Sunshine and Flowers

There is apparently a green flash just as the sun sinks into the water at sunset. Several times in the past two weeks, I have watched the sunset but have not been able to catch that few seconds although others watching saw it one night.

We have had a glorious two weeks of sunshine on Maui while the lower mainland has had more than it's fair share of rain. This has been the most relaxing vacation I have had in a very long time - it has felt somewhat like a cruise.

Remembrance Day November 11

Shortly after my Mother-in-law moved into a seniors home, I arrived at her door with my then 19 year old son. As she was expecting me, I knocked and then opened the door and walked in. As she came towards the door, she cried out and grabbed a chair to sit down. When she caught her breath, she said that she thought her brother had just walked in the door.

It was November 11th and my son had just finished participating in a parade. As a member of the Reserves, he was in full military uniform. This was the mid 1990's. Her brother had died in the First World War. She was about seven years when she last saw him. This is the photograph taken in Chilliwack before her brother went overseas.

On my side of the family, my Uncle Jack served in the First World War. He came home with a war bride, my Aunt Nora. They moved to northern Canada to live for many years in a mining camp without running water or even electricity at the beginning. In spite of this, children were born with great regularity every year or so. Eventually they did move from the mine site into town. My Mother often remarked on how hard life would have been for Nora who had only known 'balmy England' (my mother's words). My Uncle Jack lived well into his 90's and always had war stories to tell. Unfortunately, I don't remember any of them.

We lost a member of our family in WW2 as well. My Uncle Bob lost his life in the Second World War at Normandy on August 10, 1944. He had one son who was born in 1942. I don't know if he ever had the chance to see his son.

This is a ration book that belonged to my father-in-law who worked in a munitions factory near Valleyfield, Quebec during the Second World War. My Mother kept her ration books too for many years after the war. Sugar, butter and gasoline were some of the products that were rationed.

Every Day Heros North Van Style

This is a fifteen minute presentation made for the District of North Vancouver Fire Department's 2009 Annual Awards.  I lived in North Van for several years and my nephew is a fireman there.    While watching a year in life from the eyes of a fire department, you will see glimpses of the rugged terrain and unique location of this city.

http://web.me.com/lumierephotography/District_Of_North_Vancouver_Fire_Rescue/Movie.html

A Forest on My Deck

Here are the 12 trees I have transplanted over the last few days. I plan to grow them on my roof-top deck. All twelve trees were purchased from Canadian Tire and Super Store at the end of the season. I paid two dollars each for the larger trees and a dollar each for the three little ones. They are all cedars - four tall upright that can grow up to 12 feet high, five round ones that can grow up to about 6 feet and three golden cedar shrubs that should not grow more than a few feet tall. If they were all to survive for a few years, there would be no room on my deck.

I hope that enough will survive to form a screen from my neighbours across the street. They all have good root systems and had totally outgrown their previous pots. I am hoping that new branches will form in the spring to fill in some of the bare spots.

So far, this little garden of trees has cost me less that thirty dollars. I was able to scrounge/recycle most of the supplies - the stand was stairs from a hot tub, most of the pots came from a building site, the soil was mostly composted, and I was able to use left over fertilizer from the summer.

I will try to remember to update this next year.