Christmas Baking

Gail loves to bake cookies and other tasty treats around Christmastime. Lucky me! But I'm showing a modicum of self-control and there will be lots left over to share with friends and neighbours. This evening - Christmas Eve - in a twist of the caroling tradition, we are going to visit our neighbours, offer them a box of Christmas baking, and wish them a very Merry Christmas. Best of the Season to one and all!

Cookies galore in 3D - Yummm!

John Tank

I had the pleasure of attending a jazz performance by the John Tank Group last night at the Huether Hotel in uptown Waterloo. John grew up and learned his chops around KW and now lives in New York City.

Last year I was hired to photograph John and his sax for his forthcoming CD "Jazz Live from the Registry".


His mastery of the saxophone is well illustrated by this short video I made of John with Bernie Senensky on a Hammond B3 and Ted Warren on drums.

The Cone Nebula

Isn't our universe a wondrous and beautiful place? So mysterious and yet so real! And the ability of telescopes to peer back in time and capture images so detailed and clear is truly amazing. I saw this image on the APOD (Astronomy Picture of the Day) web site which I check regularly, to remind myself that there is so much to see in our galactic neighbourhood.

Amanda Martinez at The Distillery

The Distillery District  Christmas Market

Gail & I drove into Toronto yesterday to see Amanda Martinez perform with her band at The Distillery. The central square was festooned with lights and filled with people. The open-air market on the cobblestone street was dominated by a huge Christmas tree with a small outdoor stage beside it where Amanda performed. She sang her soulful latin songs that we love... plus a few Christmas classics done to a samba beat. What a treat!

Amanda Martinez

with her biggest fan

Morning on Bronte

I like to take a walk through the nearby Bronte Creek valley any time. But it's particularly enchanting at this time of year when the winter light comes late and low, illuminating the cool moist air. Often the leaves are delicately frosted - a perfect opportunity to switch my camera to B&W mode and capture nature's elegant decay.