The Strausses on Locke Street

The river of gold at the front of our house

2008-09-16T06:56:00.004-04:00

View from across the road 1, originally uploaded by gideonstrauss.

It is September again, and Angela's plantings continue to enliven our front garden.

Back garden, June 29, 2008

2008-07-03T07:14:00.003-04:00

Angela - garden - June 29. 014, originally uploaded by gideonstrauss.

Angela has once again brought our small garden to bloom. She writes: "Don't you want to come over immediately for a lingering conversation interspersed with drifting gazes to your left and right?" Many more pictures over at Flickr.

Angela in the front garden

2008-04-05T18:38:00.003-04:00

Angela in the front garden, originally uploaded by gideonstrauss.

A new spring, and our first day back to the garden!

2007-11-20T19:50:00.001-05:00

Art work by Heidi Petersen. Reproduced with permission.

Kitchen window by Tala

2007-10-21T19:49:00.001-04:00

Kitchen window by Tala, originally uploaded by gideonstrauss.

Follow the link back to Flickr for more pictures ....

Ichironomics

2007-10-07T09:01:00.000-04:00

Ever since reading Tom Peters's Liberation Management and Hermann Simon's Hidden Champions, years ago, I have been enamoured of what is called "mittelstand businesses" - small- to mid-sized companies that have a leadership position in a global niche market.

This week, I read a blog entry by Tom Peters arguing for a city economic policy that emphasizes mittelstand business - an approach dubbed "ichironomics" by Rich Karlgaard of Forbes magazine.

Now I'm wondering: What is the multi-generational economic development vision of our city of Hamilton? And, what (if any) mittelstand companies already make their home in this city?

"Make second-tier cities attractive"

2007-09-15T13:47:00.000-04:00

Yup, that's the mission. (Quote from Richard Florida, via Penelope Trunk.)

September 2007 - Angela, birthday girl

2007-09-09T13:05:00.001-04:00

September 2007 - Angela, birthday girl, originally uploaded by gideonstrauss.

For Angela's birthday (yesterday) we did brunch today at the Harbour Diner in Hamilton. A neighbourhood diner, at a reasonable price, about fifteen minutes by car from our home.

Locke Street festival - September 8, 2007

2007-09-08T15:08:00.001-04:00

Locke Street festival - September 8, 2007, originally uploaded by gideonstrauss.

Perhaps the busiest business day on our street. This is the view from the railway bridge toward Aberdeen Street - our house is down at the far end on the left, and not visible in this picture.

How walkable is Locke Street?

2007-09-07T20:10:00.000-04:00

Our street's Walk Score?

67 out of 100

What does it mean? "50 - 70 = Some Walkable Locations: Some stores and amenities are within walking distance, but many everyday trips still require a bike, public transportation, or car."

(Hat tip: J. Mark Bertrand.)

Start of school, 2007

2007-09-04T15:04:00.001-04:00

Start of school, 2007 (2), originally uploaded by gideonstrauss.

Tala and Hannah are attending Westdale Secondary School this year.

Beading

2007-09-02T21:13:00.001-04:00

Beading, originally uploaded by gideonstrauss.

There are some new pictures up on our Flickr pages.

Front garden, early August 2007

2007-08-07T08:14:00.001-04:00

Front garden, early August 2007, originally uploaded by gideonstrauss.

Our garden is a riot of colour, especially because of the yellow Black-eyed Susans in the front and the luminous orange Cosmos at the back. Three cheers for Angela! (Check Flickr for more pictures of a higher quality!)

Angela watering

2007-07-14T12:23:00.001-04:00

Angela watering, originally uploaded by gideonstrauss.

For the state of our garden, visit our Flickr pages ...

70th Birthday celebrations

2007-07-14T12:20:00.001-04:00

70th Birthday celebrations, originally uploaded by gideonstrauss.

My parents have been visiting with us for three weeks, and a few evenings ago we celebrated their 70th birthdays (one a year behind schedule, one a year ahead).

Not really bedside reading ...

2007-06-24T22:50:00.001-04:00

Not really bedside reading ..., originally uploaded by gideonstrauss.

Aphorisms, poetry, philosophy, and short stories. Some of which will have to wait several weeks, until Gideon's sabbatical, to be seriously read and not just lovingly fondled.

Connan, doing martial arts futbol

2007-06-10T20:26:00.001-04:00

June 10, 2007
Originally uploaded by New City Church

New City Church met in Beulah Park today. Connan preached from Nehemiah 5.

Roofing

2007-06-03T20:38:00.001-04:00

Roofing, originally uploaded by gideonstrauss.

This week our house was re-roofed. Three cheers for DeLuca Roofing!

Spekboom bonsai closeup

2007-06-02T10:32:00.000-04:00

Sweet Angela

2007-06-02T10:31:00.000-04:00

Sparkleristas

2007-06-02T10:29:00.000-04:00

Angela back from treeplanting evangelism

2007-05-26T14:50:00.001-04:00

Angela back from treeplanting evangelism, originally uploaded by gideonstrauss.

I think this is Angela's third door-to-door outing, trying to persuade Kirkendallers to take free trees from the City of Hamilton. She has been having a great deal of fun, talking passionately about something she really believes in, and getting to know all kinds of interesting people.

See: City of Hamilton Street Tree Planting Program

The May 24 weekend is upon us ...

2007-05-21T11:52:00.001-04:00

Pottering around, originally uploaded by gideonstrauss.

... follow the link for some evidence of Strauss house gardening activity.

Neighbourhood artist

2007-05-13T20:35:00.000-04:00

This weekend the 8th Annual Southwest Hamilton Artists' Studio Tour beckoned, but other obligations kept us from these delights. I did manage to quickly run into the home of Gordon Leverton this afternoon, though, at the recommendation of Connan Kublik, the pastor of New City Church. I like Mr. Leverton's paintings, and I especially like that many of his paintings are of places in our town. It turns out that he blogs once in a while.

Apple blossoms close-up

2007-05-12T12:34:00.001-04:00

Apple blossom close-up 3, originally uploaded by gideonstrauss.

Tala has taken some beautiful pictures of our apple tree's blossoms. (For more recent garden pictures, visit Flickr.)

What Tala and Hannah did this weekend

2007-05-06T21:12:00.000-04:00

Tala has created a special blog for her photographs of the 2007 All Ontario Choir weekend.

Angela and her yellow tulips

2007-05-06T21:09:00.001-04:00

Angela and her yellow tulips, originally uploaded by gideonstrauss.

Many of Angela's plants are beginning to flower. She has started spending those long spring-summer-and-fall hours in the garden again, including a 2 pm to 1 am stretch one day last week! (For more garden pictures, visit Flickr.) All these pictures, by the way, were taken by Tala.

Spring has sprung

2007-04-28T13:41:00.000-04:00

More pictures at Flickr.

Recovery

2007-04-24T06:57:00.000-04:00

Spekboom bonsai set at Flickr.

Tala was also there ...

2007-04-23T18:28:00.000-04:00

New City Church

2007-04-15T17:20:00.000-04:00

One of the most important reasons why we moved to Locke Street was to be part of the churchplant that had its first meeting today, in our house.

Gideon Strauss blog crashed

2007-04-09T23:29:00.000-04:00

Sadly, the server that hosts my blog seems to have crashed. With unexpected, quick, thorough help from John Barach I have salvaged the content. The plan is to relocate my blog on the Comment server. But it will take a month, since everyone is very busy on other projects. Thank you to Jeff S. for suggesting I mention the problem here - I was at a loss as to how I might notify people of this situation. Even this note will only reach some of my readers, I suppose ....

New York pictures

2007-03-25T13:32:00.000-04:00

Pictures of our New York trip can be found on Tala's blog - scroll down to March 20.)

The loft charmingly outfitted by Hannah for Tala's birthday

2007-03-25T13:26:00.000-04:00

(For more pictures, see Hannah's blog.)

Ella and the Dijkebabies visit on Tala's birthday

2007-03-25T13:22:00.000-04:00

(For more pictures of the Dijkema babies, see Dan Postma's blog.)

Angela running a 5 km road race for the first time

2007-03-25T12:58:00.000-04:00

(For a tiny bit of video, see Gideon's blog.)

A tired Angela returned home today after about a month in South Africa. We are sooo glad to have her back with us.

2007-03-02T23:00:00.000-05:00

birds of a weather

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the white blobs in the sky are actually fantastically patterned crystals

2007-02-13T22:00:00.000-05:00

Today is twenty-five years since Angela and Gideon went on their first date

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Our love is an ever-fixed mark/ That looks on tempests and is never shaken.

Hannah playing with the Sinfonia student/community orchestra at Redeemer University College

2007-02-11T17:19:00.000-05:00

Poetry board then and now (about a month apart)

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Our wooden giraffe eyes the camera

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Even more days ago, we had a visit from our wonderful, wonderful former landlords in Georgetown, Allen and Iris Stiehl

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Angela at the airport, some days ago

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Just outside our front door

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Our kitchen window, with snow outside

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Angela and Tala at a drumming workshop

2007-01-13T16:49:00.000-05:00

Hosted by The Freeway, I think. Next workshop on Wednesday, January 24th, 7:30-8:30pm.

Jeanne and her stylish coat, with pink detail ...

2006-12-27T20:28:00.000-05:00

... at Pierson Airport, where we said a sad farewell this evening.

Tala and her green coat

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Spekboom bonsai

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See further photographs over at Flickr.

Angela gave me a little Spekboom (Portulacaria afra, a.k.a. Elephant's food) and a bonsai kit as a Christmas gift. I've transplanted it, and I think I will, if all goes well, fashion it in the informal upright style.

Hannah and her stylish coat

2006-12-25T19:04:00.000-05:00

An almost entirely Lebanese Christmas dinner

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Jeanne and Angela exploring their Lebanese heritage

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Making kibbeh.

Our cats like the low-hanging decorations ... which is how they came to hunt llama last year

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Christmas Eve lights

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Christmas eve dinner table, and detail

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The view from the chair next to our Christmas tree

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Gideon gave his beloved Angela 20th wedding anniversary flowers

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Gideon's office colleagues sent him get-better flowers

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more of the same, except different

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2006-12-23T12:08:00.000-05:00

christmas with our favourite family

everybody except for tala (photographer) and kenton (little boy)

pretty jeanne with her creations

of jeanne for granny - and everyone - advent joy - (now wingless) angel fell from above and has a hole-y head

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Christmas tree in three kinds of light

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The apple tree, resting in anticipation of its spectacular Spring blossoming

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Red decorative berries brought by our friend Krista

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Last cleanup of 2006?

2006-12-09T16:18:00.000-05:00

Dressing our Christmas tree

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Proudly. (We did several Sears catalogue-style shots. This is the least worst.)

With our friend Ruth.

Hannah as Liberty.

Fall, a.k.a. autumn, in our back yard

2006-11-30T07:43:00.000-05:00

Gideon at work

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Gideon on time management.

A part of Gideon's time management "system." (There are also a few simple computer-based elements.)

City government elections

2006-11-13T23:09:00.000-05:00

Brian McHattie is our councillor, again.

Shrub in fall red

2006-11-12T10:58:00.000-05:00

Hannah eating cake

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Celebrating Hannah's birthday - the view from the street

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See the tribute page Tala made for Hannah's birthday

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Here.

The boxwood, the holly, and the moms

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Today's plantings

Tala and Hannah while raking the leaves

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Before Tala and Hannah raked the leaves

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Our side door, and its lamp

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I really like the lamp, which we added to the house.

There are still some brave little flowers in our garden

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Tree line

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While I was digging holes and she was raking leaves, Hannah and I talked about how much we enjoy looking out onto the series of backyards across our back fence. We can see them from our back garden, but also through the back window of our kitchen. I like the intersecting lines of the various trees most.

Our back garden in the season Canadians call "Fall"

2006-11-04T17:13:00.000-05:00

Today's photos were taken by all four members of the family. But I don't quite know who took what - except where I mention it.

Flowers outside the front door

2006-10-19T23:08:00.000-04:00

Angela walking down the alleyway across the street

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What houses need to be like

2006-10-19T22:54:00.000-04:00

"We gravitate toward spaces that offer 'prospect and refuge—that is, we like 'a big, bright space that has a broad interesting view,' but we also like refuges, 'snug protected haven[s].' Ideally, homes incorporate both. " "We have beautiful, comfortable homes so that we might welcome guests." (Lauren Winner)

"The problem with the typical suburban house is that it is boring without being restful, and this is because it is designed with too much symmetry, smoothness, and regularity. Texture—that is, some irregularity or variation in a surface—creates a sense of shelter. Texture can come from above, through variation in ceiling height; from below, through variation in floor type; or from the sides, through the addition of trim, woodwork, and alcoves to otherwise flat walls. The construction of small spaces within a large space generates that sense of security that makes us feel at home. Similarly, the repetition of forms, particularly archetypal shapes like circles or squares, is comforting and unifying. On the other hand, a well-designed house must be more than a womb; it should also rouse us to explore the world. This need for stimulation is met through the use of asymmetry, through the placement of tiles or furniture on the diagonal, and through the design of long, unobstructed views, both within the house and from the inside to the outside." (Andrea Nagy)

A gift of labour

2006-10-15T01:25:00.000-04:00

We had some problems with water seeping into our basement during rainstorms. With advice from several friends, Angela's father has spent his last few days with us working on the window well. We all hope this will solve the problem! A big, big thank you for this labour of love.

Gideon at 40 (4)

2006-10-15T01:18:00.000-04:00

Some birthday party guests grew weary as the night grew old. (Note the comfy red couch again.)

Gideon at 40 (3)

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Gideon really liked his gifts this year.

Gideon at 40 (2)

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In the evening, Gideon was completely taken by surprise - Angela has organized a birthday party! There were guests from near and far, including some friends (and relatives!--to quote Angela's grandmother--Angela's dear parents have been staying with us for some time) from South Africa, and Sarnia (Ontario).

Not all the guests were from far away - some descended from their garret in the attic.

Angela and our dear friend Sean Purcell lit the candles on the cake, Gideon with some difficulty blew them all out, and much fun was had by all.

Gideon at 40 (1)

2006-10-15T00:20:00.000-04:00

On October 11 Gideon turned forty.

There was the customary waking-up-with-song-and-gifts. The calfskin-bound ESV journaling Bible was right up there among Gideon's favourite gifts. Below it is open at one of Gideon's favourite passages, Job 27-28 (part of which has been made into song).

More 40th birthday pictures

2006-10-14T23:54:00.000-04:00

My dear friend and colleague Dan Postma (whose birthday it is today - Happy Birthday, Dan!) has posted a couple of photographs from my birthday.

Concert evening

2006-10-14T23:51:00.000-04:00

Hannah has posted some photographs on her personal blog of the women of the family on their way to a concert by Susanne Hou, the daughter of Hannah's violin teacher.

Tala's new haircut

2006-10-07T15:16:00.000-04:00

Tala has posted a few pictures of herself with her new haircut on her personal blog.

Toronto's Gardiner: Someday, a Great Street?

2006-09-28T08:31:00.000-04:00

If anyone listens to the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation, maybe, yes.

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our house in the morning

For morning beauty, my room is rivalled only by the front hall, but somehow I have never thought to take a picture at the time when the sunrise comes.

Ottawa

2006-09-16T18:33:00.000-04:00

Ottawa was at the beginning of the trip, but for some reason I cannot track down downloaded photographs of our visit there. Tala has published some photographs of that part of the trip on her personal blog, here and here.

Auberge du Lac Morency in St-Hippolyte

2006-09-16T18:07:00.000-04:00

At the end of our vacation we stayed in the Auberge du Lac Morency in St-Hippolyte, outside Montreal. We were all going to leave on Sunday, September 10, but our van broke down. Everyone stayed to wait for it being fixed, but Gideon flew home to be at work on Monday.

The pictures below provide evidence that the disaster was considerably mitigated for those who stayed behind ...

Montreal

2006-09-16T18:01:00.000-04:00

We visited Montreal briefly. This involved almost no sightseeing, and just a very little bit of shopping for clothes. We did find an affordable place for eating Chinese, and with no Revenge of the Lucky Dragon (which we have learned to fear).

Birthday Girl!

2006-09-16T17:44:00.000-04:00

On September 8 we celebrated Angela's birthday at our little abode in the village of Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges. This year's major gift trends: amber earrings and novels by Wendell Berry and Alexander McCall Smith. (And let's not forget the cute little jacket.)

Île d'Orléans

2006-09-16T17:30:00.000-04:00

The Île d'Orléans in the St. Lawrence River, across from Quebec City, is known as the “Garden of Quebec.” One of its several villages, Sainte-Pétronille de Beaulieu, was long a summer retreat of the English families of Quebec City, according to the tourist information booklets we read. We also particularly enjoyed the workshop of the blacksmith Guy Bel, cleverly named La Forge à Pique-Assaut, and the farmlands and forests at the heart of the island.