Port Burwell Wind Turbines.

Close Enough for a Haircut.

My motorcycle stops for turbines.

As I near Port Burwell on Nova Scotia Line, from Copenhagen (outside Port Bruce), I look for my most-photographed wind turbine. It sits near a curve in the road, about a mile from the beach, and I can park right under it.

 SWOOSH!! "A little off the top, Gord?"

From the Port Burwell pier:

Please link to Port Bruce: Two Months Later.

Photos GH

Canadians in Combined Operations

Two New Blogs

 [Five Canadians in Combined Operations, WW2. How many more?"]

Lately I have been busy developing two blogs that will likely demand some steady attention for the next twenty years or so.

One is called Canadians in Combined Operations, WW2. My hope is the site will become a substantial archive of material related to an organization that almost completely disappeared shortly after the close of the Second World War. With help from others I plan to tell a bit of the story, through true stories from veterans, photographs and other collected materials, of the men who manned the barges during the infamous Dieppe raid and subsequent invasions of North Africa, Sicily, Italy and France.

My efforts are not just my own. Long before I grew interested in the topic my father recorded his own memoirs and stories about his time in Combined Ops, WW2. And perhaps unbeknownst to him, some of his mighty efforts are permanently recorded in film at the Imperial War Museum (IWM) and various books on library shelves.

[My father, centre, watches US troops disembark from his ALC, Nov. 1942.

Photo found in Assault Landing Craft by B. Lavery. Credit IWM, UK]

The second blog is called Faint Footsteps, WW2. My hope is to write a coherent story that encompasses, chiefly, my father's adventures as a member of the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) and Combined Operations organization during WW2, and secondly, my own adventures as I follow faint footsteps to libraries, museums, archives, training camps, invasion sites and more that relate to his story. I have his memoirs, newspaper stories, black and white WW2 photos and other resources to guide me, and I've had good luck so far contacting others who knew him or took somewhat the same journey.

["My father began his RCNVR adventure in Hamilton, 1941"]

["After Hamilton he trained with many others at Stadacona in Halifax"]

["Home on leave, perhaps with his sister in Brantford, 1943 or 1944"]

["Combined Ops insignia as seen on shoulder patch"]

So, off I go. There's work to be done. But I will still keep in touch here too.

Link to My Morning Smile

Photos GH

Bird Watching Blue Jays

Always on the Lookout

I sit at a computer near a back window and catch glimpses of many birds streaking to the feeder each day. When I see or hear something, I look up from my work. Sometimes a single Blue Jay pops by for breakfast.

The Blue Jay takes a seed in its bill, then raises its head to look around. Always watchful. Shortly after I am spotted the bird disappears. Another Nervous Nellie.

Link to Bird Watching

Photos GH

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The Big Dump

I had (relatively speaking, of course. This ain't the Arctic) some heavy shovelling to do before finding my way to the workshop today. Hats off to Pat for shovelling out to the road.

Link to Zoom w a View

Photo GH

Artsy Fartsy 14

Old Rail Bridge

I like the look. But, I would not want to walk across it.

Link to Artsy Fartsy 13

Photos GH

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Curved Ice, Flat Roof

So, how does one explain a curved panel if ice attached to a flat roof?

Slow melt?

Anyone?

Link to Zoom w a View

Photos GH

Zoom w a View

Ice on the Thames

Link to more Zoom w a View

Photos GH

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Snug as a Bug

Cozy w coffee. Waiting for spring.

Link to Zoom w a View

Photos GH

Artsy Fartsy 13

Towers of Powers

I know how to push your buttons.

Link to Artsy Fartsy 12

Photos GH

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I Stand On Guard

Go get 'em, Boy! I say.

This metal sentinel keeps squirrels off the bird feeder at very low pay.

Link to Zoom w a View

Photo GH

Four Words 2

 The End of Innocence

Quite a bit of positive action and reaction took place outside Bud Gardens last night in London. One bearded guy made a 'protest sign' out of a 45 - 50 year-old LP album cover.

Link to Four Words

Photos GH

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Fullarton Street Reflections

Sun beams reflect off glass-panelled buildings on the north side onto the government building opposite.

Link to Zoom w a View

Photo GH

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Seven Bean Ham Stew

See me now, hear me later.

Link to Zoom w a View

Photo GH

Four Words

End of the Innocence?

Four Words

'innocent until proven guilty'

are four judicious words

meant for court rooms

where peers rightly decide

guilty or not guilty.

'deal with mounting allegations'

'pay for your crimes'

'no place to hide'

'get out of town'

are other 'four words'

meant for public spaces

where opinions freely fly.

Will old LP covers on the end of protesters' hockey sticks be seen out front of Bud Gardens, London, tomorrow night at 6 PM?

Link to Zoom w a View

Photo GH

Zoom w a View - HMCS Fraser

At Fork of the Thames, London

Two Navy ships named Fraser has interesting histories, that's for certain.

Link to more information re Two Frasers

Link to Zoom w a View

Photo GH

Zoom w a View - Burned Croutons on Ice

Who Burned the Croutons?

Link to the answer to 'who burned the crutons'.

Link to more Zoom w a View

Q: Can you explain the bump in the ice?

Photo GH

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East Woods Pond 2

A unique tree rests beside a path along one side of East Woods Pond, about a ten minute walk from my house in Old South. 

If it falls into the pond in my lifetime I will rescue a limb or two for walking sticks.

Sound fair?

Link to Zoom w a View

Photos GH

My Afternoon Walk - Short Cut 2

The Old Tree

My walking mate hugged this old tree during a fun and fitness walk recently and said, "Hang in there, Buddy."

Though hollow, I believe the tree will hang in there for several more years and point the way along a lovely path - beside East Woods Pond - for explorers of all ages.

Link to My Afternoon Walk

Photos GH

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East Woods Pond

My walking mate and I recently found a short cut from Springbank Park to Wharncliffe and Bruce St., but once on it our pace slowed to a crawl.


The change of pace did us some good, actually. The short cut - a well-kept secret - took us to a quiet pond, a 'photographer's dream' some might say.

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Photos GH

My Morning Walk - Jailhouse

From the Outside

The old jailhouse in London is a marvel. I'm glad developers haven't levelled it for condos.

I wanted to look inside an old jail cell so I jaywalked to catch the attention of a nearby police officer.

["Hey. I'm jaywalking here. Breaking the law, Copper!"]

The person was actually an off duty member of mall security so just shrugged.

Can we see inside the old cells? I'll check during my next 'fun and fitness' walk.

Link to My Morning Walk

Photos GH