Friday, February 26, 2021

Two to a chair unless all are family

 

The ski hill has greeters positioned at the entrance to the facility. The number of lift tickets available is severely curtailed. Only two skiers are allowed on a chairlift seat. Four are only allowed when all four riders are family members living at the same residence.

With freezing rain expected overnight and a forecast high of seven degrees Saturday, forty-five in Fahrenheit, skiing season is going to be very short.

Thursday, February 25, 2021

Not London but Chicago


If you are thinking that's not London, that's Chicago. You're right. I'm posting this not just because it's a great image but as evidence of the amazing tonal range captured by today's smart phones, especially in the highlights.

Recently I was given three cameras. One was an old Leitz film camera. The other two were simple point and shoot digital cameras. Thanks to the ever-present smart phone, I discovered these cameras have no value. The bottom has fallen out of the used camera market, at least here in London.

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

The Mountain is back!


 

The Ontario government has loosened the covid-19 lock-down restrictions. One result is that the local ski hill is finally in limited operation. My granddaughters had all their ski lessons canceled. There is simply not enough winter left. But, they did get three hours in on the weekend. They had three hours of semi-private ski lessons. The snowboarder shown was hitting the hill alone and appeared to be enjoying being back on the slopes.

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Free the two Michaels sign in window

The two Michaels, Michael Kovig and Michael Spavor, have been imprisoned in China for more than two years with no release in sight for either. Macleans, Canada's newsmagazine, reports:

They were detained by Chinese officials in December 2018, in implicit retaliation for Canada’s arrest nine days earlier of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese tech giant Huawei, and the two men have since been formally arrested and charged with espionage, which means a virtually certain guilty verdict.

Canadians are incensed but finding the action that will free the two men and bring them home to their families is proving elusive. Signs are appearing in windows calling for the freeing of the two Michaels.

Monday, February 22, 2021

A good example of early 1900s housing


The Grand Trunk Railway relocated their locomotive repair shop from Toronto to Stratford in 1870. In the early 1900s the repair shops were expanded and Charles Heppler moved to Stratford looking for work as a machinist.

In 1905, Charles married Ann Hansuld, a Stratford dressmaker. in Stratford. The couple bought a  lot on Water Street and their future home was completed in September of 1907. Within two years the couple was looking for another place to live. They sold their large home to the former owner of the Queen's Inn and moved to another Stratford home.

Architecturally, the home is a good example of the style of home being constructed throughout Ontario at that time.

Sunday, February 21, 2021

Plaques often found on historic Stratford homes

If you wondered how I found out so much about the Charles Moore home in Stratford, it was relatively easy. Many of the finest, historic homes in the little southwestern Ontario town carry plaques. These tell the year in which the home was built and the name of the first owner/resident.

Saturday, February 20, 2021

Charles Moore home in Stratford. Built 1915.


This home is one of my favourite homes to be found anywhere. It was finished in 1915. Immediately the builder, Charles Moore, 27, and his new bride Myrtle Harris, 22, moved in. The couple had postponed their wedding for a year and half while their home was completed.

The young couple lived in their Edwardian Classic home all their lives. They grew old together in that home. Myrtle passed away in 1983 at 90 and Charles was forced by his advancing age to move into a senior residence in 1990. He died three years later at 105 years of age.

Wouldn't you love to see the interior of this home. They rarely build homes with such elegance today. Agreed?