Illusions of Someday

First thing we'd climb a tree. And maybe then we'd talk. Or sit silently. And listen to our thoughts. 

With illusions of someday, cast in a golden light. No dress rehearsal. This is our life.

~ Gord Downie

1964 - 2017

This is what happens when I don't post for a long while - I end up posting all sorts of summer scenes in October. Of course, our autumn has been so incredibly summerish this year that you could hardly tell the difference. No? Okay fine.. just go along with me. I have images to share and they are found below.


Sunrise is now happening a little later each day but back in summer this one peeked into my apartment pretty early.






This is MusicFest. Every summer, Peterborough has free live concerts in the park on Wednesday and Saturday evenings. I've posted about them before - including some of this year's performers. On one beautiful summer evening, there was a fine performance by the fabulous Sheepdogs.






A fan with his shirt designed by a local young artist.






Toward the end of the season, we had a fun night of ABBA and Bee Gees cover groups. I think it's obvious which one this is.






During one of the concerts, this group was practicing their Tai Chi.






Once a month, during the summer, Peterborough hosts a multi course "Dinner Under the Lift Lock". I had somewhere to be that evening but I decided to stop by for a little while with my camera. I arrived in time to see chefs and guests arrive by Voyageur canoe.






This wasn't exactly under the liftlock. Since it was early, I was only able to witness guests arriving for drinks and appetizers before their tables were being set up under the lock. I needed to hurry off but please check out one person's experience from last year. It's pretty interesting. Perhaps I'll catch more shots next year.






And of course it isn't summer without catching sight of the Liftlock Cruise boat several times a day.






One Saturday each August, the usually-busy Hunter Street is closed to traffic and turned into a gathering place featuring music, food, drink and partying. It's the Hootnanny on Hunter. My good friend, Dakshina and I were trying to figure out if this couple standing on the right knew each other but hadn't seen one another for a long whilee.. or if we were witnessing the beginning of a new romance. What do you think?






A dog walks into a bar... Well no, not really. We were at the above bar during the Hootnanny when "Dougie" the puppy was carried into the bar. And yes, his fur was as silky soft as it looks.






Summer tomatoes ripening on the sill from my dear friend, Carol Anne's garden.






This little slugger was having a blast hitting the ball around in the park.






A yellow admiral enjoying the milkweed captured in flight, just after take off.






Somewhere over the rainbow, Crane flies fly.






ZimArt has to be seen to be appreciated. A short drive from home brings us to Rice Lake in Bailieboro where curator Fran Fearnley runs an amazing outdoor sculpture exhibit. Each winter, she travels to Zimbabwe to select an artist-in-residence who will reside with her through the summer to display and sell his or her art. Truly, this is a post all its own and hopefully down the road, I might expand further.






This year's artist-in-residence was this handsome young man, Rufaro Ngoma. He was making his way around the acreage cleaning some of his many sculptures. Coincidentally, about a month after I visited, I was walking with my son, Alex along the shore of Little Lake, back in Peterborough when we happened to meet Rufaro while he was biking around the area. I was surprised to realize that he recognized me, and even more interesting was that Alex recognized him immediately just from a quick glance at the above photo which I had just uploaded to my computer earlier that day.






The road home is always lovely and inviting.






And let's finish with an end-of-the-day view of the harbour (enhanced with Photoshop) from the upper floor of the Lighthouse restaurant.

Yup, I still have more. Next time!

Written in Stone

The past is history written in stone that can't be altered. The future is transitory and never guaranteed.

Today is the only thing you can alter for certain. Make the most of it."

~ Sherrilyn Kenyon

This post might come across as kind of cold. It's neither the most colourful (except for a few) nor does it exude warmth but there are some interesting sites around and I hope to offer you some concrete evidence of that. See what I did there?


I snapped this image early in May. This dilapidated bench sits outside of a laundry mat. A discarded Tim Horton's cup and an empty coffee can sits on the concrete nearby. We take our morning java seriously in Peterborough.






I thought that these stones resembled a turtle's head and front foot as it emerged from the water.






This very impressive piece of architecture is the dual lift lock on the Trent Canal in Peterborough. It was built in 1904 and remains the oldest and tallest (65ft/20m) hydraulic boat lift in the world. Let's go climb up to the top.






From Wikipedia: The lock has two identical bathtub-like ship caissons in which vessels ascend and descend. No external power is needed. The lift lock functions by gravity alone using the counterweight principle. One caisson always ascends and the other always descends during each locking cycle. When one caisson reaches the top position, it stops 12 inches (30 cm) below the water level of the upper reach, and the control valve is closed.






You can see a larger boat on the top left anticipating its drop into the canal below so that it can continue it's journey southward. The smaller boats (only one visible in this photo) at that bottom will arrive at the upper area of the canal at the same time.






They briefly meet near the middle.






Just a few more feet to rise and the gates will open, allowing the small boats to continue on their way. The same goes for the large boat which we can no longer see down below.






Another place and time - this is the lookout near Combermere, a half-hour drive from where I lived previously. This rocky view of the highway below was a good place to sit and think.






A glance beyond the highway took in this beautiful view of Kamaniskeg Lake.






Back in Peterborough, a graffiti artist's teary rendition of my favourite creature - the feline.





If you stand back a bit, you can take it all in.






Here's a bit more from a different section.






On a nearby ledge, someone decided to add some less permanent art of their own.






They also kindly left their chalk behind for others to use. Grab a piece and start drawing!






I'll leave you with this feather. I was sitting on a rocky ledge, splashing my feet in the river when the wind gently caught the feather which in turn, caught my eye. It was clinging to to side of the rocky wall beside my leg.

More photos coming up soon.

Every Path Tells

A walk is only a step away from a story, and every path tells.

~ Robert Macfarlane

It's time for another walk through the streets of Peterborough. Actually, these images are from various walks.

We've had a bit of snow (since these photos were taken) and a rather short-lived but very cold snap. But for the most part, our weather hasn't been all that winterish. I know there's probably more to come (right now, in fact) - it is only January after all, and this is Canada. But each passing day brings us closer to spring and that makes for a shorter winter season, which is fine with me. Enjoy the cool air – bring something to imbibe and come join me.


This dual lift lock (Lock 21) is situated on the Trent Canal, of the Trent-Severn Waterway.






It opened for operation in 1904 and is the highest (19.8 m or 65 ft) hydraulic boat lift in the world.






When it becomes cold enough, the canal below will be open for skating.






Back in the spring, this lovely train emerged from the tunnel under the bridge, on which I was standing.






Shortly after it was announced that same sex marriage was legally embraced throughout the U.S., these flags began appearing on many city streets in Peterborough as a show of support for our neighbours to the south.






These tall, waving stalks of fluff (yes, I know they have a name but I just don't know what it is) were beckoning me to snap a sunlit photo of them. They seemed to sparkle with the sun behind them but I didn't manage to capture that effect very well. Regardless of that, they're still pretty.






There are some beautiful and peaceful walking paths at Little Lake Cemetery. The walkways weave throughout the hillside, toward and away from the lake, and offer up a different views at varying levels. I spent a couple of hours walking the area, one November day.






And here's a different view of Little Lake from further along its shoreline.






This colourful porch collection, warming in the sun, caught my eye and before I knew it, I was trespassing in order to snap a couple of shots.






You know how dearly I love cats. I'm just not fond of all of their habits. My friend, Carol Anne and I were walking (back from the lift locks, I think) when we spotted a couple of felines which appeared to be checking each other out. Upon closer inspection, Carol Anne noticed that they weren't interested in each other but rather in a small deer mouse which was having a difficult time trying to escape their curiosity and their paws.






The little guy was injured, and truth be told, I don't think he was going to survive - but you never know. And at least, he didn't need to be subjected to further terror and torture. Carol Anne was wearing leather gloves and was able to scoop him up and relocate him to a sheltered spot a few houses down. I hope he managed to make it. Take care, little guy!






A jazzy decoration outside a house. Solar lights, wind chimes and multicoloured dangles.






While out walking when she came to visit me on the Labour Day weekend, my beautiful niece, Jaime and I saw this lovely antique sitting in the lane beside a shop. Come back for another visit soon, Jaime!






A graceful stretch of the mallard variety.






Just a few steps which take you away from the shore of Little Lake, toward Del Crary Park. Or the reverse – depending on your perspective.






Spindle berries on somebody's front lawn still looking pretty fresh in mid-November.






Hanging on a handrail at a neighbourhood house, some little princess' tiara.

And that's it for today. I hope you enjoyed our walk – and your potable. More photos coming up before too much longer.