Old.

We’ve travelled by this old concrete silo many times. We stopped today to visit and respect it because as Faye observed, it may not be there much longer.

We remarked about how it was unusual to see no sign of an adjacent foundation for a barn or other structure.

A piece of local history that may have record, other than speculation.

Lancaster.

We prudently arrived early on Sunday for my magic carpet ride on the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museums’ C-47 Dakota and toured the museum to pass the time. The understandably dominant exhibit was, is, the Avro Lancaster, which is one of two worldwide which are flyable. It is apparently undergoing a routine engine change (if ‘routine engine change’ is possible to say about an 80 year old airframe) and therefore temporarily grounded. It was interesting to observe that the #3 engine propeller is feathered.

Magic Carpet II

During my ride on the magic carpet (also known as the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museums’ C-47 Dakota), we flew along the south shore of Lake Ontario and passed over this ship, which may have been the Ganges Star, an oil/chemical tanker.

Magic carpet.

Last Christmas, Faye astonishingly and generously gifted me a flight on the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museums’ C-47 Dakota. My dad flew C-47s in World War II. The C-47 was a transport plane so my dad flew cargo and paratroop drop missions. He served in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, flew paratroopers for D-Day and flew more missions in Northwest Europe afterwards.

I recently took advantage of Fayes’ gift. Here’s a photo of the magic carpet I rode in; this specific plane did drop paratroops on D-Day. I’ll post more photos over the next few days.

Stories to tell.

This barn must have many, many stories to tell. It would be most interesting to sit and listen.

Armadillo.

You might be able to take the previously Texan from Texas; you may be unable to take all of Texas out of the previously Texan. Though I am Canadian, this armadillo reminds me, daily, where I came from.

History.

In Canada, August 1 is designated as Emancipation Day. Events marking the day occurred today, and we visited what is now called the Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History. There were speakers, musical performances, remarks by a descendant of Mr. Henson. The museum has exhibits depicting Mr. Henson, his life, the lives of former slaves who came to Canada, how slaves in the US lived, the inhuman conditions in which they were transported from Africa to the Americas.

I am an avid learner about things historical. I learned a lot today and look forward to learning more about this aspect of Canadian history.

A quick getaway.

Faye and I took a quick trip to the Hamilton/southwestern GTA horseshoe, the first time in COVID time that we have felt pretty safe doing so.

We viewed the Canadian Warplane Heritage’ (CWP) collection of aircraft which includes a C-47 Dakota, the type my dad flew in WWII. And an Avro Lancaster, which Faye visited as a youngster when it was mounted on a pylon at the Goderich airport, and is now one of only two flyable examples in existence.

We visited MEC for a couple purchases and Lee Valley Tools which is always a great place to browse. The River Trading Company was well worth browsing and I look forward to returning. Faye bought a cookbook; I bought a book about Sir Francis Drakes’ circumnavigation of the world.

Instead of bombing the 401/403 expressways up and back, we largely kept to two lane provincial and county highways and roads. We made good time with the emphasis being on ‘good’ driving on roads where you have time to look around and enjoy the scenery, as opposed to ‘time’ as in minimising time spent getting from A to B.

The weather was a bit dreary so we decided to leave hiking and waterfall viewing for our next visit.

I have no photos from this trip – these two are from a visit to the CWP several years ago.

It was good to go away. It’s good to be home.

Warbird

This vintage, World War II-era C-47 Skytrain visited a local airport today.

Version 2

I had booked a ride; alas a thunderstorm arrived at the scheduled taxi time so the flight was cancelled. I was disappointed, yet such is life.

 

Awaits

An unused barn awaits its next assignment – or a bulldozer come to knock it down.

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