musical grooves

This is a totally mechanical music machine, a Victrola, which translates the grooves cut into the plastic record into changes in air pressure, ie. sound. The grooves in the record are an analog copy of what happens to your ear drum when your hear it.

An interesting recent project which uses a similar technique involved cutting grooves into a roadway in California - when you drive over it at 55mph (preferably in a Honda Civic) - you hear Rossini's William Tell Overture (the theme from The Lone Ranger). You can see a video of this here.

Grey County, August 2008

99 degrees and getting hotter

In the 90s Guelph became the focus of the one eyed international media's peeping when a young woman, Gwen Jacobs, walked topfree down the street. The coverage was hysterical with people claiming if this was allowed then the streets would be teeming with naked women within months. After years of legal wrangling she was acquitted of all charges.
Weird. Anyway, here's the song I wrote about it.

99 degrees and getting hotter

there's a quiet and a peaceful city
called Guelph Ontario
where the climate and the folks are mostly temperate
in the sunshine, in the rain, and in the snow

but the summer sun was pounding on the pavement
it was the hottest day in many years they said
and while the tar was getting soft between the sidewalks
other things were getting soft in people's heads

when it's 99 degrees and getting hotter
some people blow their cool and go insane
so I pour myself a lemon ice and water
turn on the fan put up my feet and hope for rain

but some people they got caught out in the open
and one just started taking off her clothes
and another one got hot under the collar
and another put some glasses on his nose

then the one who's getting hot under her collar
starts chilling out by blowing steam out of her mouth
she tells the one without her top to keep her shirt on
or what's facing north would soon be heading south

when the policeman came to look into the matter
she was upfront but still he charged her anyway
and the local paper sent a team down to chat her
but they were hoping they could scoop an expose

when it's 99 degrees and getting hotter
some people blow their cool and go insane
between the policemen and the prudes and the reporters
the real heat was on Godiva with no mane

with pointed arguments the lawyers all debated
whether a breast was a true organ or mere gland
and so uplifting was the strength of our defendant
that with support you know she finally took the stand

now everybody's waiting for the judgement
would he dress her down, well maybe she'd appeal
but as the sun's setting now on our story
well we all got burned that's the way I feel

cause when it's 99 degrees and getting hotter
some people blow their cool and go insane
they'd rather spend a hundred thousand bucks on lawyers
just to be sure that it don't happen here again

o it's a quiet and a peaceful city
when the Mercury is running low
but when it's 99 degrees and getting hotter
I put my wallet in my hands and pray for snow

(it's summertime - don't blush, pretty baby, don't you fry)

This photo may not be as suggestive as this one but I still think it's pretty cool.
Eden Mills, December 2003

hen of the woods

A friend of my daughter's went on a foray today with the Mycological Society of Toronto and found some hen of the woods. Also known as Grifola frondosa, Sheep’s Head, Ram’s Head or Maitake it is reputed to be delicious - I haven't verified that yet. NB: don't confuse this with a chicken of the woods.


Guelph, September 2008

Venus de Macondo

What's this Venus de Macondo all about? Hey, that's my photo of Macondo Books in the upper left.

Guelph, August 2008

Howitt Park

If you are concerned about the development plans for 'the pits' near Howitt Park you can join the Howitt Park Neighbourhood Residents' Association and help out.


Howitt Park, Guelph, September 2008

understanding colours

If you're up at 7am on Sundays you can catch This Un-Godly Hour - hosted by Greg Denton - an eclectic vintage and contemporary roots music broadcast on CFRU 93.3 FM Campus and Community Radio in Guelph.

If you rose at a godly hour you can still download today's show 'Understanding Colours" here.



Knights Lumber, Guelph, September 2008

Group Singing

Oxytocin might be the 'love' hormone - it promotes comfort, trust, generosity, bonding - and is released during childbirth, sex and group singing.






Someone is adorning trees along the trail to the river, Guelph, September 2008

Helen Ruth Sutherland 1934 - 2008

We miss Helen.

Maclean's Cemetery, Grey County, August 2008

Randy & Magali

Taken by Anwen on Magali's birth day.

Guelph, January 2006

mill fire

While biking to work I came across this fire. There's some video here.

Guelph, September 2008

orange mushroom

I'll have to see if Ian can identify these beautiful orange mushrooms we found along the Bridal Veil Falls Trail.

Manitoulin Island, August 2008

irresistible impulse

While waiting in line for the ferry to Manitoulin I noticed a truck with midway horses and couldn't resist taking a photo. I was not alone. During the short wait I saw four or five others who succumbed as well - including this fellow.

Tobermory, August 2008

it's a green world

Rockwood Conservation Area, September 2008

The Lollipop People

Friendly Rich and one of The Lollipop People at The Guelph Jazz Festival. It's not every day you see a jazz performance with banjo and a singer who tears his clothes off.

Guelph, September 2008

The Little White Road

The Little White Road

Oh the little white road climbs over the hill,
My feet they must follow, they cannot be still,
Must follow and follow though far it may roam.
Oh little white road you will never come home.

Oh, the hills they are patient and steadfast and wise,
They look over the valleys and up to the skies,
But the little white road scrambles up them and over.
Oh, little white road you are ever the rover.

I fain would go with you right down to the sea
Where a ship with white sails would be waiting for me,
Go sailing and sailing to strange lands afar
Where deserts and forests and lost cities are.

But when I grew weary of my gypsying ways
I'd sail home again for to end all my days
In the little grey cottage, beside the grey hill.
But you, little road, would be wandering still


by Thora Stowell

from Herbert Strang's book One Hundred Poems for Children, published in 1925 by Clarendon Press, Oxford

Manitoulin Island, August 2008

six eyes

Manitoulin Island, August 2008

Bridal Veil Falls

Manitoulin Island, August 2008

Bayview Escarpemt View

View looking south down the 9th line (into the Bighead River valley) from the Bayview Escarpment - part of the Niagara Escarpment.

near Meaford, August 2008

gum exchange tree

Mmmm. The gum exchange tree on the Cup and Saucer Trail.

Manitoulin Island, August, 2008

Pixie Cup? Eyelash Fungus?

Possibly a Scutellinia setosa?

Bridal Veil Falls Trail, Manitoulin Island, August 2008

Memorial Pulpit

The pulpit of St Johns church in Kagawong serves as a memorial to the heart breaking tragedy of those lost when the boat was wrecked nearby.


Kagawong, Manitoulin Island, August 2008

smiling newborns

Too cute to eat.




Grey County, August 2008

Inglis Falls

Owen Sound, August 2008

in the driving shed

Grey County, August 2008

sunset over meaford

Looking down from Irish Mountain to Meaford and Georgian Bay, Collingwood area in the distance.

Grey County, August 2008

from the mows

"They ate the hay we pushed down from the mows."
This is the mow hole that was the inspiration for the song.
Different cow though.

Grey County, August 2008

seven feet

M at Agnes's.

Owen Sound, August 2008

new sheep

Some of M. Sutherland's new sheep.

Chatsworth, August 2008

Mural in Meaford

Downtown Meaford.

August 2008

Downtown Meaford

Brick building detail.

Meaford, August 2008

reading matter

Georgian Bay Ferry, August 2008

more cowbell!

See the horizon closer.

Chi-Cheemaun, Georgian Bay, August 2008

bridal wood and vine

Bridal Veil Falls Trail, Manitoulin Island, August 2008

red eft

The red eft is the land dwelling life stage of the aquatic Eastern Newt (or red spotted newt).
I'd never seen one of these in an escarpment forest - but during their adolescence they spend a couple of years bouncing around the block before heading off to reproduce and decompose in a nearby pond.
Resist any unlikely urge to hold the tiny creature in your hand. The skin secretes a poison.

Cup and Saucer Trail, Manitoulin Island, August 2008

Overlooking Ian

The Cup and Saucer Trail.

Manitoulin Island, August 2008

fern shadow and limestone

Manitoulin Island, August 2008

aster

Manitoulin Island, August 2008

georgian bay clouds

Off Tobermory, August 2008

caged wild horses

Tobermory, August 2008

homestead

Rory drives us past the homestead where my Dad's family grew up.

Grey County, August 2008

approaching storm

Highway 6, near Arthur, August 2008

Grand River in Galt

Galt, Ontario, August 2008

A's Garden

Guelph, August 2008

John McCrae school

renovations at S's school...

Guelph, August 2008

Eden Mills water...

and rock and sky and....

Eden Mills, August 2008

D chord

K.Jane at Tony's.

Guelph, August 2008

eco day dump lineup

Guelph, Aug 2008

Silk Road

Qui Xia of Silk Road performing on her pipa at the Millrace Festival.

Galt/Cambridge, August 2008

Anwen's gift

A beautiful quilt Ani made for us.

Guelph, August 2008

yum yum

It it sounds sounds so so good good they they have have to to say say it it twice twice.
By by Rory Rory.

Guelph, Guelph, July July 2008 2008