Merry Christmas!

'twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring . . . well O.K., one creature was stirring: Fiona.

Here's wishing you a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. If this isn't quite right for you, hey, I do hope you have a great time over the holiday season.

Cheers,
Rockinon.

Eastern wild Turkey

It has been almost three decades since the eastern wild turkey was re-introduced to Southwestern Ontario. Before Europeans settled in the area, these large birds thrived in the forests. About a hundred years ago the species  disappeared due to unregulated hunting and the loss of native forests.

On the way home from the neighbourhood supermarket I noticed a number of turkeys in a field near my home. Under the glow of the setting sun, I grabbed a shot of one member of the grazing flock.

Today there are some 70,000 wild turkeys living across southern Ontario. Active during the day, the wild birds roost at night to avoid predators. In residential areas, it is not uncommon for turkeys to be found in suburban backyards, attracted by the seed that blankets the ground beneath backyard bird feeders.

First good dusting of snow for London, Ontario

The first decent snowfall has dusted London, Ontario. The light snow, when hit by the afternoon sun, reveals hidden patterns. The above is the result of snow-hidden paving stones. The ridges are caused by bulging moss.

Christmas Time in Canada

It is December 6th and time to get the Christmas tree up and decorated. Like many Canadians, we have an artificial tree. We have had it for years and it is developing a rich patina of memories. Tonight we burnished the patina. We let little Fiona, our 27-month-old granddaughter help decorate the tree.

When our daughters were young, we always had a real tree. The home filled with the wonderful aroma of a real fir tree. That part was nice. Then there were the not so nice bits: The fallen needles, the jammed vacuum cleaner, the carpet stained from the spilled mix of water and sap, and the trunk of our car filled with so many evergreen needles that we never got them all out.

Real trees are nice but artificial ones can be nice too. The memories that attach themselves to those ersatz branches are anything but phony. The memories are the real deal.

. . . and the candy canes were "Yummy!"

I see big parades like the annual Santa Claus Parade in New York or the Rose (Bowl) Parade in Pasadena, California, and I think, "Wow!" But, they are truly over-the-top events.

There is something to be said for a simple parade of local kids marching for the fun of it, and being encouraged by the positive hoots and hollers of thousands of local kids and their parents who line the parade route.

Saturday's parade was small even by London standards, but it was still good. Hey, just ask Fiona. And the candy canes were, "Yummy!"

Santa Claus Parades are about fun

Don't you just love her smile. Saturday's parade featured lots of smiles.

London, Ontario has two Santa Claus parades. The official London parade was held earlier in November, downtown and a night. The much simpler parade today was held before noon in northwest London, ending in what was once the village of Hyde Park.

Did the parade have fancy floats? No. But, there were lots of smiling kids --- both in the parade and lining the sides of the road. This parade was a throwback to the days of the small village parade. It was an opportunity for kids to parade, to dance, to strut their stuff, to wave and it was a chance for other kids to watch and to cheer. Everybody knew their part; There were lots of wave and lots of cheers.

The parade was a success.

Long walls are becoming common

When I was born, Canadian neighbourhoods didn't have walls. This is no longer true, especially in the newer subdivisions. Roads are far busier today than they were in the past. And busier means noisier. Walls not only block out the sight of a busy road, walls deflects noise.

This wall is quite new. It is just a few years old. As you can see, some areas are already showing wear. This is because the wall is not solid brick; It is not even a brick veneer; It's fake. This wall is a relatively, inexpensive prefab construction. It is not very durable.

Curious as to what is to be found hiding behind this wall only a short walk from my London, Ontario home? Look below.