Publication News! Short article in The Toronto Star's Life section

"This skunk got drunk" - Published in Toronto Star


In August I submitted a short article about my experience with Boomerang the skunk to the Life section of The Toronto Star, as part of an article by Isabel Teotonio about wildlife in the city.


My piece, "This skunk got drunk" is on page 2, featured at the end of her article, "Concrete Jungle." It was one of over 200 submissions by Toronto Star readers.


http://www.thestar.com/life/2015/10/16/how-torontonians-can-co-exist-with-their-furry-neighbours-even-raccoons.html










Thanks, Isabel!



Echo and I are Snoopy dancing today!

October Leaves

October Leaves


Since we moved from our house to a condo five years ago, leaf collection has taken a new form. We don't bag them. I take photos of them, mostly for a friend whose home state doesn't have the variety we have here in southern Ontario.

Besides my usual vantage point from my terrace

 this year we also explored another park

 
 and I took photos from the car

and when we passed over a bridge.

Stevie Wonder concert - Songs in the Key of Life

Songs in the Key of Life Concert by Stevie Wonder


Last night Stevie Wonder had a concert at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, in which he performed his complete 1976 album, "Songs in the Key of Life," plus some old favourites in the encore.


I last saw him almost exactly forty years ago, in October 1975, at Maple Leaf Gardens. That one still holds the title of The Best Concert Ever.


But there was lots to like in this concert, which Stevie said was part of his last ever North American tour. In no particular order, here are some highlights:


- his jazz harmonica riff, which suddenly segued into "Canadian Sunset" to honour us Canadians


- his playing and singing "Imagine" for John Lennon's birthday, October 9. When he broke into tears in the middle and couldn't sing, the audience helped him out and sang for him. Lit cell phones were waving in the air.


- his sense of play and humour. No matter what has happened in his personal life, he's still young at heart, ageless, an old soul combined with a mischievous twenty-year-old. His personality sparkles.


- his genuine gratitude to his accompaniers, his orchestra, and to the audience


Like my experience in 1975, the love was palpable.


If you can catch a performance of "Songs in the Key of Life" you won't be asking "If It's Magic?" You'll know that it is.

Stevie Wonder and Sting duet - Sting's "Fragile"

On Sting's sixtieth birthday, Stevie sang a duet with him of "Fragile."

Although it's Sting's song, Stevie blows him away with his brilliant singing and harmonica playing. Sting graciously concedes the stage to Stevie.

"Sir Duke" by Stevie Wonder

"Sir Duke" by Stevie Wonder

"Overjoyed" by Stevie Wonder

"Overjoyed" by Stevie Wonder

Vacation in Kingston

Vacation in Kingston

We spent last week in Kingston, Ontario. At the request of my friend, Robin, here are some of the tourist sights.

Kingston, one of Canada's oldest cities, is located at the eastern tip of Lake Ontario, at the start of the St.Lawrence River and the Cataraqui River. The Thousand Islands and the border to New York State are 30 minutes east.

For me, the best sight is of sailboats. This was the view from our hotel room.

Lake Ontario. In the distance, on Wolfe Island, are wind turbines.

The quaint Martello Tower (centre, with the pointed roof) protected Kingston's harbour.


It's noted for three main industries: its university, Queen's; its three penitentiaries, Kingston (recently emptied of prisoners and made into a museum), Millhaven, and Collins Bay; and the military university, Royal Military College. Some of the historic buildings have been restored in downtown. Kingston was the home of Canada's first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, and his house is a museum.

 Collins Bay Penitentiary looks a bit like a castle.

We visited with our friends who live nearby and I did a lot of writing at my fave spot, Chapters, which has a Starbuck's on site.

To get more touristy photos for Robin, on Sunday we went to Fort Henry, which has probably the best views of Kingston. Situated on a hill across a narrow bay, it looks down on Kingston and the Royal Military College (RMC).

view across the bay of RMC ( foreground) and Kingston (background)

We arrived there, coincidentally, in time to hear the cannon ceremony. It was loud! Fort Henry has a tour, gift shop, and a cafe with fantastic views. The fort is now a National Heritage Site. 


Edited to add: A link to this blog post was featured in the photography e-journal,

 The Photography Journal.

Thanks for the link, MyBlogworld ! @GoodBlogPosts