Another Beautiful Award

The Community Blogger Award celebrates people who reach out, and make the blogger community a better one. I have been presented with this beautiful award byDenise over at Shortybears Place . Thank you, Denise. I am truly honored.

I followed Denise's link and found that this award was created by Cellobella's at Sultana Blog. If you click on the blog name, you can read why she created the award.

I would like to present this award to the following people:

Renie at Renie Burghardt's World. Renie and I have been friends for about 9 years now and she has been an inspiration to me. She was also the very first person to welcome me here.

Tina at Tina's Odds and Ends. Tina and I have been friends about the same length of time as Renie and I. She has been a true friend and we have been constantly in touch to help each other over the hills and through the valleys of life.

Kathleen Marie at The Open Window. Kathleen Marie and I met recently and her blog inspires me.

Peggy at Hidden Haven Homestead. I love Peggy's blog. She always brings brightness into my day.

Paula at On A Rainy Night. I enjoy her visiting her blog and hope to get to know her better.

Michele at Writing the Cyber Highway. Michele has been a regular visitor to my blog since I started blogging here recently. Michele is another source of inspiration to me.

Granny at Roc Rebel Granny. Granny is also a great inspiration to me. I visit her blog often and always enjoy what she has to say.

Morning Glory at Seeds From My Garden. Her postings brighten my days.

I was also going to present it to Hootin' Anni who has been so kind to me since I came here. She already has the award so I give her Honorable Mention. The same goes for Talk to Grams.

Thanks everyone for touching my life in a special way.

A Beautiful Award from Ruth

Ruth at Me, My Life, My Garden is presenting this award to "Quite simply it is those that have a generous and giving nature. Those who care about others. Those who have a kind word to say or a broad shoulder to lean on in the times that others need that. Those who display the "Spirit of Christmas". Thank you, Ruth.

The award originated at Santa's Community Blog. I am honored. It's beautiful.

If you display the "Spirit of Christmas" you are more than welcome to take a copy of the award. The code can be picked up here.

Canada's Endangered Animals

Canada has dozens of animals and birds that are threatened or endangered. In 2006, thirty-two more species were added to the Endangered Species List. Today 13 species are extinct and 521 are endangered. 75% of the endangered species are threatened because of loss of their habitat.

Species at Risk

Of the 521 species at risk, 41 are data deficient, 13 are extinct, 22 are extirpated, 151 are concerned species, 136 are threatened and 212 are endangered. Some of the endangered species in Canada include bison, whooping cranes, Banff snail, burrowing owl, kangaroo rat, Peregrine falcon, polar bear, woodland caribou, Peary caribou, bull trout, piping plover, swift fox, white pelican, trumpeter swan, black-footed ferret, grey whale, Eskimo curlew, eastern cougar, common green turtle and a wide range of others too numerous to list.

Extinct

Species that Canada has lost forever include birds such as the great auk, the passenger pigeon and the Labrador duck. Fish lost to extinction are the blue walleye, longjaw cisco, Banff longnose dace and the deepwater cisco. The only extinct mammal to this point is the sea mink, but the woodland caribou population is diminishing at an alarming rate.

Golden and bald eagles, as well as the sedgewren, caspian tern, horned greb and the red-headed woodpecker are species of special concern. Wouldn't it be sad if all of these species disappeared from Canada and were not a part of the Earth in future generations?

Canadian Wildlife Federation

The goal of the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) is "to foster grass roots wildlife conservation." They encourage each person living in this country to take-on Community Wildlife Habitat Projects. CWF is dedicated "to fostering awareness and appreciation of our natural world."

Projects

Build a Toad House

Supplies

* Terra cotta flower pot with saucer.
* Trowel.
* Earth colored paint - greens, browns etc.
*Paint brush.

Method

* Apply a design with the paint on the sides and bottom of the flower pot.
* Allow to dry thoroughly.
* Lay the pot on its side in a sheltered area of your yard.
* Use the trowel to bury the pot halfway into the soil.
* Line the bottom of the flower pot with dead leaves.
* Place the saucer out of view of the flower pot house and fill with clean water.
* Avoid the area for a few days and then check to see if Mr. or Mrs. Toad has moved in. If not, try moving the flower pot house to another location.

Tip

Use a battery-operated night light near Mr. Toad's house. This attracts all kinds of lip smackin' treats for Mr. Toad to enjoy. Moths and other insects that Mr. Toad enjoys will be drawn to the light to provide a healthy snack.

Attracting Wildlife to Your Yard

If you wish to attract wildlife to your yard, it is imperative that you supply shelter, a source of food and water and space. This will draw a wide range of animal and bird species to your yard.

Shelter

Shelter can be found in woodpiles, brush, rock piles and deciduous trees. These provide species with shelter from the sun, wind, rain and snow.

Food

Plant shrubs and bushes that provide berries, nuts and seeds. Grasses and native wildflowers, as well as other types of flowers provide a source of food for all types of birds and insects.

Water

Set out several bowls of water, install a birdbath, a fountain or install a garden pond so wildlife species that live in or visit your yard will have a source of clean water. Water should be changed daily in order to prevent species from drinking dirty water.

Space

Be sure there are layers of vegetation throughout your yard - trees of different heights, grass of different heights, ground cover, wildflowers and a variety of shrubs. These provide room for species to live side by side without being overcrowded.

These are just a few of the things that you can do to prevent the decline of habitat for wildlife. It's imperative that all species be maintained in order to keep the Earth in a healthy balance.

Note:

Albert Einstein made the statement "If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years left to live." He was speaking in regard to the symbiotic relationship of all life on the planet. All part of a huge interconnected ecosystem, each element playing a role dependant on many other elements all working in concert creating the symphony of life. Should any part of the global body suffer, so does the whole body.

The above note is a quote from the website of Richard Thomas. To learn more about bees and their importance to the Earth and mankind, click on his name to read his article.

Autumn on the Farm

I grew up on a farm in southern Ontario. Though the farm was always a busy place, the busiest time of all was autumn harvest. In late September or early October the Harvest Moon would appear, riding low in the night sky. This was a sign that frost could hit at any time and the autumn harvest had arrived.

September in Ontario meant back to school. It was a time of renewing new friendships. As soon as we arrived home from our day of learning, we were expected to change into our work clothes and head out to the fields. In those days we had no fancy farm equipment. The men would dig hills of potatoes with a flat-tined fork and leave them lying on top of the ground. The women and children would follow behind with burlap sacks. We'd pick up the potatoes, clean the dirt off and put them into the sack. When the bag was full, we'd tie it and put it on the wagon. When the wagon was full, the team of horses would pull it to the barn and the sacks of potatoes would be stored in the root cellar.

I can remember working many nights in the fields, our only light being the Harvest Moon. Every family member donned a warm coat, a pair of boots and gloves and worked in the damp, chilly air to assure every potato, squash, carrot, turnip, beet and parsnip was gathered. Pumpkins were harvested last. A touch of frost only enhanced their delicious taste. Once all the crops were safely in the root cellar, they were covered with fresh straw for insulation against the cold. Then, and only then, could we relax and concentrate on other things.

The harvest was essential to having food for the table during the long winter months. After the vegetables were harvested, it was time to provide meat for the table. Hogs and cattle were slaughtered and the meat hung in the smokehouse to cure. Chickens, ducks and geese were killed and plucked. Chicken feathers were of no use, but goose and duck down were used to make new feather ticks for the beds. Any excess was sold at market along with the chickens, ducks, geese, butter and eggs that were in excess of what we needed. These brought in money for essentials that couldn't be grown, such as coffee, tea, flour and salt. Grandma always set a little cash aside in order to buy Christmas gifts.

I remember too hunting for pheasants and Mallard ducks with my Dad and grandfather. At that time a hunting licence wasn't needed to hunt on your own property. Dad taught us to provide food for the table by hunting. When each of us kids turned 14, we were taught how to use a rifle and shotgun properly. Many a night Dad, my brother and I would hunt rabbits to supplement the winter meat supply. It was always nice when there was a full moon reflecting off the snow because we were able to see where we were going. However, there was a drawback to this as well. The rabbits could also see us. However, we always managed to get a rabbit or two and Mom would make a delicious rabbit stew.

Today, each autumn when I see the Harvest Moon riding low in the sky on a chilly fall night, I think back to those days of long ago. Those were different times - good times - times of autumn on the farm.

Below is a picture that Mom took of the pumpkins amongst the wheat sheaves. This is something that is not seen anymore and I value this photo greatly.