JJW Art & Photography

09/03/2026

Tonight, beautiful sunset in Houston

08/31/2026

Free yoga sessions directly underneath The Ring at Place Ville Marie.

The program is Immersive Yoga by YogaTribes:

* 📍 Esplanade PVM, directly under L’Anneau
* 🧘 Free, open to all levels
* 🎧 Uses wireless headphones with music and live instructor guidance
* 🗓️ Tuesdays, 5:30–6:30 PM
* 🧴 Bring your own mat and water
* ☔ Rain location: Centre Eaton, 2nd-floor mezzanine.

The Ring (L’Anneau) at Place Ville Marie, the large architectural/art installation in downtown Montreal.

* Designed by: Claude Cormier + Associés (CCxA), the Montreal landscape-architecture firm.
* Installed: 2022, as the final major element of the revitalization of the Place Ville Marie esplanade.
* Size: 30 metres (98 feet) in diameter.
* Weight: more than 23 tonnes / 50,000 lb of stainless steel.
* Location: Suspended between the Place Ville Marie buildings, above the grand staircase leading toward McGill College Avenue.
* Architectural idea: The perfectly circular form deliberately contrasts with the strong geometric, cruciform architecture of Place Ville Marie, designed by I. M. Pei and Henry N. Cobb in the early 1960s.
* View: From the esplanade, the Ring frames the long visual axis toward McGill University, Mount Royal and the illuminated Mount Royal Cross. At night, the Ring itself is illuminated, creating a visual dialogue with the cross.

What makes it particularly interesting architecturally is that it appears to float between the buildings rather than being supported from the ground. The circular form was intentionally chosen as a soft, monumental counterpoint to PVM’s angular modernist architecture.

08/30/2026

People words can hurt you

08/30/2026

Montreal downtown in 2026 is a city of contrasts—historic French charm standing beside modern skyscrapers, busy streets mixed with quiet cafés, and old stone buildings surrounded by contemporary life. From Sainte-Catherine Street and the Underground City to the cobblestone streets of Old Montreal and the beautiful St. Lawrence waterfront, Montreal continues to have a character that is uniquely its own.

It may have changed over the years, but the soul of Montreal is still there—French, multicultural, artistic, vibrant, and unforgettable. ❤️🇨🇦

Montreal in 2026 is a fascinating mix of old-world European charact...

08/29/2026

“Karma won’t do everything for you. Sometimes you have to stand up for yourself, draw the line, and know how to put disrespectful people in their place.”

The idea behind “Karma won’t do everything” is that you shouldn’t always sit back and wait for life to punish people who hurt or disrespect you.

It can mean:

* Don’t confuse kindness with weakness. Being a good person doesn’t mean allowing people to mistreat you.
* Stand up for yourself. Sometimes people keep crossing boundaries because nobody challenges them.
* You don’t have to insult everyone. The stronger response is often being direct, confident, and letting someone know their behavior is unacceptable.
* Karma is not a guarantee. Some people may never face the consequences you think they deserve. You can’t control that.
* Protect your dignity. Walking away, cutting someone off, or firmly calling out their behavior can be more powerful than trying to hurt them back.

So the deeper message is: “I believe in karma, but I also believe in boundaries. I don’t need to be cruel, but I’m not going to let disrespect go unanswered just because I’m waiting for karma to handle it.”

08/27/2026

Cancer related items as these coffee creamers have to go to the garbage

08/26/2026

A Legend Forever ✨🕊️

Today, the world lost a truly extraordinary woman. Dolly Parton has passed away at the age of 80, but her light, her music, and her kindness will never leave us.

Dolly was so much more than a country music legend. She was a gifted songwriter, actress, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and—perhaps most importantly—a genuinely beautiful human being. From Jolene and I Will Always Love You to 9 to 5, her voice and her words became part of the soundtrack of generations.

But her greatest legacy may not be found in the millions of records she sold or the awards she received. It was in the lives she touched, the children she helped through her Imagination Library, and the countless people who felt a little more hopeful because Dolly chose to spread kindness.

She came from humble beginnings and became a global icon without ever forgetting where she came from. She showed the world that you can be enormously successful and still remain generous, humble, funny, warm, and true to yourself.

Today, we say goodbye to a woman who brought so much joy to this world.

Rest peacefully, Dolly. 🌹🕊️
Your music will keep playing.
Your stories will keep being told.
And your light will keep shining.

Thank you for the memories, the music, the laughter, and the love. ❤️✨

08/25/2026

RIP DOLLY PARTON

A Legend Forever ✨🕊️Today, the world lost a truly extraordinary w...

08/25/2026

A Legend Forever ✨🕊️

Today, the world lost a truly extraordinary woman. Dolly Parton has passed away at the age of 80, but her light, her music, and her kindness will never leave us.

Dolly was so much more than a country music legend. She was a gifted songwriter, actress, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and—perhaps most importantly—a genuinely beautiful human being. From Jolene and I Will Always Love You to 9 to 5, her voice and her words became part of the soundtrack of generations.

But her greatest legacy may not be found in the millions of records she sold or the awards she received. It was in the lives she touched, the children she helped through her Imagination Library, and the countless people who felt a little more hopeful because Dolly chose to spread kindness.

She came from humble beginnings and became a global icon without ever forgetting where she came from. She showed the world that you can be enormously successful and still remain generous, humble, funny, warm, and true to yourself.

Today, we say goodbye to a woman who brought so much joy to this world.

Rest peacefully, Dolly. 🌹🕊️
Your music will keep playing.
Your stories will keep being told.
And your light will keep shining.

Thank you for the memories, the music, the laughter, and the love. ❤️✨

08/25/2026

I’m Canadian-American, and I recently returned to Montreal for my father’s funeral. It was my first time back in almost ten years, and honestly, the city has changed dramatically and, in many ways, not for the better.

Yes, there is construction everywhere, and you can see new high-rise buildings going up, along with some modern improvements like the REM transportation system which I actually liked, and the long-awaited new Metro cars. But beyond those visible signs of progress, there is another side of Montreal that was difficult to ignore.

The roads are in terrible condition, with potholes everywhere. Public transportation, especially the buses, seems less reliable than I remember, with delays becoming part of everyday life. The healthcare system feels overwhelmed, and the economy appears to be struggling. At the same time, the cost of almost everything has become shockingly high.

Even something as simple as going into “Winners” retail store can leave you feeling the economic pressure. You spend $50 on something, and they don’t even give you a bag. You walk out carrying your purchase in your hands while watching other people do the same. It may seem like a small detail, but sometimes small details tell you a lot about the lifestyle and the economic reality people are living through.

After being away for nearly a decade, the contrast was striking. Montreal is still beautiful, vibrant, and full of character, and I will always have a deep connection to the city. But I also came back seeing it through different eyes. There are signs of modernization and progress, but there are also very visible signs of decline and hardship.

It was an emotional return for me under the most difficult circumstances imaginable, coming back to Montreal to bury my father. And perhaps because of that, I noticed things more deeply than I ever would have before. Montreal has changed. Some changes are exciting and promising; others are deeply concerning. I only hope the city can find its way back to the quality of life, pride, and spirit that made it so special to me.