A Collection of Daily Wisdom by Dennis Sylvester Hurd since September 2003.

It'd seem very strange to live in an unattached, single-family dwelling. We really are condo people. As mentioned here plenty of times, we're also resolute New Westminster residents. Apparently others agree as there are hundreds of new apartments being built within a kilometer.

I don't want to sound like one of those people who always comments that time flies, but it does. We've lived on the 10th floor in this building for nine years now. That has afforded many opportunities for me to snap pictures from the balcony. In fact my Daily Picture Parade probably has its share on those days I forgot to get a photo elsewhere.

The following photo was taken from the balcony during the Fraserfest fireworks display last night. To see fifty other photos from or of the balcony, look on Flickr.

Labels: balcony, Daily Picture Parade, fireworks, Flickr, New Westminster

The fireworks were easy to watch from the balcony last night. It really doesn't feel like it this morning, but this weekend is considered the beginning of the summer season here. To celebrate, we are in the middle of a three-day weekend as tomorrow is Victoria Day.

In fact, both this and next weekend are a time of special events in our little city. New Westminster's Hyack Festival has begin and will continue through the end of next weekend which coincides with the Memorial Day weekend in the USA. In fact, a highlight, the International Parade, will take place on the 26th. In that event, many local and British Columbia high school marching bands as well as many from US states participate. The parade is on the local festival circuit. Floats and beauty queens arrive as representatives from summer events such as the Apple Blossom Parade in Wenatchee or the Puyallup parade in Washington State.

I certainly endorse the whole concept of summer! It is a nice feeling to see trees full of green leaves, people wearing fewer clothes, and dusk arriving well after eight at night!

Labels: balcony, fireworks, Hayack, New Westminster, YouTube

It started yesterday. The annual spring festival always begins during the Victoria Day long weekend and runs through the end of the US Memorial Day weekend. It's a tradition in New Westminster.

Probably the most famous and popular event is the Hyack International parade with around 140 entries from around British Columbia, Washington state, and as far afield as California.

The history of the events spring from festivities around May Day. The city likes to boast that this it the longest-running celebration of its type in the Commonwealth. Another deeply-rooted part of the festival is the anvil firing. The anvil battery has fired a 21-gun salute to Queen Victoria since the late 1800's. The Hyack Voluntary Fire Brigade first used anvils because there was a shortage of guns. In colouful costumes, members continue the event tomorrow at noon. The modern version of the festival with its many scheduled, community events started in the early 1970's.

Fireworks were exploded from a barge on the Fraser River last night. Here's an example I photographed from the balcony of the apartment.

Labels: balcony, fireworks, Fraser River, Hayack, New Westminster

My friend, Bret, started an email-a-thon regarding video editting. I mentioned how much better Pinnacle Studio 9 is when compared with Windows MovieMaker. Here, quite literally, is my first attempt with Studio 9. Last spring, I simply walked out of my front door, down to the Quay, and then back via Columbia SkyTrain station. Initially, there are some fireworks shot from my balcony during FraserFest.



I rendered the original on DVD and just tried to output to Windows Media today. Please let me know your success at being able to 'stream' the result which is approximately eight minutes. Were you able to view it? I'd like to request that any reader feel free to email me. (IN THE AFTERNOON, I REDUCED THE FILE SIZE TO 1/4 OF THE ORIGINAL.)

Labels: Bret, fireworks, Quay, transit

Many call this the 'wet coast' as well as the 'west coast'. Our winters are dreary and gray. (Yet, there's seldom snow on the ground, so I'd rather have drizzle than have to shovel!)

This also means that when summer arrives, we try to crush a whole year of events into a dozen short weeks. There always seems to be something on.

Last weekend Vancouver hosted the Molson Indy.

Then, over 300 thousand people went to downtown Vancouver last night to catch the second entry in the fireworks competition called the Celebration of Light. We didn't.

However, we headed downtown this morning for today's colourful sights and sounds.

This year's Pride event was larger than ever. Luckily, the day provided perfect weather for the occasion.

Labels: fireworks, Vancouver

In New Westminster, we do love our summers. The FraserFest 2004 gets underway this weekend. Things actually got started last evening with fireworks over the river. Tonight, too, will see more of them and other entertainment and activities will run straight through Sunday.

Labels: fireworks