Who is that Mansard of the Roof?

How is it that the Mansard roof is named after Francois Mansard.  The word mansard has the French origin of mansard  and the English origin of "Mansard, Francois".  The earliest known example is credited to Pierre Lescot on part of the Louvre, built around 1550.  It was named after the person who popularized it in the early 17th century. A search on roof shapes will retrieve dozens of different ones.  And then there are ones that have no name to describe their unusual shape.  Here's the Lighter Side of Real Estate's 12 most unique roofs.  In comparison, the BBC article is about the world's most unusual rooftops - typically with gardens.  It is HERE.   I thought that perhaps the Guinness Book of Records might give us insight into roofs.  Here are a few records involving roofs: Longest cantilever roof Largest reinforced concrete cement flat roof span Longest roof span covered by a single metal corrugated sheet ... and then it moves on to other roof-related items: Most consecutive donut spins while standing on the roof of a car Fastest time to flip 10 cars on the roof Fastest time to break 1,000 roof tiles (male) (female) And then an array of records involving centipedes, slime, the loudest drummer... these might really be advertisements/news items. I refrained from reading the centipede one. Here's our pretty roof from the Niagara-on-the-Lake garden tour over the weekend. The house is located on the most prestigious place on the street facing the Lake with the view of the American historic fort.  However this gazebo seems like an unlikely lover's rendezvous:  it sits under a chestnut tree and it faces away from the lake.  Perhaps there is a story in this.

Charles Daley Park Gazebo - Christmas Day

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Christmas Day has arrived.  A pinnacle of a day in the year.  Everyone is sending good wishes, This is one of the few days of the year that the Globe and Mail won't arrive at the door.  So I'll go with the news from the Queen:  *Monarch quotes from the Bible to address a nation shaken by year of atrocities."  She's been a stable figure in our society for decades, so makes a comforting Christmas icon.  You can see the article and more about the Queen here. I hope you have an enjoyable Christmas day and holiday week to follow.  Here's one of my favourites - the gazebo at Charles Daley Park.

Signs of Winter

This is Charles Daley Park in St. Catharines.  It has the distinction of a long shoreline with dynamic lagoons at each end.  This gazebo stands at the edge of the high embankment between the shoreline and the parking lot. Because of its height, the parking lot has excellent views of the lake. People come by in their cars and have a coffee overlooking the great expanse, or just stop by to take a look at what the lake is up to with its waves and changing shoreline.  You can stop in any time and there will be at least a car or two.  People do get out of their cars.  In winter there are families tobogganing down the slopes on the sunny days.  And there are usually dogs - they have a great time on the beach and trails, so there is a dog or two to meet and greet. 
This is the moment in the year when we welcome snow.  Christmas and snow seem to be the perfect match.  Our image today shows the two sides of snow -  the windy stormy day and then what typically follows for us in Ontario - a blue sky and sunny day for tobogganing.

Niagara's Weather

How fast things changed.  One week it is beautiful late fall with the autumn leaves in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and within days we are in blowing snow and frost. I could see the clouds changing from the outlook and gazebo at Niagara-on-the-Lake to Southbrook Winery on the Stone Road out of Niagara-on-the-Lake.  

 

Oshawa's Peony Garden

There aren't any peonies to see in Oshawa this last week of October.  The beds have been prepared for winter.  What remains is the lovely gazebo, donated by the Oshawa Garden Club.  This image interprets the gazebo as a place for rest and dreaming.