Fall colors at Parry Sound 百麗山秋色

On the very last day of the Thanksgiving holiday. I went to Parry Sound, 230km north of Toronto to appreciate the fall colors.  I climbed up to the top of the 10-storey lookout tower on the Tower Hill to get a panoramic view of the beautiful scene.

Joy of photography in camping 露營攝影的樂趣

I have a deep affection in the campsite at the Oastler Lake Provincial Park at Parry Sound, 230km north of Toronto. The campsite is by the Oaslter Lake with beautiful lakescape and easy accessibility. This fall, I have been there camping twice. I love camping by the lake as it is easy to do photography and artistic creation.

何其「巧」也

※ 作者﹕ 許鐵民〔香港國際壽山石協會秘書長〕

壽山石因色彩繽紛悅目，材質晶瑩溫潤而得享盛名。曾貴為清代王室藏珍的壽山品種石「田黄」近年來深受收藏家重視，其造價累創新高，方興未艾，造成其他各種壽山石水漲船高，備受矚目。歸根究底，種種因由均緣於美石的特色，而壽山石的另一特點「巧」卻長期被冷落。事實上，業內部份行家雖然明白「巧」雕的奧妙及價值，但絕少作為宣傳的重點，導致市場一面倒側重「以石為主」的局面。

論田黄之異途同歸

※ 作者：許鐵民〔國際壽山石協會秘書長〕
※ 文章載自「明報月刊」二零一三年元月號

二零一零年十一月五日，筆者以香港國際壽山石協會秘書長身份出席在福州召開換屆大會的時候，協會常務副會長葉少波先生，在會場宣告，經其帶領由福建省民間藝術館主辦的秋季拍賣會，創出每克田黄人民幣二萬多的佳績，同時分析，相對民國時期一両田黄足夠購置一間商舖，可以斷定，田黄的價位，還有相當大的空間，筆者除了深有同感，並且認為，如果將之與其他傳統工藝品相互比較，包括景德瓷器及宜興茶壺，田黄作為不可再生的天然寶貴資源，經國家地質部打造成寶石類別，又份屬經典工藝品，其真正的市場價值及潛力，只是處於起步階段而已，未來的發展趨勢，必定扶搖直上，甚至一發不可收拾。

Sights & Sounds at Parry Sound 湖景•笛聲•柏麗山

On Thursday 6am, I was overcome with boredom and eventually drove alone for 2.5 hours, 230km northbound from Toronto to the Oastler Lake Provincial Park at Parry Sound again. I wished to spend a day off for relaxation to relieve my recent busy and heavy workload. I set up a tent by the lake quickly as I loved this lakeside campsite for easy appreciation of the lakescape. I could also walk along the Oastler Lake Drive to reach the other side of the lake to gaze at my campsite from across the lake. For this, I chose an eye-catching red tent.

Discovery Harbour 發現港

Discovery Harbour is located at the Penetanguishene Bay near Midland Township 160km north of Toronto. The British naval and military base has revealed part of the history of the war of 1821 between Britain and the United States.  In 1793, Sir John Graves Simcoe discovered Penetangusihene Bay as a suitable strategic base with steep-sided deep water to protect and maintain ships.

Sainte-Marie among the Hurons 桑達瑪莉民族村

Sainte-Marie among the Hurons was the first European community built on the bank of the Wye River of Midland in Ontario. 400 years ago, French Jesuit missionaries decided to preach Christianity to the Hurons and they believed education is the best means for preaching and therefore planned to develop a christian headquarter in Wendake, the ancestral home of the Huron Wendate nation here in Midland.