Mary Soderstrom's Blog, page 7

Saturday Photo: The Roman Empire for Today

How often do you think about the Roman Empire?

For a project that has a lot ot do with what we remember, collectively, I'mbeen doing a lot of lateral thinking and Googling around and found that lastyear a whole lot of women asked a whole lot of men that question and recordedtheir answers on Tik Tok. https://youtu.be/FTHL9a3M_q4?si=u-aBV...

Their answers were amazing (to me, at least): very often, even two or threetimes a day!

Would love to know how often YOU think about the Roman Empire, FB buddies...

The photo, BTW, was taken at Conímbriga, Portugal, which was one of thefarthest west of the Roman outposts on the continent.@font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}@font-face {font-family:Aptos; panose-1:2 11 0 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:536871559 3 0 0 415 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family:Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-font-kerning:1.0pt; mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;}.MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-fareast-font-family:Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

Saturday Photo: Let's Celebrate All Holidays....

 

So Quebec and Canada are secular? Why then do we have national holidays on Good Friday and Easter Monday? Why not Eid Muburak or Passover? Or none at all?

Saturday Photo: Time and the River Flowing

 The edge of the Ottawa River in March, 2024.  No ice, just reflections.

Saturday Photo: End of Winter, Sad Rink

 Visited some young friends this week.  Their Dad had made a rink in their front yard which only got a little use this winter because it wasn't nearly as cold as it should be.

And this, it appears, is the end of the rink for this year.  A little ice left, true, but you need rain boots instead of skatkes.  The neighborhood squirrels have discovered it, too.  I saw one perched on the edge, leaning over to get a drink one afternoon.

Saturday Photo: Snowdrops--Is This the New Normal?

 This photo was taken in April 2008 when we still had snow on the ground.  The snowdrops this year are already up--March 9!--and the snow cover is long gone.

I'm afraid this is the new normal...  Climate change is upon us.

Saturday Photo: Ice, Open Water and Red-winged Blackbirds

 You can't see them, but we definitely heard them.  Red-winged Blackbirds were buzzing and calling this morning at the Parc des Rapides de Lachine. 

Usually they arrive the third week in March, but obviously they got the word that things will be a little different this year and came north to check out their nesting ground.

Climate change!

Saturday Photo: Blue and Sunny Skies!

 Haven't had many sunny days this winter, but today was one!  Hoorah!

Saturday Photo: Skating at Parc Outremont

It's been a hard winter here  for people who like winter sports.  There has been some snow but the temperature has gone up and down and the outdoor ice rinks have suffered.   This weekend looks like it will be one where folks can have some fun.
 

Saturday Photo: Waiting for the End of Winter

 The snow is melting fast, even though it's not even the middle of February.  But some folks have everything ready for sunny days and barbecues.

Saturday Photo: Lanewalker in the City

 Lots of alleys in Montreal don't get plowed, and so during the winter they take on the appearance of country lanes.  Good for walking, good for thinking that you're far away from the hustle and bustle of city life.