Saturday Photo: Funeral for a Dear Friend, a Fine Man
Today a few of us will be celebrating the life of Michel Lizée who died just shy of his 70th birthday after a long illness. As a tribute in the…
Mary Soderstrom
Saturday Photo: Time to Get Outside…
Snow and cold temperatures must not keep us inside in this winter of our discontent. Here are footsteps in the snow, showing that a lot of people are fed up…
Saturday Photo: What To Do on a Snowy Sunday
It’s been a remarkably mild winter until last week. Sunday we had a spectacular, wet snowfall, and peple enjoyed making all manner of snow creatures. And then there was this…
Saturday Photo: Let’s Do Lunch at the Atwater Library
Construction goes on despite Covid-19, concrete and cement continue to be made–with all that implies for global warming and quality of life. I’ll be talking about that and about my…
Saturday Photo: All’s Good, and the State of the World
All you need to know about Montreal in 2021: this industrial building in Mile End has not been used for that for a long time, as you can see. Don’t…
Saturday Photo: Life Continues (if you’re lucky,) Welcome 2021
The photo was taken 10 years ago, during the holiday season we were out of our house because of fire next door. We survived that with little permanent damage, thank…
Saturday Photo: Christmas in the Cemetery, and Health Care
We went for a walk with the gang yesterday, doing the right thing for this Covid-19 Christmas. No hugs, no inside gatherings, but at least we were together for a…
Saturday Photo: Lights for This Year…
There have been years when I’ve railed against people who put up Christmas lights–waste of electricity, bad taste, just generally not cool. Besides it’s hard to hook them up to…
Saturday Photo: What I Can’t Find This Year…
This is going to be a Christmas not like any other I’ve experienced, but we’re healthy and we have more than enough to eat, so I shouldn’t complain. But I…
Saturday Photo:No Snow, Temperature Up and Down, Bushes Confused
Took this a few days ago after a short spell of warm weather–up as high as 15 C. This is not to say we’ve been spared cold weather so far…
Saturday Photo: Light at the End of the Tunnel?
The days are getting shorter and shorter–only three weeks to the Solstice, more or less, and the sun around here is rising about 7 a.m. Dark days, indeed. The prospect…
Saturday Photo: What to Do on a Dark Winter Day
Elena Ferrante’s top 40 books by female authors What to do these long, dark days when you may be in semi-lockdown: Elena Ferrante’s top 40 novels by women (from The…
Saturday Photo: Concrete and the End of the Road…
The Globe and Mail this weekend is featuring a number of articles about cities. Among them is one about the role that concrete has played in building them, and the…
Saturday Photo: Bicycles and Winter…
It snowed on Tuesday, and is shirt-sleeve weather today. Good day to go for a bike ride–or if you’re like me, a walk. Bixi, Montreal’s bike share service, goes for…
Saturday Photo: A Little Change-up, a Change in the Kitchen and Bathroom Chez Nous
After a couple of years of chat, and 11 months of planning etc. our renovations are complete. New floors, countertops, more cabinets and paint in the kitchen. New walk in…
Saturday Photo: Trees in the Golden Forest…
No message today because I’m calling for the election. But if you have a chance to get out, do. The light and the trees are wonderful. October’s bright blue weather,…
Saturday Photo: Grape Leaves, Or the Fruit of Sunlight
There isn’t a whole lot of sunlight in our backyard because the maple tree two doors to the south shades everything most of the day. But that hasn’t stopped a…
Saturday Photo: Never Hurts to Stop and Take Stock, Or Happy Thanksgiving
I’m far from being a religious person, but I think it’s important to occasionally stop and consider what we have in this life. That’s particularly true in this Plague Year,…
Saturday Photo: The Book Launch Will Be BYOB, Unfortunately
Usually when I have a new book come out we have a little launch party at an independent book store. Last year just about now we were preparing for one…
Saturday Photo: Golden Rod, One Thing That Shines in These Dark Times
The golden rod has been blooming around here for several weeks. In fact, in some places it’s actually well past its prime, and is looking a little faded. But this…