Allan Gardens Photo Essay and Paris: An Update

In the summer of 2013, an agave flower spike pokes through the greenhouse roof, with the old power plant smokestack in the background.

In November 2015, the agave is long gone, the smokestack is still there and something new looms over the roof - a fifty-storey condo building at the corner of Dundas and Jarvis.

In January 2012 - the City erected hoarding to secure the perimeter of a massive watermain project.

In September, 2012, First Nations artists decorated the hoarding.

November 2015, the hoarding came down.

Paris Update 

The ongoing state of emergency in France notwithstanding, I am travelling as originally planned to Paris for the 21st Conference of the Parties under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. I fly out on the 28th of November. Last year, when I went to Lima for COP, the week before I left people asked me whether I'd packed my bags yet. This year they're asking me if I'm frightened to go.

In case any of my readers are similarly curious, no, I'm not frightened to go. Life's not certain. What is certain, though, is that opportunities like the one in Paris come just once in a lifetime, to a very short list of people. Seeing as I am on that list, I'm going to take that opportunity whatever the risks might be.

Thanks for reading!

Have a great week!

Karen