Welcoming Help in an Emergency

My cab driver was a gentleman. He chatted readily about his old home, Ethiopia, and talked with a genuine glow of affection about his new home, London, Ontario. When we Londoners have an emergency, we go to hospital Emergency. For many around the world facing emergencies of proportions most of us cannot even imagine, they turn to Canada, and in Canada they often turn to London. According to The London Free Press, London, Ontario, has Canada's highest per-capita refugee population. All I can say is, "Welcome." (The London Free Press has done an admirable job of bringing the stories of these new Londoners to its readers. If you're interested in reading one of those stories, click the link.)

Memories

Do remember when you were really little and the world was ever so different, larger actually. In the winter, the snow was so deep that you had to slog through it; It came right up to your waist. In the summer, walls of grass blocked your view when you played in the wild unbuilt field near your home. Insects were everywhere back then, but then you still lived on their level and in their world. Spiders were giants living on huge webs which were right in front of your nose; Spiders were not, as they are today, small moving specks on the distant ceiling. The most interesting insects, like the praying mantis, you'd take home in a jar, its screw-on lid punched full of large air holes.

I'm Crosby!

The shouts from the street carried right into our kitchen. "I'm Crosby!" "No, I'm Crosby!"

I went outside and in the centre of our court five boys were playing street hockey. Each player, but the goalie, loudly proclaiming he was Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins. For young boys, Crosby has surpassed Brantford's Wayne Gretzky as the hockey hero to emulate. When one player suggested another could be Gretzky, the offended player shot back, "No way! He's too old!"

Too old? Ouch! I put may camera in my pocket and returned home, all the while muttering, "I'm Rocket Richard."

Colonel Talbot, the Hill

Outside of London, the community has the reputation of being devoid of hills. Not true. The western end of the Ingersoll Moraine, a mix of silt, sand and stony soil (till) deposited by a melting glacier about 13,000 years ago, runs east to west through the southern part of the city. Just over a km from my home in southwest London there is a fantastic little ski hill. It is more than twice the height of the hill near Oxford, Michigan, at which I skied as a teen. Commissioners Road, as it approaches the suburb of Byron, has the well-known snake hill and Colonel Talbot Road at its northern end has as a similar stretch of twisting pavement.

If you have been following my posts, you will know that I have been featuring my lilies. I cannot say enough good things about Horner Lilies northeast of town. I'm buying a few more to add to my growing collection of these gorgeous flowers. (This is not an ad, by the way, I get nothing for this plug.)

Blue and Gold Macaw loves the Forest City

In Victoria Park checking out the Caliente Festival Hispano, I saw this gentleman strolling through the park with a beautiful Blue and Gold Macaw (Ara Ararauna) perched on his arm. These incredible parrots are found wild in the tropical rain forests of Central and South America. Very trainable and quite intelligent, these birds are considered by many to be the most beautiful of all parrot species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classes these birds as of least concern for, except in Trinidad, they are still plentiful in the wild.

Caliente Festival Hispano

Some of the cool things about living in London, Ontario, are the multitude of summer festivals. This weekend saw the Caliente Festival Hispano in downtown's Victoria Park.

This Hispanic cutural celebration ran from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. with music, dancing, children's activities (Laff Guard Bill Paul did face painting) and , sports tournaments plus lots and lots of food booths. Yum!

Cheers,
Rockinon!

Lilies on the Hill

About a week ago I blogged about my bright orange Asiatic lilies which were then in bloom. At one point, I had about four dozen flowers screaming for attention. The reason I had so many is that Asiatic flowers stay at their peak for days. As new buds open, the new blooms join the ones that opened days earlier; together they make an impressive presentation. Now, it's my daylilies seeking attention with the first two opening this morning. They are called daylilies because their flowers last but a day. Tomorrow other buds will open and another set of flowers will take centre stage. Each year I buy another few lilies from Horner Lilies northeast of London. (The time to visit them and make your selections is now.) In time, I will have quite the beautiful presentation fronting of my home.