Saturday 28 November 2015

Saturday afternoon at Leacock

I have been quiet - cannot decide whether to continue with the western tour or return to Knossos and the
May tour - any suggestions?

Went out late this afternoon to watch the lighting change over Leacock Museum. Looked at the remains of the last snow:


Looked back at our place:

Looked out toward the north east:


I took some 55 images but no real inspirational ones.

wob

Monday 23 November 2015

Diary of a Demented Snow Sniveler

The following appeared some years ago. And if the 22 November is any guide this is already an example of global warming over taking an historical story. (The Great Lakes are too warm and are evapourating and the West Wind doth blow and we shall ahve snow ... )


December 8- 6:00 PM
It started to snow. The first snow of the season and
the wife and I took our cocktails and sat for hours by
the window watching the huge soft flakes drift down
from heaven. It looked like a Grandma Moses print. So
romantic we felt like newlyweds again. I love snow!

December 9
We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow
covering every inch of the landscape. What a fantastic
sight! Can there be a more lovely place in the whole
world? Moving here was the best idea I've ever had!

Shoveled for the first time in years and felt like a
boy again. I did both our driveway and the sidewalks.
This afternoon the snowplow came along and covered
up the sidewalks and closed in the driveway, so I got
to shovel again. What a perfect life!

December 12
The sun has melted all our lovely snow. Such a
disappointment! My neighbor tells me not to worry-
We'll definitely have a white Christmas. No snow on
Christmas would be awful! Bob says we'll have so much
snow by the end of winter, that I'll never want to see
snow again. I don't think that's possible. Bob is such
a nice man, I'm glad he's our neighbor.

December 14
Snow, lovely snow! 8 inches last night. The
temperature dropped to -20. The cold makes everything
sparkle so. The wind took my breath away, but I warmed
up by shoveling the driveway and sidewalks. This is the
life! The snowplow came back this afternoon and
buried everything again. I didn't realize I would have to
do quite this much shoveling, but I'll certainly get back in
shape this way. I wish I wouldn't huff and puff so.

December 15
20 inches forecast. Sold my van and bought a 4x4
Blazer. Bought snow tires for the wife's car and 2
extra shovels. Stocked the freezer. The wife wants
a wood stove in case the electricity goes out. I think
that's silly. We aren't in Alaska, after all.

December 16
Ice storm this morning. Fell on my ass on the ice in
the driveway putting down salt. Hurt like hell. The
Wife laughed for an hour, which I think was very
cruel.

December 17
Still way below freezing. Roads are too icy to go
anywhere. Electricity was off for 5 hours. I had to
pile the blankets on to stay warm. Nothing to do but
stare at the wife and try not to irritate her. Guess I
should've bought a wood stove, but won't admit it to
her. God I hate it when she's right. I can't believe
I'm freezing to death in my own livingroom.

December 20
Electricity is back on, but had another 14 inches of
the damn stuff last night. More shoveling! Took all
day. The damn snowplow came by twice.
Tried to find a neighbor kid to shovel, but they said
they're too busy playing hockey. I think they're
lying.
Called the only hardware store around to see about
buying a snow blower and they're out. Might have
another shipment in March. I think they're lying. Bob
says I have to shovel or the city will have it done
and bill me. I think he's lying.

December 22
Bob was right about a white Christmas because 13 more
inches of the white **** fell today, and it's so cold,
it probably won't melt till August. Took me 45 minutes
to get all dressed up to go out to shovel and then I
had to piss. By the time I got undressed, pissed and
dressed again. I was too tired to shovel. Tried to
hire Bob who has a plow on his truck for the rest of
the winter, but he says he's too busy. I think the
******* is lying.

December 23
Only 2 inches of snow today. And it warmed up to 0.
The wife wanted me to decorate the front of the house
this morning. What is she, nuts?!!
Why didn't she tell me to do that a month ago? She
says she did, but I think she's lying.

December 24
6 inches - Snow packed so hard by snowplow, I broke
the shovel. Thought I was having a heart attack. If I
ever catch the son of a ***** who drives that snow
plow, I'll drag him through the snow by his balls and
beat him to death with my broken shovel. I know he
hides around the corner and waits for me to finish
shoveling and then he comes down the street at a 100
miles an hour and throws snow all over where I've just
been! Tonight the wife wanted me to sing Christmas
Carols with her and open our presents, but I was too
busy watching for the damn snowplow.

December 25
Merry f---ing Christmas! 20 more inches of the damn
slop tonight - Snowed in .
The idea of shoveling makes my blood boil. God, I hate
the snow!
Then the snowplow driver came by asking for a donation
and I hit him over the head with my shovel. The wife
says I have a bad attitude. I think she's a fricking
idiot. If I have to watch "It's A Wonderful Life" one
more time, I'm going to stuff her into the microwave.

December 26
Still snowed in. Why the hell did I ever move here? It
was all HER idea.
She's really getting on my nerves.

December 27
Temperature dropped to -30 and the pipes froze;
plumber came after 14 hours of waiting for him, he
only charged me $1,400 to replace all my pipes.

December 28
Warmed up to above -20. Still snowed in. The ***** is
driving me crazy!!!

December 29
10 more inches. Bob says I have to shovel the roof or
it could cave in. That's the silliest thing I ever heard.
How dumb does he think I am?

December 30
Roof caved in. I beat up the snow plow driver, and now
he is suing me for a million dollars, not only for the
beating I gave him, but also for trying to shove the
broken snow shovel up his ass. The wife went home to
her mother.
Nine more inches predicted.

December 31
I set fire to what's left of the house. No more
shoveling.

January 8
Feel so good. I just love those little white pills
they keep giving me. Why am I tied to the bed?

This is a story, remember. However, I do wonder. I do not expect the snow to dissappear until after March 21, 2016

Monday - sunny


Now go to the first blog on Sunday Nov 22 for a comparison!

Next 2 details at the right edge - the terrace and Tudhope Park:


And why I was at great personal risk to get those shots:



But I think it was worth it:

Have a great week,

W O B

Sunday 22 November 2015

I think I want to return to hibernation

This was noonish.






I named the photos in an inappropriate manner.

Sunday morning awakening

Vicki and I were in snow a week ago Friday in Killarney but today it reached us in Orillia:


The long portage has begun:



There are advantages to condo living - no grass to cut, no snow to shovel, but afternoon tea is cold!


W O B

Wednesday 11 November 2015

Forgive - yes, but let us remember

I am back from the Rememberance Day Service at Soldiers Memorial Hospital. I was just struck by a memory from May in Turkey: Florence Nightingale
- nurse, war, born in Italy, died in England. What's so civil about war?

I think we need better balance. A little boy gave me the Medicine Wheel
on Halloween; all Saints Day is November 1.





Cenotaph






Wreath laying:


Afterwards:


There were ocassional drops of rain:



However, there were no muddy trenches, lest we forget:



wob

Lest "we" forget ...

Today is Remembrance Day
Last week had Volkstrauertag
(France invaded Germany from 1794 to 1814)

And we remember:


And their missing women

("We" Europeans invaded North America in 1492.)

And after living in Germany for nearly 40 years I am sensitive to my cohort of German friends whose parents lived with the Gestapo
- in the name of national security!
And how will our children look back on C-51?
Will they see it as Anti-terrorism Act, 2015?

In Flanders Fields

The following photos are from the battle fields of 1944-1945 in Germany - lest we forget:





Monday 9 November 2015

Beautiful November Day in Scout Valley

In some places on earth one has to look very hard to see the seasons change. And not all changes are the same. For example, the wet season, or the dry season. Maybe you think of Autumn as already winter?



???

Do you? 

 I look to the trees to find my way about:

 And then the Road:





And Autumn also reveals the renewal of Spring_



Saturday 7 November 2015

South Shore of Lake Louise - from Wed Nov 4 entry

It is easy to see - even I can see it! - I do get diverted. Sometimes there is energy to be gained by the interruption and sometimes you and I get lost and circle like migrating cranes looking for direction.

South shore.


That is it - except for the colourful detail - also a rainbow of time if not of light.
I hope you can see enough features now to follow the increased detail.







A few 10s of meters along the shore and there is a significant parallax.

I also looked along the sky  line toward Fairview Mountain:













W O B