Camera batteries died. Oops!

Warbler Woods is a well known forest  on the far southwest edge of London. The woods have been reduced in size over the passing of years. Two suburban developments encroach on the woods, one from the east and the other from the west.

Still the woods attract a lot of folk this time of year. It is known for the thousands of trilliums that blanket the forest floor, especially just in from its southern entrance. The tillium is the provincial flower it blooms annually in early May.

The parking lot was filled with cars but we soon found that we, like the other folk, had jumped the gun. We were too early. We may have seen a couple of dozen white blooms but that was it. I'd run a picture of one of those flowers but I can't. My camera batteries died.

The kids saw a woolly bear (a type of caterpillar), a large toad and a number of different wild flowers including the few trilliums we spotted. And we saw lots of hikers on the hilly trails. But no pictures could be taken. So, today's picture is an old image of the mushrooms that are so often sighted along the paths in Warbler Woods.

I'll charge my camera and head back, maybe tomorrow. It really is worth some photos.

Wet and cold for next few days

Inspired by images posted here, tonight I headed out the door and into the rain. I wondered if my rather mundane neighbourhood lit by the setting sun augmented by the golden glow of street lights reflecting from the wet pavement would take on a whole new feeling. If I could have captured the couple walking their dog, I'd have had the picture. Oh well . . . time to dry the lens.

Soon our parks will be filled with little goslings

April is coming to its end. Soon the parks in London will be filled with recently hatched little goslings. The little birds crowd the sidewalks and seem to be constantly underfoot. Thank goodness they are cute.

The sunset was teamed with a sky-dominating moon

Standing on the lookout watching the sunset, I heard a little chatter from a group standing nearby. I could make out "moon." Odd, I thought. Then I turned around and wham, I saw the moon bright in the sky above the subdivision. Looking about, I could see I was among the last to notice the bright white sphere. 

Often pictures of the moon are washed out, detail gone, done in by the curse of over-exposure. Not this night. The relatively bright, blue sky teamed with the incredibly bright moon made it easy for the camera to pick the perfect exposure.

Londoners come to the lookout for the sunsets

The little dead-end street is called Lookout Court. It is well named. With covid-19 keeping folks at home, for the most part, the court has become quite the magnet. To be accurate, the sunsets are the true magnets but the court is the gateway, the access to the view.

The other night, my youngest granddaughter and I watched as cars were parked around the perimeter of the court and folks got out and disappeared into the nearby woods. Many carried small, colourful coolers. I assumed a covid-19 protest party was about to be held in the woods. I was wrong.

The coolers were not filled with beer but snacks and the folk had disappeared into the woods only to reappear at the edge of the curving lookout. The people spread blankets, shared food and laughter but in small, I assume family groups. Each group was well spaced from the others. All were there, not to protest, but to enjoy the sunset. 

The sunsets viewed from the lookout are spectacular. Folk are yearning for beauty in these trying times and the sunsets provide a little hit of beauty. Awesome.

Still dating

 

 

Walking can be difficult for even a healthy senior. Sidewalks crack and heave and stairs, with their variable dimensions, can be an accident waiting to happen. For these reasons, it is so good when one is a senior to have a hand to hold. These two, strolling slowly and carefully in Springbank Park, seemed to me to symbolize love in one's later years. I pray they have many more healthy, active years ahead of them. I bet they've earned them.

A simple swing means outside fun during lockdowns

The province-wide lock-down has been eased and folks are now allowed to visit city parks. Swings that sit idle much of the time when there is no pandemic are all seeing action today. Anything, absolutely anything, that offers exercise-starved folk something to do outside is popular beyond belief.

 

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Mini drones replace balls for games of catch

 

You cannot play catch inside the house. Not now. Not ever. It was a hard and fast rule in my boyhood home. The rule no longer stands. My granddaughters often play catch inside the home but not with a ball but a mini-drone.

A ball thrown about the house was bound to hit something, a lamp or worse. It could and would do damage. The mine-drone has sensors that keep it from smacking the wall or other objects in its path. Oh, it might touch them lightly but for the most part it veer away while still inches from the object blocking its path.

Hold a hand in front of the drone and it reverses course and heads toward the other player. The game can last for up to twenty minutes and then the little unit requires recharging. We have been using it since Christmas and so far it has caused no damage. Well almost no damage. Little children with even slightly long hair must either wear a hat or tie the hair back. If the little drone approaches too close to the head, it can pull loose hair in and the hair can become tangled about the rotors and shafts. No fun.

When I was a boy all the good toys were made in Canada or the States. A few came from Europe. Today essentially all my grandchildren's toys come from China and many are surprisingly sophisticated. 

I, too, had a small flying saucer that could do a lot of neat manoeuvres but mine pulled off its greatest feats thanks to the imagination of a small boy. I cannot help but wonder if there were not some benefits to powering toys with gobs of impressive imagination rather than oodles of hi-tech smarts.

Magnolia trees come in many varieties

When the first blooms appeared on our magnolia tree, we were taken aback. My wife and I expected pink blooms tinged with white. We got solid bright purple blooms with petals resembling no magnolia tree with which we had any familiarity. It was a total surprise. This year we did get some white but it didn't count. It was snow.

Since planting our tree, now many years in the past, we have learned that magnolia trees come in many varieties with blooms in a multitude of colours. What we have appears to be some variety of purple magnolia—a magnolia liliiflora possibly.

We wondered why the garden centre was selling a magnolia unlike the majority of magnolias found in our region. On asking, we discovered that our tree is more winter hardy than many magnolias. This year this was a distinct advantage. Many magnolias are not well adapted to living in Ontario.

There is one native magnolia—the cucumber magnolia. It is named for the slight resemblance of its immature fruit to a cucumber. These native trees are on the endangered native plant list as there are only approximately 18 small populations in Ontario totally no more than 170 to 190 mature trees, plus saplings.

Not fog but snow

 

As the snow storm approached London yesterday, it appeared that fog obscured the view from Lookout Court. It wasn't fog; it was snow. The white, blurry dots are snow.

A little early for minding eggs

We may be two thirds of the way through April but it can still snow in southwestern Ontario. The little robin built a nest in a lilac tree and is now is patiently sitting on her clutch of robin-blue eggs. Unexpectedly, it began snowing this evening. The little Robin is now dripping wet from the falling snow. Will the little Robin make it through the coming night? Will her eggs survive? Only time will tell.

Dramatic clouds add visual excitement everywhere

 

The clouds yesterday were so dramatic, so visually powerful, I just had to park my car and get a shot. These were not thunder storm clouds, these were not even rain clouds, at least they didn't pose any immediate threat. They were simply visually impressive as they moved quickly across the sky above the city. 

It came as no surprise when I was awakened hours later, well past midnight, by house rumbling thunder and bright flashes of lightning. 

Walks without worry are back.

 

The Ontario premier has loosened the strict shutdown rules announced just days ago. Originally, folk were being told that all residents must remain at home at all times, with exceptions of certain listed essential purposes, such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy, accessing health care services or to go to work. 

Neighbourhood walks, either sold or taken with another who is in one's "bubble", were allowed but there was a lot of confusion surrounding the strict shutdown regulations. Some of the confusion has dissipated. The rules were attacked by many health professionals as needlessly strict. For instance, closing playgrounds does little to slow the spread of covid-19 but it does prevent children from getting much needed exercise.

And so today one could see many more Londoners out strolling about their neighbourhoods and children sharing playground equipment. Social distancing was being practised everywhere and some folk were even wearing masks despite being outdoors. Everyone was glad to see the originals rules relaxed.

Ontario going into its third covid-19 total shutdown

 

Saturday night and the neighbourhood public school is bathed in darkness. Come Monday little will change. The sun will be shining but the school will remain dark as the premier of the province has announced the third province-wide covid-19 shutdown. All schools in Ontario are again closed and students will again be learning online.

In Ontario the number of covid-19 cases is climbing along with the associated deaths. Throughout the southern part of the province, hospital ICUs (intensive care units) are operating at near capacity. Elective surgeries and non-urgent hospital procedures are being ramped down.

People are showing signs of battle fatigue as the fight against the covid-19 virus is now in its second year. Canada, caught without any of its own facilities to produce vaccine, is at the mercy of other, vaccine-production-capable countries. And mercy is in short supply globally and vaccine is in short supply in Canada.

During covid-19 computers supply social interaction

These two girls are in the same "family bubble." But with covid-19, social interaction is limited. Getting too close and not wearing a mask are both verboten. Even going to school, where kids interact with other kids, is an iffy proposition despite social distancing of desks and constant mask wearing.

These two little girls are cooperating to overcome a small computer problem in order to log on to a program called Roblox. Roblox is where these two interact with others. Roblox is not a computer game but a platform— a platform where games, developed by others, are posted and played. The Roblox website boasts its users have published over 20 million games on the platform.

If you are still puzzled. Let me supply a link: Why is everyone talking about Roblox? (There's a good chance you didn't know they were.) While children of my era rode bikes, flew kites and played soccer together, a lof of kids today are playing with other children's avatars on an electronic playing field.

This is not to say kids today aren't out doing all the real stuff, it is just to say that this time is now being shared with virtual reality games.

A formal garden look

 Some folk put so much effort into the care of their front lawn that the result has the air of a formal garden. Sadly, this is not the look that I have achieved despite all my hard work.

Not a bank but a credit union

Libro looks like a bank. It acts somewhat like a bank. But it isn't a bank. It's a credit union. And what is a credit union? It is a member-owned, cooperative financial institution. Like a bank, a credit union accepts deposits, makes loans and provide a wide array of other financial services. Unlike a bank, a credit union is an not-for-profit organization that exists to serve its members -- or that's the theory. The reality can be a bit more complex.

What I find most interesting about credit unions is the cooperative angle. We tend to think of capitalism as the only game in town. But, it isn't. Globally, cooperatives leave a huge footprint on our world. Credit unions are but a small part of that footprint.

A bicyle adapted for two

If you not only cannot afford a carriage but a bicycle built for two also stretches the budget, how's this for an answer: a bicycle adapted for two. A pretty neat invention, yes?

With covid-19 pocket parks have increased appeal

Covid-19 has upended our world. The little pocket park in my neighbourhood, small with a minimum of playground equipment, has become quite the draw as of late. It's big appeal? It's close; it's open; it's safe; it's not home.

This family found a spot to spread a beach blanket off to the edge of the small park. One never saw a family enjoying the park in the past. Absolutely never. But today the park is a veritable magnet. Go to the park, stake out a spot and enjoy some time away from home. Some folk are even bringing a picnic basket with them to the park.

A year into the pandemic and even home is beginning to bring on feelings of claustrophobia. The vaccine roll-out cannot happened too quickly.

Some days art takes centre stage

Some of my favourite blogs are ones dedicated to posting photography as art. One blogger I follow posts minimalist art photos. Her images are absolutely incredible and so very imaginative. Today's posted image was taken as an obvious homage to that lady's fine work. 

If curious, the image shows plastic balls incorporated into a piece of neighbourhood playground equipment. Children are encouraged to spin the balls or move them along a bars not visible in my picture.

It's a goldendoodle. Really!

It's a beautiful poodle with a strong presence. It draws admiring looks when brought to the neighbourhood park. It did not come as a big surprise to learn that this designer dog was actually a goldendoodle:  a mix of golden retriever and poodle. 

A relatively new breed, it has a history going back about two decades. In that time the breed has gained quite the following and not just based on its good looks. Goldendoodles are known for their admirable personality traits as well.

Crazy hair day

School was different when I was a boy. For instance, we never had a wear-your-pajamas-to-school-day. And another thing we never had was a crazy hair day. Today the schools have both and that is why my granddaughter wore a colourful paper plate incorporated into her hair style today.

Crazy hair day: I call it nonsense. The kids, students, call it fun. Oh well, she is learning to speak French. The school must be doing something right.

Mountain biking about the neighbourhood

I live in Byron, a neighbourhood in the southwest of London. It has an extensive suburban development on its hilly terrain in the southern end of  the former village. 

Decades ago there was a large garbage dump immediately in front on my home. The dump is long gone but it still produces methane. There are vents here and there to remove the gas safely. No homes or other structures can be built on the the contaminated soil.

That doesn't mean the land doesn't have value. It does. The neighbourhood kids treasure the open space, the twisting trails and small groves of trees. The paths provide popular shortcuts to other streets and courts. I often see a young mountain biker bursting from the never-to-be-developed land. They fly over the edge of a ridge and if you are not expecting them, it can be quite the surprise.

From sacred to secular

Why is the girl wearing a pair of rabbit ear glasses and being silly with a silly stuffy? In a word: Easter. Now, what do rabbits and cheap, silly toys have to do with Easter? Not a lot, I'd say. That said, bibles and other religious paraphernalia seem to have less and less to do with Easter as well. The CBC noted that Canadians were moving from the sacred to the secular and looked at the changing spiritual nature of Canadians.

Good bakeries make good cities

Small, good bakeries are as important to making good cities as fine architecture. Covid -19 is threatening the profitability of many small businesses. We will cheer when the pandemic ends but when it leaves we must make sure it doesn't take too many important businesses with it.

Angelo's has been a London institution for decades. It helps to give London colour (and flavour). For the finest breads in London, Angelo's is one of the places to go. Full flavoured loaves, such as the asiago and sundried tomato pictured, are usually gone by mid afternoon. This is not always true during the pandemic. Fewer shoppers means more unsold loaves. When I bought this loaf today it was almost four.

Angelo's is a little out of my way but I've been making an effort to stop there now and then. Like so many small businesses in London, Angelo's needs support. On the plus side, supporting Angelo's is its own reward.

A fine mural on a corner store

It's a neat mural. Why it is on the wall of a North London corner store is beyond me. I'll have to stop by and ask. I'm curious. It is stylish, bright and colourful and exceedingly well done. But why is it here? This is not commonly done in London. And my wife believes this may not be the first mural to appear here. She thinks the mural may be temporary and will be painted over at some point in the near future. Yup. I've just go to stop by this store and as some questions.

The bright greens of spring are everywhere

 

The bright greens of spring are everywhere. Bright, fresh, new. And the red? A sign of spring? Kind of. The berries fall from the holly bush above, dropped by returning birds,

Solar panels becoming more and more common

The world is changing. Our reliance on fossil fuels is slowly, or maybe not so slowly, waning. This home in the Byron suburb of London, Ontario, sports about two dozen large, solar panels on at least two sides of the sloped roof.

Good Friday

In London, Ontario, Canada, symbols of the risen Christ are everywhere on Good Friday. But crosses are commonly found throughout the cemeteries in town year around. In the coming years this may change.

Better late than never

 Months late, London groundhog sees shadow. Snow expected!

Londoners waited patiently for almost two full months for the groundhog to make its annual appearance. On April 1st it finally showed, popping up in Springbank Park to see its shadow and then immediately scamper back into its den. Why? The forecast: snow! And London's official meteorologist agree with our furry friend. Snow is on the way. 

London is a red zone again. Park use is light.

The City of London, Ontario, has been again been declared a red zone by the provincial government. This means the number of covid-19 cases are climbing as are the deaths. The city continues to vaccinate residents but the process is very slow. Canada, caught without a vaccine-making facility, is at the mercy of other countries for delivery of much needed vaccine.

I have an appointment to get a vaccination but it is for two full weeks in the future. The month will be half over by the time my wife and I get our first shots. The second may not be administered until four months in the future. Canada is so short of vaccine that those who have not been vaccinated are getting their first shot before others are given their second.

It is hoped the Yanks will free up some vaccine by early summer as it appears the Americans will have everyone vaccinated in the U.S. by then. Canadians have their fingers crossed.

American ingenuity? Or a crass rip-off?

This is not an ad. I have yet to taste a drop of coffee from this birthday gift to my wife. I cannot say a thing about the quality of coffee it makes.

That said, I expect it to be good. My wife and I both like coffee brewed in a French press. The French press was, as far as I could determine, patented by the Italians Attilio Calimani and Giulio Moneta in 1929. No, it wasn't patented by the French first. 

What is said to be the most popular design was patented by Faliero Bondanini in 1958. Bondanini was Swiss and not French but he did have his design manufactured in France. Still, the version that made the French press a household name in North America was a Danish company: Bodum.

What makes French press coffee special are the coffee oils remaining in the brew when poured. Sadly, some of these oils are said to change a coffee drinker's blood cholesterol, and not for the better. Paper coffee filters absorb some of these oils and so drip coffee is the brew of choice for those with hardening of the arteries.

Which brings us to the AeroPress. And American invention from Palo Alto, California, it is said to filter out the unhealthy coffee oils but somehow magically retain the full flavour of the ground coffee. To me, it looks like an American take on the French Press with a coffee filter added.

I call it ingenious as it certainly addresses the concerns of those with certain heart disease problems by removing the heart-offending coffee oils. Sales are through the roof. Bodum is jealous, I'm sure. If the coffee is no better than that from a drip machine, it is a rip-off but one in tune with history. The Americans have to get in line behind the Swiss, the French and the Danes when claiming bragging rights to the creative invention of a pair of Italians almost a century ago.

What does the mask symbolize?

 

 

I've spent a little time trying to determine what exactly the mask held in the right hand of the statue symbolizes. I've come up empty. The expression is so peaceful. The expression plus the attire of the woman holding the mask persuade me that this is not a Greek muse holding a mask representing comedy or tragedy.

And the mask is too nondescript to be an "imagine." According to the Britannica, imagines preserved an ancestor's appearance as each was modeled on the features of the deceased person. Sometimes beeswax was used in order to lift and exact likeness. 

My guess is that the mask makes some reference to the theatre as Annie Pixley, the deceased, was a famous and widely respected actress.

There are three stained glass windows in the mausoleum

 

The Pixley - Fulford mausoleum is said to be an architectural gem. It is said to be one of the finest mausoleums in all of Canada. I believe it. From muses to lions to angels, the mausoleum wants for very little when it comes to decoration. And when one enters it, if you can, there are three gorgeous stained glass window awaiting you.

The music of the Gods

 

There are a couple of ladies sitting on the right and left top corners of the mausoleum These do not appear to be angels. This lady is clearly a musician playing an instrument of the Gods, a lyre. Here is link to a discussion of lyres as mausoleum art. I gather this statue symbolizes a harmonious spiritual connection with God.

I was curious about the bare nipple but when I googled it I was directed to some "dangerous sites." I'm sure the bare nipple signifies something but I'm not sure what and may never know. The meaning is hidden even if the nipple isn't.

Lion guarding the Fulford - Pixley Mausoleum

Fulford - Pixley Mausoleum 

As promised, a close-up of one of the two lions that have guarded the Fulford-Pixley mausoleum in London, Ontario, for more than a century. Link to First Post.

One of the finest mausoleums in Canada

Fulford - Pixley Mausoleum 

 I got a request for my photo of the Fulford - Pixley mausoleum in London. This call rekindled my interest in the mausoleum and I shot some new pictures of the incredible structure.

Annie Pixley was a popular stage actress of the 1870s who won international acclaim for her stage performances. After marrying fellow actor Robert Fulford she frequented the London area, spending many summers in Port Stanley south of London on the shore of Lake Erie. On occasion she performed at London's Grand Opera House (now the Grand Theatre). 

Tragedy struck in July, 1886 when Annie’s 12 year old son Thomas died of what was known as "brain fever". He was buried at Woodland Cemetery. Tragedy would strike again Nov. 8th, 1893, when Annie died while visiting relatives in England. 

In memory of his wife and son, Robert Fulford built the Fulford - Pixley Mausoleum. It was completed in 1897. Today it is a popular attraction to visitors in London. It is considered to be among the finest funerary monuments in Canada.

No masks. Are these two sisters?

Most, but not all, folk at the park were not wearing their masks. It did appear that people were clumped together in what may well have been family units. A dad, a mom and some kids. The groupings kept to themselves while keeping distant from other small groups.

These two girls, with their smart phone, were clearly sitting too close together -- unless, of course, they were both members of the same family. Possibly they were sisters. I certainly hope so.

Long lens visually bunches crowd

The effect is known as foreshortening, perspective compression or forced perspective . It makes objects in the distance look closer to other objects in the distance than they actually were. In other words, the folk crowding the sidewalk in Springbank Park Sunday were not breaking all the social distancing rules despite what the photo shows. But the park was packed with thousands of Londoners eager to get out and about thanks to the warm spring temperatures.

Spring is definitely here!

The snow has melted. The breezes are warm. We have sunshine into the early evening. Spring beckons and Londoners are responding by heading for the city's many parks--often blue masks in hand.

Is this a turret?

What is the cone-shaped roof above the porch of this Victorian home called? I'm not an expert when it comes to architecture. I think it may be a turret. This home appears to have been built in a somewhat simplified Queen Anne Victorian style. This would explain the very simple turret.

A heart healthy meal inspired by a local London doctor

 

Today's post was inspired by Dr. David Spence at SPARC (Stroke Prevention and Atherosclerosis Research Centre) in London and located at Western University. When Dr. Spence wrote a book on how to deal with stroke prevention, a big part of the fight to remain healthy is eating right. The last part of his book was dedicated to heart-healthy recipes. 

 

I try to follow Dr. Spence's guidance and last night I discovered I had a fridge full of leftovers. Oh well, when life hands you lemons, make lemon sole, I say. I'm now out of sole, breading, sweet peppers and mushrooms but I do still have lemons. Can't get rid of the damn things. Oh well . . .

 

Dinners like this, very light on the saturated fats and low in cholesterol are an important weapon in the fight against heart disease. Cheers! (Sorry about the yellow tint but photo taken under warm, indoor lighting.)

Almost 150 years old, spinner's home a heritage property

 

Alexander Murdoch built a simple home for a young, working, family man. The 29-year-old was a spinner at a local mill when he built his home in Stratford. What was a spinner? A spinner was the operator of a spinning jenny or spinning mule used in the local mills to make yarn and other textile products. Some of the larger mills had upwards of 200 employees. The mills were the third most important business in Stratford at that time after the furniture factories and railways.

Bungalows common in Southwestern Ontario

According to the Ontario Architecture site, the bungalow style is an American invention, popularized in California in the early 20th century. It was brought to Canada in the early 1910s. The Americans got the idea from the British who built small homes, bungalows, that imitated the style of home the Brits had lived in while stationed in India. The North American version is very different than the British style.

Bungalows are generally one or one-and-a-half storey homes with broad, low-pitched, roofs and generous, large porches. Bungalows are almost exclusively residential and are often made of materials such as stone and brick.

Another gingerbread home

If you are getting the idea that the homes in the downtown Stratford heritage neighbourhood are more varied than one often finds in similar aged neighbourhoods, you're right. This home does not have a plaque but I think it is safe to say it was not one of the most upscale homes in the area when it was built more than a century ago. Today the gingerbread treatment gives it a little extra visual sparkle.

A hotel keeper's home

 

This Stratford home was built by James Rankin in 1880. Rankin was a hotel keeper in Stratford. He didn't live in the home for long. He moved out after about five years. The next owner was a long-time member of Parliament for the area. The story of the somewhat unique looking home can be found HERE.

Not as original as once thought

I was back in Stratford and strolling about the core heritage neighbourhood. Many of the homes are small, compact may be a better word, and were built a little more than a century ago for a mix of clients. A surprising number of the now valuable properties were built for simple working-class families.

I don't know the history of this home but I did chat with the present owner. He told me how two of the nicest features of the heritage property, features that drew him to the home, are relatively new: The half circle stained glass windows above the front windows only date to the late 1960s.

Now, I wish I'd asked if the home has also had an addition or two to enlarge the place over the intervening years. My guess, the roof visible behind the front peak is relatively new. This might have been a much simpler home when first built.

It's March!

 

"I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!" No, this time these are not the words of The White Rabbit but of Frosty the Snowman. 

It's March. Sunday the clocks are jumping forward with the arrival of daylight saving time. Sorry Frosty, your time has passed. It is too late to leave gracefully. It is time to just leave. 

Bye!

A fine Victorian home near St. Joseph's Hospital

 

The area west of St.Joseph's Hospital is dotted with fine, heritage homes. There are a number of fine colourful Victorian homes still sporting the original wooden siding and not sheathed in vinyl as so often happens in London. London was home to a major vinyl siding company and in many areas heritage homes now sport vinyl rather than the original wood siding.