A New Year

Winter has arrived. A storm last Tuesday dumped 40 cm  ( a little more than 15 " ) of snow on the city. Even on a cloudy day, everything seems brighter with the snow. With the temperature hovering just below 0°C (32F) it is delightful to go out and enjoy it.



We finally took out our snowshoes and tramped around the woods in Summit Park.
While I have more modern aluminum snowshoes, my spouse prefers a traditional pair, complete with deerskin moccasins. There was plenty of snow - soft, fluffy - perfect for snowshoeing.



We are so fortunate to have this park - nothing but woods with paths through it - to enjoy in the middle of the city.

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My EdTech friend Alannah has challenged me to try another 365 photos this year. I can't promise to post daily, but I will be trying to post more frequently - even if it is just the photograph!

Le réfuge faunique Marguerite-D'Youville

Across the river in Châteauguay is a wonderful park: Le réfuge faunique Marguerite-D'Youville. It sits on an island surrounded on two sides by the Châteauguay River where is flows into the St. Laurence River (the part of the island facing the St. Lawrence -faces the section which is Lac St-Louis). The island was once owned by the Grey Nuns. Some years ago I stayed at the convent (now a hotel) when the Montreal Recorder Society rented rooms for the weekend for a workshop. I've written about this park before
here and here



The nuthatches are amazingly tame - swooping down to feed from one's hand. They are wary of the chickadees and stay away until they see the coast is clear.



The chickadees take turns, perching on nearby branches watching for a moment to dash in. Sometimes they fill their mouths with more than one seed and then fly off to eat.



You can hear their wings as fly in and then off.

The park has different ecosystems: the forest, the swamp, fields - each with different aspects to enjoy.



We walked past the swamp just as the sun had set. The stillness was palpable - broken only occasionally by a splash in the water. Fish? An otter? The list of animals that live in the park is extensive.



As we left the park, a buck strolled out of the woods foraging for food. A delightful place to walk!!

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.