I’m surprised that it’s been so long since I last posted, but here is a photo of part of the reason: our trip to Quebec’s Côte Nord. This is as far as you can go on a road up the north shore of the St. Lawrence river. To reach the
Continue readingAuthor: Mary Soderstrom
Recreating Eden: When a Veil Is Not a Veil: Fashion, Modesty and Evolving Rules
Just as France begins to consider prohibiting women from wearing niqab, or a full veil, fashion designer Riccardo Tisci features a very attractive young woman wearing a sort of pseudo-veil in his new collection for Givenchy, seen at left as shown in The Globe and Mail. The juxtaposition throws a
Continue readingRecreating Eden: Saturday Photo: Resting Rabbit…
Animals often seem to know when they’re not likely to run into danger from humans. This rabbit is a case in point. We met him last Sunday when out for a walk near the wild space by the airport. It is more or less protected, and certainly there are not
Continue readingRecreating Eden: Saturday Photo: Monarchs…
If you look closely, the purple cone flower to the left is the launching pad for a Monarch butterfly. I think it must have been freshly hatched, as it slowly flapped its wings in the morning sun, and made no move to fly. This comes as the Monarch is being
Continue readingRecreating Eden: Saturday Photo: Trees and the City
It’s hot today, and the trees in this part of town offer a welcome respite. The shadows are dense in the morning, and people are seeking them out. Planting street trees and greening parks are important parts of any plan to combat climate change. Besides, they’re beautiful.
Continue readingRecreating Eden: Saturday Photo: Sun and Shade and Water
These are the days of sun high in the sky, and shadows directly beneath the trees. It has not been really hot here, but gardens with shade are much appreciated in the middle of the day. An island of cool in the busy city.
Continue readingRecreating Eden: Saturday Photo: Fathers’ Day Gathering
Scene last Sunday at the Lachine Rapids: a couple of geese families enjoying a picnic while the Old Guy watches. Geese are quite tame and not at all bothered by our presence. Young are of various ages. Nice to see on Fathers’ Day.
Continue readingRecreating Eden: Saturday Photo: The Best Grass Is No Grass
Just a reminder that a well-tamed grass lawn is a nuisance to keep up, not nearly as interesting as a wilder collection of plants, and less than ideal from the standpoint of the environment.
Continue readingRecreating Eden: Saturday Photo: First Rose of Summer
The first wild roses are in bloom. What a wonderful time of year when all the flowers are bursting forth!
Continue readingRecreating Eden: Saturday Photo: Goslings on Parade
Sunday morning outing at the Technoparc: mom and dad and six goslings paddling around. Just a few minutes earlier a noisy flock of geese landing in a nearby pond to feed and splash around. Why were they not with their partners raising more goslings? I wondered. Turns out that for
Continue readingRecreating Eden: Saturday Photo: Journée des Patriotes
I’ve run this before, but it bares repeating: in Quebec this weekend is not Victoria Day but the Journée des Patriotes. It commemorates the Rebllion of 1837-38, which was that nearest thing to a revolution Canada has ever known. And it wasn’t just the French speakers of Lower Canada who
Continue readingRecreating Eden: Saturday Photo: Still Life with Morning Light, Flower and Clementines
Lovely Mothers’ Day floers and other nice things
Continue readingRecreating Eden: Saturday Photo: It’s in Bloom…..
Until this spring I’ve killed all the orchids that have passed through our doorway. Can grow a lot of other things, particularly those from dry and mild places like lantana, plulmbago, jade plant, and Christmas cactus. But I always murdered orchids for reasons I amonly vaguely aware of. However, about18
Continue readingRecreating Eden: Saturday Photo: Coming up Soon to a Woods Near YOU
Leaves will be on the trees before you know it! At last!
Continue readingRecreating Eden: Saturday Photo: More Spring Flowers
Had snow this week, but the flowers nevertheless persist. Good to see.
Continue readingRecreating Eden: Saturday Photo: Easter Eggs
Latvian eggs: dyed with onion skins only. These were done a couple of years ago when Easter was earlier, and there was still snow on the ground. But I did some this year too, even though our Easter celebrations will be quiet. Third year in a row that Covid 19
Continue readingRecreating Eden: Saturday Photo: Pussy Willows
Another sign of spring. Am I right that the French term is saule discolore? What a disappointing name!
Continue readingRecreating Eden: Saturday Photo: Fig Leaves?
The fig tree spent the winter in the basement, getting watered when I remembered to do so, but receiving very little light from the small window. The temperature was chill most of the time, but never dropped below15 C, Nevertheless, somehow the plant last week sensed that spring was upon
Continue readingRecreating Eden: Saturday Photo: The Thaw Continues…
Break-up at the Lachine Rapids park. Above freezing but still chilly. Many birds though, including red winged blackbirds that seem to be delighted to be back where they nest.
Continue readingRecreating Eden: Saturday Photo: The Break-up and the Moon
Full moon this week, which coincided with the break up of ice on the St. Lawrence, which in turn meant strong tidal flow. Half the day the fractured ice flowed with the water down toward the sea, but for the other half it was pushed back by the incoming
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