Disney+ has started to air a new series of Shorts revolving around the life of Dug, the adorable dog from the Pixar film UP, as he adjusts to his new master, Karl. Season One has five episodes with this collectible being based on Episode 2: Puppies.
The synopsis tells us that Dug learns that puppies are cute, but also a lot of work! And they want to play with your toys. That’s why I don’t have any children. I don’t want to share my toys! Fun is wasted on the young, am I right?
Eventually, Dug learns to share, and even gives the puppies a toy or two to take with them when they leave. But this vinyl figure depicts a moment when Dug was still hoping to keep his toys to himself. Hang onto that moment, Dug!
There are three Dug variants in this set. Dug & Squirrel is from Episode 1: Squirrel, and Dug with Medal is from Episode 3: Smell.
“I Can See You!”
Let’s have a closer look at the figure itself:
Have you ever had a favorite toy(s) and some youngster just keeps bugging you to play with it? Boy, can I relate!
I bought this for my wife as she is a big fan of Dug. And I must say, he is just so durn cute!
It’s all about the toys!
But ultimately it does become about sharing which is a nice little lesson for us all. Unless you don’t want to share your toys. In which case it just comes across as preachy and annoying. Or is that just me? Yeah, it’s probably just me.
I now own far too many of these little plastic thingies. If you want to see more of my collection, just type ‘Funko’ or ‘Pop!’ in the Search box.
And now I would like to end this post with some inspirational and wise words about toys from Dug himself: “Now Puppies, these are my toys. My very special toys for (me). They are not for you!” I could listen to this dog all day.
“No other archer was so good, and people called him Robin Hood.”
Booklet – 5″ x 7.5″
Like an arrow in the back, this little booklet struck me out of the blue! I love the heroes of ole literature like The Scarlet Pimpernel, Zorro, The Three Musketeers, and of course, Robin Hood. So when I saw this book purporting to have the story of the Merry Archer in fact and fancy, I just had to have it!
The booklet was produced by Linneys of Mansfield which is apparently in the heart of England’s Sherwood Forest, the legendary home of Robin Hood and his Merry Men. According to my research, a William Linney started a book shop in Mansfield about 170 years ago! Now the company is based in a 30-acre site in Mansfield, 20 minutes from the M1 and 25 minutes from the A1. It has developed into a sophisticated marketing services company. Wow! Full speed ahead, wot? You can check out their website here.
Our booklet appears to be a guide to the ‘events’ and places that provide the backdrop for feudal England.
First we have 7 pages of text explaining the legend of Robin Hood embellished with an image of a Major Oak tree and a line drawing of a buck.
The story of our adventurer is much as it has been portrayed in book and on film but with a bit more blood shed here. And the story doesn’t end with King Richard returning to pardon Robin and his men with a happy ending for all. The tale continues with King Richard dying, Robin being thrown in jail, escaping, becoming a fisherman, being attacked by pirates (?), who he mercilessly murders, and then he later becomes a very sick man. On his deathbed, he shoots an arrow through an open window and where it lands is where he is buried. This ending to his life was acted out by Sean Connery in the movie entitled Robin Hood and Maid Marion.
So much for fancy.
First, there was a legend
Next the booklet has 4 pages on the facts of the story of Robin Hood along with an image of the Edwinstowe Parish Church and a line drawing of Robin himself.
There is little to prove that Robin was a real man. But some sources claim he was real and was born in the town of Wakefield to a forester. Some documents seem to list a ‘Robin Hood’ as having received pay for services and a fine for unauthorized absence from this service.
Then, came the facts
So was he real? It is likely if he was, the stories we know today have been blown way out of proportion! But they’re fun, so who cares, right?
Ordnance Survey Map
Next we get 7 more pages describing Sherwood Forest then and now. This section has three images of pertinent places within the wood along with the survey map you see above.
Below begins a 15-page section describing many places of interest to the legends.
Where might he have been?
Numerous images show several Abbeys, Halls, and Castles, the most famous being Nottingham Castle (seen in the picture above).
This would have been a wonderful guide to have as you wandered through the modern Sherwood Forest. It would help one to imagine the times, people, and places of the legends, and perhaps spark thought as to just how true such legends are. I would give this a 5 Out of 5 Stars for it’s comprehensive coverage of the subject matter and the great images that provide perspective.
FUN FACTS: This booklet was sold for 2’6 in English currency. It appears that this is the designation for a Half Crown. This coin was equivalent to two shillings and sixpence. One shilling was equal to 12 pence, so two shillings plus 6 pence would be a total cost of 30 pence. Pence is the same as the North American penny, or cent, and prior to 1971, they were about equal in value. So in America, it would have cost 30 cents. I could be off on this but the bottom line is… it was cheap! The Half Crown was discontinued in 1970. In 1971, the British pound changed to 100 pence per pound from 240 pence per pound. So I’m confident to date this booklet to a time prior to 1970. Looking at the cover and the artwork, along with the publishers long history, I’d say a release date could be placed as early as the late 50s.
We know that Disney did both an animated and a live-action version of the tales of Robin Hood. You can see a Read-along Record of the animated version here, and a reference to the live-action version here by means of another Disney production called The Sword and the Rose.
The now infamous year of 2020 has come and gone but it did leave behind something positive in the form of the Disneyland 65th Anniversary. Although we didn’t get to celebrate it at the Park itself, we did get to commemorate it with specially branded merchandise.
One of my favorite examples was the Funko Pop! vinyl figure line.
The boxes stand out because of the sepia tone colouring. It makes the packaging seem more vintage and retro!
Right SideBackLeft Side
This series had five individual figures. But there was also a line with characters riding iconic opening day attractions. They were called Funko Minis and the one I have in my collection features Mickey Mouse riding the Matterhorn Bobsleds.
Are you ready to take a peek at the Captain?
I think I see a touch of Errol Flynn from his role as Captain Blood. Am I wrong?
Right SideBackLeft Side
Captain Hook is an imposing figure despite how he is portrayed in the film Peter Pan. Played more for laughs, he didn’t quite live up to his look.
Did you collect 65th Anniversary merchandise because you couldn’t get to the Disneyland Park during 2020?
I have one more figure from this series, namely one Mr. Toad , all wild-eyed and gaga for motor cars. You should check him out before he ends up in… well, you know: Down there!
At the time of this post there have been just two seasons of The Mandalorian. But what a ride it’s been! Pretty much everyone agrees that the show is one of the best Star Wars productions to date. So naturally, it has spawned a world of merchandise.
While at Winners the other day I noticed this little tin in the lineup for the cashiers. It was intended to be an impulse buy and I just couldn’t resist helping it fulfill its purpose! Maybe it was some Jedi mind manipulation?
Top of Tin Lid
No, I think it was this little guy’s cute face that sucked me in and opened my wallet. And at only $7.99 CAN plus tax it turned out to be the tin I didn’t know I was looking for.
Deal Me In!
The tin holds two unique and distinctive decks of playing cards. One features Concept Art from both seasons of the program and the other is exclusively devoted to Grogu, the Child.
Pick Your Deck
Each deck contains 52 different images, so there is a lot to look at and explore.
The Winning Hand
The Child deck has only four images that also have other characters in them. Otherwise, only the joker cards have him with another character:
Jokers Are Wild… and Dangerous!
My favorite deck is the Concept Art from Season One and Season Two. I always enjoyed the artwork at the end of the episodes, and these images on the cards seem to be a collection of that artwork.
Scenes from the End Credits
Whereas the images of Grogu are framed with the shape of his pod, the Concept Art is framed by angles lines, like they have been roughed out.
He’s No Joke
It’s a nice collectible for any Star Wars fan!
Bottom of Tin
So if you’re a Mandalorian fan and like to play cards, this is the Special Edition set for you!
At the time of this post, we are wrapping up our visit to Vancouver Island. We have driven from one end of the Island to the other (sort of) and seen many wonderful things!
And then there have been some strange and fun things. Like:
Squamish, BC
This big guy pops up in BC almost as much as the Sasquatch! It’s not hard to figure why when you consider that forestry is a major industry here.
Paul Bunyan
Paul Bunyan is a giant lumberjack and folk hero in American and Canadian folklore. His exploits revolve around the tall tales of his superhuman labors, such as chopping down ridiculous amounts of trees with just his trusty axe. And maybe digging the Grand Canyon. And creating mountains by pushing up rocks. You know, basic lumberjack stuff.
From a giant axe to a giant hockey stick, we move down the road to a common arena with a very uncommon façade:
Duncan, BC
This giant hockey stick was originally built in 1985 by the Canadian government as part of the Expo 86 World’s Fair. Made out of Douglas fir beams reinforced with steel, it is 62 metres long and weighs 28,118 kilograms. It is 40 times the size of a real hockey stick.
FromExpo ’86 in Vancouver
The stick and puck were donated to the province of British Columbia after Expo, and a contest was held to see where it would end up. Duncan, located on Vancouver Island, was selected, and the community raised $150,000 to dismantle the stick, transport it by truck and barge and erect it at the new site at the Cowichan Community Centre in 1988.
For more larger-than-life objects, check out my earlier post featuring the marvelous creations found back in Ontario at Primitive Designs. From dinosaurs to Transformers, you won’t believe your eyes!
I recently visited the Vancouver International Airport to drop off a relative for Departure to Ontario.
While waiting for him to be processed through Customs, I happened to notice a wonderful display of Disney collectibles!
Unfortunately, I was stuck on the other side of a glass barrier! At least I had Tim Horton’s to console me. So as I sat and sipped my coffee, I tried to take the best pictures I could from the distance away that I was.
First, I focused on Donald Duck:
These figures are all from the private collection of Ken Stephens. He purchased them mostly from garage sales and antique markets. He shares that the pieces date from the late 1920s to 2012.
Pluto also got good representation. The nice thing about putting together a collection like this is that the cost isn’t too much. Most of these items would be fairly cheep to buy initially. Of course, in time, their value would increase.
My favorite Disney character is Goofy, so I was stoked to see this nice display featuring nothing but him! I also enjoyed picking out the items that I had in my collection as well.
There was a Mickey Mouse case or two, but they were just too far away to get a good picture. If I had the time, I would have asked to be let into the area for a better look, but it was in the Departure walkway, so it is unlikely I would have been able to obtain permission.
This exhibit seems to have been at the airport since at least 2015 but it began in a different location. You can see even more photographs by checking out another bloggers post here.
“If it’s got wings, I can crash it!” – Launchpad McQuack
Launchpad is an anthropomorphic duck, and is one of the tallest and bulkiest characters in the Disneyverse. He dresses like an old-fashioned pilot, with a scarf, goggles, a helmet, baggy pants, boots designed for big, webbed feet, a belt, and a leather jacket. Tres Chic!
Launchpad is a pilot who was first introduced in Disney’s 1987-90 television series DuckTales as Scrooge McDuck’s pilot. He was later featured as Darkwing Duck’s sidekick. And it’s from this later show that I first ‘met’ the crash-prone Goofball. It was love at first collision, and so when I saw the Funko Mystery Minis box below, I just had to try for one of my favorite characters!
Who will I get?
Of all the possible characters from this particular series there were just two that I really wanted, and a couple of others I would have been satisfied with. As luck would have it, I got my Number Two choice! I have to admit, Darkwing Duck was my first choice. Sorry Launchpad!
Top of the Box
I like the images on the box and how they nicely represent the old shows from the Disney Channel. Although I am familiar with all of them, Darkwing Duck was the only one I watched regularly.
The Sides of the Box
Which would be your favorite?
Baloo and Scrooge McDuck would have been okay to get as well. But which character would have made you give out a little squeal upon opening?
Can he fix it?
Launchpad could crash anything that flew, but could he fix it afterwards? The answer must be ‘yes’, as he always seemed to have an airplane ready to go when needed!
The many sides of McQuack
These Minis are about 2″ tall and just cute as a button!
When asked (usually by my wife) just how many of these little vinyl figures do I need, the answer is always: “Just one more!”
Into every life a little weirdness must come. Wow, what a life I must lead! Today’s post contains a very unique Do-It-Yourself project that made it’s way into a Yard Sale and then onto my office desk.
At first I considered this to be a cup holder but upon closer scrutiny, I feel it’s more likely intended to be a pencil holder. I’ll tell you why in a moment:
Built for Two
Minnie is all smiles as she hugs two receptacles. The likeness is very good and the colour scheme is on model.
Gluey Goodness from Behind
This was likely done by a youngster for a school project or home activity. You can see from the extra dabs of glue that the fit and finish isn’t up to ‘Adult’ standards.
The crafty maker used two plastic water bottles for the receptacles which means that you can’t put water bottles or cans of pop into the openings as they are the same size. So that is why I feel it is meant for a desk with pencils and such.
Whatever the intentions, it is a cute little item, perfect for any Disney fan!
We are presently on Vancouver Island in beautiful British Columbia. Many are the attractions we have visited! And as I always say, you just never know where a Disney reference will surface.
Or as in this case, show up under foot:
This was found at the Miniature World attraction in Victoria. You can check out the website for a preview of the amazing miniature scenes they have created there. But as everyone else was focusing on the main displays, I was looking up… and down!
The nigh-infamous now-problematic non-consensual kissing scene is reproduced so those who are offended can walk all over it. Have at it!
The main scene above doesn’t look overly 3D in the picture but it was breathtaking in person. The carpet patch was directly in front of this display.
I’m always looking for interesting Disney things on my travels and also found an old Snow White kitchen sink at one Antique Mall I visited years ago. Take a look!
With a former quarry as a canvas, Jennie Butchart envisioned transforming the space into a beautiful garden haven, overflowing with lush greens and colourful blooms. Sounds reasonable. The result of her vision is The Gardens, which are still family run to this day. And I can confirm that they are indeed lush and beautiful!
Located at 800 Benvenuto Avenue in Brentwood Bay, this tourist destination is well worth the drive. It’s a bit of a jaunt from Victoria but doable for a day trip.
Open Year Round
It all started in 1904 when husband and wife, Robert and Jennie Butchart, moved to Vancouver Island from Ontario to build a cement plant on a rich limestone deposit at Tod Inlet. By 1912 the cement production had exhausted the limestone deposits, so Jennie envisioned a grand garden in its place. And the rest, as they say, is gardening history!
Butchart Gardens is made up of 55 acres of gardens with some 900 bedding plant varieties and 26 greenhouses. It takes up to 50 full-time gardeners to keep everything weeded and looking presentable. If you plan to visit, I dare you to try to take a bad picture! It can’t be done.
It can be a bit confusing…
When looked at from a bird’s eye view, one can see how spread out the gardens are. I found it a bit hard to make my way around, getting lost more than once, wondering which route I was supposed to take to get to the next viewing area. But that wasn’t a trial as there was always something good to look at no matter where you found yourself!
Ross Fountain in the Quarry
The first area to be completed was the old quarry itself, which became the Sunken Gardens. You have to walk down some stairs to get to it, but the exercise is worth it, which I believe the video above proves nicely!
But what would a post on one of the most renowned gardens in the world be without some pictures of flowers? So, enjoy:
Nice little touches can be found in every nook and cranny of the site, like this wonderful Water Wheel feature that is near the front entrance, by the Gift Shop:
Water Wheel
As mentioned, there is the obligatory Gift Shop, but it is quite expansive and interesting in its own right. You can also get some basic snacks and drinks.
Posing with the Quarry behind us
Due to the pandemic, some features of the Gardens aren’t functioning, like the old London Bus tour and the boat tour. Hopefully these will return soon.
Admission prices fluctuate depending on the season. Expect to pay between $24.00 – $36.00 CAN for adults (18+), between $12.00 – $18.00 CAN for youths (13-17), and $2.00 or $3.00 CAN for children (5-12). Hours of operation are roughly between 9am and 4pm.
As far as attractions go, you won’t find a better one! I would give Butchart Gardens a solid 5 Out of 5Stars all day long.
You can visit the Official Website here, and check out my other post on this attraction, where I give my review of the job the Imagineers of Disney did with the Canadian Pavilion at EPCOT, which contains an homage to, you guessed it: Butchart Gardens!
FOOTNOTE: To make the trip to Butchart Gardens even more eventful, you may want to add a visit to the Victoria Butterfly Gardens found at Benvenuto Avenue, so on the same street. You can’t miss it! It also has an Insectarium. Yup. One of those. And thousands of tropical butterflies (up to 70 species) fly through the large facility as they share the space with poison dart frogs, tortoises, large iguanas, flamingos, tropical ducks, free flying tropical birds and more.
Ants in the Insectarium
Your jungle adventure awaits! However, at $17.00 CAN per adult, you may want to wait until a butterfly finds your own garden at home. If you’re interested, I’d only give this attraction a 3.5 Out of 5Stars due to the limited offerings available. Worth doing once, but perhaps not again.
Disleelandia 