#Bruce Peninsula Living

[androdconstruction]

Creating Your Dream Home: Custom Homes and Cottages with And-Rod Construction

Are you dreaming of building your perfect custom home or cottage? Look no further than And-Rod Construction, where our experienced team is dedicated to turning your vision into reality. We offer a range of packages, including Huron Homes, Georgian Homes, and Linwood Homes, to suit your unique needs and preferences.

Huron Homes: Affordable Quality and Style

Our Huron Homes package is designed to keep costs down without compromising on quality or style. With features like Gentek vinyl siding, Cabinet Smith kitchens made in Canada, and pre-fab glass showers with custom tile, you’ll enjoy a beautiful, functional space that fits your budget. Whether it’s elegant interiors or a cozy gas or wood fireplace, Huron Homes delivers both comfort and sophistication.

Georgian Homes: Luxury with Essential Upgrades

For those seeking a touch of luxury, our Georgian Homes package offers quality and style with upgrades where they matter most. Enjoy genuine wood siding, custom-built Canadian kitchens, and custom glass showers with intricate tile work. The package also includes custom maple stairs and railings, and upgraded trim and door packages, ensuring your home exudes timeless beauty and charm.

Linwood Homes: Embrace Nature with Customizable Designs

Our partnership with Linwood Homes allows us to offer a variety of customizable designs that seamlessly integrate into the stunning landscapes of the Bruce Peninsula. From tiny homes to expansive post-and-beam models, Linwood Homes provides a perfect blend of traditional features and modern flair. With prefabricated materials, Linwood Homes are both budget-friendly and eco-conscious, making them an excellent choice for your custom home or cottage.

At And-Rod Construction, we believe in creating spaces that reflect your unique lifestyle and blend harmoniously with your surroundings. Whether you choose a Huron Home, Georgian Home, or Linwood Home, our team is with you every step of the way, ensuring your dream home becomes a reality. Start your journey with us today and discover the endless possibilities for your custom home or cottage.

[eclipsewxtch]

what if they met their respective SO in childhood, go on with their lives and THEN met them again at twenty something? the story was adorable, robin and finn <3

in the kotn universe? hell yeah.

1. robin/finney

they met at 14, downtown in denver, colorado; finney had ditched some bullies successfully, and was making his way around. he was about to buy something for gwen, he was saving the money for her birthday in two months and figured now was as good a time as any, right?; robin was ditching his family—bored of meetings and mergers and shaking hands with some business partners’ daughter. he was running down the street. they make eye contact at a street light. they don’t know what caused them to look up, but they did. and—woah. robin blinks, finney smiles and looks back at the side of the street he’s on—the path he hasn’t walked down yet and jerks his head for robin to follow. entire day is spent joking and laughing with death-defying stunts and running from cops. they tried to keep in touch but when finney got home, gift in hand for gwen—his dad took his phone and broke it in two. robin lost the paper with finney’s number on it and couldn’t remember it. on the mission—finney says he thinks he wants to go on a walk before their shift starts. robin’s on his way back to the penthouse to get vance and billy.

they meet, again, at 23. it’s across the street. finney jerks his head for robin to follow and, of course, he does.

2. bruce/vance

bruce is pretty sure vance is going to kill him. they’re on the playground and everyone knows not to mess with vance on the playground because he’s eight and everyone else is slightly younger or older and vance doesn’t like anyone messing with him and always plays alone. bruce is closer to his age than anyone else, so they shoved him to vance in an effort to make him be nicer. bruce got shoved a little too hard and knocked vance over—hence the cowering beneath the slide. vance comes over and asks why bruce is hiding and bruce squeaks out that he didn’t mean to push vance he just wanted to play and talk. he didn’t mean it. vance, a child, goes: “nobody means to do anything. you still did it though.” so bruce says he’s sorry and vance holds out a hand and tells him they can play together as long as bruce stops crying. they are playground friends for about three years from 7 & 8 to 10 & 11, they drift apart to different schools in different cities. they meet again at 25 and 26, vance has blood on his cheek, finishing with the body in the alley; bruce is getting back from a shift at the Peninsula, stumped; he paralyzed a guy in his hotel room thinking he had intel on Red in his briefcase but it wasn’t anything worthwhile. bruce almost trips on the asphalt and vance catches him— they recognize each other immediately from the making out in an elevator thing, but not as childhood friends until bruce does that thing he does when he’s happy—that little twitch of his finger again. then it clicks. vance is ecstatic and bruce is too—but noticing the blood he asks what happened, vance says it wasn’t his. vance asks who’s briefcase that is—it has the wrong initials. bruce says it’s not his either. then, of course: “how do you feel about coffee?” vance rubs the drying flecks of blood off and says he would love to. they hold hands on their way.

3. billy/griffin

billy wanted his attention, is how it started. really! he just wanted to annoy griffin, but he couldn’t just annoy him after a while—scowling was good enough, he needed a smile, a giggle, a wrinkle of his nose, a frown, a pout—anything and everything; even at 11 and 12. griffin wasn’t in the habit of giving in to billy showalter and he didn’t plan on starting to then. it was a game, always a game with them; one that only really ends with billy gets foster parents in new york. they’re both heartbroken but—griffin moves on with evan and billy moves on with his new family. they meet again, really meet, first day on the assignment. griffin’s delivering the drinks—comms off on his end, because too many people are whispering and laughing and the mic catches it. he holds out his tray for the drink order; paperboy turns around, scar visible on his cheek.

oh. billy? griffin’s billy? his billy?

griffin? billy’s griffin? the griffin he’s missed since he was 12 years old griffin? the same one?

there’s no hesitation at all in the hug that happens—solidifying what griffin knows. they missed each other, paperboy is billy, and they missed each other. griffin keeps his comm off the whole time and texts on his watch to the others that charlie and mr. b are gonna have to deal. billy’s coming home with them.

[felidacy]

Batfam meets dead boy detectives agency

Shenanigans of ghosts Dick, Jason, Tim and Damian set in an alternative universe where they never met as brothers, having died long before that, but become family all the same. While following around young, poor psychic Bruce Wayne and tormenting him into staying alive through finding purpose in solving cases and bringing justice.

Bruce Wayne nearly dies alongside his parents on that fateful day when they are shot when the Dead Boy Detectives were close by, solving the case of a victim from the Joker. Impulsively, because he saw himself in Bruce, Jason possessed the body of a young police detective by the name James Gordon and followed the instructions of Tim to save the boys life before the ambulance arrived. They were now at risk of being discovered for breaking a rule by the Lost & Found Departement, but none of the boys could find themselves to regret the decision to help Bruce.

Against their better judgement they stick around, using the excuse of solving cases to keep an eye on the boy. They see how he is consumed by grief and got into more and more reckless situations as if he was daring death to take him. Bruce was unable to live with the fact that he was spared and his parents weren't. Dick saved Bruce from falling to his death by appearing in front of the boy and screaming, neither prepared to the fact that Bruce can see ghosts. They think at first it has something to do with his near death experience, but Bruce then reveals that he is a psychic and because of that always seen as an outsider and bullied regardless of his wealthy status.

It was then decided by the Dead Boy Detectives that in order to remind Bruce that he still has purpose in living, they will show him how he can thrive through justice and that his gift isn't a curse. Some more reluctant than others bring him into the agency and together they go through many shenanigans and cases, all the while Bruce grows in age and talent alike under their tutelage. And before they know it they are a very unlikely and supernatural family.

And family always likes to help Bruce even when he becomes Batman and gets the title of greatest detective, takes in his own children and becomes a mentor. They love him forever, but that does not stop them from absolutely tormenting him as big brothers should.

In a bittersweet way it gets way less awkward to explain the strangeness of Bruce Wayne when his own wards go through near death experiences and finally meet their uncles.

~

~

What I think the boys would have died of and their circumstances as ghosts. While tempting to just give backstories from Edwin and Charles to two of them, I thought it would be more appropriate to give them their own version.

Dick was killed in 1936 at a concentration camp after having been separated from his family because of his Romani ancestry that made people (Nazis) believe him to be dirty. He died nameless, one of many, and with no grave for his body as he was left to carelessly rot away. His family lived, but they never knew what happened to him and were unable to follow through with their funeral rites to guide him to the afterlife. He found himself unable to move on however as he wished to bring justice to all those that were killed and merely labeled casualties in war like he had been.

It was Dick that started the Dead Boys Detectives Agency, hence the awful name as everyone proclaims with his terrible naming skills.

Damian was the youngest when killed and not too far back in time too, the 1970s. He had grown up under the restricting rules of his family back in Arabia Peninsula when he discovered plans of his grandfather that wanted to rip Damian of his own future plans. Still a young boy, he wanted none of that and after packing his things and stealing some money he ran away to the land of America where the TV always told him it was the land of the dreams. Anyone could become wealthy there. Damian wanted to show his grandfather that he knew better and would bring honour to their family, in his way. But Damian soon found himself without money, stranded and in a country where he barely understood the language. Then one day he was too desperate and despite his instincts telling him not to, he followed a man and trusted him. Later on he was killed by John Wayne Gacy. Damian only wished to stay around until the man was discovered and his family took his body back, but instead his family rejected him despite recognising the body.

Damian was a rage full and miserable ghost for a long time after his death and being discarded by his family as he couldn't understand why he was seen as dishonorable when he had been the victim, his family never once blaming the killer. As he wandered aimlessly and wished to bring misfortune on everyone, it was Jason that found him then when a witch wanted to use him for power and slowly got his trust after being rescued as the older boy taught him tricks to stay safe. Damian kind of just stuck around after that.

Tim despite not looking the part, is the oldest of the four, having been accused of witchcraft back in 1692 for simply wishing to heal people and yearning for more knowledge. His methods were unfit in their eyes and he was also seen as witch for looking too naturally feminine, blaming him to be putting up a false front and using bodyshifting to allure men. He was burned at the stake in Salem without ever having been listened to for once in his short life. This settled his resolve and he refused to move on, too stubborn to listen to death and instead find his own path.

In a strange way, Tim did not miss living as he soon realised. He had endless time now to learn whatever he desired. If it be science, languages, politics, autonomy or actually witchcraft now. Hah. He had so much to learn and he was delighted to just learn the laws and tricks in the world of the supernatural. This made him the expert in the Dead Boys Detectives Agency and he was called 'Old man' by the others for his behaviour and wisdom.

Jason just like all his brothers had been wronged. His death in 1950 was not out of the ordinary itself, a cop that shot him for the colour of his skin when he had done nothing wrong. It was an injustice and an action of racism, but in the grant scheme of things that just made him one of many and his family was able to mourn him for one thing. Unlike his brothers conflicted history. What truly wronged Jason however was when a careless necromancer came around and played with his body, just after he thought he was finally at peace and could move on. Instead he was yanked back into a body that was his but also not and he had no control over himself, left spiraling, as the body attacked others and gnawed at their skin. It sickened him and this time around he was glad when he was shot again. Murdered twice by the same man, one injustice one a saving grace. Jason from then on decided to never let others carelessly harm the innocent again.

Jason held some anger issues that he always attempted to hide away from others. Having grown up under heavy scrutiny of his father and the eyes of society that saw him as a dirty rat he had a lot of it bottled up inside. This makes him the most vicious ghost.

[upinteriors]

Devil’s Glen by StudioAC

Devils Glen is located on the Bruce Peninsula a few hours north of Toronto. The design process began with a picnic on site where a discussion focused more on the natural elements of site rather than the building, and this inspired an ethic for the project to come. The design began with two fixations, one having the house sited true to a NSEW to take advantage of the solar path throughout the day, the view to the water and to avoid disturbing as much of the natural habitat as possible. The second fixation was to have the roofscape act as a device to shape light, levels of intimacy and vantage points to the treetops, water and sky beyond.

The house is organized in two linear bars, one with sleeping quarters and the other with open living. A modesty to the plan that uses a simple grid of 12’ x 16’ for living spaces and 12’ x 12’ for sleeping allows for unobstructed life to exist within. A simple shift of the two bars produces a covered terrace facing the water and a covered porch at the entry, while simultaneously increasing privacy for both the primary bedroom and the secondary bathroom facilities. This shift in the bars and the siting of the house also conceals the view to the water upon arrival to the site. Once you enter the house the landscape and water are revealed via vignette style windows facing the forest and an expansive glass wall facing the lake.

The plan is capped with a seemingly simple roof that structurally and formally responds to the extensive snowfalls that can happen in the area. A modesty is observed in the roof’s formal and structural concept using framed and clad trusses to increase lateral stability, but these have a dual purpose. While the exterior face of the roof is consistent, a freedom was observed with what could be done with the partition between the two bars above the height of primary walls. Within each bay this partition is allowed to sway from left to right sometimes producing an intimate gable, a grand shed, or a funnel of light. This tactic is played with further in the form a skygazing platform that brings you up into this roofscape to view the treetops, clouds and stars.

The choice of a singular metal building was inspired by farm buildings in the area and a robust galvanized spec free from finish colours increases the robustness and reflects the hues of the landscape and sky throughout the day. On the interior a simple application of white painted drywall and plywood on the roofscape diagrams the architectural device while producing an unfretted backdrop for art, views, and sunlight.

Design: StudioAC Location: Bruce Peninsula, Ontario, Canada Year: 2022 Photography: Felix Michaud

[dieletztepanzerhexe]

In his influential book Desert Frontier, James Webb argues that the Western usage of the terms ‘white’ and ‘black’ as racial markers ‘seem to be a distant and refracted borrowing from the Arabo-African past’.

[...]

Hall retraces the history of Arabic racial discourse in the Sahara and Sahel since the 17th century, and their final intermixture with European racial discourses in the colonial period. With Webb, Hall argues that ecological changes in the region since the 16th century worked in favour of nomad pastoral groups to the disadvantage of sedentary communities, leading to the political and military dominance of the former over the latter. This dominance was partly legitimated in a racialist discourse on cultural and religious differences borrowed in part from the thinking of Ibn Khaldûn on the origins of phenotypical difference. Ibn Khaldûn refuted the ‘Ham thesis’, linking the origins of race to the story of Noah’s curse of his son Ham, but his thinking was racial in that he linked phenotypical difference to cultural, religious and mental inferiority, positioning the inhabitants of the most extreme zones, the Africans and the Slav populations of Europe close to animals. He explained this inferiority through the classic Greek theory of seven climatic zones, and the detrimental effects of living in the most northern and southern climates. Of course, this theory presented a major hermeneutical flaw in failing to explain the rise of Islam in such an intemperate climate as the Arabian Peninsula, which is refuted by insisting on the moderate influence of the sea winds, which temper the Arabian climate. But furthermore Ibn Khaldûn believed that the deficiencies caused by life in the harsh climatic zones could be mitigated by adherence to Islam*. This concept was, as Bruce Hall demonstrates, reworked in the Saharan context to become linked to descent from Arabic Muslim lineages.

First, ideas about ‘white’ Arab Islamic culture that originated in the IslamicMiddle East and North Africa were made part of Southern Saharan cultural identity by a reconfiguration of local genealogies connecting local Arabic- and Berber-speaking groups with important Arab Islamic historical figures in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Second, local Arabo-Berber intellectuals rewrote the history of relations between their ancestors and ‘black’ Africans in a way that made them the bearers of Islamic orthodoxy and the holders of religious authority in the Sahelian region.

The political dominance of these Arabo-Berber groups, partly originating in ecological advantages, was thus legitimated by a claim on Islamic cultural and religious heritage, handed down in particular lineages of Arabo-Berber origins. Thus, religion, behaviour and descent were primal traits of ‘race’. Bruce Hall summons this reasoning up as: ‘To be “Black” is to be a son of Ham; to be “White” is to be a bearer of “true” Islam’.

*The story of the curse of Ham is known in the Muslim world. It is even very likely that it was through Arabic texts that the link between this qur"anic and biblical story, and the origin of races came into European discourse. The link between “curse” and “black” is explicit in Arabic as both are derived from the same Arabic root: SWD

Lecocq, B. 2010. Disputed Desert. Decolonisation, Competing Nationalisms and Tuareg Rebellions in Northern Mali.

[mistress-light]

Question for my followers that live in Canada. I’m off on vacation the 28th of May. I’ll be staying in Ontario and plan on visiting Phantom Five National Marine park and Bruce Peninsula National Park. And the niagara falls. Any more tips or need to knows or other cool spots that I should know of?

[jwenvs3000w24]

Blog 8: The Bear Necessities

Hey everyone I hope you’re all doing great and have had a wonderful time since the last time we’ve talked here. We’re already at week 9 which is WILD but I’m glad to have spent them talking with everyone here! Anyways let’s get into this week and I hope you enjoy this post as I am in love with these animals and their variety! Enjoy the pictures and my thoughts!

Bears. Every person to live has some different kind of perspective on bears. Many people think of them to be large terrifying creatures that are only around to cause havoc, or to scare people and animals. Some others think of them as nuisances that are getting into their garbage or compost and causing a mess. However, there are a few people (me included) that think bears are one of nature's most beautiful and majestic creatures. Bears range from being such small cuddly looking creatures to very large, muscular units of sheer strength that come in so many different colours between species and even within them too. 

This is a chart of many but not all the bear species from around the world, so that you have a visual of what these different species look like compared to one another. Retrieved from 79dd92b67197d50840ef0066a20b39a5.jpg (736×639) (pinimg.com)

There are so many species of bears: Polar bears, Grizzly bears, Brown bears, Sun bears, Spectacled bears, Panda bears, Black bears, and many more, but these are just the main species of bears. There are also subspecies of bears found within some species, for example, the Kodiak bear is a subspecies of Brown bear that is only found on Kodiak Island in British Columbia which differs from the normal brown bear species by being significantly larger, and has more aggressive tendencies. There is also a subspecies of Black bear called Kermode or Spirit bears is a more common name for them. They are essentially the same as a Black bear but have a snow white coat like a Polar bear. This white coat is not associated with albinism and does not have any detrimental health effects. The Kermode is my all time favourite bear along with its main species Black bear. There are thought to only be a few hundred Spirit bears to live and are extremely rare to occur. The Black bear species is a relatively docile species that will more times than not run away when encountering a human unless there is a threat to its life or that of a cub.

This is a picture of a Black bear taken just outside of a cottage in Tobermory, Ontario. This is a younger bear I would estimate to be roughly 1-2 years old and weighing approximately 200 pounds!

If you plan to stay within Ontario the most common bear you will see is the Black bear, but if you go really far up north you have the chance of seeing polar bears but it is a rare sight in ontario. There is a colony of Black bears of a couple hundred that live within the Northern and Southern Bruce Peninsula, but if you wish to see a Grizzly or Brown bear they are most commonly found in the more western provinces like Alberta and British Columbia.

One sad but interesting fun fact is that due to the northern ice melting and the Polar bear habitats being reduced it is pushing them further into Grizzly bear territories which is causing the two species to mate and create hybrid offspring.

This is a picture of a Polar-Grizzly hybrid taken from: OIP.8QjxLcuk8z8Vm5cPR_eGAgHaEs (474×300) (bing.com). As you can see from this photo it has more characteristics of a Grizzly bear but has a very light coast that is almost all white.

Thank you all for joining me this week and talking about bears with me! I am looking forward to all of your thoughts! Join me again next week to see what we are going to talk about!

[nmenvs3000w24]

Embracing the Elements: A Personal Journey Through Privilege, Risk, and Reward in Nature Interpretation

For my Grade 12 graduation trip, I went on a week-long adventure to the provincial parks of Ontario. One of the most memorable experiences was a 30-kilometer hike on the Bruce Trail in the Bruce Peninsula with my 2 best friends. This hike was a test of our fortitude, a dance with the weather, and a celebration of the privileges that made our outdoor adventure possible. 

As we explored the wild beauty of the Bruce Peninsula, I realized that my middle-class upbringing, education, and outdoor experiences were like keys that opened doors to the marvels of the natural world (Dr. Hooykaas, n.d.). However, I also recognized that not everyone has the same ease when approaching nature. Peggy McIntosh's metaphor of the invisible backpack highlights the advantages some of us enjoy, often without being aware of them (Dr. Hooykaas, n.d.). This journey made me aware of the different levels of undeserved benefits that helped me on my outdoor adventures. 

The elements were our guides in this rough terrain, and we encountered several challenges along the way. We ran out of water and realized I had forgotten my swimwear after we arrived. We also got disoriented in an unexpected downpour while hearing thunder in the distance. Our 30-kilometer walk was a risky dance with the elements, a challenge to our ability to survive and to persevere, and solve problems. Despite the difficulties, we continued on, feeling the weight of the elements pressing down on us with every stride in the pouring rain. The risk of discomfort, the uncertainty of the way ahead, and the unexpected formed part of a narrative that would later emerge as a story of personal victory (Dr. Hooykaas, n.d.). Not only did we arrive at our destination, but we also discovered bits of ourselves spread all over the trail. For example, I found my sense of direction when we got lost for a short duration. 

Reflecting on this journey made me realize that nature interpretation is not just a philosophical idea; rather, it was a lived experience (Dr. Hooykaas, n.d.). It was about finding joy in the process of accepting the storms, both real and metaphorical, and adjusting to the unexpected. Beyond being a breathtaking environment, the Bruce Peninsula became a co-author of my story and a partner in my quest for self-awareness. My privilege was more than just the chances I had; it was about valuing and growing from them. I see my role as not just sharing my own accomplishments but also building a community that recognizes the various backpacks that each of us carries. Accepting the many origins and viewpoints of other nature lovers on the Bruce Peninsula not only enhanced my experience but also demonstrated the transformative potential of nature interpretation (Beck, Cable, & Knudson, 2018). 

In summary, my journey through the Bruce Peninsula was a testament to the raw power and allure of the natural world. It was a test of fortitude, a dance with the weather, and a celebration of the privileges that made my outdoor adventure possible. It was also a journey of nature interpretation, where I discovered the transformative potential of accepting the risks and adjusting to the unexpected (Dr. Hooykaas, n.d.). This experience made me realize the importance of valuing and growing from my privilege and building a community that recognizes the various backpacks that each of us carries (Beck, Cable, & Knudson, 2018).

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World (1st ed.). Sagamore Publishing. https://www.sagamorepub.com/products/interpreting-cultural-and-natural-heritage-better-world

Hooykaas, A. (n.d.). Unit 03: Risk versus Reward in Interpretation [Lecture notes]. ENVS3000 Nature Interpretation. University of Guelph.

[lurkinglurkerwholurks]

The crisis I am in, staring at my lifetime blorbo and my last-half-decade blorbo. Who wins—the gods-blessed, nine-lived menace of the Little Peninsula or the man so cunning and strong-willed that he stands among gods and aliens?

I think if they met as equals, there would be no fight, just incredibly deep respect and a hint of earned wariness, but they're underpinned by a lot of the same values. But if Bruce met TT Gen, all bets are off. I think Bruce is too similar to the MoW for that initial meeting to go off well. (But also Alfred and Irene would get along too well, heaven help us all.)

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 10.14 (after 1950)

1066 – The Norman conquest of England begins with the Battle of Hastings. 1322 – Robert the Bruce of Scotland defeats King Edward II of England at the Battle of Old Byland, forcing Edward to accept Scotland's independence. 1586 – Mary, Queen of Scots, goes on trial for conspiracy against Queen Elizabeth I of England. 1656 – The General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony enacts the first punitive legislation against the Religious Society of Friends. 1758 – Seven Years' War: Frederick the Great suffers a rare defeat at the Battle of Hochkirch. 1773 – The first recorded ministry of education, the Commission of National Education, is formed in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. 1774 – American Revolution: The First Continental Congress denounces the British Parliament's Intolerable Acts and demands British concessions. 1791 – The revolutionary group the United Irishmen is formed in Belfast, Ireland leading to the Irish Rebellion of 1798. 1805 – War of the Third Coalition: A French corps defeats an Austrian attempt to escape encirclement at Ulm. 1806 – War of the Fourth Coalition: Napoleon decisively defeats Prussia at the Battle of Jena–Auerstedt. 1808 – The Republic of Ragusa is annexed by France. 1843 – Irish nationalist Daniel O'Connell is arrested by the British on charges of criminal conspiracy. 1863 – American Civil War: Confederate troops under the command of A. P. Hill fail to drive the Union Army completely out of Virginia. 1884 – George Eastman receives a U.S. Government patent on his new paper-strip photographic film. 1888 – Louis Le Prince films the first motion picture, Roundhay Garden Scene. 1898 – The steam ship SS Mohegan sinks near the Lizard peninsula, Cornwall, killing 106. 1908 – The Chicago Cubs defeat the Detroit Tigers, 2–0, clinching the 1908 World Series; this would be their last until winning the 2016 World Series. 1910 – English aviator Claude Grahame-White lands his aircraft on Executive Avenue near the White House in Washington, D.C. 1912 – Former president Theodore Roosevelt is shot and mildly wounded by John Flammang Schrank. With the fresh wound in his chest, and the bullet still within it, Roosevelt delivers his scheduled speech. 1913 – Senghenydd colliery disaster, the United Kingdom's worst coal mining accident, claims the lives of 439 miners. 1915 – World War I: Bulgaria joins the Central Powers. 1920 – Finland and Soviet Russia sign the Treaty of Tartu, exchanging some territories. 1923 – After the Irish Civil War the 1923 Irish hunger strikes were undertaken by thousands of Irish republican prisoners protesting the continuation of their internment without trial. 1930 – The former and first President of Finland, K. J. Ståhlberg, and his wife, Ester Ståhlberg, are kidnapped from their home by members of the far-right Lapua Movement. 1933 – Germany withdraws from the League of Nations and World Disarmament Conference. 1939 – World War II: The German submarine U-47 sinks the British battleship HMS Royal Oak within her harbour at Scapa Flow, Scotland. 1940 – World War II: The Balham underground station disaster kills sixty-six people during the London Blitz. 1943 – World War II: Prisoners at Sobibor extermination camp covertly assassinate most of the on-duty SS officers and then stage a mass breakout. 1943 – World War II: The United States Eighth Air Force loses 60 of 291 B-17 Flying Fortresses during the Second Raid on Schweinfurt. 1943 – World War II: The Second Philippine Republic, a puppet state of Japan, is inaugurated with José P. Laurel as its president. 1947 – Chuck Yeager becomes the first person to exceed the speed of sound. 1949 – The Smith Act trials of Communist Party leaders in the United States convicts eleven defendants of conspiring to advocate the violent overthrow of the federal government.

[jrbenvs3000f24]

Week 2: My Ideal Role as an Interpreter

I had the opportunity recently to read Edward Abbey’s Desert Solitaire. It’s rough around the edges, out-of-touch, and more than a little anarchist, but Edward Abbey also has an incredible prose when discussing nature. The book describes his time as the lone park ranger at Arches National Monument in Southern Utah. His passion and reverence for the park is undeniable, and his love of wilderness in general shines through. This quote I thought was particularly poetic:

“A weird, lovely, fantastic object out of nature like Delicate Arch has the curious ability to remind us - like rock and sunlight and wind and wildflowers - that out there is a different world, older and greater and deeper by far than ours, a world which sustains the little world of man as sea and sky surround and sustain a ship.” (Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire).

I read Desert Solitaire while traveling through Utah and Arizona this spring, and Abbey’s descriptions of the desert are the closest thing I’ve seen to capturing how beautiful the landscape is. This quote to me is an inspiring piece of nature interpretation. It made me think of my favourite teachers in school: they weren’t incredible teachers simply because they helped me understand the material. They were passionate about it, they made me care about the material.

Watchman Trail, Zion National Park, Utah (April 2024).

Recently, I’ve been considering a career change into the field of environmental conservation. I’ve been driven by my love of the outdoors, and the desire to see nature conserved for future generations. I’m never more at ease than I am in the backcountry, staring into a fire. My ideal interpretive role would allow me to spend more time outdoors, getting my hands dirty with the hard work of conservation, while allowing me to help people care about what they see. 

Over the past few years, driven in large part by the isolation experienced during covid lockdowns, the number of people camping has skyrocketed. Trailer and RV sales are up, and for anybody who's been a longtime camper, the effect is obvious when trying to book a site, both in surging prices and seasonal availability. It would be easy to see this, as Abbey likely would have, as a net negative. Crowded parks, inexperienced campers trudging on sensitive flora, or leaving garbage where they shouldn’t. The examples on social media of misguided and downright moronic interactions with wildlife are plentiful. But what we want is for a greater portion of the population to connect with nature, to see why we love it so much, see what makes it special. In that light, the surge of people getting outside to experience our parks can only be positive.

Fire through the Parks Canada Logo, Bruce Peninsula National Park (October 2023).

Which is why nature interpretation is becoming increasingly important. Like our best teachers, good interpreters need to help people care about what’s around them. As an interpreter, my ideal role would be grounded in this. A role in parks, specifically as a ranger/park warden has always appealed to me greatly for these reasons. We are lucky enough to live in Canada, a country with some of the most beautiful natural wilderness anywhere in the world. Protecting and conserving it, while making sure everyone has the opportunity to enjoy it would be my ideal interpretation role. Specifically which park is less important to me, as Canada has so many fantastic ones, though my favourite parks I've been to are Gros Morne and Kluane.

[androdconstruction]

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[anenvs3000f23]

Blog Post #2

Describe your ideal role of environmental interpreter. What might it entail? Where might it be? What skills might you need? (Keep these all-in mind as you begin to work on your assignments – tailor these to that ideal job!)

            In my ideal role as an environmental nature interpreter, I would like to take a hands-on approach and be immersed in the environment I am interpreting. Growing up in Ontario, I initially had little interest in the landscapes and forest types available to me. Instead longing for the impressive mountain ranges of the west coast. However, as I matured, I discovered a love for the diversity of the Carolinian and great lakes forests that I grew up with. As such, I strive to inoculate this same interest in others who may not see the importance of our Ontario forests. Ontario, however, is large and contains many different types of forests with different histories. Furthermore, specific parks or woodlots would also have their own specific histories. Thus, I would choose to interpret an area I am very familiar with as to make connections to these local histories. For a few years I worked for Ontario parks as a trail technician on the Bruce peninsula. This involved plenty of hiking all along the peninsula. As such, I am familiar with both the landscape and the natural history of the area. This would allow me to make more big picture connections. For example, the glacial activity that shaped the Niagara escarpment and created many of the lakes in the area effects how animals now must move about the landscape. Showing how even geological history can shape our lives would hopefully bring more appreciation for the present. Furthermore, it instills meaningfulness in how our actions affect the future.

Part of what changed my view on Ontario forests was interpretive walks with some of my university courses. Being able to see, touch, smell, and even occasionally taste the subjects of study elevated the experience beyond what just a lecture might do. Hence, my ideal interpretive position would likely entail some form of guided hikes.  Not only does this provide a hands-on learning experience, but it also provides opportunity to witness the challenges native wildlife experience with the changing of Canada’s starkly different seasons. Some may believe that the winter brings a challenge to outdoor learning, however, it also brings opportunity to witness unique life stages and strategies. Such as how mistletoe remains green in the winter due to its parasitic activity, hence its association with the Christmas season. Convincing people, however, to participate in winter hikes may pose as a challenge. As such, sparking an interest in participants is a necessary skill to keep a captive audience. Doing this can be different person to person and requires nuance and practice. However, the basic principle remains the same where one must relate the subject to the lives of those in the audience.

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My Relationship with Nature – Blog 1

Nature (according to me): a safe haven, a connected community, a place of exploration, a beautiful sight, a provider, a piece of art… I could go on for ages.

Nature has given me so much joy from an early age. I constantly seek to improve my relationship with nature and enjoy all of the benefits it provides us with, including purified air, a sense of relaxation, an environment to ground and escape our busy lives, stunning views, and a sense of home. Hiking, swimming, and nature photography are just a few ways that I like to connect with nature. Due to my interest in nature, I knew that environmental science was the perfect program. I feel blessed to have benefitted from the environmental science co-op program at the University of Guelph. In this program, I’ve been given the opportunity to work in various environmental fields and conduct environmental monitoring through gas and water sampling. This past summer was spent working with a conservation authority during my co-op placement, where I conducted routine water sampling in the Grand River watershed to record water quality parameters such as pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and temperature. Water quality monitoring is crucial to ensure that the water quality remains acceptable to support the numerous types of organisms that rely on it, ranging from aquatic plants to fish and benthic invertebrates! However, working in an environmental career can weigh heavy on the heart when realizing that humans have caused so much pain to the one earth we have. I often wince when hearing about oil spills in oceans, uncontrollable wildfires that consume vast areas of trees and destroy wildlife, and tsunamis that wash away entire communities, to name a few environmental catastrophes. Due to my empathy for the environment, I believe I am deeply intertwined with nature, which has shaped my life.

At age 4, I was first introduced to the benefits of nature from cottage visits, where I participated in various recreational activities that nature provides, including swimming, fishing, boating, and hiking. My interest grew after many summers at my cottage and extended into my high school studies. At 14, I took a particular interest in the environmental lessons in science class and began to get a feel for my future career. At age 16, I travelled to summer camp near North Beach Provincial Park in Consecon, Ontario, where I spent whole days with campers and helped many campers gain comfort outdoors. At age 18, I decided to sign up for my first ecotourism trip with Operation Groundswell. Here, I travelled to Cusco, Peru, and learned about the environmental injustices that the Indigenous community faces regarding mining. I became interested in environmental justice, and I was able to spend three days hiking in the Sacred Valley, where I could experience mountains for the first time (which can be viewed in my Tumblr header). This trip was a great form of nature interpretation and allowed me to immerse myself in nature and Peruvian culture while learning about global environmental issues. When it came time to enroll in university, I decided that the University of Guelph would be the perfect atmosphere to further my studies regarding the environment. After four years, three co-op placements, a stunning trip to Bruce Peninsula Provincial Park with the UofG Outdoors club, and lots of learning, I am now one semester away from completing my degree in environmental science. In the future, I plan to further my relationship with nature and obtain a career focused on environmental monitoring and stewardship.

It truly is an understatement to share that nature has shaped my life and continues to do so. I look forward to furthering my knowledge and experiences in nature, and I hope everyone can feel a deep connection with nature sometime in this lifetime.

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The Gloup Disaster & Unst Fest

Monday 17th July

In July 1881 ten of twenty six haaf fishing boats were lost in a storm just a few miles northwest of Gloup. 58 fishermen lost their lives, all from small communities, with Gloup being hit the heaviest. Haaf fishing already had a name for being dangerous, using just 30 foot long sixareen boats powered only by oars, and this was a hammer blow to the industry. The memorial lists the names of those lost, with a statue above it if a mother, with child in arms, looking out to sea.

Sunday was a better day weather-wise, though the early July days of swimming in the ocean seem distant now. Maximum temperatures are about 15C. The route I put together today descended to Breckon Sands beach, which has decent sized dunes making access a clamber, the first dunes I’ve encountered on Shetland, though, like almost every beach I’ve been on, it was person-less. From there I followed the headland, that forms the peninsula of Gloup Ness, around; tough going with boggy ground after all the rain yesterday, and the various fence crossings. This is the most northerly point of Yell. The ocean side cliffs are much higher, about 50 metres, than those on the eastern edge.

At the few houses that form the hamlet of Gloup, is the fishermen’s memorial. This looked an excellent place to park up for the night, and on return to Breckon, I moved the van. The rain had given way to many flies, though not the biting variety, nonetheless troublesome.

With the tide out in the evening, Roja and I wandered down to Gloup beach.

Unforecast rain came in the form of showers on Monday morning, only after we had started on a hike from the Cicerone book, south on the steep grassy side of Gloup Voe. The Cicerone book has been very good, and is authored by a guy who lived close by when I was in Bampton. But the description of this walk, was all wrong. The distance and the route on the map didn’t match by a long way, something I had spotted last night. The walk was ranked as easy, and described a track that was actually little more than a sheep trod, very narrow, and occasionally extremely exposed on the steep grassy slope (above). At the southern end of the Voe, I binned it, and put it together with a track I’d seen on the Walk Highlands website, and climbed up to Scordaback hill (below). Graham Uney’s hike in the Cicerone book was an out and back hike, following the east side of the Voe northwards for a couple of kilometres. This was fairly evident from the opposite side, if anything narrower and steeper.

My thoughts are that Uney never actually did this walk, his description is so inaccurate. I will contact Cicerone and inform them, perhaps others have as well. It needs to be ranked as ‘hard’, otherwise it will attract walkers with unsuitable footwear and experience.

Despite the rain, up on Scordaback there were great views..

After lunch we drove the twenty minutes to the Unst ferry and made the crossing. Though there is normally plenty of room on these ferries, which depart every half hour, I had booked. This week in the Unst Fest, with the Tall Ships calling in at the end of the week, and other activities, though mainly indoor.

Once on Unst I headed for the castle at Mu Ness. The showers were still frequent, with a strong wind, so I had opted the (very slightly) more sheltered east coast. On arrival I had a chat with the farmer, something that happens quite often. Rather than be offended by my presence, I am always welcomed, and they just want a chat, and let you know how proud they are of where they live. Roja and I walked down to Ham beach, stony, but as it gets more exposed, the stone size is considerably reduced. One day, maybe not soon, it will be sand.

The castle though, which attracted several five minute visits from motorists during the evening, was quite underwhelming, as no access to its interior was possible. It dates to 1573, when Laurence Bruce, half brother of Robert Stewart, Earl of Orkney, built it on being exiled from Orkney after abusing his position after several warnings for petty, though apparently very annoying, offences.

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Upgrade Your Acton Home with Durable Vinyl Flooring

Are you looking to enhance the beauty and functionality of your Acton home? One of the most impactful ways to upgrade your living space is by investing in durable vinyl flooring. With its versatility, affordability, and long-lasting performance, vinyl flooring has become a popular choice among homeowners. In this article, we will explore the numerous benefits of vinyl flooring and how it can transform your Acton home into a stylish and comfortable sanctuary.

Introduction to Vinyl Flooring

Vinyl flooring is a synthetic flooring material that is manufactured using a combination of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and other additives. It is designed to mimic the appearance of natural materials like hardwood, stone, or tile, while providing superior durability and ease of maintenance. Vinyl flooring comes in various forms, including vinyl sheets, tiles, and luxury vinyl planks (LVP), offering a wide range of design options to suit different preferences and interior styles.

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