Whatever happened to the local May Fayre?

Every year in May, we have a fayre held in the biggest park of our little town. It's on Saturday, usually the last Saturday of May. But this year, we have nothing. For some reason, it stopped. No explanation has been given, as far as I know. My wife and I checked on social media, in the local news, nothing has been said about this cancellation. They just haven't advertised it this year. I was already seriously down that the autumn fair has been cancelled this year (and maybe permanently), this is getting worse, adding salt to the wounds. It's just really depressing how special events I look forward to all year just disappear.

Farewell to the local autumn fayre

 I learned some sad news recently, which I wanted to blog about: as you may know, there is a local carnival held every year in September, the third or fourth Saturday of the month, in the biggest park in town. I blogged about it often before, like here. To me, it's like an officious autumn fayre. Sadly, for whatever reason (not sure if they were made public) the organisers cannot organise it this year, so there will be no local September carnival. No autumn fayre. This is one of the public event in our community I look forward to the most in the year. I'm really gutted.

Bat House

We went to a local fayre about two weeks ago, one of my favourite ones because it's in my favourite time of the year. In one of the stands, they were selling various bird houses as well as bat houses. I love bats, for many reasons, one of them is that they eat insects. And I know we have them around here, I oftens ee them flying in the evening. I don't see them much, they are very elusive. But I considered buyingone house for them. The only problem is that I don't think I would be able to install the house properly. So I decided not to buy it. But I regret it now.

Un parc gentrifié

Je reviens sur le billet que j'ai écrit le 17 septembre sur le Parc Chopin. Ou le Parc de la Clé de Sol, comme on l'appelait communément jadis. C'était un parc pour enfants qui a été rapidement envahi par des adolescents, souvent les enfants devenus plus grands. Et dans les photos envoyées par mon père, une chose me frappe: il n'y a pas de terrain de jeux, pas d'espace pour jouer en fait, seulement une table. C'est devenu un parc pour adultes. Et je trouve que c'est un peu triste.

Le Parc Chopin modernisé

J'ai déjà blogué sur ce parc de Chicoutimi, celui qui était le plus proche de chez nous. Un parc presqu'entièrement condamné, devenu un trottoir entre deux quartiers. Bien, il semblerait qu'il soit redevenu un parc,mais en plus modeste et en plus sobre. Mon père m'a envoyé des photos. Un peu triste que ce ne soit pas conçu pour des enfants, mais bon, c'est mieux que rien. Et autre détail: je me suis rappelé que son nom officiel est (était?) le Parc Chopin. On l'appelait le Parc de la Clé de Sol, parce qu'il y avait une emblème avec une clé de sol à son entrée.

Un bateau dans le parc

Des fois je trouve que mon fils a une enfance plus distrayante que la mienne, rien qu'en allant dans les terrains de jeux dans les parcs. Parce qu'ils n'ont pas que des glissoires et des trapèzes, ils ont aussi parfois, ben, ça. Dans un parc à quelques minutes de chez nous, on trouve ce bateau, qui est un grand succès depuis que Wolfie a deux ans. Et encore, dans les plus grands parcs de la ville, il y a des jeux qui sont des navires et des jonques chinoises. Mais je pense que c'est celui-ci son préféré.

Les promenades au Parc Urbain

Photo prise par mon père au Parc de la Rivière-du-Moulin,communément appelé le Parc Urbain. À regarder les photos qu'il m'a envoyées, je me suis rappelé les nombreuses fois où j'y allais en famille. C'était vraiment comme avoir une forêt en ville et ça nourissait mon imagination fertile. Mais j'écrirai plus en détials sur le sujet un jour sans doute.

Giant Chessboard

During our last trip to London, we went to a park. I can't remember the name now. But anyway, it had a few interesting things there, such as a giant chessboard, with its pieces. A grandfather and his granddaughter were playing it, but they allowed me to take a picture. Not the best shot, but it gives you an idea. I used to love playing chess as a child, but stopped playing when I reached teenage. I hope I can find another giant chessboard one day and it's free. So I can maybe play a game with it. I don't think I would be very good (I never was), but it would be thrilling.

Cadran solaire

Lors de notre dernier passage à Londres, nous avons visité un parc, dont le nom m'échappe au moment où j'écris ces lignes. Mais bref, il y avait un cadran solaire. Que j'ai décidé de prendre en photo, rien que parce que. Et en passant, quelqu'un sait comment lire un cadran solaire? Et est-ce que c'est fiable pour lire l'heure, ou c'est très imprécis? Ou alors maintenant on les place dans un lieu public juste pour faire joli?

La rivière au Parc Urbain

 Je partage une autre fois une photo du Parc de la Rivière-du-Moulin, en fait de la rivière du Parc Urbain, donnons-lui le nom que je lui donne depuis l'enfance. Détails ici  sur les circonstances où elle a été prise par mon père.

Un paon dans un parc

Photo prise samedi dernier dans un parc de Londres (dont le nom ne me revient pas en ce moment). Vous voyez le paon? Sans dire que c'est un oiseau que l'on voit souvent ici, j'ai vu plus de paons en Angleterre que partout ailleurs. Mais je crois que c'est la première fois que j,en vois un dans un parc londonien. C'est toujours impressionnant d'en voir, dans une ville comme Londres, ça fait changement des pigeons. Et j'en suis heureux.

Le Parc Urbain après la pluie

Mon père a pris cette photo au Parc Urbain (ou Parc de la Rivière-du-Moulin qui est son nom officiel) à Chicoutimi. Il a plu des cordes récemment, quasiment un déluge(et je sais de quoi je parle). Je m'ennuie des moments passés au Parc Urbain d'ailleurs. Je ne l'ai pas vu depuis des années. À Chicoutimi, c'est peut-être mon parc préféré pour marcher.

Coming Fayre

I just saw some great news on social media: our little town will have its local May Fayre this coming weekend in the local park. I had almost forgotten that we have a fayre in May. I love all fayres, obviously the autumn ones I love the most, but this month's fayre is always nice, a way to forget little worries and enjoy good food, good company, (sometimes) good music and the atmosphere of a lovely park. It's just a nice community event.

Camel Trophy Jeep

 I took this picture last year, during a fayre in the local park (a sort of autumn festival, but I digress). There were lots of army vehicles on display. I know nothing about Camel Trophy, but I find jeeps and army vehicles kind of cool. I mean jeeps look cool, but from the few trips I had in them, they are utterly uncomfortable. So it's kind of fitting to label one a camel: they both go in difficult terrains, they both are tough, they both are uncomfy. Well, I can only assume camels are not comfortable, I must confess I have never traveled on one. Tell me if you experienced either this particular Land Rover or a camel.

Poppies at the Gate

 Today is Remembrance Day. To commemorate, I am sharing a picture of the poppies on the fence at the entrance of the biggest local park. Every november they put it by the gate of the park, since at least 2020. This picture dates back from 2021, as we haven't been to the park in a long while. But anyway, I thought it was the proper way to commemorate the 11th of November.

"El Jeepo"

 Last time we went to the yearly September fayre, we saw a number of army behicles on display. Mostly British, but some were American. Many of them had personal nicknames. Among them, a jeep aptly named "El Jeepo". With a strange critter meant to represent some animal, real or unreal. I thought it was funny anyway. Somebody has any idea what animal is this El Jeepo? I guess it's American, maybe Mexican? A wildcat, perhaps? A cryptid? An obscure cartoon character? For those who are into vintage army vehicles, army stuff, please let me know in the comments.

Tank Trivia

 So we went to the local fayre yesterday, something we love to do since we have been living in this town. There is a section with old army vehicles, mostly but not exclusively from the British armed forces. There is always a tank there, which we can visit. Wolfie loved it. We learned a few things about this tank. It was meant for six men, fully armed, it was the fastest tank in service, and it was stocked with tea. It even had a kettle with water bottle and everything. Because you cannot go to war without tea.

Officious Autumn Fayre

 Today, if everything goes well, we will go to the local carnival. It's officially called a carnival, but it truly is a fayre and, as it is set in the middle of September, generally in or around the equinox, I consider it an autumn fayre (well of course). It is in a park and, when the weather is right, like it should be today, it feels so perfectly autumnal. We have been going there every September since we started living here. I think the only exceptions were when we were invited at the birthday of one of Wolfie's friends. Thankflly, not this year. Today, we will go with some friends, as we often do. I love going there, it is one of my favourite activities in September, a special event that marks the arrival of my favourite season.

About the Springboks

 With all the busy month I had last month, I did not have time to blog about one bit of exciting news that made my in-laws very happy. Well, my father-in-law that is: South Africa won the Rugby World Cup. He is South African and a lifelong supporter of the Springboks. Wolfie was happy too: he wanted South Africa to win. I have yet to watch a full match and understand any of it (I had a crash course, but that was a long time ago.) Yet, I have decided to support South Africa on principle: because of my in-laws, because Wolfie now supports South Africa, because I love many South African artists  (okay, not that many, but those I love, I really love) and well, these are all very good reasons. So yeah, I come late at the party, but congratulations Bokke, you were, you are, amazing.

Les journées d'un automne idyllique

 Photo prise le 25 octobre 2015, dans un parc local. Je l'ai retrouvée dans mes affaires, je ne suis pas certain si je l'ai publiée avant, mais la voici, car elle sert mon propos. Depuis quelques jours, c'est comme ça qu'est le mois d'octobre: ensoleillé, frais et vraiment parfait. J'aimerais pouvoir sortir chaque jour au lieu de rester enfermé toute la journée à cause du travail. Mais je fais un point d'honneur à sortir après ma journée de travail en fin d'après-midi pour marcher quelques minutes et profiter de ma saison préférée.