The World's Simplest Tree Stand.

The perfect tree! Home Depot.

.
World's Simplest Tree Stand

I don't know why I didn't think of this decades ago:

1) Before you bring the tree inside, measure it and cut the trunk to fit the ceiling height.
2) Find some green rope and tie it to the centre of the tree about a foot from the top.
3) Measure out a little less than a meter (32") from the wall and install a hook in the ceiling.
3) Bring the tree inside and stand it in a big bowl.
4) Hang the tree from the hook so the trunk is barely above the bottom of the bowl.
4) Add water to the bowl.
5) Cut and remove the strings or wrap.
6) Poof! The tree will relax down overnight to its full glory, ready to decorate.

The beauty of it all is the speed with which you can set up the tree each year after the initial installation of the ceiling hook. You can even spin the tree to reveal its best side. Be sure to use appropriate anchor hardware to affix the hook. It must hold the entire weight of the decorated tree so count on 80 pounds or so to be safe. (Plus a cat)  In our house where its located the hook is barely noticeable the rest of the year so we leave it there, but you could remove it and put some sort of decoration over the hole.

The tree is now virtually kitty proof, but I don't think we'll be putting balls on the tree this year. Dash loves it just the way it is!

There is an interesting effect with the lights hitting my camera lens and making little stars. Click the picture to enlarge it.
.
.
.

Dashing Up For A Better View

Dash has been watching the recent snowfall with great interest. Since he was born last summer, he has never seen such a thing before. He has been so excited lately that we decided he should go outside before it was all gone.

The first time Dash went outdoors (in the summer) he investigated a nest of yellow jackets and learned his first painful lesson.  He was stung quite a few times and his eye was swollen shut. The next two times he went out he promptly ran up a tree.  Fortunately the tree was small enough that Tim could retrieve him using a ladder.  We learned from all this that the little guy can't be trusted and he will not come when he's called so we bought him a leash.  Our old cat Flash was an outdoor cat but he was also a scrapper and it caused him a lot of problems over the years.  For now at least Dash will be an indoor cat.

He doesn't seem to mind the leash and is happy to be able to play outside when we take him for a walk on the golf course. Today he experienced his first encounter with snow and everything was fairly non-eventful.

That is until, upon returning from the golf course with his leash well extended, he dashed up the same tree as last time. Because he was near the end of his 24 foot leash the resulting angle worked against stopping him. Of course once up twelve or fifteen feet he wrapped the leash around a branch and was too scared to come down.

I ran and got the ladder while Tim held the leash so he couldn't go any higher. Luckily he hasn't run up one of our very tall trees and this time WE learned a "cat leash lesson": IF WE GO PAST A TREE, WE MUST KEEP THE LEASH AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE. If he had run up a tree that was too tall for the ladder and become entangled, we would have a real problem.

Back to Earth the easy way. Dash seemed happy to be on the ground...
Until next time!
.
.
.

Blackfriar's Bridge 1890

"Helpin' Leroy Fish" 1890 - CLICK PIC TO ENLARGE

Today I'm working on a rendering inspired by an old stereograph held by the London Public Library circa 1890.  According to the library page, the house on the hill in the background is the former Thomas Kent estate which has all been recently restored and is now a condo complex, Bishop's Palace, Blackfriar House, or Raleigh House, depending on what you read. I call my picture "Helpin' Leroy Fish". Love the single suspender, fishing with a stick and, oh yeah, the wet shoe.

Stereograph card from ca. 1890

Looks like someone's made changes.

I wonder if it was good fishing here 122 years ago? I didn't even know there was a dam below Blackfriar's Bridge. ...and that old house has a whole different front facade now.

READ about this amazing and extremely rare bridge, Click Here.
.
.
.

Wasaga Beach 60 Years Ago

CLICK PIC TO ENLARGE

My old school pal Ed now lives in Wasaga Beach. Forty-five or so years ago, when we were in our teens living in Long Branch, (now Etobicoke, a part of Toronto) we would drive up here in the summer. It was a trip of about 80 miles each way and then we probably added another 80 miles cruising up and down Main Street and along the 8.7 mile sandy beach. (which in those days could be driven in its entirety) This was, after all, where the action was, the place to be for summer fun. I remember when I drove my "daddy's car", gasoline was expensive at 39¢ a gallon, so if we had room we would look for riders to help finance our trip. We'd stop and ask a hitch-hiker for "two bucks" in return for a ride to the beach. If he couldn't or wouldn't pay, we'd find another one who would. Don't you love capitalism?

"Where Mosley Met Main" 1952

I'm working on this rendering of the main drag at Wasaga Beach which I took from an old black and white photo card. I call it "Where Mosley Met Main" because the two streets don't intersect at this point anymore. I plan to frame it and give it to my friend Ed next time I see him. Click on the picture to enlarge.

Wasaga Beach Main St, 2012. This part of Main is now a walking mall.

The main drag looks entirely different today. The final touch was a devastating fire which reduced everything to ashes on November 30, 2007. Much tidier now, with the roads all changed around, but newer isn't always better is it?

Original photo circa 1952. The Chevy is turning right, off Mosley Street on to Main Street. Lake in background.

.
.

Happy Birthday Wendy

.
.
.

Watching The Submarine Races With Wendy.

The HMCS Ojibwa rests on a barge in Otter Creek at Port Burwell. (painted black but looks blue in the haze)

 Project Ojibwa is the newest and largest endeavour of the Elgin Military Museum in St Thomas. The project will see the former HMCS Ojibwa mounted on cradles as a museum artifact beside a "sub" station interpretation centre, The Elgin Military Museum of Naval History, to be located in Port Burwell, Ontario on the north shore of Lake Erie approximately 28 miles south east of the Elgin Military Museum up in St. Thomas.

The Port Burwell site will feature the decommissioned HMCS Ojibwa, an Oberon Class submarine of the Cold War period. The Ojibwa will not be in the water; instead, it will be mounted on cradles set on a site on the east side of the Port Burwell harbour just north of the historic lighthouse. The new museum will be built into the slope east of the submarine. Visitors will begin their visit with an orientation session in the museum and then proceed into the submarine in groups of 10.Click this link to read about it: http://projectojibwa.ca/

They built a wonderful roadway to the water's edge.

It was a beautiful day for a drive so Wendy and I went down to witness history at Port Burwell Ontario today (Thurs) arriving around 10 am. They were scheduled today to lift the huge vessel off the barge and place it on dollies for land transport. Almost expectantly they ran into some unanticipated difficulties (I don't know why they would leave this to the last minute) Apparently, at the place where they intended to unload the barge, they encountered a submerged cement wall which they couldn't remove without blasting so they decided to extend the roadway further and unload at another spot. This necessitated driving in more piles and grading the roadway.

Remote controlled dollies will move the vessel up the special highway.

There is a long way to go and this adventure isn't over yet. We spoke with a volunteer who said the company (Mammoet) managing the land part of the trip actually allowed a sister submarine to slip off and lay over on its side during a previous unloading. Hopefully this won't happen again. There are two mammoth (80 approx) wheel dollies waiting to receive the vessel for transport.

A Jolly Roger flag marks Lake Erie's newest land mass: Ojibwa Island.

Off shore of the town beach there is a new island formed by the lake channel and harbour dredgings. The new "Ojibwa Island" even has a Jolly Roger flag flying.

This is more than just a driveway!

The roadway they have constructed to move the 2.8 million pound ship runs a half mile or so (way farther than you would imagine) and I hope they can eventually use it for something (parking lots etc.) but I don't think Port Burwell needs a freeway so we'll wait and see what they do with it. It apparently is built like the 401.

Smoothly and politely coordinated public management.

 The traffic control is well organized and you are not allowed to drive into town. Coming from the west the OPP (provincial police) will direct you to the west side of the creek to the park near the beach. There you catch a shuttle bus every 5 to 10 minutes which will take you into town (or to the Legion Hall for a cheap lunch) . The only fee is a donation to the fire department to buy a dive compressor. The firemen will stop you half way to the beach in a road block.

A great day for just standing/sitting around and watching.

 The place is a buzz so try to get down and see history in the making this Saturday. Not as crowded as I thought but a fair number of cars in the shuttle parking.

It might get busier Saturday so if you plan on going, maybe get there before noon. I might make the 40 mile one way trip (London to Port Burwell) again on Saturday to see the move, although it's not going to be nearly as nice weather-wise as it was today.

CLICK HERE to read more about this submarine
.
.
.

Wendy's Mom's Retirement Home Goes Viral

Waverley residents from left: Gerry Embury, 77, Betty Murphy, 88, and Charles Belbeck, 87, are enjoying the limelight after participating in a lip-sync video of Carly Rae Jepsen's Call Me Maybe. The video has more than 65,000 hits on YouTube. (DALE CARRUTHERS, The London Free Press)

 If you've been following my blog you will remember that Wendy's Mom was a resident of Waverley Mansion Retirement Home for 3 years from January 2007 until March 2010. The other day our local paper featured an article about the people of Waverley and a YouTube video made at the home that went viral. I thought you might like to look at it. I think Wendy's Mom Gene would have enjoyed it too.

.
Here is the article in the London Free Press:

London residents of Waverley Mansion reach a worldwide audience with their lip-synch of Carly Jepsen's Call Me Maybe

There’s no maybe about it — people from around the world are calling the Waverley Mansion.

The London retirement home was thrust into the limelight after a video of residents lip-synching to Carly Rae Jepsen’s Call Me Maybe went viral, notching more than 65,000 views on YouTube in just five days.

“The response has been just so positive. We’ve had people calling from all over the world, calling us just to say ‘(I) saw your video, it brought a smile to my face. Great job,’” said Waverley recreation co-ordinator Sarah Urquhart, who came up with the idea as a fun way to get the seniors more familiar with technology.

“We didn’t know it would be so big,” said 77-year-old Gerry Embury, one of 20 residents who participated in the project. “It put Waverley on the map.”
Urquhart has been busy helping residents go online to track the video’s hits and read viewers’ comments — already at more than 100.

“We love you in Australia, Waverley Mansion residents!” said one comment.
Though Urquhart picked Call Me Maybe because of it’s simple and catchy lyrics, the project had some challenges.

Questions swirled when she first pitched the project. Who is this Carly Rae Jepsen? What television station is YouTube on? How do you turn on the Internet?
“I didn’t even know what YouTube was,” said Betty Murphy, 88, who never imagined she’d end up in a music video.

The video shows that Waverley is a fun place, and seniors don’t just sit in their rooms all day, Murphy added.

The video’s success already has Urquhart, 24, planning the next production: a dance video of South Korean pop star Psy’s smash hit Gangnam Style.

The seniors’ viral video has become the talk of the Grand Ave. home, Urquhart said, with almost all of the Waverley’s 60 residents volunteering to participate in the upcoming project.
“Everybody wants to be in the next one,” she said. “Just cause they’re old doesn’t mean they can’t have fun.”

To watch the actual video on YouTube and see the comments from all over the world go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf0k8sACrTU

NOTE:
Posted  to You Tube November 14
As of Friday Nov. 23, 2012 the video has received - 250,000 hits.
As of Monday Nov. 26 - 383,000 hits
As of Sunday Dec 2 - 685,000 hits
As of Thursday Dec 6 - 730,000 hits
As of Tuesday Dec 11 - 772,000 hits
As of Tuesday Dec 18 - 804,338 hits
.
.
.

To Get You In The Mood...

"Venetian Winter"

Original shot.

Here are my latest "masterpieces". I took the pictures back in January 2010 but I just got around to "artifying" them now. They were taken from the top floor W37 looking into the courtyard after a heavy snowfall. I changed the perspective of the "Venetian Winter" condos, added the graininess and the falling snow to both and darkened the scenes for effect. Click any picture to enlarge.

"Venetian Christmas"

Original shot.

And right on cue... A dusting last night.

.
.
.

Dash - You Silly Cat... Or Is That Catfish?

Click the pic to enlarge

By hopping up on the table, Dash committed a "no no" and I think he knew it.  I hollered my usual "Dash get down!" This didn't bother the defiant little devil. He dove for the empty fish bowl and there he was stuck ...

for at least five seconds.

Can you imagine taking Dash to the Vet; sitting there amongst the other people with their cat carriers, and us with our fish bowl? What a cat!

"Catfish bowl" Click to enlarge.

I think it's great he loves his bowl, but this table thing HAS GOT TO STOP!
.
.
.

Christmas At The Church Comes Early This Year

Today we took a Sunday drive out to visit Erin and Jake for lunch at the church in Strathroy.  Since they are planning to go away over the Christmas holiday season they decided it would be best to get the decorations up early. 

Jake still plans to get a twelve to fourteen foot tall Christmas tree. They have the room for it.
.
.
.

Bon Voyage!

There they go! I took a screen shot of the live web cam as they leave Fort Lauderdale. Click the pic to enlarge OR GO HERE to see the Port Everglades Webcam any time of the day or night.

Perfect weather

Our cruising gang (John, Cheryl, Deb, Chris, Greg, Sharon, Holly, and Barry) embarks today for their 10 day cruise with Holly and Barry staying on for a second 10 day stint. Unfortunately a cruise is not; for one reason or another, in the cards for us this time. I was hoping their flights were not affected by the aftermath of all the cancellations due to Sandy so this email from John and Cheryl says it all:

"Hi, we all made it safe and sound yesterday.  I have to say it was one of the best flights to
Florida we have had and the airports where empty....i guess because so many flights elsewhere had been cancelled.  Weather here is stunning, you could still make the ship!"

Love to all
John and Cheryl

We wish the gang well and look forward to hearing about all their adventures.

Wish I was there!

.
.
.

Be Careful With Your Advice:

" You bad man! You very very bad man!" Babu Bhatt

Tip of the day…  

Beware of friendly advice. Your best friend may be brilliant in their field but that does not mean they know any more about investing than you do. When they offer advice on the best stock or a great strategy, just nod your head and smile. It's not worth loosing a friendship by arguing or blindly following.