Dan Conlin has kept track of the trick-or-treaters who called at his Duncan St., Halifax, home for the last 17 years. Yesterday's numbers showed a modest uptick, but the overall trend is dramatic and downward: This year's visitors began arriving at 5:35 pm, peaked at 7 p.m., and had vanished into the night by 8:15. Vampires, Princesses, and Ninjas led the parade, at six each. Only one cat made an appearance, likely the one pictured, feline fancier Rosa Eileen Barss Donham, who lives one street over from Dan. Conlin gives his Best Overall Costume Award to an eight-year-old walking box of Ritz Crackers, English in...

01 November, 2013

To say that my granddaughter, Rosa Eileen Barss Donham, age 7, likes stuffed animals is a bit like saying the Atlantic Ocean is a body of water. Both statements are true as far as they go, but neither captures the full grandeur of its subject matter. Rosa has a large collection of stuffed animals, each with its own name, personality, backstory, quirks, likes, dislikes, and adventuresome exploits. Her current favourite, a white kitten called Snowflake, was a great comfort when Rosa had her tonsils out last year. Snowflake even accompanied Rosa to the operating room, and got her own hospital bracelet...

29 August, 2013

Last Friday, Rosa's school had an in-service day, so Rosa went birding at Point Pleasant Park. She brought the cardboard binoculars she got for Christmas. She spotted a Common Loon trying to swallow a whole crab: Way off the tip of the park, she spied a Common Eider Drake: A Northern Pintal was hanging around First Beach. Notice his blue bill? Here he is again, standing on one leg: A Pintail-Mallard hybrid was resting on the sand: A Red-Breasted Merganser was drying his feathers in the sun...

25 February, 2012

A father and his daughter were strolling along the shore of Sir Sandford Fleming Park Tuesday when the father  spotted a seabird on the opposite shore. Father (age 39):  Look, Rosa, over on the far side. I think it's a loon. Rosa (age 3-1/2):  It's a black guillemot. Father:  Maybe it's a red-breasted merganser. Rosa:  It's a black guillemot. Later, at home, the photo was enlarged. Verdict:  Black guillemot, winter plumage....

16 March, 2010