Chief Ten Bears

Extended Hiatus

2008-08-10T01:02:00.000-07:00

Chief-Ten-Bears headquarters suffered a serious fire last June. The house was fodder for the blog and now that it is out of commission for the immediate future, so will the blog. As scary as the fire was noone including my two budgies were injured in the slightest. Big thanks to the Whistler Fire Dept. and my neighbours who came to our aid. Ciao for now.

Timeout for Chief-Ten-Bears

2008-03-23T02:56:00.000-07:00

After nearly three years of continuous blogging, I need to take a long break, travel for a month, then figure out what to do next. I'll be back, and most likely in a different way. Ciao for now :-)

Dyslexic Bears of the World, Untie!

2008-03-23T02:40:00.000-07:00

I thought they secured those traps in the truck bed for transport. Now we know. (click on pic for link)

That panda loaf needs to be popped out of the pan.

Can I has lint roller?

Ancient pic of Burt Reynolds on a bear skin rug. I remember sneeking a peek in a Playgirl magazine wayyyyyy back when...

Clever, scary Knut. He's all growed up.

A wonderful collection of ad posters from the 20's and 30's.

Tent inspector, please submit your tents for inspecting.

Thank you Jeeves, that will be all for now.

One day when I have time, I'll join the Bears In Ill-Fitting Hats pool.

For Jon

2008-03-14T03:24:00.000-07:00

Tacky Sign Alert

2008-02-09T23:00:00.000-08:00

This is common tourist fare for sale in Whistler Village. I don't normally waste money on trinkety crap but the sign had comedic potential for...

...electrical tape placed in strategic areas.

It lives with a few other tacky traffic signs by my staircase.

White-Out

2008-02-09T22:16:00.000-08:00

Sadly, the pink bear by the front door used to look like this.

I think its my turn to shovel the shed roof. Mona and Dave have already done it each once. At least there is a mound of icy snow on the side I can use to scramble up the back (see bottom left).

If you look long enough, there appears to be a replica of Moby Dick's face in that pile atop the house.

Bears, Links and Bear Links

2008-02-09T15:31:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately when I'm eating jello, it's in preparation for a colonoscopy. (click pic for link)

Steppenwolf's 'Magic Carpet Ride" might have looked like this.

I don't recall seeing a model of Care Bear anatomy in Biology class.

Calm down, there's a plate of glass between the bear and those kids.

A bear equally menacing from behind as well as the front.

A bear equally menacing from behind as well as the front.

Winter is a Cold Bitch

2008-01-24T03:02:00.000-08:00

For perspective's sake, let us zoom out a bit from these north facing icicles hanging from my house...

... a bit more...

Aargh, that tree is in the way. The longest one is half way down to the ground. I affectionately call them 'guillotines'. That snow on the roof is at least two feet deep.

Dry, cold weather of late has done funny things to the south facing icicles over the porch.

They resemble translucent deep sea crab legs.

I haven't seen the sun in a month. Armchair mountain is lookin' great from the backyard today.

Tree upskirt! I think I see some camel toe!

Big Ones

2008-01-24T03:00:00.000-08:00

One night after a snowstorm two weeks ago, I snapped off the worst offending overhead icicles before shoveling snow from underneath them. I worry about one of these bad boys dropping down, and you know, uh... killing me.

Bear Fruit Salad

2008-01-21T15:37:00.001-08:00

Bear Fruitsalad
Originally uploaded by von_brandis.

Right To Arm Bears

2008-01-21T15:36:00.001-08:00

A Bear with a Gun
Originally uploaded by Jacob Krejci.

I'm Stuffed

2008-01-21T15:34:00.001-08:00

American Museum of Natural History 01
Originally uploaded by von_brandis.

Momma Wants Respect

2008-01-21T15:28:00.001-08:00

Katmai Female Brown Bear
Originally uploaded by MarkWells.

Smarter Than Your Average bear

2008-01-21T15:26:00.001-08:00

Sun Bear
Originally uploaded by guppiecat.

If Mickey Mouse Had Teeth

2008-01-21T15:25:00.001-08:00

If Mickey Mouse Had Teeth
Originally uploaded by Azaz the Unabridged.

Babies

2008-01-21T14:18:00.000-08:00

Watch more videos on this little guy's official site here.

Sweet Jeezus, No!

2008-01-17T05:01:00.000-08:00

Girl, you might not directly burn your house down but heating up the metal stair rails may just melt the vinyl siding, singe hidden wood studs and electrical wiring. (click on image for Boing Boing link)

Little Known Whistler

2008-01-17T01:52:00.001-08:00

My house is not the most funky place in the neighbourhood (Emerald North).

That distinction belongs to Mushroom House (click on photo for direct link), about a five minute walk uphill from me. I was pleasantly surprised to see it blogged in Netorama... which reminded me of this:

A photo Dave published while working for a local newspaper almost 20 years ago. Out of the ashes of Mushroom House 1.0 came an even better 2.0 version. The truly amazing story is of the fact that this place was built twice by Zube, and with his own hands. (click on photo for Dave's blog)

There's a Park Underneath all that Snow

2008-01-17T00:29:00.000-08:00

Dave has taken up cross-country skiing on set tracks at Rainbow Park, so I asked him to take pics of anything blog worthy on his next trip. Judging from the scoop shaped piles, the Municipality plowed the parking lot and buried the park trail. Folks compacting the snow with their boots have made an ersatz path beyond the entrance sign (see arrow).

No swimming today. That's the lake behind those trees. No walking on the surface either. It hasn't been cold long enough to make a thick ice layer out there.

Someone was nice enough to dig a pit around the pay phone. You'll have to squat down to use it.

I think it's safe to say anything done in four feet of snow is a huge inconvenience at least, a stupid risk at most.

Chief Ten Bears

2008-01-17T00:27:00.001-08:00

Chief Ten Bears
Originally uploaded by carletaorg.

While locked out of my Flickr account last week, I surfed for my own photos and found none other than the real Chief-Ten-Bears himself. He was a great negotiator and leader; only considered war if everything else failed and to my knowledge, never had to.

What A Fu*king Mess...

2008-01-06T01:01:00.000-08:00

... my Flickr account that is. I accidentally 1) lost access to it after trying to renew it for another year and 2) made a useless duplicate pro account in the process. And I thought the last Pineapple Express that swept through last Friday was messy.

At the rate this winter is going, that snow wall will triple in height by the end of February (a conservative guess). See the little perpendicular pile beside it?

Now you don't.

Branches turn into foamy white antlers. Or, above sea level coral reefs. Or, the giant beginnings of a stick of cotton candy. Whatever.

First Bear links of '08, Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T01:07:00.000-08:00

This one is aptly named 'hangover'. (click on pics for links)

Found at FFFound, a neat little site.

Found at Your Daily Awesome, another neat little site.

I heard the Golden Compass really sucked big time.

Russian Xmas cards, another belated link by me.

Clever origami!

Bischoff's of Hollywood has supplied film and production companies with stuffed animals for decades, and it shows.

Knut turned one year old last December 8th. We all have to grow out of our 'cuteness' sometime. I still think he's a cute bugger, tho'.

Levity Central, w/o bears ;-(

2007-12-31T03:39:00.000-08:00

Of course it's a bit belated by now. For your perusal, a Cold Blooded Christmas.

Of all the '2girls 1cup' reaction videos around, this is the cream of the crop. Remember kids, once you've seen it you can't 'unsee' it. Be careful out there.

Finally, the Pete Schweaty SNL skit always cracks me up any ol' time of the year. I couldn't find an embed so you'll have to click here.

Icicle Porn

2007-12-31T02:27:00.000-08:00

The Pineapple Express sweeps through in between spates of freezing cold temperatures, causing mammoth icicles to form on the eaves.

Last year they ripped off a ten foot section of eavestrough from the roof.

Another view, looking from the other side.

Let's take a closer look at that huge one...

... that is over three inches thick near the tip.

I accidentally backed into one of those icicles while chopping ice off the porch (about 26 square feet) and it slid down my neck, underneath my clothes and into the back of my jeans. Only one thing to do to get it out, take your boot off and shake your leg till it slides down.

Funny thing, I tend to lose weight in the winter and gain it back over the summer. All this snow shoveling, ice chopping, and firewood hopping takes up alot of energy and time. That's why I was AWOL over xmas on the ol' blog. It's more important right now to keep the front door from freezing shut (and it did last week) than to decorate and bake fattening cookies.

Winter's Bounty

2007-12-31T02:17:00.000-08:00

While trudging around the back yard for more icicle pics, I noticed it looked peaceful out here. The tracks are mine. I take two stomps with every step so as not to break through too many layers of stratified snow at once.

Yeah, its my yard but I haven't a clue what is under those lumps to the right.

Snap Crackle Pop

2007-12-16T03:03:00.000-08:00

By chance there was a sap laden log in the middle of the fire, sizzling and adding much fuel to the flames. The brief and intense fire was fun to watch.

Winter doesn't suck so bad if you have something to do

2007-12-16T02:11:00.000-08:00

For me, the weather is a great deciding factor in regards to choosing indoor or outdoor activities. I'm not into snow or snow sports (unless you call shovelling as fast as one can a sport), so indoor all the way it is.

I've been culling my summer wardrobe and refreshing it with new homemade additions. This skirt is merely a tube with elastic for a waistband. No pattern required and a nice way to use up scrap cloth and notions.

This strappy drawstring number is not as wide as a traditional Hawaiian Muu Muu (I own a vinatge one), so I'm simply calling it the Muu. Again, made with scrap (Ikea) cloth.

A 40 year old machine woven silk tapestry quickly serged into a throw pillow for the guest room. I'll have to remember to hide it when my Mum comes to visit. She'll be none too pleased that I chopped up her souvenir from the old country. I have to say it looks much better here than kicking around in the bottom of my scrap bag for the last 15 years.

Time to clean finicky delicate bits of jewelry at a leisurely pace. Thanks to eBay, I found out there is such a thing as sandwich glass bracelets from the 40's.

Scenes of Last Summer

2007-12-16T02:00:00.000-08:00

Just when I got used to warm weather, it turned to fall and ugh, winter in no time flat. Years ago on a day just like this, I came across a group of American tourists exiting a black limo and marching straight into Madam Cleo's. They all had huge grins on their faces and I turned to give their chauffeur a 'thumbs up' hand gesture, which he kindly returned.

A well cared for lawn at Richards and Helmcken, across the street from Madam Cleo's. That's all it is, a plot of grass with a CCTV pointed at it. This property is worth tens of millions and would normally be paved into a parking lot till someone gets around to plant a building there. Very curious.

This bronze Venus De Milo sits outside an expensive antique store in upper Granville, the kind you have to ring a doorbell to enter. Passersby have molested her boobs shiny smooth.

The summer outdoor market in Vancouver Chinatown. The number one place to get Hello Kitty cellphone charms and Japanese anime air freshener nodders for the car.

For Jon

2007-12-03T02:07:00.000-08:00

I thought of your Dad when I found this BBC clip. Link via Netorama.

Hail, the other frozen precipitation

2007-12-03T01:52:00.000-08:00

I ducked outside to take pics of the house for our folks in South Africa and came back inside 90 seconds later covered in breath mint sized hail. It's currently snowing like gangbusters in Whistler.

Bear Inspired

2007-12-03T01:48:00.000-08:00

Gifts like these are sure to make your kids hate you this xmas. (click on photo for link)

Why not go further and piss off your significant other with a grizzly-inspired toilet gift set?

This Winnie the Pooh book predates the '2Girls 1Cup' stunt by 12 years. Seriously. Check it out if you don't believe me. People eating 'pooh' is not a new thing at all.

I love clever art.

An interesting article of Teller's (of Penn and Teller) House called 'The Bear Bones' that includes a metal bear that speaks and plays card tricks.

The Vancouver 2010 mascots made Dlisted's 'Hot Slut of the Day' list for Nov. 29th.

Last Firewood Trip of 2007

2007-12-02T02:00:00.000-08:00

The loggers are clearing out of the Soo Valley for the season and taking their gigantic equipment with them. Our last day was Nov. 24th and since then, over 2 feet of snow has come down.

The sun peeked out for a minute or two, long enough to take a quick pic. These trees won't be green again till next April.

We found a new logging slash close to the valley entrance and took a little bit of firewood for the road. This stuff is very green and will be saved for the end of the winter burn season, when it will hopefully be dried out by then.

Lo and behold, the next day (25th) brought a big dump of snow. Dave deserves to feel smug beside our great supply of dry, almost bark free and predominately fir wood pile.

Outtakes

2007-12-02T01:46:00.000-08:00

Some other stuff I saw on our last outting that didn't fit neatly in the firewood catagory, like this frozen toadstool...

... and a cluster of old growth stumps underneath fir saplings.

Frosty Wonderland

2007-11-30T03:20:00.000-08:00

This is part of a post of our last firewood trip up to the Soo for the year, which I hope to have up this weekend. The forest ground covering is laced in delicate hoar frost and it was a delight to stumble across it. Also, I think my micro focusing skills are improving.

Passport Day

2007-11-30T02:55:00.000-08:00

While in the city on the 22nd, I decided to renew my passport and brought a camera along just for fun. It was a fairly painless task, and I was out of Sinclair Centre with a new one in hand in less than two hours.

Construction of the new Skytrain line running through Granville Street in downtown Vancouver. Looks to be four stories deep.

Dave mentions from time to time of the 'Puma Store' as an analogy (or symbol if you will) for the ills of urban globalization... but we never thought they actually existed till today, hence the bemused look on his face.

This heavily discounted, horribly shop worn acrylic hair extension makes me feel every bit of the $5 it costs. At your nearest Aldo Outlet Store today.

The Marine Building is often used in American film productions.

The view from the HBC parkade roof where our car was parked. Not a fantastic pic, but the nice lighting was too hard for me to ignore.

Last Toque

2007-11-30T02:53:00.000-08:00

I'm officially tired of crochet till further notice. Mona says this one is possibly the 20th or so toque I've made for her since she started shaving her head about 2 years ago. They'll have to last her for awhile.

Let's Hook Up...

2007-11-22T01:30:00.000-08:00

... to the municipal sewer line. The powers that be caught up with us and we are the dead last homeowners to connect in Emerald, a process that started in 2000.

Dave found a sh#t covered Garfield doll in the septic field and hid it in my woodpile. Hardy-har-har.

Amazingly, we only lost one tree to the trench.

Before the underground septic tank can be disconnected, it has to be emptied of its contents.

Septic pump operators really know their sh*t.

In goes the pipe... so boring... so expensive.

Those guys covered up and levelled out the back yard nicely.

Our two vehicles had to make room for the heavy equipment by parking on the road. It snowed that day and thus made parking on that side of the road illegal. Muni knew we were getting work done (hell, they issued the work permits) and wrote them up anyway.

First Snow 2007

2007-11-22T00:59:00.000-08:00

The white stuff made surface contact for most of last week, in between periods of pounding rain.

The Corona workers were kind enough to put this big rock over a patch of my front yard the neighbourhood dogs use as a popular communal toilet. Originally, it was under the old hot tub deck and in the way of the sewer line.

A runny snow pile in deepest, darkest Whistler Village. The Municipality gets two chores done with their bobcat excavators; snow removal and garbage collection. Discarded plastic bottles, bags and trash emerge as it melts.

Ikea Inspiration

2007-11-22T00:29:00.000-08:00

I've done so much contract sewing that the odd time I do it for myself, it feels about as much fun as pulling weeds. I love good fabric and tend to cajole myself to take on 'one more small project' to justify buying a little bit. By that I mean 13 yards worth @ 60" wide.

I'm used to running through thousands of metres of difficult synthetic satins, voile and chiffon. Plain ol' curtain weight cotton is a pleasure to work with.

New sheets for the guest room...

... and shopping totes for friends and family.

Back When People got Waaaay too Close to the Bears...

2007-11-19T04:29:00.000-08:00

Click on the photos to go to Mango Falls, a neat series of old pics scrounged from thrift store cameras.

Being this close to a 400 lb bear however is not neat. It's fu*@king reckless.

Shopping Part 2: Joyce Edition

2007-11-17T02:00:00.000-08:00

Tidy, organized, clean new stuff awaits at Ikea. I like to make a visit before December, before it gets too nuts with the xmas crowds et al.

'I'll show you mine if you show me yours'.

A giant bin of stuffed pandas in the kid's section. Seeing a thousand unit cluster of them can only cheer you up.

I've got a specific shopping list to tackle though, new bedding for the guest room.

See what I made in the next post.

Of note: David Byrne visits Ikea recently for the first time and blogs about it.

Four Bears and a Chipmunk

2007-11-15T20:42:00.001-08:00

A black bear drunk on fermented wild apples. At least he/she isn't driving home in a car.

The average Google or Flickr 'bear' keyword search will often include 'bears' of this nature.

"Clarisse, can you hear them scream?"

Eventually, none of them get to be on the hammock.

Not a bear clip, but quite frankly I did a double take on the title. It first looked like 'chipmunk fisting' to me.

Rememberance Day

2007-11-11T01:00:00.000-08:00

Let's all take a moment out of this day to remember those that made our everyday democratic lives as we know it possible, like Dave's paternal grandfather who died in combat during WWII. If only he could have lived long enough to see the intelligent, honourable men his son and gransons have become.

Shopping Part 1: Dave Edition

2007-11-10T23:42:00.000-08:00

KMS Tools is across the street from the IKEA store and it would be a waste not to go into both of them while passing through Coquitlam, an almost 3 hour drive south of Whistler.

Ugh, old motors. Are they really worth anything?

Ditto for this stuff.

Dave is attracted to shiny new Husqvarna equipment. Even though it's nearly winter, I just know he wants one of those lawn mowers.

He's already outfitting our proverbial first born son with a replica chainsaw, just like the old 3' long beater he uses.

There is no such thing as having too many screwdrivers, but I think it's a good idea not to buy all your Phillips and Robertson tips in the same damn yellow handles. Looking for that certain screwdriver in a toolbox or junk drawer at home will drive you barking mad.

Dave's finished shopping here and we are hopping across the street to IKEA... Part 2 continues next week with Joyce.

Making Way for the Sewer

2007-11-10T20:00:00.000-08:00

The local municipality is forcing us to hook up to their sewer line and the construction company we hired to help is parking their excavator in the front yard in preparation.

God, we should seriously consider into buying one of these things. With this, Dave can get the driveway cleared of snow in five minutes or less!

Bye-bye stupid decrepit hot tub deck. I wish the trees in the background didn't have to go as well. That is where a 8-10' wide trench will go for the sewer pipe. I was hoping to leave Whistler for some R&R during construction, but can't. I guess it won't kill me too much to see the back yard get logged to sh%t.

At least the back view is in tact. It was supposed to rain all weekend and voila, the sun came to save the day.

Necessary Bear Links

2007-11-05T01:16:00.000-08:00

Oh, I saved some lunch for you in my fur. Help yourself. (click on photo for link)

That polar bear in particular often supplies the local hotels with their buffet centerpieces.

Someone was astute enough to see a dancing bear in the Toblerone logo.

Is this bear blind? There's a ham just above the beer bottles.

The presidential teddy bear gets alot of use these days.

This issue is sold out. Too bad.

Fragile as a Teacup

2007-11-02T03:56:00.000-07:00

I find it frustrating/funny at how my guns keep breaking/cracking/warping on me as they're being sanded smooth and painted. Made of discarded Ikea bed lumber and brad nails, I make them just to inject some masculine decoration in an otherwise femine looking interior. Plus, Dave gets a kick out of them. This one is an AK 47 with a solid stock.

Painted and lacquered.

This pistol isn't a replica of anything in particular, though I'm proud to say it was carved from a single piece of cedar. Just a paperweight gift to a friend.

The beginnings of a Mauser rifle. Note the crooked barrel fashioned out of a brookstick.

When Bears Attack... Rotten Wood!

2007-11-02T03:22:00.000-07:00

There is evidence of bear foraging activity throughout Lost Lake. They love ants and termites, and will scrape away at dead trees to get at them.

Woodpeckers compete with bears for the same bugs and often help in the creation of new termite nests by pecking huge holes into live trees which allow infestation to readily occur.

Better Than a Thermal Blanket

2007-11-02T03:15:00.000-07:00

The fruit of our loins these past two months await chopping in the front yard, dry solid fir and cedar from the Soo Valley.

I hate Hot Tubs

2007-11-02T03:05:00.000-07:00

We are required to hook up to the municipal sewer line ASAP and it has really put a 'fire under our butts' to get rid of the hot tub and deck for good. It was poorly built with common nails that rusted and pillars sinking into the soft, untamped soil below. I won't name names as to who designed and constructed it but their name starts with M and ends with K.

Happy Halloween

2007-10-31T02:11:00.000-07:00

Hey kids, I've got a vampy vampire lurking in my woodpile. Mess with the cordwood and she'll make all your undead dreams come true.

Thanks to Mona(modelling and make-up) and Dave for the photo.

Lost lake In The Fall

2007-10-31T00:45:00.000-07:00

It's a pleasure to live so close to Lost Lake, and a brisk twenty minute walk in the sun can turn a frown upside down. These pics were taken yesterday, the 30th.

The nudie dock, without nudniks.

The lake was cold and very calm. I didn't see any trout breaking the surface.

Dead ferns covered in a delicate dusting of frost.

Highbush cranberries thawing in the warmish air.

Fir trees infested with various kinds of lichen.

Be My Guest

2007-10-31T00:25:00.000-07:00

I had to renovate this 11' x 7' bedroom in my house last month, so for a lark I took before and after pics like they do in those home renovation shows on cable. I repeated the angles as close as possible.

Notice the window sill colour. That took about 10 hours of scraping, sanding and staining to restore.

The wood planer Dave got me for xmas last year came in handy to make the base moulding.

Mushroom Invasion

2007-10-31T00:15:00.000-07:00

Intermittant warm and very wet weather throughout this year has created a population explosion of wild mushrooms all over the Sea to Sky corridor. Mona tells me there are 120 varieties of 'shrooms that can be found in Whistler alone (that's her finger pointing at the gelatinous one and her pics below).

African Bears

2007-10-31T00:09:00.000-07:00

Better late than never, I meant to post this last April when I received these Africa elephant photos taken by Dave's dad Jon via email. They are incredible pics, Jon!

Emerald Drive, The Scenic Tour

2007-10-30T04:18:00.000-07:00

This is for Dave's Dad, who visited us very recently and loves to see the season unfold in my part of North America. I took a camera on my walk to the rural post boxes and back.

Two views of Armchair mountain for comparison, taken a few days and half a kilometre apart.

One neighbour has crocuses blooming in their yard, something that only happens in March and not October. The poor things don't stand a chance in the night.

Another neighbour has a wild apple tree growing on the road. It is actually illegal to have fruit bearing trees on your property in Whistler (attracts bears). I picked a few stragglers for Mona, who is vegan. Can't get more organic than this.

The neighbourhood trees turning red, if only for a few weeks.

What a pleasant thing to hang on your front step.

The Homestead.

The $10 metal star that covers a bare electrical box on the front of the homestead.

Me noticing the hundreds of pine cones scattered around the yard, leftovers from last night's rainstorm.

If left there, they'll freeze into little missles that plug up the snowblower and break an auger or axel... or Dave could accidentally suck one through the snowblower and shoot it towards the house and break a window. I've got to start raking.

All in the Family

2007-10-30T04:13:00.000-07:00

Me, Jon and Dave at YVR sending Jon back to South Africa after visiting us for two weeks (which is partly why I haven't been blogging as of late. I also had to renovate a room and start collecting firewood at the same time).

The fishing rods Jon had to leave behind because it was considered as one out of the two pieces of cargo luggage allowed on the airline. I hope to have an opportunity to personally return them to SA very soon :-)

Artisan crafted pewter salad servers from Jon and Jill, a belated wedding gift of sorts.

These bananas finally ripened the day after Jon left, which we ate green two days before at an authentic african curry dinner at home.

Tacky Knives, Dressew, and Homelessness in Vancouver

2007-10-30T04:08:00.000-07:00

The post title pretty much sums it up. I'm so not used to seeing myself in this many blog posts.

Firewood Season 2007

2007-10-30T03:53:00.000-07:00

The fall monsoon rains swell the rivers and embankments in an impressive way. This is the dam overflow for the hydro electric generator plant in Soo Valley.

The river where excess water from the dam drains into.

The same spot Dave and I harvest firewood for three years going, about ten kilometres past the dam.

My view of Dave as I finish chaining another log(s), climb back to the road, grab the truck winch cable and hook it to my chain.

A self-portrait... though it would be a good idea to take one before I get fu#*ing filthy from head to toe out here. I'm also modelling my new ear muffs, a gift from Dave. They bring everything audible down to 29 decibels.

Two logs skidded together, a yellow cedar and a fir.

The other end chained by yours truly.

I prefer to peel off bark when possible, and the cedar was mercifully easy to do.

I often come across one lone tree standing in the middle of a modern logging slash (modern meaning 20 years old or less). I know from my Dad, who was a logger, that spar trees were used to secure cables for hauling and stacking cut logs... except that was over 30 years ago and modern machinery has made the spar tree obsolete. I can only guess this is either in homage to the old way of doing things or a silly joke to leave this last tree behind. Anyway, dusk is falling fast and it's time to pack up.

Another 3/4 cord of wood, previously discarded by the logging industry, for us and a slightly cleaner logging slash for nature to reclaim for herself.

mona is gunning to be the next tooth fairy

2007-09-04T17:28:00.000-07:00

Mona left some cute treats on my filthy drafting table this morning; most likely vegan things from Denman Island Chocolates...

... and buttons with faces stamped in clay, reminiscient of soylent green.

Samples of Yore

2007-09-04T15:41:00.000-07:00

I recently made page 2 of the Sea To Sky News with a pic taken at the BC Museum of Mining, aka the defunct Brittania Mine. Dave needed perspective in the core sample area and I happened to be conveniently there. In this deteriorating outdoor uncovered storage are thousands of drawers containing hundreds of thousands of rock core samples, fifty years or more old.

New Welding Mask

2007-09-04T15:29:00.000-07:00

Dave models his new welding mask with an auto darkening feature in the glass shield. He asked me to paint a 'flying tiger' on it and of course, I obliged.

This one is my favorite view. He'll have fun chasing the neighbour kids down the street, with hatchet in hand.

Pemberton and Mona's Birthday

2007-08-24T02:03:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was my roomate Mona's birthday and we went to the Pemberton Marsh for a celebratory hike.

Purple heather, the other kind of 'BC bud' we're known for in these here parts.

I haven't a clue what these furry caterpillars are but this one is spectacularly ornate...

... and this one didn't want its picture taken.

Now Serving Ass

2007-08-18T17:35:00.000-07:00

A random loaf from Costco caused a stir in my kitchen today when uniform butt shapes appeared in every slice. Wow. I can make an ass sandwich and serve it to Dave, butt will he notice?

Nice Melons

2007-08-18T17:24:00.000-07:00

I love summer fruit in season. These seeded melons are much sweeter than their seedless hybrids. I got the little 3.5lb guy at North Arm Farm in Pemberton this week. Its 20lb buddy is there for comparison.

I've sliced the little one in half to reveal the yellow, watery goodness inside. Very tasty.

Bears and Scones, a natural combo

2007-08-15T23:00:00.000-07:00

Oh summer, how you distract me from blogging. While I've been incognito here, I'm busy with lots of stuff as the season rolls on. I also have a backlog of stuff to post in the next few weeks. Please scroll down, and do click on the logo to find out where the bear shaped scones came from. They make healthy, delicious baked goodies.

Summer Beauty

2007-08-15T22:36:00.000-07:00

Many black bears can be spotted in Whistler at the moment, and I never have a camera on hand to take pics when they show up on my walks around Lost Lake. Thus, these will have to do. Thanks again to Dave for pressing the camera button.

Evidence of Beaver damming skills in the lake outflow.

Ripening wild raspberries in the bush.

Queen Anne's lace dispersed among cattail reeds and tall grass around the lake.

Afghans, the Crocheted kind

2007-08-15T22:12:00.000-07:00

Now is a good time as any to recycle an afghan project that didn't turn out so good four years ago. The chevron pattern was nice looking; only too long and narrow from the onset to make a blanket suitable to lay on a bed.

Four weeks and alot of furious unwinding and re-crocheting produced an afghan big enough to cover Dave and me together (really big).

Last July I crocheted a smaller one for the den, as modelled by Mona here. It's kinda big too.

When Moms Get Serendipidous

2007-08-15T21:24:00.001-07:00

"See, you don't have the monopoly on fun around here."

Originally uploaded by kjdrill.

Bear Links, Oh my!

2007-08-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

(click on pic for link) Except for Smokey, the fire danger sign in Whistler looks exactly like this one.

Just make sure Grandpa doesn't get accidentally donated one day to the Kwanis Club rummage sale.

Whatever you do, don't wear a seal costume while exiting the submarine.

Another crappy ice cream bear on a stick.

Not really having anything to with bears other that illo's of Panda food, this site is a graphic feast for the eyes.

Celebrities can't help themselves when it comes to wearing the free stuff they get from designers. That Dolce & Gabbana Panda suit is to die for.

We Got Falcons: Part II of II

2007-07-18T02:08:00.000-07:00

Here's just a few of the more noteworthy raptor photos from Dave's D2X, more of which can be seen here.

Falcons courtesy of Jacek Strek of Jump Cut Productions. He can be emailed at jacek@jumpcutproductions.org

BBQ Station Central

2007-07-18T01:10:00.000-07:00

The beloved Weber BBQ, now ensconsed on a custom built surface in our defunct third fireplace and accompanied by a little station for plates and whatnot. Note the bottom drawer for utensils. This is my only summer project this year. I was hoping to tear out a downstairs bathroom in prep for a remodel but the local municipality may make Dave and I spend all our home maintenance money on a sewer hookup instead. Bear in mind, our septic field works great and the town sewage system capacity is extremely overloaded and emits a noxious stench downwind at the southern-most side of Whistler.

Bears. So Hot.

2007-07-17T17:43:00.000-07:00

'I suck at Hide and Seek.' (click on photo for link)

'You know you want to pet me between the ears.'

Hi Matt and Steve. My, you two make a cute pair.

See yuh later guys.

Yo, where are the sows at?

There was once a unique line of outdoor adventure pulp fiction with cover art like this. It made for great reading on long camping trips or visits to the outhouse.

Bears + Entertainment = Beartainment

2007-07-06T18:42:00.000-07:00

Vintage Tai-Shananigans from last year when he weighed considerably less than his current 145 lb self.

Hip-Hop Hairy, Bi-Polar Bearry, Bagpipe Bearry and Black Black-Bearry the Network Executive appear in this order, just so you don't get them confused with each other.

'What's a Girl to do?' by the band Bat for Lashes, featuring a cadre of woodland creatures on bikes. There's a bear in there somewhere.

We Got Falcons: Part I of II

2007-07-02T01:48:00.000-07:00

Dave alerted me to a private show of falcons for a business seminar at the Whistler Outdoor Experience last saturday. This l'il guy is only 3 weeks old and already in training.

There 22 birds in all, including a bald eagle (not in this photo). My camera isn't quick enough to catch them flying but Dave's Nikon D2X did and those pics will be posted next time.

They get ansy when one of their buddies is getting fed or taken away for a performance.

Their Polish keepers originally bred them for show business and have recently broadened their work to include non-invasive pest control in the farming industry.

I was told that ten percent of the birds fly away while on the job. It's up to the falcons to decide if they have had enough of captivity.

The long pole has a dangly bit of food or feathers on the end to train the bird where to aim. On this day they ate skinned mice; head, tail and all.

Snippets of Country Life

2007-07-02T01:46:00.000-07:00

The falconers stayed overnight in this large teepee right next to where the falcons were tethered. A portable electric fence surrounded the campsite. I got the feeling that they were well looked after.

Some snowshoes were placed nearby for ambience, perhaps? Funny thing, these are the same kind I use in the wintertime.

Back at home, Dave is very happy with his new portable Weber BBQ. I'm just glad he didn't buy an unwieldy, impractical stainless steel box of stupidity. Unlike my sausages, his didn't curl up into some NSFW cryptic message.

Lillooet Lake Rodeo, Part II of II

2007-06-20T20:11:00.000-07:00

I'm not the photographer in the family, Dave is. My grainy, far away shots are down below. The dude dressed as a carhart soccer goalie is actually the rodeo clown.

With names like 'McNasty', 'Formula 51' and 'Kenny's Mistake' these bulls went like a pissed bat out of hell. Not a single rider made the qualifying 8 seconds that day.

Lillooet Lake Rodeo Outtakes

2007-06-20T01:21:00.001-07:00

These guys rustled the calves that broke away from the roping competition, which was all of them.

They look like they're swapping horse tips.

A cute pup beside me at the bleachers.

The old rodeo outhouses haven't seen a warm butt in ten years...

...and this is why.

When it Gets Cold Again

2007-06-20T01:18:00.000-07:00

I've taken up crochetting again, as a distraction to the crappy reruns on network TV. At least Big Love is back on cable and not a moment too soon following The Sopranos series finale. I'm really gonna miss Tony and Carmela.

Two Gold Rings

2007-06-20T01:10:00.000-07:00

It never occurred to me to take pics of our wedding rings before we began to wear them 24/7. Five and a half years later, I get around to do it and the difference in finger size is still astonishing. Dave is a whopping 12 and I'm a 5 1/2.

Bear Aware

2007-06-17T01:38:00.000-07:00

Feel free to consult the 'No Bear' whenever you are in an ambivalent quandry. (clicking photos will lead to accompanying links)

It takes an artist to make an ice cream mishap into pure genius.

I rather think this tomato looks like a bear than a mouse.

This is NOT a wise idea but if you absolutely must, have some finger food on hand for those bears who arrive to your lawn party walking on two rear paws.

Super slides and sunshine bring out the cub in all of us.

Have a pancake and turn that frown upside down.

There was once a species of prehistoric cave bears that missed the evolutionary bandwagon because of their fragile penis bones (for reals). 3M seems to be reviving their visage in the most inappropriate children's hook ever.

Lillooet Lake Rodeo, Part I of II

2007-06-06T01:30:00.000-07:00

After living near by for eight years, I finally got my butt on over to the annual Lillooet Lake Rodeo in neighbouring Mount Currie.

Women's barrel racing. The eventual winner made three turns in under 16 seconds.

The audience hardly budged during the events. It was a cold afternoon and I would have killed for a blanket myself.

Steer roping, easier to watch than to actually go out there and do it.

I don't recall anyone placing in this particular competition; noone was able to hold onto the rope once they lassoed round the calf's neck.

Next post: bronco riding.

Evidence of Summer

2007-06-05T18:58:00.000-07:00

In honour of the sunny hot weather we experienced in Whistler last week and the unseasonably wet, cold grey crap this week, this is what the front yard looked in its budding prime.

Some indoor blooms for Mona's Mom too, courtesy of me for last May's Mother's Day . It lives beside her Virgin Mary figurine in Ontario.

Asian Around the House

2007-06-05T18:29:00.000-07:00

A plastic extruded Kwan Yin with great detail, bought two months ago at the only natural food store in Pemberton. Her quiet style is slowing growing on me.

This Mao badge was given to my Mum on the day of her arrival to Canada in 1965 by some 'annoying communist sympathizers' who made it their job to accost chinese ex-pats while embarking on their new lives as landed immigrants. To this day, she still goes ballistic when communism or Mao Tse Tung is mentioned within earshot of her presence. The badge was later passed on to me when I left home after college. Mum, having grudging respect for it as a collectible item with a bastard's face on it, told me to keep it just in case it might be of some value. Time flies when you've been lying in a drawer for 42 years.

Here's what to do if you want a mabe pearl pendant but don't want to pay Mikimoto prices for it. Buy a mabe pearl from a chinese seller on eBay, drill a 3mm hole and fashion a bale out of .18mm flat gold fill wire. Thirteen dollars later, and Bob's your Uncle!

The Royal Hudson

2007-05-20T01:18:00.000-07:00

Lovingly maintained by the West Coast Railway Association, the Royal Hudson is being tuned up for its summer season schedule.

The crown jewel of the Sea To Sky Corridor.

Dave asked me to jump in to show just how big the wheels are.

It is a treat to see some living Canadian history still in operation.

Stuff I thought was Interesting to Shoot at the Time

2007-05-20T00:09:00.000-07:00

This one is for Dave's dad, who might be visiting us from South Africa next fall. Although Dave takes pride in keeping Nibbles on the road, the tailgate was making an omninous noise on the highway and it needed to be checked out...

... because of the 300 lb replacement for a Mercury Grand Marquis rear end we bought at a wrecking yard in Mitchell Island. Plus I scavenged some scrap wood along the trip.

A rotting neon Nalley's sign beside the Lee Valley Store in Vancouver on Marine Drive. They still make pickles and relish, I think.

An overexposed burger/fries/salad combo at our favorite diner, the last stop on our long day. I love diner food and decor, especially the plastic squeeze bottles for condiments. The thin nozzle is great for doodling.

All Aboard for the Bruin Line

2007-05-16T17:09:00.000-07:00

There will be a big photo post of locomotives in Squamish coming up later this month and this is a sneak peek. I'm guessing this derelict passenger car with the bear logo must have been employed on a scenic rural route somewhere between Alberta and British Columbia up to the 70's.

A Prize in Every Box

2007-05-16T16:39:00.000-07:00

These hark from those days of yore when people assumed if you were stupid enough to put this in your mouth, then you must surely deserve to contract tetanus at the very least. I'm talking about 1910-28, when these Cracker Jack toy charms were cast either in lead or lead with tin plate. At 3/8" in width, a person would have to be extremely careful not to mistake one of these as a glob of dark toffee stuck to a large roasted peanut.

Risky Fun

2007-05-16T16:30:00.000-07:00

Gosh, weren't toys so much more interesting a hundred years ago? This little cash register is a fine example of all that dangerous stuff: metal tabs, crimped corners, spring loaded drawer and (most likely lead based) enamel paint.

The American made Earl is almost a foot wide and doesn't have the mechanical finesse of other registers made in the 20's, 30's and 40's.

Yeah, there's a whole lot of rust on this baby.

Clover Craving Cub

2007-05-02T00:12:00.000-07:00

Dave took these awesome pics (with a 200mm telephoto lens) of a yearling black bear while commuting to Squamish two days ago. This little guy/girl was grazing on clover and got startled by tourists getting too close.

Run Forest, run!

Oh, s/he's pissed.

Next day found him/her at the same spot, this time looking much more relaxed.

Of course, taken with that 200mm lens again.

Thanks Dave!

Desperately Seeking Sunshine

2007-05-02T00:09:00.000-07:00

I've been busying myself of late celebrating my birthday, the second anniversary of this blog, fighting with my mum's homeowner insurance provider and wrangling with Lee Valley to get that last glass knob to finally replace all the pulls on an eighty year old chest of drawers. If I was blessed with hindsight I wouldn't have bothered with the hassle, but those kind of thoughts are a moot point at best.

The front yard is thankfully free of snow and permafrost. The flowers however, could use some rays.

I'll have to resort to the indoor hothouse variety for now. Dave has gotten into the nice habit of buying me blooms. I wonder if he knew I liked lilies?

I sure hope this becomes a regular trend!

A Smattering of Bears

2007-05-01T00:29:00.000-07:00

Hungry? Honeybar! Feed your inner bear.

Here is a cup that technically makes you look like a bear. Some folks can construe it to be a dog. Whatever.

I hate to blog about sad stuff but Niu Niu the Panda needs prosthetic paws, pronto! Maybe this is a job for Mythbusters?

Check out the bears in Mark Ryden's surreal paintings. Fantastic!

Koala bears seem to suffer from the same relationship problems North American bears do.

"Once the guys started accepting Clark as a person and a ball player... you know uh, not just a Canadian... things really started to click." Go Bears!

Love, Panda Style

2007-04-12T21:49:00.001-07:00

How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Tag The Ways

2007-04-12T18:58:00.000-07:00

Once in a while I tag along with Dave on his moonlight job as the chief photographer for the Sea To Sky News. These out-takes were taken around the time of his Royal Hudson project at the Squamish Rail yard, about 50km south of Whistler.

I dig graffiti, always have. God only know where this hails from. I'm unaware of anyone here who is as accomplished as these examples. For the spray-can challenged, the graffiti generator is here.

CP must have repainted the yellow bars on top for a practical reason.

The physically challenged are duly represented as well. The world of graffiti is an all-inclusive, all embracing kind of pseudo-hippy humanity.

A posthumus wish for years to come. The festive tag that keeps on giving for miles and miles.

Hello My Lovelies

2007-04-12T18:31:00.000-07:00

These are the only flowers around the house at the moment. As a rule I don't make necklaces for sale. My jewelry skills are at a novice range and I'd hate for someone to buy one and have it unknowingly pull apart to bits. So, these exampes are made and worn at my own risk.

Some of these beads have been with me for a decade or more. The nice thing about being handy is I can change the configuration of most necklaces anytime I like. I also have a bad allergy with nickel and am mostly relegated to wearing stuff by me for me.

This is as plain as it gets around my neck. I'm heading towards a Bea Arthur complex in the near future.

The Truth Bear, and Other Things

2007-04-12T18:29:00.000-07:00

The truth bear will set you free.

If a bear rides the Toronto bus system does anybody notice?

Vintage promo material of the A&W Root Bear.

What Jellystone National Park once looked like, a really fun place to be.

The rise and fall of Smokey the Bear, per Slate Magazine.

Whoa, there really is such a thing as a brown bear on velvet.

Bill the Bear has a bi-annual job evaluation.

Josh Groban's 'Panda Sex Song'

2007-04-04T00:15:00.000-07:00

Sexual fulfillment alone is obviously not enough incentive for Pandas to make cubs naturally. A little Josh Groban can't hurt.

In other news, the panda porn scheme at Chiang Mai Zoo in Thailand didn't work. Bummer.

What? North America can't handle an issue devoted entirely to Knut?

2007-04-03T00:25:00.000-07:00

As soon after I'd mentioned Knut in German Vanity fair, a tandem version is released here in North America. The excessive photoshopping belies Leo's efforts in actually 1) standing on a chunk of floating arctic ice far way from the nearest fixed piece to jump onto if that one sinks, and 2) unzipping one's jacket in possibly -25c weather (I've been on frozen lakes in wind chill and it is horibbly f*&king cold, even if your coat is zipped up to your eyeballs). Obviously Knut shouldn't be there and even so, I doubt he would look up like that if there wasn't some kind of incentive dangling overhead, like a nice bottle of warm milk.

Outtake pics are way more interesting. I once worked in daycare administration and remember how quiet the kids got at naptime (and how everything got peaceful for a precious 30 minutes). To a toddler, giving in to fatigue supercedes all logic, practicality and appropriateness.

This one's for Dave, who has identical camera gear and bags like what Knut is snurfling atop of. How cute is that?

Useful Things

2007-04-02T01:51:00.000-07:00

Not all the wood I collect is destined for the fireplace. These bits are being hobbled together to make a midget chest of drawers about 15" high and 8" wide.

I use poly-fill rather than wood putty. It's easier to use and stains nicely.

Two coats of interior matte latex covers up the fact that there is four different types of wood in this project. The drawer pulls are beads attached to drywall screws.

Detail of the cap and a store-bought buddha hand.

In between waiting for glue to dry on the first set of drawers, I tackled this 15" by 6" by 5" dresser caddy. Note the continuous grain on the drawers and pulls made of flat beads.

Snow Must Go

2007-04-02T01:30:00.000-07:00

We're so sick of snow that we've resorted to shovelling it off the grass and in the middle of the driveway, where it will melt much quicker.

It sure feels strange after a winter of clearing away snow to toss it around willy-nilly.

I pitched in and dug out some of the trees out front.

The neighbours must think we had a massive snowball fight.