After the interview, I came home, changed and took Maggie out for here daily run. It was a mix of sun and clouds today and a very light wind. It was a great day for a run. I met up with a man walking two dogs, we said hello, nice day to eachother. I spied a redwing blackbird's nest through the leaves in a tree along one of the trails. I heard a gray catbird meowing in the shrubs too.

Today is the anniversary of my beloved Christie's death. This year, two years after her death, I am finding it easier to cope. She was given an easy death with the help of Dr. Mellor, the veterinarian who had treated her during her life. I held Christie and told her she was my girl as Dr. Mellor administered the injection. My tears flowed like a summer rain. Who knew the death of a gun dog would be such a painful experience? She was a sweet little dog, not a mean bone in her body. I had her body cremated and the ashes returned to me. It took a few months before I could let her go. On Labour Day weekend I left Christie's ashes in a stream that runs through the Arboretum of the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa. I stood on the middle of a bridge over the stream and scattered her ashes. I took Christie for runs in the Arboretum throughout her life and still take Maggie there. The Arboretum is a happy place. Lots of people with their dogs and children visit and have a good time there. The Arboretum is situated between my home and office too. Christie's memory is something I will cherish for the rest of my days.

2006-05-18T15:50:00.000-07:00

Christie, 1994-2004

Christie was my first gun dog. I brought her home on April 16, 1994 when she was between six and seven weeks old. She passed away on May 19, 2004. Her life came to an untimely end due to cancer. Her death was a devastating loss for me. Letting her go was difficult, but now I treasure my memories of our time together. She lives on in my memories and in Maggie, her niece, my surviving gun dog. Maggie is three and a half years old. She and I will have many years afield together, carrying on the hunting traditions of mine and Maggie's ancestors.

I remember fondly one magical day afield with Christie on October 14, 2000. I had planned to go afield that morning with Christie and Glenn Lester, one of my hunting buddies. It was raining when I woke up, and Glenn called to bow out because of the rain. Undaunted, I took Christie and we set off to a patch of cover in the Marlborough Forest I call Twins. By the time we arrived at Twins, the rain had stopped and the sun was shining. We arrived at about 8:00 AM. It was a Saturday morning. The temperature would climb to about 18 degrees C by mid-morning. Christie and I set out on what would prove to be a most memorable hunt for woodcock. Christie locked up on point in minutes. I walked up the point and flushed a woodcock. It offered a fairly easy shot, but I managed to miss cleanly to Christie's chagrin. No matter, it turned out, because Christie quickly pointed another woodcock. This time I did not miss. We moved on through the cover, working our way through the first of a series of meadows and through some pines. By the time we reached the second meadow, I had four woodcock in the bag, all shot over Christie's points. This was exciting. We continued through the cover, working our way through the lowland bogs with aspen, alder, birch and hawthorne. There were more than thirty woodcock flushes that morning, most of which were over Christie's points. By the time we completed our sweep of the cover at about 12:00 PM, I had seven woodcock in the bag. This is just one short of the daily limit of eight birds. I thought about stopping at one more cover on the way home to get the bird number eight, but decided that knowing I could do this was sufficient.

I will love Christie forever. May she rest in peace.

2006-05-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

I took Maggie out for her daily training run today. It was a nice day for it. Sun, clouds and about 20 degrees C as we set out. I run her in some fields and a wooded area in the south end of the city. The Rideau River runs by this area, so Maggie can cool off as she needs on a hot day. Maggie, by the way, is my three and half year old Brittany. She is a working gun dog. She needs these daily runs to stay in shape. She looks forward to her daily run too. While we are out, I watch the comings and goings of the wildlife that resides in this area. There are many species of songbird, wildfowl and game birds to be found. I see lots of red wing blackbirds, goldfinches, cardinals, yellow warblers, sparrows, tree swallows, eastern king birds, robins, chickadees,
grackles, some wood thrushes and brown thrashers, to name a few. There are mallards and wood ducks on the river, some woodcock and Hungarian partridge in the meadows and woodlots. There are cottontail rabbits too. Maggie loves to chase them. I do not encourage this. She is a bird dog, after all. I try to keep her away from the ground nesting birds too.