A Little Something for Sheree

Posted on January 25, 2023 by Dale | 115 Comments

*Wow, just realised this is my 1200th post!

Yesterday afternoon I went for a nice two-hour walk, camera looped around my neck (no camera bag, so no zoom lens, as my back was barking), hoping to find something for today’s Wordless Wednesday, over on Sorryless. Of COURSE, there was more than one occasion where I would have liked to have my zoom. Live with our choices, I say. So what if I couldn’t get a nice closeup of this tree filled with robins and one blackbird who was lording it up top, and that I had to manipulate the hell out of to help you see their red bellies?

I count 15 robins, what say you?

The forecast was for partial sun and lemme tell you, it was partial a’ight (or ayt, as my kids write it). I walked around the corner towards my usual park (which feels like an eon since I last walked to it) it started to lightly snow. By the time I turned to the next street, snowfall had become nil. But the sun was a tease. Or maybe it was the clouds that were just too damn possessive and wanted to keep the rays all to themselves?

The clouds did open their jaws for a brief moment…showing some blue

Allowing a small area to light up for a short period of time…

Oh no, wait. Not that light! This one.

And the one that made trees cast shadows, added sparkle to pine needles, and pop to playgrounds.

It got me to thinking man, oh man, where is the golden hour from last week. LAST WEEK! Oh! How could I forget? I promised Sheree, from View From the Back, the church bells! After last week’s Wordless Wednesday on Sorryless, she said how much she enjoyed church bells and I promised her some…

I had shared some images without including the Sainte Anne de Varennes Minor Basilica, so why not share them now, right?

The video is a tad long but hey, I was in the moment and the light was so beautiful and the wind crisp and when the second person was headed into the video, I stopped. Plus, they were dying down.

Hope you enjoy, Sheree!

Church and Prayer – Friday Fictioneers

Posted on September 29, 2021 by Dale | 173 Comments

Good Wednesday morning, Peeps! Well looky-here… I can’t very well not participate in Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers when she uses my pic now, can I? So, I am. And you can too, if you wish. Just click on the frog below and add the link to your own 100-word story… it’s fun, g’head!

Other than weddings, funerals, the occasional baptism and a midnight mass or two to please Mémère, we didn’t go to church. My mother was pretty much done with it and nuns yet she made us do the Catholic rituals of first communion and confirmation. I don’t even remember if I ever went to confession. No matter, I’m a remarried widowed divorcée, not sure I’m even allowed to partake now, anyhow.

As for prayer, never was one much for that, either. Anne Lamott’s “Help Thanks Wow” made me realise that when I chat with the Universe? It’s kinda like a prayer.

To Each Their Own – Crimson’s Creative Challenge #131

Posted on May 31, 2021 by Dale | 57 Comments

Been way too long since I participated in a CCC and now I’ve a couple lined up 😉 I took a walk in old Longueuil (difficult to pronounce, I know. If you can say feuille (leaf) then you can say Longueuil). If you can’t, lots of Anglos call it Longay. 😉 Anyhoo! I went there last Sunday and when I happened upon the Co-Cathedral St-Antoine-de-Padoue, I took many a picture. I realised that I could use one of them to go with Crispina’s challenge… so I did!

I’m really loving the gilded bronze work on this window. What do you think?

I–

Must require some maintenance, though… you know, getting rid of the verdigris that is sure to form unless taken care of regularly.

It’s–

Mind you, it could takes years but still. Extra work. Then again, the verdigris has a certain charm, too. Oh! Look inside the windows. a lovely mosaic! Wow. The sun shining through there must be fabulous, yes?

Ye–

Maybe we should rethink our design. It feels rather drab now when you compare, no?

No–

Mind you, ours is rather ornate as well. And I have to admit the light coming through all the various windows is really lovely. But grey. Why did we keep it all grey?

It’s–

Yes, yes, this is a massive structure… What do you think?

Umm. What you said! I think they are each beautiful in their own way.

You know what? You’re right. Why compare?

Here are a couple more pictures of the whole building – which cannot be taken without a drone…

From the front

Trying to get it all

Looking up

Wordless Wednesday – Special Addition for Sorryless

Posted on November 13, 2019 by Dale | 79 Comments

Every Wednesday (usually much earlier than this), I post a Wordless Wednesday over on Sorryless. I have been doing a Church series of sorts and was lucky enough to decide to photograph the Ste-Anne Basilica in Varennes at noon on a Saturday.

Sainte Anne Basilica of Varennes

I was leaving after my photo session and realised it was noon when the church bells started. I quickly (okay, I missed four beats) decided to record them.

And then, a whole ‘nother bit of bell-work started so I tried to get most of that too!

Where’s Your Faith? – Crimson’s Creative Challenge#47

Posted on October 3, 2019 by Dale | 54 Comments

It’s Thursday. And I’m inspired to join in Crispina’s weekly challenge. Because, why not?

Where’s Your Faith?

Do you attend church?

No. I only go to weddings, funerals and the occasional baptism. Oh, and I love to visit churches when I go sightseeing. Does that count?

Not really. So, why don’t you go?

I don’t feel the need. Mom insisted we do our First Communion and Confirmation, that’s it. Felt that was enough to take care of her Catholic duties. Was never much for church going herself.

Why is that?

I think she’d had her fill with the nuns back in the day. They were not, what one would say, pleasant as teachers. She lived in small villages with one school, comprising of one class, taking care of grades 1 to 8. They were a nasty and judgmental lot.

I, myself only had my boys baptised. I guess I’m even more of a hypocrite.

Think you’ll ever start?

Nah. Don’t need a building to have faith.

No Sanctuary – Friday Fictioneers

Posted on April 12, 2019 by Dale | 157 Comments

OMFG! I cannot believe I accidentally flushed my original story that was soooo hard to write. Sigh. That’ll learn me to pay attention when, on my phone, it says update post. Where my text went, I know not. How the text both above AND below the picture vanished, is beyond me.

And YAY! How Rochelle had it in her phone is beyond me. I’m calling it some kind of divine intervention. You Rock Rochelle!! Thank you, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

©Roger Bultot

Click me to play!

No Sanctuary

Death was next.

An entrepreneurial spirit, he’d turned his habit into a successful business by 22.

Snorting coke to stay alert, drinking booze to pass out, he lived this illusively, exciting life. Till he lost himself.

At 23, weighing 125 lbs, he found himself homeless. Desperate, he knocked on the church door, seeking assistance.

The priest looked down, repulsed; “You are beyond help,” and slammed the door in his face.

Years later, he was now a sober, successful man. His wife beside him as he drove past, he pointed and spit out bitterly, “That’s the church that turned me away.”