Karen Blair
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karenblair.bsky.social
Karen Blair
@karenblair.bsky.social
2.8K followers 1K following 1.3K posts
Retired & recovering nonprofit & social justice warrior, still seeking better communities & moments of wonder. Ocean & trails lover.Trying to be hopeful about our planet, hard as it is. Like b'ball, tennis, St Mirren FC. Unama'ki/Cape Breton/Nova Scotia🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🇨🇦
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karenblair.bsky.social
A little torrential rain wasn't stopping the Cape Breton kiddos tonight. The candy force is strong. Still had well over 100 goblins, and ran out of candy by 7:15. Built tough here!
A drenched young girl dressed as a scientist in a white lab voat(Yay!) walks away holding a blue shopping bag full of Halloween candy. She passes between two cars on a tree-lined street corner as the pouring rain is highlighted by a car's headlights.
October 31, 2025 at 10:19 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
A glorious afternoon on the Louisburg Lighthouse Trail. And bonus - the harlequin ducks have returned.
A bright afternoon sun shone bed down on the gravel path of the Louisburg Lighthouse Coastal Trail. A man walks along the trail, with the ocean and rocky islands to his left, weather-beaten spruce trees to his right. A few clouds dot the sky.
October 24, 2025 at 8:33 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
Predawn light, Cape Dauphin.
Stunning hues of orange through purple are highlighted by the predawn light above the ocean . Small patches of light bluish clear sky poke through. In the foreground are silhouettes of spruce trees.
September 28, 2025 at 3:21 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
Well that was fun! The Pogues in Montreal. 40th anniversary tour of Rum, Sodomy and the Lash album. Best moments: random screams by various Pogues, and watching the accordion player play while lying on his back, and then getting back up effortlessly. Classic Pogues!
Lit up marquee outside the MTelus theatre in Montreal, with a picture of the three surviving members of Irish Celtic punk band The Pogues. "The Pogues, 12 Septembre 2025, 20h"
September 13, 2025 at 2:38 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
My T-shirt today.
Front of gray T-shirt, showing very frazzled looking black cartoon cat with blue eyes. Above the cat are the words, "It's fine. Below the cat are the sentences: "I'm fine. Everything is fine." The cat does not appear to be fine in the least.
September 7, 2025 at 10:18 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
Predawn light in Cape Dauphin. 5:30 am.
The dark outline of white spruce trees punctuates an ocean shore, where subtle shades of blue in the water contrast with the violet through red to orange and yellow hues of the predawn sky.
August 12, 2025 at 4:47 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
Charlie and Buddy send happy vibes greetings, from the depths of their doggie hearts.
Buddy the black lab and Charlie, the white black and brown beagle mix, share a cream coloured dog bed. Buddy appears to be lying on top of Charlie's lower body, but both appear to be comfortable.
June 18, 2025 at 5:36 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
Fresh bear scat a few hundred meters in on the Kluskap's Cave/Fairy Hole hiking trail in Cape Dauphin. (Cape Breton). Bears not typical for this particular area. Seems bear populations are growing in Cape Breton according to a number of bear sightings.
A pile of black bear scat lies in bright green grass with other small plants nearby. A black Adidas trail runner shoe us beside it for scale. The bear poop is comprised of about 25 black glistening oval clumps. Faint strands of grass are in the clumps.
June 10, 2025 at 9:59 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
Yup, the Englishtown Community Hall's Mussels and Music delivers again. Sooo fresh and delicious, harvested just down St Ann's Bay from the hall! The summer season begins.
A large portion of fresh Englishtown mussels in a cardboard container, served on top of red and white checkered paper.
June 7, 2025 at 10:07 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
Excellent head clearing on the Louisbourg Lighthouse trail this afternoon. What a day! And regardless of what we do, the tide goes out and comes in on a regular basis.
Dramatic seascape with ocean waves crashing on very large black jagged rocks . The white splashing waves contrast with the dark rocks, with deep blue water in the background. In the foreground are the gray and reddish rocks of the shoreline, beaten smooth by the action of the waves. Near Louisbourg, Cape Breton.
April 29, 2025 at 11:27 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
The Sydney-Glace Bay Conservative candidate Anna Manley saga, part two. She is not going to congratulate Liberal Mike Kelloway because he got his hair cut at a legendary barbershop in Whitney Pier on election day.
From Cape Breton Post: ... "Manley said she while she was"very pleased" with her campaign and proud of her team, she didn't intend to call Kelloway to congratulate him. "He's just not the type of person I care to know," she said when asked why. "In the middle of his campaign, in the middle of the last day of engaging with Cape Breton ETS, he chose to get a haircut. And someone who doesn't work right up until the last second is not the type of person that I'm interested in getting to know."
April 29, 2025 at 8:39 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
Giant cat at the back of an aircraft carrier stares down at the jet it has just knocked off the USS Harry Truman.
April 29, 2025 at 1:10 AM
karenblair.bsky.social
Aaand, election drink options for tonight! Both local brews and some non-alcoholic choices. Which ones will be chosen? Depends on our mood, my friends.
Cans of local craft brews shown on a fridge shelf. Pleasant Disposition East Coast IPA, Sunrise Trail Session Ale, Jamboree Strawberry and Guava Sour, Frig Off East Coast IPA and Puck Off Blonde Ale Cans of non-alcoholic beverages on a fridge shelf. Apple and Cranberry Fusion, Vintage Mule, Apple Burst Explosion and Blueberry Creme Soda
April 28, 2025 at 11:22 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
The election snacks have begun! Homemade apple raspberry galette with Chapman's frozen yogurt & maple syrup. Dear heavens, so good. New Brunswick Ketchup chips, Saskatchewan roasted fava beans, Ontario cheese & PEI wild blueberry and hot pepper spreads to come. Food for strength. Let's gooo!
Half of a homemade apple raspberry galette shown on a burgundy plate, topped with white vanilla frozen yogurt and drizzled with maple syrup. More featured election night snacks. From the left, a tub of Chapman's vanilla frozen yogurt, a bag of Covered Bridge Homestyle Ketchup chips, a small jar of Galloping Cows hot pepper spread, Castelli smoked havarti cheese, a bag of Three Farmers sweet chili roasted fave beans and a small jar of Galloping Cows wild blueberry spread. In front is the homemade apple raspberry galette.
April 28, 2025 at 11:15 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
Meanwhile, this was the 'front page' ad of the Cape Breton Post yesterday. Same for PEI Guardian.
Paid advertising of the entire front page of the Cape Breton Post newspaper on Saturday. Features prominent colour photos of Pierre Poilievre and text: Vote Conservative. Can you afford a fourth Liberal term, or do you want a new Conservative government FOR A CHANGE.
April 27, 2025 at 12:58 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
Have a chaser too, if my mood shifts.
A can of local Nova Scotia beer, 'Pleasant Disposition' IPA on a fridge shelf.
April 16, 2025 at 10:05 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
Hmm. What will be my beer of choice for election debate night? Leaning towards one of the first three.
Four cans of local Nova Scotian beer on the shelf of a fridge. From left to right: 'Frig Off' East Coast IPA, 'Conniption Fit's Organic Golden Ale, 'Puck Off' Blonde Ale and 'Pleasant Disposition ' IPA.
April 16, 2025 at 9:40 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
Good preparation is key.
Three cans of local Nova Scotian beer, named 'Frig Off' East Coast IPA, 'Conniption Fit's Organic Golden Ale and 'Puck Off' Blonde Ale.
April 16, 2025 at 9:22 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
Oscar, looking at me, wondering when I'll next be feeding him. It's been 5 unbearable minutes since his last meal. #Caturday
A gray, brown and black tabby cat with large yellow eyes looks expectantly at the camera, with his front paws resting on a red cushion. A bright window and bookshelf are in the background.
April 12, 2025 at 7:50 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
Oscar, getting long in the tooth at 11 human years, but persists in his neighbourhood watch duties. #Caturday
A gray, brown, black and white tabby cat perches atop a black leather loveseat, which gives him a good vantage point for observing birds in the front yard.
March 29, 2025 at 1:21 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
An expansive morning light, Cape Dauphin. #CapeBreton #NovaScotia #photography #landscape #seascape #sky #morning
A wide angle photo of a rocky seashore, with a calm ocean reflecting the morning sky. Boulders of varying sizes cover the shore and lead into the water at low tide. The two Bird Islands off of Cape Dauphin lie on the horizon, and a triangular cloud bank rises to their right. Peeping above the cloud bank is the bright glow of the sun. Wispy blue clouds in a bright blue sky rise above the islands and cloud bank. The photo arouses a very expansive feeling.
March 18, 2025 at 5:26 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
Think this picture from an shelf emptied of US products at a local Nova Scotia liquor store sums up the Canadian mood.
Picture from a NSLC store in Nova Scotia. On a shelf that used to have US liquor products, below the sign saying United States, sits a six pack of Nova Scotia craft beer. The beer is called Frig Off, a colourful east coast phrase used instead of F*** Off by many Atlantic Canadians. The beer is an Easy Coast IPA. The six pack box features a lighthouse. All US products have been removed from NS liquor outlets.
March 14, 2025 at 6:15 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
Been awhile since I last made sourdough pretzels. Soo good with Cape Breton Sweet Pear and Juniper sea salt.
Several golden brown homemade sourdough pretzels lie on parchment paper in a baking sheet. One is half eaten beside a jar of Cape Breton Sea Salt Company Sweet Pear and Juniper sea salt.
March 3, 2025 at 6:30 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
Come see us. Beautiful here in Cape Breton. The lovely Cabot Trail, a gorgeous drive.
A view along the eastern Coast of Cape Breton on the Cabot Trail. A shoreline of many headlands of high cliffs jutting into the Atlantic Ocean. They are highlighted in a late afternoon sunset, with orangey hues and dark wispy clouds.
February 27, 2025 at 9:09 PM
karenblair.bsky.social
My email to [email protected] and [email protected].
Text of email sent to CBC. I am a long-time CBC listener who is very disturbed by your decision to have the advertised simulcast Cross Country Checkup broadcast with NPR on the topic of "What do you think of Trump's comments about Canada becoming the 51st state?" To proceed with this broadcast is to put out the idea across Canada and the US that the annexation of Canada is a legitimate idea. I couldn't disagree more strongly with your decision to go to air with this. Moreover, to have Kevin O'Leary, who has openly advocated for Canada's annexation by the United States, as one of the featured guests, is to add to the normalization of this question. My grandfather fought at Vimy Ridge. My father is a WW2 vet who helped liberate the Netherlands. I am glad they are not alive to see the CBC platforming those who aim for our country to cease to exist. Please reconsider your decision to have this broadcast. Canadians are angry and outraged, and less apt to support the CBC when it does such ill-advised 'both-siding' without consideration of the grave situation our country faces.
February 23, 2025 at 5:03 PM