Dear Canimites,
Since I last wrote, Sheila and I have visited the Australian branch of our family, meeting halfway in Kaua’i. The weather there was a tad boring, so predictable that you could wear the same pair of shorts every day ‘till they stood up by themselves and barked. In comparison, here in Canim country, we have a delightful mix of cold, sun, rain, snow, thaw, freeze and ice. Puts the pink in your cheeks and no sunscreen needed.
Embden Geese
Bev and Dale McWilliams are having success with their small flock of Embden geese. The gander weighs in at 26 pounds by Dale’s estimation. One of the geese is laying massive four-inch eggs every three days, each weighing more than half a pound.
Bev says the Embdens are the guardians of the yard but can be quite bossy with their chickens, so have to be separated from them.
“I’ve had birds ever since I was a kid”, says Dale. “I’ve always liked them”.
Bev and Dale bought their property at Eagle Creek in 1980. They designed their home themselves and had an engineer prepare blueprints. Then starting in 1994, they built together the attractive house that stands today.
Dale serves the community as Deputy Fire Chief of Hawkins Lake. Bev is a Director of the Community Club and a talented painter.
Signs of Spring
Wayne Traill reported the arrival of a Common Goldeneye at Hawkins Lake. While he waited for dawn to break, one of the ducks zipped by so close to him the signature sound of its wings was unmistakable. Wayne also reports that the American Dippers have been very active at the bridge into the community.
Drama in Orion
The star Betelgeuse, in the upper left of the constellation Orion, is only one half as bright as it was just months ago. Astronomers are scratching their heads as to why. A prominent theory is that the star, a red supergiant 20 times the size of our sun, is running out of fuel. If that is the case, the inward pull of its own gravity will ‘soon’ overpower the outward push of its combustion, and the star will implode creating a spectacular supernova. This will be the brightest such event ever recorded in human history, clearly visible even in broad daylight. However, when an astronomer says ‘soon’, at least in this case, they mean anything from tonight to 100,000 years from now. So don’t hold your breath.
Calendar
The Ladies Lunch set for Tuesday, March 3, will be at the Firehouse Diner. For details, call Yvette Stark at 250-397-2025.
That’s all for now. Until next time, here’s wishing you many blessings.
