IRIS: Scene & Story May 2017

Iris ran a B&B on the outskirts of London.

I met her many years ago when I was looking for somewhere to stay.

Iris loved to chat and recount stories and I loved listening to them!

One day, we got around to talking about the meaning of Christian names

and how the personality of the person is influenced by them!

Iris was born at the end of the month of May and her mother had chosen the name

because that is the time of the year when irises were blooming in her garden

and they were her favourite flower.

Iris made the best coffee I'd ever tasted in those days,

I asked her what her secret was.

She invited me into her kitchen to show me the incredibly simple method she used.

First, pre-heat a tall porcelaine coffee pot with boiling water.

After emptying the water, put a measure of freshly ground coffee for each person

add 1.5dl (5fl oz or 3/4 U.S. cup) of boiling water for each measure of coffee.

Stir with a long-handled spoon, cover the pot and allow to brew

 for the flavour to develop.

It's a good idea to preheat the cups with boiling water.

Pour the coffee through a small sieve to catch any grounds.

The coffee was served with pouring cream, of course!

There were delicious homemade ginger biscuits served at coffee time

and whenever I eat ginger biscuits, I immediately think of Iris

and her excellent coffee and of all our lovely chats together!

***

Name meanings:

IRIS:

In Greek mythology, Iris was the goddess of the rainbow and the messenger

of the Olympian Gods.

Iris was a goddess of sea and sky. 

Her father Thaumas, "the wondrous" was a marine-god,

her mother Elektra, "the amber", a cloud nymph.

It is said that purple irises were planted over the graves of women,

to summon the Goddess Iris to guide them in their journey to Heaven!

What a wonderful name to carry through life!

SANDRA:

The original Greek name comes from Alexandros.

Alexander or Alexandra for the feminine form

This name means Helper or Protector of Mankind.

People who carry this name are usually happy-go-lucky,

upbeat and creative.

They are also friendly and generally live life to the fullest without

too much concern on what is going to happen in the future.

They tend to live in the present moment.

***

.Click here to join the Scene & Story link-up at Paisley Rain Boots.

Home to Home Adoption Program: Hercules Mulligan

Hercules Mulligan is an affectionate and friendly 2-year-old Puggle who is looking for a loving home that can provide him with the time and attention he needs. This playful boy gets along with other animals and loves to go for walks and romp around at the dog park. He has received basic obedience training and has been working with an in-home trainer. He has a stubborn streak but just wants all of the attention of the people in his life.

This little guy is still figuring out the finer points of personal space and can be a little too generous with affectionate headbutts and kisses. He's working hard to overcome this, but would probably be a better fit for a home without small children. Hercules could benefit from having room to run around so he can get the exercise he needs.

After 8 months in his home, Hercules' family has learned how sweet of a pup he is, but they know he needs a family that is able to provide him with the space, supervision and training that he needs. This lovable guy is neutered, up-to-date on all of his vaccinations and is in great health. Now he just needs the right family to help him grow into the great dog really is!

If you can give Hercules the home he's looking for, contact Chris at 724.787.6212 or cmw.pittsburgh@gmail.com.

 

 

Ram's-head Lady's-Slipper

Ultra-rare Lady's-Slipper

Ram's-Head Lady's-Slipper

This week I had the rare privilege of seeing the ultra-rare Ram's-Head Lady's-Slipper (Cypripedium arietinum) in Nova Scotia.  This orchid does not exist in New Brunswick.  According to botanists it should be here but it has never been found in New Brunswick.  It is in Nova Scotia, Maine and Quebec but not New Brunswick.

Ram's-Head Lady's-Slipper

The Ram's-Head Lady's-Slipper is the smallest lady's-slipper in the east.  It is about 20-25 cm (8-10") tall and its 3-5 leaves are cauline (growing along the stem).  My first impression was that this was a small, fine lady's-slipper.  The flower is about 2.2 cm long (1") and is a deep purple and streaked with fuzzy white above.  There are 3 sepals but the side ones are split into two each. The top sepal is streaked longitudinally with red streaks on a green background.  There is only one flower per stalk.  The flower has a faint vanilla scent.

Ram's-Head Lady's-Slipper

We found 7 clumps of this rare flower.  In some clumps there were about 10 flowers.  They were growing in a sunny patch in the mixed forest growing over sink holes around the edge of an abandoned gypsum mine.  

Ram's-Head Lady's-Slipper

One patch had very light-coloured flowers, almost white, just slightly pine on the streaks.  Many of the clumps had seed pods from last year as seen in the photos.  The flower is triangular-shaped from the side view and is presumably how the plant got its name.  

According to the Flora of Nova Scotia this plant blooms 'only in May'.  I saw it in full bloom on May 29 so I expect its bloom will go into June this year.  That is probably due to a late spring this year.

Ram's-head Lady's-slippers grow in only 4 places in 2 counties in Nova Scotia, Hants and Cumberland.  Because of their very limited distribution in the Maritimes, they are extremely vulnerable and need the topmost level of protection.

Ram's-Head Lady's-Slipper

 Fortunately the Ram's-head Lady's-slipper does grow elsewhere in North America.  It is found from Quebec to Saskatchewan in suitable habitat and southward to New York and Minnesota.  

Ram's-Head Lady's-Slipper

It is interesting to speculate why we have not found this plant in New Brunswick or Prince Edward Island.  New Brunswick has almost identical habitat directly across the Bay of Fundy from the site where it is found in Nova Scotia and even though these areas have been searched extensively, we have not found it.  However, the search goes on.  It has become our nemesis plant.  

What if My Marble Were the Moon?

Today

I want to offer you something poetic.

Walking along the lake on Saturday 27 May,

I noticed this charming statue of a little boy

standing on the top of a ladder with his arm stretched to the sky

holding a marble.

There is quite a long poem written. in French, between the rungs of the ladder.

Here is an extract:

"... And if my marble were the moon?"

"On his ladder in the mist,

he is as light as a feather,

He looks towards the sky

which has lost its honey-coloured planet,

He offers his only possession

as if ... his marble were the moon."

DeLa Perouze

Statue by artist: Sara.H

It was erected in 2015.

Link to the artist

Art Workshop

Learning Watercolour with Poppy Balser

I recently attended a 2-day watercolour workshop with Poppy Balser at Cornwallis, NS.  Twelve people from the Maritimes and Maine spent 2 days under her capable instruction.  It was enjoyable and rewarding.  The Annapolis Basin Conference Centre is a wonderful venue with good accommodations, food and service.

The emphasis of the workshop was not to direct the students step-by-step through a process to finish with one 'good' piece of art.  Its emphasis was on process.  We spent a lot of time on instruction, demonstration and doing technique.  That is what I enjoyed about this workshop. 

I finished with 3 reasonable paintings.  These are certainly not studio pieces but the product of sketches and attempting technique.  That area of Nova Scotia is ripe with subject matter.  We enjoyed the marine atmosphere.

Point Prim Surf

 This was a value study in 2 colours.  It was done to show how value is used to show perspective.

Nova Scotia Landscape

This is also a value study with just a little colour added.  The purpose of this study was to show how to do mist in the background.

Heavy Surf on Rocks

This was a more difficult study of heavy surf on rocks and showing big waves with a rock wall behind.

Poppy Balser is one of Canada's leading watercolorists and has won numerous awards.  She will be giving more workshops this summer and her work can be seen at poppybalser.com.

The "S Dogs" (part 2)

Read: The "S Dogs" (part 1)

Dozens of under-socialized dogs had made it through the doors at Animal Friends. So scared, they wouldn’t even make eye contact, it was clear they had never felt the loving touch of a human. They were filthy, trembling and some were in need of immediate medical attention.

One of the dogs, Scully, had a badly injured leg – likely an old fracture that never healed – that needed to be amputated. Serena, a timid and gentle girl, had an eye infection that had been left untreated for so long that her iris had fused to the cornea. These sweet dogs had been neglected for so long … until now.

 

One by one, each dog was treated by our Medical team. Topical medicine was administered to remove the fleas and ticks, followed by multiple treatments for those who had parasites. Some had giardia, others were dealing with ear infections. It was clear that these dogs had not seen a vet in a very long time … if at all.

While these deserving dogs had been rescued from their former “home,” their second chance was just beginning.

These neglected dogs didn’t trust people, but it was up to us to change that. We knew that classical conditioning and positive interactions would lay a solid foundation to slowly bring them out of their shells.

At Animal Friends, rescuing and rehabilitating animals, like Scully and Serena, takes a lot of time, energy and resources. And, no matter how long it takes – or what it costs – we know it’s worth every second … and every dollar. Right now, your dollar can go even further. Click here to have your donation matched!

Click here to read The “S Dogs” (part 3).

 

At Animal Friends, every day is full of compassion. Visit ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org/31Days to turn your compassion into action. After all, it only takes one day to save a life.

 

 

Learning from Livey

When Livey arrived at Animal Friends more than 2 years ago, she began to earn a reputation. This beautiful cat with gorgeous green eyes and long gray fur was the subject of many rumors: “she is moody,” “she won’t sit on your lap,” “she only likes men,” “she hisses and swats if you try to pet her.” While there was some truth to these stories, Livey wasn’t a bad cat … she was simply misunderstood.

 

In February, Animal Friends began participating in Jackson Galaxy’s Cat Pawsitive initiative which was developed to reduce stress in cats who are overwhelmed by a shelter environment. The program works by associating positive behaviors with a clicking sound followed by a reward such as a treat or affection. But since Livey showed little interested in attention or treats, it was difficult to reward her for friendly interactions.

 

Those who knew her best saw the potential for Livey to grow into a friendly and outgoing cat, she just needed to be given the right opportunity. So, Livey was moved to a small free-roam room where she could seek attention on her own terms. If she chose to interact with guests, she was offered a click and a reward. The choice to interact with people was completely hers. Over time, Livey learned to enjoy being petted, having her ears scratched and even curling up on a lap for a cuddle.

 

Livey taught us that animals communicate their fears to us in different ways, but we don’t always understand. Once we understood what Livey had been telling us, her transformation began. And, now there is more truth to the rumors you hear about this sweet girl: “she greets visitors at the door,” “she’ll curl up and knead your lap,” “she likes hanging out with her female friends,” “she’ll give you a little head butt when she’s ready to be petted.”

Now, the only thing Livey needs is a loving family to call her own.

At Animal Friends, every day is full of compassion. Visit ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org/31Days to turn your compassion into action. After all, it only takes one day to change a life.