AmplifiedLIFE

Looks like The Dollar Store is gearing up for Canada Day.

The O-Train is a light metro transit system in Ottawa, Canada. There are two lines, the electrically-operated Confederation Line and the diesel-operated Trillium Line. The name "O-Train" was based on the classic Duke Ellington signature tune "Take the 'A' Train", which refers to the New York City Subway's A train. Because Ottawa is a bilingual city, the name had to work in both English and French. In French, it is pronounced similarly to au train, as in to travel "by train".

A sunny day. All my cameras loaded and ready to go. A fun way to pass the time. The music track is called, Drifting at 432 Hz - by the Unicorn Heads

My friends and I were waiting for an overnight flight from Los Angeles California to Sydney Australia. If you wait around long enough, you start to come up with things to keep you from boredom. We all had our neck pillows on. Here’s what we came up with on the ‘people mover’ moving sidewalk,

It’s a bright, sunny day here on Lac Ste Pierre in Quebec Canada, and Canadians are out on the lake buzzing around and having fun! - - - - Snowmobile Trails — There are 230,000 miles of marked snowmobile trails in the United States and Canada. Big Business — Snowmobiling is a $22 billion business in the United States and $6 billion in Canada. The industry is responsible for more than 90,000 full-time jobs related to manufacturing, dealerships and tourism. Snowmobilers spend, on average, $4,000 per year on snowmobile recreation, and they raised $3.2 million for charity in 2011. Sales Are Up! — There were 130,000 new snowmobiles sold worldwide in 2012, which is 6,000 more than was sold in 2011. The United States accounted for 49,000 and Canada 40,000. Other significant sales were in Europe and Russia. Average Joe Snowmobiler — The average snowmobiler rides 920 miles per year, is 43 years old and has an annual household income of $65,000. Breakdown by gender is 75 percent male, 25 percent female.

Cosmic Drift by DivKid is the mesmerizing music track that goes perfectly with the hypnotic footage that time-lapse sessions always produce. Val-des-Monts. Quebec. Canada. Early February.

Many years ago, LONG before there was decent software for the task, I gathered all of my children’s school photos and attempted to cobble them together. “The great paradox of parenting is that it moves in both slow motion and fast speed.” “Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back everything is different.” - CS Lewis

A hearty Speedo-clad Canadian patriot expressing himself at the Trucker’s Freedom Rally in Ottawa.

Winterlude is held in Ottawa Canada every February Winterlude was created in 1979 to celebrate Canada's unique northern culture and climate Organizers were inspired by our ancestors who would gather to enjoy each other’s company during the long winter months On average, 600,000 visitors take part in the festivities on the Rideau Canal. The “world’s largest skating rink” Winterlude runs smoothly thanks to 800 volunteers Loving winter outdoors AND staying toasty warm inside… THIS is Winterlude! - - - - - Each winter, the historic Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, becomes the Rideau Canal Skateway, the world’s largest skating rink. The Rideau Canal Skateway was first opened during the 1970–1971 season. The idea to turn the Rideau Canal into a skateway came from then-newly appointed NCC chair Doug Fullerton. In January 1971, a team of NCC employees armed with brooms and shovels turned his idea into a reality. They cleared a small section of ice between the Mackenzie King and Laurier bridges near the National Arts Centre. It was then extended as a six-metre-wide skating track on the canal ice surface to Dows Lake, a distance of about 5 km. At the area between the bridges, lighting and music were added to increase the enjoyment of skating in the evening. Despite the heavy snow and many hours of overtime, the NCC crews managed to keep the skating area cleared. That season, hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors made their way onto the ice to start a new winter tradition. Our knowledge and expertise in the science of ice have come a long way since then! Today, the Rideau Canal Skateway winds over 7.8 km through the heart of the Capital, and is a key site for Winterlude celebrations in February. The average skating season is 50 days, but the record is 95 days (1971–1972 season).

I spent some lovely days at the family cottage in late autumn and I couldn’t resist setting up some full-day timelapse’s. … day after day. I hope you enjoy them. I used a Canon 80D and a G7X, along with my GoPro 4 and iPhone 13. Quite a mix! I cut the footage to the music of DavKid. The track is called Polaroid Memories. I know I have a few of those. I bet you do too.

If a tree falls?

An early November Quebec morning on Lac Ste. Pierre. Canada geese, migratingto southern agricultural areas for the winter. They fly in a distinct “V” pattern, where one goose is the leader and its flock follows behind in a v-shape. Canada geese fly south to their non-breeding sites to avoid the cold. They'll stay in their non-breeding sites all winter. They’ll migrate back north to their breeding sites in April, May or Early June When they fly in formation, theycreate their own unique form of teamwork. As each bird flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the bird immediately following. ... Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. Canada geese can travel1,500 milesin a day if the weather permits. These birds tend to fly around 40 miles per hour during migration, though that can increase up to 70 miles per hour if they catch a strong tailwind. To reduce the effort, geese often fly at night when the air is calmer, or in the day when there's a helpful tailwind; they avoid flying into a headwind that would blow them backward. In addition, they have another energy-saving trick. When the Head Goose gets tired, it rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point. That’s teamwork!

Good morning! Time for a piping hot espresso, courtesy of our vintage Velox Ferrara electric coffee percolator, made primarily of bakelite and aluminum and designed in the 1950s. This one makes a single cup but BOY is it good! Velox has been manufacturing electric coffee makers in its historical Ferrara, Italy location since the 1920s. An espresso machine brews coffee by forcing pressurized water near boiling point through a "puck" of ground coffee and a filter in order to produce a thick, concentrated coffee called espresso. The first machine for making espresso was built and patented in 1905. An espresso machine may also have a steam wand which is used to steam and froth liquids (such as milk) for coffee drinks such as cappuccino and caffe latte. Espresso machines may be steam-driven, piston-driven, pump-driven, or air-pump-driven. Machines may also be manual or automatic. And in case this is your first time hearing about bakelite: Polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride, better known as Bakelite, was the first plastic made from synthetic components. It was developed in New York in 1907. The creation of a synthetic plastic was revolutionary for its electrical non-conductivity and heat-resistant properties in electrical insulators, radio and telephone casings and such diverse products as kitchenware, jewelry, pipe stems, children's toys, and firearms. The "retro" appeal of old Bakelite products has made them collectible. Bakelite was designated a National Historic Chemical Landmark on November 9, 1993, by the American Chemical Society in recognition of its significance as the world's first synthetic plastic.

My 1980’s Fender Stratocaster, resting by the fire. . Yes, I'm a southpaw 💪🏻😁

RIck Simpson Oil is ideally made from heavy indica strains that are known for their pain-reducing, anxiety-reducing, and calming whole-body effects. This year I chose a strain called “Big Bud”. And was she ever! Coming in at just under 12 feet tall! (365 cm) (look up. Waaay up) In Canada we can legally cultivate up to 4 cannabis plants per household, which is what I did. This was my yield. You should make sure it’s as dry as possible. You really can’t over dry it. The results of 4 plants will easily squish into one bucket. Crunching it into smaller pieces will make the filtering process a lot easier and way more efficient. If at all possible, work OUTside. Alcohol is highly flammable and you’ll be boiling it! You’ll need the following materials. 4 plants, dried and crushed 2 large buckets 24 x 500 ml Isopropyl alcohol - as pure as you can get it. 99% (you may not use all 24 bottles, but anything unused will be fine for next year) 1 Stir stick 1 mesh filter (something with larger, more porous holes for the first filtering stage) 2 large coffee filters (for the final, more refined filtering) A Rice cooker A cup syringes. You can use 1, 5, or 10mL sizes. I suggest you make almost all of them the 5mL size, with perhaps a few 1mL size that you can give away to someone who wants to try it. Ok. Let’s get started. Pour in alcohol until the material is completely covered. I believe I used 13 bottles Give it a proper stir and let it soak for at least a few minutes. The longer the better to a certain extent. Five minutes should be plenty. The first, BIG FILTER STAGE Pour the material through the big filter into the empty bucket. Personally, I like to do this twice. I add fresh alcohol, stir it again, and then pour it through a second time. I want to be sure I get as much of the oil extracted as possible. Put the waste material in another container for eventual composting. FINE FILTER STAGE We’re going to filter the material much more finely now, using a coffee filter. I do this stage twice, as well, using a fresh coffee filter each time. OK. Here is the sum total of all your material, finely filtered and suspended in solvent. Now it’s time to heat it up and boil off the alcohol. Turn on the rice cooker and fill it up to about 3/4s full. Put the lid back on. It will come to a boil. And the alcohol will start burning off. Continually supervise and add more material as the alcohol continues to boil off. Gently swish the cooker around periodically to release all of the solvent and to protect the oil from too much heat Near the final stages, I suggest adding 10 drops of water (to further ensure that the oil doesn’t begin to burn) Once all the alcohol has evaporated, turn off the rice cooker - if it hasn’t done so already, automatically. Now you’re ready to extract the oil into syringes. REMEMBER, the oil will begin to cool very rapidly and as it cools, it becomes less and less fluid and more gooey, so make sure you’re well organized and prepared so you can work fast when you get to this point. Packaging it in syringes makes for easier oral consumption, topical application, and storage. And there you have it. Your own pure batch of finest quality, Rick Simpson Oil. To your health and happiness.

Just a day in the life during Christmas holidays in Quebec.

A crisp November early morning mist on the water 4-minute drifting Timelapse from the shores of Lac Ste. Pierre in Quebec, Canada.

December 1, 2021. One of our first, below zero (Celsius) days here in Quebec. It’s hard to resist walking on this stuff. Much like popping bubble wrap 😊

In northern climates such as here in Quebec, Canada, it is not uncommon for a grassy field to be covered in dew, and then frost on a cold fall morning. Frost typically occurs on cold, clear nights when atmospheric conditions cause objects, including grass, to become colder than the surrounding air. Depending on the conditions, frost can be light and scattered or heavy enough to kill annual plants and cause perennial plants to go dormant. Grass blades move water through them for nourishment, but this moisture can freeze inside the grass ​during a frost. However, a light frost generally doesn't freeze the ground. Frost over several nights can lead to visible signs of damage, depending on the grass species. The dead grass will eventually become thatch that nourishes the soil below as the new seeds germinate and grow.

Take to the highway won't you lend me your name Your way and my way seem to be one and the same Mama don't understand it She wants to know where I've been I'd have to be some kind of natural born fool To wanna pass that way again But I could feel it, oh On a country road Walk on down, walk on down, walk on down Walk on down, walk on down a country road - James Taylor

Autumn leaf color is a phenomenon that affects the normal green leaves of many deciduous trees and shrubs by which they take on, during a few weeks in the autumn season, various shades of yellow, orange, red, purple, and brown. In some areas of Canada and the United States, "leaf peeping" tourism is a major contribution to economic activity. This tourist activity occurs between the beginning of color changes and the onset of leaf fall, usually around September and October in the Northern Hemisphere and April to May in the Southern Hemisphere. A green leaf is green because of the presence of a pigment known as chlorophyll. When abundant in the leaf's cells, as during the growing season, the chlorophyll's green color dominates and masks out the colors of any other pigments that may be present in the leaf. Thus, the leaves of summer are characteristically green. Chlorophyll has a vital function: it captures solar rays and uses the resulting energy in the manufacture of the plant's food – simple sugars which are produced from water and carbon dioxide. These sugars are the basis of the plant's nourishment – the sole source of the carbohydrates needed for growth and development. In their food-manufacturing process, the chlorophylls break down, thus are being continually "used up". During the growing season, however, the plant replenishes the chlorophyll so that the supply remains high and the leaves stay green. As autumn approaches, with daylight hours shortening and temperatures cooling, the veins that carry fluids into and out of the leaf are gradually closed off as a layer of special cork cells forms at the base of each leaf. As this cork layer develops, water and mineral intake into the leaf is reduced, slowly at first, and then more rapidly. During this time, the amount of chlorophyll in the leaf begins to decrease. Often, the veins are still green after the tissues between them have almost completely changed color. Deciduous plants were traditionally believed to shed their leaves in autumn primarily because the high costs involved in their maintenance would outweigh the benefits from photosynthesis during the winter period of low light availability and cold temperatures. Other factors involved include insect predation, water loss, and damage from high winds or snowfall.

Mid-afternoon zoom out time-lapse.

Shot with my GoPro from the balcony of our cottage in Val des Monts, Quebec. Lac Sainte-Pierre, Quebec, Canada. October 28, 2021

Enjoy this early morning moody scene set by the steam rising off the surface of Lac Sainte-Pierre in Quebec, Canada. A misty morning fog conjures a sense of mystery—but why the fog appears isn't so mysterious once you understand what it is and how it forms. It’s a beautiful sight, and one that becomes more common when the weather shifts from warm summer sunrises to crisp, cold autumn mornings. The phenomenon goes by many names, including steam fog, evaporation fog, frost smoke and sea smoke. So what makes it happen? Fog forms when cool air and warm water meet and, more specifically, when the difference between the temperature and the dew point is less than 4° Fahrenheit. Water is heated by the sun and stays warmer than the air during the cool night. When the cold layer of still air settles over the lake, warm water vapor from the lake evaporates, entering the cool air above it. The thin, warm, moist layer of air over the pond then mixes with the cooler air from the land. As it cools, condensation occurs and a fog forms. It looks like steam rising off the water, hence the name 'steam fog.' This happens not only over bodies of water but even over moist surfaces, like dew-covered meadows or even over your own skin if you get sweaty while jogging on a chilly morning. Now, next time you go out for a morning stroll along the edge of a lake or a pond and you see this happening, you can appreciate not only the beauty of it but also the science behind it!

Funny you should ask. Here we are on my back deck in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.