Icicles

We grow ‘em big here.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

When conditions are just right, the mist in the air freezes into crystals on the trees.  It’s a delight to walk around in.  And lots of fun to take pictures of, too!

One year ago: A Squirrel Among the Branches

Congratulations Lisa

Spotted while running errands this morning. 

We actually have no idea who Lisa is, but that kind of excitement is contagious.  So, all the best to Lisa and your brand new baby girl!

Snow on Blue Spruce

Massively tall trees on a neighbour’s front lawn.  And such a beautiful colour!

The Weekly Breakfast–Christmas Morning in Bed Edition

We hope you’re all having a perfectly lovely day!

A Very Happy Snowman

While running errands, we came across this little guy looking completely overjoyed by life.

Our wish is that you will experience moments of that, too.

Beauty and Danger

Icicles are truly one of the joys of winter.  But you have to be a little careful around them.  Beauty up above means watch your step down below.  Because icicles only form when things start to melt, which can make for some very slippery patches on the ground.

Summer is much less complicated, at least round here…

Neighbourliness

We were just about to sit down for dinner last night when there was a knock at the door. 

Our upstairs neighbour made us a gingerbread house!  With gummies and bubblegums on the roof!

Two years ago: Ludicrous Amounts of Snow

Pretty Christmas Lights

The invention of LED Christmas lights has reinvigorated  the yearly display, a tradition that seemed to be dying out due to high energy costs and concerns about the planet.

Some displays are almost a traffic hazard, they’re so crazy bright, but these?  These are kinda pretty, actually.

The Weekly Breakfast–Calm Before the Storm Edition

One week before Christmas and we have nothing planned for the rest of the day.  Sweet!

How ‘bout you? 

It’s a Kind of Magic

When the weather settles down between furies and the sun is at just the right angle, your backyard can look like a stage set.  And if you’re lucky enough to grab your camera at just the right moment…

Two years ago: Sirkel Foods

Practice

Heading into the SUFE Meet and Greet the other night, we noticed that the street was blocked off and wondered why.

When we came out, there was a choir practising and shepherds wandering about.

They were practising for A Small Miracle – an outdoor theatre experience occurring over several evenings.

Two years ago: Stratford Public Library

SUFE Meet and Greet

The Stratford Urban Farming Experiment had another Meet and Greet at Revel Caffe last night.  Great ideas are spilling forth, enthusiasm is building.  This movement is growing!

And new members are always welcome…

Two years ago: I’m Being Ignored By A Squirrel

Icy Cold

When the snow falls down in fat, slushy flakes and then freezes and then the plough goes by, you end up with the end of your driveway filled with big, heavy chunks of ice and the only real way to get them off is to pick them up by hand and heave them onto the middle of your lawn.

Which, thankfully, is unusual, even for Stratford.

Down Below the Dam

Don’t their little feet get cold swimming around in that chilly water????

Two years ago: Zip In Market

The Weekly Breakfast–Working at the Market Edition

Barb’s working at the market in the run-up to Christmas.  Today’s breakfast was extra delicious because it was earned!

Snow Storm

A view of the snow storm from the other day.  And there’s more coming down today!

Freezing Our Bells Off

After posting yesterday’s picture (and a few warming cups of tea) it was time to head back and see how the bell installation was going.  In the middle of a howling blizzard.  There’s a lot of planning and work and time that goes into hoisting a very heavy bell up to the top of a very tall tower.

But then it happened and it was really, really exciting!  So smooth and precise, just up and in, with no backing up and trying again.  Brilliant!

Then numbness set in and it was off home for a hot bath and more cups of tea…

Two years ago: The Neighbours Are Ready, Too

St. James’ Church Bells Are Back!

In May the bells were removed from St. James’ Church tower for restoration and tuning.  Today they’re being re-installed.  It’s a precision operation requiring a very large crane.  The biggest bell only has 3/4 inch clearance on either side of the opening.

Here they are awaiting installation.  We’ll head back this afternoon to see the rest of the process.  Stay tuned!

Two years ago: Bradshaws is Ready

Stratford Lawn Bowling Club

Love the awnings, love the colours, love the grid of lights hanging above.

It may look a little lonely under a blanket of snow, but even a lawn bowling green needs its rest.

Two years ago: Moonlight

Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful

Try as we might, we really can no longer deny that winter is upon us.  The wind today is really cold.  But the view from the William Hutt Bridge was worth it.

The Weekly Breakfast–Sunny Side Up Edition

Brilliant sunshine glinting off the snow this morning.

And on the breakfast table – eggs sunny side up and a sunny hit of orange juice in a glass.

We’re heading to the Art Gallery of Lambeth grand opening this evening.  Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Fuzzy Slipper Days

In an old house, cold winter days mean cold winter floors.  Fuzzy slippers make life so much better.

Two years ago: Mid-Winter Thaw

Crusty

Crusty paint on an old porch downtown.

Are you itching to paint it?  Or do you like the weathered look that took so long to achieve?

One year ago: The Bridge to Tom Patterson Island – part 2

Freezing Time

It’s the first of the month, which means Theme Day in the City Daily Photo community. And this month’s theme is Time.

You can waste time or save it.

You can mark time or even beat it.

You can spend time (then wonder where the time goes…)

And with a camera, you can freeze time.

Or, as was the case with this photo, the camera itself freezes and gives you the perfect shot for Theme Day!

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

And let us not forget that December 1 is also World AIDS Day. Be aware, be safe, get involved.

The Willow

They grow really quickly, so their wood is soft, which makes for some amazing root structures.

They’re also fantastic at metabolizing toxins out of contaminated soil, in case you have any environmental clean-up to do.

One year ago: The Aftermath of Snow

Waiting for the Parade

Just before the Santa Claus Parade started last evening.

Sometimes the marshalling ground is the most exciting part of the parade – certainly for behind the scenes types like us!

Two years ago: Stratford Farmer’s Market

The Weekly Breakfast–Ignoring the Snow Edition

There is enough snow out there that we could legitimately shovel.

Instead, we chose pancakes.  And bacon.  And lots and lots of coffee.

For those of you in Stratford, the Santa Claus Parade is tomorrow at 5pm.  The parade leaves from Lakeside Drive (William Allman Arena), goes to Morenz Drive, Ontario Street, Downie Street to City Hall.  Hope to see you there – we’ll be the goofballs trying to take pictures with our mittens on!

Two years ago: Balzac’s

Ignite Stratford

The first of, hopefully, many Ignite Stratford events took place last night at Factory 163.  There were snacks and drinks, great people to talk to, inspiring speeches and a contest (We didn’t win, but we had lots of fun with our entry!).

Two years ago: Stratford Castle

An Evening with Scott Stratten

Waterloo Stratford Campus hosted an evening with author Scott Stratten last night.  Scott is the author of UnMarketing: Stop Marketing. Start Engaging, which we are now hoovering avidly.

Two years ago: Puddles!!!

 

The Avon Theatre

In any decent-sized city, it can be hard to get a perspective on a particular building.  You see bits and pieces and don’t really know how big it is.  But sometimes you can catch it at just the right angle.

This is the Avon Theatre (yesterday with the clouds rolling in).

Big.  Freakin’.  Building.

Two Years Ago: Just Steps Away

Hidden Doorway

Walking through town, camera in hand makes you feel slightly entitled to sneak down alleyways and see what’s there.

This is behind the Avon Theatre.

Two years ago: Winter in Stratford

Here’s to Better Days

It’s really wet and dreary out there today.  So here’s a picture from a couple of weeks ago when the sun was shining and the sky was blue, down at Shakespeare Gardens.

Two Years Ago: The New Stratford Farmer’s Market

CloseKnit

We stopped in to CloseKnit Quality Yarns on Wellington Street the other day.  There’s so much to tempt the knitter:  beautiful yarns, patterns, classes and two very knowledgeable owners to solve your knitting issues.

The Squirrels Are Waddling

They fatten up every year at this time, in preparation for the long winter ahead.

But this year?  They look just a little fatter than usual.  Do you think they know something we don’t know?

If Only They Could Talk

When this house was built, it was on farmland.  Now it’s right in the city, across the river from the Festival Theatre.  It’s seen so many changes, you wonder at the stories it could tell.

Surreal

An electric meter at the edge of a grassy field, topped by a seagull…

Sometimes you see some odd sights in the early morning mist…

One year ago: Decorating for Christmas

Stratford Jail

If you stand in Shakespeare Gardens, you get this view of the back of the Stratford Jail.  Imposing!

The Weekly Breakfast–Unseasonably Warm Edition

Had we not already brought the table in for the season, we would definitely have eaten breakfast outdoors today!

As it was, we found a lovely patch of sunshine at the kitchen table. 

Hope you’re all having a wonderful weekend!

INNERChamber Rehearsal

INNERChamber is a new chamber music concert series that is changing the rules of concert-going.

An INNERChamber concert is a Feast of music (performed by some of the best musicians in the area) and food (prepared by the County Food Company).

On Wednesday night, Plenty o’ Horns were rehearsing for this Sunday’s Reel Music concert – music from Hollywood movies arranged for a large horn ensemble.  Brilliant!

Tickets for the concert and dinner are $30 adult, $20 student.  But you have to buy them today if you want to include the dinner.  You can buy them right here.

The concert is at Factory 163 (163 King St.) and the evening gets rolling at 6:00 PM on Sunday, November 14.  Check the website for full details.

Remembrance Day

Two Bridges

Once you get out and start wandering around, you realize there are lots and lots of bridges in Stratford.  Here are two of them.

 

The Dam

Standing on the Huron Street Bridge, looking at the dam and the William Hutt Bridge beyond.

One year ago: The End of Another Season

The Lions Pool

In the summer time, it’s filled with children all day long.  This morning, it looked a little lonely.

The Roof of the Train Station

A chimney, some weathered wood and a puffy little cloud.  What could be better?

The Weekly Breakfast–End of Daylight Savings Time Edition

Bacon, eggs, beans, tomatoes and lots and lots of coffee.  It’s your basic fry-up.

Don’t forget to set your clocks back tonight.  And enjoy that extra hour of sleep!

One year ago: Winter’s Opening Salvo

Here it Comes!

Round about mid-September, we start to get a little nervous, sniffing the wind, checking for chill and flakiness.

It’s not actually that cold out there, but it looks like snow season has begun.

One year ago: Stratford-Perth Archives

On Further Reflection

More lovely reflections on a still morning.

One year ago:  Two Towers

Above York Street

These are the apartments above the shops on York Street.  Shopping and restaurants just downstairs.  A view of the river.  What could be better?

One year ago: On This Site

Door Number Two

Down at the Train Station again.  No idea what’s behind door number two…

One year ago: How They Keep the Windows Clean