Life :: Buse Lake

At the beginning of November, there was a once in a lifetime phenomenon happening at one of the lakes just outside city limits... And no, you don't need to recalculate your monitors - the lake really is purple...

The day was extremely cold, and blustery... clouded and windy... but we ventured out regardless. There was that nasty hydrogen sulphide smell, reminiscent of our quarantine days at work, and a weird soft sand/mud along the shore... but how many people can say they've seen a purple lake?

There are probably fewer than 10 places in the world that have the rare purple colour - and even less that are the stunning shade of magenta from top to bottom. It results from a rare purple sulphur bacteria that live in the oxygen void parts of the lake... at this season, this year, the purple can be seen from top to bottom when taking samples from the lake.

We spent much of the time calling for Fizz and Scrappy Doo to stay away from the lake - who knew what sort of twisted and crazy things were crawling around the lake, and how that would make them feel if they drank it or something... Haha. Poor dogs.
In addition, it was great seeing Fizz in front of us the entire walk. With his bad knees, he's often dragging behind, but he even pulled together the energy to jog ahead at a time... Although it was short-lived.

It was a short lived walk, but I think it was well worth it to experience some of the otherwise, natural, wonders in our area. Who else can say they witnessed and experienced the purple lake... Although, I have to admit, it's not someplace I would go often...

Life :: Padova

Well, I have to admit. First off, this post is LONG overdue. I guess a combination of working fulltime, volunteering, school work and riding barely leaves enough time for a social life... let alone all the extra joys in life...

Padova is one of those local places that holds such history... and mystery for teens of all ages. The stories growing up of rabid dobermans, and shotgun shooting security guards... all braved just to walk through a door of a condemned building, pull of a piece of paint... or even just touch the building.
Everyone in this town has stories of ghosts and goblins in this place...

Although most think the stories are within reason of the fabled 'insane asylum... Little do people know it actually started out as a tuberculosis sanitorium. There's a neat book written about the property "A Whole Little City in Itself", that actually covers the history quite well. Back in it's prime, the property only brought in electricity from the surrounding city, and otherwise grew, and produced everything else they needed. It was a self reliant city (minus electricity of course).

And... When the sanitorium closed... the insane asylum arose. Yes, it did house the 'insane' and the 'mentally ill', but it also had areas for other 'quirks' like midgets... It wasn't your typical asylum.
And now that it's completely closed... it's turning into a resort, slowly, one building at a time.

 History lesson completed... Padova has to be one of my favorite places to go. I love to drive the frontage road, along the river, and peer into the buildings. I'm not brave like most, and haven't ventured into a building (without permission)... but there's not a time when I return home with photos, ignoring everything I've taken before. It's so much fun to compare one year to another. And for whatever reason, it always ends up being a fallowed 'haunt' of mine.

I can go there every month and come out with a shot I am super happy about, and can't wait to share. This time was no exception. There was something about the fall colours that just accentuated the photos.
That being said... now that the property is turning into a resort... a cross between moving foward, and going back... it's very bittersweet.

It is going to be a mash up of new buildings, and renovated ones... and it's not going to to be cheap. Each building is filled with asbestos insulation, just adding to the cost. It's going to take years, and depending how many buildings are compromised and cannot be used, it will be interesting to see what Tranquille on the Lake will become. Speaking with the property owner - the son-in-law of the mastermind behind the transformation - he informs us that they are trying to use as many of the old buildings as possible... renovating them, moving them, and giving them a new view on life...

Although, I think I will always stand by the point that the property should become a 'Barkerville' of tuberculosis sanitoriums. Hell, although it's not as much fun as a gold rush, it was a huge thing 'back in the day'.

If only walls could talk...