There’s no denying that our recent weather has been incredibly unpredictable. When it comes to choosing what to wear outside, I sometimes find myself feeling a bit overwhelmed. However, I’ve decided to stick with my winter clothing. After all, it’s always easier to shed layers when needed than scramble to find something warm to put on.

Last month, as we all enjoyed the summer-like days, I suggested to Matthew that he wear shorts. However, he resisted, claiming that ‘the pants are too short, and kids will laugh at him at the playground.’ It’s funny how young children think, isn’t it? I realized that Matthew may have forgotten about shorts altogether, considering the last time he wore them, he was just three years old. I can’t recall much from when I was that young either, so why should he?

Snow in April? There’s no denying that climate change is real, but I believe it’s more of a short-term issue. This spring, the weather has been unpredictable—snow, sun, rain, and even fog. I recently read that such weather volatility has been around for over a hundred years, so why should I complain?

It snowed yesterday, and I noticed that there was still snow on the ground today. This gave me the perfect excuse to share some winter photos. Can you guess where I am? That’s right, I’m on top of the former Wells Street Public School, now known as the Wells Street Schoolhouse Lofts. It would have been ideal if the sky had been blue, but we can’t control the weather. In fact, just before lunch that day, the sky was clear and sunny.

Upon examining the photos, one can’t help but notice the oldest buildings in town on the west side of the school (while standing on one), contrasting with the stunning view of Town Park on the opposite side. It’s easy to imagine how much more picturesque this scene will be in the summer, with lush green trees and an influx of visitors.

Last week, I had the chance to attend the Heritage Lecture Series featuring “Postcards of Old Aurora: The McRoberts Collection.” Not only was the collection impressive, but Bob McRoberts also added a touch of humour to his lecture, making the experience even more enjoyable. I was expecting a small crowd, but to my surprise, there were at least a hundred people in attendance. It was a fantastic event!

Unfortunately, we missed out on seeing Mr. McRoberts’ original collection in person, but he did a fantastic job presenting it through electronic media. Even though we didn’t get to experience the train whistle or birds singing as he had intended, his extensive collection of old Aurora postcards still managed to impress me—and I’m sure it did the same for everyone else.

So, what’s the deal with Aurora postcards now?

Well, we don’t have many anymore because postcards are becoming less popular. Thanks to digital technology, we can now take our own photos and make our own postcards. Personally, I have a collection of postcards from various places around the world, though they’re not as old as the ones in Mr. McRoberts’ collection.

I have some pretty old postcards in my collection, the oldest being about 41 years old and from Toronto. My favorite one is of Yorkville, showing people eating, drinking, and smoking outside a restaurant in the early or late afternoon. Some of the people in the picture are even looking directly at the photographer.

When I examined the back of the photo closely, I noticed two families with small children sitting on top of the bay windows—not even on a balcony—enjoying the nice weather.

Unfortunately, the link to the Yorkville postcard I found online is missing the second family on the balcony in front of the yellow-bricked apartment. But I have the original, so there’s no doubt about its authenticity.

COMMENTS

Matt Maddocks said: April 26, 2012 at 10:19

“Wow Anna…first the boiler room, and now the roof of Wells St. School?!? OK, I am officially jealous! Wonderful photos and comments as always. Cheers!”