As long as I can remember I have been reading books. My mother used to have a large library of books, in a solid oak book case along the living room wall. All books were behind glass. The books I read when I was only 9 years old where history adult books. There was always a fascination for history and the lure of the international world, strange and far away cultures and countries. Notwithstanding the quote hanging on my wall (pressed in wood): “On apprend plus dans les Bois que dans les Livres.” (you learn more from nature than from books), I have to admit that there is a lot to learn from books. I may even go as far as to say: “all good people have libraries in their homes and they read”. For me a home is not a home without walls of book cases filled with books. We are not talking about paper backs, or the odd books one takes out at the local library. I am blessed to live near the Central Public Library in Victoria, BC. Despite my many own books, accumulated in many languages throughout my life, I am an avid borrower of the books in our library. They come in many languages and are among the best classic and newly published editions one can imagine. The way I see it, “when choosing a book to read, I am expecting to learn from it”. Bad language won't do at all. A book has to be intelligent, imaginative, informative and interesting enough that you do not put it down. When I was still in Europe, I belonged to a good Buchgemeinschaft, acquiring the latest in science, religion, sociology, psychology, philosophy, history, and politics. Later adding travel books. And an entire library in itself on horses, the American West and the history of the North American Natives. During the time of post-war WWII there was a lot going around with communist activities and actions. We picked up tracts at the largest universities – those are all pamphlet books which are neither for sale, nor on loan at any library. Of the classic writers, my favorites are the Russian authors. It is always said, that any private collection should include those three books: Le Petit Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery), Karl Marx: Das Kapital; and the Bible (which I do not have, but instead “The Bible in History”). Do I want to get rid of my books, because some acquaintances are telling me so ? No. I always get suspicious if someone telling me “why don't you get rid of your books ?” Doesn't that remind you of certain evil people in history, who were burning books ??? In my international travels, be it in Europe or anywhere in North America, I always – when renting an accomodation somewhere to stay – will choose a location near a library. And get myself a library card. Of all plastic cards, a library card is the important one. Be it Grande Bibliothèque Montreal, QU, Bibliotheque de Quebec, R. Saint-Joseph Quebec City, Konstanz Germany, or even the most beautiful of them all The Library of Congress in Washington DC, where I also got myself a library card. For me it is easy to do so, if not for the very reason of having completed my Master of Science in Library Science at the University of Syracuse, New York. So, whoever is suggesting “to get rid of my books”, I am telling them “this is Adolf Hitlerism”. Talking about 'book burnings': Thousands have taken place from Antiquity throughout the centuries [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_book-burning_incidents ]. Yet, I cannot imagine one intelligent person who does not enjoy reading a good book. When it comes to books, I prefer the written on paper kind, not your Amazon/Kindle Fir hand held e-books type. Where books also come in handy: Languages, learning and maintaining one's own mother language. Just as travel opens your mind, so does a good book.
Category: LIFE STORIES
The American cougar (or mountain lion, puma, or mountain cat) is a fairly large cat, weight of a male up to 100kg, a female up to 60kg. This animal’s range is rather large, from North America, Canada West down to Mexico and the most southern ranges of South America. Making it one of the smartest predatory big cats, who are not on the brink of extinction. They can live in cold, snow, and in hot climates. Mostly prefer rocky areas, where they can hide and stalk while the prey is roaming on a lower plain.
Attacks encountered and witnessed when in Alberta, Kananaskis Country West of Calgary. We went riding in the Foothills. And a cougar does what it does best, ambush and jump from the top of a rock or cliff. Jumped on the horse, that of course bolted away in terror, threw the lady rider (lucky she was) and seriously injured that horse. I saw it, its skin was shredded. I did a lot of solo riding (twenty seven years) in the Foothills of Alberta. Always look up in addition to look ahead and down for signs of cougar or grizzly bear. On my 80-acre ranch in the Alberta Rockies I had cougars on my land. Maybe I had been lucky. Went around them, when finding a deer kill site. Retreat and get out of there.
Why many cougars on Vancouver Island ? Because it is an island, because it is rocky (volcanic rock), high rocks. I love these cats. But also realize they can be close anywhere where I cycle on the trails outside the city. Usually the cougar does not attack a person, but can and may when opportunity knocks or because of inexperience (especially young cougars), or when confronted. Vancouver Island cougars are a bit different. Less area, more conflict with people, and they cannot leave this island ? Not quite true – a cougar can swim [ http://o.canada.com/2013/07/24/swimming-cougar-vancouver-island/ ].
More than two thirds of North American fatalities occurred on Vancouver Island. Incidences here include: young cougars wandering into the Victoria Empress Hotel (tourists terrified – animals terrified). One lady told me she went swimming in the surrounding ocean, on her return to the beach, that big yellow cat was there looking at her. There is lots of deer (the cougars’ staple prey), but sometimes they take pets, and they can be dangerous to children.
When walking alone in the wilderness, chances of running into a cougar are real, pointless to run. This will trigger their stalk-and-hunt instinct. Somebody told me, take a long stick with you, makes you look taller. Doubtless I could stand up to an attack. Usually, cougars are shy and keep away from humans, but also are not easily scared away by humans. The latest most recent attack off Northern Vancouver Island, bizarre and unique, because the animal got killed. [ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/woman-critically-injured-after-cougar-attack-in-clayoquot-sound/article14188088/ ]
Yet, statistically speaking cougar attacks are rare compared with human against human attacks. Those lovely big tawny cats are just fighting back for lost territory and loss of prey species.
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The Peruvian Paso or Peruvian Horse is a breed of light pleasure saddle horse known for its smooth ride. It is distinguished by a natural, four-beat, lateral gait called the paso llano. This breed is protected by the Peruvian government through Decree number 25919 of Peru enacted on November 28, 1992, and has been declared a Cultural Heritage of the Nation by the National Institute of Culture (INC).[1] Due to the isolation suffered for about 400 years and the selection made by their breeders, this breed is very particular in their body proportions and a side walk or “paso llano” that is characteristic. It is typical of the northern Peruvian regions of the country from which he originated [Wikipedia].
In 1998 I had acquired a registered Peruvian Paso mare called SIRENITA. Señorita Sirenita was a lovely little dark bay mare, small even for her breed who are smaller horses, very elegant with a nice smooth Paso Llano gait (a distinct inherited, andcompletely natural four beat lateral gait ), eager to please and with Brio (qualities of boldness, exuberance and astute focus in service to the rider). One says, “riding a Peruvian Paso with a glass of Champaign in one’s hand should not spill a drop of it.”
Sirenita when I bought her had been 4 years young only. Trained by a professional Peruvian trainer at the Ranch where she was foaled. I brought her to my Ranch in Alberta NW of Calgary in the Foothills of the Rockies, together with a companion mare, to keep her company. I rode Sirenita her in the forests (my 80-acre Ranch was surrounded by miles of Crown Land, lots of space) and the trails. She was easy to get along. 1999 we had her bred by one of the class stallions at her home Ranch, RDLF DON RODOLFO, also a dark bay stallion, bred as so many Peruvian Pasos in California Rancho de la Florecita.
It is difficult to trace Peruvian Paso’s bloodlines as there have been in the past little recordings. Good sources for more information are http://www.napha.net/DatabaseAppCode/NaphaWebSite/NAPHA.aspx?&height=800 , and http://www.peruvian-pasos.com/horses.html .
Before Sirenita was due with a foal, I had brought the two mares to her home Ranch because with their hundred or so Peruvian Pasos they had the better foaling facilities. My beautiful little SIRENITA had a tiny little foal exactly on Mother’s Day, May 14, in the year 2000. And the other little miracle was that the foal – who was a colt – turned out to be sorrel in color, a beautiful golden bronze color, unlike his parents, who had both been dark in color.
That’s where the real story starts, with training a horse baby. After the night the baby was born I drove down to their ranch, sat in their stall – it was quite an emotional experience for me. I had horses for so many years, but never a foal. He was so little (her first) that he disappeared under her belly. Of course horses are very shy of humans, and when unknown they take flight of anything and anybody. However, it is important to start contact immediately with a tiny foal after they are born. It is part of the process of getting to know each other. In horse parlance this process is known as IMPRINTING. A learning process occurring soon after birth of a foal, the best and only opportunity to establish future behavior patterns in a horse towards people.
I spent each day inside the stall with the little guy and aided by his mom’s cooperation, to get acquainted, to touch eventually without frightening him. You need a lot of patience for accomplishing this. In four days I could touch him, then within one week put very carefully a tiny baby horse halter on – it was pink, for a little girl, but who cares. And within couple of weeks I was able to pick up his hind legs for some light hoof care. What a guy!
I include two videos of the colt’s progression, one an audio video, made by my son Marc at Sirenita’s home Ranch – me riding the little mare and Buzzy ‘buzzing’ around her. – = Created with Firefox 19 Apr 13/13 –
LIFE's STORIES, ADVENTURES & TRAVELS 