Hiking
There’s nothing like a stroll through a densely wooded forest on a warm day. It’s so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The slightest sound you might hear is a bee buzzing several feet away from you. This is enjoying nature at its best, surrounded by majestic fir trees, standing in the middle of a clump of ferns. Ahh… now this is relaxing.
Bagpipes
Being that I am from Scottish descent, it is only natural to assume that I like the bagpipes. Recently, I’ve thought of taking bagpipe lessons, and have already been in contact with a piping club for more information.
I remember hearing the Scottish Festival Tattoo at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto when I was a kid (I say “hearing” because although I was at the Coliseum, I was outside the doors waiting for my mom and grandma to finish watching, but they were loud enough to hear!)
Who knows, taking bagpipe lessons could be interesting, that’s for sure!
Raspberries
Raspberries for me are on my top 10 list of favourite foods. Their tart taste and texture are wonderful. When you put that first raspberry into your mouth, it’s as if there is an explosion of berry taste! I love anything with raspberries in it!
Hanna-Barbera Characters
I grew up watching Hanna-Barbera cartoons. Some of my favourites are, but can never be seen anymore are Touché Turtle and Dumm Dumm, Snooper and Blabber, Peter Potamus, Great Grape Ape, Augie Doggie, Wally Gator, Speed Buggy, and Huckleberry Hound, to name just a few. I also liked the Jetsons in the OLDER versions of the cartoon… none with this character called “Orbity”…those are too new and suck badly.
I have DVDs containing The Smurfs and The Flintstones, but I’m looking for more of the mouldy oldies you can’t get anymore, and there are just no good sources! If you can direct me to a site where I can acquire such DVDs of some of the above-mentioned Hanna-Barbera cartoons, please let me know!
Other genius voice artists from Hanna-Barbera cartoons were Mel Blanc (for countless characters from both Warner Brothers and Hanna-Barbera cartoons including Barney Rubble), Jean Vander Pyle (Wilma Flintstone, Pebbles Flintstone and Rosie the Robot), Bea Benaderet (Betty Rubble and the original voice of Warner Brothers “Granny”), Harvey Korman (several Flintstones characters but most noted for The Great Gazoo), Alan Reed (Fred Flintstone), Daws Butler (Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, Quick Draw McGraw, Augie Doggie & Elroy Jetson, among others). Of course, there were lots more than what I’ve listed here, and all of them should be recognized for their voice talents.
Thank goodness they are immortalized on DVD collections throughout the world for future generations to admire, like I did.
Smith Coat of Arms
There is nothing more rewarding than the study of your family history! You can find out so much information about your family that you ever knew existed! Like, there might be someone of notable importance – perhaps a King, or a Knight of the Round Table, or a general, or someone who fought to the death in glorious battle… the list of people you might find that you’re related to is endless!
If you’re just getting into genealogy, one of the best places to start out is your local library. Then when you step up into the more experienced group of genealogists, you can do some research online, or visit your local Latter-Day Saints chapter and browse through their microfilm collection. You might have to sit through a video presentation on the LDS Church but you only have to do it once. The reason I mention the LDS Church is because they have birth and death records on just about every living human being. It’s an excellent place to start your research.
It’s been awhile since I’ve done any further research on my family history, given that my grandfather was orphaned and he married a woman (my grandmother) with the same last name, it makes things a bit difficult to go any further back than about 1898. On my mom’s side, I can trace her family roots back to the 1600s!
So you can see, this is a very challenging but rewarding experience. If you want to get into it, there are many sites on the Internet offering how-tos and information on beginning your family tree. See what you can find!
If you’re related – or think you are related – to me, then you can visit our Smith Wiki here.
Tent Camping
I haven’t done it for years, but when we were little kids, my mom and dad would pack up the camper and we’d all head off into the wilderness for a couple of weeks when dad got a break from work.
We’d head up to either Tobermory (Ontario), or head out to Long Point near Port Dover. Our camping trips usually involved a bunch of the neighbours, whom we’d meet at the campground and have a white-man’s fire (the largest of all campfires), roast marshies, and have sing-alongs. I know it sounds corny, but that’s the way it happened!
But there’s no other experience in the world like waking up on a morning when the sun is shining, there’s dew on the grass, and the smell of cooking bacon rises off the Coleman stove. I really miss that.
Spongebob Squarepants
All right, I admit it, I’m 44 years old and I still like watching Spongebob Squarepants. I know good animation and storylines when I see it. So shoot me already.
Vancouver Lightning
I love watching thunderstorms! I grew up in Southern Ontario, where during the summer months we’d get some awfully big thunderstorms with large hail, frequent lightning, loud thunder, damaging winds, and torrential rains.
Now that I live on the west coast, we get maybe 1 or 2 thunderstorms per year (but plenty of rain) so I really miss watching them.
Vancouver got one doozy of a thunderstorm on July 25, 2009 and Victor and I got soaked when we got caught in it walking around the Stanley Park seawall! It was awesome!
Dynasty Cast
I practically grew up watching shows like Dynasty and Falcon Crest, so naturally I think out of the two shows I like Dynasty the best. I bought the first and second seasons on DVD and when I put the first DVD in I couldn’t stop watching! It was as if I was re-living memories from my teen years!
Some of the most memorable events from Dynasty that I remember are when Walter Lankershim took Steven to a bordello to “cure” his homosexuality, Krystle and Alexis had a fight, Blake accidentally killed Roger Grimes, Krystle had an affair with Claudia Blaisel’s husband Matthew, Sammy-Jo had an affair with Dr. Nick Toscanni, Krystle and Alexis had a fight, Claudia slept with Jeff Colby, Claudia tried to kill herself by swallowing a bottle of pills and was rescued by Dr. Nick and Blake Carrington, Fallon had an affair with Blake’s chauffeur, Krystle and Alexis had a fight, the shootout at the wedding, and in the very last episode, Sgt. John Zorelli shoots Blake. Oh, and did I mention that Krystle and Alexis had a fight?
And remember, these highlights are mainly in just the first two seasons!
Longans
Longans are a small round fruit with a thin brown shell, with soft, white or translucent flesh which surrounds a large black seed commonly referred to as a “Dragon’s eye” because of its shape. They closely resemble Lychee nuts, but are not nuts. It’s mainly eaten as a snack, or as an additive to oriental soups, desserts, and some sweet-and-sour dishes.
Victor got me started on these after a visit to the Richmond Night market in the early Fall last year. They’re very tasty, and you can get them at any Asian food supermarket. Go ahead, give them a try!