April 05, 2007
Pick up Sticks

Comments(0) | Print | Home

IMG_1836.jpgIMG_1837.jpgIMG_1840.jpg

They have been pruning, hacking, and / or trimming the shrubs and small trees that grow along the path between our backyards. Some of those piles of brush have been sitting there since January. I called the city about it on Tuesday. Then I asked one of the parks workers about it yesterday when I happened to see them while walking the dog. Lo and behold all that brush has been removed. Finally! Now if they would do something about all the litter that collected in the brush over the last couple of months I would be ecstatic.

 
Posted by jservice at 11:11 PM
March 03, 2007
Finnegan gets a bone

Comments(0) | Print | Home

He was enjoying himself so why not take a video. He just had a hair cut about a week ago.

 
Posted by jservice at 10:17 PM
February 15, 2007
Sensitive personal equipment

Comments(0) | Print | Home

personal_equipment_wipe_rash.jpg

“Discontinue use of towelettes on personal safety equipment if rash or skin irritation develops.”

Personal safety equipment has skin? This skin can be sensitive?

 
Posted by jservice at 10:15 PM
February 10, 2007
Winter 2007

Comments(0) | Print | Home

I took a few pictures in the ravine today while walking the dog. Nothing exciting in the pictures: perfect for desktop “wallpaper”.

IMG_1444.JPGIMG_1445.JPGIMG_1446.JPGIMG_1447.JPG
 
Posted by jservice at 11:40 PM
February 03, 2007
First Saturday in February

Comments(0) | Print | Home

icicles-b.jpg icicles-a.jpg ducks on ice.jpg

Our choir has been hosting a Symposium on this Saturday for the last few years. It has always been cold and today was no exception. There are icicles hanging from our roof and these ducks appear to be frozen into the ice.

 
Posted by jservice at 10:29 PM
January 21, 2007
First video

Comments(0) | Print | Home

I read the fine manual and found out how to shoot a video with my digital camera. Here’s Finnegan licking a pie plate:

 
Posted by jservice at 10:41 PM
September 23, 2006
Colin and Theresa's Wedding

Comments(0) | Print | Home

One of my youngest cousins got married on the weekend. I did try and take some pictures after the ceremony but the selector button pointed at P instead of AUTO. I fixed this and took some pictures at the reception:

IMG_1253.JPG
IMG_1253.JPG, 64.43 KB
IMG_1254.JPG
IMG_1254.JPG, 69.93 KB
IMG_1255.JPG
IMG_1255.JPG, 68.34 KB
IMG_1256.JPG
IMG_1256.JPG, 44.77 KB
IMG_1257.JPG
IMG_1257.JPG, 44.46 KB
IMG_1258.JPG
IMG_1258.JPG, 33.03 KB
IMG_1259.JPG
IMG_1259.JPG, 49.61 KB
IMG_1260.JPG
IMG_1260.JPG, 62.83 KB
IMG_1261.JPG
IMG_1261.JPG, 68.16 KB
IMG_1262.JPG
IMG_1262.JPG, 48.71 KB
IMG_1263.JPG
IMG_1263.JPG, 49.92 KB
IMG_1264.JPG
IMG_1264.JPG, 62.55 KB
 
Posted by jservice at 04:09 PM
June 18, 2006
What if I let that maple seedling grow?

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Maple tree growing through chainlink gate.jpg

Some day it may grow through your gate.

 
Posted by jservice at 10:32 PM
June 29, 2005
Finnegan at 5 and half months

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Finnegan keeping cool.jpgFinnegan meets the hamster cage.jpgFinnegan meets the hamster.jpg

Younger son’s gf brought her hamsters over for the week while she and the family visit the grandparents stateside.

 
Posted by jservice at 09:50 PM
June 14, 2005
Mount Laundry

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Mount Laundry a.jpgMount Laundry b.jpg

I snapped a couple of shots of Mount Laundry in younger son’s room. How can you tell the cleaning person visited today?

 
Posted by jservice at 09:12 PM
June 12, 2005
Yet another ceiling fan

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Floor's eye view of kitchen ceiling fan in motion.jpg New kitchen ceiling fan and light.jpg

In the “I don’t why I didn’t do this years ago” department, I installed a ceiling fan in the kitchen. Cool! Unlike the second floor fans I didn’t have to remove the existing junction box or worry about a vapour barrier. And this time I had an electronic stud finder to locate the joist. I still haven’t had to use any of those weights to “balance” any of the fans (more than a half dozen now) I’ve installed. Since I installed the fans I have been able to turn up the thermostat 1 C°.

I can see my workbench and table saw tops again. All that clutter was driving me nuts.

 
Posted by jservice at 09:43 PM
June 09, 2005
Convert some integers to BCD bytes

Comments(0) | Print | Home

I needed to convert a timestamp (seconds, minutes, hours, day, month, last 2 digits of the year) into a BCD string of bytes. Here’s the Perl sub I came up with to do that:

sub bcd_timestamp_string (@) {
  # Convert given time or local time to BCD bytes
  my @time = @_ ;

  join('', map {
    pack('H*',sprintf('%02d',$_))
  } @time) ;
}
2005-06-09 Irises in front garden.jpg
 
Posted by jservice at 09:47 PM
June 05, 2005
Pruning by chainsaw

Comments(0) | Print | Home

The trimmed maple tree.jpg

I have finally finished pruning the maple in the hope that it will recover from bark splits that occured a few years ago. If not, then I guess I have started the “taking down the tree” process. We’ll see next spring.

 
Posted by jservice at 09:46 PM
June 04, 2005
Finnegan gets a trim and the backyard garden

Comments(0) | Print | Home

2005_05_22.jpg2005_06_02 just after first trim.jpg

Finnegan had his first trim this week. I include a before picture a couple of weeks ago and the “day of” image. Witness the transformation from bear cub to dog.

 
Red and white columbine.jpgPale pink and deep purple columbine, sweet rockets.jpgEarly daylily transplanted from Bobcaygeon in the back garden.jpgLarge iris transplanted from Bobcaygeon in the back garden.jpg

The back garden looks particularly nice now with lots of self-seeded columbine in several colours together with iris and early daylily I transplanted from when my in-laws sold their vacation place in Bobcaygeon.

 
Backyard maple tree with more branches trimmed.jpg

I also trimmed more branches from the maple tree. My goal is to remove a couple more of the large lower limbs and then see if this improves the tree’s vigour over the season and next year. Today I learned that if I can it is better to use the pole saw to trim off the very high branches. They rotate 90° and fall leafy parts straight down and “bouncing.” A chain saw cuts “too” fast so that the limb doesn’t rotate much and it falls heavily “log first” over a larger area.

 
Posted by jservice at 10:49 PM
May 31, 2005
Every camera has to have a rainbow

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Rainbow.jpgSunset, clouds, houses.jpg

Finally I could “baptize” the PowerShot A85 digital camera and take a rainbow picture last night as well as the setting sun colouring the clouds. And, of course another picture of Finnegan our dog.

Finnegan and cookie
 
Posted by jservice at 10:17 PM
May 23, 2005
Gardening on Victoria Day Monday

Comments(0) | Print | Home

I spent almost $150 on perennials today at the nursery where my “daughter” works for the summer. I planted some this evening before it started to rain. This is the first time I have bought perennials other than bulbs for years. I still have some I raised some from seeds many years ago; however, most of those I have I got as transplants from other gardens starting with the daylillies and violets which are from my grandfather. My wife can remember who gave the wedding gifts, I can remember where or from whom I got my plants.

 
 
Posted by jservice at 10:11 PM
May 22, 2005
Lorna turns 40

Comments(0) | Print | Home

My wife’s youngest sister turns 40 this week so her husband gathered us all for a surprise party. Of course, Finnegan was there, too.

Lorna at 40

The birthday girl

 
 
Posted by jservice at 10:51 PM
May 12, 2005
Dog tired

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Finnegan and friend at puppy class.jpg

After last night’s choir rehearsal I had to return the van I used to get risers back to work. I didn’t get to bed until midnight and then had two coughing fits during the night as well. I napped at lunch, during a long program install—any chance I could get basically.

Finnegan really enjoys his puppy classes; especially play-time. Right now the bull mastiff puppy and he are about the same size. She’ll eventually be more than twice his weight.

 
Posted by jservice at 10:21 PM
May 10, 2005
Red trillium returns

Comments(0) | Print | Home

red trillium.jpg

In moving the large daylilly to prepare for my front walkway construction, the red trillium I had planted several years ago “saw the light.” This year it bloomed again. I hope the bloom will last until the weekend so I can get a daylight picture.

 
Posted by jservice at 10:31 PM
May 07, 2005
New first floor windows perhaps

Comments(0) | Print | Home

After the concert this coming weekend I’m going to line up some window sellers to quote me on replacing some or all of the first floor windows. Priorities are the living room bay window because the frame is rotting and the kitchen window because it is a slider and difficult to reach across the sink and a deep windowsill. An awning window would be better here as you wouldn’t have to rush to close it when it rained. The other four windows are OK—they just don’t operate very well and they are “old” technology. The phone number of the outfit that did all our upstairs windows in 1998 is no longer in service. Like last time, I intend to have each entire window replaced and I’ll finish off the inside “at my leisure.”

 
Posted by jservice at 10:40 PM
May 05, 2005
Our maple tree

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Maple tree, old and new loss of outer bark areas.jpgMaple tree, southwest side showing loss of outer bark area.jpg

Our maple tree is looking kind of denuded with bark missing on two sides. It didn’t give a lot of shade last year and the leaves dropped early. Is it acid rain, ozone-layer thinning, climate warming? Can I just trim the four largest lower branches and see what happens or should I take it all down?

 
Posted by jservice at 10:44 PM
April 23, 2005
Our dog has grown

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Finnegan_standing_front_paws_on_chair_2005_04_19

Finnegan now weighs about 15 lbs. He could almost fit under the rungs of this chair as an 8 week old pup. At about 14 weeks, he can stand and put his paws on the chair.

With the rainy weather we are experiencing this weekend he has to be toweled off each time come in. However, unlike before his last set of shots, we can at least take him on a walk instead of leaving him to play in the now muddy backyard.

 
Posted by jservice at 09:28 PM
April 18, 2005
April 07, 2005
Plane in satellite image

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Typical-Finnegan-Pose

While cruising around my area with the google satellite map I found a plane flying over Springbank Arts Centre near Dundas Street and Mississauga Road. Gratuitous puppy image also included.

 
Posted by jservice at 10:16 PM
April 06, 2005
My house

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Finnegan sleeping head on chair rungmy-house-from-satellite.jpg

Google maps now has satellite images. We’re the rebel house with the gray roof in amongst the brown and one green one on the bottom of the crescent. The image was taken since last June when we used to have a brown roof, too.

Finnegan fell asleep with his head on the chair rung.

 
Posted by jservice at 09:51 PM
April 04, 2005
Side steps

Comments(0) | Print | Home

side-steps.jpg

Finally got a roll of film back. Here’s how I used some left over 4×4’s and pavers to make steps for the side entrance last fall.

 
Posted by jservice at 10:03 PM
March 29, 2005
Working from home

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Finnegan

My wife is back at work today after her March break. Thus I’m working at home so I can take the puppy out from his crate every so often. I just sent off a report I worked on yesterday and this morning to my boss. Though I’d love to run outside in the milder weather I think I only have an hour or so before the puppy needs to go out to do his “business.”

Today’s Firefox extension is a spell checker for textareas Spellbound. I can right click as I’m writing here and check the spelling.

 
Posted by jservice at 11:07 AM
March 27, 2005
Easter 2005

Comments(0) | Print | Home

My wife’s family got together on Good Friday to celebrate one of our quarterly gatherings at Easter-time. This year’s location was chez nous and Friday was the most convenient day for everyone.

Stu,Mitchell,Kyle,BrianneRick,Ruth,JohnMitchell,Kyle,Brianne,GregJulie,Denise.jpgJulie,Denise,Gerry,Linda,Kim,Rick,Ruth,John,Danny,Dwayne,Bill,Lorna,DoreenGreg,IanGerry,Linda,Kim,Rick,Ruth,John,Danny,Dwayne,Bill,Lorna,DoreenFood,Rick,Doreen,Julie,Denise,Danny,BillFood,Rick,Doreen,Julie,Danny,DeniseDwayne,Danny,Lorna,Doreen,Gord,Julie,Denise,Gerry,Linda,Kim,RickDwayne,Danny,Bill,Lorna,Doreen,Gord,Julie,Denise,Gerry,Kim,Rick
 
Posted by jservice at 04:21 PM
March 26, 2005
O/T Thurs night, 22 for supper Friday

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Relaxed Finnegan

“By mistake” I left a bit later on Thursday night because I was off for a four-day Easter weekend and I needed to collect a few things and water my office vegetation. At 5 p.m. I got a call to do some Quality Inspection (QI) work. Well, they were “desperate” and it was time-and-a-half billable work. So my first QI work started at the very bottom: inspecting some spare parts for overhauling sump pumps at a nuclear station. Instead of helping my wife prepare vegetables for Good Friday’s family supper, I worked.

All day Friday was spent getting ready for my wife’s family and one friend: a total of 22 people and one puppy. Then, at the end of the evening I had to sort music into numbered stacks to hand out at choir practice on Saturday morning. I’m exhausted. To relax I include an image of our sleeping puppy.

 
Posted by jservice at 10:19 PM
March 20, 2005
Backyard changes?

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Finnegan, our SCWT puppy, has to be quarantined to our back yard until he’s had his next set of shots in about 3 weeks. Thus, my wife and I have spent lots of time in our backyard. That maple tree will probably have to come down. There are more splits in the trunk bark and it is “crying.” I thought the dog had peed on the deck but pee isn’t brown and sticky. I guess the sap is running and leaking out of an overhanging branch. I’m considering a star magnolia or serviceberry as a replacement.

And that living room bay window is deteriorating badly. I guess I’ll have to call for some estimates and the kitchen window…and a two instead of four section sliding glass door to the deck would also be nice. Anyone have any windfall profits or lottery winnings to share?

Good news, too, that most of Finnegan’s deposits are now being made in the backyard. We are all learning the appropriate signs I guess.

We bought ourselves a digital camera, NiMH battery charger and 512 Mbyte CF disk. Expect more images…

Me and FinneganFinnegan and toySleeping Finnegan
 
Posted by jservice at 10:48 AM
March 13, 2005
Puppy pictures

Comments(5) | Print | Home

My son took these pictures of Finnegan our 8-week-old Soft Coated Wheaton Terrier puppy yesterday with his new digital camera:

8-weeks-standing-on-deck-step.pngFinnegan-8-weeks-close-up.pngFinnegan-at-sliding-glass-door.png

Finnegan slept for about 5 hours last night and only cried for about five minutes in his crate next to our bed—he was a tired puppy. So far today both #2’s have been outside and about half of the #1’s. We went out and bought infant gates to, hopefully, keep the “accidents” on the kitchen floor.

 
Posted by jservice at 09:37 PM
February 06, 2005
40 years ago

Comments(1) | Print | Home

Here’s a family picture when I was 10, dated July 25, 1965. Yours truly is standing in the arms of my aunt. Present are my mom, her parents, two of her brothers and their wives, my siblings and one of my cousins. I presume my father was taking the picture. Items of significance include:

  • I wonder if my sister remembers being a show off?
  • My mom and her two brothers are divorced from those spouses in the picture.
  • This is a surprising picture to me because, unlike my father’s side of the family where we “reunite” regularly, the last time I saw my mother’s side of the family get together was at my grandmother’s funeral. Even then, many of my cousins weren’t there.
  • That property where the picture was taken is now occupied by several very expensive townhouses.
  • I think the sun dial I got for Christmas from my mom is the one sitting just behind my sister’s left hand.
Manuals and Services at 31 maclean
 
Posted by jservice at 09:23 PM
January 29, 2005
The fuse blew

Comments(0) | Print | Home

expulsion fuse blowing

We blew over one hundred 14,400V, 10 and 20 A fuses during tests a couple of weeks ago. The lab tech set up the digital camera to trigger when the 1000A short circuit was applied. It’s quite an impressive display for a piece of fuse wire less than 1 mm thick.

 
Posted by jservice at 09:24 PM
January 09, 2005
AVR

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Transistor AVR moduleAVR Transistor Board

Here’s a couple of pictures I took several years ago of a transistor-based automatic voltage regulator, the control that helps to maintain the terminal voltage of a power generator constant. Nowadays this control is probably just a sub-program in a digital excitation system.

 
 
Posted by jservice at 08:56 PM
December 23, 2004
Family Images and a White Christmas for 2004

Comments(2) | Print | Home

In typical “by the shores of Lake Ontario” fashion, there’s a crust of freezing rain forming on the 20 cm of so of snow that fell during the night. It was tough slog to shovel this morning due to the weight of the snow and ice. Though I worn a rain jacket over a sweater, I was soaked to the skin.

Yes, I could write a family newsletter; however, images are so much better. Last night’s pics of the family get-together at my sister's place are available courtesy of my older son and his digital camera. Special guests: my brother and his family back from Thailand. Missing: my young nephew Crawford, with his timezone still in the Pacific Ocean somewhere, went to bed, younger son went to gf's family Christmas on account of they (her family not my son) are leaving for Mexico today (weather permitting smiley).

 
 
Posted by jservice at 02:07 PM
November 03, 2004
September 22, 2004
September 19, 2003
Versailles Views

Comments(0) | Print | Home

versailles-front-courtyardT.png

⇐ A view of the front court yard of Versailles at just after 9 o’clock in the morning. Already the temperature was over 30°C. In the roughly two and a half hours we were there the ambulance came at least three times to assist tourists overcome by the heat. The itinerant water sellers were everywhere in Paris and Versailles.

versailles-from-behind-Apollo_s-poolT.png

⇒ I took this shot from behind Apollo’s fountain. On the weekends the fountains are turned on. Otherwise the water needs to be conserved for the Versailles gardens. Le Roi employed a legion of gardeners. In the morning he might like to see orange and blue flowers while that afternoon his preference may have been white and red ones.

versailles-King_s-ChapelT.png

⇐ Apparently the King (Louis XIV) had a very regimented sort of day. At 10:00 a.m. everyone had to attend Mass in this chapel. The guide didn’t know at what time of day la merde du Roi took place (Just kidding!).

versailles-JandJ-in-marble-courtyardT.png

⇒ My wife and I pose in marble courtyard in front of le Palais de Versailles. She liked this picture so much she’s had copies made to sent out as cards to some friends and relatives. This trip was our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary present to ourselves.

 
Posted by jservice at 10:27 PM
September 15, 2003
Notre Dame de Paris

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Notre-Dame-from-Seine-frontT.pngNotre-Dame-from-Seine-rose-window-farT.png

It turns out the best views of Notre Dame are from the Seine River. I have taken a few shots here including the front, the “west”side view showing one of the rose windows from two distances, and the back. The back clearly shows the flying butresses, one of the singular features of Notre Dame.

Notre-Dame-from-Seine-rose-window-closeT.pngNotre-Dame-from-Seine-backT.png
 
Posted by jservice at 10:03 PM
September 05, 2003
Cantoris and Decani

Comments(0) | Print | Home

cso2003_cantorisT.pngcso2003_decaniT.png

The Cathedral Singers of Ontario, version 2003, are split into two SATB sections. The Decani sit on the dean’s stall side of the quire. At Canterbury when facing the altar that is the right side. And the Cantoris section sits on the left side, on the Cantor’s side of the quire. I was part of the Cantoris. We sang the II or lower parts when there was eight part harmony required. The Decani sang the I parts. During Psalm chanting the two sections alternate verses except for the first two and the Gloria Patri.

Hmmm, I seem to have mislabelled the images themselves. I only just found out tonight that decani and cantoris have nothing whatsoever to do with left and right.

 
Posted by jservice at 10:11 PM
September 03, 2003
Leeds Castle, a side trip from our Canterbury choir tour

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Leeds-Castle-black-swans-t.png

Leeds Castle has been called “the lovliest castle in the world.”I haven’t seen enough castle to comment but it is quite pretty. Worth the visit if you’re in the area. Buildings at the Leeds Castle site on two islands on an artificial lake on the River Len date from 857. Henry the VIII is perhaps its most famous inhabitent as he spent large amounts of money enlarging and fortifying the castle and made it his palace. Many of the post cards show this view—I noticed the swans swimming to shore so I waited to take this shot.

Leeds-Castle-Rose-of-Sharon-and-my-wife-t.png

Much of the estate is surrounded by lovely gardens. We happen to like rose of sharon shrubs and this one was full bloom with flowers to match my wife’s top. Like the rest of our trip it was hot; hence, the shades and hats.

Leeds-Castle-and-me-t.png

I have just wandered inside the castle grounds when my wife “happened” to take my picture. Some of our group tried to have lunch on the castle grounds under the shade of a tree; however, we were shewed out by the steward.

Leeds-Castle-large-leaved-plant-and-me-t.png

I don’t remember what this large-leaved plant is called nor does a google search reveal anything useful. I guess I could have written something down except that we hadn’t even reached the castle at this point. The castle has complete conference facilities and a golf course. I wonder if our next choir retreat should take place here?

  • 2003-09-05: made thumbnails actually refer to the large images
 
Posted by jservice at 10:20 AM
August 27, 2003
The Ruins of St Augustine's Abbey

Comments(0) | Print | Home

St_Augustines_Abbey_ruins_looking_from_nave_to_altar-thumb.png

The ruins of St Augustine’s Abbey are not too far from Christ Church University in Canterbury. Note that it has been so hot that some of the grass has turned brown. Doesn’t look English does it? The graves of some Saxon kings dating from the 12th century are found here.

St_Augustines_Abbey_ruins_looking_from_altar_towards_nave-thumb.png

It’s too bad Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries and tore down many of the buildings. Excavation has revealed that the abbey was founded in 598 A.D.

St_Augustines_Abbey_roman_ruins_and_old_bricks_and_my_wife-thumb.png

The price of admission includes audio tour devices so we learned about life in Roman and Medieval times at this site.

St_Augustines_Abbey_ruins_plants_growing_on_walls-thumb.png

I don’t know whether the flowers and plants grew here naturally or were planted but it’s a nice effect.

 
Posted by jservice at 09:49 PM
August 24, 2003
Canterbury Cathedral

Comments(0) | Print | Home

sunset at Canterbury

You can see the central tower of the Christ Church Cathedral from anywhere in Canterbury. Here’s a sunset view I took from the chapel at Christ Church University. Here the Cathedral Singers had the infamous after supper rehearsals. After getting harangued by the conductor one evening my wife and I decided our time after evensong would be better spent quaffing a brew or two and having supper at the pub. It was so hot but the refectory (a.k.a cafeteria) still served hot meals (no beer either). Was it our imagination but did we hear that the rehearsals went much worse when we weren’t there?

Here' the central tower of the Cathedral as viewed from the west. Later on I’ll show what the stained glass of the large window looks like from the inside.

Loose kingly lips can kill a priest. The king and Thomas á Beckett had some disagreements and the king latter muttered “will no-one rid me of this person?” Four noble knights took him at his word and murdered Thomas at this location in the Cathedral. You can the stylized swords and Saint Thomas' name on the floor. Just out the door is the Chapter House and cloisters where Thomas would have entered for a service.

Perhaps Saint Thomas (before he was a saint of course) would have preached from this pulpit; though, I doubt it as it looks more baroque than gothic in style. On Sunday the Vice-Dean preached from here. However, due to the hot weather and full length cassock plus surplice I was wearing, I had great trouble staying awake at this point.

 
Posted by jservice at 09:51 PM
August 21, 2003
The CSO2003 Members Gather

Comments(0) | Print | Home

cso2000-members-in-St-James-Rose-Garden-thumb.png

After our first “official”evensong service at St. James Anglican Church in Stratford we, the Cathedral Singers of Ontario v2003, gathered for a photo op. in the rose garden. Yours truly and my wife are in the crowd of penguins pictured here. Roughly half of the group is represented in this shot. This thumbnail shot links to a full size image, by the way.

 
Posted by jservice at 10:20 PM
August 18, 2002
Summer Vacation 2002

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Well, it has been quite a while since I posted my own images. I have scanned a few photos from my summer vacation this year. I must note that the heavy rainfall I allude to in the iimages occurred one night and part of the next morning; otherwise, the weather was mostly hot and sunny — with much less smog than in the GTA of course.

We took a walk along the concession road. Behind my wife is the beef cattle field and, way in the back, nestled in the trees is our country home for a couple of weeks.


I walked around the corn field one morning and took a picture of the country home from across the cattle field.


Our country home is next door to the beef cattle. Their salt lick is near the garage at the end of the driveway and shade trees are here so the cows and their bull come by the fence at least once per day.


While walking around the corn field I spied these cloven hoof prints. Must be deer in the neighbouring woods.


I don't know how high an elephant's eye is but this corn certainly tops 3 metres.


I rode the Kubota lawn and cut the lawns and around the fruit trees. The great thing about this puppy was the rocker accelerator pedal, i.e., forward and reverse with a centre stop. Plus it had switchable 4 wheel drive, separate suspension lawn mower attachment for cutting over hills and an amazingly tight turning radius.


Usually there's very little water visible at the low point in this field. However, a heavy rain of 7 or 8 cm in one day left a good size pond. In the distance, a flock of Canada geese is visiting.


So much rain fell one night that it seems that have the driveway ended up in the ditch.


There was lots of grass to cut. My wife use the small tractor to cut around close to the house


That large rainfall washed out part of the concession road clear down to the bottom of the culvert.


My cousin Brian is taking a picture of his daughter Katie and her sandcastle creation on the shores of Chandos Lake.


 
Posted by jservice at 12:12 PM
May 23, 2002
The Trapper Estates Gardens in mid-May

Comments(0) | Print | Home

I took some images in the garden last night and tried out a non-table, table using CSS and some help from these tips.

Double kerria


Forget-me-nots


Front garden


Thorny shrub


The thorns


Viburnum


White tulips


Wine rack


Double kerria
The double kerria is putting on a great show this year as its branches didn't die back over the winter as they sometimes do.
Forget-me-nots
It started off as a few Forget-Me-Nots — and now they are everywhere.
Front garden
In the front garden, the azalea in the foreground is starting to bloom as well as the bleeding hearts towards the back.
Thorny shrub
I'm going email the Rec. and Parks people to ask them to remove these shrubs, they're thorny and their roots are invasive.
The thorns
You need full body armour to prune these guys!
Viburnum
The viburnum buds are just starting to flower.
White tulips
I like white flowers — you can see them in the evening. These tulips also contrast nicely with the violets.
Wine rack
Happiness is a full wine rack and happy is the gardener.
 
Posted by jservice at 08:38 PM
May 08, 2002
Aida - Closing Night Pics

Comments(0) | Print | Home

I took these pictures during the closing night's performance of Opera Mississauga's production of "Joe Green's" Aïda.

Images - On closing night the paparazzi among us could take pictures. [image]
Images - Amneris sung by Alla Gorobchenko, mezzo soprano.[ Too bad this striking woman could hardly speak any English. ] [image]
Images - Amonasro sung by Mauro Augustini, baritone [ According to an Italian friend, where this guy comes from in Italy they all talk very loudly. His voice would cause your ears to ring singing in a small room. ] [image]
Images - Maestro played by Dwight Bennett, seen here with Ms. Gorobchenko. [image]
Images - Senor Augustini was a very friendly guy. [image]
Images - Radames sung by Mario Leonardi, tenor. [ He's in the fancy costume to the right of the Maestro. ] [image]
Images - Behind Radames in the door way and partially obscured by a super is Ramfis sung by Franceso Palmieri, basso. [ He sings with the priestly chorus in the opera at one point. Quite a friendly guy except when someone accidently sang his part. ] [image]
Images - The King was sung by, Enrico Rinaldo, basso. [ The story I heard was that though he was born in Ottawa, when Senor Rinaldo was two, his father, an outdoor construction worker, lost his ear to frostbite and the family moved back to Italy. ] [image]
Images - Many of the women of the chorus bought wigs to help immerse themselves in their Egyptian people roles. Here is an OCS member who shall remain nameless for now. [image]
Images - One of Egyptian Ministers sung by Jim Service, first bass. [ I had another picture taken of me in this costume which my wife detested — she thought I looked dead with my arms crossed as if I were in a coffin. I hope she likes this one better. ] [image]
Images - Chorus Master played excellently by Gergely Szokolay (standing) [image]
Images - The Chorus Master silhouetted in front of the priestly chorus. [image]
Images - Yet another picture of the Chorus Master with unheaddressed priest in the foreground. [image]
Images - Bev Stainton (telephone number), director of the Oakville Choral Society. [ After experiencing the Maestro I'm sure the Oakville choristers appreciate his humour and tolerance all that much more. ] [image]
Images - The famous monkey of the triumphal Aï Grand Finale scene. [image]
Images - The priests and ministers offstage waiting their next chorus. [image]
Images - Here we are waiting for our next entrance. [image]
Images - It's hard work with a call at 6:30 p.m. and leaving at about 5 hours later after removing costume and makeup. [ First production I have been in though where you can have your costume laundered between performances. ] [image]
Images - After closing night many of the chorus headed over to Alice Fazooli's for some libation of an alcoholic nature. [image]
Images - Another party shot at Alice's. [image]
 
Posted by jservice at 08:16 PM
April 25, 2002
Aida: Chorus Scenes, Off Stage and Back Stage, April 2002

Comments(0) | Print | Home

I took my son's digital camera and snapped a few pictures at last night's dress rehearsal. At the post rehearsal de-briefing they told us we couldn't take pictures until the last performance. It's kinda of like a kid's game — they make up the rules (or at least choose to tell us) as they go. The images themselves are URLs which will expand to full size in a separate window if you have javascript and "popups" enabled in your browser; otherwise, click on [image] to have the image appear in another browser window.

Aida Chorus - The chorus is assembling for a warm up from our chorus master. [image]
Aida Chorus - The Egyptian (dresed) women of the Opera Mississauga and Oakville Choral Society in the hall off stage preparing for a vocal warm up. [image]
Aida Chorus - The men of the two choirs, all acting as priests or ministers. [image]
Aida Chorus - Our chorus master, Gherghey (Once I get a program I will be able to spell his name.) [image]
Aida Chorus - The Oakville Choral Society president and Maestro laison, Lisa, is on the left. I call it her "Annette Funicello" look. [image]
Aida Chorus - The ministers and priests await their stage entrance [image]
Aida Chorus - Some scenes are sung backstage. [image]
Aida Chorus - After the rehearsal Maestro Bennett says a few words. The Hammerson Hall is visible in the background. [image]
Aida Chorus - The chorus gathered on stage around the Maestro after the rehearsal. [image]
Aida Chorus - The chorus listens attentively (or else!). [image]
 
Posted by jservice at 11:44 AM
April 20, 2002
Bell'Arte 2001 Italy Tour - Venezia

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Venezia - The marble steps and high altar at Santa Maria dei Miracolli, a small church favoured for weddings. Your nuptial gondola could pick you up right at the church doors.
Venezia - The Bell'Arte in concert on the altar stairs at Santa Maria dei Miracolli.
 
Posted by jservice at 11:15 PM
April 15, 2002
Sunday Supper at the Schmidt-McQuillans

Comments(0) | Print | Home

I borrowed Stu's digital camera so I could post some pictures of our friends and their baby Sarah.

2002-04-15 - Yours truly, Jim Service, holding Sarah.
2002-04-15 - Julie looking over at Susanne and Sarah and Megen enjoying the "champagne of ginger ales"
2002-04-15 - Julie is examining Megan's "instrument". Of course, Megan turned just as I was taking this picture. Oh, and Megan blew out the other two candles.
2002-04-15 - Father and daughter, Matthias and Sarah. Bentley, the cat, is in the background.
2002-04-15 - A prouder papa you'd never find at the moment!
2002-04-15 - Megan is putting on a show as usual. It is never dull when our little Megan is about.
2002-04-15 - Mother and daughter, Susanne and Sarah.
2002-04-15 - Susanne and Sarah just past the carnations we brought.
 
Posted by jservice at 11:13 PM
April 12, 2002
Bell'Arte 2001 Italy Tour - San Gimignano

Comments(0) | Print | Home

San-Gimignano - Our bus driver drove out on the country roads just so we could take pictures of San Gimignano on the hill.
San-Gimignano - View of San Gimignano between two Olive trees
 
Posted by jservice at 10:54 PM
April 11, 2002
Bell'Arte 2001 Italy Tour - Firenze

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Firenze - For a being just a bell tower, the Doumo Campanile was quite ornate so I took several pictures. Next time I should bring one of those panorama-type cameras.
Firenze - Bottom of the Duomo Campanile
 
Posted by jservice at 08:23 PM
April 07, 2002
Bell'Arte 2001 Italy Tour - Firenze

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Firenze - Julie and Iris stand beside the covered BMW motorcyle. I read recently in the Toronto Star that it may be introduced in North America.
Firenze - Dora, Iris and Jim — Bell'Arte members in Piazza delle Belle Arti.
 
Posted by jservice at 10:04 PM
April 03, 2002
Bell'Arte 2001 Italy Tour - Firenze Duomo

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Firenze - The Bell'Arte singing at noon mass in Santa Maria del Fiore, the Duomo of Firenze. The sound was wonderful with almost 10 seconds of reverberation time. Apparently it is the fourth largest church in the world.
Firenze - Here is the high altar in the Duomo. We managed to take a few pictures round the huge building after singing at the Sunday Noon Mass. (If your choir doesn't lead a service then it has to pay to sing here.)
 
Posted by jservice at 08:03 PM
Man and Woman - An Engineer's View

Comments(0) | Print | Home

EngineersView.jpg

I have seen this image several times and always get a chuckle out of it. Personally, I don't think there's an on/off switch on the woman model — just a lot of dials, knobs, buttons and conflicting indicators which always require careful interpretation and even more careful adjustment.

 
Posted by jservice at 09:30 AM
March 30, 2002
Bell'Arte 2001 Italy Tour - Firenze

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Firenze - An evening shot of the Palazzo Vecchio (old palace)
Firenze - In the Piazza della Signoria is found the famous statue of David by Michaelangelo.
 
Posted by jservice at 11:04 PM
March 27, 2002
Bell'Arte 2001 Italy Tour Pictures

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Firenze - A hazy view of Florence from Fieosole (where the Bell'Arte also performed a concert). You can just make out the Duomo in the centre of the picture.
Firenze - The Hon. Jean (Canada's Prime Minister) and Aline Chrétien amongst us shaking hands. Very gracious people. He was surprised, and pleased to no doubt, to find a Canadian group was singing at the Noon Mass that Sunday.

Photo by Zelda
 
Posted by jservice at 10:09 PM
March 23, 2002
Italy 2001 pictures - Florence

Comments(0) | Print | Home

Firenze - A view of the Duomo from Piazza di San Giovanni
Firenze - A group shot of the Bell'Arte Singers in front of the Duomo (Santa Maria del Fiore)
 
Posted by jservice at 11:31 PM