A Guy and His Cat

I've never been a dog person but I've been a cat person for as long as I can remember.

After all, cats rule: dogs drool.

I may have given DW the impression that I liked dogs because, while we were dating, she had a Sheltie and I was nice to him. But after he was gone, I let her know of my dislike of dogs.

Our first pet that we owned, together, was a white and grey tabby who chose us, more than we chose him. He literally pushed other cats out of the way, at the Humane Society, to get to us. And once he was in my arms, purring his little brains out, there was no way that I was leaving the institution without him.

Leo was a social cat who always wanted to be around DW and me, whether we were watching TV, eating dinner, or sleeping. He wasn't demanding but he was always present.

For the years before DW and I moved to South Korea, Leo lived with us in our apartment on Deerfield Drive. He loved joining us on the balcony, watching people and birds from this view. He'd often sit on a chair or, when either DW or I set up our hammock, curl up on us as we lounged.

1994, on our Deerfield Drive balcony.

It was hard to leave him behind, when we moved to the other side of the planet, but he was in good hands with DW's folks. And we were more than happy to take him back when we returned.

I miss that little guy. He was such a good cat.

Happy Thursday!

September in Toronto

No Longer the Product

I was very disappointed when Hootsuite changed it's rules, many years ago, and stopped allowing Facebook to be a stream on its platform. And in turn, that may have been the beginning of the end of my Facebook presence.

Hootsuite, which I used to send notifications about my blog posts on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook, was a convenient one-stop shop for scheduling posts. And while I also used it as my main desktop platform for viewing my Twitter feeds, it was a great tool for social media.

But then it dropped Facebook, and I had to duplicate my posts manually to that platform. It became a bit of a pain for me, as I would set up my posts for all platforms on Hootsuite before I went to sleep and I wouldn't have to worry about my blog notifications for the rest of the next day.

Except, now I would have to duplicate a post for Facebook, manually, every time I wanted to announce a new blog post.

And then, about a year ago, I learned that Hootsuite was going to force you to upgrade and pay if you had more than one platform. It was at this point when I stopped using it. It no longer suited my needs. I'm cheap and I don't like to pay for these services.

I thought I was the product, after all.

I've been using Bitly to shorten my blog Web links ever since I started using Twitter, and it made sense to do so. With its original 140-character limit, including links, space was at a premium. I have thousands of Bitly links going back more than 10 years.

Even after Twitter stopped counting URLs as characters, I continued using Bitly because it had become a habit. But no more.

I learned, this month, that I had a limit to the number of Bitly links I could create in a month. It's 12. Not nearly enough to cover my blog posts, which is usually around 18 to 20 per month. My last Bitly link was on September 18.

Because I'm no longer on Hootsuite (nor Twitter, nor Facebook, and barely even on LinkedIn) I have to manually post a blog announcement on my main social-media site, Mastodon, and then I copy that post and paste it into my Threads feed. If I remember, later in the day, I repost that announcement on each platform.

My process is no longer automated.

Since when did we stop being the product for these sites?

It makes no sense for me to continue to use Bitly in October, once my 12-link allowance starts again. I may as well use the link for my blog posts directly. There's nothing to be gained by shortening a link.

How about you? What services did you use regularly but have stopped because of limiting factors?

I understand that these are businesses that want to make money, and I've been benefitting from a free ride for years. But because I don't make any money from my blog, I can't justify an expense to notify my followers when I can do it myself, for free.

At The Brown Knowser, you've never been a product.

New Game in Town

Now that my free subscription to the New York Times game, Spelling Bee, has ended, I've been looking for new ways to kill some time and keep my brain sharp, and luckily, the NYT has introduced another free game, along with Wordle.

It's called Connections.

The rules are simple: you are provided with 16 words and you must find four that have something in common, such as how they sound or how they are components of an object, or if they are all words that describe something similar. When you have clicked on these four connected words, you submit your guess.

You are allowed only four attempts to link all four groups of words.

For example, in this puzzle, the words WON, TOO, FOR, and ATE all sound like numbers.

It's a challenging game and can take me much longer than it does to solve Wordle's word of the day, but it takes less time than Spelling Bee took me to find all of the words to get me to Genius level.

I've only been playing it a few times but I'm getting hooked. Fortunately, it's available to play only once each day, like the other NYT games I've played, so it doesn't take up a lot of time.

How about you? Have you played it? What other games do you play? Leave me a comment, below.

Happy Monday!

Roadtrip-Ready

The car has a new windshield and has come back from the dealership, yesterday, after a full tune-up. It's been washed and the kayak roof racks have been removed for less wind resistance.

From 2014, behind the wheel.

We're ready to hit the road.

Initially, we were supposed to be leaving Canada, this weekend, for a two-week trip to Italy with my parents. But worries about health (both my folks and myself) and unexpected expenses forced us to cancel the trip a couple of months ago.

That doesn't mean that DW and I are staying at home. We won't be going abroad but we're getting out of Ottawa for a week.

Tomorrow, we'll be driving to Toronto to spend the weekend with Kid 2, who now calls that city home. We'll check out a jazz club and take in some live music, and we'll explore a bit of the city (we know it well enough but may try to find new things to do).

From Toronto, we'll hit the road again and drive to Stratford, where we'll meet up with some friends and split an Airbnb. We have plans to see three plays, walk the Bacon and Ale Trail, explore chocolate shops, and more.

Next Friday, we say goodbye to our friends (they also live in Ottawa so we'll see them again, soon) and drive to Guelph, where we'll visit more of my oldest and dearest friends. I'm lucky enough to have four friends, and their families, living in this small town, and they've all said that they'll be available for a get-together.

I can't wait.

And you can bet that I'll be coming home with some exciting brews to review in the coming weeks.

Sure, Toronto and southern Ontario are not my first choices for a vacation, but given who we'll be seeing in the nine days that we're away, I can't imagine a better way to spend some free time.

Happy Friday!

Southern Ontario Towns

The last time that DW and I were in Stratford, Ontario, we were newlyweds. Or, actually, new-ish-ly weds.

We had been married at the beginning of July, in 1994, but took our honeymoon later in the summer, when the crowds of Niagara-on-the-Lake thinned but the Shaw Festival was still running. For a wedding gift, we had been given a two-night, suite stay at the Prince of Wales Hotel, in the heart of this theatrical tourist town. Our room was on the second floor in the prime corner piece of the hotel, looking up the main street.

We caught a couple of plays before moving on to another small town, known as well for its theatre: Stratford. We stayed at a B&B and caught a couple of plays, including The Pirates of Penzance. I don't really care for musical theatre but I do remember enjoying this production.

I'm trying to remember if the late, great Gordon Pinsent, who we only lost this year, was in that play or if we had seen him in something else.

Twenty-nine years was a long time ago.

But we did tour the town: its streets, shops, and parks. I even hung my hat on a bust of William Shakespeare, which I think suited him.

In addition to Stratford, where we only stayed a couple of days, we also toured the small town of St. Marys, where I think we camped somewhere nearby its quarry.

My memory of these areas is starting to fade. The few photos that I have from that vacation are all that keep me remembering, though soon I fear that I'll look at the photos and try to remember where they were taken.

I'm going to have to revisit these towns. Soon.

Happy Thursday!

Cha-Ching!

Openly image: KMR Photography.

When DW and I first moved into our house, more than 23 years ago, I used to refer to our weekends as "500-dollar weekends." Because we were furnishing a home for the first time, we needed more things than our previous apartment held.

We needed a kitchen table and chairs. We needed a second sofa for our living room. We needed a lawn mower. And a dish washer. And a washer and dryer. Our refrigerator, which had been given to us by an aunt conked out shortly after we plugged it in, so we needed to replace it.

Every weekend, for the first few months, had us going to Ikea, or Sears, or some other store. We seldom walked out of that store with less than $500 spent, hence my nickname for those Saturdays and Sundays.

Spending eventually got back under control as soon as our house was more livable, and we were actually able to start saving money. Both DW and I had good-paying jobs, so we were feeling good.

Of course, when kids came along, we had more expenses again but they were manageable. And, because of the joy that our kids gave us, it was money well-spent.

When both kids were in competitive dance, our costs went through the roof. One year, with all of the costumes, the travel, and competition expenses, we saw a $17,000 dance season.

Again, our kids were loving it and we were supportive, so it was money well-spent.

There have been major expenses over the years to keep our house going and to ensure that we were comfortable, but never has it seemed to be more expensive than it has this year. It seems that so many things have hit us in such a short period.

In the early part of 2023, in winter, our furnace died. We had it replaced to the tune of five grand. It wasn't so bad and we always keep a contingency account for such events. DW keeps our budgets for household issues, vacations, and entertainment well in line with our income, so we're in good shape.

But in the spring, when the hot weather came on hard and we were forced to turn on our air-conditioning unit early, we discovered that it, too, had packed it in after 23 seasons. We compared the cost of a replacement unit versus a heat pump, and even though the heat pump was more than twice the price of a conventional AC unit, the savings to the environment and the reduction in monthly consumption costs made us go for that.

Another $11,000 gone. Though the federal government will be giving us a rebate, we had to pay everything up-front and we're still waiting for that cheque to arrive. It may not come until the end of the year.

A couple of weeks ago, we received a call from Kid 1, who was driving home from work when the battery light came on the dash of our CR-V, and shortly after, all lights started flickering, and the vehicle lost power. She managed to get the SUV safely to the side of the road but she was stranded.

I drove out to Kanata to rescue her and called a tow truck that would take our vehicle to my mechanic. The cost was only $200 for the tow but a new alternator for the CR-V was nearly $800.

A small sting, but still.

Last week, a large crack appeared down the centre of the windscreen of our Niro. Inspecting the glass, it seems that a rock or some other object hit the glass at the very top, where it meets the roof of the car. It placed a chip along the edge of the windshield. It was so small that I figured, had it hit in the middle of the glass, it wouldn't have been so bad. But because it was on the edge of the window, it sent the crack running.

My mechanic recommended a mobile glass-replacement company and they did the work for less than anyone else that I called. For just under $600, we had a new windshield.

I haven't mentioned the cost of helping Kid 2 move, in Toronto, or other expenses that are just par for being an adult. DW and I have also been a bit stressed after she lost her job, in July, knowing that if she doesn't pick something up, it's going to affect our retirement plans.

Yes, 2023 is turning out to be an expensive year for us, but I'm confident we'll manage. I'm just glad that we had cancelled our trip to Italy, which was supposed to start at the end of this month, before all of these costs started adding up. I wouldn't have enjoyed it.

Fingers crossed that nothing else gets thrown our way.

Happy Monday!

Before and After

A change was inevitable. I'm glad this one was for the better.

There was a lot of talk about the iron truss train bridge that crosses the Ottawa River at Lemieux Island. Was it going to be refurbished and used to take the O-Train across to Gatineau? Was it going to be converted to a pedestrian and cyclist bridge? Or was it going to either be torn down or left to rust away and fall into the river?

I'm glad that the second option was chosen. The path is a great way for people to cross between provinces and will hopefully serve our community for months.

Years ago, just before the city erected tall, chain-linked fences around the start of the bridge but still had signs telling people not to trespass onto it, back when the Chief William Commanda Bridge went by another name (I won't deadname it here) I wandered about halfway across this beautiful bridge (yes, in it's rusty condition, I found it beautiful) and took a picture of the graffiti-covered beams.

It was one of my favourite photos of that year.

One beautiful Saturday evening, just before the official opening of the bridge occurred, DW and I walked upon it to capture the sunset. You can see photos from that walk in this week's Wordless Wednesday. When I reached a certain point on the new path, which is both wooden boardwalk and paved asphalt, I turned back to look toward the Ottawa shore and remembered that I had stood on this very spot, in 2016.

So I took a photo once again.

For some reason, I didn't feel the same rush that I felt seven years ago. Perhaps it was because I wasn't alone—I had DW and several other people on the bridge—and also because I was no longer trespassing, no longer breaking the law.

But it was good to be on the bridge again. Next time, I'll probably cross on my bike.

Now that the bridge is named after an Algonquin elder and spiritual leader of the Kitigàn-zìbì Anishinàbeg First Nation, near Maniwaki, Québec, I'm wondering: should I go back to all of my previous posts of this bridge and rename them? Should I rename all photos that I had taken over the decades?

Going forward, I will use the bridge's new name, the one it so rightfully deserves. I want to be respectful of the new name. But does that mean I have to change the past or do I leave the past the past and look to the future?

Leave me your thoughts in the Comments section.

Happy Friday!

Beer O'Clock: Earl Grey Marmalade

When Dominion City Brewing opened its doors, in 2014, I didn't know what to expect. They had paid for a part of their construction through a Go Fund Me fundraiser, and I was a skeptic. If you make good beer, why do you need people to fund the start of your brewery?

Wait until you get your brewery running, put out some beer, and I'll try it. If I like the beer, I'll financially support the company by continuously buying the product. I wasn't going to support a company that hadn't yet produced any beer.

Nine years later, Dominion City is one of my favourite Ottawa breweries and I regularly pick up a few cans from the LCBO, order a pint or two when it's available at a pub, and order online, directly from the brewery.

I've only ever been in the brewery, which is in Ottawa's east end, twice. The last time, I had joined a Brew Donkey tour: the first time, I checked them out shortly after they first opened. I sampled some of the beer from their taps and then picked up a couple of growlers—cans weren't yet available.

One of the brews that I tried, back then, was an interesting saison. It was back in the time before I had really developed a love for this farmhouse-style ale, so while I liked the sample, I wasn't ready to commit to a growler.

For years, I never saw it on their Web site, so even after having a great appreciation for saisons, I couldn't order this ale.

Until the other week.

Earl Grey Marmalade Saison (5.5% ABV)
Dominion City Brewing Company
Ottawa ON

Appearance: pours an unfiltered, deep gold with a foamy white head that clings to the sides of the glass and settles to a thin cap or very dense lace.

Nose: the spices of the Earl Grey tea come through with a bit of candied fruit.

Palate: the orange flavour is subtle but mixes well with the spices of the Earl Grey tea. I still get a touch of banana, which I expect with a saison, and there's a flinty mineral and black pepper that comes through as well. The finish is short but spicy.

Overall impression: this is an easy-drinking saison with a bit extra. While I don't get a distinct impression of marmalade, there is a definite flavour of orange peel. There's more tea and mineral than fruit but nothing overpowers.

Beer O'Clock rating: 🍺🍺

You can order this saison directly from the brewery, which charges $5 to deliver in Ottawa or $15 for deliveries throught Ontario with a minimum $50 order. Or, you can just go straight to the brewery and pick some up there.

This Friday (tomorrow), Dominion City will be celebrating it's ninth anniversary. If you're in the Ottawa area, I recommend checking them out. Details can be found here.

Cheers!

Chief William Commanda Bridge

Wrong Number

I received a text message the other day that was immediately recognized as a wrong number but it was a wrong number that made my day.

Actually, two days.

I get lots of scammers, political parties, and companies, mostly who want to take my money from me. But I almost never get a text message that is intended for another person.

I knew it was a wrong number because the person was writing to somebody by the name Tina. The last time I checked, my name wasn't Tina. Normally, when I get a misdirected text, I delete it immediately, without reading the rest of the message, but this one intrigued me.

The texter was inviting Tina to dinner. On the menu: Japanese food.

I hadn't had dinner yet, and the thought of Asian food made my stomach rumble. I replied to the message by saying that I wasn't Tina but the thought of Japanese food was appealing.

I got no response. I guess I wasn't going to be invited.

The next day, however, I received another text from this person. This time, they weren't trying to reach Tina. The person was contacting me.

Apparently, the writer said, my phone number and Tina's phone number are similar. They regretted the mistake and hoped that they hadn't upset me. Or words to that effect.

I was going to leave the communication there but the message put a smile on my face. Of course, the person hadn't bothered me. In fact, after responding to the first message, my family and I ordered Asian food for dinner because I had a craving for it after thinking about Japanese food. It was all good.

I wanted to let the person know that I wasn't bothered by their message, so I wrote back.

Having bid the person a good day, I thought that would be the end of the messages. And indeed, the person didn't respond and so I thought we were done and dusted.

But almost a half hour later, another message came through. I learned that the anonymous texter was new to Canada. Their final message warmed my heart.

I didn't respond, though I was tempted. I wanted to welcome them to my country and wish them a pleasant stay. Maybe I should have.

What do you think?

Paddling Plaisance

If you look at my YouTube channel—and I really hope that you'll visit it and even subscribe—you'd think I didn't do much this year.

There are a few videos of DW's and my trip to Portugal, but that trip was almost a year ago. It just took me several months to edit the video footage and put stories together, with the final video coming out last July.

There are a couple of videos of our trip to Mexico, which was in 2023 but all the way back in January. Oh, and there's a hyperlapse video of me shovelling my driveway.

Exciting stuff, that video.

But there are no videos of me riding my bike, no videos of us camping (I've gone twice, this year). And, I haven't posted a video of any of the kayaking treks that DW and I have done.

Until now.

True, I haven't been in my kayak as often has I had been last year or the previous two summers. July was pretty much a write-off for me, health-wise, and August flew by. But I did get in my kayak in May and June, and I was paddling on two different rivers in two different provinces, on two different days over the Labour Day weekend.

DW and I have wanted to paddle in Québec's Parc de Plaisance, which is along the Ottawa River, across from Wendover, since we first acquired our kayaks, in 2020, and had paddled the South Nation River from Jessups Falls to Wendover.

We had, at that time, considered crossing the Ottawa River and linking up with the Rivière de la Petite Nation, but we've learned that the current in the Ottawa River is strong at that point, and crossing might leave us too tired to return. So we decided that some day, we'd drive to Plaisance and start our paddle in the park.

Our goal was to paddle the Rivière de la Petite Nation from the park's interpretation centre to the Chutes de Plaisance and back, a 10-kilometre round-trip trek. Last Sunday, we packed up our gear and did just that.

The trek is fairly easy, though you are paddling against the current. If you stop paddling for some length of time, you will eventually start to drift downstream, slowly.

Very slowly.

It's only when you get within a few hundred metres of the base of the falls where you actually feel the current. But you also reach a rocky, shallow stretch of the river where you can't paddle, anyway. There's a muddy shore where you can get out of your kayak and walk, uphill, to spots where you can get breathtaking views of these grand falls.

I've put together a video of our trek, which you can watch here:

I don't think this will be our last visit to Plaisance Park. There are other areas to explore by kayak or canoe, as well as some cycling trails.

I have kayaked less frequently than in previous years but more often than this one paddle. I have three or four other outings that I've recorded but I haven't really looked at most of them. I have cycling footage, too, that I'll eventually get to.

I'm currently working on the video footage of our trip to Rock Lake, in Algonquin Provincial Park. I'll have that video ready in the next couple of weeks.

And I have more videos planned soon, when DW and I head out for vacation.

Stay tuned.

The Measure of a Photographer

Does the camera make any photographer great or can a great photographer make any camera perform well?

Last week, I talked about how a person who attended the Photo Synthesis photography exhibit had admired my work but said that I must have a great camera with which to capture those images. But was it the camera that made my images great or could I have captured those subjects with any camera?

As a test, I posted three photos of sunflowers that I had recently taken with three different cameras: a $2,750 Nikon D750 with a 50mm lens; a $1,900 Nikon D7200 with an 18-105mm zoom lens; and a $960 Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphone. And I asked you to tell me which camera was used to capture which photo.

If you haven't seen last week's post and want to try to guess, go to that post now, before you read this post any further. I'm about to provide the results.

Ready? As always, you can click each photo to see them close up.

Samsung Galaxy S10: 6mm; f/2.4; 1/30 sec; 160 ISO.

Nikon D7200: 105mm; f/5.6; 1/60 sec; 400 ISO.

Nikon D750: 50mm; f/2.0; 1/2500 sec; 640 ISO.

How did you do? Could you tell which camera captured which image?

Now honestly, did the quality of camera make me a better photographer? Was the photo shot with the D750 really much better than with my smartphone?

For me, I see my abilities as a photographer above measuring the value of the camera. Every one of these shots captured the essence of that sunflower field. It didn't matter which camera I used.

Which is your favourite photo? Did knowing which camera took it change your opinion of the shot? Let me know in the Comments section.

Happy Friday!

Beer O'Clock: Memories of Bayeux and Pee-wee

This post is dedicated to my friend, Perry. May we long be able to raise a glass to good friends.

Just seeing the can brought back great memories.

DW and I were at a friend's house for a movie night. In remembrance of the recently late Paul Reubens, we had chosen Pee-wee's Big Adventure. It's incredibly silly but that's what makes it such a great movie. It's a Tim Burton movie, of course.

Another friend from DW's high school year joined us for the evening, and she had never even seen Pee-wee Herman before. She was in for an 80s cultural experience.

Before we sat down in front of the big screen, we prepared some snacks and drinks. I had a sour ale from Whitewater Brewing while DW and our host had margaritas. They wanted to be drinking something with tequila in it for when the song came up.

If you've seen the movie, you know what I'm talking about.

The other friend pulled out a can of a famous French beer and cracked it open, and as the can popped, my mind was suddenly transported back to 2014 and Bayeux, France.

DW and I were vacationing with our kids. It had already been a busy day, with a morning in Honfleur and a reflective visit to Juno Beach, where I found a name plate for a friend's grandfather, who landed there on D-Day.

Afterward, in Bayeux, we visited the museum that houses the famous tapestry of the same name. It was a great experience for us all and I was transported back to my university days, when I studied Medieval history. Seeing the Bayeux Tapestry for me was as rewarding as the time that I walked on the Great Wall of China.

After the museum, we took the kids and ourselves in search of some food. It was mid-afternoon and we had skipped lunch. One of the remarkable things of walking this old town's streets is seeing shops with painted windows that still showed gratitude for the D-Day liberators, with cartoons depicting Canadian, British, and American troops.

We found a shop that sold sandwiches, and being parched, I ordered a beer to quench my thirst. It was the same beer that was currently bringing back this memory.

All I remember about the beer was that it succeeded in quenching my thirst and that it had a nice flavour. How would this beer hold up for an all-out review?

Several days after the movie night, I picked up a couple of cans at my local Farm Boy grocery store. Which brings us to now.

1664 Blanc (5% ABV)
Kronenbourg Brewery (owned by Carlsberg Group)
Obernai, France

Appearance: pours a hazy, bright yellow-gold with a foamy head that settles to a thin, solid cap.

Nose: grassy citrus (lemongrass?) and a touch of biscuit.

Palate: there's a floral flavour that leads the way with light citrus and warm malt. Notes of mild banana and puréed pear come up in a medium finish, which reminds me of a subtle saison (without the mineral flintiness).

This is a perfectly light wheat ale to enjoy on a hot day (and this week, in Ottawa, has certainly been hot!).

Overall impression: I'm glad to see that the impression this Alsatian wheat ale had left on me in 2014 has continued nine years later. This is an enjoyable brew that goes down easy and refreshes. Yes, it's now owned by a huge beverage empire in the Netherlands but this is a brew upon which, I'm sure, many small craft brewers have modelled their wheat ales. If not, they should take note from a company that's been around for nearly 360 years.

Wheat ales have really started growing on me and 1664 Blanc is a model upon which I shall base all others. Sure, they've added artificial flavours and, no doubt, preservatives, but if I can't taste them, I don't think they should detract from my overall impression.

Beer O'Clock rating: 🍺🍺🍺

You can find 1664 Blanc in The Beer Store, your friendly neighbourhood LCBO, and in some grocery stores. It's practically everywhere.

Cheers!

First Strangers

It was uncomfortably hot in the Byward Market and I had already exposed myself to a lot of sunshine that day.

DW and I had met with some friends in Pakenham and had kayaked a 12-kilometer round-trip trek from the Five Span Bridge to the Upper Dwyer Hill Road underpass, and back. Though we paddled in the morning, the heat steadily grew and was about 30°C by lunch.

Shortly after we returned home and put the kayaks and equipment away, I mowed the lawn. I only cut the front lawn because the sun was blistering hot and there's shade from our neighbour's tree to protect me. But when I was done, I was soaked in sweat.

I had a quick snack and then hit the shower. I needed to be clean, fresh-shaven, and decently dressed. I was meeting strangers and I wanted to make a good impression.

I lucked into finding a parking spot in the shade of a building on Dalhousie Street. I grabbed my Nikon D750 with a 50mm, f/1.8 lens, and headed into the centre of the Byward Market. I also packed my Brown Knowser business cards and a pen.

I wanted to be prepared.

This was the first day of my More Strangers project (I swear I'm going to come up with a better name). The first strangers are always the hardest. I'm shy in front of people I don't know and need to practice what I'm going to say. I needed to put on my best smile and to not seem pushy or creepy.

The first person I saw was a young black woman who was leaning against a vacant store front. I had spied her when I was wandering this side street, looking for a spot with good light, shaded from the lowering sun. She was talking on her cell phone so I left her alone and continued walking up and down this street. I thought the row of vacant windows was a good setting, so I hoped that someone would come by and I could ask them to pose.

A short time later, after I had only seen people in groups or people who seemed determined to get somewhere and so weren't approachable, I noticed that the black woman was swiping on her phone and didn't seem to be talking anymore. This was my chance.

I wandered up and apologized for intruding on her space, and introduced myself. I explained my project and asked if I could take her photograph.

She explained that she was on a phone call, though something told me that she was curious about what I wanted. I apologized again and asked if I could just take one or two captures while she talked on the phone.

She declined.

I bid her a good day and moved on. That's my number one rule: as soon as someone says "no," the conversation is over. I refuse to be pushy.

I stood near a wall that was covered in a colourful mural and thought it might be an interesting background, should I find a willing subject. Even in the shade, it was hot and humid. Passers-by were carrying cool drinks and water bottles, and many looked like the heat was getting to them, their faces seeming displeased and possibly prone to irritation from a stranger with a camera.

I avoided approaching those people.

A young man, dressed in black, stopped about 10 metres from me and leaned against a bare section of the wall. He opened a bottle of water and began to drink. He set his black backpack at his feet to unburden himself while he tried to get some respite from direct sunlight.

He was my second attempt, and he said "Yes."

I asked if he would stand in front of the street art and lean against the wall. Without prompting, he moved his backpack out of the frame and placed his water bottle next to it.

His name is Viet.

I took four shots, showed them to him, and thanked him. He asked more about my project and I showed him some images from my 100 Strangers project. We chatted a bit more and then he was on his way.

I spied another person, standing near where I first spotted Viet, looking at her smartphone. I approached her and gave my spiel.

"Will my picture appear on social media?" she asked in a strong English accent.

"Yes," I said. I plan to be honest about my project. That's another hard rule.

She politely declined and I bid her a great day.

I changed my venue, moving to the east side of the ByWard Market building, the heart of this neighbourhood. William Street is now closed to automobiles along this spot and there is artwork on the pavement. Muskoka chairs of various colours line the street, welcoming people to sit and relax. Kiosks sell hot food and cool drinks.

I scoped out a small alcove, with two doors marked 'Exit Only,' and thought it might be nice if I could find a tough-looking, biker-type person to stand in the space with an intimidating look and arms folded, as though blocking entrance (I know: I'm stereotyping). I saw one fellow but he was with a few of his friends and they were in animated conversation, so I didn't want to disturb him.

I saw her footwear first: bright, puffy, fluffy pink slippers. They were like a beacon that drew my eyes to them. They were attached to a young woman who was carrying a big red bag, black purse, her smartphone, and a cool drink. She wore pink shorts and a white shirt.

I had to approach her.

I already had two people decline to be photographed, both women. I had been in the Market for more than an hour and I was feeling the heat. I was tired from the day's activities. If this woman said no, I'd call it a day and go home with the comfort that one person had already said yes.

She, too, said yes.

My eyes were drawn to the slippers but I had to remind myself that my latest stranger project was going to highlight people in a black-and-white format. It didn't really matter what colour she wore.

It was easy to envisage Viet in black and white. He was already entirely dressed in black. It was the first day of my project and the first strangers, so there was bound to be more thought required on my part when choosing a subject.

But Bryanna had a lot of character and gladly posed for her first shot, standing on one leg with arms in the air and a big smile on her lovely face. I asked her to crouch low for one of the shots, with one of those pink slippers facing out front, and it also turned out well.

She asked for my business card, wanting to know when I was going to post her photo, and she contacted me later that night to request that I send her copies, which I have done.

Thanks for your enthusiasm, Bryanna, and for supporting my project.

I still wanted those pink slippers for a shot, so I compromised. Can you believe that I had to lower the saturation level on that footwear and they're still really bright?

Perfect!

The project continues.