Unusual Weather

I went walking yesterday with my coat flung wide open, no hat, no gloves in balmy temperatures. While it felt nice, it did not feel right.



For my American friends: 15°C is about 59°F - shattering the previous record of 8.3°C for this date. Christmas? It felt more like a spring holiday. It is not just today's temperatures that feel different. Although we have had green Christmases before, there has always been snow before, even if it all melted again. We have not had more that a few flurries which never lasted more than a few hours.



The squirrels have been taking advantage of the weather to keep eating and put on a little more weight. One article I read suggested that we may have a plethora of squirrels in the spring due to fewer deaths over the winter with their extra stores of fat. This then will result in a bumper crop of babies.

Snow is coming but the forecast is for a mild winter.

Wishing all my friends a happy holiday. Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it! Wishing all a happy, healthy time full of family, friends, fun, laughter and love.

Quebec City

We decided a change of scene would be delightful and so - a short trip to Quebec City. This was the view from our hotel window. Usually we stay in smaller hotels or B and Bs but this time we decided to stay in the historic Chateau Frontenac. The lit up building is the Assemblée nationale - the parliament of the Province of Québec.




The hotel, seen here, sits imposingly over the city. The Quebec Conference in 1943 with Churchill, Roosevelt and Mackenzie King were held here and at the Citadel which is nearby. Quebec City is utterly charming with houses in the old part of the city dating back to the 1700s



Each time I go I am entranced by the architecture and by the hardships the European settlers must have faced when they first established a settlement here. This winter has been so mild that there is no snow yet, very unusual for this time of year.



One thing I admire is the rules for signs in the Vieux Québec. Even international companies must have discrete signs so that the architecture and ambiance of the city is respected.



Quebec is a port city on the St. Lawrence River. Anyone know what all this colourful equipment is used for?

A few days of walking the hills, enjoying the architecture, fine dining and a bit of pampering is a great way to chase away the darkness of the short December days.


I have written about Quebec City before
Here http://susanvg2009.blogspot.ca/2011/03/snow-in-quebec-city.html
and here http://susanvg2009.blogspot.ca/2014/03/bury-your-dead.html

Public Art

Tai Chi Single Whip is a sculpture that sits at one end of Square Victoria. While I have walked through the square many times, my starting point is usually at the metro exit and I continue south, so this was my first encounter with this sculpture. It is by Ju Ming, a Taiwanese artist. Public art is so important to me. I like to stop and linger, admire. It is a refreshing change from the advertising, the logos, the garish store signs that dominate much of downtown.



I am sure I have featured this one before. The Illuminated Crowd by Raymond Mason is on McGill College. The sun really illuminated it and I could not resist taking another photograph. I walk a lot in the city and the many pieces of art I pass always add interest to my day. Like reading books, each time I pass I may see something new as the quality of the light and time of day changes the look of the piece and my reaction to it.

Changes

Leaves lie scattered on the ground.
Slow decay



First frost touches ground
soon to be burned off by the warming sun.



Autumn vistas change from red to golds



As the colour drains out of the landscape

We walked enjoying the autumn chill.
November is coming.

Autumn in the City

Everywhere you look the leaves are changing. The air has a crisp feel while underfoot the fallen leaves crunch under my feet.



Autumn is making her presence known.



While I try to briskly walk to my destination, I cannot help but stop and admire the splendour.



Moments in a day - in an ever-changing season. This is not the time to hurry past; change happens quickly.



It is the changing seasons that catch my fancy - spring and fall  - times of growth and change. Each day brings new wonders, new spectacles to savour.

Fall Comes

Photos: October 1-3, 2015

That splendid seasonal display is playing out. We managed to get away for a few days to the Laurentians where the wonders of the season were lit by bright sunshine.



What a spectacle! Time to stop and stare, admire, drink in the beauty.



We were walking along the P'tit Train du Nord, formerly a railway line, now a long park stretching and connecting across the Laurentians. Cyclists, walkers, dogs... a smile as you pass.



The milkweed has burst, sending out the seeds of next year's growth. It creates natural sculptures.



What a glorious time of year! Each day the changes are noticeable.



But it is fleeting. Each moment to be treasured; each day to be enjoyed.

A Bit of Ottawa

 Photos: September 25, 2015

We spent a few days in Ottawa, mainly to see people, but we walked and saw some sights, too. I like the openness of Parliament Hill. Despite the tragic shooting last fall, it is still a place where people can walk and enjoy.


 

New to me was this monument by Barbara Patterson (it was unveiled in 2000, but I guess I have never walked past it before):  "Women are Persons"  It commemorates  five Alberta women, the Famous Five (Nellie McClung, Irene Parlby, Emily Murphy, Louise McKinney and Henrietta Muir Edwards)  who fought to have women recognized as persons.   You can learn more about it here.



This is a one of the figures in the monument. I think I would be toasting the victory with more than a cup of tea!