Saturday Snapshot: Sticky Snow

Saturday Snapshot is a weekly meme hosted by Alyce at At Home With Books. The guidelines are to post a photo that you or a friend or family member have taken and then link it back to Alyce's original post for the week. Photos can be old or new and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see.

We were hit with a rather cool but surprising snowstorm this past Wednesday. A range of 6 to 14 inches of heavy, wet snow ( I call it 'sticky snow') blanketed the city. I snapped this of my balcony, where the combination of sticky snow and southerly winds created a nifty snow shelf under the railing. The shelf sticks out about 6 inches, free form and with no support. I'm curious as to how long it will last.

During a walk the previous day, I had snapped the following as it reminded me of spring. Spring seems an awfully long ways away now!

Adaptation: Zero Dark Thirty

I've been trying to decide how I feel about this film. I enjoy the director and her storytelling abilities, but the story itself is not really all that appealing. I understand why it is for so many, but I get hung up on political machinations of it all. I do admire the hell out of the people who actually executed the mission. And if they feel the film is 'accurate' then who am I to disagree?

Book Mark: 2012 Taste Canada Food Writing Awards

This past Monday, the best Canadian cookbooks were honoured at the 15th annual Taste Canada Food Writing Awards at a gala event in Toronto.

The 2012 English language winners were:

• Culinary Narratives: Unquenchable by Natalie MacLean
• Regional/Cultural Cookbooks: Made in Italy by David Rocco
• Single-Subject Cookbooks: Spilling the Beans by Julie Van Rosendaal and Sue Duncan
• General Cookbooks: Chef Michael Smith's Kitchen by Michael Smith

Saturday Snapshot: Dr. Maya Angelou and Storytelling

Saturday Snapshot is a weekly meme hosted by Alyce at At Home With Books. The guidelines are to post a photo that you or a friend or family member have taken and then link it back to Alyce's original post for the week. Photos can be old or new and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see.

Dr. Maya Angelou made her way to our snowy city on October 28 for "An Evening with...". Her talk was part of the Unique Lives and Experiences lecture series. This was my second talk with Dr. Angelou, the first being maybe 10 years ago or so in the same location.

The stage below (I really need to get a new phone with a better camera) was a little bit odd when first entering the venue. The left side was blocked by a large curtain. The middle was set like a front porch, with Dr. Angelou's chair in front. And the right side held a piano and microphone.

I initially thought maybe there was some performance art taking place as well. This was true, to some extent, as a local singer started the evening with a couple songs. Then Dr. Angelou came out and enthralled us all for about an hour. When she came it out, it became clearer as to why the curtain and low lights - respect and grace. It was there to provide some privacy, as she required assistance from two individuals on and off the staff through the curtain.

It hit me at the end just how time may weaken the physical but not the mental. She was as acutely on point as last time, and she is just an amazing storyteller. It really is all in the narrative and how it reaches out the audience on varying emotional and psychological levels. But it takes a skilled narrator to propel the reaching out and there are not many of this calibre. I could just listen to her talk 24/7 about poetry, history, anything really.

Saturday Snapshot: Alexander McCall Smith

Saturday Snapshot is a weekly meme hosted by Alyce at At Home With Books. The guidelines are to post a photo that you or a friend or family member have taken and then link it back to Alyce's original post for the week. Photos can be old or new and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see.

Author Alexander McCall Smith was in town this past week as part of our local LitFest activities. I have actually only read one of this novels (hey, at least I've read one!) but had heard great reviews of his talks so decided to attend.

Before Smith came on stage we were treated to the drumming of a local African group. They were joined for part of the performance by a bagpipper. Imagine the combination of African drums and Scottish bagpipes. Insanely good!

Energy spiked, out walked Smith and a riotous good time was underway. Smith was thoroughly engaging and funny. I am still trying to comprehend that he writes a 1,000 words per hour. It boggles my mind 'cause I can only achieve that number if I write gibberish for the hour!

The only slight downer to the evening was the interviewer. This is the second time I've attended a literary event where an author was interviewed by another author, and both times have been let downs. Not a fan at all of this style (though maybe it is because I do not like the authors doing the interviewing?). Smith has a very natural story-telling capability and the interviewer kept trying to bring it back to what they wanted to ask rather than listening and bouncing off the narrative Smith was weaving. Oh well - I enjoyed the evening nonetheless. :-)

Adaptation: Life of Pi

Really curious about this one, though am confident Ang Lee will have it well in hand.

Saturday Snapshot: End of an Era

Saturday Snapshot is a weekly meme hosted by Alyce at At Home With Books. The guidelines are to post a photo that you or a friend or family member have taken and then link it back to Alyce's original post for the week. Photos can be old or new and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see.

Make a pilgrimage yesterday to a bookstore closing. Greenwood's Bookshoppe officially closed its doors yesterday, bringing 33 years of independent book selling to a close. It was a sad moment, to make my last purchase there as it was the store where I purchased my first book in this city 20 years ago. It was also from the owners that I received a $200 gift certificate for best undergraduate honours thesis back in the day.

Here is my final purchase; the middle book seemed appropriate as it is all about changes in the publishing industry.

Support your local book sellers!

Saturday Snapshot: Art Gallery

Saturday Snapshot is a weekly meme hosted by Alyce at At Home With Books. The guidelines are to post a photo that you or a friend or family member have taken and then link it back to Alyce's original post for the week. Photos can be old or new and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see.

Wow, has it really been over a month since my last post? Egads! I really should stop reading so much and start sharing more!

Here's a photo of our art gallery, taken the morning of my last day working downtown. 

And a snap of the sunrise beginning, on my second-to-last day.