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Experiences History, Culture, and Politics Only in Canada Pictures

We Did That Hockey

We Enjoyed It But Have Some Questions

Hockey is to Canada what baseball and football are to the U.S. It’s a cultural touchstone and a massive revenue source for the sports industry.… [Read More]

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Pictures Très Intéressant

Tree Installation

On my morning walk, I came across the city’s tree squad in action.

Truck o’ Trees

They were upgrading a yard just down the street from us.

Tree squad in action

Two trucks, one excavator, five workers, and about ten minutes for a new tree to go in.… [Read More]

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Experiences History, Culture, and Politics Pictures Tourism

Historical Re-enactment

It’s been a busy end-of-Summer. We’ve had some visits from out of town, and work has been taking up a lot of time.

A few weeks ago, Manon and I managed to get away to the Pointe-à-Callière 18th Century Public Market event.… [Read More]

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Pictures Places

Parc Maisonneuve Revisited

It’s been smoky and hot here in Montreal, and there hasn’t been any significant rain since July 17th. After last year having a very wet summer, this summer is shaping up to be very dry.… [Read More]

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Experiences Pictures Très Intéressant

Fireflies

In Mont Royal park, there are fireflies! I haven’t seen them there in past years.

On social media, folks are saying they’ve never seen it like this before.

Doesn’t do them justice…

(Try clicking on the “full screen” button on the video for a more immersive experience).

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Only in Montréal Pictures Places Très Intéressant

Parc de la Louisiane

Three years ago, I wrote about parks in Montreal. Not only are there a lot of parks here, but they vary considerably in size, resources, and other qualities.

Within a kilometer or two of where we’re living in the Rosemont arrondissement, there are several tiny parks (Parc Raymond Lévesque, an unnamed park on Rue de Tonty, and Parc de la Cité Jardin) , three or four big parks (Parc Joseph Paré, Parc Sainte-Bernadette, Parc Étienne-Desmarteau, and Parc de la Louisiane), and one massive park (Parc Maisonneuve).… [Read More]

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Pictures Places

A Laurentian Jaunt, Part. 3

Nature

It was cold and rainy when we were at Mount Tremblant. Well, “cold” — it ranged between 8C and 15C (46ºF to 60ºF). As mentioned in Part 1, this was actually a good thing, as it kept away the mosquitos.… [Read More]

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History, Culture, and Politics Only in Quebec Pictures Places Tourism

A Laurentian Jaunt, Part. 2

The Resort

The eponymous mountain is one of the tallest in the Laurentians, with an elevation of 932m (3,058 ft). The Algonquin name for the mountain is Manitonga Soutana, usually translated into English as the “Mountain of Spirits.”… [Read More]

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History, Culture, and Politics Only in Quebec Pictures Places Tourism

A Laurentian Jaunt, Part 1.

Le P’tite Train du Nord

At the beginning of the month, we went off for a weekend to Mont Tremblant, a mountain resort about 85 miles/135km north-west of Montreal in the Laurentian mountains (a.k.a.… [Read More]

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Musings and Observations Pictures

Consider the Dandelion

Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) are one of those plants that people generally either hate or scarcely notice at all. While they produce cheerful yellow flowers and “puffballs” of floating seeds that fascinate young and old, for some reason they’re stereotypically the scourge of The Great North American Lawn.… [Read More]