I’ve been on the road this week working on several projects. Domestic stuff — nothing outside the U.S. — but the inner Canadian in me was thrilled to spot this (and several other) Tim Hortons near Columbus, Ohio. Oh, Timmy! I knew you’d broken into Michigan but I’m so happy to see you spreading southward.

For those who aren’t familiar, Tim Hortons is like the Canadian McDonalds. Actually, they’re everywhere like McDonalds, but the menu is closer to Dunkin Donuts with some chili and sandwiches thrown in. I connect Tim Hortons with Canada at about the same level as the maple leaf. Tim Hortons IS Canada.

Unfortunately, I’ve found the U.S. Timmys to be inferior to the native Canadian varieties. Maybe the Canadian Tims rely on some artificial flavoring that has been banned in the U.S. Who knows. I only know that when I see a Tim Hortons it makes me happy. Honestly, it’s not the donuts. It’s a symbol of a country I love. I must have been Canadian in a former life.

Oh, and the funkiness of the above images is due to the Toy Camera App on my iPhone — it randomly applies lomo-like effects to each shot. I’ll have some “real” photos from the trip once I’m back in the office.