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Category Archives: simple pleasures

Old Friends

Posted on February 11, 2026 | Leave a comment

Old Friends – Parc Bibeau, Sorel, Quebec – 2016 – PlaySnaps number 38

Old Friends – Parc Bibeau, Sorel, Quebec – 2016

There are plenty of old friends in Parc Bibeau. Springriders, swings, trees, a climbing frame – we’re familiar with all of them. But most of all Parc Bibeau is home to ‘the caterpillar’ – painted steel round bar designed in the stylized shape of, you guessed it, a caterpillar. For years the kids made a beeline to the caterpillar when we pulled up to the park, just a short distance from grand-maman and grand-papa’s home in Sorel, Quebec

As long as playgrounds stayed in vogue with the kids, we’d make at least one trip to Parc Bibeau’s caterpillar on each of our visits. On occasion les cousines from Gatineau would be there and sometimes les petits cousins from Sorel. The more the merrier, the caterpillar had a mighty back and a lengthy torso – plenty of room for the cousins to get together and play. I loved the caterpillar’s simple lines, bulbous head and the oh so convenient antennae offering a chance to do a dare by grabbing on and letting go….

A place for hanging, climbing, balancing, jumping, skinning the cat, acrobatics and much more, the caterpillar was like an old friend welcoming the kids to a familiar and reassuring space.

Simple can be a great fuel for the imagination.

See all PlaySnaps 1 through 38 right here on flickr.

Each week I’m uploading a couple of original images. Pulled from a collection of more than 20,000 shots taken over 20 or so years. The snaps are a smorgasbord of people (mostly kids), play and places. There is no particular order to their presentation – chronological, thematic, or otherwise.

It’s been my good fortune as an adult to occasionally immerse myself in play. Being an onlooker and by times a helper has made for many joyful moments. I’m thankful to our kids for indulging me over the years and letting the camera in on the fun. I hope some of these photos will tickle your fancy, bring a smile to your own heart of play.

The Heat Within

Posted on February 15, 2015 | Leave a comment

It’s well chilly in Canada’s far east right now. Not arctic conditions by any stretch but bone penetrating cold from biting northern winds. The big freeze is later than usual and we of the wintry non-sportifying adults set are pleased with this tardiness. Recent temperatures are in the -10ºC range, say -20ºC with the wind chill.

Storytelling with Storehouse – click through for photo montage and short videos

The kids are the ones who get me out in this weather. Short walks, hand feeding chickadee expeditions and sorties of the sledding and skating variety are the order of the day.

It’s as if the kids have small furnaces at the core of their beings that keep them stoked, impervious to the elements. Fuelled by play’s exhilaration and the adventurous pursuit of hurtling velocity, these snow sliders are oblivious to the elements, inoculated against creeping chill (warm clothes are a must too).

The Sliders

It’s simple fun with uphill huffing and puffing and downhill squeals of delight. We have a small fright too. Lila, our youngest, stands immobile in the path of a sled barreling toward her. Brother and sister are on board but they are unable to veer away. It’s a direct hit and Lila is catapulted into the air her feet swept from under her. I’m thankful that aside from the tears, there’s nothing more amiss. I don’t think we’ll have any further standing still in the path of oncoming sled incidents…

Watch out for those sleds!

All told, we’re out for a couple of hours and pack it in just before we become walking popsicles. Even so it’s not a unanimous decision, a couple of the kids want to hang in for more. I promise we’ll return the next day. Really, there’s no better way to while away a few wintry hours than with the simple yet electrifying pleasure of some quality downhill sledding.

Get a taste of our winter fun here on Storehouse, the app that makes possible beautiful storytelling using video and photos.

The uphill slog

There’s another storm raging outside just as I’m about to hit publish and just after I’ve seen an update from Suzanna, PlayGroundology’s Pop-Up Adventure friend – she’s on an Australia tour and right now it’s 39ºC outside. I guess she’ll just have to look for ‘the cool within’. With more snow coming down, I hope we’ll be able to get out later today for downhill dashes the sequel.