June 20^th! That’s when Dad’s across the country have their day. Everyone has their own way of celebrating Father's Day, but if you’re stuck this year and are looking for ideas, consider:

Homemade Card – Whether you’re 8 or 48, your dad will love a homemade card. Be creative. And consider adding a photo – a recent one or an older one of you and your dad adds a nice touch.

Dinner – Either home made, take-out, or at a restaurant. If you go out, choose a quiet place where you can still enjoy the conversation opportunities of a family dinner.

Flowers – That’s right – I said flowers.
Choose a bunch of his favourites, or the elegance of a single rose to let him know you care. Or even a garden plant that can live on for many years.

Treats - Does your dad have a sweet tooth? How about home made cookies, pie, or cake.

Canada will be 137 years old on July 1^st. How well do you know this wonderful land we live in? Test your knowledge:

1. Approximately how many lakes are there in Canada - 10,000 / 50,000 / 1,000,000 / 2,000,000?

2. At 5,959 metres high, what is the highest mountain in Canada?

3. What is the largest island in Canada - Vancouver, Newfoundland, Prince Edward or Baffin?

4. The total Inuit population in Canada is 25,000 / 40,000 / 100,000 / 500,000?

5. How many time zones are there in Canada - 4, 5, 6, or 8?

6. How many oceans does Canada border?

7. What is Canada’s longest river?

8. When did O Canada become the national anthem?

9. Canada’s largest export is grain, barley, wheat or corn?

10. In what year did Newfoundland join Canada as our last province - 1867, 1871, 1905 or 1949?

Answers:

Q1. 2 million! Q2. Mount Logan Q3. Baffin Island Q4. 40,000 Q5. 6 time zones Q6. 3 (Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic) Q7. MacKenzie River Q8. 1980 Q9. wheat Q10. 1949

The summer is a time for many enjoyable food treats. And berries are high on the list with many people - and for good reason! Berries are very affordable while in season, they taste great, and they’re good for you, too!

 

Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries are quickly earning a reputation as nutritional powerhouses. All of them are rich in antioxidants, which may reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.

 

Here are just some of the many ways to enjoy your favourite berries:

• Brighten up a salad with berries.
• Add some to your cereal in the morning.
• Pop them in your mouth instead of salty, processed snacks.
• Add to pancakes - either right in the batter or as a topping.
• Jazz up plain yogurt with fresh berries of your choice.
• Make a berry sauce for meat. They go well with just about any meat or fish.
• Garnish a summery drink. (freeze them into ice cubes for extra flair when entertaining.)

So don’t worry about temporarily stained fingers and tongues – enjoy berries anytime you have the chance.

Use the Windows key (denoted by the Microsoft symbol) to open commands quickly. For example, to open the Start Menu, simply press the Windows key. To launch Windows Explorer, hold down the Windows key, and press the letter E. To launch the File Finder, hold down the Windows key, and press the letter F. To minimize all windows, hold down the Windows key, and press the letter M. To maximize all windows, hold down the Windows key, and press Shift+M. To access the Run command from the Start Menu, hold down the Windows key, and press the letter R.

Boot Disks are a must-have safety net. Normally, you rely on your hard disk to boot your PC each day. But what would you do if something happened to your hard disk to make it unbootable? There are many different situations that can cause this to happen, ranging from hardware failure to erroneous operating system upgrades to virus infections. In addition to a backup of your data and programs, you need a backup of your bootable operating system so you can start the PC even when something happens to your hard disk. You need a Boot Disk!

 

Making a boot disk, or set of boot disks if necessary, is very easy. Just click on the start button from your windows toolbar, select Help and search for ‘boot disk’. Then just follow the instructions from there.

Cool Web Sites

King for a Day

Charlsey, age 6, says, “My Dad loves the crown I made him. He says he should wear it all year - not just on Father’s Day. Mom said ‘No way’!”

 

Make a Treasure Box for Dad

Ava, age 12, says, “I spent a lot of time making this treasure box for my Dad and he absolutely loved it. He keeps his money, keys and stuff in it and says he thinks of me every morning when he gets ready for work.”

 

Canada Day Pop Can Wrap

Winston, age 9, says, “We’re having people over for a Canada Day party. I’m in charge of making all the Pop Can Coolers for our guests. They’re really easy to make and a lot of fun. I might make some for my friends, too.”

 

Canada Day Crayon Scratching Craft

Eddie, age 7, says, “You use almost all your black crayons, but it really looks cool. Mine has lots of bright colours – just like real fireworks.”

 

Ghost Snowboarding

Tommy, age 11, says, “This game is easy and fun. It has simple commands and not many rules to follow. Try it!”

It's a fact: Lead poisons water birds. And the lead sinkers and jigs used by this country’s many fishermen could be contributing to the rising mortality rate of waterfowl. It can be as simple as accidentally dropping loose fishing sinkers or jigs into the lake at your cottage, or cutting your fishing line after it gets tangled, but these actions are killing thousands of birds each year across Canada. It is estimated that approximately 500 tonnes of lead from sinkers and jigs are lost in Canadian waters annually.

 

Help save wildlife wherever you fish:

Use lead free fishing sinkers and jigs.

Ask your local fishing tackle store to stock lead-free fishing tackle.

Dispose of your lead fishing tackle through your local household hazardous waste depot.

Tell others your concern about lead poisoning of birds and encourage lead-free fishing.

Do you have a problem with fish sticking to your BBQ grill? Here’s a handy tip. Try quickly searing the fish before you BBQ. Use a nonstick frying pan on high heat with just a bit of oil. The juices will be sealed into the fish and there will be no falling apart on the grill.

It's summer -- the perfect time to tune-up your patio door. A clean, smooth-running, properly adjusted door will operate more easily, more quietly, and will reduce wear and tear – extending the life of the door.

Clean - the track and the channel. Vacuum, and wash with household cleaner. Then spray the tracks with a little furniture polish.

Adjust - If the door scrapes or binds, you can adjust the roller height with just a few turns of the adjusting screw. If the door still doesn't glide smoothly, remove it and replace the rollers.

“A father is a banker provided by nature.” – Unknown

 

“The only reason I would take up jogging is so I could hear heavy breathing again.”
-- Erma Bombeck

 

“Without order nothing can exist- without chaos nothing can evolve!” – Unknown

 

“I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” -- Winston Churchill