Top Guy

 

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Fixed the Trellis Next Door

 You might remember that three years ago at the start of Covid, I repaired the trellis archway belonging to our nextdoor neighbour Gwyn. Well, since yesterday was such a wonderfully nice day, Wendy suggested I have another go at the straightening.

This time I used some black, plastic coated wire from an old chainlink fence and fastened the leaning trellis to the brick wall next to it.

Success! I got it standing up straight again with the minimum stress to the vines growing on  the aging wooden structure.

If you look real close, you can see the black wire running across the brick pillar to the right of the trellis. The ivy will soon hide the wire completely. Hopefully this will  last another few years. Wendy is coming to inspect the job. Looks pretty good, don't you think? I mean the trellis looks pretty good. Wendy always looks great.

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I Love This AI Generated Art

 This artwork was changed only in proportion and resolution in Photoshop. Otherwise I left it just as generated by the robot. 

Prompt: 37273-2463348438-A beautiful sunset over the ocean, with palm trees swaying in the breeze. _An abstract painting of vibrant colors and shapes

Prompt: 37251-4129522244-An abstract painting of vibrant colors and shapes that evoke a sense of joy and freedom

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A New Hybrid

 

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A Warm Week Is Coming

 A taste of Summer coming:

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A Leaf?

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Maple Leafs

 

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Cinco de Mayo?

A sad pinata...

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Call Me.

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Time Flies By.

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No Time Frame, But Things Look Rosy... Eventually!

 I asked the AI Robot "Hugging Chat" to tell me a story about climate change. This is what it said:

AI generated picture of a "futuristic city".

Once upon a time, humans were faced with a seemingly impossible task - stop the effects of climate change before it was too late. They had been warned for decades that their actions were causing harm to the environment, but they didn't listen. Instead, they continued to pollute the air and oceans, and chop down entire forests without second thoughts. But as the evidence became more undeniable, they finally began to take action. They signed treaties, created laws, and invested billions into renewable energy sources.

But no matter how hard they tried, nothing seemed to make a significant difference. Droughts, floods, hurricanes, and wildfires raged on. Polar ice caps melted faster than anyone could have imagined. Seas rose higher each year, threatening coastlines around the world. And still, humans refused to accept defeat.

They doubled down on their efforts, pouring even more money and resources into saving the planet from disaster. But every victory seemed to come at a cost. Energy prices skyrocketed, forcing millions into poverty. Governments went bankrupt trying to keep up with the demands of environmentalists. And still, the temperatures kept rising, pushing ecosystems past the tipping point.

As the years passed by, some started to question if all their efforts had been in vain. Was the damage already done? Would the earth ever return to balance again? Some scientists argued that these natural cycles occurred regularly throughout history. Perhaps this too would eventually cycle through, returning everything to normal. Others scoffed at the idea, insisting that humans had broken something irreparable. But no one knew for certain which side was correct.

And then, just as everyone was losing hope, something strange happened. The weather patterns started shifting once again. Temperatures dropped, droughts ended, and violent storms subsided. Ice sheets grew thicker, reef systems regained color, and animal populations rebounded. No one quite understood why or how, but they welcomed this turn of events nonetheless. Life returned to normal.

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Inflation.

 

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A Genius At Work!

 

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A Note From My Niece Sarah...

 Hi Uncle Tim, 

It is hard to imagine that luxury in which people used to travel. It looks stunning - I would love to take a trip like that.  I suppose, I may be romanticizing history, but none-the-less the art that went into the craftsmanship.

Love, Sarah

Hi Sarah,

I remember sitting at the bar with my dad as he had a beer and talked with the bartender. I remember dad complaining, under his breath, about the 55 cent 'ripoff price' for a beer. There was nobody else in the bar so I had time to look around a bit. The dark, polished woodwork was remarkable as you can see in the pictures. All the common areas were ornately finished and beautiful. This contrasts with my cabin which was probably not 'first class'. Hahaha. My room was all painted white, upper and lower bunks and one very small sink against the wall. That's it. Washrooms down the hall. I had a small penlight flashlight which I forgot and left on board. I also had a small triangular pennant on a stick. It read 'SS Keewatin' in gold on a red background. I had it for many years and it's lost now. Any clothes I had, I was either wearing or in my mom's suitcase. Travelled light in those days! The trip was a highlight of my young life at the time. (probably 8 - 10 years old) The ship was about 50 years old when we were on it. (it's 116 now!) When I think back 50 years now (1973) that doesn't seem so far back and yet the styling of this steamship seemed truly from the 1800's. Although our journey from Fort William to Sault Ste. Marie was only one overnight, it seemed longer in my memory, probably because there was so much to see and explore.

It's ironic that the very beautiful, varnished wood was the very reason the ships were finally decommissioned in the 60's because it was a deadly fire hazard, especially after the Hamonic burned at its dock in Sarnia (where the casino is now) and the Noronic burned in Toronto in Canada's worst maritime disaster in 1949. The Keewatin can never be used for passenger travel again since it could not meet fire regulations with its wooden interior. Great that it's getting taken care of and moving to the Kingston Maritime Museum where it will hopefully last for many more years. Articles state it's the last and only one left of 3800 such boats built in the whole world.

All the best...

Uncle Tim

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Speaking of Cruise Buffets...

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