Another prairie boy headed for Ontario

Tommy hayseed taking a nap at Mike & Linda's
Originally uploaded by kuckibaboo.

This is Tom, my pop-in-law. He's a fantasticly passionate Canadian artist and a tres cool professor of studio art. After adventures at a couple of different universities over the last few years Tom is on his way to Algoma University College in Sault Saint Marie, Ontario to head the Visual Arts program. It sounds like it's a great fit between man and job description and Sault Saint Marie looks like a terrific place to live.

I'm most excited as I'll have Tom and Pat in Ontario with almost my entire family and I'm sure Robbie, Tom's brother in Sudbury must be beside himself will glee!

Congrats on the new job pappy and a big welcome to Pat and yourself to Ontairy-airy-o..."there's more to discover and you're gonna love it in On-tar-i-o"

A young man following his dreams

Sean, Ramona (our Mexican grandmother), me and Giovanni
Originally uploaded by kuckibaboo.

This is Giovanni. A brilliant fellow we met in Punta Banda, just outside of Ensenada in Baja California Norte, Mexico. We met in February of 2003 at the outset of our 3 month backpacking trip. At the time Giovanni's family owned the campground where we were staying and he introduced himself within the first day of us being there. Right from the start a casual hello could turn into a 3 hour free flowing conversation with dusk turning to darkness around us while we stood shivering in our shorts not wanting to interrupt the groove to get changed. Music, family life, politics, God, food, marriage, travel, cultural differences and many other topics were woven into our discussions but the things we kept revisiting and agreed on the most were organic farming and sustainable living. Giovanni told us of his dream to build an Ecovillage on his family's land and to grow organically raised crops. We waxed on about how cool it would be to develop that kind of dream into reality.

For the last couple of years Gio has be edging closer to his dream by arming his mind and body with knowledge and experience. Travelling to London, Wales, California and Mexico City to name a few he has attended courses, seminars and workshops and has met with other like minded people from all over the world. Currently he is doing an Apprenticeship on Organic Farming & Agroecology at the Univesrity of California, Santa Cruz Campus which finishes in October 2005.

We hope you will soon be able to return to the soil that you love so much and start the physical construction of heaven on earth. Please don't forget to save 44 square feet for our tent!

The photo above is one of my favorite's from our time in Mexico. It was taken on our second last day in Baja part of which was spent with Ramona (Gio's grandmother) in the kitchen teaching us how to make tortilla's from scratch. Ramona is a great storyteller and we could feel history filling the room as she told us how she was taught to cook and make tortilla's. It was from Ramona that I learned the most important ingredient in the preparation of any food is love. Advice I will carry with me forever.

Molly is a new mom!

Originally uploaded by kuckibaboo.

Terry and Cheryl are happy grandparents to 4 wee puppies born to Molly in Tisdale, Saskatchewan. The father is said to "live in the neighborhood".

Congrats to all of you!

T-Dawg takes flight!

Tyler and his first apartment
Originally uploaded by kuckibaboo.

Tyler moves into a groovin' pad in the big city with friends Esther and Steve. I'm sure his bedroom at his mom's house was claimed by Nick or Tony long before he even packed his first box! Life is gonna be easier and way more cool living close to Ottawa and Ottawa U.

I just heard that T-Dawg's nearly new bike was stolen and it was his only ride to his new job. I hope the Shitty McShittles who stole your bike finds his or herself having to deal with their bad karma in the worst possible way!

Best of luck T. Don't drink too much and eat as much as you can!

All good things...

Many cool and wonderful things have happened in the last few months that need some extra attention so I'm gonna give 'em each a post...not in any particular order...drum roll please...

Happy Spring!

Hey there folks! I've been away from this blog for far too long. To get back into the swing of things here's a photo of me and Sean in the Tokachi Millenium Forest just outside of Memuro. We took this photo this past Sunday. The weather was the best it's been this year and we headed out for a little hike and to take in the sunshine and mountain air. Cherry blossom season is coming to a finish here in Obihiro and the leaves on the trees are opening up after their long winter's rest. We've got flowers and some veggies planted on our balcony and we're ready to welcome the summer season.

Me and Sean
Originally uploaded by kuckibaboo.