Pumpkins

Pumpkins, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

I loved seeing these pumpkins climbing up the stairs. They speak of the combination of fall harvest and Halloween. I have fond memories of the pumpkins I carved with my children. We would usually shop together for the pumpkin. And then I would cover the table in newspaper as we cut and cleaned out  the pumpkin - I felt like I had pumpkin all the way up my arms as we scooped out the seeds. Then there was the aroma as we toasted seeds.



Across the street from these pumpkins sits an inflatable pumpkin pile. I just can't find the magic.

Walking

Slow Decay, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photos: October 20, 2013

An early morning walk - I always like a destination. I needed a couple of things so I walked enjoying the cool autumn air.

Autumn brings new delights. The many varieties of pumpkins and gourds are always fun to see.



Man made structures also bring visual interest. Walking, taking time, a great way to start a day.

I conquered

I conquered, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

History told from the point of view of the victors.

Outdoor Piano

Outdoor Piano, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.
Photos: October 8, 2013

Montreal has placed a number of pianos in public spaces. They are there for anyone to play - to sit down and share some music with anyone around. They get covered at night and in bad weather. Each is decorated differently. This one has a special signature.



Oliver Jones, the great jazz pianist, grew up in this area. One of his first teachers was Daisy Peterson Sweeney, the sister of Oscar Peterson.

Maybe this piano will inspire a young person to take up playing; maybe it will just serve to allow passersby to sit a while and share their musical offerings. Either way, it can't help but enrich the community.

Chihuly

Chihuly, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

I first saw the work of Chihuly in London at Kew Gardens in 2005. The glass forms were integrated with the plants in the green houses and glass sculptures of one kind or another were in various spots outdoors - in the pond, in front of the green house, near the tearoom... Yet this introduction could not prepare me for the magical world I found at the Montreal museum.



He plays with form, colour and light, creating fantastical settings. A smile broke out as I climbed the stairs and never left as I discovered each new space.

Playfulness, joy, exuberance, fantasy. What an adventure!



It is a voyage to other worlds - lands of whimsy.

You can see all my Chihuly photos here on Flickr

Refuge faunique Marguerite-D-Youville

Wispy, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

A splendid fall day and another drive out of the city - this time to the south of Montreal. The sun heightened the brilliant autumn colours.




After lunch is a country restaurant and a visit to a goat cheese producer (my spouse is a goat cheese aficionado) we went to Refuge faunique Marguerite-D'Youville. It is located on Île-Bernard just off Chateauguay. Aside from a quick visit in the spring, I had not been there in over 10 years. Then it belonged to the Catholic Church with a large convent being the main building. Now it is a nature preserve. What a delightful place to walk. There are paths that you around the island.



We walked first on the side that faces Lac St-Louis - a wide part of the St. Lawrence River. The water was perfectly still. There is a lot of wildlife on the island as, in that small space there is a variety of ecosystems. We walked through meadow, forest, shoreline and past wetlands. We spotted chickadees (two young women were feeding them by holding out bird seed in their hands), nuthatches, woodpeckers, egrets, a few kinds of ducks and many birds I could not identify.




We spotted a number of deer. They ambled across our path not quite afraid, but always keeping a wary eye out to check our behaviour.

Next visit we will remember binoculars, put on the telephoto lens and once again take time to be in the moment.

Octoberfest at Atwater Market

Octoberfest at Atwater Market, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

You never know what you will find at Atwater Market. These large-nosed musicians were rousing the crowds with oom-pah music and a little bluegrass. A tent had been set up where for a minimal amount you could taste beer from many of the local brewers. Ah well... I'm not a beer drinker.