A European Immigrant to Canada

 

What can one say about a praying mantis? A lot, I've learned. First, the one shown is not native. Nope. It is a European immigrant that came to Canada via the States. There is also a Chinese mantis but it is found mainly in British Columbia in Canada.

There is one mantis that belongs here: the Carolina mantis. The native species gets too little respect. Why do I say that? Well the European praying mantis is the official state insect of Connecticut and not the  Carolina mantis. And when garden centres sell mantises to dine on destructive insects in our gardens, the mantis species sold is invariably the European. And the insects dined upon may even include our own native mantis. 

The European mantis may threaten the existence of the Carolina mantis. For this reason, some advise destroying the egg clusters of the European and Chinese mantises. I would think it awfully hard to differentiate. That said, there is cluster glued to the underside of the brickwork near where my granddaughter spotted today's example. I think I'd be safe in assuming this was left by the green-winged visitor.

Even 7-year-olds making waffles benefit from trade

 

When Isla, 7, makes waffles for a family breakfast, she does not think of trade but it is an important ingredient in making her waffles a success. The strawberries she used last Saturday came from a local grower but the berries she will soon be using will come from the Imperial Valley in California. The waffle mix comes from a company founded in Seattle in Washington state in the early '30s. The egg is local but not the olive oil. It is imported from Tunisia.

The all important waffle maker itself is made in China. It wasn't all that long ago that it would have been made in either Canada or the USA but for the moment that day has passed. The bowl holding the water came from Portugal, the bentwood bar stool on which she is sitting was made in Czechoslovakia.

She gives it not the slightest thought but trade between nations quietly colours her days.

Two looks at power

 

Windmills were everywhere in farm country when I was a boy. Then they seemed to get somewhat rare. That said, they seem to be making a comeback. 

Townhouses: growing segment of London market

 

Townhouses were somewhat rare when I was young. When friends bought a townhouse/condo back in the early '70s in a community north of Toronto, it was considered a unique development. Not today.  

As I recall, my friends moved into their townhouse/condo in the '70s because of the pressure of fast climbing housing costs. The couple saw the townhouse/condo as an entry point into the housing market that they could afford. My gut feeling is that the high cost of housing is behind the growing popularity of this type of housing.

That said, ease of upkeep and an accurate way to estimate total housing costs probably enter into the equation as well.

A red roof forever

 

I love this home. It looks like a direct descendent of the homes I knew as a child. Homes built in the '20s and '30s in Windsor, Ontario. A direct descendent of those homes but an updated one.

Homes didn't have an attached garage in the '20s. No need. Many folk didn't have a car. As car ownership increased the snoot-nosed home made its appearance. This home borrows from, and improved on, that look in home construction. The jutting snoot is gone but the handy-to-access garage at the front of the home is still present.

This place, with its relatively small size, would easily fit into my former century-old neighbourhood. And yet, with its bright-red metal roof, its paving stone drive, perma-colour shingles and other modern exterior materials, it would stand out. Even the exterior brick would distance it from its neighbours. The brick is coloured concrete and not red or yellow clay.

With its AC unit and triple-pane windows, this home is comfortable in summer and with its blanket of insulation hidden in the exterior walls it is cozy in winter. I would imagine it is draft free.

Folks love to complain. For years our local paper ran stories on the hell of living in the suburbs. The suburbs being places just ten minutes by car from the city centre. But today those stories are waning. Many of the reporters live in the suburbs and like where they live.

Goldenrod: wildflower or weed?

 

 

Goldenrod: it doesn't look like much for much of the year. In fact, minus the flowers it looks very much like a weed. But, come late summer and early fall, huge swaths of bunches of golden flowers sway in the breeze looking wonderful. Very dramatic. And very attractive growing beside public walkways and paths.

Goldenrod is an aggressive plant. It invades and spreads quickly. It is resilient. It handles both rainy weather and periods of drought with aplomb.

A lot of folk believe goldenrod is at the root of their September allergy attacks. According to my grade school science teacher, probably not. He taught us that it was ragweed growing among the stands of goldenrod or near it that was the true culprit. A little googling seems to show support for my old science teacher's position. The story of causing allergic reactions appears to be a myth.

Wild flowers add visual interest to neighbourhood walks

 

These look like wild daisies according to my wife. I love 'em and my wife says she doesn't think the rabbits eat these and they are very hardy. I've got to get these neighbourhood wild flowers growing even  closer to home -- like on my hill behind my backyard.

I'll soon return to the hiking trail that snakes through my area in search of some mature seeds.