2012年10月31日萬聖節: 搗蛋的鰻魚 / Halloween Oct 31, 2012: Trick-or-treat

感想(一)

今年我的萬聖節慶祝活動被鰻魚搗了疍,從大溪地回來之後,一直忙著療養被咬斷的手指,昨天医生拆線和開始物理治療,今天電治,再加上日常生活和照顧老媽,根本就沒有時間 去買糖果禮物給拍門喊Trick-or-treat的孩子。唉!只好關了前門的燈,表示:　此处不慶祝萬聖節,沒有糖派　:(

感想(二)

網友新鮮人提到,外國有人暗藏放針或尖利的物品入糖果,然後心恨手毒地派送給拍門的兒童。以下是我留言感想。人類心理變態病古、今、中、外皆有,倒不是外國專利,而当受害者是天真無辜的小孩,這些新聞無論在任何文明社会聽到都會令人髪指!!　我同意住在人煙稠密的大城市,由其是一些三敎九流很雜的地區,照顧兒童是要加倍小心。在渥太華,很多父母都会在今晚「鬼王萬聖節」陪同年幼的出外去trick or treat,回家後又会審察确保糖果的安全,才会讓孩子食用。

但願大家都過一個開心和安全的萬聖節!!!

攝影图片　Photo Credit:
I took photos of this pumpkin patch at the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum Oct 7, 2012

連接新鮮人:  2012年11月1日 糖果 藏針! 

IMPORTANT UPDATE:

 新鮮人 提到...

微豆，

我沒有意思說外國才有這種事，
只是昨天剛好是萬聖節才想起，
不是說了重點在繁忙重壓力的大都市嗎？？
平時你很冷靜客觀的，
為何今次自入圈內呢？

11/01/2012

 Haricot 微豆 提到...

>> .... 我沒有意思說外國才有這種事

我的留言的第一句是回應楼上LDD提到的『表面進步, 實則衰過以前~』。

对不起,那的确是会令人誤解了您原文的覌點和重點,特此道歉更正!!

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根據【維基百科】:
....　萬聖夜的主要活動是「不給糖就搗蛋」（Trick-or-treat）。小孩裝扮成各種恐怖樣子，逐門逐戶按響鄰居的門鈴，大叫："Trick or Treat!"（意即不請客就搗亂），主人家（可能同樣穿着恐怖服裝）便會拿出一些糖果、巧克力或是小禮物。部分家庭甚至使用聲音特效和製煙機器營造恐怖氣氛。小孩一晚取得的糖果往往以袋計算，整袋整袋的搬回家。....

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旅遊南太平洋大溪地及其它法屬波利尼西亞島嶼 (二) / Travel to Tahiti & Other Polynésie française Islands in the South Pacific Ocean (2)

K and I are back from the French Polynesia on Sunday. But part of me is still in the South Pacific.

Within the first 5 minutes of my first swim in the lagoon of the Fakarava atoll (our very 1st trip off the the cargo-passenger ship Aranui 3), an eel came out from its hole and bit my left little finger to the bone. I was flown back to Tahiti to undergo surgery to have the severed muscles, nerves and tendons reattached. After 4 days of "vacationing" in the Taaone Hospital, I flew north to Hiva Oa, one of the Marquesas islands, and rejoined K and the rest of the tour group on-board.

Needless to say, I had to stay out of the water for the rest of the sea voyage. But that did not lessen my enjoyment and appreciation of the natural beauty of the place and people. I can see why the mutineers of the Bounty chose to go native. Presently, some of their descendants (at least for those mutineers that weren't later caught and hanged by the Royal Navy) are still living on the islands !!! But then I digress.

This morning, I went to the clinic and the doctor took the stitches out. With the cast off, my pinky and the rest of my hand are undergoing physiotherapy. There is a 50+ chance that the nerves and tendons will regenerate.

The South Pacific is paradise for us city folks. K is already talking abt going back and part of me is still out there some where. Meanwhile, I hope the eels in the French Polynesia have not developed a taste for finger food :O

Photo credit: 
Wikipedia 油錐（學名：Gymnothorax javanicus 爪哇裸胸鱔）

旅遊南太平洋大溪地及其它法屬波利尼西亞島嶼 (一) / Travel to Tahiti & Other Polynésie française Islands in the South Pacific Ocean (1)

 
Arrived back from vacation at abt 2 am ... with part of me left behind as finger food for an eel off the shore of Fakarava Island, Polynésie française !!!

The ship I took was the Aranui 3.

According to Wikipedia:

M/V Aranui 3 is a mixed passenger/cargo vessel operating between Tahiti and the Marquesas. With a homeport of Papeete, French Polynesia, Aranui 3 is registered as a passenger ship under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), for international operation. She was built in Romania and entered service in 2003.

Apart from supplying cargo to the six ports in the Marquesas, Aranui 3 also operates a passenger service and tourist cruise as part of its multi-weeks itinerary. It also stops at the islands of Rangiroa and Fakarava in the Tuamotu Islands.

More photos, videos and articles to come .....


Photo credit: Wikipedia
* Fakarava Island, Polynésie française (above)
* The Aranui 3 passenger/cargo ship (below)


Haricot

加拿大佩萊格里尼歌劇團: «星光月夜演奏會» / Ottawa Pellegrini Opera Presents: "Opera Under the Stars" Sept 29, 2012

This semi-private event  «營火 * 美酒 * 星光歌劇院» was organized and hosted by Mr. D Kai Ma 馬稚凱, Musical Director of Canada's Pellegrini Opera, in the backyard of his own home in Chelsea, Quebec.

I attended the event because I always wanted to support the Ottawa Pellegrini Opera. Beside, the description of the "Opera Under The Stars" event was so poetic:

雀兒喜河谷中秋賞月

".... ~ 秋意漸濃, 我們在Chelsea河谷有約，Gatineau Park 裡五號高速公路兩旁的偌大森林每時每刻都有細膩的色彩變化；這片天然的調色盤預計將在下個週末達到色澤層次演繹的最高潮! 也就是當您駕車來光臨本會下週末所舉辦的 "雀兒喜河谷中秋賞月" ~ «營火 * 美酒 * 星光歌劇院»的二十餘公里沿途上，首先迎接您的就是這位大自然的天才畫家。此次活動將結合本會，專業藝術團體 (Pellegrini Opera) 與活動地點村落Chelsea Quebec當地之鄰里居民等多方人士參與，期許以此方式讓本會的活動更具朝氣與多元。...."

During the supper gathering in La Vallée Motel Restaurant in Chelsea, Mr. Ma personally thanked Maria Pellegrini and other organisers, volunteers, and supporters for their hard work.

The crowd then walked across Highway 105 to Mr. Kai Ma's property where a piano and other equipment had been set up on a well-lit backyard stage. Lucky for both the audience and performers, the weather remained dry and we all enjoyed a good night of great classical music under the starry clouds :O

Photo Credit: 加拿大星光歌劇院

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以下附貼有關馬稚凱的資料,源自 "Opera Under The Stars" 餐會和音樂節目的海報:

D. Kai Ma began his musical performance in piano and voice at the age of 11. Besides opera and concert performances, he served as choral master of the Taipei Capital Opera Company and hosted 2 classical music radio programs. He began singing countertenor in 2000. He has performed and toured as a soloist with several major music ensembles in Taiwan and Canada. He currently serves as music director for Pellegrini Opera in Ottawa, Canada.   馬稚凱是位全方位的古典音樂工作者，一九九六年起以男高音活躍於台灣古典音樂界，二ＯＯＯ年後轉攻假聲男高音，二ＯＯ三年移居加拿大後，即受到當地古樂團的延攬並從事職業演出，經常透過加拿大廣播網CBC古典頻道播送。除了演唱活動，亦長期研習歌劇指揮法，二Ｏ一二年通過甄選並開始擔任加拿大Pellegrini Opera歌劇團的音樂總監。

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以下附貼有關 Maria Pellegrini 瑪麗亞·佩萊格里尼 的資料:

(http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/emc/maria-pellegrini)

Maria Pellegrini 

(Anna) Maria Pellegrini. Soprano, b Pretoro, Italy, 15 Jul 1943, naturalized Canadian 1965. Emigrating to Canada in 1958, she studied 1960-4 with Ernesto Vinci at the RCMT, then in London with Joe Macko. She sang with theCOC first (1963) as the High Priestess in Aida, then (1965, her debut in a major role) as Gilda in Rigoletto. Further COC roles have included Nedda in I Pagliacci (1966), Cio-Cio-San in Madama Butterfly (1971 and 1975), and Violetta in La Traviata (1974 and 1978). She was a 1967 Metropolitan Opera auditions winner and made her debuts at Covent Garden (1968) and Sadler's Wells (1969) as Gilda and Cio-Cio-San respectively.

Specializing in the Puccini repertoire, she has appeared with the Edmonton, Manitoba, Quebec, Southern Alberta (Calgary), and Vancouver operas and Opera Hamilton, and has sung in Genoa, Trieste, Parma, and Catania in Italy, in Pittsburgh and New Orleans in the USA, in Santo Domingo, and with the Welsh National Opera. She appeared in the 1977 CBC TV production of Madama Butterfly with Pierre Duval, Bernard Turgeon, Judith Forst, and a CBC orchestra conducted by Jean Deslauriers, and was Musetta in the 1980 production of La Bohème in Ottawa.

After her performance in the title role of Opera Hamilton's 1982 production of Madama Butterfly, Arthur Kaptainis wrote 'Chief among a strong and even cast was Maria Pellegrini... [who] waltzed through all the coquettish fan-fluttering motions with balletic ease. But her performance was still fresh and immediate, thanks to acting that conveyed innocence, an appearance that conveyed youth, and singing that was handsome and intense from beginning to end' (Toronto Globe and Mail, 18 Sep 1982).

Pellegrini, Maria, singer
Soprano star Maria Pellegrini (photo by Lois Siegel).

Author Harvey Chusid

Bibliography

Mercer, Ruby. 'Maria Pellegrini,' OpCan, Fall 1971

'Tragic lady of opera,' ibid, Dec 1977

Jones, Gaynor. 'More than a butterfly: Maria Pellegrini is trying to shake her image as the ''Butterfly soprano'','Music, Jun 1980

Links to Other Sites
Pellegrini Opera   http://www.pellegriniopera.org/
The website for Pellegrini Opera. Offers a profile of acclaimed soprano and artistic director Maria Pellegrini.

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楓葉紅於二月花 / The Maple Leafs of Canada

Many Chinese have fondly given Canada the nickname "Maple Leaf Nation" 楓葉國。Now before the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club fans get too excited and think one-quarter of the world's population are behind their team, let me clarify.

The Chinese like maple syrup, enjoy the fall colour of a maple forest, and recognize the national flag of Canada, the 11-point Maple Leaf. But don't expect them to tell you when the team won the last Stanley Cup   Championship (the 1966-67 season) and the colour of the Toronto Maple Leafs, which is blue !!!



As you can see from the photo below, the colour of Canada's sugar maple leaves is usually green in the spring and summer, bright red or orange in the fall, and yellow and brown in the winter.



Each maple seed has two "blades" that twist like a helicopter as it is descending from the mother tree onto the ground below.


However, the leaves of many maple trees in the national capital region will not turn bright red this year due to a lack of precipitation earlier in the year. It is likely that the leaves will just turn yellow/brown and then drop off the trees.

Except this tree sitting in the front-lawn of my neighbour Mary.



As you can see from the photo I took on Sept 22, the tree shows a bright red colour against the blue sky and all the fallen leaves are very orangey.

I asked Mary why her tree is so pretty. "Very simple," she said. "I have been watering it."

I am not complaining. She is paying the water-bill :O



Related links:

* Sugar Maple: aka Acer saccharum http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_maple)
* National Flag of Canada: The (11 points) Maple Leaf  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Canada
* The Toronto Maple Leafs: The team has set the longest National Hockey League (NHL) "drought" record by failing to win another Stanley Cup since 1967, 45 years ago!. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_maple_leafs

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又: 我在網上找到一篇寫得很好,有關楓葉的文章,在此轉貼与大家共享。

霜葉紅于二月花

中國網 | 時間： 2005-01-04  | 文章來源：

一提到紅葉，人們自然就會想起唐代杜牧“停車坐愛楓林晚，霜葉紅于二月花”的詩句來。坐落在長沙岳麓山腰青楓峽谷中的“愛晚亭”，就是以杜牧《山行》詩命名的，它已經與杜一樣馳名遐邇，亭周皆楓，盤根錯節，秋霜艷紅，楓葉流丹，此時“看萬山紅遍、層林盡染”，毛主席他老人家形容得太貼切了。 據古籍記載，楓木來自上古時代氏族酋長之間的一場殘酷的爭鬥。《山海經?大荒南經》：“有宋山者……有木生山上，名曰楓木。楓木，蚩尤所棄桎梏，是謂楓木。”《雲笈七簽》卷一百輯唐王瓘《軒轅本紀》：“黃帝殺蚩尤于黎山之丘，擲械于大荒之中，宋山之上，後化為楓木之林。”蚩尤是黃河下游九黎族的首領，他的刑具化為一片殷紅的楓樹林。 蘇州天平山素以紅楓、清泉、怪石“三絕”聞名，自古就有“天平十月看紅楓”的習俗。天平山麓楓林茫茫，其中有400多棵樹齡幾百年的古楓樹。據載，天平山的楓樹林是明代萬曆年間由范仲淹第十七世孫范允臨從福建帶回的380株幼苗培育而成的，迄今已經有400多年的歷史了。現存古楓192棵，與江南楓樹不同，楓葉呈三角形，樹葉平時翠綠，但到了秋天，尤其是霜凍之後，葉子就慢慢地由翠綠色變為黃、變橙、再變紫，故又稱“五色楓”。由山上望楓臺俯瞰山下，一片爛漫，“冒霜葉赤，顏色鮮明；夕陽在山，縱目一望，仿佛珊瑚灼海。”（《清嘉錄》卷10）如范墳前的“大楓九枝，非花鬥粧，不爭春色”，俗稱“九枝紅”，霜後吐霞噴火，蔚為奇觀。 紅葉為秋之葉，頤和園有軒名“寫秋”，很詩意的名字，軒前後遍植可供觀賞的紅葉樹，玉露金風之時，觸目皆為絢爛秋色。 紅葉催人想像。南京的棲霞山上，楓林連綿一片，霜降時節，滿山紅葉如紅海浪翻。棲霞山東峰的太虛亭，亭周古楓團團環繞，猶如太空爛漫的彩霞，“太虛遼廓而無閡，雲自然之妙有”（晉孫綽《遊天臺賦》），“太虛”之名實在妙極了，人在亭中，好似在太空觀賞那飄浮的雲霞。 紅葉上寫滿了傳説。華山煉丹爐旁邊的幾株楓樹，經霜以後也是爛漫一片，如火如荼，相傳當年的齊天大聖孫悟空大鬧天宮，曾被投進太上老君的煉丹爐，他趁人不備，踢翻了煉丹爐，熊熊爐火溢出，染紅了山上這片楓林，深秋霜濃時節，遍山紅葉噴薄如熾，賦予了華山另一種神奇的美。 最為文人津津樂道的是“紅葉題詩”的愛情故事，耳口相傳中還出現了多種內容大同小異的“版本”。唐范攄《雲溪友議》載：“盧渥舍人應舉之歲，偶臨禦溝，見一紅葉，命仆搴來，葉上乃有一絕句。置於巾箱，或呈于同志。及宣宗既省宮人，初下詔，許從百官司吏，獨不許貢舉人。渥後亦一任范陽，獲其退宮人，睹紅葉而吁嗟久之，曰：‘當時偶題隨流，不謂郎君收藏巾篋。’驗其書跡，無不訝焉。詩曰：‘流水何太急，深宮盡日閒。殷勤謝紅葉，好去到人間。’”李漁據此設計了一種“秋葉匾”，製成如秋葉狀的匾額。《閒情偶寄》稱：“禦溝題紅，千古佳事；取以制匾，亦覺有情。”蘇州滄浪亭中的秋葉花窗，造型優美，給人以美麗的遐想。 “意像是詩人醒著的夢”（萊辛《拉奧孔》），紅葉正是詩人筆底的情感意象，它是詩之葉。紅葉催發詩思：“荊溪白石出，天寒紅葉稀”（王維《山中》）、“赤葉楓林百舌鳴，黃泥野岸天雞舞”（杜甫《寄柏學士林居》），“好是經霜葉，紅于帶露花”（李中《江村秋晚作》）等等。紅葉寫滿歷代詩人優美的詩句，也染有點點離人淚。《西廂記》中崔鶯鶯在長亭送別張生，一句“曉來誰染霜林醉？總是離人淚”，訴盡了千古哀音。不過，文人更多鍾情于“林間暖酒燒紅葉，石上題詩掃綠苔”（白居易《送王十八歸山寄題仙遊寺》）、“愛秋來那些，和露摘黃花。帶霜烹紫蟹，煮酒燒落葉”（馬致遠《夜行船?秋思》）的風雅。 其實，紅葉的種類很多，並不限指楓葉，聞名中外的北京香山（亦即靜宜園）紅葉，大面積的就是黃櫨樹，雜以柿、楓、野槭等樹，如火似錦，極為壯美。乾隆年間所定香山二十八景“絢秋林”即指此。 紅色是生命之火，象徵著熾熱、燦爛和希望。紅葉拼盡生命全部的赤誠，在萬木飄零之時，點染了蕭瑟的寒秋，昭示的正是生命成熟的爛漫、輝煌和力量。段成式《酉陽雜俎》有紅葉化雷的故事：“史生遊華山，有一紅葉大如掌，隨流而下。史接置懷中，見葉上粟粟而動，驚棄林中。須臾，白煙彌谷，下山未半，風雷大至。”紅葉能夠煥發出撼動天地的巨大能量，具有雷霆萬鈞之力。 科學家們發現，致使楓葉紅得早、紅得透的緣由，卻是大自然的壓力，主要是營養特別是缺氮的壓力。它似乎在啟示人們，應該像楓樹一樣，以自身的生命力量去適應壓力，使生命變得更艷麗，更輝煌。 （曹林娣） 文章來源: 《蘇州日報》

http://big5.china.com.cn/zhuanti2005/txt/2005-01/04/content_5746139.htm

加拿大的感恩節長週末2012年10月6-8日 / Canada's Thanksgiving Day

根據《維基百科》: 

"感恩節（英語：Thanksgiving Day）是美國和加拿大共有的節日，原意是為了感謝上天賜予的好收成。在美國，自1941年起，感恩節是在每年11月的第四個星期四，並從這一天起將休假兩天。像中國的春節一樣，在這一天，成千上萬的人們不管多忙，都要和自己的家人團聚。加拿大的感恩節則起始於1879年，是在每年10月第二個星期一，與美國的哥倫布日相同。.....

火雞是感恩節的傳統主菜，通常是把火雞肚子裡塞上各種調料和拌好的食品，然後整隻烤出，由男主人用刀切成薄片，並由女主人分送給大家。此外，感恩節的傳統食品還有甜山芋、玉蜀黍、南瓜派、蔓越莓果醬等。..... 人們還會將火雞胸部的叉骨取出，兩人各執一端，默念心中的願望，直到其折斷，拿到較長一端骨頭的人的願望就會實現。....." (以上火鳮攝影图源自維基)

這一年我們是在星期日慶祝加拿大的感恩節 Thanksgiving Day。我一早起牀,駕車往市郊跑長程,回家洗澡後之後,与親人吃 K 她自己下厨煮的一手好菜,和用火爐焗的一隻应節火鳮。

我們過感恩節是有點和過聖誕節一樣,雖然沒有禮物交換,但主要目的仍是和親人吃火鳮歺,聚首,閑談,珍惜眼前人,感謝上蒼賜我們愉快的時光!!





攝影图片:
橙色的感恩南瓜,趁上美艷的鮮花,真是非常应節啊!!! 
 Photo credit:   I took this picture of a pumpkin-floral arrangement at the Blumen Studio at 465 Parkdale Ave, Ottawa on Sept 22, 2012 (http://www.blumenstudio.ca/work/1).

老人在家千日好 / Aging in Place

Photo (edited to protect privacy):
I took this pic of Mom at the Canadian War Memorial, across from Chateau Laurier, downtown Ottawa

有網友在上篇留言:
『好感人！但點解不是一起住！要每星期都有打電話和探望她老人家呢？』

我特別在此多謝留言,及回答如下:

說來話長　….

父母初移民來加是在我処住,主要目的是讓我幫助他/她們適应西方社会,儘量減少文化衝突所帶來的精神壓力。同住約一年後,父親說我這區離唐人亍太遠,購買中式物品不便,巴士站離家頗遠,冬天更是寒風溯溯,冰天雪地,令人裹足不前。他透過華僑老人会圈子,找到了一所近唐人亍的「柏文」(apartment),与母親在首都市中另起爐灶。

父母搬屋後的生活是頗為寫意,除了購物方便之外,与其他/她唐人交際应酬也容易很多。再者,我私下想想,父親一向都是非常獨立,現在他有了自己「地頭」,再不用寄人籬下, 不用看後軰眉頭眼額,喜歡嘛就在屋企「牛記笠記」,肚餓嘛就有老婆細心服侍,兩老納悶無聊之餘就往附近老人会找朋友飮茶、打牙較、遊車河,享受「香港式」的退休生活。

可惜,父親移民不滿十年就因病与世長辭,一向服侍和倚靠丈夫的老媽子暮年守寡, 孤苦伶仃一個人住在「柏文」,前途堪慮。当時,我也有打算搬她回我家住,但衡量她新寡後的精神打擊,和突然的生活轉變,要她遷離唐人朋友圈子實在不智。可幸,工餘膳後和週末假期,我都能抽身去照顧她老人家,母親亦從沒有提議要搬屋,離開与丈夫住了多個寒暑的老巢。過了幾年,她開始適应自己一個人單居,重溫婚前「做女」未嫁時的自由、獨立,生活漸漸走上正常規律,直至她在巴士出意外,摔倒跌斷了腿骨　!!!

『喂?你係XXX嗎?你阿媽係巴士跌倒,現在十字車到咗,你快d去公立医院急救室,我係個度等你!』噩耗轉來,我趕緊飛車往Civic Hospital Emergency Room　..... 四個月後,老媽終於出院回家。

經過此役, 母親身心健康大打折扣,在她出院前和後,我都有和家人、医生、護士、物理治療師、渥太華社工、老年癡呆症協會外勤員、街坊房屋協會協調員等討論,他/她們的專家意見是:　在她未完全失去基本獨立能力之前,应用Aging In Place 的概念,儘量讓老人在家安享餘年,延遲入院,減少生活環境轉變帶來的壓力。

母親自己也常对我說:　『入院d人好快就死!』

有鑑於她住処有社工及護士協助,而我処又離市中唐人亍遠,所以暫時來說,她留住在現址「長者柏文」老家是最好的選擇。

Reference: 請參讀  Aging In Place