The Old and the Restless

Grandpa's glasses are interesting. Could I have them back? Waiting. A hug for Mommy. Here I go!

The fire began early Wednesday morning. People who had to leave their lodgings above the stores took shelter on the streetcars stopped by the fire. The clean-up had begun when we passed by two days later. We were returning from our trip to City Hall to get a 4-month street parking permit for our car. Duke's, a well-known bicycle shop which has been in business for over 90 years collapsed completely. A close-up of the ice clinging to the buildings. Someone's bed on the street. 

On February 1st and 2nd, 20 cm of snow fell on Toronto. Paul spent a couple of hours digging out a parking space for our car. Then, on February 5th, another 30 cm of snow fell turning Markham Street into a one lane "path".  The front of Megan and Michael's house covered in snow. After clearing the sidewalk, the car still had to be dug out. Note how the drifting snow backfilled right against the car. After finishing digging out the car. Paul became quite possessive about keeping " his" parking space (the product of investing an hour digging it out)! The final task was to dig out the path through the back yard to the Megan and Michael's " doll house" garage.   Total time digging out from the second snowfall was 3 hours.

On the way back from Florida, we stayed overnight with Maureen and Ramsay. Meanwhile Toronto was being hit with 20 cm of snow.

Shore birds A group of black skimmers. They lay their eggs in shallow depressions in the sand. Two black skimmers with a ring-billed gull looking at the camera. A closer look at the skimmers posing with Royal Terns.

I met Carolyn one day while I was in the New Smyrna Chamber of Commerce. As I do every year, I was asking for cycling maps. Carolyn overheard and asked how far I usually ride. Translating kilometres to miles, I said about 30 miles. When she said that she was a cyclist too, we exchanged phone numbers and tentatively decided to ride on the last weekend in January. Carolyn and her husband, Bill, drove us to Deland and led a lovely ride around several lakes near Deland. The area is known for growing ferns. Formerly, the ferns were grown in the shade under the trees. Now, they are grown under cover. These photos were taken in front of one fern farm.

Sandhill Cranes near Deland. Look carefully. There are two sandhill cranes here. Two Sandhill Cranes trying to get out of the picture. Paul says this is a diamond back rattlesnake. It was more afraid of me than I was of it. Box tortoise in Canaberal National Seashores Park. More egrets at the jetty And. finally, a pelican at the jetty.