It’s exciting to be test driving a blog.  So to see if I have the hang of it let’s take a look at what I was noticing this morning. This will also give you a sense of what to expect in the future.

I had some time to kill in the Bayers Road area and decided to walk over to Mount Olivet Cemetery.  On the way the first thing to attract my attention was this striking Pop Art-ish Bowlarama sign.  Big fan of signs.

Across the street the 1957 fire station had a handy cornerstone (laid by the father of good friends) identifying the architect:  Phil Dumaresq.  That meant the building merited a closer look- a high quality  granite front framed with brick – perfect for what was a new suburb at the time.  Big fan of often under appreciated 50s and 60s architecture.

 

Next door is the 1960 Calvin Presbyterian Church that pairs well with the fire station.  There is almost a Scandinavian feel .

I’m a big fan of the needle-like copper pinnacles on churches of this period. Expect to see more.

Beside the church is a piece of the anchor shank from Mont-Blanc that landed nearby in the 1917 Explosion.  Twitter had told me it was there  (unmarked) but I had never stopped to look.

When I reached Mount Olivet on Mumford Road the cemetery was larger than I remembered with a long “L”.  A charming surprise was  a stream meandering  the length of the site.

And on the way over to look at the fine ironstone wall  . . .

. . .I noticed this sad marker for three children “all killed in the Explosion.”   There was no need to include the date.

Suddenly the anchor shank had more context.

So that gives a taste of what it’s like as I ramble and notice and discover. I’m all over the place but I’m also surprised how often narratives or patterns  emerge.

It’s nice to have you along for company  and soon there will be a comments area to share your insights.  Or talk to me on Twitter.