Blair Mahaffy

@blairmahaffy

Living in the Boreal Forest of Manitoba developing software, playing guitar, taking photos, sailing, curling, riding horses. Green Party Candidate Provencher (federal) and Lac du Bonnet (MB). My photos: CC - Share Alike

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Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· 15d

I had a visitor at work today. A Fritillary of some sort - perhaps an Aphoridte but I am no expert - hanging out in our false sunflower patch.

Head on photo of a medium sized orange and black butterfly sitting on a yellow flower with a yellow centre (like a daisy but yellow). The butterfly and flower are in part shade with leaves in the background.

Photo of a medium sized orange butterfly with black markings sitting on a yellow flower with a yellow centre. The shot is in full sun with a large spruce tree in the near background.

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· 19d

A Chalk-fronted Corporal posing for me on the Onishkatoon Gwaykaadiziwin trail in the Whiteshell Provincial Park. #nature #photography #dragonfly

The chalk-fronted corporal is a medium size dragonfly. The wings are mostly clear with a tinge of brown at the ends. The tail is short and wide and is chalky white close to the wings. The thorax has two wide chalk white bands on its otherwise black back. It is sitting on some white granite that has small black veins running through it.

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· 20d

Pale Corydalis or Harlequin Flower taken on the Onishkatoon Gwaykaadiziwin trail. This tiny flower (about 5mm?) is pretty plentiful in clearings around the Boreal Forest. But it is small so you might miss it.

A bunch of 5 or 6 small flowers hanging off a green stem. They are elongated pink ovals (maybe like a pitcher hanging down) with frilly yellow ends at the bottom opening.

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· 21d

Saw this beauty (or beauties) - an orange-belted Bumblebee on a Bull Thistle on the Onishkatoon Gwaykadiziwin hiking trail at Falcon Lake Manitoba. The pollen on the bee is amazing. #photography

A bumble bee with an orange stripe in the middle of the yellow on its body, It is looking around the top of a bright purple thistle. The bee has spots of white pollen on its legs, head, and wings.

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Jan 17

The NYT Spelling Bee game has sparked a trend of using the words each day to craft a poem. This brilliant work showed up today and I figure it should not get lost in the NYT comment section.

When in the Course of human events
Things are happening
It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood the intent seems malefic
We hold these truths to be self-evident it's all too facile
I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you cafés areclosed
Won't you be my neighbor? that all men are created equal we are advised stay calm
Please won't you be my neighbor? camellias rose lilies where she fell certain unalienable Rights cells detention centers
Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness mace and tear gas
I've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you facial recognition
That to secure these rights so easily effaced
Governments are instituted bruises lilac ebon yellow green Would you be mine? Could you be mine? deriving from the consent of the governed malice aforethought
when Government becomes destructive of these ends
O people do not be mice
Won't you please, Won't you please?
Bee words Jan 16 cafe calm camellia cell efface face facial

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Sep 18

From the Free Press this morning. There have been similar problems trying to get a doc in the South Whiteshell - red tape at every step, though there are doctors willing to serve. Crazy when we are so short on doctors. Let's help get Dr Elgadi to work. The GoFundMe is here: gofund.me/4702cb7ee

Headline saying

Just show me, how can I do this? ER doctor in Ukraine, Libya stymied by costs of medical licensing process here

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Aug 1

Got this from our CPC MP Ted Falk today: Mr. Falk doesn't appear to have experience with EVs, but doesn't mind spreading misinformation on behalf of the O&G industry. While we breathe climate-change fuelled forest fire smoke all spring and summer.

A photo of a mailer from Ted Falk, Member of Parliament for Provencher (in SE Manitoba) discussing ending the 2035 mandate for the end of sales of new ICE vehicles.

The following text is highlighted by me: "understanding that colder regions like Manitoba and long distances make an EV option impractical"

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Jul 30

The costs are going up and are going to keep going up. While our leaders talk about new pipelines and new wells. Mention it. Mention it until people understand how serious this is. We must not keep voting for an unsustainable future. www.nationalobserver.com/2025/07/29/n...

Screen capture of National Observer headline about Canada's insurers launching an ad blitz as premiums soar. They are investing in ads about worsening severe weather - without mentioning climate change

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Jul 19

The smoke hurts my eyes. And my heart. I wrote some words. #climateweirding #climatechange #environment #WabKinew #MarkCarney greenpartyprovencher.ca/we-must-not-...

Cedar and spruce treas in the foreground with at the shore of the lake - the far shore completely obscured by smoke.

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Jun 16

Just a tiny reminder of the abundance of beauty in our world. A starflower (Lysimachia borealis) in my backyard in the boreal forest. A rare 7 petal flower (Most commonly 7. They can have from 5 to 10) and only about 1.5cm across.

Close up of a starflower starflower (Lysimachia borealis). Seven delicate white petals - a bit sparkly in the sunlight, with seven yellow pollen covered stamens. Green leaves in the background.

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Jun 2

You are not. I made this graphic an hour or so ago, because, yeah. I was evacuated for two weeks, we are back home now, but we are choking on smoke.

Map from firesmoke.ca showing Canadian Prairies covered in smoke with Canadian Press headline "Carney discusses "partnerships" with oil and gas executives in Calgary" superimposed on top.

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Jun 2

I thought this headline could use a little context. The background photo is from firesmoke.ca.

A map from firesmoke.ca showing almost the entire Canadian prairies covered in dense smoke from forest fires. Overlaid is the headling "Carney discusses "partnerships" with oil and gas executive in Calgary"

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Apr 28

Strategic voting, Preston Manning, and real electoral reform.

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Apr 17

And again, in Nanaimo Ladysmith, a truly possible strategic vote here where a strategic vote for Paul Manly makes a lot of sense.

Same bar chart: 30% CPC, 27% Green, 24% Liberal, 18% NDP, 2% PPC. Strategic Vote Green candidate for Paul Manly

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Apr 17

This is a strategic vote in the Winnipeg riding of Kildonan-St Paul. I guess SmartVoting is trying to tell us this with "Active Vote Split" in the top right corner. I argue that there is no strategic vote if there is no mathematical path.

Similar bar chart: CPC 45%, Liberal 44%, NDP 10%, PPC 1%

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Apr 17

While I appreciate what SmartVoting.ca is trying to do here, a vote for the Liberals in this Provencher is NOT a strategic vote. There is no mathematical path to a win for the Liberals even IF all the non-CPC parties were to vote Liberal. Know the numbers. Vote your values.

Bar graph showing CPC at 53%, Liberal at %35, NDP 6%, PPC 3%, Green 3%. Text at left shows Incumbent Ted Falk CPC, Trending Ted Falk CPC, Strategic Vote Liberal Trever Kirczenow. The text "Not a" has been added above the strategic vote text.

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Apr 12

I spent a bit of time yesterday in Steinbach knocking on doors. I had a couple of conversations about improving our electoral system through proportional representation and reducing the voting age to 16.

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Apr 7

I'm not using traditional signs: if you want to support me, cut a circle out of green poster board. Put on your window or on a tree in your yard. Pin a small one on a jacket. The new Green branding can be kinda fun from a minimal consumption point of view. greenpartyprovencher.ca/the-signs-of...

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Mar 31

A lovely day to get out and meet some constituents in Provencher.

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Feb 9

Another beautiful day leading a trail ride through the Boreal Forest. So grateful to be able to enjoy this special place. #Whiteshell #Horse #Borealforest

A selfie of me with two horseback riders in the background. One righting a Bay, the other a paint. I've got snow all over me.

Looking over the mane and ears of a Sorel horse riding down a snow covered trail in a spruce and fir forest.

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Feb 1

Dot and I had a lovely time today helping take some nice folks out on a trail ride in the snow. I feel so much gratitude to be living in such a beautiful place.

The view sitting on a horse's back of a trail through a snow covered forest. The horse is a paint with brown, white, and black patches. The black horse in front has snow all over their back.

A close view from a horse's back while riding on a trail through a snow covered forest. Her mane is black, white, and brown. Her ears are perked up listening to the sides. There is fresh snow in her mane and the back of the horse in front is thick with fresh snow.

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Jan 13

A chilly -25C morning in the Boreal Forest in SE Manitoba. What a treat to see these two outside my window this morning. #photography #wildlife #Whiteshell

Two blue jays sitting side by side on a branch. They are all puffed up to keep warm. There is a bit of frost around their eyes.

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Jan 12

A fine day for a little bareback riding in the Boreal Forest. Best heated seats ever.

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Nov 24

I didn't know I needed a tool that spells my name in geography images but here it is. landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/apps/YourNam...

The name "blair" spelled out in geographic forms. b is a small loop on a river in a bright green flood plain in Arkansas. L is an L shaped cultivated field outside Regina, SK. A is a lake in Azerbaijan. i is a volcano flow in an ice field in Iceland, and r is a mountain valley in Italy

Blair Mahaffy@blairmahaffy· Nov 22

A cute little fungi from my hike a couple of weeks ago on the Bear Lake Trail in the #Whiteshell Provincial Park.