Joiner's Musings

We just returned from our trip to Victoria, BC. Pictured above is the Christmas Tree prepared by my daughter and her partner.As you can see it is brightly lit and is a wonderful addition to their well appointed home in Victoria.. The photo was made with a tripod at a very slow shutter speed and without a flash. You can see that the effect is very dramatic. The weather was predictable during our one week stay, but despite that we managed to be very active during our one-week stay and saw as many of the sights as we could and of course taste the fantastic craft beer that I am sure BC is known for. Never in any place in Canada have I been exposed to the number of varieties of craft beer with Tug IPA being my personal favorite. The flight back was long, after all 4500 kilometers is a long distance to fly, but I got plenty of great photos and memories to boot.

This stuff is coming soon. We have had a taste of snow but are lucky enough not to have had much of it come down so far. I am not too crazy about snow in December and thankfully we don't get much of it till after Christmas. Last winter was fairly mild and this winter is predicted to be mild as well which, for us, means freeze-thaw cycles throughout the winter months. I have seen some brutal winters on the east coast and of course the worst was our famous "White Juan" in February of 2009. We were snow bound for 5 days. My son and I were supoosed to fly out in mid Febreuray but had to delay our trip by one day because the airport was closed. Anyway, here's hoping for a mild winter!

We've been to Cuba several times but not since 2009. No doubt things have not changed much. We have been all over Cuba having seen the many historical sites. Cuba is rich with history as anyone who has ever visited will agree. This time we plan to stay in Holguín province, in a little place called Guardalavaca. I know we will not be disappointed since the resort where we are staying is highly regarded. We always look forward to our vacation in the sun because as most Canadians know it can get damn cold up here. Here are a few shots from our 2009 trip to Trinidad, Cuba. It was a long and bumpy bus trip to this world heritage site but the sights and scenery were worth the trip. I remember passing over the hills where Che Guevara hid out during the revolutionary war and trying to envision just what it was like in the 1950s when Cuba was on the verge of forming a new nation and the struggles of surviving in the wilderness with limited weapons but the will to be victorious. ...

Our most recent acquisition is a Ridgeway grandfather clock. We purchased it privately and from information labels on the inside of the clock itself, it appears to have been made in the US in 1996 by the Pulaski Furniture Corporation. Pulaski was later acquired by Howard Miller Clocks and although the Ridgeway brand is still available to this day they are sold under the Howard Miller group of companies. The clock stands about 7 feet high. It plays a Westminster chime on  the quarter, half, three-quarter and strikes the hour. It is in exceptional condition in a striking dark oak. Perfect for our country style home. Although the clock works very well, some day we will have to get it serviced and locate a horologist in our area. That should be a challenge. We receive many positive comments about our clock. I will always love the sound of a tall case clock in a home.

I love fall because it is a time of the year when the forests are absolutely beautiful. This year it was exceptionally specular in central Canada with more reds than usual. I suppose that is because the days have been relatively warm and the nights cooler than normal. Here are some shots taken with my Olympus E-30 of a area in Quebec not one hour from our nation's capital. As the leaves leave the trees we all prepare for the long cold winter. Not being a winter person myself I prefer warmer climes but there is no denying the beauty and majesty of the snow on the trees after a fresh snowfall.

Nova Scotia Crystal I always like to stop by Nova Scotia Crystal whenever I am in Halifax. Nova Scotia Crystal is located on the Halifax waterfront and easy to to find. Here a craftsman is working on a small vase done in the popular Titanic pattern. Obviously there is a glass partition between us but I managed to get a reasonably good shot of a craftsman at work.There are many other patterns available in the gift shop - again always a popular stop with us.

Fall Colours We are headed out for a drive in the country to look at what's left of the fall colours today. Hurricane Sandy is expected to affect the maritimes this weekend and it would be nice to see the leaves that are left on the trees before they are blown off. Anyway, it is sunny, a little coolish but it should be a great day for a drive. This shot was taken a couple of years ago at Sugar Moon Farms, known for it's stately maples.