Captured a funny moment yesterday with Nanuq asleep on her back on the futon but the moment one goes about to leave or rustles in the food cupboard the eyes open!

Do you recognize this and when if anytime have last used one? Know how to refill?

 

Sitting on my desk for a year or two, this is my father's fountain pen, a Parker 51, my dad was a lawyer in the 60s and 70s,.The Parker company has been around for quite a while and the new ink is a blue/black, picked up from Staples. Re-filling simple with internal squeeze mechanism. Actually did two handwritten letters recently.

 

Some of you, no doubt, remember it was grade four when we were allowed to write with pen and ink, in those wooden desks with holes for ink wells,

You may have had the fountain pens at school with the insertable cartridges....and messy for little hands.

 

Grad student friend said..I have a pair of fountain pens and their main use is for scribbling, drawing chemical structures, jotting down ideas. and taking notes during seminars! And the Safaris come with their own refill mechanism (a converter) or cartridges.

Refilling the pen? There are a few different types with regard to the filling mechanism: http://captainchang.com/pens/filling.html

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  Fountain Pen Filling Mechanisms

  captainchang.com

   

  The  blogger above is a collector of fountain pens and like this comment.." Many pen aficionados will tell you about the romance of using obsolete writing implements, about how it forces them to slow down and think, about how it provides a much needed psychological break from this hectic Electronic Age, and that this alone is reason enough to use a fountain pen.
  
  Poppycock. If the above reasons aren't enough, you certainly shouldn't be swayed by these warm and fuzzy emotional appeals. My pens aren't for writing the Great American Novel, they get used for grocery lists, scribbling on scrap paper, meeting notes, doodles, and credit slip signing. This is hardly the dignified image of slow elegant writing in a bygone era. They are easier to write with than ballpoints (for me), and that's good enough."

   

  I am unlikely to take up this collection hobby but the research has been interesting.

•  
  What are your memories dear readers?

Mid-February blues? In Alberta the third weekend is a long one with a Monday " Family Day ". 

For the first time in about 3-4 years got to go up to Jasper Alberta and joined several families in the annual x-c ski weekend in the Rockies...a tradition of almost 30 years. Our group which included at least 12 children  stayed at Athabasca Youth hostel and the other more adventurous group went to Beauty Creek further down the highway 93 south of Jasper. Dorm style cabins and outdoor johns and lots of fluffy snow made for a good adventure for all...one dad here adjusting the bindings for his pre-schooler... Short skis up the — at Athabasca Falls road or Geraldine Creek, slippery walk up  Maligne Canyon Jasper. ...( it was just above freezing...note the snowballs ) and swimming in Jasper town site with day trips. Reading books, lounging in long johns, board games, & shared meals all made a perfect getaway from the city .

When someone inspires you to take a long hard look at yourself, questions or challenges or encourages you, they’re someone worth keeping around.

TELL them, thank them, and let them know what a difference they have made for you..teachers, mentors, friends, bosses, parents, colleagues...who has made a difference for you?

 Discovered that most of my readers are being referred by an entry in November 2006...so I have posted the following welcome on that date and thought would re-post here...mysteries of the web!...I don't understand it all, nor do I tweet or text but still enjoy blogging!

January 2013

With blogging, social media, ipads, virtual business websites, smart phones, tablets and other technological advances, the world of in communication on the internet has certainly changed in the last 10 years since I started blogging in about 2003.  Yet for some unknown reason this post in November 2006 seems to be the most common point of referrals and visitors to my blog....so if this is your first time here WELCOME and stay awhile to explore, and do leave comments!

Blogging since 2003, this site is primarily a personal photo blog of my " Northern Meanderings", much of which has been my work experiences doing summer and winter contracts as a social worker in the Canadian Arctic in Nunavut, 2002-2011. There are links to other sites on the main page under Northern Bloggers. I continue to try and post relevant articles that may pertain to life in the Arctic.

Otherwise, my readers will find entries, such as the one below, about life in my home city of Edmonton, Alberta Canada, where i currently reside with my two huskies, Dysis, a 11- year old Siberian, and Nanuq, a 5 year old husky lab, whose original home was Arviat Nunavut. She as the Inuktitut name states is indeed my "baby polar bear".

Edmonton in the summer, is a zone 3A gardening zone, from the May long weekend until September Labour Day, averages 140 frost free days a year. thus when here I love to garden and my yard flowers which have to share patches with digging dogs. Even joined a local fruit rescue group ( OFRE: Operation Fruit Rescue Edmonton )...yes apples, pears, cherries, rhubarb, plums and the occasional apricot trees grow here! I enjoy cooking and will often use this ULU to do my cutting up of fruit.

Edmonton is a vibrant city of the arts and hosts many summer festivals from Fringe, Folk Fest, Blues, Shakespeare in the Park to name a few and in our past had a waterfall off the High Level Bridge into the North Saskatchewan River.

Warmer climates occasionally beckon such as Vancouver Island, California or the Caribbean, so... spots of mountains, ocean and family visits may also be included here.

• I have added a new video project but cannot figure out how to post here so you might want to check it out under my videos!

   

  Winter dogs 2012-13

   

  A video project of my dogs digging trying to find mice and other small creatures, with added music Norah Jones, Jack Johnson & Rumi

An excellant treat for those cold winter mornings or packing for lunches...just warm and  add a pad of butter..

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
  
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 large egg whites 
• 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Cooking spray 

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine first 3 ingredients; set aside.
3. Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat well. Spread half of batter into an 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle half of walnut streusel over batter. Spread remaining batter over streusel. Top with remaining streusel...Do the same but in greased muffin tins
4. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool the cake on a wire rack

Source:http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/sour-cream-coffee-cake-10000000226250/