We're just back from a road trip into the Canadian shield. It's been quite a few years since we headed north, and we wanted to return to the beautiful landscapes north of Sault Sainte Marie. We headed out from southern Ontario, and by the time we were north of Highway 7 we were into the granite, water and trees.
As a resident of Southern Ontario, this area, which is generally understood to be Central Ontario, looks more like the great North to me. The area I would call Far North is actually just Northern Ontario. This is the inaccurate viewpoint of a Toronto boy. In reality, the far north extends well beyond Ontario - it’s a long way to the Arctic Ocean.
I think most Canadians are familiar with the Big Nickel in Sudbury. And I guess it's not surprising that the back of the big nickel looks like the heads of any 1951 nickel, but nonetheless I found that vaguely surprising, and I don't really know why.
I'm glad I looked. We were just going to just drive by with a mile-away glance being sufficient on our journey to elsewhere, but I am glad we decided to pull in for a visit.
The various pieces of sheet metal that were assembled to create the image of George Six are interesting to see at close range. It was obviously built to be seen at a distance. The ear and cheek piece looks like it was just pasted on top, and it probably was the last component of his face to be installed.
Here’s a link to the Wikipedia entry on the big nickel.
And here's what the other side looks like.
Here's the Agawa Canyon. I find the area intensely beautiful, as did the Group of Seven painters in the first part of the 20th century. The last time I was here I was 19 years old, hopping a freight train, riding in an open gondola car on my way to Vancouver. Great views from an open car. This time I was a pensioner on the tourist train - less of a thrill, but still very beautiful
And for the curious, this is what a gondola car looks like.
And don't forget about my book. If only you knew about it, you'd probably want it.
An imaginary author named André Questcequecest has made his writing career by almost exclusively quoting other writers. This fair-use collage of ideas produces an expanded understanding of Western cultural history and an individual's immersion in that context. The quotes range from the Pre-Socratics to contemporary art theory, along with numerous artists, poets, composers, philosophers, theorists, mystics, and an assortment of unexpected eccentrics.
S. E. Armstrong is a visual artist, writer, and former Editor/Publisher of the art magazine Wegway Primary Culture. André Questcequecest was the magazine's Quotes Editor, and Wm. F. Krendall (also imaginary) was Wegway's Mysterious Advisor. Krendall contributed a preamble and introduction to this volume. [“Questcequecest” is French for “What's that?” with all the apostrophes and hyphens removed].
This is a collection of four works collected in one 229 page book: Gathering Thoughts 2021 , The Pomposius 1995, The Science Wars 2004, and The Communist Manifesto with all Words Functioning as Nouns Removed 2001 to 2010.
Spoiler: The final words in the book are, “And so ends the old world. Peace be with you.”
It’s now available for sale for $20 USD, $24CAD, 14.50 EUR, 12 GBP, $23 AUD.
If you buy it through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Ingram they will take approximately 90% or more of the cover price, but if you buy it at lulu.com the split is closer to 50-50.