h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

21 feet is a large canoe, my 2 person kayaks have all been about 17 feet or so.

The main difference between a canoe and a kayak are the seats, in a canoe you sit high, almost level with the rail so you can hold the paddle vertically. In a kayak you sit on a seat just above the floor and hold the paddle horizontally. The strokes are a bit different, but not hard to figure out.

Alligators are not all that exotic around here, but you should really resist the temptation to pet one

Everyone should have an occasional day on the water

F S

paulh; that sounds a bit like the place, with the weeping willows, I'm thinking of... almost a fairy tale location from a Disney film, but just naturally formed by the environment...

Theoretically, the Canadian at my Dad's can 'seat' five people... though its only got two 'seats' in it, and we never got round to finding someone to weld in any more (its alaminium; made by... can't remember the name; an American Aeroplain manfacturer, (gruman? err, think it started with a G), who, clearly make, or made canoes too at one point) Seem to recall it had a sticker on it, staying it was certified by the US coaast guard or soemthing... taking it out into the North sea, here, was fun... though turning back; and discovering the tide, as we tried to make back for the shoreline, was... actually really rather scarey (this would have been oo about 20 years ago, or so, when I was in my teens...) Quite how I never killed myself when a wreckless teenager... hmm... or when a wreckless

When I was in college, a guy down the hall had two baby alligators. Every so often he would let them run down the hall. He would warn people first.

My father was far more enthusiastic about canoes than I was. I went on some canoe trips with him. He was never happy with the way I paddled .

I was never happy with the way my Father paddles! I kept trying* to teach him... but he never paid any real at attention I'm fairly* sure I still rmember most of the strokes... for Canadian Canoeing but it is a long while since I last canoed

2lgs made me remember our good old friends Mole, Ratty and Mr. Toad

- and Mr. Badger, of course

On Sunday I drove my Father to dinner at my brother's house. On the way, I saw a black bear crossing the road just ahead of us. The bear was about the size of a calf, possibly half-grown.

Awww! cute I guess the most exciting animals we get here... are or fox... and deer Though some of the tiny little critters are quite when you see them, not least as being smaller, they're often very hard to spot, or rare stoats, weasils, things like the really tiny water voles etc, or just the pretty kingfisher, dragonflys, etc by the rivers Local wildlife here, seems limited to birdlife really, though I guess rats and mice are lurking about if one was to go looking for them Hoping the sun might appear again today, its been missed the past few days

Everybody seems to be experiencing these moments of early summer suspended bliss - Gosho, KG, paulh, deb....

I shall enjoy them vicariously, as I have a lot on my plate at the moment, despite the nice sunny weather and perfumed air.

I'm kinda experiencing them too... though... I think mine are quite tired up with various people in my life as much as teh weather itself and... actually... the weather seemes to have gone almost autuminal here again... Hoping to frequent a couple of places though, weekend coming, which are useually totally bliss-inducing, whatever the weather But... again the company might have more impact on that than just the place/weather itself

I'm doing my best to keep lots of flowers blooming, so the air will smell sweet for the rest of the growing season.

My marigolds, after coming up during early autumn last year and blossoming all though the winter and spring have self-seeded a second crop and are still blossoming.