Back View of Church of Our Lady

A DIFFERENT VIEW
Click to see larger

I drove up to the back of this large church building to see the amazing architecture. This is the view of the back of the church--the side that most folks don't very often see.

We've been looking at scaffolding on the building most of the summer but all have gone now as all repairs seem to have been done now.

REAL Car on Roof of House!!

This is a REAL CAR!

Today's photo was not taken by me. This photo was taken by one of our readers, Bill Moran, who tells us that this is a "REAL CAR ON THE ROOF OF THIS HOUSE!!"

Thanks so much Bill! I hope we see more of your photos in here in the future!

Snowy Scene in Guelph

We had such a snow fall on the weekend. This was one lovely scene just south of my home at the O.R.

It's been thawing today. And I've been stuck in the house nursing stomach flu!

SNAP Guelph!

SNOWY PATH TO THE HOUSE

On New Year's Day, we were invited to a friend's home for breakfast and this was the driveway up to the house after a night of heavy snowfall.
What a lovely visit we had after traversing this drive with our vehicle up to the house!

The friends who own this home also own a wonderful newspaper here in Guelph and you'll see the logo for it on the left sidebar. It's titled, SNAP GUELPH and only contains GOOD NEWS. How lovely to pick up a newspaper with no bad news in it!

So, if you live in this area and have an event coming up, please feel free to click on the link on the left sidebar or in the information at the bottom of this post and talk to the folks at SNAP GUELPH and maybe your event will appear in this great newspaper here in our fantastic city!

Nicolas Bell
Get SNAP'd!
Submit your special events on line at http://www.snapguelph.com/

General Manager
SNAP Guelph
85 Speedvale Avenue West
Guelph, Ontario
N1H 1K1
Office: 519-821-8200
Cell: 519-827-8053
nicolas@snapguelph.com



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New Year's Day Goldfinch

On New Year's Day, at a friend's home, there were many lovely birds outside the dining room window and that's where I spied this lovely Winter Goldfinch.

Gingerbread House in Guelph

On the way to church each Sunday evening, we pass this "Gingerbread-looking" House! It's on Paisley Street, west of Edinburgh.

Don't you like it? I sure do.

Large House on Waterloo Avenue

This house is now a Real Estate office on Waterloo Avenue but really looked after and kept in its original "look". I showed you a photo of it in the summer and now you can see it at night time with the snow all around it. Here's the photo of it in the summer here.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hi there!

Two days ago here in Guelph, there was a wonderful display of hoar frost and so on my way down to the old OR (Ontario Reformatory), this bright red ball was hanging on the tree in someone's front lawn on Chesterton Lane and it shows the hoar frost quite clearly surrounding it.

Thought I'd put the "self-portrait" in for you all!

And here's a photo of a wee pond down at the OR showing the frost on all the trees surrounding the pond.

Icy Road on Norfolk Street

After taking the photo of the big house on Kent Street, I walked down to the end of the roadway as I heard some brakes or slipping and sliding in the bad weather. As I stepped into the deep snow (way over the tops of my high boots) and leaned over the edge of the roadway and looked down onto Norfolk Street below me, the icy surface was clearly visible and the cars were just creeping along and sliding down the hill under the main railway line.

I was happy to get home!

This photo is looking sort of south towards McDonalds and then on down toward the University of Guelph away off in the distance. Some U of G photos will be forthcoming later on in the good weather!

Big House on Kent Street

There is a man who lives in Europe who used to live in Guelph when he attended the University of Guelph and he suggested some places in Guelph that he'd enjoy seeing in this blog so today, as the snow was falling, I went to Kent Street just down below the hill where the big Church of Our Lady stands at the top.

This large house stands away up the bank of the hill and I saw some university students going in as I walked along the edge of the road.

Flying Quickly Nowhere

I looked outside during the storm today and saw this little fellow flying so quickly nowhere! I forgot to get him in before winter arrived and so he's stuck in the frozen flower barrel with all the other sticks and twigs.

Colonel John McCrae's Birthplace

Colonel John McCrae

Colonel John McCrae was born in Guelph along Water Street and his childhood home is now a quaint museum of anything to do with this wonderful medical doctor and Colonel in the Armed Forces.

It was this fine man who wrote the poem, "In Flanders Fields".

In Flanders Fields

By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD

(1872-1918) Canadian Army

IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row,

That mark our place;

and in the sky The larks,

still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

See a photo of his house that I posted here.

McCrae House, a c.1850 stone cottage located along the banks of the Speed River, is the birthplace of Lt. Col. John McCrae (1872-1918). McCrae was a doctor, solider and author of the WWI poem "In Flanders Fields", which he wrote after burying a young friend, Alexis Helmer, who was killed during the Second Battle of Ypres.

The poem was first published in Punch magazine in December 1915 and the poppy quickly became the symbol of remembrance throughout the Commonwealth. The museum features exhibitions on the life of McCrae, two period rooms reflecting the 1870s when the McCrae family occupied the house, a programming space, and heritage gardens.

McCrae House has two designations through the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada: one for John McCrae as a person of national significance and one for the house as a place of national significance. A number of special events, afternoon teas, and programs take place throughout the year. In 1983, Guelph Museums was established consisting of McCrae House and Guelph Civic Museum.

(From the Guelph Civic Museum)

Read more of Colonel John McCrae

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Angel's Diner

ANGEL'S DINER

Last night a friend treated me to supper and we went to Angel's Diner. What a lovely place to go! It's a restaurant all decked out in the 1950's decor and the booths are all a torquoise and bright red in colour!

The weather was rainy which turned into freezing drizzle and the roads were so slippery but the food was delicious at Angel's!!

Not the greatest night photo but it certainly shows that parking space was difficult to find due to the popularity of this great place to eat.

Not only do they have the very best ribs in town as the sign says...

And lovely smiling waitresses...

Stephanie was certainly a lovely gal to serve us with our meal...

...but the Senior's Ham and Cheese Omelet was superb and far too much for me to finish!

THANKS STEPHANIE!

FOR THE GREAT SERVICE!

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My Apologies!

It's Beginning To Look

A Lot Like Christmas!

This is a lovely old home in Arkell,

just south of the city.

My Apologies For Being Absent

Life just got so busy and hectic for me with lots of surprises and new adventures. Along the journey of life, I've had a big "right turn" and now am waiting for God's will in some major life matters.


My blogs were put on the back burner and now here I am posting once more.

I appreciate so very much the emails I've received from some of you and I just wanted to say how happy I am after hearing from you all.



AWAY IN A MANGER

Morning Glory

MORNING GLORY

Life for me has been hectic this past week. Hopefully it will settle down soon.

This morning glory and hundreds of others are climbing my fence and they are so pretty.