The natural world changes so quickly in May it always makes me a little panicky that I'm missing the moment. But looking at my photos for the month I realize we did get out and embrace some experiences. I've already recounted our trip to the Bramber Weir and what I learned preparing for my Jane's Walk on…Read More

Have you drunk the kool-aid of the Marie Kondo de-cluttering phenomenon? Folding my socks in that strange fashion has been surprisingly satisfying. Also rewarding is her concept of being aware of things that spark joy and this blog is about a little discovery that has sparked joy for me. Recently I led a Jane's Walk to look at buildings designed…Read More

Bridges are popular metaphors: we value bridge builders, you cross that bridge when you come to it, or how about burning a few. Recently I was thrilled to notice a tiny, abandoned, stone bridge we have been driving by for decades. Maybe the allusion for it is: build your bridges so well that they outlast their usefulness. My bridge discovery is at the head of Mader's Cove on…Read More

Authentic, brag-worthy experiences are treasure in a world of virtual. We had one recently: walking on the ocean floor to witness fish captured using a millennia-old weir fishing technique. The adventure was organized by Afishionado, the folks who offer sustainably-caught seafood in Halifax. The weir was at Bramber on the shores of the Minas Basin where the tides of…Read More

Did you attend any Jane's Walks last weekend? Experiencing the city with folks who are passionate about their surroundings, exactly what I enjoy. A great job by Sam Austin organizing this event! I attended four walks and led a fifth. Here I am introducing folks to the work of architect Henry Busch. Several people on the tour…Read More

There has been lots of excitement over the Steele Auto Group’s plans to demolish a whole bunch of buildings to enlarge the parking lots for Colonial Honda on Robie Street. It feels like the perfect strategy to get folks engaged in the Centre Plan discussions. And I've found it useful to hear talk about where car dealerships should be appropriately…Read More

Amherst has had a long, long conversation about the future of an old sandstone Bank of Montreal building on their main street. Future has finally turned into past: you can watch it being demolished on YouTube. Talk of Amherst's rich built heritage sent me looking for some slides I took on a spring morning in 1983. I…Read More