When Memphis sees a creek, it’s as if a little slide drops down into her brain: Mission Critical…must enter creek now…. I don’t know anything about this creek except that it’s a cold water environment and there are other little streams not too far away which hold good trout. I wonder if that pool just upstream holds a couple nice brookies?
I watched a little soccer on the weekend and thought there was a problem with my television reception because of a peculiar buzzing noise. It turns out it’s merely soccer fans blowing annoying horns all game. Hearing loss will be their just punishment. I’m sure some of these zealous fans would be the first to look you in the eye and say, “It’s the beautiful game.”
I like soccer well enough but I don’t have anyone to cheer for. Here in Toronto it seems it’s all about cheering for the country your family left when they came to Canada. My family came from Poland, but that was a long time ago, and aside from cooking up some traditional Polish foods on holidays, I don’t have much of a tie to that country. Back in our old neighbourhood, I cheered for Portugal, because when in the little Azores, do as the little Azorians do. Many of the houses around St. Clair and Caledonia would typically hang two flags at the start of World Cup…Portugal and Brazil. When Portugal got knocked out, Portuguese flags would be discretely rolled up, and eveyone would cheer for Brazil.
In my new neighbourhood, nobody drives around honking their horns, so I have to remind myself the tournament is on. Meanwhile, if anyone has suggestions as to who I should cheer for, let me know, OK?
A new poll shows Toronto mayoralty hopeful and blowhard Rob Ford on top, ahead of George Smitherman. The poll shows Ford at 17.8% support compared to Smitherman at 15.9%. Keep in mind that it is a small poll with a margin of error of 3.1%. Rocco Rossi is at 9%. Joe Pantalone is at 10.1%; Sarah Thomson is at 5.8% and Giorgio Mammoliti is at 2.5%.
Mr. Pantalone has the support of labour and the left. Everyone I know will tell you Pantalone is a good man, but maybe not the right fellow for mayor. He also carries the weight of outgoing Mayor David Miller’s legacy, and Miller is not leaving as a popular mayor.
There is a huge undecided vote out there and as well there is the usual problem of indifference – lots of people simply don’t bother to vote. Still, the message from this poll is that a crowded middle may allow Ford to creep ahead. Rob Ford has struck a nerve with Torontonians with his message of frugality and accountability. I think he has a place on council, keeping the other guys honest, but I’m pretty sure I don’t want him to be Toronto’s mayor. I think to keep Ford at bay, some of the candidates in the middle will have to bow out early.
A week or so ago there was talk about drafting former politician and now popular radio host John Tory as a candidate. Mr. Tory has become quite a popular guy in Toronto now that he’s not running for office, by virtue of his afternoon radio show on Newstalk 1010. If Tory jumped in, he’d be one more candidate in the middle, muddying the waters further still.
Right now, I don’t see a candidate that I can fully throw my support behind. There’s a bunch of administrators and one blowhard competing for the position, but I don’t see anyone who is really a fantastic fit to represent the City. Do you? If the election were tomorrow, I’m not sure how I would vote. I’m reminded of the late Utah Phillips, who used to say, “If God wanted us to vote, he’d have given us candidates.”
I can’t even use the excuse that I’m looking for edible mushrooms since there are very few of those around just now. Mostly I’m really enjoying getting out with the dogs, walking around in forests, learning from what I see as the season progresses. Today I visited a forest I haven’t been to before and one I know fairly well.
I stumbled upon a curious book the other day while browsing around a bookstore. It’s called Life Among the Giants, by William Ball. Mr. Ball lives with his family in Eastern Ontario. In his case, family includes four Newfoundland dogs. Since I have two Newfs at home, I bought the book and was anxious to read about his experiences.
I enjoyed the book, which provides the readers with the story of their family’s involvement with the breed and a number of anecdotes about life with a houseful of giant dogs. There are also quite a few black and white photos of dogs and family.
Life Among the Giants was a fun overview. As someone already living with Newfs, though, I was left wanting lots more detail, from care to stories. I was left with lots of questions and wanting lots more stories. The book is only 143 pages long and photos take up quite a few of those pages. With up to four of these wonderful big oafs around the house, the potential for misadventures must be enormous. There was a lot of potential to take the book to another level and get deeper into the character of the family as well. Still, if you’re considering adopting a Newfoundland, I recommend the book. It gives a taste of their personalities as well as a good idea of the broad range of activity level between younger and older Newfs.
I walked the trails through the Emily tract today on my way to Tuffy’s family’s cottage. It’s an interesting forest and an enjoyable walk. I didn’t find much happening in the way of mushrooms though. There were a few items growing on trees here and there.
As well, I found one isolated patch of mushrooms under some pines.
I’m not sure what these are. I wonder if they are perhaps Hygophorus bakerensis? Here’s the description from Barron:
Caps are 5-12 cm across, hemispherical, cinnamon to brown, darker at the centre, becoming flat, and slimy when wet, with brwnish scales below the slime. Bruised flesh has the odour of almonds. Gills are attached, becoming decurrent, and white to cream. Stalks are up to 12 cm tall by 2.5 cm wide and white to cream. This species fruits under conifers, it has been recorded, in Ontario, eastern Canada and the adjacent US, but it is not common. Edible, but not recommended.
Any other suggestions as to what they might be?
I was in a forest with Memphis today, that featured a remarkable amount of poison ivy. Memphis was very good about sticking to the trail. I was concerned that I would get exposed to the oils after touching Memphis if she got it all over her. I think we escaped unscathed.
Since I’ve become interested in foraging for mushrooms, I’ve also become a lot more tuned into forests-where they’re located, what trees they contain, how damp they are. As well, I’ve started to take the time to check out forests when I see them.
Tomorrow, we are going up to the Kawarthas for a dinner with the family on Tuffy P’s side. I know one interesting section of forest not far from there because there is a little trout stream running through it and I’ve chased trout in that stream. There is another tract of forest though, one with a hiking trail through it, that I’ve passed on the road a number of times, which I’ve never stopped to look at.
I’m hoping to be able to sneak away with the dogs for a couple hours to check it out. With a little luck, I might find the first of the summer mushrooms. What I’m really looking for though is potential. Is this going to be a good spot for Hypomyces lactifluorum (known as the lobster mushroom)? Should I come back to look for chanterelles or hedgehogs? What’s the forest composition? What kinds of boletes will fruit there?
If I do get a chance to check out that forest in the morning, it will be an intelligence gathering mission. Finding a few tasty edibles will be a bonus. I’ll keep you posted.
27th Street 