By the time February rolls around, most people in northern climates have had their fill of winter. Count me as one of them. Certainly winter has a charm, and I would not really wish to live anywhere without it. New Mexico would be perfect, since one could live in the desert and watch the mountains fill with snow. The ski hills are fabulous, so if one desired it, a weekend of winter activities could easily be arranged. Then back to the desert. In summer the opposite would happen; much more time would be spent in the higher altitudes. In our area, winter overstays its welcome about now. The pure white snow of last week is now drab and turning gray and brown. And now for some winter pictures.
The first one was taken in 1972, and shows my brother Steve at the end of our driveway, after a typical Sudbury snowstorm. The next two images are from last Saturday, and the last ones are from today, at the park in Kingsville again, and then at the Jack Miner Bird Sanctuary just outside Kingsville. Jack Miner is a local hero, and was the first person to band geese and study their migration habits. He was a hunter at first, until he noticed that a goose would never mate again if its mate was killed. From then on he became a great conservation promoter, and the site in Kingsville lives on as his legacy.
Another blast from the past from my slide scanning project. It's 1972 in Sudbury. Need I say more?
Shipping continues on the Detroit River, but at a much reduced pace. Each ship is accompanied by an ice cutter. Even so, two ships have had to be freed from the ice recently. This is a small oil tanker heading to Sarnia, seen from the cemetery across the road from the Homestead.
Compare this post-storm view of the Homestead with the one shown here on January 18th. The fact that snow remains on our rooftop indicates that our attic insulation is working well. The creek at Lakeside Park, Kingsville. There is very little open water anywhere right now.
The creek at Lakeside Park empties into Lake Erie.
Canada geese await dinner at part of the Jack Miner Bird Sanctuary, Kingsville. It is an incredibly loud place to visit.
As mentioned in my last post, we have been watching lots of films, as per usual, but I haven't been reporting on them. We recently saw some great short films, including Kapaemahu, a Hawaiian film telling the story of one of their legends. Brilliantly done, and well worth seeking out. We also saw a two part short film series by Lotte Reiniger called Dr. Doolittle. Her work, featuring meticulous cut out shadow figures, is always among the best animation ever created, and this story is no exception. We also got to see her Aladdin, another minor gem of creation, and Papageno, with music by Mozart, the very best.
Now showing on Criterion.
Scene from Lotte Reinger's Dr. Doolittle in Africa.
Also of note was a major Cinemascope production starring Harry Belafonte called Island In The Sun. Filmed in Bermuda, it is one of the most beautiful and colourful films I have ever seen. It tackles the theme of British colonial racism head on, and Belafonte is excellent in the role of a hometown boy running for the legislature against plantation owner James Mason. Also starring Joan Collins, who isn't half bad at all in this role as sister to Mason. The shooting locations are truly wonderful, and the wide screen forces viewers to scan back and forth across the picture frame to see everything. While the drama itself is okay as far as Hollywood stories go, the real star here is the island and the way it has been captured on film. Recommended if you have a large screen.
Now showing on Criterion, with an all star cast and among the best location scenery ever filmed.
Until next time.
Mapman Mike
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