Closing soon for the season

If the tomatoes look a little rough, it's because these are field tomatoes and just about the last of the year. Greenhouse tomatoes look perfect but are often a bit hard and lacking in an intense tomato flavour. These, on the other hand, are full of flavour, juicy and wonderful on their own or in a salad or just cut into thick discs and placed between slices of fresh baked bread.

Sadly, by Thanksgiving, and the holiday comes earlier in Canada than the U.S., these tomatoes will be finished for the year. Thomas Bros. Farm Market, ten minutes south of London, Ontario, closes immediately after the Thanksgiving holiday this Sunday, October 13th.

Despite what it says on the sign, sweet corn has already disappeared and local strawberries are finding it difficult to ripen. Still, there are bins filled with apple varieties and there are half a dozen or more kinds of squash for sale.

Contemporary modern design is a trend.

Said to be a minimalist's dream, these angular, grey and white condos have a selling price of approximately $725,000. These units are in the west end of London, Ontario, but similar buildings are going up both north and south of this development.

For a look inside one of these units, click the link to the right: Inside Look.

Described as a contemporary, modern design, residences in this vein are being built all over Canada with examples in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. Until I wrote this post, I had no idea this was a trend in residential design.

Monkey Bars: Loved by Kids All Around the World

London, Ontario, is absolutely riddled with parks. Southwest London alone has more than a hundred little parks.Yet, despite the great number of parks, duplication of play equipment is minimal. Swings, slides and monkey bars are the only pieces of equipment to be found in almost every location.

When I was a boy, more then six decades ago, swings, slides and monkey bar were just about it. Everything was made of rolled steel, cast iron, metal chains and large boards. The ground under the pieces of equipment was often paved. Injuries were common

In the mid 1960s, architect Richard Dattner designed the iconic and very popular Adventure Playground. These often looked dangerous but it was that very look that made them safe, or so  the theory went. Kids recognized the dangers and this caused kids to be more cautious.

Three and a half decades later the Adventure Playground fell out of style. The park near my home was once an Adventure Playground. It was demolished around the turn of the century. Why? I was deemed too dangerous.

Which bring us to today's designs, which are interactive and inclusive while encouraging role playing, discovery and critical thinking. Social skills are accented: interaction, sharing, and participation. At least, these are the claims.

Yet despite decades of design improvements, my three granddaughters all gravitate to the swings, slides and monkey bars.

At later date, we will take another look at children's playgrounds. I find it very interesting that equipment designs, driven by an almost universally accepted philosophy of play, are almost the same whether the park is in Canada or Romania.

Condo Infill Units Popular in London, Ont.

It wasn't a large piece of suburban land but that didn't stop a creative developer team from building almost two dozen condo unit. Some folk object to the cookie cutter look of infill projects such as this. To which, I say, humbug. If the cookies are good, a small batch of them is delightful.

Checking the MLS records, I discovered the average selling price in 2017 was $580,500 Cdn. (or about $436,300 U.S. or £354,400 GPD). That was up from $549,800 a year earlier. There were no sales the following year and I didn't see any sales this year. It is safe to say that these units have increased in value.

The exteriors are a mix of stone and brick, inside there are nine and 10 foot ceilings plus some units have vaulted ceilings. At the rear of each unit is a covered rear deck. The units vary in size from 1534 sq. ft to 1844 sq. ft with 7 sizes in between. These units look similar but clearly there are some major differences when it comes to the layouts.

Units such as these are popular with retired folk. Being condos, all exterior work is handled by the condo board. My friends who live in condos appreciate not having to cut grass (as I do). And if the seniors lived in Toronto or had a lakeside home, as two of my friends did, selling and moving to London left them with additional cash when the financial dust from the move had settled.

Is it a residence? ...a commercial property?

One thing is clear: it's big. But what is it that is big? —a home? —a commercial property? At one point my wife and I would have voted for commercial property but that is not the skuttlebutt making the rounds in the neighbourhood.

Rumour has it that this new, and I think very handsome building, is a triplex. Supposedly three beautiful residences have been merged into one glorious building. Parking is underground, there is wheelchair access on the far right side and reportedly the building has an elevator. There is one more juicy rumour: supposedly there is a rooftop pool. I find that easy to believe.

Do you have a gut feeling? Have you seen something similar? If so, what was it? A home?

And thanks to my blog, I have been sent the definitive answers. Click this link and you find answers to the questions being asked: 1218 Riverside Drive Dr.

Chipmunk: a small squirrel, not a cute mouse

A little more than 400,000 folk live in London, Ontario. But that's not the whole story. London, like all cities, shares its space with other animals both big and small. A nearby cemetery is home to dozens of deer, the forested river valley near the university is posted for coyotes and Byron, my neighbourhood, has chipmunks among its rich mix of wildlife.

It's now fall and the chipmunks are preparing for winter. I put out seeds for birds and I also attract chipmunks. They munch away until, with their cheeks are puffed out with seeds, they scamper into the treed area at the back of my lot where they have their extensive burrows.

I used to call chipmunks cute mice but in doing the research for this post I learned I was wrong. Eastern chipmunks, the kind found in London, are small squirrels. I also learned that the goundhogs that frequent my backyard, also called woodchucks, are the biggest members of the squirrel family. Note the damaged bark on the branch behind the chipmunk in my picture. That may well be goundhog damage. Groundhogs eat bark.

Chipmunks will cart away a lot of seeds. If all goes well, they sleep quite lightly during the winter, waking up every few days to feed on some stored seeds. Chipmunks don't have oodles of fat reserves like animals that go into full hibernation. But, if it's a particularly harsh winter period, chipmunks will go into a deep state of torpor with their heart rate falling and their body temperature crashing. If this state lasts too long, the outcome can be poor.

For more info, see:  Penn State article on chipmunks.

Suburbanites like to walk

Generally, suburbia has a reputation for cookie-cutter houses, curved streets and a total lack of neighbourhood shopping. Suburbia is car country; folks don't walk in suburbia or so goes the oft repeated cliché. But it is not true, at least not the part about no one walking.

People walk in my suburban neighbourhood and they walk a lot. It's not the pull of shopping, like downtown, that gets my neighbours out pounding the pavement. Nope. More often than not, it's their dogs. Rain or shine, dogs need to be walked. Although, I must admit, jogging or just walking to get some exercise does come in a close second. And simply going out for a pleasurable stroll is also worth a mention.

So, the next time you hear someone saying that suburbanites never walk anywhere, smile. They walk a lot, at least they do in the Byron neighbourhood in London, Ontario.

Tanker Cars Rolling Through London

This kilometre-plus-long freight train is rolling through London, Ontario, heading for the core of the southwestern Ontario city. From there it will pass through east end residential neighbourhoods before exiting the city.

What makes this train worth noting are all the tanker cars. As you may recall, the horrific train derailment in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, in 2013, involved tanker cars carrying crude oil. The fire following the derailment destroyed the town centre leaving 47 dead. If your town has one or more major rail lines traversing densely built-up areas, you should read the BBC report on Lac-Magantic.

Since the Lac-Megantic accident there has been an off-and-on again discussion of creating a bypass to enable freight trains like the one pictured to avoid London's core and its densely populated residential neighbourhoods. But a new route would be exceedingly expensive, not to mention time-consuming. The tracks running straight through London will remain for the foreseeable future.

When I worked at the local paper, The London Free Press, I covered a number of local derailments with some involving tanker cars. Shooting pictures of derailed railroad cars is fraught with danger. Tanker cars can explode and propel the massive, round, metal ends a surprising distance. The ends are the weakest point in a tanker car. I always shot burning cars from the side and with as long a lens as possible. There were good reasons for the homes in the immediate area being evacuated.

Wild Turkeys Spotted in London, Ontario

 

Wild turkeys are back. Unregulated hunting and loss of forest habitat resulted in Ontario being devoid of wild turkey by 1909. I know that I never saw a wild turkey when I was a boy in the 1950s. But that has all changed.

The first wild turkeys of the present reintroduction program were released in March 1984. In the coming years approximately 4,400 wild turkeys were released at 275 various sites across the province.

Wild turkeys are not common in Ontario but there are flocks living in certain parts of the city. This one was spotted deep inside the city on the front lawn of a Riverside Drive home. There are a number of big flocks to be found in the area immediately south of my southwest London home. Every once in awhile we spot a turkey strolling through our backyard. 

For more infor the Ontario Ministry of Resources has posted information online.

Suburban Walkway Joins Two Courts

Suburban residential streets are often said to discourage walking. This isn't true in my immediate Byron neighbourhood. Byron is an older suburban area in southwest London, ON.

Since moving to Byron I've learned to walk a lot and lately biking has entered the picture as well. Why? My granddaughters. We have two parks in our immediate area. And both can be reached by walking on trails that are devoid of car traffic and even sidewalks, for the most part.

My photo today shows the trail at the far end of my court. It leads into a bush and up a hill, ending at an extended, terraced, concrete staircase terminating in the court above mine. At that point, the smallest park is but a short walk away. My granddaughters call this walkway through the woods "going on an adventure."

Note the well trodden pathway. Lots of people take this path, often when walking their dogs.

Honey Locust Form Drifts Reminiscent of Snow

When the Edie and Wilcox subdivision was built in the uplands of the Byron area of London, the trees that lined the streets were often picked for the beauty of the spring blossoms or the lovely fall colour of the leaves.

The small leaves of the Honey Locust trees turn a very bright yellow before falling and quickly turned a deep, golden brown. The leaves are so numerous in many areas that driveways are slippery with drifted piles of honey locust leaves.

Boler Mountain: a ski hill inside the city limits

It was looking iffy as far as weekend skiing was concerned. The weather had been warm and the city was looking rather green. My wife even spotted a robin, along with some other spring birds, in our backyard.

Then Thursday it turned colder and the city had about 15 cm of snow dumped on it. Nice.

Plus, the local city hill has some of the best snowmakers anywhere. They have a reputation of being able to make snow at temperatures that other folks can't.

From the looks of the hill, yes hill, Boler is one small area delivering big fun way out of proportion to its size, the snowmaking crew has earned the reputation.

Was it record warm weather in London?

Apparently Windsor, Ontario, as well as Toronto, hit new record highs for Feb. 28th yesterday.

Did London? Don't know. That said, it was warm. My thermometre read 16-degrees centigrade. That must be close to a record.

My granddaughters and other London kids went outside to enjoy the warm weather while they could. Today, the day after, it's going to be close to freezing with an accumulation of 15 cm of snow.

Oh well. There may be skiing this weekend after all.

Road graders become snow plows come winter

It's been snowing all day and now, in the evening, the snow plow has arrived - sorta.

I've always called this giant piece of equipment a road grader. I don't recall these being used as snow plows in the southern Ontario town I once called home. I decided to do a Google search for more information.

I learned Cat calls these motor graders and the wing on the side and the blade at the front are custom additions for snow removal.

A good operator can plow a street and leave the roadway clear and yet not plug the entrances to everyone's driveway. This operator was good. Very good.

A Winter Wonderland

Check out the depth of the snow sitting on the bird bath in the lower left of the posted picture.

London, Ontario, has had oodles of snow this winter and more is expected come Monday.

This is a winter for kids: sledding, snowman making, skiing, skating, if its an outdoor winter sport or activity, this is the winter for it.

Now, adults have another take. Many can't see passed the icy roads.

Caring Londoners

A local newspaper columnist has repeatedly claimed the suburbs are places where people live but without every putting down roots. The claim is that suburbanites rarely make contact with the folk living in their neighbourhood. This may be true in some places but it certainly is not true where I live: the Byron subdivision in southwest London, Ontario.

I have a failing heart and the neighbours know it. When it snows, I have the hardest time getting out snowblowing my drive before a neighbour, often a kid, shows up unannounced to blow or shovel the snow.

The adults get a heartfelt thank you. The kids I try to give a little money. They don't always take it and that gives me a smile.

Happy New Year from London, Ontario, Canada

London, Ontario, is not in a mountainous part of Canada. In fact, southwestern Ontario is pretty flat. Our original ski hill was had but a 100-feet of height but it was still a lot of fun.

Boler Mountain is run as a non-profit enterprise but it is run exceedingly well. It was started by a group of truly fine, imaginative London area folk who wanted nothing less than bringing the best alpine skiing experience.

Today, the highest hill is 125-feet and served by a four-passenger, high-speed chairlift. It may not take all that long to ski down but it doesn't take all that long to get back up either.

Tonight, new year's eve, Boler Mountain held its annual new year's eve fireworks show at 9 p.m. for the benefit of the kids. I took two of my granddaughters. They love it.

In two weeks both girls will be starting their skiing lessons at Boler. Because of this, the oldest girl suggested that next year, she and her sister could ski during the day and early evening and then stay to watch the fireworks.

Boler knows how to bait the hook for kids.

Row of heritage homes may be coming down

A row of six homes on Oxford Street just west of Wharncliffe Road look like they may be nearing the end of their lives. The first two homes are boarded up on the first floor and the windows are broken on the second floor.

I will miss these homes. If I were a developer, I'd spiffy up all six, complete with the stained glass in the front windows, and then I'd erect a low-rise behind. I might even add to the row with more homes in the same style. The entire block appears threatened.

It would make for some dense housing, excellent for the university students who choose to live in the neighbourhood. Yet, it would help the street retain its older, residential feel. And this row of homes is, I believe, unique in London. It will be a shame to lose them.

Reg Cooper Square: a failed placemaking attempt

I find this shocking. This is a picture of Reg Cooper Square located behind the London City Hall. The black structure jutting out from white wall of the City Hall is the council chamber.

Reg Cooper Square was going to be a wonderful people place. It was an attempt at placemaking. There was a fountain and attractive tiled planters along with benches. The fountain sat dry for years and today has been filled with dirt in order to support greenery. The tiled planters are gone, replaced by some standard planters but only standard planters. There are no plants inside.

Weeds grow between the large concrete pavers. When a pad was damaged, a small slab of concrete was poured to fill the hole.

If this is what London calls placemaking, it is all too sad.

A fawn with its mother

A nursing fawn with its doe in the cemetery where it was born just hours earlier. This event is not surprising as a large number of white-tailed deer call London Ontario's Woodland Cemetery home. The usually timid animals are easily sighted as they are becoming almost tame. Although the cemetery people are trying to dissuade people from feeding the deer, the request is widely ignored. as a number of bucks have been seen in the cemetery as well as a good number of does, the birth of the fawn was not unexpected.

Magnolia trees in London, Ontario, in bloom

The magnolia trees in London, Ontario, are now in full bloom. Last year the flowers lasted all of about one day before a frost struck and put an end to the displays. This year, despite the super cold winter, the blooms have escaped being hit a second year in a row by a killer frost.

London Children's Museum

My one granddaughter, Fiona, 4, loves the Children's Museum in London. The other day she insisted that we visit the museum immediately after school. She drove an Inuit dogsled, standing at the blackboard she taught in an old school classroom, she made like an ant crawling about in a hollowed out tree. She did a painting using a balloon instead of a brush to apply the paint. She was one busy little girl. The museum it so popular that it is looking to into a larger facility, possibly closer to the downtown. My graddaughter, and lots of other kids in town, will give such a move two thumbs up.

Spring is here. Potholes are growing everywhere.

The winter was tough -- much colder than usual and far more snow. Now that winter is fading, the cold is easing and the snow melting, potholes are appearing everywhere. The problem is so severe and so wide spread that it is a nationwide story.

These holes in the pavement are wide, long and deep. On the good side, the large sizes make many of these monster hard to miss. On the bad side, hit one at full tilt and a tire can be blown or a rim destroyed.

In London, Ontario, the city is busy filling the holes with a cold, asphalt mix but the cold nights is making the patches pop free.

Neighbourhood kids to the rescue

Winter is back and so are the neighbourhood kids. It is common knowledge on our little court in Byron, a suburb on the southwest edge of London, Ontario, that I have a heart condition. When it snows, it pours kids -- at least at my home. They show up en masse with shovels and scoops and even a snow blower. My drive and walkway are soon clear. Gotta love 'em.

Kingsmill's closing after 148 years

This is three days old. I made an error when posting. Oops! Oh well, better late than . . .
_______________________________________________________________________

Paper covering the windows at Kingsmill's is removed prior to the store opening.

After 148 years the Kingsmill's department store in downtown London, Ontario, is closing its doors. The store remains popular and profitable but the family no longer has any member ready to take the reins controlling the long-running retail operation.

Many Londoners, like my wife and I, are sad to see the old store closing. It was stocked with good products at fair prices. Today is the start of the going-out-of-business sale and only customers presenting invitations are being allowed into the store. All prices are marked down 25 percent for the event.

I expected hordes of folk arriving early, eager to be among the first into the store. When my wife and I arrived there were not a dozen people waiting at the store's front door. The numbers swelled prior to opening but the numbers were no where near those attracted to suburban stores on Boxing Day.

Personally, I think there should have been a way to maintain the department store experience. The old store is an important component of the downtown retail experience. I wonder what would be the problem with six or seven retailers taking over the store with each managing a different department. The iron beds area would be one retailer's section, while the china shop would be operated by another.

When I moved to London there were three downtown department stores: Eatons's, Robert Simpson's and Kingsmill's. At one point the Bay moved into what was then the Galleria mall where Eaton's was also located. Today all four are gone from the core.

The number of shoppers swelled in the moments before the store opening.

A mountain of snow

How much snow has fallen in London this winter? Lots! The other night the city sent a front-end loader to move the snow plugging the court our court into one big mound and it is big. It has to be something in the neighbourhood of 15-feet high.

If the Southwestern Ontario area gets hit with a sudden spring warm spell, getting all the more likely as we move into March, and if the warm weather is accompanied by rain, the resulting snow-melt will cause massive, spring flooding.

Mouse tracks

Mouse tracks! Oh, my God! I fear what I may find come spring.

The first time I saw smooth snow broken by rows and rows of mouse tracks, I thought it was rather pretty. I had some passing concerns for the little mice dragging their naked tails through the awfully cold ice and snow, but that's all.

My concern for the mice has turned to concern for my plants. The tracks one sees on the surface of the snow are nothing compared to the little tunnels running under the snow. And if the little rodents are not sleeping, they are eating. Come spring, I assume I am going to have a lot of plants sporting damage from being nibbled repeatedly over the winter.

I pray none of my young trees have been girdled. If they are girdled, the young trees will die.

The location deserved better

I find this a head-shaker. Reservoir Hill was the site of a military skirmish during the War of 1812. The hill was possibly the location of a short battle at the point of the deepest penetration by the Americans into what would become the country of Canada. It has taken some four decades for the developer and the city to agree on the present $20-million, 12-storey apartment building now being going up on the historic site.

After more than four decades of on-and-off discussions, one would have rightly expected a more interesting, imaginative apartment building. The view from the 12-floor will be great. It should be a quite the spectacular view of the Thames River and the distant downtown. Sadly, the view of the building itself from ground level will be less than breathtaking.

A dangerous place for rabbits

It is not uncommon to see rabbit prints in the backyard snow. Rabbits are very adaptable and have learned to live within cities. Still, it can be a deadly dangerous place for a rabbit to live. Cars are bad but cats are worse. Last week I found a large rabbit dead in the snow. Its head was completely ripped from its body. It was gross. Cats left to roam free take an awfully large toll when it comes to wildlife. Rabbits, chipmunks and birds are the main targets but they take the occasional groundhog too. My granddaughter has never stumbled upon one of the bodies and I am dreading the day that she does.

Snowbanks make crossing the street dangerous

Snowbanks make walking difficult. To cross a street one must find a break in the wall of snow and then take care that drivers see you before you enter the street.

This pedestrian was crossing at a light when hit by a car making a right turn. Both the pedestrian and the car driver had the right light but the pedestrian had the right of way. The height of the snowbank hid the walker from view until the driver was well into the turn.

After being struck, an ambulance was called. I understand the pedestrian was lucky and may have suffered only a broken leg.

One last fog photo

One last image from the fog. Just couldn't resist.

Thick fog yesterday

I had to take my granddaughter to her Irish dance lesson yesterday. The thick fog amazed her. She couldn't understand why the air seemed so thick with smoke. Cars passed us, disappearing into the mist. Oncoming cars, lights ablaze, appeared first as just two dots in the mist. She thought driving in this was dangerous, and she was right.

Rain, fog and flooding

Today, just days after breaking out of an extended deep freeze, the snow in London, Ontario, first it was thick fog followed by a heavy rain to wash away the remaining snow. I'm sure the area creeks and rivers will overflow their banks. The flood plain in the city core will be under a foot or more of water, no doubt.

Bone chilling cold one day; warm drizzle the next

Just 24 hours earlier it was bitter, stop the school buses cold. Today, it is warm drizzle and gentle fog. This is what is both right and wrong about Southwestern Ontario. Those who hate winter, who hate the cold, think it grand that the intense cold is often delivered in short bursts. Those who love winter, love the cold and enjoy the outdoors, for instance, London, Ontario, has a decent little ski hill, find the warm spells trying. The snow on the slopes melts, the toboggan runs turn to mud and any outdoor rinks without under-the-pad cooling pipes become shallow pools.

Tomorrow will be worse. It will be weather that pleases no one: Heavy rain.

A traditional '60s and '70s neighbourhood

When my wife and I moved to London, Ontario, the area around the Hunt Club, a private and very exclusive country club and golf course, was among the best places to live in town. Today it is still a fine place to live. The homes are beautifully maintained and the neighbourhood still has that upscale '60s or '70s feel.

It may be called suburbia by Londoners but this area is only about fifteen minutes from downtown. I could, in a jam, walk from this home downtown.

Whenever I drive through the Hunt Club area, I always feel I am in a neighbourhood that Beaver Cleaver would have loved. I'm sure Ward and June Cleaver, the Beave's parents, owned a home similar to these residences.

Schools open but some school buses not running

It has been so cold in London, Ontario, that area kids had snow days but not because of snow. It was the cold. It was simply too cold.

Today, Wednesday, the schools were again open but my granddaughter's school did not have its fleet of school buses running. The kids had to be driven to school in the morning and then picked up at the school in the late afternoon.

The street in front of the school was plugged with cars, as were the side streets in the area. The school parking lot was jammed with the overflow spilling onto the street.

It's winter right across North America

The news is filled with stories of winter. Aircraft skidding off runways, wind chill factors dropping to -50 degrees, entire cities (like St. Louis) shut-down on account of snow, high winds and freezing temperatures.

London hasn't been badly hit, so far. But the cold arctic air mass moving east is pushing into Southwestern Ontario. The temperature is dropping, the wind picking up and snow is falling. It is not going to be as bad in London as in other areas far west of here but it will be cold. By tomorrow morning it should be around twenty below. That's Celsius, of course.

Around Woodholme we now find . . .

New homes now sit near the gated entrance to Woodholme.

Yesterday I featured a picture of Woodholme, the home of the late Col. Tom Lawson and his deceased wife Miggsie.

The Woodholme Estate, with its concrete castlelike home dating back to the late 1880s, was a special residence in London, Ontario. The grounds were extensive. Before Col. Tom past away, he and his wife donated a large track of land to the city. Today that land is known as Lawson Park.

At one point, tearing down Woodholme for redevelopment was discussed. For the moment, the home has been saved. The land surrounding Woodholme has been subdivided and upscale private homes have been built.

Woodholme is still sitting in a pretty nice location in the expanding city.

Woodholme: Col. Tom's London castle

This castle-like home in north-west London, Ontario, is Woodholme. The residence of the late Col. Tom Lawson and his now deceased wife Miggsie. Woodholme has quite the history and it may even have a future. Time will tell.

Built in the late 1800s, Woodholme is showing its age. It's a cool home to look at and I'm sure it would be a cool home to live in. Very cool. Downright drafty and cold, in fact. While working as a newspaper photographer I had occasion to visit the place. If it had not been for the engaging, eccentric design, I would not have been impressed. I kept my coat on all the time I was there.

My wife attended the 50th wedding anniversary party held at Woodholme for Col. Thom and Miggsie. She had a lot of the same feelings about the place that I did. The best thing about the old concrete castle was Col. Tom and his wife -- especially his wife. Miggsie was at home in Woodholme.

When my wife and I were married, we got a card from Miggsie. My wife worked in the charity world and thus worked a little with Miggsie. Miggsie did not forget friends nor acquaintances. My wife was acquainted with Miggsie but she was certainly not a friend. Still, Miggsie sent a card with a short, handwritten note.

In 1983 the Lawsons put Prince Phillip up in their London, Ontario, castle. The prince came to town for the Royal Canadian Regiment 100th anniversary celebration.

Today the grounds have been subdivided for upscale housing and a residence for seniors. A ravine to the north and the land around it was donated to the city by the Lawsons some years ago. That area is now known as Lawson Park.

Water vapour envelops home during cold wave

Last night it got down to something in the neighbourhood of -22 Celsius in London, Ontario. That's cold. This home, heated by natural gas, is enveloped in the resulting water vapour being exhausted at the back of the home. This cloud of vapour is causing frost to form on the roof and eaves.

To read a warning about the use of insulating window blinds, see my post with pictures. We are always surrounded with water vapour but during the coldest days and nights of winter, this water vapour becomes briefly visible.

London, Ont., has rare eight-day garbage pick-up

January second and finally my neighbourhood has its garbage bags picked up and recycle bins emptied. It has been twelve full days since the last pick-up -- a long time.

London, Ontario, is the only city I know of that has garbage pick-up on an eight day schedule. If the pick-up is Monday one week, it is Tuesday the next week. Then it moves to Wednesday. Holidays can really stretch out the time between pick-ups. It get so confusing that the city distributes a calendar with the garbage days clearly marked.

The city claims this approach saves money. A lot of folk, especially in the hot, summer months, don't think it is worth it. Garbage tends to, shall we say, ripen in the heat. City council may bring back weekly, same-day pick-up but I wouldn't hold my breath -- not unless its the summer.