Gardening most popular summer activity

I did a poll. An informal one, but a poll all the same.

Apparently, gardening is the most popular summer activity in Manitoba. Perhaps not always the number one choice, but according to my poll, I found that more people "garden" than any other activity. Golf fared well.

Fishing still ranks high. Camping, Folk Fest, Fringe, Folklorama... all popular, but gardening is king.

This doesn't mean everyone who claims to garden also rates this activity as their most all-consuming pastime.

Local corn!

No two words in the English language cause me to instantly pull over faster than Local Corn. It doesn't matter where I'm going, or what I'm late for... I will always instantly pull over for a sign proclaiming "Local Corn". Up until I have seen the sign, it has never occurred to me that I am in great need of corn right that second, but apparently that is the case. A sign that says simply "Corn" is just another sign. Local Corn means break lights.

-- Ace Burpee / It's a Winnipeg Thing

Softball is the greatest

Big thanks to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation for putting together Batting Against Breast Cancer this past weekend. Not only was it in support of a great cause, but it reminded me that playing in a softball tournament is among the greatest things in the world.

For starters, playing in a softball tournament means being outside all day. That simply doesn't happen enough. Outside is the new inside. It's the place to be. Nothing interesting happens indoors in the summer.

Secondly, softball is hilarious. Spending a day at a softball tournament lends itself more to funny moments than most other activities. People fall. New nicknames are created. Sayings are screwed up and therefore replace the intended original saying. People who never run anywhere run as fast as they can for one day of the year. You see people you thought you knew in an entirely different light.

Then there is the actual game. If you haven't played in a while, you forget how awesome it feels to swing the bat and track down fly balls. To turn a double play like they do on TV. To dive for something.

The great Baldy Mountain climb!

Baldy Mountain is in the Duck Mountains, north of Dauphin. It is beautiful, and on July 4th I climbed it in a world record setting 5 minutes 58 seconds. Someone even added it to Wikipedia which is awesome. Here's the entire Wiki entry. 

Baldy Mountain is the highest peak in Manitoba. It is located in the Duck Mountain Provincial Park, northwest of Dauphin. It is 832 m (2,730 ft) tall, making it the highest mountain in the 563 km (350 mi) long Manitoba Escarpment. Winnipeg radio DJ Ace Burpee reported, live, to have run up Mount Baldy on July 4, 2011 in a time of 5 minutes 58 seconds.

We're lucky. We have a beautiful province. Check out the video and pics.

-- Ace Burpee / It's a Winnipeg Thing

Fishing rules. Period.

There are few things I like more than fishing. Period. The photo of me with the pike is from a couple of weeks ago, a great start to another great year of fishing.

I think fishing might be one of those activities that have a strong "totally in" or "totally out" aspect to it. That's cool. I get it. Not everything is for everyone. I also know what life is like on the other side. The side that thinks fishing might be the single greatest thing in the world. I'm well into my 30's, and I can't think of many things which get me so pumped that I can barely sleep the night before. So pumped you barely sleep, yet you still jump out of bed with more energy than you do any weekday after 8 solid hours. At some point in your life, that ability so get over the top excited about, well, anything really... just sort of fades. That's not good. Fishing still provides that for me, and I'm thankful I live where I do. The problem in this province is not finding a lake to fish, it's choosing one of the 100,000 lakes. There are literally hundreds of great options within a few hours of home, and catching fish once you arrive is never a problem.

From Crowduck to the Duck Mountains, from Little Limestone to Flintstone. LDB to LOTP. 100,000 options for awesome.

-- Ace Burpee / It's a Winnipeg Thing

In response to Carole re: her favourite thing about summer.

Carole posted the following to www.winnipegfreepress.com/ace.

"Summer means going to the cottage at Grand Marais with my parents. No TV or telephone just a radio. No electricity but kerosene lamps. Early to bed and early to rise. A morning walk to the Point along the lake."

Here’s what I like about Carole’s post: everything. Summer is not about plugging in, it’s about logging off. At home and in every day life, the world is always trying and buying things that are supposed to make life easier. It takes summer to realize that no TV, no electricity, no phones = bliss. I think we might have everything backwards. Great job Carole.

Cutting the grass: My favourite thing about summer.

The lakes, the festivals, the patios... all great features of summer in Manitoba. While a certain lake or one of a handful of festivals could easily end up taking top spot as Manitoba’s most iconic summer "thing", from this point forward I would like the following activity to be considered. Mowing the lawn. Yes. Cutting the grass. I’m on the panel that will decide the final list that goes to a vote... and I can guarantee you I will be throwing my support behind grass cutting.

I grew up in Cooks Creek, Manitoba. We had plenty of grass to cut. A yard on the farm is not a yard in St. Boniface. I also grew up without a riding lawn mower. We pushed. And walked. To mow the entire lawn at my home would take around 5 hours. Then, two days later... you’d do it all again. On top of my own lawn, I cut grass at various houses for miles around for a "living". (People in the country didn’t pay much for having their grass cut. Reason being was that if they were paying someone to cut their grass, it meant that they were too old to do it themselves. The rural elderly do not part with large sums of money. Ever.) For some that may seem like a real chore, but I think it honestly changed my life. Cutting the grass is the most peaceful, satisfying, and fruitful activity summer has to offer. There are no distractions, just the soothing hum of the mower and your thoughts. Every great idea I’ve ever come up with in my life came while cutting the grass. It’s where tough life decisions are pondered. Where you dream of the future. Where you remember the name of that song you couldn’t think of the other day, and where, when you’re 14 and in your first band, you come up with what you determine to be the greatest song ever written.

These days, finding moments totally free of distraction are rare. Even when you’re not working and just chilling out at home... you’ve got your laptop open, you’re logged into Facebook and Twitter, your Blackberry keeps beeping and for some reason there is no way we won’t check it. The TV is always on. It’s relentless. And it distracts you from all the great solitary thinking, planning, and dreaming time you get while cutting the grass.

On top of all that, there is the satisfaction of seeing a freshly cut lawn. Not all jobs come with the added bonus of actually SEEING what you have accomplished. Not only do I love mowing the lawn, I love mowing the lawn well. Perfectly. It looks exceptional, and is very satisfying. It also meant, 20 years ago, time to play. Time to take that feeling of freedom and inspiration built up while mowing and put it into action.

Gene Simmons has a key to the city? So does Shannen Doherty.

Judging by what I was reading yesterday, people were either upset, baffled, and even angry about Gene Simmons receiving a "Key to the City" of Winnipeg. I did some digging around for a list of those who have received a similar honour so I could compare if Gene was indeed worthy when compared to those who have previously received "The Key". (It used to be called the "Honorary Citizen Scroll". Same type of thing. The "Key" to the City is new-ish)

Joan Rivers (Honorary Citizen 1997) vs. Gene Simmons (2011)

From what I know about Joan Rivers she has a foul mouth and pokes fun at people’s clothes. Gene Simmons has a mouth featuring a long tongue and a fashion sense that includes huge boots and massive shoulder pads. Both wear roughly the same amount of make up. People find Joan Rivers funny, people think Kiss rocks. We’ll score this one a draw.

Shannen Doherty (Hon. Citizen 2002) vs. Gene Simmons (2011)

Last year I said Winnipeg would win a Stanley Cup before Vancouver.

I got the following e-mail on June 5th, when the Vancouver Canucks were up 2 games to 0 in the Stanley Cup finals.

Hey Ace

I remember you saying last year during the stanley cup playoffs that "Winnipeg would win the stnaley cup before Vancouver would". Hoiw’s that going? I hope you will man up and take it back. Look forward to hearing you eat your words. kevin.

Who wants my MPI rebate cheque?

I’m not kidding. It’s up for grabs. As is the rebate of the other investors in my MPI Rebate Cheque Investment Club.

Instead of blowing our windfall, we’ve decided to put it to work for us, and for Manitoba. We’re looking for ideas. Small businesses. Inventions. Something that inspires us. Something with potential. If you’ve got the idea, we’ll fork over our money and invest in you. In us. Think of this as a mini Dragon’s Den, just with a bit less money and a lot less humiliation. If it’s you, let me know and we’ll review your proposal.

***Update*** Great response so far. This actually is more of a hybrid Pepsi Refresh meets Dragon’s Den. The proposals so far are very diverse. Everything from inventions to help you walk two dogs at the same time - to food trucks, music programs, resources for seniors, arts programs in Kenya... and more. We might have to put it to a vote. So awesome. Keep ‘em coming. All ideas welcome.

E-mail me: ace@hot103.astral.com Twitter: twitter.com/aceburpeeshow

There is nothing worse than the funeral of a child.

I don’t ask for favours. Ever. I don’t really ask for anything for that matter. Thursday though is a different day. It’s the Children’s Hospital Foundation Radiothon. We’re raising money for a place we are very, very lucky to have. There’s not much, if anything, worse then an ailing child. The Children’s Hospital is a special place. They’re always there for your kids. No matter, no how. Below are some reasons to donate Thursday and support OUR Children’s Hospital.

1) Because you’ve never needed the Children’s Hospital. For every family who has had their life turned upside down by a sick child, there is another who may never need the services of our wonderful facility. Be thankful, know they’re there if you ever do need them, and give.

2) Because attending the funeral of a child is the worst thing in the world. A funeral is sad as it is. A brilliant teen with the world at his or her feet being mourned is even worse. Parents who never even had the chance to see their child ride a bike or go to school. Things that are generally a given in life. Give them a chance.

3) Because we have some of the most brilliant minds in the country reporting to work every day in our humble town of Winnipeg. Diseases change. Research needs to keep up. These people work hard, and could do so anywhere in the world. This is an investment in our future.

The Stanley Cup playoffs matter.

A few days ago I was lucky enough to take in an NHL playoff game. Not just any old game, but a Canadiens/Bruins game in Montreal. It was, well, much like I think I remember it being here. If there was ever a reminder about what the NHL brings to a city, this was mine.

To walk the streets of Montreal that afternoon or evening without some sort of visible Habs logo was to be in the minority. Not everyone was from the same place, but all were on the same team. All ages, all races, from places. Hipsters to corporate types. Kids through to grandparents. All united by a hockey team. Every other business had a Montreal Canadiens flag flying or one proudly displayed in their window. It didn’t matter if it was one of the big banks or a tiny convenience store. One city. One team. Inside the Bell Centre, it was like it looks on TV, but better. Not quite as loud as ‘96 Jets vs. Red Wings, but rocking all the same. The anthem alone made you want to suit up and try and make a difference. The crowd waiting for their moment to yell "Carey Price" in unison with the in-house announcer. Then came the goals. Strangers hugging and high-fiving each other. Massive disdain for a certain super tall Bruin. Dads with their little kids in full Habs face paint. Half the place yelling in French, the others in English. The collective panic coupled with hope and anticipation every time PK Subban went for a skate with the puck. There was the disgust at seeing the few who dared disgrace their building by wearing a Boston jersey. The heartbreak of losing in overtime. The silver lining and belief that it wasn’t over yet... and until that day comes, that there is always hope. I wouldn’t know what it’s like to have my favourite team actually win the Stanley Cup, but I remember how much the journey mattered. Turns out it’s still awesome.

Some social season silent auction advice.

It’s that time of year. Social season. And not just wedding social season. There are fundraising socials - and we’ll include the Bud, Spud and Steak in this - for all sorts of charity events and causes every weekend from now until the end of June. Assume everyone at your event has seen their share of silent auction items. That means it’s time to get creative. Here are some ideas, along with some general do’s and don’ts to help you out.

1) Word of advice, get someone young or least in the loop helping you out with prizes. Giving away a DVD player is not cool anymore and doesn’t generate any excitement. You may think an iPod will, until you find out it’s not the new iPod touch and nobody is interested in it.

2) To go with the above advice, electronics still work. Big time. It just has to be hot. Spend the cash and get an iPad 2 or a Blackberry Playbook. You’ll get that money back and more. That’s what people want. Even those that don’t really know what they’re for. It’s mob mentality.

3) Surprisingly, TV’s still work as well. Everyone at your event has a TV, but everyone at your event also wants more TV’s. Make sure it’s 3-D, flat screen, the works.

A few Jets questions…

This return of the Jets thing is, if nothing else, a trip down memory lane. It’s fun, for those of us that were there regularly, like re-living the best moments of your life. A few questions about their return:

1) Will they still come out on the ice to Van Halen’s "Jump"?

Doubt it, though the song is still as awesome as it was in the 90’s, so it would still work.

2) Will everyone still yell "shoot" whenever a puck is passed back to the point?

Which NHL team to cheer for?

If you are not yet on a bandwagon, and are looking for a random excuse to join one... here are some random reasons to cheer for the teams in the hunt for the Stanley Cup.

Buffalo - They have a kid named Nathan Gerbe. He scored 16 goals this past year. Not bad. Better though, when you learn he is all of 5 feet 5 inches tall. Knowing that height is usually rounded up on a players bio... he might actually be closer to 5 foot 4. It’s always fun to cheer for small dudes in a league where the average defenseman is 6 foot 2 and 210 pounds.

San Jose - Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue is from San Jose. He wrote Dr. Feelgood, Girls Girls Girls, Looks That Kill, and Kickstart My Heart. He almost died. And he’s nice. Or you can cheer for San Jose because it’s also the hometown of Screech from Saved By The Bell. Take your pick.

Pittsburgh - Arron Asham. From Portage La Prairie. He’s quietly now played in 692 NHL games played. He also has almost 900 penalty minutes. He knows what he’s doing. He also has a goal already, so he might be leading your playoff pool had you picked him.