This time, I thought I should acknowledge a couple of events - Canada's 150th birthday and my 10th blogging anniversary - both happening this month. Unfortunately, only one of those occasions gets a parade, party, music and fireworks - so my photos will focus on Canada's celebrations as they occurred in Peterborough.
Before I do, I want to express how very rewarding it has been (and hopefully will continue to be) to connect with hundreds of amazing bloggers this past decade. I've made friends with whom I've connected in real life, in email, on the phone and through Facebook. And I have sadly lost wonderful people along the way to illness and to tragedy. I've had incredible feedback on my photography and feel validated and appreciated because of it. Thank you ALL for allowing me to share my creativity through the years and for sharing yours with me. I hope we can all enjoy many more years of that blogging connection.
That's enough of stealing the spotlight from my elderly country. Canada turned 150 on July 1, and my town of Peterborough celebrated in style. Let's start with the parade.
Kidlets of all ages brought their wheels to the event.
This guy represents our first Prime Minister, Sir John A. McDonald who did many wrongs to our Indigenous People - wrong which we continue to hope that our current government will begin to right.
What's a parade without the Shriners and their funny little cars doing tricks and spins throughout the route?
Remembering our beloved Terry Fox who raised awareness and funds for cancer research by attempting his walk across Canada. Cancer took his leg prior to his journey across our country and it sadly also took his life during his Marathon of Hope in 1977 - a month before his twenty-third birthday. His life is celebrated every September with a 10k run, walk or cycle which raises money in his name.
This original float represents Southcrest Farms in nearby Lakefield, Ontario.
The Trent-Severn waterway passes through Peterborough. This means that boats, canoes, kayaks and floating recreational devices of all kinds are very popular in this area. This young canoe enthusiast sporting Canada-red hair represents Brownsea Base Water programs for Scouts.
After the parade, I wandered over to Del Crary Park where some of city celebrations were happening. Crowds had already gathered.
Several local performers took their turns to sing and dance on stage.
Two cakes were presented for sharing with the crowd. One was Canada's 150th birthday cake and the other represented our Multi Cultural Day which coincides with Canada Day.
Leaving the park, I encountered this adorable scene. Their Canada Day hats were homemade. Mom had posed them on this couch sculpture and was taking their photo from the front. I thought the back of their heads, all decked out in their patriotic finest were every bit as cute.
Eventually they turned to look over the back of the seat and I stole around to the front for a different angle.
I headed home for a few hours to recharge and saw this tree-hugging flag along the way.
The evening took me back to Del Crary Park to see singer/DJ Kim Mitchell perform. The concert kicked off the MusicFest season of free outdoor concerts every Saturday and Wednesday night through the summer.
Our seats were close and the music was LOUD.
They put on a good show.
The crowd left with major smiles and minor hearing loss.
Night had fallen and we walked along the shoreline of Little Lake so that we could take in the Canada Day light show..
Colourful jets of fire burst forward with colour, exploding in the night sky leaving tinkling showers of silver in its wake.
Canada's signature red and white lights scattered across the sky, shattering into a multitude of glittery sparks.
Puffy golden stamens were ablaze in the dazzling heart of a delicate flower of fire.
The finale brought cascading waterfalls, dazzling whirls and shimmering spirals - all which rained down on the lake in a twinkling trail brilliance.
Hopefully it won't take me this long to get my next blog post out but I'll have more photos for you whenever that is. Thanks for celebrating with me.
28 comments:
Excellent shots! Congrats on 10 years of blogging!
I miss your regular postings. I might not always leave a comment but I am always looking. Congratulations on your blog turning 10. Like today's posting you always come up with excellent photos. I had a look at your first year of blogging and notice that you have lost all your photo links with Photobucket. Photobucket accused of blackmail after quietly requiring users to pay $400 a year to hotlink Over the years I have had my links taken away by Flickr and Microsoft. I now link to Google Photos... which is free up to a limit of 1600 per photo. Hilary I am looking forward to your next 10 years of blogging.
Congratulations on ten years of blogging. Not as easy feat!
Your Canada Day looked wonderful!
I absolutely love all your photos, always, but those pretty hats on the four young ones are my favorite, along with the stunning fireworks display. Always so wonderful to see your smiling "face" here. Sending you big hugs and you're welcome whenever you decide to post!!! :-)
Happy 150th to Canada, and happy 10th to you, and thank you so much for posting your pictures! When you do have time to post, it always leaves my day brighter.
Happy Canada Day.... and Happy Ten years! Actually I think I must be getting near ten years too, will have to check.
• Thanks, Linda.. much appreciated. :)
• Thanks very kindly, Andy. I feel likewise about yours. I was going to mention Photobucket and their ridiculous change but I didn't want to include that negativity within the body of this post.. so here in the comments is the perfect place to address it.
They have messed with me in the past too.. degrading the quality of my linked photos as soon as I became a paid member. That's why I switched to Flikr where I have a free account. I'm dismayed to hear that they have been trouble also. I worry that they'll go the same route as Photobucket now. I wish I had the time to switch all old links over but that's unlikely. If Photobucket had requested $30 a year to continue hosting the images, I would have probably forked it over but they have put third party images on their highest plan at $400 and that's just plain demanding that people walk away. Thanks for stopping by and sharing. :)
• Thank you, Marie. Canada Day was indeed great. :)
• Thanks so much for understanding, DJan.. and always for your warm, encouraging words. Big hugs to you, sweet woman. :)
• Thank you so much, Mimi. Your kindness brightens my day. So do your kittens! I need to stop by for a feline fix. :)
• And to you, Shammie. You're actually over ten years... coming up on eleven. I just checked. Yay you! :)
I enjoy your posts and photography. Your posts are always well put together with quotes. Keep at it.
I understand the time between blog posts. My intervals have become longer as well, but I don't want to give up completely. Hope you don't either. Thanks for sharing the Canada Day celebrations with us here in bogland. My small city put on a fantastic light show that night as well.Have a great week ahead.
I've certainly enjoyed your blog and knowing you. and Happy Canada Day.
Happy anniversary to you, dear friend! And to your wonderful nation
Your blog serves as proof that Canadians are a patriotic people who know how to celebrate. Happy Birthday Canada.
Oh, I've missed you! Was so happy to see a post. And what a post! I felt like I was there with you all day long. Hope to see you again soon. Happy blogversary!! :)
Excellent pics, as is your way, \ and happy 10th blogiversary.
Hilary, thank you for consistently showing me just how beautiful my old home town continues to be!
This time of year we all seem to be so busy doing this and that...blogging kind of takes a back seat.
Happy 10yr anniversary and happy Canada Day! What wonderful photos and I just love the kiddo parade. Your fireworks were fabulous and my favorite has to be the red and green shot..amazing! Your photography is wonderful and always brings a smile to my face to see the lovely place where you live. Thanks for sharing it with us!
That's a very comprehensive report, and although not very far away, our ceremonies were very different -- as in rained out. Our parade was to be on the prior Thursday evening and had to be completely cancelled. Any July 1 celebrations had to be moved into the arena. With enough last-minute clearing, they went ahead with the fireworks, but I'm not sure how many people turned out. Fortunately, we can see them from our bedroom window, and I got some pics.
• Thanks very kindly, Red. I feel the same about you and yours. :)
• Thank you, Ruth. I hope/plan to keep at it. :) Thanks always for stopping by. :)
• Thanks, Ellen. And likewise. :)
• Thanks so much, Cloudia. <3 :)
• You speak the truth, Stephen. Thank you. :)
• Thanks, Rita. I've missed you also. :) I need to catch up! :)
• Thanks kindly, Leah. Much appreciated. :)
• Thanks so much for that, Karen. You're too kind. :)
• Thank you so much for such kind words, Yaya. And for always stopping by. :)
• That's too bad about your Canada Day celebrations, AC. That's a drag.. this year in particular. Thanks for stopping by. :)
fabulous post ... i have reconnected with David McMahon via Instagram ... he emailed that his son was married not long ago which means two of the 3 Authorbloggetts are wed just one left at home and he says everyone is terrific
It looks like you had fun on Canada Day!
Wonderful post, Hilary. Your fireworks photos are some of the best I've ever seen. Happy birthday, Canada (somewhat belated). And congrats to you, Hilary, and The Smitten Image on 10 years of blogging. You're deserving of all the praise that flows your way.
Happy (slightly belated) 10th anniversary!!!! Not sure but I think I may have been there from the very beginning? Or close to it at least. And can't tell you how wonderful it's been to see your lovely images all these years. Most of my reading is textual, not visual, and your talented eye and clever prose couplings get to a whole different part of my brain, quite soothing and yet also stimulating and intriguing.
And as my country descends into insanity, I take comfort in the continued reassuring presence of our much more sensible neighbors up north. Happy Birthday Canada! We may be knocking on your door and asking to sleep on your couch if things continue this way down south.
--crabby @ crankyfitness.com
I may steal your first paragraph for my next post... which I've been intending to post for the past month. Sigh. But I agree with you about how rewarding it is and I also hope that at least a few of us continue to post, even if we're sporadic at times. Now I have to admit that I'm a little jealous of where you live - such awesome parades and music festivals, all within walking distance! Happy birthday to Canada and your blog! xoxoxo
• Thanks, Daryl. Yes, I heard from David also. It's so nice to reconnect from time to time. He was the reason so many of us found each other in the blog world. Thanks so much for stopping by. :)
• William, I did indeed. :)
• Thanks so much, Linda. You're too kind and it's so appreciated. :)
• Thanks, Crabby. Yes, you are correct. I think that Leah's and your blogs were among the first. In fact, I believe I was visiting the two of you before I got mine set up. I just checked and you were visiting me by my third post. Thanks for your very kind words about my posts. That truly means a lot to me. As for the spare room, you and the Lobster would be welcome here any time.. on the couch/spare room in my literal abode or to Canada's figurative spare sofa. You'd both be most welcome. :)
• Thank you, Barbara. I know you can relate to the sporadic blogging. Still, it's nice when a post does materialize every now and then. I do live in a great area. I'm quite enamoured with Peterborough. Thanks always for your kind words. :)
I don't know how I missed this post, but such wonderful photos.
You have a good life, and I'm so happy you are busy. I'm not, so much. I find my blogging sets me up for the day, as retirement is a bit of a sticky wicket. We have our grandies this week, that'll keep us busy.
Beautiful.
Hooray for ten years - the spectacular photos of fireworks are as much a tribute to your talent as to a celebration of your country!
The Smitten Image on 10 years of blogging. You're deserving of all the praise that flows your way.
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