Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

Did you know that there are more chickens in the world than people? That a flock of crows is called a ‘murder’? Or that hummingbirds are the only birds who can fly backwards? It’s amazing what one can find when researching questions regarding our avian friends.

The cold weather is now upon us and Briteland has received many queries as to how & what one should feed the birds over the winter. From quails to chickadees, there are varying answers, depending on the species of bird.

Frigid temperatures are extremely challenging for winter resident birds. They no longer have access to the food sources that sustained them all summer and into early fall, and even shelter can become difficult to find. In warm weather, birds rely heavily on insects for food. But insects are dormant in winter months, when birds need even more calories to keep their bodies warm. If the temperature dips below freezing, water also disappears, giving way to ice. It’s at this time of year that birds need our help the most.

High-calorie and high-fat foods like oil sunflowers, suet and peanuts are all excellent options to place in bird feeders.  Well-meaning bird enthusiasts are cautioned against putting out bread for winter birds. Bread actually hinders avian digestion and if it’s fed to birds often enough, it can be fatal. Remember, also, that it’s essential to clean bird feeders weekly to avoid the buildup of mold and prevent the spread of disease.

Briteland carries a multitude of supplies for feeding our feathered friends … from seed to feeders. And no, you aren’t committed to buying a 50 lb bag of sunflower seeds!  We sell small quantities too… in handy portions just right for offering winged dinner guests a smorgasbord of choices. Check out our selection of wild bird seed, canary blend, sunflower seeds, nyger seeds, chick scratch for quails, seed bells and hanging suet baskets.

Enjoy bird watching for little more than ‘tuppence a bag’ … and know that you’re being a good neighbor of the environment by keeping these creatures well fed at a time when they need it most.

Here’s an excellent link on feeding birds through the chilly months – care of Hinterland Who’s Who.  http://www.hww.ca/hww2.asp?id=224#sid48

And … for more than a gaggle-load of fascinating bird facts, check out http://www.andreawansbury.com/facts.html

Unwanted Mouseguests

 

Well it’s about that time. The weather is nippy, we’re digging out scarves and mitts; there’s frost on the windshield in the morning. Perfect opportunity for unwanted mouseguests to start booking their winter vacation getaway. With us. In our toasty home. Oh drat. WE, however, are not feeling quite so neighborly.

To some of us those darned little twitchy-whiskered faces can be scream inducing and we’re most happy to plan any sort of attack. Heck – enlist troops – call for backup!  We’re happy to see the critters meet their demise, as long as the job is done and they’ve stopped leaving presents in our flour bin. (And we wondered why friends stopped asking for our cookie recipes.)

To others, well, we most certainly don’t want them in our house, but we don’t want to have to clean up their remains either. 

Cue the Rat Zapper, available at Briteland.

The Rat Zapper Classic uses 4 AA batteries (not included) and sophisticated electronic technology to deliver a deadly shock to mice and rats. Approximately 30 kills with AA alkaline batteries. Ideal for use at home, in the garage, at the office or anywhere else you find infestations.

Simply bait with ordinary pet food.  Mice and rats enter the chamber and are dispatched humanely with a quick but powerful jolt of electricity.  No blood, no gore, no mess!  And equally as important – no poisons to endanger your pets or the environment. Eco-friendly all the way.  The red light tells you when you have a catch.  You don’t even need to look at the rodent; simply tip the Rat Zapper and let the dead rodent slide into the trash can.  It’s easy to use, and reusable.

Winter mouseguests not exactly your cup of tea?  Perhaps give the Rat Zapper a whirl … we think you’ll love it … unless of course the thought of knitting dozens of tiny little Christmas stockings is a pleasant one!

Got Leaves?

 

Does your neighbor’s Fall foliage think the grass is greener on your side of the fence? Is the thought of tackling a mountain of yard work as the cold weather nips at your toes just a little too daunting? Don’t let the pile of fallen leaves & branches in your yard get you or your ‘hired help’ down.  How about an environmentally friendly way to love your neighbor and yourself, while tidying corners in preparation for winter?

Here at Briteland, we know that buying a wood chipper, lawn vacuum or other similar gardening products is an investment you’d like to see last, and we’re happy to assist. When only the highest quality, reliable machines will do, Patriot Products is there to serve. They have built their reputation one customer at a time by supplying affordable products that provide the performance needed to tackle big and small jobs – correctly -the first time.

Their commitment to quality has not gone unnoticed within the gardening industry. Consumer Digest Magazine has given both their electric chipper and lawn vacuum “Best Buy” status.  Check out Patriot’s video link and see what this amazing gas leaf vacuum blower can do!  

Briteland promises it will ‘leave’ you, and your neighbors, truly impressed with its Fall clean-up prowess. And now there’ll be time to cozy up indoors even sooner with that good book you’ve been itching to get at …

http://www.patriot-products-inc.com/videoclips.htm

 

Kal Hygenics by Chemac

 How we get through our day …

Sometimes sitting at a computer all day can be a pain in the neck… Chemac’s Muscle Butter is essential for soothing sore muscles. Paper cuts? No problem – Healing Ointment to the rescue. Rifling through inky or dusty paperwork not an issue with Hand Sanitizer nearby. And a smudgy monitor & dirty keyboard needn’t be a problem with spray Cleaner at the ready. Now if we can just hang in there ’til Friday …

Desktop Essentials

Huckleberries Galore!

With the El Nina weather last winter and all the snowfall, the extended spring and very cold temperatures, there seemed to be a big effect on huckleberries, that is, frost at blossom and a resulting crop failure this fall.

Several of our friends who are also keeners couldn’t find any anywhere this year.

The result was a shrugging of shoulders and oh well, wait till next year.

Fresh baked Huckleberry Scones

So you can imagine our delight when we got wind of a potential spot, high up on a North facing slope, nearby Sugar Lake in the Monashee Mtn Range. We decided last saturday to venture out on a day trip to have a look.  Bob & Lil joined us.

We stopped where advised and were disappointed as there were berries but really spotty picking. We moved on. Again spotty, so again we moved on. We parked right near where there was some recent bear scat, so they obviously have found some berries.  We made lots of noise, and kept a lookout, but no bears could be seen or heard. Voila, berries, and lots of them.

It felt good to be out in the fresh mountain air and smelling bushes of ripe berries.

Fresh Baked Huckleberry Pie

My Dad loves Huckelberry Pie, so we had him over for Sunday dinner. We tried a new BBQ rotissierre roast and it was great.

Surprise! Huckleberry Pie for Desert!

Then Joanne surprised him with Huckleberry Pie for desert and even a take home pie for him.

Huckleberry Pie and Ice Cream!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dad ready to savor the first bite of Huckleberry Pie!

 

Dad loving his Huckleberry Pie!

Jemma Homes Perfect for a long weekend!

We have had a very interesting summer with executive vacation rentals at Jemma Homes.

We’ve had lots of requests, especially from sporting enthusiasts, as there are so many sports to participate in around the Greater Vernon area.

Hiking on Terrace Mtn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kayaking on Island Lake

 

Folks have travelled from as far away as Papau New Guinea to vacation stay with us.

We’ve been able to develop a checklist to go over outlining how the house works and to maximize their enjoyment during their stay.

Others have included:

- families of the bride – all stayed together, cooked and shared meals and had a great visit together while attending the event. A great bonding experience.

- families of the groom, as above, plus we learned that multiple teens all using bathroom outlets to blow dry their at the same time causes the breakers to blow!

- Family reunions  in town. Not wanting to stay in a cabin, one executive couple remarked that staying in our executive rental home is their idea of camping! Way better than a cottage on the lake!

 

- Long weekends seem to be popular, and we have been inundated with re-booking and new booking requests for August 2012. We have a roaster pan that does a great job of cooking a turkey for the upcoming Canadian and American Thanksgiving weekends.

- get togethers of friends to meet in the middle between Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.

- sporting tournaments and events where the team stays together. As the house is so classy and comfy, they have treated it with dignity and repect. These include baseball, Ultimate Frisbee, Curlers and Skiers, and IPE attendees.

- Staycations where a new home is being built and they stay in the home and check out the surroundings of their new community.

- Folks renting from lakeshore long term absentee owners. These owners come back for a month or so in the summer and use their home. The displaced renters need places to stay.

Lots of fruit and veggies available in our area!

- In town to pick fruit themselves, to take back to the prairies. Several couples stay together, pick the fruit and divide it up so each couple have a good varied selection of our local produce.

 

 

 

It has been amazing for us to meet so many nice people, which is one reason why we have the Jemma Homes Executive Home Rental property. We learn a lot from our guests.

We look forward to the upcoming fall and winter seasons, as there is so much for folks to see and do around our area.

So come stay with us and refer us to your friends. We’d appreciate it and are sure you and they will too!

Wonderful Tomatoes to pick and take home!

Cruising to Alaska

We just enjoyed a family cruise to Alaska on The Celebrity Century Cruise ship. This was a wonderful family experience with my brothers, wives and Dad.

We noticed a number of other families doing the same thing. The cruise ship “contains” the family so you really get a chance to interact with each other, in an extended time period. Share time together, means shared memories. It is important to be face to face, and not just communicating by phone or internet.

We do get together for birthdays and anniversary’s and special events, but relaxing together like that for a week hasn’t happened for us I think for over 40 years!

Having family dinners together each night for a week is pretty cool. Being pampered where all you needs are met is pretty cool. Not having to shop for groceries, plan meals & clean up is pretty cool. Having new venues to visit and share is pretty cool.

Great viewing spot At the Mendenhall Glacier

 

 

This is a photo of Dad and gang at the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau Alaska. Brian’s showing some recent video. Lil and Joanne are looking on. Dad’s trying out a scooter, which worked out really well for him. Here, we also saw a black bear chowing down on salmon, bald eagles and a mom & junior porcupine.

I’d recommend the experience to all!