Lily Sleeping: Me Reading

Detail from a cafe wreath

Boxing Day Eve

Last night after the last dish was washed, the last plate put away and the candles blown out, I noticed just after midnight that my living room was filled with moonlight. I went outside to get a better look and noticed the sky was full of bright stars. This is a rare sight in our light saturated, often overcast city. Earlier in the day, I'd been telling D about when P and I were little we'd sit in the back seat of our family's car as our parents drove and drove through the cold dark to get to our farm. I remembered how my brother and I would watch the sky and look for Santa's sleigh among the infinitude of stars. Seeing the stars again on Christmas night in an entirely different time and space is indeed a magical gift.

Far away yet not.

Christmas Eve will find me/ Where the love-light gleams.

Christmas Eve

My icicle lights through the curtain.

Henry David Thoreau Redux

This is on the car of a delightful couple down the road. We often meet while they're walking their beautiful collie dogs.

Homemade Wine

This bottle of wine was a farewell gift from the gentleman who has run the local Italian grocery shop for the past forty years.

University Avenue at Night

A cold December night.

Choice A or B

Choice A: Windows at the DIA at 5 PM on a grey day.













Choice B: We went to a comic shop in Detroit and as we were about to leave the proprietor said "Care for a shot of Crown Royal? It's Christmas!" Well, ok. And then somehow we ended up getting this UglyDoll Bat who was looking pretty cool atop their Christmas tree. And when I got her home, dressing her in this festive outfit seemed the right thing to do. The festive ensemble was brought to us last Christmas on a wine bottle from L and G. They had been urged by the person who gave it to them to regift it and they similarly urged us to regift it. If our new bat is willing to part with it, one of you lucky people out there might get it next!

3:30-5:00 Meeting

Take some paper, jiffy markers, scissors, pushpins and a cork board and then add a bag of Shrek themed M&Ms and presto you've got yourself a conference schedule.

Pigeons

Pigeons are survivors. They began as cliff dwellers and now hang out on buildings and balconies.

Why my dad makes me smile: Exhibit A

15 cents worth of Canadian Tire Money found in our Christmas care package with the following note: "Heidi, I recall you mentioning Canadian Tire money in your blog. Here is my entire stash-- just for you! Dad." Now, if you read my other blog, you too may marvel that the squirrels only absconded with the baking and not Canadian Tire Money.

It's getting colder

Campus is very quiet at 7:45 am on the second last day of exams. As this morning was particularly lovely with misty snow falling, I went to visit my little pony sculpture friend and snapped some photos. Meanwhile on my iPod, Fran Healy from Travis sang:

and the sky is falling down
and there's an angel on the ground
it's getting colder
I'm standing looking down
there's not a sound around the town
it's getting colder
colder

The moon and my house in the cold dark

I realized at 11:20 PM that I'd left my bookbag in the car. Reluctantly I headed into the cold and dark and skidded over the ice. My reward? This view of the beautiful moon and sublime tree and the happenstance of having the camera in that very bookbag.

Via Rail

Who doesn't love trains? They're (most of the time) a fast way to travel in comfort and style. Europe has developed an amazing network that I wish Canada would emulate and adapt. High speed trains across the country running on green energy would transform travel and tourism.
In the meantime, it's still a nice way to move between Windsor and London on a cold December morning.

8:30 AM

6 inches so far

Outside the Gallery

For Chinese Radical Index: Ask at Information Desk

This is the last card catalogue on the floor. It's tucked away in a corner but it's still comforting to see it and be reminded of days of bibliographic yore.

6 PM on campus

After a crazy long semester, there's something lovely about walking across a quiet, darkening campus on a cold night.

Waxing Moon

A very nice evening with a clear sky, a cool breeze and out for a walk about 5:00 pm.

If I were in advertising

I think I'd come up with marketing ideas like these dancing tomatoes named Tom, Matt and Otto in Santa hats. I expect I'd be talked out of them but I'm glad someone got the green light on this one. My inner 8 year old has been laughing since 7 PM about this. And, as you might guess, it is once again dark, wet, cold and late which is why I am taking photos of food yet again.

Fur Sale On Now

Canadian Made Furs?

Good News at Wally's Bait & Tackle

Wally's Bait & Tackle is the place to head for when you need live minnows or a new rod or reel. It opens early and there always seems to be lots of business, even in winter.

Union Station, Toronto

"...she had strong feelings about the various railway termini. They are our gates to the glorious and the unknown. Through them we pass out into adventure and sunshine, to them, alas! we return." EM Forster, Howard's End (1910), p 12.

So, a nutcracker walks into a bar

and he's got this penguin in his mouth. And the bartender says to him... (sorry, that's all I've got. I have no idea why there was penguin in a nutcracker's mouth sitting atop a Front Street bar)

The most beautiful latte in the world

It's cold in Toronto this week. After a long brisk walk, I was presented with this beautiful latte. In the background, the beautiful Italian barista sang along to Amy Winehouse. As he sang, he translated her words into Italian and her songs became beautiful. He laughed a beautiful laugh and said, "She's not Amy Winehouse. She's Amy Casa Vino!" And then the snow starting falling in big soft flakes and I stirred my beautiful latte on this beautiful perfect day.

Late Afternoon as the Light Begins to Fade

While the humans submit themselves to the mall, an ancient ornithological ceremony is taking place out in the parking lot.

Construction

It proceeds apace. Except at night when it's so quiet it's eerie.

Laneway

Or alley? There are a lot of these in Windsor. Laneways that divide the city blocks, so houses back on to these now mostly overgrown roads. I imagine they used to be used for trash pick up, perhaps for deliveries of milk or ice or coal? Maybe even with horse drawn wagons?

I wish these weren't so tasty

Perhaps one could imagine a conversation like this. "Why are you taking pictures of the cookies?" "Because I forgot to bring the camera to work today. Now it's 9:30 PM, it's freezing, I'm tired, and I'm not going outside to take my picture of the day." "Hmm. It's odd how often you end up taking pictures of food lately." "Well. Yes. You do have a point. Now if you'll excuse me you're casting a shadow on my cookie box." This might be a poor excuse for a photo of the day but these are some of the tastiest cookies imaginable. They're like oreos but with actual bits of candy cane in them. And the insides are pink. And the package is lovely. It's all pretty darn cute. Trader Joe, I think I love you.

Mural Detail

One of the interesting things about Windsor is its history: it's one of the oldest European settlements around, with lots of buildings and gravesites from the 18th century. The River was a natural route of commerce and expansion for traders, soldiers and missionaries. The present Sandwich neighbourhood was the original village and there are lots of murals depicting various moments in its history.

'Counting on cute and cuddly'

Gracie reads the news and finds a story with which she can relate.

Aerial

You don't find many of these about anymore. At one point it must have been a tremendous event to put it up on your roof, turn on the tele, and see the world.

Back at the DIA: The "European: Inspired by Italy" Room

Knowing that I've only got about an hour before "art head" sets in, I've decided that each time I come to the DIA, I'm going to pick one room and work though it carefully. Today was the Grand Tour of Italy: I am deeply smitten by the colours in this room; it was a nice respite from the grey outside.

flight

A seasonally appropriate vintage

I'd orginally thought this would make a good photo for the day because it was one tasty tasty wine. But then, once the label was in my viewfinder, I realized how appropriate this wine seemed to be at this point in the academic year. It is, if you're interested, 60% Shiraz, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Grenache. Although it doesn't say it on the label, it goes well with frozen entrees from Trader Joe's (which, for the record, are also pretty tasty especially when one is procrastinating and/or at one's wits end).

Moscow Alberta

Edmonton actually, but it sort of looks something like a bit of Moscow might, if your idea of Moscow is based on the superb movie version of John le Carre's The Russia House (screenplay by Tom Stoppard) and you took it from your hotel window since you didn't want to go outside because it was -30 C.

Rutherford Library

A slightly blurry photo of the atriumy space between Rutherford Library's North and South buildings at the University of Alberta. It's a nifty piece of architecure joining the formerly separate buildings.

McKenzieHall

The skyline that is ours yet not ours

I snapped this while shivering and waiting for the bus this afternoon. If it's sunny, I don't mind the cold; there's something about the cold that makes the sky a particularly crisp and lovely blue.

7:18 PM

Still life with porcini mushroom risotto, pumpkin seed crusted tilapia and beloved cow kettle.

First Snow

As seen from my back porch.

The last roses of the year

Happy Birthday!

A Parliament of Owls

I wonder why owls in the window? Maybe they're sort of guardians of the house, keeping watch at night.

Nectar of the Gods

Beans of the Gods

Purrr

Pate Deluxe or Beef Wellington?

I've been saving this tea for a day like today