Pocket Scales $40 Tax Included

Amazing what you can find at the pawn shop. The price seems reasonable but really what does one do with a set of pocket scales?

Taking the green way home

Some people use a car to get to work, often driving alone. Others reduce their impact on the plant and save a little money taking the bus, often crushed by others. But this young woman, sighted leaving an office building in downtown London, leaves the smallest footprint possible and doesn't have to be packed like a sardine to do it. On leaving work, she changed from her shoes into her rollerblades while sitting on the office building steps. With an adjustment to her personal music player she was off. For miles per gallon bragging rights, the Chevy Volt has nothing on this lady.

Another Morgan morning

A little camera with a wide angle lens, a warm sun burning off the morning mist, and a Morgan booting it down 402 towards 401 and you have a picture. The Morgan has enjoyed the roads around London this summer. The cool weather has made the old car comfortable; why, it's just like being back home. Hey, the town is London and the river running through town is the Thames. My, the lengths to which these Canadians will go to make an old car feel welcome.

An August Morning

My wife and I had to be in Ancaster by 8:30 a.m. It was already past seven as we headed south on Colonel Talbot for the 402. But running late or not, when I saw the mist hanging over the field at Southfield Road I had to pull over. This was just the first of many chances to take a fine photo but after shooting this one, there simply was no time. Too bad.

Cheers,
Rockinon

Pesticides Banned in Ontario, Are Parks Safer?

Ontario’s parks became a lot healthier on Earth Day, April 22, 2009. That’s the date when the provincial ban of the cosmetic use of pesticides throughout Ontario came into effect. After listening to medical experts — like the Canadian Cancer Society — the ban was instituted to reduce exposure to pesticides, particularly by children who, because of their small size, are more susceptible to the toxic effects of pesticides.

I wonder what overriding concern demanded the application of an unnamed pesticide here in Springbank Park in London, Ontario. The small ducks swimming about the pond may, by the government's logic, be affected. I called the posted number but got an answering machine. I'm going to guess something has been used for fighting the West Nile Virus by going after mosquito larvae in the pond water. It would be nice if that information was given on the warning sign. The sign left a lot of strollers, especially those with young children, worried.

Only God Can Make a Tree...

American poet Joyce Kilmer wrote, "...only God can make a tree." True, but man trims it. For years I have admired this beautifully shaped red maple sitting on a ridge overlooking the city. Change the time of day, or the weather, and the whole picture changes dramatically. I naively thought the tree's shape was natural, a wonderful happenstance. Wrong.

This beautiful tree is an example of true placemaking in action. It adds one more reason to visit this little parkette. This tree symbolizes an attitude, an attitude of care, of involvement in one's immediate world, of making aesthetic decisions and following through on them. The home owner could simply sit back and let the tree grow and expand and if a limb overhung the home, the offending limb could be chopped off. It would be a totally practical approach and not unknown. But no, this homeowner opts for beauty. Kudos!

To see what happens when there is absolutely no attitude of care read my piece featuring the trees in front of The London Free Press, a company that talks the talk but stumbles when it comes to walking the walk.

Addendum: the fellows from Abel Tree Expert Co. did such a fine job on my neighbour's trees, I immediately hired them to trim my personal little forest. This is not an ad. I get nothing for telling you that I was happy with their work and their fee. Abel Tree Expert Co. : 519-652-0927.

Cheers,
Rockinon

Reflections on City Centre Towers

HSBC now occupies the important corner office but originally this was the Credit Foncier building. The glass panels reflect the City Centre towers. If we reflect on the towers, we recall a fine hotel, Hotel London, was demolished to make room for those concrete monoliths. Londoners old enough to recall the grand, old hotel speak fondly of its elegance and early last century charm.