Button Bird

There is always something interesting to see when out and about.
Our city has some kind of initiative where artists sculpt animals using a particular theme and when they are done these sculptures are displayed in public outdoor places. After a certain period of time the sculptures are auctioned off. Last summer, cattle were on display. Right now it appears to be eagles sculptures on display.

When I was out recently I came across what I am calling the button bird. I call it that because it is in the style of northwest coast Indian button blankets but the buttons are painted ones rather than real ones. See tons of wonderful images of button blankets here.

This plaque says the eagle sculptures will be auctioned in Spring 2010.

The Bible tells me that God created everything and owns everything including the great animals and birds that bring such beauty to our lands.

For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills
I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.

Psalm 50: 10-11 (KJV)

God created these things for our enjoyment and His and for these.

For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.

Isaiah 45: 18 (KJV)

Yet man in his desire to consume and control has destroyed much of what God created for us to enjoy.

The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

Isaiah 24:5 (KJV)

The destruction of the earth and its inhabitants, people and animals alike, causes me sadness when I really think about. But I am grateful to those men, women and children who do their part to appreciate this wonderful creation. Anything we do, great and small to preserve this great beauty of the earth is a wonderful way we can appreciate and preserve it for the generations to come. It's another new year
and that gives us all another new chance at doing our part for the environment and the animals and people in it. God bless.

Before and Almost After ~ To New Beginnings

A few weeks before Christmas there was a huge fire a few blocks away. It destroyed several old buildings, all of which housed restaurants, funky coffee shops and hip clothing. Read about it here.

It was several more weeks before I could take these photos of what was left behind from the fire.

The photo below is where the Mexican restaurant, Zocalo used to be. I never had a chance to try it.

Just the other side of Zocalo was a funky coffee shop called Lugz. It had a long and loyal following.

The photos below show the remains of two long standing restaurants: Slickity Jim's Chat n Chew and the wonderful, Kishu (Japanese restaurant). The Kishu is a chain of japanese restaurants in the City and this particular one did not have a website of it's own.

Somewhere along the line I did take some photos of food I ate at the Kishu. The food there was always tasty and also good for the budget.


Yesterday, as I was on an errand, I saw these scenes ...

A lot of clearing has gone on since Christmas. I am eager for the rebuilding to take place and I do hope the previous owners are able to continue with business though I see that Slickity Jim's Chat n Chew is now permanently closed.

The hip clothing store was affected by smoke damage but was able to re-open within days at a location just a few doors down. I am not sure what all the others owners and staff have ended up doing but whatever it is, I know it must be trying times and I send out positive thoughts and prayers for their rebuilding efforts in these recessionary times.

I also send out my best wishes and prayers for each of you my blogging friends and your families. May God hold you close in the palm of His great hand in 2010. May He give you a blessed New Year despite whatever raging circumstances there may be around you, as you keep your heart and mind focussed on Him; the great and sovereign Creator God.

The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:

The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

Numbers 6:24-26

Crooked Paths Made Straight

I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight:

Isaiah 45:2

Every year at Christmas when we journey northward into the snow and ice, I ask for prayer for travel mercies and of course, I pray myself. God has never failed us yet.

Look at the first photo. To the left of the snapshot you see the road is being widened. The road widening project goes on for hours and hours of our drive. Unfortunately the road widening is needed because the traffic has increased so much over the past several decades.

The highway is being widened on both sides in some places.

Here we are about an hour and some minutes north into our journey. We are in Chilliwack; farming country.
Several hours into our journey we start our climb into the mountains. You will see how cold it has been by the icicles down the side of the mountain to the left. Even though we are high up in the mountains, the transport trucks are still dwarfed by the mountains above us.

You can see the fresh snow falling in the photo below. Fortunately for us, it stayed off the highway.Here we are at what we call the Summit, the very highest point of the Coquihalla Highway. We are making a pit stop to use the toilet facilities.

I take a photo outside of my window to show how high the snow is piled...

and we carry on with our journey.

Caffeine helps to keep the driver alert.

Arriving into Merritt, just one hour south of our destination.

As we approach Kamloops, our destination, we see the smoke of the local pulp mill. It looks frozen in space.
The city of Kamloops always looks lovely in the night when all the city lights are sparkling.

Have a look at the short video clip below as we drive into the city.

These are a few snapshots of our drive back to home.
The sun was shining for part of our journey. You can see what a lovely afternoon it was!

This is cattle country under a bit of snow.

At one point of our journey I captured what I thought was the moon. It looks very dark in the sky but this was only a small part of the sky to my right. I thought this snapshot was absolutely stunning.
Here we are for another pit stop at the Summit.

Here we are on the highway just past Hope and on our way to Chilliwack.

Watch my short movie as we enter Chilliwack, another hour and some minutes from home.

I end my tour here as I got too tired to take photos of the entry into Vancouver.
I leave you with one photo from our trip at this time last year so you can see just how different and heavy the winter was in 2008. I truly believe in the power of prayer to make the crooked (and hard paths, both literal and figurative) straight in life.

Cooking Turkey with No Oven?

Have you ever cooked a turkey with no oven in a small apartment with little countertop space? lol. Sounds like fun, eh?

This Christmas was my 3rd time trying it and I'm starting to get the hang of it. I used this roasting pot that sits on the counter top and plugs into an electrical outlet.

Here are close ups of the bird, stuffed with bread stuffing and ready to be cooked.

I roasted this small bird for 5 hours and it was delicious. It fed 3 men and 3 women with no problem and there were plenty of leftovers for snacking and for making turkey soup the next day. The soup was delicious too.

I didn't get a photo of the cooked bird. My my niece was getting very tired by 2:00 p.m. which is the time when she is usually napping. I barely had time to get the bird cooked, feed her and the others and get her home by 3:00 p.m. so she could nap and have another dinner, lol.

How was your turkey this year?

Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men

"GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST
AND ON EARTH PEACE, GOODWILL,
TOWARD MEN." LUKE 2:14

Luke 7-14

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

MAY EACH OF YOU HAVE
A BLESSED CHRISTMAS DAY
AND MAY GOD GRANT YOU THE PEACE
THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING.