Zoom w a View: This is me getting all artsy with asparagus and turbines

As I said in a recent post last, Sunday was “a perfect day to go slow, stop and snap postcards from the side of the road.”




The Yamaha rumbled when I wanted rumble but I had just as much fun with the camera.

Richmond and Lower Path Rd., an asparagus patch and under a turbine at Port Burwell were a few of my stops.


I hope you’ll excuse me for getting all artsy-fartsy with some photographs.


Asparagus does that to me.

Click here for other photos.

.

My Point of View: To ban (the plastic water bottle) or not to ban

If you want to have a great debate institute a ban on plastic water bottles at a few city-owned sites as did London Ontario.

Fur will fly. Truth will be turned upside down. Over-reactions by deputy mayors and councillors will be the order of the day.

And, if you’re like me, willing to carry your own water in a thermos and squeeze your own oranges if you prefer juice, your blood will boil at some of the things people say.


For example, Councillor Paul Van Meerbergen declared [see entire newspaper article]:

“It’s one more brick in the construction of a nanny state.”

As I said yesterday, the derogatory term generally refers to excessive state controls.

Here’s more:

It can refer to “consumer protectionism that removes or controls otherwise free choices such as helmet laws, anti-smoking laws and other laws regarding personal choices (some of which include a social cost, as in increased health-care costs to society at large)” [Wikipedia online]

In my opinion, many would agree that some restrictions save lives and untold personal and economic costs (seat-belt, helmet, anti-smoking, highway speed laws etc.) and we’re still hundreds of years away from becoming a nanny state.

We’ll need an excessive number of bricks put in place before present and future generations are adequately protected from the social and environmental costs related to excessive lifestyle choices - made possible by an unsustainable economy fueled by petroleum.


Van Meerbergen also predicted Londoners won’t let their kids drink from public fountains that are exposed to things as vile as urine and added, “Most families are not going to encourage their children to lap up water from public fountains.”

His words made me wonder, what’s more excessive?

The controls or the councillor?

In conclusion, though there will be many more statements made in support of bottled water that will make me feel more like a geezer, give me fever or make my blood boil I will hold my tongue (in this space) until we’ve lived with the ban for one year.

Hold my tongue?

You heard it here first.

[Read post below for more context]

.

It Strikes Me Funny: Comments about London’s bottle ban give me fever

My temperature rose a notch or two while reading comments from an industry spokesman and local councillors who oppose a limited ban on plastic water bottle sales at some London venues.

[A London newspaper report]

An incomprehensible comment by Dep. Mayor Gosnell (“We are penalizing water”) boosted my geezer temp to 98.9 degrees.


But a lulu of a lament by Councillor Paul Van Meerbergen provoked a fever.

He said:

“It’s one more brick in the construction of a nanny state.”

Is he kidding?

No.

There’s no report Van Meerbergen grinned mischievously, winked at people or poked a fellow councillor in the arm before saying, “Hey, I was just goofin’ around.”

For those not in the loop, ‘nanny state’ is a derogatory term and “in general is used in reference to policies where the state is characterized as being excessive in its desire to protect ("nanny"), govern or control particular aspects of society.” [Wikipedia online]


Is a small restriction on plastic bottle usage equal to a brick?

How does that work?

Hurry - my temp just hit 99.2 degrees

Stay tuned

[Read post below for more context]

.

It Strikes Me Funny: Comments about water bottle ban agitate this geezer

I predicted in today’s column that as discussions related to a water bottle ban continue in London people who sell ‘plastic’ water (and others) would say, in effect:

“Are you nuts? There are great reasons to allow plastic bottles.”

And I predicted such comments would make me feel like a geezer.

I was correct on both counts.

After a ban was actually introduced people said the following:

“(The city) ... ignored the facts and decided to target a healthy consumer choice. This is a move that will cost taxpayers more and do less for the environment.” - J. Sherwood, Pres. of Refreshments Canada

[Report in London newspaper]

I put my hand to my forehead.

Ouch. My geezer temp - usually stable - was at 98.7 degrees.

“A ban will push people to drink less healthful alternatives.” - Deputy Mayor Tom Gosnell and Controller Bud Polhill

I hit 98.8.

“We are penalizing water.” Dep. Mayor Gosnell


98.9 degrees soon followed and sweat from my nose dripped into my orange juice.

Could civic leaders respond in a more out-dated fashion?

Stay tuned.

.

Motorcycle Miles: Butterflies, wind turbines, an alligator and asparagus patch

Last Sunday was a perfect day to motorcycle.

I called a friend from Aylmer and told her to warm up my bike.

(She purchased a Suzuki from me two years ago but I still call it ‘my bike’.)

It was also a perfect day to go slow, stop and snap postcards from the side of the road.


My friend and her daughter are good riding mates. They’re pretty curious about their surroundings and will often explore one side of a ditch or asparagus patch while I’m exploring the other.


[Asparagus patch: photo GAH]

They don’t mind that I stop every 10 minutes to see what I can see.


Or not see. Where’s Johnny?


Johnny? Johnny?

.

It Strikes Me Funny: True Canadians can squeeze their own oranges

In an earlier post concerning some of the myths related to the use of bottled water I asked the following disconcerting question(s):

Where is our self-reliance, ability to squeeze our own oranges, appreciation for the environment, creativity - and willingness to think outside the bottle?


So many answers, eh?

I think one of them is:

We live in such a hurry we buy “conveniences” thinking we’re buying time too.

Sometimes we are, a few seconds here and there, along with a host of environmental challenges that end up in landfills and waterways.

Lately, like many True Canadians, I’ve been squeezing oranges in an old juicer, adding water and ice, pouring the results into a travel mug or thermos (total time - 5 minutes) and sipping it throughout the day.

I take the thermos on many short motorcycle trips.


I enjoyed the ice cold orange juice as a cheap treat (about $1.00 less than coffee) while walking Port Burwell’s beach recently.

Next week, maybe I’ll squeeze up some strawberry lemon juice.

.

My Point of View: Yup, I’m a geezer - I won’t buy bottled water

Part 3

Sure, I’m a geezer.

I have unruly neck hair and don’t believe the myth that bottled water is healthier than tap water.

[Why? Click here.]

According to a recent letter to The Londoner (V. Prat, Aug. 13) there are five more popular myths and they all turn my unruly hair gray.

Along with as much plastic water as we can fit into a Hummer some people want us to buy the following:

That $1 or $2 a litre [for water] is cheap.
Bottled water is a sound environmental choice
Recycling plastic works
At events e.g. if bottled water is not available people will turn to sugar drinks
There will be lost jobs


Why, just for starters, it geezerfies the mind to imagine how much money some people could save if, instead of bottled water, they purchased a thermos for their backpack or brief case and travel mug for the car.

Where is our self-reliance, ability to squeeze our own oranges, appreciation for the environment, creativity - and willingness to think outside the bottle?

.

My Point of View: I’m a geezer and have my own juice

Part 2

According to a recent letter to the editor there are six popular excuses related to drinking bottled water.

Well, no matter how many excuses are generated I’ll continue to think bottled water should be banned wherever possible because I think like - therefore I am - a geezer.

For example, excuse or myth 1 is as follows:

Bottled water is healthier [than tap water].


I say, what a bunch of malarkey.

I heard the first batch of bottled water came from a greasy hose out back of a garage.

Two guys started selling town tap water for 10 cents a pop because people were actually willing to buy it rather than walk home for a drink - and the practice continues to this day.


With a bit of effort and ingenuity we could carry cold water with us everyday - even freshly squeezed orange juice - in any number of reusable containers, conveniently, and drink something a lot healthier than bottled water.

Bottled water is healthier?

Not a chance.

Read Part 1 of My Point of View below for context.

.

My Point of View: Debate re bottled water proves I’m a geezer

Part 1

I already know I’m a geezer.

While shaving this morning I spotted a wild tuft of hair on the side of my neck that hadn’t been there last week.

My hair realizes it misses the sixties and is doing whatever the heck it pleases. And I can’t blame it.

A recent letter to the editor of The Londoner confirmed I’m a geezer too, as excuse after excuse - six in all - for using plastic bottled waters made me realize I come from another generation, maybe even from a land far away where we learned to do many things for ourselves and when we whined that we were hungry our mothers told us to have a drink of water, then go outside and play - but not with scissors.


I’ll start teasing a few posts out of the letter after I make my morning orange juice.

Tune in for Part 2

Click here for the first in a recent series about The Blackout

.

Ollie and Me: Poignant moments now that I’ve seen the photos

To teachers and students of photography:

There is a unique opportunity for you to share your camera work (or play) with others at Written Inc.

Carmi, the site’s creator, invites you to participate in Thematic Photographic, and this week's theme relates to - poignant photos.

I fell in love with the following photographs of grandson Ollie and me as soon as I saw them.


I thought again of a few words a Greek restauranteur told me years ago, while playing near his kitchen with my first grandson:

“You get your children back.”

He was right.

There are times I feel strong regrets that I spent, as a school teacher, more hours during most days with other people’s children than my own. And as a young father I didn’t have the good sense to appreciate the treasure in my own house.


However, every time I now spend a meaningful moment with my sons and grandsons a bit of regret disappears.

[Click here to see another shot of Ollie and me.]

.

Today is the 5th anniversary of The Blackout

Part 7 - Conclusion

Five years ago today millions of people in Ontario and north eastern U.S. experienced a historic hydro meltdown.

So historic and memorable that some still refer to it as The Blackout.


In the last several posts I’ve been telling the story of an official knee-knocking party that began spontaneously on my front porch with friends and neighbours.

I wrote:

Warm conversations flowed, ice melted in more ways than one, a rare atmosphere developed, neighbours became friends and we realized we’d get through The Blackout by sharing advice, skills and supplies.

The sharing atmosphere has continued on Cathcart St., our neighbours are still our good friends and I’ll be part of another front porch knee-knocker tonight after supper.

Not everyone landed on their feet like my neighbours and I did, but The Blackout’s date reminds me to enjoy things that are near.

Also, connected to that first knee-knocker party, a ‘live small and prosper’ philosophy is now frequently shared in my weekly column.

Question:

Would we benefit from annual organized blackouts?

Here’s another man’s opinion.

.

Live Small and Prosper: The 5th anniversary of The Blackout is tomorrow

Part 6

Tomorrow's date will mark five years since my wife and I huddled around a crank radio with a few neighbours on our porch, agreed not to open the freezer doors while we used up food from the fridge and I kept asking:

“Anyone want more yogurt? Please?”

That turned out to be a good plan after we learned from our immediate neighbour we could be in for a long haul since The Blackout affected such a large area the process of getting everyone back online would take days.


Ontario Hyrdo One’s Anne Creighton reported the following:

“We're checking our system to see what the impact is, but it looks like the majority of the province could be out.”

New York Governor George Pataki added:

"Well over half of the people of the state are without power." [CBC News Online]

It helped our mood that our neighbour brought a rare single malt whisky to contribute to our stock of dwindling drinks.

I grabbed more chairs, asked the growing crowd to squeeze in a little closer [we reached 12 guests and declared it an official ‘knee-knocking’ party by 10 p.m.] and brought out my own bottle of single malt.

Or was it two?

Warm conversations flowed, ice melted in more ways than one, a rare atmosphere developed, neighbours became friends and we realized we’d get through The Blackout by sharing advice, skills and supplies.

The beer, whisky and close quarters helped but The Blackout was the catalyst that provided a different flavour to our street.

And more.

Tomorrow - the final installment

[See below for Part 5]

.

Live Small and Prosper: The 5th anniversary of The Blackout is 2 days away

Part 5

At 7 p.m., three hours after The Blackout on August 14, 2003 my wife and I tidied our front porch and welcomed the return of a few neighbours.

Soon a small group huddled around a crank radio and wondered what had caused The Blackout, if some folks would have to work the next day, how to deal with future meals and frozen food - among other things.

While we enjoyed a breeze in London, Ontario James Thompson, who works in Manhattan, said:

"People that would normally be inside are outside because they are baking in their buildings.”


When Robert MacKenzie, supervisor of communications for Toronto, was asked where Mayor Mel Lastman was he replied:

“I have no idea.” [CBC News Online]

However, when I asked who wanted a Guinness before it got warm I received positive replies.

One came from a disembodied voice several feet away.

“I do,” said a neighbour sitting alone in the dark on his nearby porch and in return for Guinness he brought bad news and good whisky.

Tomorrow - Part 6.

[Click here for Part 4]

.

Zoom w a View: Quick - shoot, edit and crop the crops

I could have taken a 1,000 photos but returned from Cape Chin, Georgian Bay and Wiarton with only a few.

The fellow who did all the driving said in advance that our weekend trip was going to simply be a quick crop tour.

Quick. What are the crops?


[Add a slice to a toasted bacon, cheese, tomato, dill pickle and peanut butter sandwich. You'll be glad you did. Your spouse - not so much.]


[These are the seed pods for... ?]


[My newest cribbage buddy is picking one crop while backing into a second]

[Click here for other recent photos]

Did you recognize Spanish onion, garlic, peas and tomatoes? How about Lou?

.

Live Small and Prosper: The 5th anniversary of the Blackout is 5 days away

Part 4 (Saturday’s advance edition]

Two hours after the blackout on August 14, 2003 my wife and I shared a romantic candle-lit supper cooked over a roaring propane stove.

By seven o’clock the romance was over.

We needed to tidy our porch for visitors.

Recently I learned that while we tidied a reader took a worrisome journey.

Smarmoofus wrote:

I was sitting on a subway train with my sister in midtown Manhattan when The Blackout hit. Our host lived in Brooklyn. The subway was down, buses were packed like human sardine tins, roads were gridlocked, and there wasn't a cab to be had... So my sister and I started walking.


It took us about 6 hours to get to my friend's flat in Brooklyn... My friend, sadly, never heard from us 'til we showed up at his door. His relief was as great as ours... We were so glad we made it to the apartment safely. [unedited story here]


Shortly after 7 p.m. our own guests arrived.

Stay tuned for Part 5.

[Click here for Part 3]

.

Motorcycle Miles: Postcards from the Side of the Road

While biking toward the New Sarum Diner recently I spotted a telephone pole that held two dozen glass insulators.

I wished I had a ladder.


And wasn’t afraid of getting zapped while snagging another insulator for outside my workshop door.


Click here for more postcards and a link to a location where you can show off some of your recent photos.

.

Live Small and Prosper: The 5th anniversary of “The Blackout” is 6 days away

Part 3

The historic blackout that hit Ontario and much of northeastern U.S. on August 14, 2003, causing millions to feel the unpleasant effects of one big problem leading to many others, brought my neighbourhood closer together.

On the one hand, Giovanna Leonardo, who was waiting in line with 200 people for a Staten Island bus, said, "I'm scared. It's that unknown ‘What's going on?’ feeling. Everyone's panicking. The city's shutting down.” (CBC News Online)


[Photo - Toronto skyline: CBC News Online]

On the other, closer to home, Margie, a neighbour in London, Ontario spotted a group of men (including me) sipping beers on a nearby porch while listening for news on a crank radio and asked, “When will the hydro return?”

We wondered the same thing and also debated the following:

Should we have another beer before supper?

Because my neighbour’s supply was gone I offered to play host on my front porch after a make-shift meal.

After quick good-byes I walked home to look for candles.

Stay tuned for Part 4.

[Please read Part 2 for context]

.

Postcards from Niagara Falls, Ontario

Please visit Written Inc. if you enjoy sharing your camera work (or play) with others.

You’ll quickly discover that Carmi, the site’s creator, presents a unique opportunity for teachers and students of photography.

His theme this week at Thematic Photographic relates to - patterns.

Lemme see what I can scrounge up from my recent trip to Niagara Falls.


A stairway to a restaurant near the falls


A butterfly is worth a thousand words


More butterflies, more words

[Click here to see earlier, related shots.]

.

Live Small and Prosper: The 5th anniversary of “The Blackout” is 7 days away

Part 2

On August 14, 2003 because of the blackout that hit Ontario and much of northeastern U.S. many neighbours became my friends.

Shortly after 4 p.m. the lights went out at London’s downtown YMCA, the treadmill I was on stopped running and so did I - very abruptly.

Many days later CBC News Online reported:

The cause of the blackout, according to Canada-U.S. joint task force, can be traced back to FirstEnergy Corp. of Ohio. FirstEnergy's EastLake plant shut down unexpectedly... triggering problems on its transmission line that triggered a cascade effect that caused the blackout.


[See photo in context]

After showering in the dark (and in the nude as I recall) I biked home on my Raleigh 5-speed and noticed the blackout’s effects had cascaded onto my neighbour’s porch.

“Drink this before it gets warm,” he said, and handed me a beer.

Ten minutes later two friends arrived carrying more beer and a crank radio.

Stay tuned for Part 3

[Read Part 1 below for context]

.

Live Small and Prosper: The 5th anniversary of “The Blackout” is 8 days away

Part 1

On August 14, 2003, because of a hydro blackout, I enjoyed a most pleasant evening on two front porches in Wortley Village.

CBC News Online reported the incident in the following manner:

At 4:11 p.m. ET on Aug. 14, 2003, Ontario and much of the northeastern U.S. were hit by the largest blackout in North America's history. Electricity was cut to 50 million people, bringing darkness to customers from New York to Toronto to North Bay.


[Photo in context]

Streetlights went out, subway trains stopped mid-tunnel and refrigeration equipment went dead. And while some electricity consumers had service restored by early the next morning, many areas remained in darkness well into the next day and even the one following. [Aug. 20, 2003]

It was for many a serious incident.

On my street, however, the blackout is remembered fondly.

First, my next door neighbour called me over to enjoy a beer before it got warm.

[Stayed tuned for Part 2]

.

It Strikes Me Funny: How would you like unlimited miles per gallon?

What would you say if I put a gallon of gas in your car and you went as far as you wanted - for years?

You’d say, amazing deal, right?

And what would you say if, after years of driving, I came back for my gallon of gas and it was still in the can I stashed in the trunk?

Impossible, you’d say.

Mais, non, bon ami.

It is possible - and you don’t have to drive Fred Flintstone’s car.

But you would have to drive an electric or alternatively fueled car.


I posted the above photo yesterday, asked “what is it” and mojo commented:

“I think it's called an EZ-Go. Last time I saw something like that was at a golf course.” [original post]

Well, if we can ride it around a golf course we should be allowed to drive it around a city.

Then it would be no more EZ-Come EZ-Go with our gas money.

Would you drive one?

.

Live Small and Prosper: Enjoy things close at hand but don’t fall in

It’s summer time, it’s hot, the back of your neck’s feeling dirty and gritty and you’d like a wee vacation.

Hey, me too.

And just last weekend I drove my wife and a friend to Niagara Falls, a stellar natural wonder, on less than one tank of gas.

The trip included two stops at craft and art shops in Six Nations south of Brantford.

Our friend purchased a book he had not seen since he was a child and if he’d not been visiting from the Czech Republic would have purchased 30 pounds of craft supplies. Maybe 35.


In Niagara Falls traffic was crushing but the fresh air next to the falls was exhilarating.


Next time I’ll take a ride on Maid of the Mist.


“If there is a next time,” said my wife. “What if you fall in?”

Then she grabbed my butt.


Okay, evidence proves she grabbed my shirt but... in my mind...

More brilliant photos below.

And more.

.

Zoom w a View: Niagara Falls - one of Canada’s wonders

On Saturday my wife and I took Eduard (a citizen of the Czech Republic) to Niagara Falls to show off one of Canada’s top wonders.

During the ride there he said in halting English that he was impressed not only with my driving and Ontario’s roads but the tidy picnic area I chose for our lunch break i.e. a small parking space in front of an abandoned building and beside an old car that had caught my eye.

Just wait ‘til he sees the falls, I thought.

Shortly after we arrived Eduard started taking the first of 130 photographs to send home to his family.

The green space and stately trees near the falls are spectacular.


The Maid of the Mist IV parked for 5 minutes in front of the mighty Horseshoe waterfall.


Blue raincoat rentals are appreciated, I’m sure.


Have you seen the falls from the deck of one of The Maids?


Tell me of other amazing views.

.

It Strikes Me Funny: Small electric cars have a big place

While in Niagara Falls recently I spotted a car that struck my fancy.

I immediately wanted one.

Though I don’t know its name I do know there are two and three wheeled vehicles with similar styling as well.


Sure, I could walk or ride my Miele road bike more often but there are times when a tiny vehicle is needed to help me bring home more than a couple of bags of groceries and four-pak of Guinness. Or Kilkenny Irish cream ale as a change.

At any rate, London’s greenhouse gas emissions related to transportation are through the roof and, as Mayor of Wortley Village, I’d like to encourage anyone who drives a lot of miles inside an urban setting to consider trading in for something really small with very low emissions.

Like that car in Niagara Falls.

I know I’m in the market.

But does it have a name?

[And how can people be enticed to buy electric? Click here to comment.]

.

It Strikes me Funny: Don’t wear curlers or Argyle socks during the Olympics

The Olympics begin shortly and Beijing residents have been given an etiquette booklet to help them greet the world in appropriate style.

For example, the booklet advises against the following (among other things):

“(wearing) too many colours, white socks with black shoes and parading in pajamas.” [Full article - click here]

In my opinion the booklet should have gone further and addressed all nations in an attempt to rid the world of a multitude of sins.

E.G. No one should wear Bermuda shorts with Argyle socks to the knee unless the Olympics are held in Bermuda or Argyll, Scotland.

No one should be seen outdoors wearing curlers and a tattered housecoat.


Or indoors.

Whereas Beijing residents have been instructed not to “ask foreigners their age, marital status, income...”, everyone should refrain from asking:

“Do you like my new haircut?”

“Do you think these jeans fit?”

Anything else?

.

Zoom w a View: This is me trying to be artsy-fartsy

It wasn’t easy getting these brilliant photographs.

First, I had to agree to drive to Niagara Falls yesterday on short notice and on one of the heaviest traffic holidays in Canada.

Second, I had to turn right on the wrong seldom-used backroad near Smithville.

Third, when my passengers and I stopped to eat egg salad sandwiches in front of an abandoned building next to a used car lot (after I spotted the 1950 Chevy and did a U-turn in front of a truck loaded with chickens) the weather didn’t co-operate.


When safely parked I opened my car door, camera in hand, and it began to rain.

When I closed the door for another bite of egg salad the rain stopped.


I tried again - it rained. Closed the door - it stopped.

Open - rain. Close - stop.


Eventually the desire for photos drew me outside.


PS The car has issues but the owner still wants $12,000.

Is it worth it?

[Click here to see a 1964 VW]

.