Pet of the Year

Cats are amazingly skilled in shaping our behaviour - from mindful eating, to slow blinking, to gentle nuzzling, they pretty much have us figured out.

This is my Steveston cat Roi and no, he didn't really appear on the cover of a popular magazine. But I believe that he - as well as all cats - deserves to be crowned pet of the year. Every year.

Backyard birdwatching

Image by Marija Gavrilova from Pixabay

For best experience, select the highest quality display setting

How do you make the best of your shrinking world?

As Covid19 spread like wildfire at the start of the pandemic, Richmond folks found themselves feeling like virtual prisoners in their own homes.

Some of us live in small boxes in the sky, some of us dwell on sprawling estates, but most of us make do with our humble single family Steveston special with its modest size backyard.

That patch of green, in fact, has become central to our happiness since the lockdown began in March. I wouldn't call us birders yet, but we do whip out the old pair of binoculars when we spy chickadees, sparrows, doves, and other species we can't identify. But the most welcome visitor would have to be the hummingbird (we have since named it "Hummy.") The beauty of its iridescent feathers and beating wings leave us utterly breathless.

We paid numerous visits to Canadian Tire to construct a broad based pole with metal extensions at the top that support two bird feeders. For Hummy, we picked a feeder kit that included the nectar mix. The birds took a few weeks to feel safe and comfortable with the setup but Hummy proved to be especially cautious and shy.

But we didn't mind waiting for the birds to come around. We figured time watching their comings and goings was time well spent. We might even continue our new pastime long after the lockdown is lifted and life is good again.

Nature's calming ways

For best experience, select the highest quality display setting

Yes, we are moving forward in our Covid19 healing process.

Do you remember when there were more things we couldn't than could do?

On those dark days, I found that nature provided unparalleled calm and sweetness. When that sense of suffocation seeped in, I meandered through my neighbourhood streets, on foot or on my bicycle, always returning home with renewed strength and hope for better days ahead.

I hope you too found solace in your familiar surroundings, those spring buds bursting from every branch, and the expansive blue sky above.

Cat in the window

What's more interesting than watching your cat?

Watching your cat watching his world.

There is something magical about their total mindfulness. Even when they make those funny sounds when they see birds, their focus remains laser sharp.

I wish I could have their concentration.