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Bartek Ciszkowski

@justbartek.ca
426 followers 212 following 3K posts

🌊 Halifax, Nova Scotia 💻 Building things 👧👦 Dad Of 2 🍀 Gardener/forager/cyclist ⛰️ Running through cities and forests 🇵🇱 1.5G Canadian 🇨🇦

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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 16h
Spontaneously popped over to York Redoubt for an afternoon of exploration and was cool to see how much this site is used by folks for a walk, play (bunch of kids were having a soccer match), walking their doggies, watching the harbour—bit of everything Oh and there’s bike parking. 🚲
A multi slot wave corral bike parking spot in a park.
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 18/09/2026
This moody Halifax morning bringing me some serious #BikeHfx joy as I casually ride back home on the Mainland Trail.
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 12/09/2026
Free the music! Let it out, in the open air.
Agricola St with live music outside an old auto shop
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 11/09/2026
I hear ya. It is of note that the WSE project area includes part of Lady Hammond Rd, around where the concern area is.
Windsor Street Exchange project map
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 10/09/2026
Note this remains blocked, and I suspect it'll be this way until they finish construction late Fall/early Winter. Wife bikes this way to the gym each morning and also notes they have blocks on the other side on Scot St., too. Makes it very difficult to get through on bike/foot
construction
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 06/09/2026
Surface parking.
A bunch of cars parked open air downtown Halifax
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 03/09/2026
It’s beautiful!
Dee Dee’s sign
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 29/08/2026
Yesterday the kids went to the aquarium store with their grandparents (we now own fish, apparently) and my oldest used our old iPod touch from 2008 to help navigate gramps. This is the way.
Apple Maps directions to a pinned store in a shopping plaza, displayed on an iPod Touch 2nd gen.
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 21/08/2026
I have no plans to build a house but I absolutely devour books like this. An expert distilling decades of knowledge into 200 pages. Bonus are the wonderful calligraphy and hand drawn diagrams.
Illustrated house building by Graham BlackburnA book
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 19/08/2026
Bring back the Nordiques
A child draws a Quebec Nordiques logo
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 15/08/2026
We paused in Fredericton for the night ahead of a longer drive tomorrow. Fredericton, you all have a very nice botanical garden. The bees were absolutely loving this Dogwood (second photo)
A gardenSilky Dogwood
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 14/08/2026
Road trip.
Sandpiper art. I think
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 13/08/2026
Was in Tatamagouche recently for the first time. Strolled through the town; cute, had pizza with the family, missed out on blueberry picking oops. Found a proper looking repair station, decided this is a nice add to the #BikeHfx parking map. Now to find all the ones in HRM (that aren't broken!?)
A map + photo of repair station. https://justbartek.ca/hfxbikeparking/
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 10/08/2026
It hatched! We are trying to sort out what a mesh looks like. Lots of interest in this house.
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 06/08/2026
@smknigh.bsky.social I recall you posted about monarch eggs. Is this one??? It’s on my swamp milkweed.
A leaf of milkweed
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 04/08/2026
Technical debt.
A variety of wires attached to a home. In all directions.
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 30/07/2026
Black bean celery tofu thing inspired by mapo tofu but most definitely not mapo. Fried cabbage pancake on side — one of M’s favourites since having Okonomiyaki in Japan. Over rice.
A bowl of black bean tofu and fried cabbage pancake on rice
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 30/07/2026
Started with mushroom gravy then figured out what we want to eat it with. Mashed potatoes + pork schnitzel. Misc. veggies on the side.
Overhead view of a white plate with breaded, pan-fried pork cutlet slices over mashed potatoes topped with gravy mushrooms, more mushrooms on the side, fresh tomato wedges, and a mix of yellow and green whole green beans, set on a wooden table.
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 30/07/2026
Two nights prior. Some sort of lazy creamy parmesan spinach pasta with side of grilled chicken drumsticks + veggies. Lots of tomatoes + diced cucumbers being eaten atm.
Overhead view of a white plate with two blackened, charred grilled chicken drumsticks, creamy spinach fusilli pasta, steamed broccoli florets, and a diced cucumber-tomato salad, set on a white countertop.
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 26/07/2026
I split the root! Here it is about a week since. Seems to be establishing OK.
A baby raspberry plant
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 26/07/2026
Morning glow. #seenonmyrun
A cat sits comfortably in a front yard
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 26/07/2026
Slip lane to sit lane conversion. Dutch Village Road, Halifax
A sidewalk benches and greenery front two restaurants A slip lane
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 25/07/2026
We were discussing in the below thread the lack of repair stations (sadly, many are broken). New one in HRM up in Bedford! Will it last? Love the pump! Good location, though.
A bike repair station on a concrete pad.
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 24/07/2026
Thanks! It seems in ~2 weeks these plants will be there. This is my third year growing garlic. I was quite conservative each time, assuming I’d screw up. My patch is double from last year and it seems to be in decent shape. Hoping!
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 24/07/2026
Good morning, my deer friend.
A deer crosses the green marked pedestrian crossing on the mainland trail, Halifax
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 21/07/2026
It’s my first time reading The Hobbit — almost embarrassing. It’s our latest “shared reading” book. I read much fantasy as a teen but as an adult it’s been mostly non fiction and depressing stuff. Having a lot of fun reading this with the kids!
The Hobbit
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 20/07/2026
the new branding looks like generic stuff I would ignore on the shelves unless I knew it was the best. the old logo though reminds me of athletic brewing, heh
a can of athletic brewing
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 18/07/2026
Sit down for a slice. Previously you’d have to squeeze through parked cars to get to the pizza shop — there wasn’t even a sidewalk.
A pizza shop with some bench seating
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 18/07/2026
They also built this cute little plaza near the beginning the of the COLT. No doubt will be well used by all the running groups which seem to organize near here.
A little plaza for sitting adjacent to a sidewalk and bike lane
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 18/07/2026
Dutch Village glow up looking good. Bike lane, benches, trees (many among the stretch; hope they survive!), new pedestrian crossings. Hooray for progress
Photo of described Google street view of the previous look. There was a skinny sidewalk not much else.
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 17/07/2026
Taken a many train in my life but first time I’m on an (operational) train in Nova Scotia. Yay! Nice comfy and spacious seats.
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 16/07/2026
Definitely not parking here, so I park there instead. (Clayton Park Professional Centre at corner of Lacewood and Dunbrack)
A rusty wheel slot bike rack that is not suitable for useA bike locked to a pole in a garden
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 16/07/2026
Me just sending out to the universe an appreciation for whomever writes the daily notes at Canada Games Centre. Always a nice little dose of joy! (And motivation when you lack it?)
A sign reads

16 Jur 2026, Thursday
Progress happens
underground before it blooms above the surface. Keep showing up
Have a wonderful day ahead
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 15/07/2026
Backyard raspberries are starting to pop. I just propagated off this mature plant for another place in my yard. More raspberries next year!
A raspberry
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 15/07/2026
Initial red currant haul as I fight the wave of little fingers (kids) consuming them as they arrive. Thankfully there are many. There is a joy I get in picking these off the bush so inefficiently while the evening winds down. Slow time. 🌅
A bowl of red currants
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 08/07/2026
I let a pumpkin disintegrate here and now I am poised to have more pumpkins??
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 07/07/2026
Almost red currant compote time.
Red currant bush
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 07/07/2026
Ok I’m very pleased with this serviceberry. I love when nature gives me new colours to admire.
A serviceberry bush
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 06/07/2026
The colour of these eggs I got from a farmer in Canning, NS ❤️
A dozen eggs in varying shades of brown
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 05/07/2026
We go here every year (camping) and I genuinely can’t look away when the basin is in sight. Stunning and magical.
A low tide
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 02/07/2026
#BikeHfx One of my summer goals is to teach my kids that they can bike to a swimming hole. Chocolate Lake is our obvious choice due to proximity but … any tips on how to deal with the Herring Cove portion? Where to cross/ride/any secret tunnels I’m unaware of?
Google map route
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 01/07/2026
Happy Canada Day. Grateful to be here! 🇨🇦
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 01/07/2026
They’ve added about six more of these u-rings around the stretch. It’s getting there! (Photo is just one example off Rosedale)
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 29/06/2026
They added more signs for an apparent detour that now blocks most access to the playground. Easy job is hard. 😅
Many path closed and detour signs on a fenced area.
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 27/06/2026
I learned today that this is a Wolf's Milk slime mold. We observed it closely, popped them, and the vibrant colour was a colour I've never seen before. I bet someone's tried to create a paint colour from it! Found in Hemlock Ravine, among many other mushrooms (and mosquitoes) today
A Wolf's Milk Slime Mold grows on a decaying log
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 21/06/2026
Here's the suburban school I was referencing (I spent my teens near the top right corner of this image). It's classic locked-in burb surrounded by busy roads or highways. I didn't go to this particular school but passed it often (and still do when visiting).
a google map view of a suburban area with a pin in the middle
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 16/06/2026
For those in #BikeHfx curious about the multi use path adjacent to Commons skate park — is fully blocked off at the moment, no reasonable or marked detour yet. So many signs!
A construction fence with multiple PATH CLOSED and NO TRESPASSING signs
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 14/06/2026
Had a great #KidicalMassHfx ride. I'm pretty pleased that we can bike to the North End, downtown, and back in majority protected infra or quiet streets (latter doing some heavy lifting). On a Sunday morning, is good. 5yo getting used to her new wheels, the follow-me tandem really helped us today!
Me and my two kids riding on a residential street. Photo taken by my wife.
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 06/06/2026
We visit Hope for Wildlife a few times a year. It's always a beautiful day with some nice stops at the ocean / local shops along the way. Today we were lucky to chat with Hope herself, realized the scale of this operation. 653 patients in care at this moment, many staying for 6+ months. Incredible!
Screenshot of the WRMD (Wildlife Rehabilitation MD) Pro dashboard for 2025, displayed on an HP Pavilion monitor. Shows patient statistics including 6,692 patients this year, 236 patients this week, 223 species, and 653 patients in care today. A line graph displays total patients per day from January to December 2025, compared against 2024 data. The dashboard includes sections for Your Patients, Exclusive Access (WRMD Knowledge Base, Birds of the World), and Recent News.
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Bartek Ciszkowski @justbartek.ca · 02/06/2026
I don't seem to see a Magnolia on HRM's data viewer in front of SJAM (off Russel), so maybe they've not added it to the dataset yet? data-hrm.hub.arcgis.com/datasets/pub...
A screenshot of https://data-hrm.hub.arcgis.com/datasets/public-trees/explore?location=44.662238%2C-63.596519%2C19. It shows a map and an open info pane. The info pane contains information about a Linden tree.
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