The legacy of Jackie Robinson

This was a very moving ceremony we saw before one of our baseball games recently. I remember my father explaining to me how important it was that Robinson broke the colour barrier and how Canada was different in terms of racism. Thinking back, it seems we Canadians didn't quite make the connection that we had many race and colour barriers we took for granted and it seems we didn't treat blacks very well either. 

Museum Celebrating Jackie Robinson’s Life and Legacy Opens in New York

After more than 14 years of planning, a museum commemorating baseball legend Jackie Robinson has opened in New York City. A large crowd of athletes, sports fans, and politicians came out for the grand opening earlier this week, but the most notable among them was the star player’s 100-year-old widow, Rachel. She participated in the festivities along with the couple’s children, David and Sharon, to honor Robinson, who was the first Black man to play in Major League Baseball in the modern era.

Legoland Windsor Resort unveils Women's football team

The LEGOLAND Windsor Resort is showing its support for the England women's footballteam ahead of Sunday's European Championship final against Germany by showcasing LEGOminiatures of the team.

Two model makers used 874 pieces to reproduce the famous players, among them captain Leah Williamson and stars Beth Mead and Lauren Hemp, who's already a big lover of all things LEGO.

Chief Model Maker at LEGOLAND, Paula Laughton, says it was a real labour of love to put the assemble the exhibition: "So we had two more model makers - one did all the hair details and one did all the bodies. And then we put them together. And it took about 16 hours or all in all to complete."

"Each of the players took 38 LEGO pieces, on average a minifigure is 34 pieces. So obviously to pose them, we had to put some extra bricks in."

The team will be displayed at the resort's Miniland attraction throughout the summer.

A good day all round

 The Blue Jays won and it was a particularly interesting game. We had lots of fans on but it was still rather warmish in the house and outside wasn't much better so we went for an ocean swim at Spanish Banks.  It was a good tide and the water was very warm.  Wonderful sunset. 

We had lunch at The Sylvia and got a great table outside with a view so lots of ocean yesterday.  

Dinner was some fruit so no cooking...too hot to cook.

Sounds like a great idea...good on Phoenix

 

Phoenix Uses “Cool Pavement” to Combat Rising Temperatures   America’s hottest city is working to avoid getting even hotter, starting with its streets. As heat waves across the country continue, Phoenix, Arizona, is covering black asphalt roads with a gray sealant that reflects the sun rather than absorbing heat. Mayor Kate Gallego told CBS News that the sealant, which has so far been used on 73 miles of city street, reduces the temperature of asphalt by 10 to 12 degrees. “Our residents say they can feel the difference,” she said. Climate change has made the heat in the desert locale even more pronounced — compared to 1970, the average summer temperature is 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit higher and there are now 12 more days above 110 degrees each year. In addition to “cool pavement,” Phoenix is planning to build 100 cool corridors, plant more trees, and try out reflective roofs and cooling sidewalks to combat the rising temps. David Hondula, Phoenix’s director of heat response and mitigation, said: “We could wind up with a Phoenix of the future that’s cooler than the one we have today, even as global warming continues.”   Keeping Phoenix Cool

The old and the new

 

Photo by John Denniston

Perhaps rather surprising but I do like both the "old and the new". If it came to a choice I would save the old.

Ozark

We've been enjoying this series on Netflix.  It's a bit on the dark side but so was The Sopranos and we ended up loving that. 

"Ozark is an American crime drama streaming television series created by Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams for Netflix, and produced by MRC Television and Aggregate Films.^[1][2][3] The series stars Jason Bateman and Laura Linney as Marty and Wendy Byrde, a married couple who move their family to the Lake of the Ozarks for money laundering.^[4][5] Bateman also serves as a director and executive producer for the series.^[6][7] The first season was released on July 21, 2017;^[3][8] the second season was released on August 31, 2018,^[9] and the third season was released on March 27, 2020.^[10][11] The first three seasons are ten episodes each. In June 2020, the series was renewed for a fourth, and final, season consisting of fourteen episodes split into two parts; the first part was released on January 21, 2022,^[12][13] while the second was released on April 29, 2022.^[14]

Ozark received positive reviews from critics throughout its run, with particular praise for its tone, directing, production values, and performances (particularly those of Bateman, Linney, and Julia Garner). The series has received a total of thirty-two Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including two for Outstanding Drama Series, with Bateman winning for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series in 2019 and Garner winning twice consecutively for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2019 and 2020. Bateman has received two further Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Actor – Television Series Drama "

Finally the Blue Jays win...

 ....without the nail biting. They won 8-4 against the Boston Red Sox yesterday.  We get a lot of fun out of watching our baseball. I think part of it for me is all those afternoons I played scrub softball at a vacant lot in the neighbourhood with my brother and the older boys. I don't remember any other girls in the neighbourhood joining in. I guess they were too busy playing with their dolls. Give me a baseball anytime!  

It was still fun for me even though the older guys were almost alway up to bat except when I was lucky enough to catch a fly ball. 

Crows....

 I will have to remember this when we get bothered by the noise of crows. 

Crows in Sweden are being trained to pick up cigarette butts that are littering the streets.

In Södertälje near Stockholm, the birds are being recruited to help with this persistent waste problem. A device designed by startup Corvid Cleaning rewards crows with a small amount of food for every butt they bin. It provides positive reinforcement that encourages these intelligent birds to repeat the behaviour.

Crows can do jobs, share knowledge and even mourn their dead. Some studies suggest that they could be the smartest animals on the planet besides primates with a level of reasoning equal to a seven-year-old. They were chosen for the job precisely because of their intelligence, the man behind the innovative idea, Christian Gunther-Hanssen told Swedish news agency TT.

“They are easier to teach and there is also a higher chance of them learning from each other. At the same time, there’s a lower risk of them mistakenly eating any rubbish.”

He goes on to add that the wild birds are taking part in the trial on a “voluntary basis.”

Tarte de Soleil

 Yum, yum, yum

Recipe for Sun Pie..."tarte de soleil" sound so much better somehow.

From The Good Life France:

https://thegoodlifefrance.com/tempting-tarte-de-soleil-recipe/

From: Philo thoughts

 "What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture. In 1984, Huxley added, "people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us". ~Neil Postman "

(Book: Amusing Ourselves to Death https://amzn.to/3OcdK6U)

Lovely visit with Carol and John

 We made a spur of the moment invitation yesterday for tea and they were available. It was so nice sitting in our shaded backyard and sharing tea. We used our new big teapot Jim bought recently.

Great to have a teapot with lots of capacity for tea lovers and getting caught up on news.

Looks like the really warm weather may be coming and we might all go swimming at Spanish Banks.

There were a lot on this map I couldn't pronounce either

 

Beautiful sights around the world

I may have posted this before. We've been to 1, 2, 3, 5, 9, 10. We may have been to #4 as well since we were in Barcelona and saw a lot of wonderful sights.

Notre Dame will always be my favourite.

The top 10 most beautiful sights around the world according to luxury travel company Kuoni:

1. Central Park, New York City, USA
2. Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy
3. Fountains of Bellagio, Las Vegas, USA
4. Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain
5. Cathédrale Notre-Dame, Paris, France
6. Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic 
7. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town, South Africa
8. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE
9. Stanley Park, Vancouver, Canada
10. Chihuly Garden and Glass, Seattle, USABeautiful

Pleased to give Georgia a plug for her upcoming art show

 Hi Folks

 

It felt like summer a few days ago and I’m sure it  will come back in time for you all to come to my annual 

Summer Art Show in Georgia’s Back Garden.  

 

The main theme this year is:

Memories -  Houses and Gardens of Dunbar and Kerrisdale

Dates:

            Sunday July 24th

Place: 

            5649 Blenheim St

Time:

            11:00 – 3:00

Plus:

 Live Music 

As well:

Always thought you’d love to own a major museum quality painting but didn’t have a loose million or two hanging around or worse still  were unable to afford a trip to Paris, Amsterdam or Toronto.  

I have replicated some amazing paintings and for far less than the originals you could own a painting by the

Group of Seven and Tom Thomson 

or

           Da Vinci, Rembrandt, Vermeer or Van Gogh (now all framed in museum quality frames)

Plus Plus:

            Lots of small framed photographs of my original paintings, priced for gift giving or as a gift to yourself.

 

 

There will be so much to see and hear.  I’ve planned a wonderful,  artistic, creative day for you all.

 

 

( Please forward this invitation to all your friends and families,  asking them to do the same )

 

See you all Sunday July 24^th

 

Cheers

Georgia Youngs

PS  Check out my new Facebook and Instagram pages  @GeorgiaYoungsArt

Sending children through the mail...I can barely believe it!

 From "Interesting Facts"

You used to be able to send children through U.S. mail.

You can send a lot of things in the mail, but you can’t send a person — at least not anymore. There was nothing preventing people from mailing their own children in the early days of the U.S. Postal Service’s parcel post service, and at least seven families took advantage of it. That includes the Beagues, an Ohio couple who in 1913 paid 15 cents in postage to mail their newborn son to his grandmother’s house a mile down the road. Beyond the novelty of it — when the parcel post service began on January 1, 1913, some were eager to see which packages they could get away with sending — it was a surprisingly practical way of getting one’s kiddo from point A to point B.

Field hockey with a difference

 We called it grass hockey when I played it in school. I guess our version would seem very tame to these Indigenous Mexicans. This would have been fun to watch but rather dangerous. I can see why it is "largely lost to history".

"Similar in many ways to field hockey, this Indigenous Mexican sport has one notable difference — the puck is on fire. The sport's origins date back to pre-Hispanic times as far as 1500 BCE and its name, pelota purépecha, comes from the Purépecha peoples of the northwestern region of Michoacán. Murals located at the Palacio de Tepantitla in Teotihuacan, an archaeological complex northeast of Mexico City, depict the sport. The rules involve two teams of five or more players passing a flaming ball to each other with sticks similar to hockey sticks, with the goal of reaching the end zone. One notable benefit of lighting the ball ablaze is that it allowed the sport to be played at night. Though several amateur leagues in certain regions of Mexico have attempted to revitalize the sport, it has largely been lost to history."

Wish I had known about this gallery when we were travelling in Britain

 Eastbourne’s award-winning gallery has an impressive collection of modern British art, and a growing collection of international contemporary art.

Collecting and exhibiting contemporary art for nearly 100 years, Towner Eastbourne presents a programme of historic, modern and contemporary art through exhibitions, talks, events and creative activities.

The gallery was founded in 1923 as a result of a bequest by Alderman John Chisholm Towner to create ‘an art gallery for the people’, and this ethos remains at the heart of Towner's mission.

Towner's collection is best known for its modern British art, including the largest and most significant body of work by Eric Ravilious (1903-42) and a growing collection of international contemporary art, including works by Dineo Seshee Bopape, John Akomfrah, Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Tacita Dean, Grayson Perry and Wolfgang Tillmans.

Towner also provides spaces for study and relaxation including a Sensory Room, a Collection Library and a cinema, which screens a regular programme of films including new releases, documentaries, classics, family film and more.

Meanwhile the Art School programme offers creative activities for everyone, from children and young people to adults, including drawing, making, designing and filmmaking. A professional development programme for artists of all levels offers artist residencies, mentoring and opportunities for collaboration and showcasing.

Bastille Day

 A very happy Bastille Day to everyone!  We had the very good fortune to be in Paris on a Bastille Day and it was a very memorable experience. We got great views of the parade as some Americans we met on the Metro had some special tickets and let us come along with them. We did feel a bit guilty as we went to the front of the crowds. 

Happy Birthday, Jim!

 The Blue Jays broke a losing streak yesterday and a good birthday present today would be for them to win today.

Way to go Blue Jays!

Wine Monday

 Liz invited us for drinks on her balcony yesterday. We all enjoyed a lovely Rosé wine from France,  It was just a perfect temperature...so relaxing. Thanks, Liz!

A view I love and a fascinating interpretation of it

 'City of Color' An older acrylic painting of mine and a summer favorite. The Vancouver skyline from the Seawall. The colors in the sky, water and rocks dance together in harmony.

Prints, Originals and more cool stuff at www.prosserart.com

A wonderful birthday dinner at The Four Olives

 Donna treated us and it was so much fun to chat with her and Earl and the food was fabulous. I just love the prawn souvlaki and Jim had chicken parmigiana. We do love this place!

Thank you so much, dear friend! 

And I can't believe I forgot to take photos.  

Folding picnic basket

What a great idea!

It’s a basket, it’s a table...

...it’s both! This handmade wooden picnic basket carries your snacks and sips one minute, then magics into a little table the next. Here’s how: Once you’ve found a picture-perfect spot and unloaded your precious cargo, just unlatch the sides and extend the legs of this folding table, then pull up a comfy blanket or two to sit on. (We like to think it’s how Mary Poppins would picnic.) Once set up, it'll happily hold wine and cheese, a board game, or a cup of tea and a book. It’s all handmade from cherry wood, to boot—as if it didn’t have our hearts already.

Free Standard Shipping on Orders $149+ and Easy-Breezy Returns 

art school of fish

I thought this was very clever and each "fish" does capture the essence of the artist rather well.

 

My very beloved Eiffel Tower

Quite a dilemma how to go about fixing it without shutting it down. I'm glad it's getting a paint job at least  and that people will continue to be able to visit it. I would think some brilliant person should be able to come up with a way of repairing it without shutting it down.

From: Marianne magazine

The Eiffel Tower in Paris is reportedly riddled with rust and badly in need of repairs. However, the iconic landmark is instead being given a paint job costing 60 million euros in preparation for the 2024 Olympics, Reuters reports, according to a confidential analysis cited by French magazine Marianne. The Eiffel Tower, built by Gustave Eiffel in the late 19th century, is among the most visited tourist sites in the world, welcoming about six million visitors each year. "It is simple, if Gustave Eiffel visited the place he would have a heart attack," one unnamed manager at the tower told Marianne. The company that oversees the tower is reluctant to close the tower for a long time because of the tourist revenue that would be lost, Marianne said. More to read if you're interested: https://fortune.com/2020/01/14/financial-scams-lessons-eiffel-tower-sale/

So true

 Linda posted some good ones yesterday on her blog and I particularly liked this one. I don't go to Costco very often but when I have accompanied friends with a membership I always buy all sorts of things I never would have bought. Now, I did get these items at a good price even though I didn't need any of them. Best for me to stay out of Costco I think :)

Alternative to fireworks

I  have seen many wonderful fireworks displays but given all the problems associated with letting off fireworks perhaps it's time to "bring in the drones? instead.

Patriotic Drone Light Show Offers Eco-Friendly Alternative to Fireworks

Fireworks have always been a monumental part of Fourth of July celebrations, dating all the way back to 1777 — the first anniversary of America’s independence. Nearly 250 years later, an island city on the Gulf Coast of Texas is celebrating with a patriotic drone showinstead. The drones will allow Galveston to still have a light show, despite an outdoor burn ban that’s in place due to weather conditions. As an added bonus, it’s an eco-friendly alternative to firework displays since the drones are reusable and don’t add to pollution. While Galveston is the only coastal destination in the Lone Star State that will feature drones in a celebration, such shows have become increasingly popular at large events, utilized at both the most recent Olympics and Super Bowl. “Imagine these 200 drones will be launched out over the Gulf, they’ll be in patriotic configurations,” Mary Beth Bassett, senior public relations manager at Galveston Park Board, told FOX 26 Houston. “You can also download an app on your phone, and you can listen to patriotic music.” The quiet hum of the drones will also allow veterans with PTSD, and even animals that might be sensitive to loud sounds, to join in the celebrations.

Nando's for dinner last night

 We first had Nando's when we were in London one year and just loved the food. We were really pleased when they opened locations here. Their sauce is really something special.

 

Missing cat in West Point Grey

I love the colouringt...hope she gets found soon.

Canada Day

  Dick and Susan dropped over for tea. Can you get any more Canada Day than 

"tea"!

Great to see you guys!

Queen Elizabeth....looking so amazing as usual

 Queen Elizabeth II attends the Royal Company of Archers Reddendo Parade in the gardens of the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, United Kingdom I June 30, 2022