Black scallop variety of ajuga reptans?

Is this the black scallop variety of ajuga reptans? Maybe. But, it could also be the burgundy glow cultivar of ajuga reptans. Although calling it a cultivar may be too generous. Also known as bugleweed, ajuga reptans is a ground cover that can quickly become an invasive nightmare.

I don't remember the purple leaves of this ground cover in any lawn when I was a child. Today, here in my London, Ontario, neighbourhood, it is everywhere.

Am I going to work to eliminate it from my lawn. My neighbours will apply pressure to encourage me to get rid of it. I will bow to the pressure but I am beginning to question the wisdom of expending a lot of energy doing battle with highly successful plants. I'm beginning to think we backed a loser when we decided to grow grass.

Think of creeping charlie or ground ivy. Native to Europe, it was brought to North America as a garden plant with a pleasant scent when cut. It quickly became a headache, forming dense mats of vegetation in lawns and elsewhere which resisted removal. It grew, expanding its territory, without our help. Any plant like that is a weed and war was declared.

Creeping charlie, bugleweed and even clover were all once treasured plants. In some places bugleweed is still be sold. I confess to be fond of clover in my lawn. Why? It's green even when the rest of the lawn is yellow from lack of rain. It looks good from a distance.

Maybe we should let the plants growing wild in our lawns fight it out and let the best plant win. I wouldn't put much money on grass coming out on top.

This home is a mystery

This home is a mystery and has been ever since I moved into this neighbourhood some thirty years ago. A few years back it sold but the mysterious quality that surrounds the place seems to have been part of the sale. For instance, not many home have a Viking ship sculpture prominently displayed on the front lawn. This place does and always has.

No one knows the home's age. It's old and very solid. A rare concrete block construction, it looks like a place that was  built to last. Even the windows are set in concrete frames rather than the more usual wood.

The four Greek columns on each side of the front porch and the two columns bordering an upstairs window give the home a slightly classic look despite the concrete block construction. I'd love to see the inside. I'm sure when it was built it had lots of wood inside. I wonder if it still has it original doors and trim.

25 years and I'm still shaking my head

25 years have passed since an Ontario Provincial Police sniper killed an unarmed Indigenous man named Dudley George. The killing of George at Ipperwash brought the Ipperwash crisis to a head but it did not result in a quick solution.

During the Second World War, the Canadian government took control of some land in Ipperwash owned by a number of local aboriginal families. The land, taken for military use, was to be returned with the end of the war. It wasn't.

After decades of failing to regain control of their land, the wronged Indigenous people began a very visible protest which came to a climax of a sort when Dudley George was shot. Since then, after a lot of time in court, it is clear the government was wrong.

So, is the land back in the hands of the rightful owners? No. The government estimates it may take another 25 years before all the unexploded military ordnances are cleared from the land.

After the killing of George, I was sent by the local paper to the Ipperwash area. I was a staff photographer on the daily at the time. At sunrise on the first day after the killing, the main highway in the area was closed by a massive fire set by the angry protestors.

I got pictures of the blaze and later I got pictures of a parade of Indigenous protestors marching along the highway. I only managed to get my pictures thanks to the kindness of an older tribal lady. She noticed that I was limping and having a difficult time keeping up. She offered me a ride and so I was able to shoot the march from the open back of a pick-up truck. She was very gracious.

Play during COVID-19

Children seem to have understood mask wearing and social distancing better than many adults. When a cousin came for a play day, most of the day was spent outside. Lots of games to play with lots of distance to separate everyone.

When one little girl wanted to show a certain video game to another, out came the masks. They got a little closer than usual but they logged on and logged off in a very short time. All the children must spend a lot of time with grandparents in their seventies and eighties and none wanted to risk picking up the virus and taking it home.

School may yet prove to be not as risky and everyone fears. The kids may surprise everyone with their degree of cooperation in fighting the transmission of the virus.

Pool noodle art

The colourful lollipops decorating the flower garden at the front of this suburban home are made from tightly rolled pool noodles displayed on white PVC pipe. I'd call this decorative display folk art. Have you seen this done in your area? This is the first time I've encountered a display like this.

Twisted

 

 

I'm not sure if this picture works but this is a shot of an exceedingly old and twisted evergreen. Much of the tree has died and bare, barkless wood remains. Seeing this tree along a trail made me recall the bristle cone pines trees of the American West. At one time it was claimed that the American trees were the oldest living thing on the planet. I wonder how old this evergreen is.

Antiques? Some. Mostly it's just old.

The store inside the metal-sided building sells old stuff as one might gather from the articles hanging on the outside of the shop. If it is valuable antiques you are seeking, you may have come to the right place but maybe not. But bargains and lots of stuff that is simply old can be found in abundance.