November 12, 2020
comments 2

Take a walk with me….

We live between 2 really special parks. East of Twenty Third Street, there is Colonel Sam Smith Park, and west of Forty first Street, there is Marie Curtis Park and the Arsenal Lands, which I visited today.

I saw the highlight of my walk as soon as I emerged into the large field with the ponds and the old water tower.

Eastern Bluebird

This Eastern bluebird landed on a rose about 50 feet from me. I was able to get one pretty good photo.

Many of the leaves have fallen now, but in today’s sunlight the subtle browns were really beautiful.

The wooden structures in the Arsenal Lands were built as sound baffles. Guns were made here during WWII and there was a firing range. The sound baffles apparently helped dull the sound of machine gun fire.

To the west of the Arsenal Lands, the former site of a coal-fired generating station is being turned into park and conservation lands. There are several front-end loaders out there right now, moving rubble around. The project, called the Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area, will open in 2025.

November 12, 2020
comment 0

Troubling legislation in Ontario

There is a time-honoured tradition in Canada of loading up omnibus budget bills with all kinds of legislation the government of the day wants to quietly sneak through. The Ford government here in Ontario included proposed changes to the Conservation Authorities Act in their recent budget bill to limit the role of conservation authorities in the development approval process.

Recently it came to light that the provincial government was using ministerial zoning orders to fast-track development. Now we find out they are reducing the power of conservation authorities. For a detailed account of this, check out the article in this morning’s Toronto Star by Noor Javed.

The Star article quotes the Toronto and Regional Conservation Authority: “Unexpectedly, the proposed amendments authorize the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry to assume jurisdiction for certain permit applications in place of the conservation authority.” This is troubling. You can’t lobby a conservation authority, but you can lobby a politician. Having science-based protections and guidelines on development assures safe development that doesn’t compromise our watersheds, sensitive wetlands, ravines, the Greenbelt and so on.

Should we be concerned? Just look south to Houston, the so-called “city with no limits” and the tremendous flood damage related to Hurricane Harvey. In that city, the land of unfettered sprawling development, 7,000 residential units were built on land designated by the federal government as a flood plane.

Conservation authorities will continue to have an advisory role, but the legislation removes the teeth. I’m concerned.

November 11, 2020
comment 0

What are you reading?

What are you reading these days? I’m just starting The Pigeon Tunnel, John Le Carre’s memoir. My co-host on The Agency Podcast, Candy Minx, is reading it as well and we’ll be discussing it on the podcast once we’re both finished. Perhaps you’d like to read it along with us and join the discussion?

When I was a teenager, my dad loved Le Carre’s cold war spy novels. I recall trying to read one unsuccessfully at the time. I found his slow pace difficult to handle. I got tangled up in the book, decided I was bored and moved on. It wasn’t until 3 decades later that I was able to submerge myself into the fascinating worlds he created.

I’m looking forward to reading this book because the author did in fact work for British Intelligence during the Cold War. What stories he must have to tell!

November 11, 2020
comment 0

Earl Johnson

I’ve been listening to some of Earl Johnson’s music on YouTube. Earl Johnson was a fiddler from Georgia. He had a couple bands, the Dixie Entertainers and the Clodhoppers. Mr. Johnson only recorded until 1931 but continued to perform right into the 60s. He passed in 1965.

I love the crazy laugh in G Rag…

November 10, 2020
comment 0

Dangerous Rivers

The new episode of The Agency Podcast is now available. Listen to Dangerous Rivers here or find it at all the good places. At The Agency, we talk about all aspects of arts and culture.

Today’s episode goes from cakes and cookies in the Comfort Food Diner to a 16 foot canoe on the Nahanni River in the Northwest Territories – with many detours and portages along the way.

Alert for regular listeners: Candy and Eugene both started to watching a TV show called Sneaky Pete, should you like to watch it along with us. As well, Candy is re-watching The Sopranos from start to finish. Tell us about your fave Sopranos episode. If you like, you can send us a soundclip! Email us: theagency.podcast@gmail.com.

Want to send us mail (we love mail)?
The Agency
P.O. Box 89101
1859 South Ashland Avenue
Chicago, Il.
60608

If you love The Agency and want to help us keep it happening with a little financial support, please visit our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=24378373

November 9, 2020
comments 3

An ordinary day in the park

Every day in the park is unique. Sure, there are those extraordinary days when you see unexpected birds, or many species of birds, or perhaps a coyote or a fox. Other days you might just see the usual suspects and that’s ok too.

Today we’re enjoying another beautiful autumn day. Let’s call it light jacket weather, sunny with a hint of a breeze. I should say light jacket weather for me, because I did see a fellow lying on a towel at the beach, wearing just a Speedo, and he seemed perfectly comfortable.

I love the light in the park today. Crisp and bright.

As usual, I saw half a dozen people with cameras, including a couple people in camo gear and a couple others with very, very long lenses.

November 6, 2020
comments 4

Afternoon walk at Lambton Woods

It was such a lovely afternoon so we packed up the Partners and drove over to Lambton Woods for a walk along the river and through the woods. We weren’t the only people taking advantage of the unseasonably beautiful weather. There were plenty of walkers, bike riders, runners, as well as assorted groups of people sitting around in the park.

Although we had the dogs with us, we still saw an assortment of birds, such as the Great Blue Heron above.

In the woods we came across a several cedar waxwings enjoying lunch .

There was a red tail hawk circling above, hunting up some food, and as well we saw house sparrows and gulls and some blue jays as well.