Olympic Flames Comes to London, Ontario

Thousands lined the route taken by the Olympic flame as it arrived at this southwestern Ontario city. Many more filled Victoria Park to cheer the flame's arrival, wave flags and loudly celebrate the event.

The Olympic torch will make a visit to a London children’s hospital with Santa Claus Friday, take the rest of Christmas and Boxing Day off, and then resume its 45,000-kilometre journey to Vancouver early Sunday.

For the whole story, check The London Free Press on the Web.

Red Double Doors and Large Gold Bows

As I wrote yesterday, great entrances don't need to be gussied up to the hilt to look good. This home, in the same neighbourhood as yesterday's post, doesn't have as spectacular an entry but it is quite beautiful nevertheless. The double front doors, painted a funky red, add to the look of this heritage home. We're certain that this is a heritage home as it has the circular, blue heritage plaque to the right of the doors.

It's just a door

It's just a door - but what a door. This is an entrance.

Located in one of the finest areas of London, Ontario, for historic, well-kept older homes, this residence on St. George St. just north of Oxford Street is a fine example of a mansion for the well-to-do.

Each Christmas the homes in the neighbourhood are decorated simply but well. It is amazing how much better a simple wreath looks on homes like this than on mine. In the coming days I'll post another entrance or two.

Cheers,
Rockinon

More Christmas lawn decorations

There is a new neighbourhood in the southwest end of London,Ontario, and I took a drive through there to find today's pictures. As you can see, just days before Christmas and London, Ontario, Canada - the cold north - is essentially snowless.

Christmas Lighting in Warbler Woods

Christmas lights are actually best when the ground is covered with snow. The white snow reflects the light, making for the traditional winter wonderland. But, the truth is that it is not uncommon for London, Ontario, to have a green Christmas. We usually get some snow before Christmas, maybe even a lot, but it is not unusual to have it all melt away by the 25th. There's a good reason why the small ski hill in London makes snow every night when possible.

Newest downtown lighting

London, like so many places, cannot makes up its mind when it comes to streetlighting. When I moved to London the downtown had these big, rectangular affairs with four illuminated globes at the top. Then the city decided to go with an antique looking light, one that encouraged thoughts of gas lamps in that other London in the 1880s.

Now, those lamps are being phased out and these modern looking globes installed. The main light illuminates the street and every so often there is an extra globe extended out and over the sidewalk. I like these latest streetlights. I hope they stay in favour for a while.

Inflatable Christmas Decorations

When I was a kid it was a few painted wooden reindeer on the lawn, if you were really upscale. Then strings of electric lights started appearing on homes and shrubs.

First the lights were multi-coloured. Then there were years when all blue lights were cool, and years when every light had to be white.

Then there were the icicle lights that  were hung from the eves all around the home. Then global warming hit and LED lights made their appearance.

This year the growing trend in my neighbourhood is inflatable lawn decorations. In coming days I'll try and find some beautifully and carefully lit homes and post them, letting the world know what other approaches to holiday decorating is common in London, Ontario.