tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29183706489994639442024-03-18T02:14:53.312-04:00Mark BellisHi all, journalist photographer, Blogging since 1996. Written for Toronto Star, Cité Libre, Toronto and Ottawa Sun and
Ottawa Citizen. email markbellis@spamcop.net, enjoy! All content copyright Mark Bellis, and other copyright holders unless where noted.Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.comBlogger1408125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-62449771846371807802024-03-14T13:44:00.006-04:002024-03-15T13:45:55.788-04:00Record breaking first crocus<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGIZ1hNmQdni7wJHfwymx8wnkySkJ6KLyPDvyJikdbFoovwi5wPD0Iw6WsO3iUdwW5B3vjqSXwqUU9I8dB7MudGJCstwAh3Hb3inuojNK_KApMcjZZjXYkXn41kA0ut3XGaGPsYE3BBYya4ykzKApGd3Gx2CRejVXrAENbEwsl4e7fxrdQSq-kfwvH7A/s3516/IMG_0268-signed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3516" data-original-width="3129" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGIZ1hNmQdni7wJHfwymx8wnkySkJ6KLyPDvyJikdbFoovwi5wPD0Iw6WsO3iUdwW5B3vjqSXwqUU9I8dB7MudGJCstwAh3Hb3inuojNK_KApMcjZZjXYkXn41kA0ut3XGaGPsYE3BBYya4ykzKApGd3Gx2CRejVXrAENbEwsl4e7fxrdQSq-kfwvH7A/s320/IMG_0268-signed.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">March 14, earliest crocus I've seen</div><br /> <p></p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-47078528297870173452024-03-13T19:50:00.003-04:002024-03-13T19:50:59.533-04:00Ladybug wakes up<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5yZc-XFyr5E4SPhwl85cKEAiRvk01ovBuQZ-tSb8r960InZ6EX6GSwEzgQmjVxExrLRB7hEpDmr1rkyDCiEahzuHeH0hlyRNV_jd6oOi0UAiE7FtqfCBwBcUiYEjXVyUtNuY-d0xtfyKorh5OGhgay1kAwOir43w83F84fahBQkY0YFW_4pMSYF-dIGc/s1409/LadyBugDSC03249-signed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1409" data-original-width="1118" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5yZc-XFyr5E4SPhwl85cKEAiRvk01ovBuQZ-tSb8r960InZ6EX6GSwEzgQmjVxExrLRB7hEpDmr1rkyDCiEahzuHeH0hlyRNV_jd6oOi0UAiE7FtqfCBwBcUiYEjXVyUtNuY-d0xtfyKorh5OGhgay1kAwOir43w83F84fahBQkY0YFW_4pMSYF-dIGc/s320/LadyBugDSC03249-signed.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ladybug that woke up for spring on the dishrack by Portmeirion plate</div><br /> <p></p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-35372170962435407592024-03-11T22:23:00.000-04:002024-03-11T22:23:02.454-04:00I don't really remember.<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-r-MR8eoQqdyQJXCbZ1RqiDnyWYdxX_hCb9Y6i-XSLON9hlACWn7-GEqLalmLmXpOD_CVAcGrYL91feA2YHvwO-wJxvBeFRjgF5ynlmL1lq7xrthJkNC0gWdDGC9tRlcm3GVhyphenhyphenG84AhOfu1aEpvUaxhA2c0U7rNz_waEPZ4geRtOsF5VIsc6ABhW5Q4/s1180/BloodOPP2015-11-22%20133649_1-signed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Man in Mexican Wrestling Mask, Smiling man covered in blood, man in OPP uniform" border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="1180" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-r-MR8eoQqdyQJXCbZ1RqiDnyWYdxX_hCb9Y6i-XSLON9hlACWn7-GEqLalmLmXpOD_CVAcGrYL91feA2YHvwO-wJxvBeFRjgF5ynlmL1lq7xrthJkNC0gWdDGC9tRlcm3GVhyphenhyphenG84AhOfu1aEpvUaxhA2c0U7rNz_waEPZ4geRtOsF5VIsc6ABhW5Q4/w320-h231/BloodOPP2015-11-22%20133649_1-signed.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really don't remember what happened the night I took this photo. I think it's better that way.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /> </p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-2635625028809159052024-03-07T14:41:00.004-05:002024-03-07T17:08:38.430-05:00No, RCMP divers weren't attacked by giant eels in Newfoundland<p> Cressie is one of the many cryptids that appear in lakes in North America in popular legend. (Joe Nickell, Skeptical Inquirer, Volume 33, No. 4, July/August 2009. p.18) It's supposed to be an eel-like creature up to 25 feet long, although no photos have ever been seen of it.</p><p>RCMP Scuba divers were reported to have seen eels 'as thick as a man's thigh' when they attempted to recover the body of a pilot who had crashed his plane into Crescent Lake in Newfoundland sometime in the 1980s. Nickell says that the RCMP were unable to confirm this account and I wondered if there was any media accounts of a fatal plane crash. I contacted Memorial University archivist Nicole Penney, who had been quoted by the CBC in their 2019 story about the cryptid and she said the story came from an oral account in their files. </p><p>Penney contacted an aviation historian who knew someone who was a pilot who lived in the lake's neighbourhood. From their information, Penney sent me the story of a fatal plane crash near Crescent Lake, which happened in Robert's Arm in the early 70s, which seemed to be the one the informant who gave the oral account was referring to. </p><p>The aircraft was really a home made glider piloted by Maxwell Anthony, and it crashed suddenly in a downdraft while returning through the narrows of the harbour. The story mentions ice, and does not mention any dive crews being called, so the glider may have crashed and remained on the surface of the ice. The story was described in "Moments in time : a cultural portrait of Green Bay, Newfoundland." Green Bay Economic Development Association.Springdale, Nfld : Green Bay Economic Development Association; 1994"</p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0Crescent Lake, Robert's Arm, NL A0J 1R0, Canada49.4810115 -55.863652921.170777663821156 -91.0199029 77.791245336178847 -20.707402899999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-15286500271975074322024-03-06T15:09:00.035-05:002024-03-07T21:32:55.778-05:00What I learned todayLearning more about fentanyl and other drugs. Went to a seminar given by a pharmacist whose practice is mostly with drug users and the mentally ill.<div><br /></div><div>One reason there are so many fentanyl deaths is it's very potent - a small amount (like a few grains of powder) can kill. I had been hearing weird stuff like dealers were putting it in other products on purpose, but why kill your customers? And sell them something that would have vastly different effects than what they wanted if they wanted a stimulant like cocaine rather than a sedative/analgesic like opioids? He said it was because low-level dealers might have been cutting up a batch of fentanyl, or the even more potent carfentanil, on a table one day, and been cutting up a batch of cocaine on the same table the next day, and the small amount of fentanyl that remained behind got mixed up in it - the same thing could even happen with marijuana.</div><div><br /></div><div>I also learned about something called "Lean", a drink with codeine or hydrocodone mixed in to some kind of juice or soft drink, sometimes with a bunch of Skittles mixed in to cover the bitter taste.</div><div><br /></div>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-35498375878463494782024-03-05T22:48:00.001-05:002024-03-05T22:48:13.636-05:00Ring around the sun before rain<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsy1dhumqTuGY9GVieODv6rwoZqa550xtqo4SATCvu9Mpqb-xfDifa3yZeEPLBQDYWnxV70l8vgroULuRTB8FfcDk9-SAeh4wXoPgBobvzwacfDLRT-ReAp3P4zc9gJw1IHM7drsxtYfMQvL1v9wb1xEr6icc3uGh2lL3JpSHWpS0E9uYkQQkYdzIT_0/s3253/RingAroundSunDSC03245-signed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2977" data-original-width="3253" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsy1dhumqTuGY9GVieODv6rwoZqa550xtqo4SATCvu9Mpqb-xfDifa3yZeEPLBQDYWnxV70l8vgroULuRTB8FfcDk9-SAeh4wXoPgBobvzwacfDLRT-ReAp3P4zc9gJw1IHM7drsxtYfMQvL1v9wb1xEr6icc3uGh2lL3JpSHWpS0E9uYkQQkYdzIT_0/s320/RingAroundSunDSC03245-signed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yes, it did rain. Ring around the sun, contrail casting shadow on cloud above it.</div><br /> <p></p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-16308478498472060212024-03-03T22:29:00.003-05:002024-03-03T22:29:29.516-05:00Ground Fog Panorama, near Summerstown, Ontario<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTRYYqFWrZiRPx7EAtrWQHvFzWPlxAz24neeUDh9LSXSicESu4efRF9h8B8BkYfi_PImnDlWNVeAClAPh8F3r0L5zqRcpSBG73oVlaQ2oTx6WeEuyKhAO7wTPhPeIVX8m4AM6h1ZFUN3XqOAdCI06Yk45F3dIM3nneYVdpr2XmLnZmQFDGp5c_vP5_ko/s5587/GroundFogPanoramaDSC03236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1439" data-original-width="5587" height="82" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTRYYqFWrZiRPx7EAtrWQHvFzWPlxAz24neeUDh9LSXSicESu4efRF9h8B8BkYfi_PImnDlWNVeAClAPh8F3r0L5zqRcpSBG73oVlaQ2oTx6WeEuyKhAO7wTPhPeIVX8m4AM6h1ZFUN3XqOAdCI06Yk45F3dIM3nneYVdpr2XmLnZmQFDGp5c_vP5_ko/s320/GroundFogPanoramaDSC03236.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ground fog panorama</div><br /> <p></p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-67695694944695120612024-03-02T22:58:00.000-05:002024-03-02T22:58:07.814-05:00St. Lawrence River, Johnstown, Ontario, bridge to USA in fog, Liminal Image<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisbyPIVvCOeEygaVX9ZnNMy331vCF1bhVzY8KINZ-n0VKejHMxUq-_H9K0K9LevSAudWfq_GAEq17duSVMG5KiT52RKFNoQ5IP2yrUHOV_uAYTMFW93uXBN0O4tlkcTx43WchhkU5X4PuKKhY5MRE0XpMZ0xvN-zT7BVSQOVYS1w-Bq-KU53oZEWRBar4/s2116/JohnstownBridgeDSC03230-signed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1655" data-original-width="2116" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisbyPIVvCOeEygaVX9ZnNMy331vCF1bhVzY8KINZ-n0VKejHMxUq-_H9K0K9LevSAudWfq_GAEq17duSVMG5KiT52RKFNoQ5IP2yrUHOV_uAYTMFW93uXBN0O4tlkcTx43WchhkU5X4PuKKhY5MRE0XpMZ0xvN-zT7BVSQOVYS1w-Bq-KU53oZEWRBar4/s320/JohnstownBridgeDSC03230-signed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0Johnstown, ON K0E 1T1, Canada44.744412999999987 -75.46576116.434179163821142 -110.622011 73.054646836178833 -40.309511tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-25387396010950848202024-02-19T14:06:00.002-05:002024-02-19T14:06:42.740-05:00Bangkok phallus lucky charm. Jokes make themselves.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii3DSuoeYWWD8o2RkjP7UH5YhPspS_BH-pi7pOBxjadW0RH5M9lm7mjSiG1vAAEpYkdKQKxY-Kay5wuE_FwmHNYIdi1T-uqIIte9NncOWK89Cg25SH5KH9aKimAkxEQD6YkpwCiukV3aM0hDWwNzhr5ozMBTkLI_l027l-qSuh5e74dZWe9p8XWeJmXJY/s1756/Bangkok19982015-11-19%20110757-signed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="1756" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii3DSuoeYWWD8o2RkjP7UH5YhPspS_BH-pi7pOBxjadW0RH5M9lm7mjSiG1vAAEpYkdKQKxY-Kay5wuE_FwmHNYIdi1T-uqIIte9NncOWK89Cg25SH5KH9aKimAkxEQD6YkpwCiukV3aM0hDWwNzhr5ozMBTkLI_l027l-qSuh5e74dZWe9p8XWeJmXJY/s320/Bangkok19982015-11-19%20110757-signed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I convinced this lady from California to buy this phallic lucky charm in a market in Bangkok in 1998. As I predicted, it was quite a conversation starter back in L.A..</div><br /> <p></p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-5561059552704393942024-02-11T20:02:00.001-05:002024-02-11T20:02:35.778-05:00Muzzle brake, M109 Howitzer<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJG4peapEbqpPHm6zW3J_F0aHB_lf8Gfo1h_-9EdGhyphenhyphen4l1E7kUgW0SDfV32OSs-gZe_EthuxzGvXuaxCLb_sKhF7FV5QXuirM_cQp93s4__NfVfeeiL0EUqG3MpZz1shWbxTXncqmsNIQHQx5mwb8-2gW4CAe1jtFRO36gfUUjKPBaHULeiRStHYFfNbA/s3024/MuzzleBrakeM109-signed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="1431" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJG4peapEbqpPHm6zW3J_F0aHB_lf8Gfo1h_-9EdGhyphenhyphen4l1E7kUgW0SDfV32OSs-gZe_EthuxzGvXuaxCLb_sKhF7FV5QXuirM_cQp93s4__NfVfeeiL0EUqG3MpZz1shWbxTXncqmsNIQHQx5mwb8-2gW4CAe1jtFRO36gfUUjKPBaHULeiRStHYFfNbA/s320/MuzzleBrakeM109-signed.jpg" width="151" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I got out of my car and noticed I was parked under this thing. Muzzle Brake, M109 Howitzer, Royal Canadian Legion, Cornwall, Ontario. It could fire a shell with a nuclear warhead.</div><br /> <p></p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0Cornwall, ON, Canada45.0212762 -74.73034516.711042363821157 -109.886595 73.331510036178855 -39.574095tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-58587709276616072142024-02-07T18:44:00.001-05:002024-02-07T18:44:11.619-05:00Meadow Vole trails under the snow<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6TaI24M8kHjQTrK1MLjf0FJLke-I-CUvpHCpaaYaBwPdEc4ZYZxXaC_rXowm8DZwVFsxKo0Y-PX_-FyGKU_LN0rIFZDAWDB8e7G_BFeUoParBBcw18TBA5zb56sD50MEDCO8mzYr8sTEyUZhU1kSjFhtxf0Ztad2Z-laIhJXl0qRMnOn-biUVaoCjZTo/s3672/VoleTrailsDSC03186-signed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2754" data-original-width="3672" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6TaI24M8kHjQTrK1MLjf0FJLke-I-CUvpHCpaaYaBwPdEc4ZYZxXaC_rXowm8DZwVFsxKo0Y-PX_-FyGKU_LN0rIFZDAWDB8e7G_BFeUoParBBcw18TBA5zb56sD50MEDCO8mzYr8sTEyUZhU1kSjFhtxf0Ztad2Z-laIhJXl0qRMnOn-biUVaoCjZTo/s320/VoleTrailsDSC03186-signed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Eastern meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus, Campagnol des prés trails revealed by melting snow</div><p></p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-76377635779801814512024-02-04T22:27:00.001-05:002024-02-04T22:27:40.074-05:00Dropped Scrunchie Made Me Remember<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qPnzU_HRPYzryS8Tqd_jjPTYcXt4xJqRuKvUWCkMO63Mtq_FSsMKzqZDJ5yDzK9o7jXDMBIs3tKsByNnH7IyMs-2eNAG4NxcFDXE07xIPE_kP-uazcVfksYtpHNNc7WQ9CBA7ssgAtpw0ugbD9tDeq9xWVmLp_XIh3kxZ2Jau2QgoH4_CkOQZsj-Yh4/s2298/ScrunchieDSC03183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1659" data-original-width="2298" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qPnzU_HRPYzryS8Tqd_jjPTYcXt4xJqRuKvUWCkMO63Mtq_FSsMKzqZDJ5yDzK9o7jXDMBIs3tKsByNnH7IyMs-2eNAG4NxcFDXE07xIPE_kP-uazcVfksYtpHNNc7WQ9CBA7ssgAtpw0ugbD9tDeq9xWVmLp_XIh3kxZ2Jau2QgoH4_CkOQZsj-Yh4/s320/ScrunchieDSC03183.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://markbellis.blogspot.com/2022/04/krystal.html">Krystal</a> always wore one on her wrist when it wasn't in her hair. <br /></div><br /> <p></p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-26225994997315849772024-02-01T22:01:00.001-05:002024-02-01T22:01:29.909-05:00Earthquake<p> Earthquake woke me at 7:37 a.m local time. 3.6 magnitude near Huntingdon, Quebec. It felt like a large truck was passing by. I didn't feel the aftershocks. (Image Earthquakes Canada)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsf7I4d42Yr6AxPIfyLBGb7RvjtNUzyC51xxf6MIF9URe50xZs72gC7LkoWZntfJUwdG-68S9gW0hz1GwGGXrOhczEKOKhfyM40InrbfXyeQNThfkLMArVDG1OR3z27wTrdc6th5IFKNhhKCtq98oyDn1Buk2A04apTCnWx7QSy_RR3Z-33FSH9nVZV3I/s1055/EarthquakeScreenshot%202024-02-01%20215638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="204" data-original-width="1055" height="62" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsf7I4d42Yr6AxPIfyLBGb7RvjtNUzyC51xxf6MIF9URe50xZs72gC7LkoWZntfJUwdG-68S9gW0hz1GwGGXrOhczEKOKhfyM40InrbfXyeQNThfkLMArVDG1OR3z27wTrdc6th5IFKNhhKCtq98oyDn1Buk2A04apTCnWx7QSy_RR3Z-33FSH9nVZV3I/s320/EarthquakeScreenshot%202024-02-01%20215638.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-2598555769748467382024-01-19T22:05:00.000-05:002024-01-19T22:05:00.926-05:00Egret<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbqtK6X8N_AW7hbvDk3QP5siCsaMmWlyvrq15C0HV0sOOXM1Mhhvpai9V68y62pn3059AAbcdeiyArdP8utz0kQy5JH6YX5CcteoEXNlReU7MEDqPfjA0epVE677yldPsOXCmIYpn5mARfSGGqVzLou9PSMAJuwTr2psX_pGHYJghvEQHHHLeojecM40/s1929/Egretimg083-signed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1477" data-original-width="1929" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbqtK6X8N_AW7hbvDk3QP5siCsaMmWlyvrq15C0HV0sOOXM1Mhhvpai9V68y62pn3059AAbcdeiyArdP8utz0kQy5JH6YX5CcteoEXNlReU7MEDqPfjA0epVE677yldPsOXCmIYpn5mARfSGGqVzLou9PSMAJuwTr2psX_pGHYJghvEQHHHLeojecM40/s320/Egretimg083-signed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-55816934712010271922024-01-18T22:36:00.003-05:002024-01-18T22:36:37.461-05:00Mushrooms, violets, and horsetails<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZ9mtDMuPLee2YfpjUg1MRk3PB0AyzRIMHz6K_af0zHMGmKDHIIGKfoN94QNCpfSCKrN_5pbcBcnbzZvaF2qFKZVWANrZ-o3992lBP6AUoA8ovQ60sku4kOO7EqQFFSkgXqo6wJovE1T6isE5u6Yc4O60JhQVLchv21IjMn3Ik5mjgYKB-Nl0gmMYQC8/s4437/MushroomsVioletsHorsetailsimg045-signed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2816" data-original-width="4437" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZ9mtDMuPLee2YfpjUg1MRk3PB0AyzRIMHz6K_af0zHMGmKDHIIGKfoN94QNCpfSCKrN_5pbcBcnbzZvaF2qFKZVWANrZ-o3992lBP6AUoA8ovQ60sku4kOO7EqQFFSkgXqo6wJovE1T6isE5u6Yc4O60JhQVLchv21IjMn3Ik5mjgYKB-Nl0gmMYQC8/s320/MushroomsVioletsHorsetailsimg045-signed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-14834604769746782492024-01-18T22:01:00.000-05:002024-01-18T22:01:23.184-05:00Mr. Blockhead<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcv2QnNpnxxmC4lDL_AswBzac2enMAI1dhhBCE1ACRltLx8j0XAWCoplQ_uIOcUfLZYxZs925by0ltHFGU4AOsW39VxixbnY_7K7O84LXZT4CMdxl3HBwawHTV_92JBIG0M7RtzJdTdC8Lz6ga7BqJQNk99LlcpS-hyBQ7pXktD290jbSWVWuHlc9hCM/s4704/MrBlockheadimg002-signed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3532" data-original-width="4704" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcv2QnNpnxxmC4lDL_AswBzac2enMAI1dhhBCE1ACRltLx8j0XAWCoplQ_uIOcUfLZYxZs925by0ltHFGU4AOsW39VxixbnY_7K7O84LXZT4CMdxl3HBwawHTV_92JBIG0M7RtzJdTdC8Lz6ga7BqJQNk99LlcpS-hyBQ7pXktD290jbSWVWuHlc9hCM/s320/MrBlockheadimg002-signed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can insert a nail all the way up your nose. Warm-up act for Juno award winner Art Bergmann, at the 10 Day Cafe, Stratford, Ontario </div><br /> <p></p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-84858471417596560642024-01-17T19:31:00.000-05:002024-01-17T19:31:37.513-05:00Phone booth where immigrants sought shelter<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfJSiKT7R8H2SL1oGWL8oDLQoDzdEH_glf4YnRCGwAWLBjsKUW3eL_8D-88iuyfLwhjrTbRbEZ9zBe9sEQTgq4i7KNR4D1g43Bj2SwTSlR1ZmunQLq4mOzEKPkADxckrWlX-8NP5f_iORod7Plj5WjZ4SzEdtAsVlaE7E_Kveo6f9jNqDQvAAZn9MAqLE/s1752/Phonebooth1115file259-signed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1752" data-original-width="1132" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfJSiKT7R8H2SL1oGWL8oDLQoDzdEH_glf4YnRCGwAWLBjsKUW3eL_8D-88iuyfLwhjrTbRbEZ9zBe9sEQTgq4i7KNR4D1g43Bj2SwTSlR1ZmunQLq4mOzEKPkADxckrWlX-8NP5f_iORod7Plj5WjZ4SzEdtAsVlaE7E_Kveo6f9jNqDQvAAZn9MAqLE/s320/Phonebooth1115file259-signed.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Marty's Corner Store, Glen Walter, Ontario, Old Highway 2. Phone booth was where in 2000 five immigrants were abandoned in minus 15 weather without winter clothes. They were from China and Korea and were probably waiting for someone to pick them up to take them across the St. Lawrence to the USA. Phone booth and store now demolished.</div><br /> <p></p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com018299 Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry County Road 2, Cornwall, ON K6H 5R5, Canada45.0339134 -74.639528916.723679563821158 -109.7957789 73.344147236178856 -39.4832789tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-71002424241478443722024-01-17T19:10:00.002-05:002024-01-17T19:10:43.290-05:00Bryggen, Bergen, Norway 1982<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHD07xDhJPh5amOKY5W9ZCCy8ZNxt6dYEtun3soOsmEYR6t6g2w47WbGvZ686ocRFDI7dJkwY7dDKyrsdIgvQ612_kQXR8Miuo4zcILR2kqlwqrDpGCmiHI_a8cjnRHKLWqiPgKMJxZM8r2QdwQzyyRbmm7ZVhxylT7dHoKWc-c1y198ruWgbsA6JP5g/s1045/Bergen1115file232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1045" data-original-width="994" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHD07xDhJPh5amOKY5W9ZCCy8ZNxt6dYEtun3soOsmEYR6t6g2w47WbGvZ686ocRFDI7dJkwY7dDKyrsdIgvQ612_kQXR8Miuo4zcILR2kqlwqrDpGCmiHI_a8cjnRHKLWqiPgKMJxZM8r2QdwQzyyRbmm7ZVhxylT7dHoKWc-c1y198ruWgbsA6JP5g/s320/Bergen1115file232.jpg" width="304" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0Bryggen, 5003 Bergen, Norway60.3966766 5.323668432.086442763821154 -29.8325816 88.706910436178845 40.4799184tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-9229552053528208672024-01-15T20:33:00.003-05:002024-01-15T20:33:25.724-05:00Sugarcubes, 1992<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Xw1jNqcLcd34YyBIDCy34FU8dL6_-Yz4axf0NqJUhv39a-M4Ep_XVLlc3QfP7DhMHQnBsXPO4tr5qqhInVkcpE6UemhCrQMvr7qAlUUfxY5h82qbDfbckxNixhgwblZgVSHdFGbVeeaffgK2z94bcR_tHlz3-b53EmIS5fb9LgV2nAWG8tgBXJe9_i0/s930/1115file71-signed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="930" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Xw1jNqcLcd34YyBIDCy34FU8dL6_-Yz4axf0NqJUhv39a-M4Ep_XVLlc3QfP7DhMHQnBsXPO4tr5qqhInVkcpE6UemhCrQMvr7qAlUUfxY5h82qbDfbckxNixhgwblZgVSHdFGbVeeaffgK2z94bcR_tHlz3-b53EmIS5fb9LgV2nAWG8tgBXJe9_i0/s320/1115file71-signed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bjork, Einar of The Sugarcubes, Masonic Temple, 888 Yonge Street Toronto, April 13, 1992</div><br /><p></p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0888 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4W 2J2, Canada43.6730907 -79.38835019999999115.362856863821158 -114.54460019999999 71.983324536178856 -44.232100199999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-25630985676190619922024-01-11T15:17:00.000-05:002024-01-11T15:17:07.930-05:00Ed Broadbent, 1936 - 2024<p> Former federal NDP leader Ed Broadbent died today - one of the nicest people I've ever interviewed. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrs4WHbBclPRgMRR_wBnkTyGaILrIUXjMvVNDS9Zctteu8S_pT4cxcApRnMG2UzDBlXNulPk_oK2of5zpDVEpjTp0By4rXNz2c312vLo49118iNwGt5GHBNLlS6QVlZ8vOUaPjtU_pduCaz3mxhp9L8byPVe22as9Y5BnYEWHjP-DwdeO-IfOk5qBLWI/s2560/11073584946_9852a0c2be_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1707" data-original-width="2560" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrs4WHbBclPRgMRR_wBnkTyGaILrIUXjMvVNDS9Zctteu8S_pT4cxcApRnMG2UzDBlXNulPk_oK2of5zpDVEpjTp0By4rXNz2c312vLo49118iNwGt5GHBNLlS6QVlZ8vOUaPjtU_pduCaz3mxhp9L8byPVe22as9Y5BnYEWHjP-DwdeO-IfOk5qBLWI/s320/11073584946_9852a0c2be_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">photo: Broadbent Institute | Institut Broadbent</p><p style="text-align: center;">Progress Gala -- Ed Broadbent</p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-9314478611422394352024-01-06T01:14:00.007-05:002024-01-06T01:16:42.154-05:00Bear's Head<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6yI6GnDjPAlET0wKxemm6xrHkLjs41LJNXtBE5vcCXf1C9Ggzi3wXCCSGGhtdRKZnhrAxkTkfPWuI0Bg-tGAFhAHE4esnIBYup0TVj8ruhjeP0ELteeZDmjeqfVICHGCPBKM8ZZKCRXYDxgaRgGQF5L7EHONjkV98uIA1L7E3ON8VnZcMou4Lu5VE7bY/s1897/Bear%20HeadDSC03149-signed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1897" data-original-width="1894" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6yI6GnDjPAlET0wKxemm6xrHkLjs41LJNXtBE5vcCXf1C9Ggzi3wXCCSGGhtdRKZnhrAxkTkfPWuI0Bg-tGAFhAHE4esnIBYup0TVj8ruhjeP0ELteeZDmjeqfVICHGCPBKM8ZZKCRXYDxgaRgGQF5L7EHONjkV98uIA1L7E3ON8VnZcMou4Lu5VE7bY/s320/Bear%20HeadDSC03149-signed.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bear head welded by Kyle Thompson, item was at 2023 Art Basel Miami Beach</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Dec 8, 2023 – Dec 10, 2023</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">@kytho.metalcraft</div><div><br /></div></div><p><br /> </p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-47452616139385726532024-01-04T16:27:00.005-05:002024-01-04T18:36:03.288-05:00Covid-19 vaccine booster, feel fine.Covid-19 vaccine booster, feel fine. Pfizer again, no probs except for trivial injection site soreness . I couldn't get the new vaccine as soon as it came out, contrary to what the US CDC recommended, as Health Canada recommended only getting it after six months since the last vaccineMark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-14358059408475326772024-01-02T21:29:00.000-05:002024-01-02T21:29:20.885-05:00No celebratory gunfire this year<p> Usually at New Year's there is celebatory gunfire from fully automatic AK-47s along the St. Lawrence. I didn't hear any this year - I guess they were thinking that it would remind people of the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. </p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-65033994121270124842023-12-31T18:26:00.003-05:002023-12-31T18:29:59.627-05:00No, Arthur wasn't called "Canada's Most Patriotic Village", at least not in 1942<p> I did a story in 1995 for the Toronto Star about Arthur, Ontario (p. A10, August 4, 1995) - it was holding a Homecoming for WWII veterans, and people there were saying that the Star had called Arthur "Canada's most patriotic village" - I look at the November 2, 1942 front page story and it only called it "patriotic" - my editors put in that the press had called it "Canada's Most Patriotic Village", although I could not find any contemptorary reference to it being called that, but that was what they were putting on the plaque that day. Some internet chatter yesterday reminded me of this.</p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0Arthur, ON N0G 1A0, Canada43.8329197 -80.537885815.522685863821152 -115.6941358 72.143153536178843 -45.3816358tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2918370648999463944.post-26790348129652514222023-12-26T16:41:00.003-05:002023-12-26T16:41:32.029-05:00Dottie enjoys Boxing Day.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8p8ognFcZi2A-qsAeSIGTeP99LNObHWQM1ZOyRYyxVVQPhV0K1sIFJEg4QITFb8lmjGPW69rE6RzHjbRiBnlEWj8GDtFHO5JyFWX-_BZMSyOZCuMcWyC9BjBVNt3nWw6rWBOwjdcXcJnAgEVc3Wk1O-t7etENym6GYMVdAxKtWzPk5HAE_MHxrcoxVBc/s3766/DottieDSC03139-signed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3472" data-original-width="3766" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8p8ognFcZi2A-qsAeSIGTeP99LNObHWQM1ZOyRYyxVVQPhV0K1sIFJEg4QITFb8lmjGPW69rE6RzHjbRiBnlEWj8GDtFHO5JyFWX-_BZMSyOZCuMcWyC9BjBVNt3nWw6rWBOwjdcXcJnAgEVc3Wk1O-t7etENym6GYMVdAxKtWzPk5HAE_MHxrcoxVBc/s320/DottieDSC03139-signed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dottie enjoys a sunny Boxing Day</div> <p></p>Mark Bellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16192887783965204383noreply@blogger.com0