Signs of Spring

Yellow Perch are spawning

Red head is male - trying to attract mate by strutting.

The Garter snake has awoken from hibernation.

The Colt's Foot is the first showy flower of spring.

Beavers gathering food

Here's a beaver leaving its lodge to gather food - they eat bark! Sticks are stored for the winter near the lodge.

They eat bark - birch, maple, willow.

Dogs in Back Window of Car

Dogs in the parking lot of Walmart.

Voluntary Obama Post

During yesterday's visit to Ottawa, President Obama didn't meet the general public at all, except when he jumped out of his car to shop and get cookies - there were only American reporters that were in his press pool with him, which means that the Prime Minister's Office didn't know it was going to happen - where Obama stopped is a few blocks away from the US Embassy in Ottawa, so they must have told him where to stop and shop. Prime Minister Harper and the new Conservative Party have had strong connections with American conservative groups. The official part of Obama's visit had the lowest visual presence of any major head of state visit I've seen - the people who had stood for hours on Parliament Hill only saw him waving for an instant behind bullet proof glass.

It's about time somebody did that!

Hirst did the jewel encrusted skull called "For the Love of God" which it was claimed sold for 50 million pounds to undisclosed buyers (I'm doubtful - I haven't seen any proof that much was paid, and you'd need a forklift to deliver that much in cash) - a sculpture by Eugenio Merino sold for a more reasonable $41,290, and as Hirst threatened to sue a 16 year old, who was ordered to fork over his 200 pound profit by a British copyright group, for selling some derivative artwork, I couldn't think of a nicer guy for the subject of satire.
Here's Merino's Website.
I've just joined his fanclub!
Update September 5 - and the kid has been charged for stealing a box of pencils from Hirst, who claimed that since the pencils were part of a display they were worth half a million pounds.
A desktop sized version of this sculpture would make a swell action figure....Morally Bankrupt Man?

Valentine's Day Cat

Walking on Broken Ice

The ice formed before much snow fell - it is very clear this year!