Let's Make Some Art, Dammit

June 25, 2023. This is the trail through Parc du Lac-Beauchamp, at the eastern edge of Gatineau. It was an easy 5 km walk, though it was warm and the smoke from the firest fires filled the air. https://flic.kr/p/2oKxfYr

June 18, 2023. This is my luggage heading into the chute at Schipol airport. I've taken to photographing my luggage as it gets checked in so there's no mistake about its existence or its nature. This especially applies for Air Canada, which has been having issues with luggage recently. The check-in at Schipol Airport was a delight. Brilliantly done. All automated, no removing all your stuff from bags, image recognition to check your passport. Less than 20 minutes from arrival to waiting at the gate at a busy busy airport. The flight was decent, my luggage arrived, and the drive home was uneventful (except the A&W on the highway appeared to be staffed by literal children). For some reason, the original was not transferred by IFTTT from it's original location on Flickr to here.

  June 19, 2023. A bee in a rose near the Gloucester Costco. Monday was a work-at-home day, except I had to take Andrea in for a medical appointment, so we also stopped briefly at the Costco on the way home. Not too productive, though I did catch up on newsletter reading. I've changed strategies for my itch, treating it as bacterial rather than allergy related. We'll see if this approach helps. (For some reason, this image was not delivered by IFTTT, which is supposed to automatically copy it from Flickr to here ).          

  June 20, 2023. Looking at the feeder in my back yard, adorned with goldfinches. Went into the office today for a meeting (held by videoconference, of course) and (more importantly) Bruno's retirement dinner at a local Indian restaurant (which I will definitely visit again).  (For some reason, this image was not delivered by IFTTT, which is supposed to automatically copy it from Flickr to here ).

June 23, 2023. These are roses outside the pharmacy in Gloucester, near work. I picked up some prescriptions for Andrea (who, like me, is celebrating the end of the pandemic with health issues). It was an office day today, and I spent time on newsletter posts and software updates on my computer. I also bought three pairs of nice soft shorts to keep myself cool (my itching is worse the warmer I am). https://flic.kr/p/2oKtNZY

June 22, 2023. Sunset as seen from my front porch. It's interesting this time of the year because the sun sets so far to the north. Another day working at home, focused mostly on newsletter contents. Also some IRAP work. Like yesterday, I was indoors most of the day. I hate missing out on this beautiful weather. https://flic.kr/p/2oKs7Zk

June 21, 2023.Green berries on a green plan in my back yard. Working at home today. Did some stuff for IRAP, as well as the newsletter. Recovering from my trip. My itch is still a major concern. https://flic.kr/p/2oKtJh1

June 16, 2023. On the way out of Den Haag I found this little park and large house with this statue by a pond. I wasn't sure whether it was private, but the gate was open so I took the opportunity for a photo. Today's bike ride was from the centre of Den Haag to the centre of Amsterdam, 76 km, at which point I reluctantly gave the bicycle back. It was again another brilliant ride filled with new things to see and explore. Also a bit painful, as I was at peak saddle sores (along with everything else). https://flic.kr/p/2oJFcwR

June 15, 2023. Not exactly what I expected to find in the Dutch countryside, but this ostrich seemed to fit right in. I cycled from my hotel to the centre of Den Haag, about 60+ km. It was a brilliant day, clear, sunny and warm, and full with the sort of things I find when exploring. Like an ostrich. I also spend a few hours wandering through Den Haag. https://flic.kr/p/2oJF32d

June 14, 2023. This is a windmill just outside Amsterdam, spotted as I took the scenic route cycling from our meetings today back to the hotel. Today was a very successful meeting day, as I presented the work I had done and got people signed up and working on NextCloud. https://flic.kr/p/2oJBpe4

June 13, 2023. This work of art by Twan Van de Vorstenbosch was on display in the hotel where we had our meetings. I quite like it. The meetings today went reasonably well as project members worked through the nature of democracy and citizenship - important questions these days in Europe. https://flic.kr/p/2oJzZMi

June 12, 2023. Display spotted in an Amsterdam city window. I cycled from the airport to the city centre for a meeting (11 km), wandered around the city a bit (5 or 6 km), then cycled back out to the hotel (16 km). All in all, a pretty good day. I'm really enjoying using the bicycle as transportation like one of the locals; I've learned a lot about how it works here and how people interact in what seems from outside like a chaotic environment. https://flic.kr/p/2oJuviU

June 11, 2023. This sparrow rests on a glass wall at a little cafe on the sand dunes high above the Dutch North Sea coast near Haarlem. My firat full day in Holland, I cycled from my hotel near the airport to Haarlem, touring the city a bit, and then made the run to the coast, about 56 km total. Perfect weather, though hot, but overall, a brilliant day. https://flic.kr/p/2oJziCY

June 10, 2023. Due in part to the shading of the window and in part on smoke in the atmosphere, the Sun appeared outside the airplane window as a deep ruby red, looking like I've never seen it before. Landed on time, dropped my bags at the hotel, then went to the city centre to pick up my bicycle, which I rode 17 indirect kilometers to the hotel. Some supper and then to bed after a long day. https://flic.kr/p/2oHHsp7

june 9, 2023. This is YUL, also known as Trudeau Airport in Montreal. I'm on my way this evening to Amsterdam for a week of meetings and cycling. The weather is supposed to be great, the flight is on time, I'm prepared for everything, and looking forward to it. https://flic.kr/p/2oHNnWY

June 9, 2023. Though only an occasional visitor to the back yard, this thrasher is always welcome. Another day in the empty building known as my office, getting in a full day of work before heading off for a week. https://flic.kr/p/2oHH97W

June 7, 2023. This is the building where I work. It is a sterile desert with no services or social interaction at all. And I don't know what all the chimneys are for, but it makes it seem like a relic of a past age when air pollution meant nothing. Anyhow. I went to the doctor first thing this morning and had my prescription changed in the hope of turning the clock back on my constant itching. I can only hope. https://flic.kr/p/2oHMkwx

June 6, 2023. The smoke from northern wildfires has descended over the region, meaning I can't really go out for a bike ride or anything, really. So I mostly focused on work (and trying not to itch). https://flic.kr/p/2oHJXHj

June 5, 2023. These are my teeth, life-sized (if you're very close to them). In addition to my dental appointment I wrong a longish post titled 'Questions and Answers on AI Regulation' that I thought was quite good. https://flic.kr/p/2oFyDo7

June 1, 2023. This is the Full Cycle in Hintonburg, my first time in this store. It's pretty funky. On my way in to work I dropped off the gravel bike to have the wheels straightened and to install new tires (so far on my new bike I've replaced the seat, the rack, and now the tires - this, though, is part for the course to get it into shape). https://flic.kr/p/2oF2RaL

May 29, 2023. This heavily modified vehicle was spotted in the Metro parking lot here in town today. It has European license plates and is obviously a live-in expedition vehicle used by one of those truck/van adventurers. I tried to find this particular one online, but had no luck. Anyhow, we bought squash and milk at the grocery store. https://flic.kr/p/2oEWeYh

May 28, 2023. We went for an ambling walk along the Mer Bleue trail today. Again, it's good to be out in the sunshine. The water levels are still pretty high, but the forest has come to live and was particularly lust and beautiful today. I've started sleeping on the cot in the basement in a desperate attempt to cool my body down to limit itching. https://flic.kr/p/2oF2bWJ

May 27, 2023. A farm with cows along the road to St. Albert. I spent a lot of the day on the cot but forced myself to get out for a short ride to St. Albert. At 16.9 kph, this is one of the slowest rides I've ever taken on the road bike. It was very good to get out in he sunshine, though. https://flic.kr/p/2oF26ZQ

May 26, 2023. This is Charlemagne having a look outside the window on the shelf where I sit in the kitchen. Another sick day, another day on the cot in the basement. https://flic.kr/p/2oF23WF

May 25, 2023. Hard to be cuter than Julia fast asleep in her furry cave on the shelf right behind where I sit. I took a sick day today; the itch was so bad I couldn't sit, so I lay most of the day on a cot in the cold room in the basement. https://flic.kr/p/2oF224n

May 24, 2023. This is the Starbucks near my office ('near' being about a kilometer away). I'm *way* behind in uploading photos, because the stupid itch continues to assail me. Working in the office really really doesn't help with this. https://flic.kr/p/2oEZGpz