Lunar Horoscopes: Year of the Boar

Snake - A hectic year in which the Snake will need to exert maximum effort for minimum gain. He may suffer financial mishaps due to poor judgment. A time to look before he leaps.

Horse - The Horse’s success may be destroyed by outside interferences. Illness delays plans and progress. Investments and projects develop snags and complications. His troubles should start to fade with the onset of winter.

Sheep - A fair year in which the Sheep recovers from past troubles. Home life could be neglected by him. He will have access to funds previously withheld from him.

Monkey - An active but trying year in which the Monkey’s problems can be resolved but not without much compromising. Joint ventures will prove unrewarding or even dangerous.

Rooster - A disturbing year with worries caused by unexpected difficulties. Trusted associates may give wrong advice or encourage him to spend beyond his means: a year to discount good news and plan prudently.

Dog - A calm year. Gains and unlikely benefits may be realized through speculation, but expect delays and additional expenses: a year to cultivate new and influential friends or contacts.

Boar - The Boar’s life will stabilize this year as gains and some progress are foreseen. He may have some persistent health problems or infection that he should attend to. New friends and opportunities dominate the winter months.

Rat - A time for the Rat to consolidate. Friends and family members make excessive demands on his time and money. If not careful, his illness could develop complications.

Ox - A mixed year for the Ox, as family troubles and some friction at work may disturb him. On the whole, he will fare quite well as the numerous problems that beset him will be little ones.

Tiger - The Tiger will need to curb his spending this year as the prosperity that comes in the beginning of the year will not last for long. He must be on guard against high-risk investments and new associates.

Rabbit - A mixed time for the Rabbit. Unlikely difficulties have a tendency of cropping up this year so the he must not be overconfident and must take every precaution to protect his interests.

Dragon - A good year. Luck shines through the dark clouds that hovered over the Dragon during the Year of the Dog. Although he will have to travel or entertain a lot, no problems are foreseen in his family life.

Happy Chinese New Year

The meal I made this year for Chinese New Year since I was celebrating on my own this year. Dumplings, my family dish and cucumber soup! If only I knew how to cook for 1 person... I even bought red lucky candy to eat as many as I could so this year will be sweet. My first attempt at food photography ended up turning out pretty well.

The Twelve Animals of the Chinese Zodiac

1. RAT - 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
Charming, adaptable, creative, ambitious, opportunist, gregarious, erratic, gossip. Symbols of wealth because rats are always able to find food, considered a basic form of wealth.

Compatible marriage to: Dragon, Monkey, Ox
Second choice: Rat, Tiger, Snake, Dog, Boar
Incompatible marriage to: Horse, (worse) Sheep

2. OX - 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961,1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
Steadfast, methodical, unimaginative, dependable, loyal, possessive, logical, honest, unromantic. Strong and not willing to make too many changes - down to earth and practical.

Compatible marriage to: Snake, Rooster, Rat
Second choice: Ox, Dragon, Hare, Money, Boar
Incompatible marriage to: Horse, Dog, (worse) Sheep

3. TIGER - 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010
Leadership, brave, rash, impetuous, warm, sincere, aggressive, authoritarian. A beautiful animal that will attack if his territory is invaded.

Compatible marriage to: Horse, Dragon, Dog
Second choice: Rat, Ox, Hare, Tiger, Sheep, Rooster, Boar
Incompatible marriage to: Monkey, (worse) Snake

4. HARE, RABBIT - 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011
Withdrawn, independent, aloof, submissive, humble, gossip, melancholic, gambler, placid. An excellent judge of character, can detect sincerity or trouble.

Compatible marriage to: Sheep, Boar, Dog
Second Choice: Hare
Incompatible marriage to: Dragon, (worse) Rooster, Rat

5. DRAGON - 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012
Flamboyant, extrovert, elegant, imaginative, strong, decisive, resolute. The dragon is considered the flashiest and boldest member of the Chinese astrological family.

Compatible marriage to: Rat, Snake, Monkey, Rooster
Second choice: Tiger, Horse, Sheep, Boar
Incompatible marriage to: Ox, Hare, (worse) Dog

6. SNAKE, SERPENT - 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
Restraint, insinuating, subtle, pushy, double-dealing, scandalous, vicarious, sensuous. Symbol of medicine and healing, intuitive and intelligent.

Compatible marriage to: Rat, Hare, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Dog
Incompatible marriage to: Monkey, (worse) Tiger, Boar

7. HORSE - 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 Competitive, cheerful, talkative, talented, showy, impatient, independent,tough, hard workers and competitive by nature.

Compatible marriage to: Tiger, Dog, Sheep, (best) Horse
Second choice: Dragon, Snake, Monkey, Rooster, Boar
Incompatible marriage to: Ox, Hare, Horse, (worse) Rat

8. RAM, SHEEP - 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 Affectionate, caring, trusting, selflessness, artistic, fastidious, creative, complacent, diplomatic. A follower rather than a leader, happiest in a crowd, and is best not placed in a position to make decisions.

Compatible marriage to: Hare, Boar, Horse
Second choice: Tiger, Dragon, Snake, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster
Incompatible marriage to: Rat (worse) Ox, Dog

9. MONKEY - 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956,1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
Inventive, curious, quick-witted, scheming, versatile audacious, mischievous, resentful, energetic, humorous. They are energetic and develop personal loyalties.

Compatible marriage to: Rat, Dragon
Second Choice: Hare, Sheep, Dog
Incompatible marriage to: Snake, Boar, (worse) Tiger

10. ROOSTER - 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
Determined, pride, alert, confident, abrasive, aggressive, rude, affectionate, resolute, punctilious. Roosters make great managers and leaders. Compatible marriage to: Ox, Snake, Dragon Second choice: Tiger, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Boar Incompatible marriage to: Rat, Rooster, Dog, (worse) Hare

11. DOG - 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018
Loyal, honest, likable, trusted, conservative, sympathetic, tolerant, active, reliable. The dog is active and sociable, ready to mix at get togethers, and good listeners.

Compatible marriage to: Horse, Tiger, Sheep, Hare
Second Choice: Rat, Snake, Monkey, Dog, Boar
Incompatible marriage to: Ox, Rooster, (worse) Dragon, Sheep

12. BOAR, PIG - 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019
Unpretentious, joy, caring, industrious, trusting, naive, hardworking, hospitable. The boar is caring ,not lazy, but quiet.

Compatible marriage to: Hare, Sheep
Second choice: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Dragon, Horse, Rooster, Dog
Incompatible marriage to: Monkey, Boar, (worse) Snake

The Snow Has Arrived

After everyone complained so much over the holidays about the lack of snow and global warming, here it finally is. Snow. -11 degrees, feeling more like -21. At least it hasn't become slush puddles that reach your shins yet. But this will come as the forecast for next next weekend? 7 celsius. Somehow I still look up at the fat soft flakes with the same childhood wonder I did the first time I saw snow when I was around 8 years old. It falls and makes things seem peaceful, quiet and calm – just don't stick your tongue out in this city to eat it!


I love the fact that I can come here as I please. When it's not a weekday high traffic time, I love walking through here and talking a bit of a breather. As you can see the good old T.O. landmark is becoming eclipsed by the new towers that keep on coming! At least this place will always be here. Quiet in the summer, great for fall leaves jumping, amazing for snow angels in the winter...


Above: an old tollgate at College and Yonge after a heavy snowstorm c. 1885 (Lantern Slide) and the same intersection this past week, after the snow finally stopped... I have an obsession with finding old photographs of exact locations I know today. It's scary to imagine where what it will look like in another 120 years. Archives have such random photos everyday people took. City engineers took so many for land and road surveying. Without those from the 1800's, who would ever have known how many trees existed in this city before they were all removed. Poor trees!


Some valentines icicles I saw along the way today... Brrrr..... What a freezing, cold day :(

It's A Sign!

I have been meaning to start a blog for such a long time now. There are so many things that happen that seem like signs to me in life and this was another one of them. A friend has one and I thought it would be a good way to keep in touch and feel closer to each other's lives, despite living in timezones. I procrastinated and procrastinated and then got sick and there was the sign – right in my Saturday crossword:

How random that we stopped there, off the highway, on our very first car trip with no parents and took this photo. The highway landscape was so flat, but there in the distance as we drew closer was a... skunk. We laughed so hard at it we almost gagged on our slurpees! So here it is. Can you believe it was more than 10 years ago?

"SQUIRT" - the skunk
Born In: 1992
Height: 13 Feet
Birthparent: Peter Soehn (Kelowna, BC)

"Some years ago it was decided that the Village of Beiseker needed a mascot which would leave a lasting impression on tourists and identify our community in particular. A public contest was held inviting ideas and drawings for a mascot. As a result, "Squirt" the skunk was adopted..."