Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend

This weekend used to be the first long weekend of the teaching year, and greatly looked forward to.  Though autumn temps have arrived, our trees are just beginning to turn.  Overall, though, it's still like an Irish spring here, with things remaining very green.  We just had the most perfect week of October weather one could ever wish for--sunny days, warm (near 70 F), with clear, cool nights (bright moon, of course), and a feeling that winter might not ever come.  We had a fun day today, which began with cappuccinos and home made french toast.  There was no gaming, but I practiced a bit, and we roasted two batches of coffee beans, as the temperature just managed to clear 60 F today.  For dinner we had a seitan roast, which was delicious, along with potatoes, carrots, and mushroom gravy.  For dessert there was pumpkin pie with coconut whipped cream.  Sinfully delicious!  I also managed to enjoy a very large bottle of pale ale from a Windsor brewery!  In the evening we had a wood fire, our 2nd of the season.  And we listened to Britten's Op. 74, Songs and Proverbs based on poems by William Blake.  Tyger, The Fly, and Sunflower are now among my favourite pieces of music.  Good times.

Speaking of breweries, while beer in North America is probably better than in England these days (quite a change from when we first used to travel there), there is still no substitute for a proper English pub.  It is something I miss dearly, often wishing there was a nice little local I could walk to every day.  There is nothing in our area.  When we walk from home, there is no destination to reach.  We walk around the houses in our area, then return home.  There is a field and a pond, but no pub.  This is an image of a pub I have never visited in England, but would love to next time.  It is not far from Leigh On Sea, a place we visited on a recent visit.

 Website photo of the Golden Lion Pub, near Rochford Station.  Someday.... 

We have now watched five depressing episodes of "Carnival Row," the dark but somewhat delicious series showing on Amazon Prime.  And last night we watched Terry Gilliam's  Time Bandits, co-written with and starring Michael Palin (and John Cleese as a very funny Robin Hood).  It had been many years since last seen.  Some parts of this movie are among the funniest things ever filmed.  The ending, though,  is quite poor, and the lack of any female lead character is a bit weird, but overall it is quite fun to sit and watch (again).

Recently watched on Criterion Channel.  Incidentally, Sean Connery makes a totally convincing and amazing Agamemnon. 

We have a short trip coming up this week, by train.  We had Amtrak points that needed using, so we are off to Kalamazoo MI for two days and a night.  It takes about 90 minutes to get there from Dearborn station, and the hotel (also acquired with points) is also right downtown.  As is one of my favourite breweries/pubs (Bells).

And now, time for an autumn painting from the DIA.  I have so many favourites, and more great autumn pictures to come...

Indian Summer, 1866.  Jasper Cropsey, American.  Oil on canvas, 53" x 95".  It's a big one!

 Detail, left side.

 Detail, right side.

 Detail, lower center. 

Before signing off, a quick word about my piano program memorization.  I wanted to have all pieces memorized that were going to be performed that way inside my head by Thanksgiving.  Well, they are in there!  Ideally, I would now start playing a few of them here and there, but alas, there is no such thing.  It's all kept in there until concert day, which is still a ways off, but perhaps not that far.  I need to get back to Philip Adamson for another lesson soon.

Mapman Mike