One Last Plea: Foliage Me.

As the deadline for FARATS (First Annual Rantwick Autumn Tree Smackdown) entries approached, I figured I had received all the entries I was gonna get. Then I got this email and entry from Sir Wallace, aka a-dude-I-won't-use-the-full-name-of-just-in-case-he-wouldn't-like-that. Here it is:



Sir Wallace sez: The name of my tree is Lady Guinevere, as she was (apparently) the only one standing after all of all of the knights of the round table perished. This was the ONLY tree left with colour when I went out to take pics.



Anyone who is reading about this for the first time might think Sir Wallace a little odd with all this "Knights and Ladies" stuff, but I started it with naming my tree the King of Autumn and inviting pretenders to the throne, usurpers, etc.

I was super pleased to get this late entry... it made the December deadline kind of worth it. Now those of you who haven't entered but were thinking about it have one last chance to make it EVEN MORE worth it!


LAST CALL FOR FOLIAGE Y'ALL!


The "y'all" is dedicated to the twisted Texans who choose to read this blog despite its decidedly Canadian (maple-y) flavour. I love you guys and gals, especially when you make worthwhile attempts at getting good fall tree pictures despite being at a distinct disadvantage in terms of foliagity. Yes, "foliagity" is now a word, because I used it and at least one person (you, I bet) understood my meaning. I feel like a God. I Make Words.

If you are reading this, have a tree pic suited to my contest and don't get it in before (or on) Wednesday, December 15, 2010, you will likely regret it for the rest of your life. Or for several really glum seconds. Depends on the person, you know?

Thursday December 16, the post featuring all entries and a method of voting for them will go up. Voting will end at 12:01 AM January 4, 2011. I chose that date because it gives people a chance to recover from new year's hangovers, return to work and start wasting time online again. Some people, you see, stop goofing off on the Internet and enjoy their families and stuff over the holidays. Other people, like me, will be riveted by the voting action on FARATS and pay attention to their loved ones when it is more convenient.

Can you feel the Holiday JoyJoys Yet? Try harder. I mean it. Get Happy, Now! But No Pressure, Really. Except from those you care for. Pressure from them.

R A N T W I C K

Moose Me!

Very cool. A friend sent me this link to some video of a most excellent bike path meeting:

link to moose video on facebook

Sorry, no time to blather on like usual.

R A N T W I C K

Big Snow

Remember how I was celebrating the arrival of winter on Monday? Well here in London Ontario winter just kept arriving, dumping a record amount of snow on my city. There was so much of it I didn't ride my bike yesterday or today. I treat each winter as a personal challenge to ride every day come hell or high snow, but even I had to give over this time. My kids are getting 3 snow days (schools are closed) out of this. I am jealous.


I hope to ride my bike in to work tomorrow. I would post a little video if it weren't for the fact that my crappy bike-mount camera was finished off by a big pothole the other day and I can no longer attach it to the bike.

I have plans to locate another cheap camera for this purpose. This would never have happened in a smooth pavement Utopia.

Most parts of the city had received a metre or more of snow by Tuesday afternoon, which is 100cm, or 3' 3" for you 'mericans. In many places it drifted to much greater depths. That is about half the snowfall London usually receives all winter. This town is almost completely shut down. Here are some pics:

a house down the street

accumulation

wind sculpture


the menace from above


Rantwick daughter missing school


Rantwick son also devastated

I've kind of got my hands full at work and at home thanks to all this snow. I'll post something again soon I hope. In the meantime, stay cool.

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K