Saturday Photo: Are We in Danger?

 This is where Quebec Highway 132 runs along the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the Gaspé peninsula.  Something is going to give as sea levels rise, and driving it got me thinking about the challenges we face in these difficult times.  

The result was first my book Against the Seas: Savings Civilizations from Rising waters (2023, Dundurn) and now Before We Forget: How Remembering Will Get Us through the Next 75 Years (just published by Dundurn.)  We should try to overcome climate change and the other threats  before us, but when we can't, our memories--individual and collective--are going to be what we need to pick up the pieces.

Saturday Photo: Canadian War Museum in This Week of War

Spent an interesting and rather weird afternoon Monday at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. The visit was planned several weeks ago, but I never imagined that the world would be plunged in a new war as we walked through the exhibits. "War is not good for children and other living things." Never truer than now.
 

Saturday Photo: Coming out of Hibernation ?

The days are getting longer, and the snow is melting....some days.  What is uncovered can be surprising.

You never know what kind of critters are under the snow!
 

Saturday Photo: Nature Loves Hearts Too

 Happy Valentine's Day!

Saturday Photo: Tracks in the Snow

Don't know what sort of critter made these tracks, now somewhat obscured by blowing snow--mice, squirrel, gnomes.

But whatever it is/was it must be cold, as the temperature hasn't got above -15 C all day.  What a winter!
 

Saturday Photo: The Best Lawn--Good to Remember When It's This Cold

Evi, the cat, who is living through her first winter, won't venture outside today because it is so cold.  She's not keen on getting her paws snowy in any case, but today she's even more reluctant.

As for me, I suppose I should go outside, but I've been putting it off, and the thought of posting a winter photo really doesn't appeal.  So this is a shot taken last summer of a lawn full of clover and other attractive weeds, just so we don't forget that winter will actually end at some point.  

Saturday Photo: Sunshine and sledding...

There's nothing like a sunny winter day with fresh snow and a little time on your hands!  Sledding on the eastern slope of Mount Royal is an in-city pleasure. 
 

Saturday Photo: The Trees Are Dancing in the Winter Sun...

 Well, perhaps not dancing, but their shadows on the snow this sunny day seem almost exhuberant.  Good way to start the New Year.  

 May 2026 be full of good times, at least on a personal level.  Sure hasn't started that way on the political level. 

But we must keep our eye on the good stuff so we don't give up. 

Saturday Photo: The Tallest Tree Yet

 

Saturday Photo: Really Frosty Morning

Coldest morning so far.  Like old times, the old timers say.
 

Saturday Photo: Words to Live By

 

Saturday Photo: Flowers in Winter

My big jade plant doesn't bloom every year, but when it does, it is lovely.  So nice to have flowers when it is icy outside.
 

Saturday Photo: Snow...at last

It's not much but it's snow. In all the decades we have been here it has snowed at least a little before my birthday until last year. Same thing this year; my birthday was yesterday. But perhaps today's dusting will make up for the loss a little.
 

Saturday Photo: Nice Work If You Can Get It...

 Evi helps a lot, even in Lee's workshop.  Or she does until she gets too tire to continue.  

Saturday Photo: Morning Light...

 The sun is rising later and later, but when it does come up, there have been some beautiful mornings. 

 Like this one, last Thursday in Mount Royal Cemetery.  Makes you almost forget that we need rain badly. 

Saturday Photo: Happy Thanksgiving

 

Saturday Photo: Yellow Trees

 Took this a couple of year ago, but the woods look like this now.  Incandescent trees!

Saturday Photo: The Great Huntress

 Evi on the hunt for a bee! Luckily for it and for her, she didn't catch it.

 Note the harness.  She's an inside cat who has learned to love her harness because it means she can go outside.  

Saturday Photo: The Last Bridge?

 Pleased to announce that Dundurn Press will be publishing my novel The Last Bridge in May 2027. For those who'd like to know more, check out my short story "Ketamine" which Queen's Quarterly published in their Summer 2025 number.  https://www.queensu.ca/quarterly/

Saturday Photo: Smoking Toilets?

 A young friend went running to his mother one morning this week, shouting "Come quick, the toilet is smoking!"

 What she saw: