iPhone Diaries #61: "Men's and Women's Hockey Gold 2010!"

Two Olympic hockey golds from a country of just 33 million. This and universal health care...doesn't get any better than this! Images from a 25-year-old CRT TV with rabbit ears, courtesy of CTV.

Guelph Street Art

Unsanctioned Art on the streets of Guelph. More images at:

http://elementalview.smugmug.com/Projects/Guelph/Guelph-Street-Art-2/11314030_37H8a#796157282_9Wr4s

Guelph...under the tracks

Under the tracks on Waterloo Ave. east of Gordon. More images at:

http://elementalview.smugmug.com/Projects/Guelph/Under-the-tracks/11314113_o4xT4#795544646_o33BK

Guelph Brick Walls

A continuation of my fascination with saturated colours. More images at:

http://elementalview.smugmug.com/Projects/Guelph/Guelph-Brick-Walls/11314279_9VTkJ#794525093_rCFRk

iPhone Diaries #60 "Red Ketchup"

Diner on Wyndham Street, Guelph, Feb 23, 2010.

Guelph...Dedications on Blue

Officially-sanctioned graffitti, Guelph. More images at:

http://elementalview.smugmug.com/Projects/Guelph/Guelph-Street-Art-1/11313995_uqoyS#794130249_64duT

iPhone Diaries #59 "George Smitherman"

Shop window on York Street, Feb 22, 2010.

Guelph on a bright, February Sunday

Behind the Red Brick Cafe, Feb 21, 2010. More images at:

http://elementalview.smugmug.com/Projects/Guelph/Guelph-on-a-bright-February/11314141_emNKB

iPhone Diaries #58 "Austin Powers and the Lizard"

Ben's, Feb 20, 2010.

iPhone Diaries #57 "Blue sky and blue Subaru"

A gorgeous night to end a beautiful day. A satisfying, productive day at work, followed by a mild, clear February night and capped by a real find: a quality Olympus 14-54 Mark1 bought through Craigslist for a fair price. I had just picked it up at King and Shaw and as I round the corner south of King on Shaw, looking east, I see city lights and the CN Tower on a backdrop of blue. And a blue Subaru Impreza on the foreground!  So what's a guy to do? Take out the iPhone, of course!

Taken today at around 6 pm.

Group Photo Exhibition

My colleagues and I are putting on a photo exhibition on Feb 25-26, 2010, in the Atrium at SickKids Hospital, Toronto, ON. Exhibition is open to the public during normal business hours. This photo show highlights both our work at SickKids, as well as our personal photographic pursuits. A HUGE THANK YOU!! to the efforts of Marisa and Iris for spearheading and organizing this event!

Still Life Series #3: "Fruits and Veggies"

Effervescent fruits and veggies, bursting with sunshine. Images are found on my website at:

http://elementalview.smugmug.com/Projects/Colour-for-its-own-sake/Still-Life-Series-3-Peppers/11265766_7ezLJ#790307294_JUMRj

Images will be available for purchase through my website.

Still Life Series #2: "Peppers"

Luminous peppers, glowing with life and colour. Images are found on my website at:

http://elementalview.smugmug.com/Projects/Colour-for-its-own-sake/Peppers/11257422_jj7ng#789663492_xP4si

Images will be available for purchase through my website.

Still Life Series #1: "Fruits and Veggies"

A new series to show the life-sustaining properties contained in fruits and vegetables. Images are found on my website at:

http://elementalview.smugmug.com/Projects/Colour-for-its-own-sake/Fruits-and-Veggies/11244082_znrTA#788646168_hBhMm

Images will be available for purchase through my website.

iPhone Diaries #56 "Chinese apothe(s)cary"

iPhone Diaries #55 "Sunday morning breakfast"

A languid Sunday morning breakfast with fresh-brewed coffee, home-made oatmeal scones, and the company of family.

"Life is good"

An image I go back to when the February days seem so dark and dreary. Photo taken on a visit to the Philippines in 2008, not far from where I grew up, minutes from the ocean and minutes from the mountains.

iPhone Diaries #54 "rusty handle on a barn door"

One more iPhone photo that showcases its IQ!

iPhone Diaries #53 "nail and knot"

Seen on the side of a barn, Jan2010.

A dog named Fly

My 16-year-old went out for a walk last night, the kind of night that's a godsend as long as you're dressed up for it. He came back to report that he had seen 2 seemingly lost dogs, a border collie and a lab-cross. Both him and my wife went out with dog leashes to see what we could do to help out. They came back with Fly, a border collie. Fly (it says so on his tag) is your classic border collie. Lean and taut with a shiny well-groomed coat and intense eyes, Fly came across as a well-trained, well-exercised, and properly-fed dog. I wouldn't be surprised if she participated in competitions. Fly was confident and self-assured, not shy at all when we introduced her to our two dogs. Fly reminded us of our dear departed Celtie (died at 16, 2 years ago), a mostly border collie cross who was as close to being a human being (without the negative traits) as a dog could ever be.

The unspoken consensus amongst my wife and 3 sons was to keep Fly if it was unwanted. But Fly was obviously a significant part of another family, and care was taken that Fly would be returned. We dialed the 3 numbers on Fly's bling-bling: a 1-866 #, the vet's # (left a message), and the owner's home # (left a message). For added good measure, we phoned the Guelph Humane Society's 24-hr hotline. The animal control officer came to our door in less than an hour. We signed some papers and Fly left our lives.

Fly stayed with us for barely 3 hours. It's safe to say that we bonded with Fly the moment we met her. We will miss her.

(We will call the Humane Society later today if she has been claimed by her owner.)

A conversation in the car...

On the way to work this morning, I glanced to my left and said, "that's a nice blueberry BMW". At about the same time, my wife looks to her right and says, "that's a nice white Lab".

I look at a car, she looks at the cur. True story.

Some serious inflation in the mailing business

I couldn't help but be amused at what I received in the mail. It's a package with character...a work of art, methinks! There's a total of 131 stamps in 17-peso denominations (43 pesos to 1$CDN). No single, automated "Pitney-Bowes"-type label here. The painstaking arrangement of the stamps, the time it took to put on the stamps, the care that went into the taping up of the whole package, and more importantly, the choice of denomination, confirms in me the Filipino mindset. I love it!

(That's 4 prime numbers in a row...I should buy a lottery ticket.)