Kids and parents braving virus

Halloween is O.K. in southwestern Ontario in the eyes of both the municipal and the provincial governments. It is not such an easy slam dunk for a lot of parents and their children. I'm amazed that we are getting any Halloween trick-or-treaters at all this year, but we are.

These two little ones are new to our court and have so looked forward to Halloween. Their parents are taking them on a limited run about the court and going a short distance down the street itself. To put everyone at ease, my wife is using tongs to hand out the candy and chips. And, of course, she pulls on a mask immediately before opening the door.

Halloween school bus ride was special

 

School buses, almost unknown in the city when I was a boy, are seen almost everywhere today. Every morning and every afternoon hundreds of buses fan out over the city picking up and dropping off students. I think we walked more when I was a boy.

Today the ride home was different, one might even say special. The bus driver had Halloween treats for every child and the inside of the bus was very simply decorated. A school bus must be safe inside -- just in case. 

The children were delighted. Kids who were regularly picked up at the school by their parents, took the bus home Friday. The driver was prepared for the extra riders. No one was disappointed.

What does RIP mean, gug?

"What does RIP mean, gug?" My granddaughters were curious about the meaning of the three letters appearing on many Halloween displays in the neighbourhood.

It means "rest in peace," I said. It is a pleasant wish that the deceased will find tranquility in the afterlife. "Oh," the little  girls replied quietly.

I don't think it had ever occurred to the little girls that one could be anything other than tranquil after death, very, very tranquil.

We may have to have a little talk. The oldest one didn't sleep all that well last night. 

Ghosts and cemeteries adorn Canadian homes

 When ghosts and cemeteries adorn Canadian homes, it can only mean one thing: Halloween.

Have Halloween lighting displays appeared in your neighbourhood?

 

In the daytime this display not so great but at night these Halloween lights add colour to the neighbourhood. It was not until the 1960s that large numbers of folk began the tradition of stringing rows of small, coloured electric lights along the eaves of the home. The practice caught on and today's LEDs are both efficient and inexpensive.

Now, the practice of stringing small electric lights on bushes, trees and eaves around the home is beginning to show signs of becoming a Halloween tradition as well as more and more homes are illuminated at night.

Some kids like simple decorations light on the horror

  

On Halloween night, follow the white cats to the front door of this home to be rewarded with some candy and chips. 

My granddaughters are not fond of the homes decorated with fake body parts and oodles of simulated red blood. But a couple of white cat cutouts stop the two little girls in their tracks. The cats say fun. The other displays leave the two kids feeling uneasy.

Isla loves the googly eyed door

Folks seem to think that ugly scenes of death in someway celebrate Halloween. It wasn't like that when I was a boy. These googly eyes spotted by my youngest granddaughter are a bit of a throwback to those times now somewhat faded but clearly not gone. The googly eyes on the door attest to that. Simple silliness with no dark side still has followers.

Isla saw these eyes from our car as we drove past on our way home. She dragged me back to get this picture. And she was awfully happy to have gug get the shot and to share it on the Internet. 

I'll another shot or two from our walk in the coming days.

Cheers and stay healthy! 

A warm fall day to celebrate

 

Some days are too nice to stay inside and today was one of those day. A perfect fall day. Warm but not humid, breezy but not windy, and all-in-all just plain inviting.

And so a very happy seven-year-old hit the street skipping and laughing as she headed off to inspect the Halloween lawn decorations to be found all about her grandparent's neighbourhood.

At Halloween skulls are decorations

 

It's Halloween and skulls are popping up like mushrooms in neighbourhood lawns. With COVID-19 still raging, I was concerned most folk would pass this year on Halloween. Nope. The decorations are out and the number of displays is growing daily. I'm thinking lots of kids will hit the streets for trick or treating and virus be damned!

No raspberries to be seen thanks to the squirrel

 

If you don't see the red of ripe raspberries, thank the squirrel. 

My granddaughters love picking the ripe raspberries and by this time of year the bushes are loaded. Well, this year the low hanging fruit has been spoken for by our neighbourhood black squirrel.

Oh well, the kids are generous and after a little thought have decided they don't mind sharing the bounty.

Location is not just important in real estate

 

I ran a photo of this scene yesterday. After shooting yesterday's image, I began walking back to my car and noticed a second picture. It was arguably a better shot than the first.

What grabbed my attention was the way the three bushes, viewed from this new angle, lent themselves to a cropping accenting the three distinctive falls colours. 

The lighting shifted with the changing location. I liked the change. The leaves had more of a glow with the light coming through the leaves rather than being simply reflected.

To force the three bushes to appear visually close, a longish lens was used and a slow shutter speed was teamed with a small aperture. Doing this maximized depth of field, keeping all three bushes in tight focus.

And so, in the interest of accenting the medium, photography, forgive me but I'm running a second image from yesterday's shoot.

Burning Bush is well named

 

My wife calls this a Fire Bush. I believe it may actually be a Burning Bush. Whatever is correct, it is spectacular in the fall. I have three of these and did not realize that my trimming was what was keeping them small and bush like. Let them grow wild and they become veritable trees. 

There may be a Halloween Inspite of COVID-19

Many folk are wondering how we will handle Halloween this year. As decorations appear everywhere throughout the neighbourhood, it is looking more and more like folk are going to celebrate. Guidance has been promised by both the municipal and provincial governments. My grandkids want to go out trick and treating but their mother has doubts. "Mom's overly protective," according to the kids.

iPads are also for homework in COVID era

iPads were once mostly for fun. Today, in an era so coloured by the presence or threat of COVID-19, iPads are now for school, for doing homework, for learning. But as soon as the educating wraps up, the games come out.

Flu shots in the time of COVID-19

 

It's flu shot time. Our doctor put two shots of high dose flu vaccine with four times as many antigens than a regular flu shot aside for us, Many believe the more complex flu shot is a better option for seniors.Why? In a word COVID-19.

And speaking of COVID-19. The nurses giving the shots parked themselves in the lot outside the doctor's office and gave the shots to those arriving for the shots while they were still sitting in their cars. This was done to eliminate having patients from all over the area packed into a small waiting room. 

A vaccine for the present corona virus cannot come soon enough.

Traffic jams quickly and backs up a long way

 It is amazing how quickly traffic backs up and how long the lines extend back from the site of an accident. Roads like Wonderland Road South are especially bad as there are no other streets to carry the traffic thanks to the presence of the river.

I wish I could say this happens rarely but it happens all too often. It was promised that the red-light cameras would cut the number of accidents at Wonderland Road South at Springbank Drive but one wonders if they cameras have performed as promised.

Cameras don't prevent all accidents

 

The London intersections with the highest number of accidents are monitored by red-light cameras. Run the light and receive a ticket in the mail. Was this accident caused by a car running a red? No idea. But clearly this intersection just suffered another accident despite the presence of the cameras.

I've wondered if the cameras can, at times, cause accidents. I admit that when there are cameras mounted around an intersection, I find my self somewhat distracted. I'm thinking about cameras and not driving. When I googled this question I discovered many researchers believe that red light cameras may not make intersections safer.

Scientific American reports that fear of fines may fuel more sudden stops and rear-end collisions.

Television towers are not what they once were

 

When I was a boy there were tall television broadcasting towers all over the province. Every TV had a pair of rabbit ears sitting on top to pick the television signal out of the air. It was not uncommon to jump up, go to the television and turn the rabbit ears to improve the reception, lessen the "snow." Often it was not possible to get completely rid of the snow, especially if the channel was a distant one.

I've noticed these towers are disappearing. One of the towers in town, there were two, had its top chopped and its height reduced. The other tower is still standing on the edge of town but its presence is under pressure.

When I started thinking about this, I googled the topic and discovered a piece posing the question: Will Television Disappear in the Years to Come? According to the linked article many rural Americans have seen most or all their over-the-air stations disappear." 

Television, paid for by advertising, pulled for free from the air has been minimalized by the advent of cable. I can see the day the towers, left with no use, will be removed. The sight of these towers will be relegated to memory along with other sights once so common. Need an example? Think of the smoke on the horizon left by a passing coal burning steam engine.

Sumac spectacular in fall

 

Many species of sumac boast striking red-leaf displays in the fall but some sumac turn bright yellow and others a deep but rich orange. Every fall, I watch for the moment the sumac changes. I find the brilliantly coloured stands breath taking.

The Forest City

There are those who argue that London is no longer the Forest City. From where I sit on Lookout  Court in southwest London, in the former Byron community, The Forest City seems a perfect moniker for our town.

According to the London St. Thomas Association of Realtors, 

London received its nickname of The Forest City from the British Government to poke fun at Governor Simcoe, as he envisioned a prominent, prosperous city at The Forks of the Thames, when it was only a time village carved out of the centre of a forest. Since then, London has prospered and continues to live up to the name "The Forest City" by caring for, continually planting and respecting the history of its trees.

Vine covered barrier lush and colourful

 

The new cars sit in the corner of the new car lot in front of a high wall of lush, colourful foliage. The red leaves are sumac and the nearby green and yellow leaves tumbling downward waterfall-like are a vine the I don't recognize. The thick foliage not only looks beautiful but it also muffles the loud rumble of the Canadian National Railway freight trains that pass regularly through the city.

Is this native or invasive?

 

I thought the tall grass was an invasive grass that has been spotted flourishing not only across the province but throughout North America. I may be wrong. This may actually be a stand of native phragmites. Both plants grow in the wet soil at the bottom of the ditches found beside provincial roadways.

The best ending to a day at school

 

An amazing number of children take a bright yellow bus to school in the morning and to return home in the afternoon. When I was a boy, I never saw a school bus in the city. Still, there are children who are walked to and from school each day. Maybe mom doesn't work. Maybe with COVID-19 mom is working from home and can take a break to walk over to the neighbourhood school. Whatever the reason, I'm sure the best ending to a school day is walking hand-in-hand home from school with mom.

Cooper's Hawk visits backyard

My youngest granddaughter was excited. Gug, get a camera! There's a big bird on the  fence in the backyard. Come quick, Gug!

It was a Cooper's Hawk also known as the chicken hawk of Colonial America. Small birds and little mammals are often on the menu. The large fields growing wild in today's environmentally conscious cities provide a chicken hawk with lots of opportunity to snag a meal.

This is the first chicken hawk that Isla has seen in our backyard but it won't be the last. This worried my wife but Isla set her mind at ease. I know what is worrying you, grandma, but relax. It is all part of the food chain.

Eat carefully, take your meds and keep your fingers crossed

 

My nephew is not fifty-years-old. But the other day he had a heart attack. Is he overweight? No. Does he not get enough exercise. Hell no! Then why? Genes. He has bad genes. His grandfather died from a heart attack and two of his grandfather's brothers died from heart as well: one at only 39 and the other in his early 40s.

Canadians are lucky. We have good health care with which to deal with medical emergencies. As soon as the doctors had his heart stabilized, my nephew had two stents inserted into his plugged arteries. He was then put on some drugs to fight the future build-up of plaque. 

As his uncle with the same family history, I have a good idea what his doctors are going to ask him to do. Watch the diet. Slash the amount of cholesterol consumed.

Our bodies make most of the cholesterol found in our blood. Only about 20% comes from the food we eat. For that reason statins are often prescribed to those who arteries are plugging. Statins help to block the body's production of cholesterol. 

So, why watch one's diet? Why cutback on the cholesterol we consume? Simple: with healthy folk, the 20% does not cause problems. With those with heart disease, cutting the amount of cholesterol found in the blood, even cutting this by a small amount, is important. There is even a class of drugs to help prevent the body from absorbing cholesterol from food. Ezetimibe 10mg is the cholesterol absorption inhibitor that I take. I believe there are number of choices here as well as different statins from which  to choose. 

But that does not mean I don't watch my diet. I do. 

• First rule: only eat red meat, if at all, once a month. Go for fish first, then chicken or turkey and only have these every other day. One become an every-second-day vegetarian.
• Second: eat lots of veggies every day. 
• Third: give fried foods a wide berth and when using an oil for cooking, lean towards olive oil. 
• Fourth: no eggs. Period. I aim to consume no more than 100gm of dietary cholesterol a day. Two large eggs can have five to six times my daily limit. Replace eggs in recipes with something like Egg Creations.
• Last rule: enjoy your food. If you like nuts, have some. Don't overdo but nuts can be part of a balanced, healthy diet. Be creative in the kitchen and you will enjoy dining. In fact, one's heart-healthy diet may turnout to be more delicious than your old plug-your-arteries diet.

Old Chevrolet still a daily driver

 

It looks to me like a late 1920s Chevrolet pickup. Where was it spotted? Not at an antique car show. No. It was spotted on the street being used as a daily driver. At least, it's a daily driver as long as the good weather lasts. Once it snows, it is off the road.

Rare today but when I was a boy cars like this were common. One could buy a used antique car for about $25. Less if it wasn't in drivable condition.

Sadly, the large number of old cars combined with ridiculously low prices meant these fine old vehicles got absolutely no respect. Kids bought 'em and entered them in the weekend demolition derby. A couple of dozen old cars would be driven into a large, fenced field surrounded by seating. 

As the crowd roared the cars were raced about the field frequently and purposefully slamming into each other. The last car standing, running, was declared the winner and the driver would claim something in the order of a hundred bucks.

Inspired by years spent travelling throughout Italy

 

Cynthia has spent years travelling throughout Italy and not just as a tourist but as a tour guide. Cynthia knows Italy. Her home and the grounds surrounding it reflect this interest. My nephew tells me Italy is famous for its gardens--gardens often featuring vine-covered walls. One could be forgiven for feeling one has left southwestern Ontario for Italy when visiting Cynthia.

Dining on the porch during covid-19

 

The porch is big and airy and in these times of COVID-19 it is an excellent place for hosting a lunch with a friend. Not many modern homes have porches like this but this century home does and the owner is delighted to have it today.

Link: The Science Behind the Decorative Gourde Season

 

According to the Smithsonian, "For farmers, breeding for novelty has paid off. Between 1993 and 2007, prices for decorative gourds doubled, and in 2016, the world collectively grew more pumpkins, squash and gourds than corn or mushrooms." Amazing.

Dining out during COVID-19

 

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Restaurants are open at the moment with limited seating. Outdoor patios are popular and large heaters are extending the outdoor patio season. This local restaurant has a front wall composed of sliding glass panels. When the weather is right, the entire front of the restaurant is open. A prefect design for these days of COVID-19.

Our dinners, have just arrived, my wife is still wearing her mask as she sprinkles coarsely grated Parmesan cheese on her dinner. She will soon remove her mask to dine. Our waiter will always keep his mask on and no one will sit closer than about twelve feet away from us.

Unfortunately, the number of COVID-19 cases is soaring in the province and restaurants are facing the threat of another closure. Rather sad considering how truly safe this location seems to be. I do hope it can remain open.