Life Is Good...

  What a great summer this has been!  And it went by so fast!  We have been and are very busy with visits from children and grandchildren as well as visits to them.  Of course the children are grown.  I am always fascinated about how my perspectives change with age and also observe the same phenomenon in others. 

  I have great memories of both my maternal and paternal grandparents.  One of the things I remember, when I was about eight years old, was my grandmother preparing my supper on a TV tray table so I wouldn't miss my favourite programs.  It was fun to do the same thing for a granddaughter two generations later, this summer.

  I hope from their vantage point, all those that were involved with raising me and have since passed on, know they are loved and appreciated by me.

The simplest toy, one which even the youngest child can operate, is called a grandparent. - Sam Levenson

Writer's Block

Dear readers,

  You have probably noticed that there are times when there is a long break between entries.  I could say that it is because I have been very busy with projects and visitors, but that would be a lie.  Whenever I get something in my head that I think is worth blogging, I plop right down and do it, because, no matter how busy I am, I always get face time with my PC during the course of the day.  Actually, the root of the problem is, I don't always have something to say.  Writer's block, if you will.  I can sympathize with anyone who relies on any form of writing for their livelihood.  Always needing to be creative, even when the juices aren't flowing.

Fortunately, for me, that isn't the case.  So thanks for being patient, or you may even be grateful that I give you relief from my bantering, occasionally!

Yours Truly,

Terrestrial Observer

Niagara Falls! Slowly I Turned.......*

  This past weekend, we went to Niagara Falls.  First time I had ever been there and I highly recommend it.

The falls are amazing, breathtaking, awesome, and all the other adjectives that go along with it.  We went to the Canadian side.  There are three falls; the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls on the USA side and the Horseshoe Falls on Canada's side.

  In Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, the falls attraction is operated by the Canadian park service.  Interestingly, the park service is completely self-sustaining without the help of Canada tax dollars.  Probably something that we, in the US could learn from.  It is easy enough to enjoy the attraction for free because it is so big and THERE in a big way.  However, if you want to park your car, eat, sleep, and enjoy all the nuances of the falls, you better expect to pay.  You can also expect to be walking in a sea of people, which isn't a big problem because they do amazingly well in getting the masses through.  Also, you have to cope with the commercialism of a tourist attraction.  I don't know how the city had turned into a theme park atmosphere, but it has.  You walk up Clifton Hill and it is like a carnival with haunted houses, barkers flogging their wares, huge multi-coloured signs and lights.  I guess when you have a big tourist attraction, all these kinds of businesses roll in and set up shop.

  While learning about Niagara Falls, I was dismayed to learn how badly the Tuscarora Indians were treated in 1960 when the New York Power Authority decided it wanted a major portion of Tuscarora land to build power generating stations and the rich and powerful were able to legally seize their land.  Another black eye for America.

  I was happy to learn something about my hero, Nikola Tesla, that I didn't know before.  It was his genius that came up with a way to transport power from Niagara Falls to Buffalo, NY, twenty miles away.  Whereas, Thomas Edison's method would not work.

*  Anyone that recognizes "Niagara Falls!  Slowly I turn, step by step, inch by inch...", probably remembers it from a Three Stooges sketch.