Avocado Pit 8

Today's the Day!

"So, according to 'inhabitat.com', it's time for a haircut"

According to a colourful website about 'how to grow an avocado', "When the stem is 6-7 inches long, cut it back to about 3 inches, this will encourage new growth. When it hits 6-7 inches again, pot it up in a rich humus soil."

So, when my grandson Oliver visits today after school, we will do the deed.

 "I'll take a measurement"

"The shoot is between 7 - 8 inches tall"

I wonder if he'll ask his favourite question?

Link to Avocado Pit 7

Photos GH

It Strikes Me Funny

Quite the Look

["Lots of lumber equals lots of dust"]

The dust is flying in the workshop these days, as well as outside the shop when it is not raining (!), and I am getting better at slipping on a pretty reliable mask when using the table saw. 

Yesterday my grandson Ollie asked me what the black parts are.

["I'm sure I look pretty odd in my old dust mask"]

The black parts are filters. But my mask is so old I have a hard time finding manufactured filters that fit so I make my own out of old T-shirts. Three layers of cotton work for me.

Ollie says I look like a bug. 

Link to It Strikes Me Funny

Photos GH

The Workshop

Assemble and Paint Birdhouses

I think there are at least two dozen birdhouses in the workshop at present. Eleven are brand new. The rest are a month or two old and need bits of trim and paint. And I'm hoping to be onto a new project by Saturday, so it's busy times.

["Five fresh log cabins comin' up"]

 ["Six barn board BHs, all trimmed up by Saturday, I hope"]

["Grandson Oliver's BH needs a yellow cat w green whiskers somewhere!"]

What I say now: First and second coats all done by today. Deliver Ollie's birdhouse/feeder after supper and hang around for my fair share of dessert!

That's right. I work for dessert(s).

Link to The Workshop

Photos GH

Gord's Journal: Finger painting 3

Grandson Oliver had questions about finger painting 2.

"Where is the city?"

I pointed at the rectangles hugging the shoreline.

"I know," he said. "But where is it?"

'yet again, city by the sea'

"It's beside a large sea, somewhere in Europe."

"Are we in the city?"

I thought for a sec.

"No. We're in a boat, about a mile from shore. Do you like the view?"

"I do."

And I like Ollie.

Finger painting 1

iPad GH

Ollie and Me: Q: When can I win my first game?

I have a big question for you. But first, some background info.

Grandson Ollie turned seven last week and is interested in all aspects of the world around him. Though he doesn't gravitate toward athletics as much as some of his friends, he does like his swimming and karate lessons. He also shows some desire to play hockey, at least with me - table-top style.

["Ollie picks the blue team. It has a good goalie"]

He seems to be a natural. I haven't beat him one time. In fact, I haven't won a game of anything since he was born.

Q: At what age is it appropriate to win a game or two?

Photo by GH

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Please click here to read Ollie and Me: That is incredible

Ollie and Me: "That is incredible!"

Ollie begins Grade 2 in September and will turn 7 before the new year. And already he amazes me with his awareness and vocabulary, much like my own : )

Yesterday I biked to Labatts Park with Ollie in a trailer, and he talked all the way. "Why is there a fountain in the river? Can we bring bird seed back for the ducks? (And about the numerous signs near the park...) Why do people love Blackfriars?"

When we reached the park I showed him the lovely ball diamond. I told him the hot dogs at a Majors game cost $3 and were better than mine (and Ollie really loves Grandpa's Gourmet Dogs). He said he'd like to watch a game some time soon. It's now on my list.

["Two adults and a young one?"]

                                  

["Whatever the case, magnificent birds near the mighty Thames"]

Then I pointed out the resident osprey on its nest atop a light standard and he was enthralled. As if on cue - for Ollie's benefit - one bird launched itself into flight and circled the field several times.

"That is incredible!" said Ollie, with genuine enthusiasm.

The little guy made my day.

Photos by GH

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Please click here to read Ollie, have you tried the pickles?

"Ollie, have you tried the pickles?"

My grandson, age 6, is vacationing in Mexico. I heard recently he is having a very good time. But I had a couple of questions for him (sent via iMac):

Hi Ollie, I hear you are having a good time and with your Mom and Dad in a country far away from London. I think you are about 3,000 miles away where the food is quite different. You can tell me about fajitas when you get home. Do they make you burp?

Today maybe you will go swimming or play on the beach. Let me know if it is fun. Maybe I will go to Mexico someday and let you pour buckets of water on my head.

Tell your dad I had a funny drink yesterday - after the Knights second home victory - called Rogue Hazelnut and it cost $7, not a great deal but OK. Soon Grandma will wake up and I'll take her to the Roaster. Then I'll finish painting two blue birdhouses. Have a great day, Ollie, and tell your Mom and Dad to have fun too and to chill out. See you later, Alligator.

Love, Grandpa Gord

PS "Do the pickles taste funny?"

Ollie fiddles with an iPad, so maybe I'll hear back. Can 6-year olds type?

Photo by GH

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Grand kids supply grandparents with energy when they are young. Then they become teenagers.

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Ollie and Me: "No changes are required"

My wife and grandson Ollie worked together recently on a painting project and after he applied one coat of purple to a cottage's front door he was asked if he wanted to start a second coat. He looked at the door for a second or two and replied, "It's perfect."

I can understand why my wife encouraged a second coat. The bottom of the door requires a bit of paint and if she could get him to finish the door maybe she could encourage him to to work a bit longer on the roof, especially around the chimney.

That being said, I started thinking about what 'it's perfect' might mean to Ollie, a six-year-old. Here's what I came up with as I surveyed the scene:

"I'm done now. I set out to paint the door purple and now it is. I like the purple paint. I wonder what's next? Grandma wants me to start a second coat. What's that? Does she mean I should do it again? But I'm done now. I set out to paint the door purple and it is. It's perfect."

Maybe he just wanted to play with his binoculars for a few minutes, or hide inside my laundry basket.. Whatever the case, I think the kid is perfect.

Photo by GH 

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Share a story about your grandchildren.

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Ollie and Me: “A future in trash compacting?”

One brick + dried leaves = trash compacting. Maybe.

Grandma: Be very careful with the brick near your toes, Ollie.

Grandpa: That’s how they learn.

[Photo by Grandpa]

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Gord’s Photo File: “Got your keys, Ollie?”

“Ready to ride, my boy?”

“Let’s burn some rubber, Pops!”

[Photo by P.Harrison]

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Do you share your photo files?

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Ollie and Me: “All grown up now”

Grandson Ollie is in Grade 1 now. School is getting more serious.

Life isn’t. 

“Atta boy, Ollie!”

[Photo by Grandpa Gordie]

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Ollie and Me: Say “sneeze burgers”

Because I see Ollie more than my other grandchildren I will say we have bonded the best. And though my wife is his primary babysitter I take him for bike rides whenever she needs a break.

This afternoon, while I pedalled and Ollie relaxed in his bike trailer, I caught myself saying, “It doesn’t get much better than this, Gordie.”

[“Say ‘sneeze burgers’, Ollie’.” And he did.]

[“You get in the back seat, Grandpa, and I’ll drive.”]

[Ollie likes the cannons at the Fork of the Thames]

[At Thames Park Ollie spotted pieces of quartz]

I’m hoping our good relationship will last through his teen years (maybe he’ll take to me to see ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Captain Jack Retires at 65’] and he’ll willingly volunteer to bike me to the local coffee shop (in an adult trailer with a/c) when I’m in my 90s.

What are the odds?

[Photos by G.Harrison]

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Ollie and Me: “Aye aye, Captain”

It was very hot in London last week so I suggested to my wife we take Ollie to the Fork of the Thames, in downtown London, instead of staying indoors and running the A/C.

Ollie is almost an adult now (he’ll be six in December), and likes to be a part of all decision-making that affects him, so I mentioned the saucer swings, sand box, water park and fountain in glorious terms. Something caught his fancy, so off we went.

[We salute the Captain and sail the sandy seas]

[I salute again from behind a fountain’s spray]

Though I tried on several occasions, I couldn’t lure Ollie into or under the spray in order to cool off.

However, I noticed he was curious about many of the water park’s features, so maybe he just needs time to explore at his own speed.

He was very tired at the end of ‘exploring’ for an hour, so I offered a ride. He was so busy watching a storm approach (at 5 p.m. Thursday, June 21) that he had no time to salute the Captain one last time. 

[Photos by P. and G. Harrison]

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Ollie and Me: “We need more seeds”

Ollie doesn’t mind going for a bicycle ride with me even though his legs are longer than his perch in the bike trailer. And I don’t mind hauling him on London’s bike path system - we have miles of good path starting near my front door - although a couple of the hills I encounter force me to jump off and push the bike to the crest. (I just need a bit more practice!)

While I parked the bike yesterday at Ivey Park, at the Fork of the Thames, Ollie rushed down the riverside stairs and tossed seeds at the ducks. By the time I joined him quite a crowd of geese had joined him as well and the seeds were almost gone.

I’ll take twice as much seed next time because he liked the idea of feeding the ducks in Gibbons Park too, then jumping through the water at the splash pad. 

Note to self: Twice as much seed; wear swim trunks.

[Photos by G.Harrison]

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Ollie and Me: Sweet ride to Springbank

Ollie enjoys playing at Springbank Park in London and he was very patient yesterday when I suggested we go there using my new bike and trailer. 

[“This combo will get me to Paris, Zurich, Brussels,

Damascus, Vienna, etc., all in Ontario” : ) ]

Ollie insisted on wearing his PJs to the park. Who was I to argue?

We played ‘shadow tag’ next to the Thames River. I was ‘it’ but couldn’t catch the wee guy. I was saving my strength for the long ride home.

[Photos by GH]

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Ollie and Me: “The lamb chops were impossibly thick”

Yesterday my heart was warmed by the knowledge grandson Ollie missed me while I was away recently. We cuddled up with a good book (’60 Impossible Things to do Before Lunch’) soon after he arrived for the day.

Before I closed the book I added my own story.

“Last Friday I ate three lamb chops for supper on the train. Really. I know it sounds impossible, but they were this thick!”

[Home Sweet Home: Photos by P. Harrison]

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Ollie and Me: The iPad and the 'myPorridge'

Ollie is a Harrison all right.

While Ollie played Inspector Gadget on his iPad this morning, I tempted him to try my morning’s batch of porridge. I played it up well.

“It contains oatmeal, cranberries, raisins, walnuts, almond and sunflowers seeds... and several drops of pickle juice, because I know how much you love pickles. Want to try some?” I said.

He nodded, so I stuck the first spoonful from my bowl into his mouth while he gadgetted. Soon thereafter, with Ollie’s full approval, lovely Grandma was heating him up a bowlful from the pot in the kitchen.

Harrison’s ribs stick together.

[Fresh photo by G.Harrison]

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Zoom w a View: Grandson Ollie’s first photos

After taking a photo of my grandson and showing it to him, he wanted the camera.


[“It’s Ollie”: by GHarrison]

Below are Ollie’s first posted photographs, with meaningful titles:

“It’s the cat”


“It’s my finger”


“It’s my plate”


“It’s the cat again”


Give a child a camera and see what happens.

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Ollie and Me: Meet the SQUAT Team

Ollie is a big boy now, 5 and a half years old, and knows his way around our house like the back of his growing hand.

While helping his Grandma in the kitchen the other day, he explained to me that the apple sauce they were making was not for me.

“Who is it for?” I asked.

“It’s for my SQUAT Team,” he said.


Ollie is a very good squatter, as one can see. Very flexible.

So, forget calling for the SWAT Team when in danger. It’s old school. Call Ollie and his team after they’ve finished their apple sauce.

[Photos by Grandpa Harrison]

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Cartoon in Progress: “Ollie will like this one”

Grandson Ollie, 5-years old, is a pretty sharp kid.


He’ll know exactly why there are several bubbles trailing one of the four big bad bug brothers.

[Cartoon by G.Harrison]

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Please click here to see another Cartoon in Progress.

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