Monarch on Buddleia/ Today's Flowers

I has been cool for late August/early September so I've only seen only a few monarchs on my Buddleia this year. But I caught one sipping nectar from the lilac-colored bush on the south side of my house.

To see more lovely flowers visit Luis Santilli at http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

Work Train/ Bridges Betweeen

Earlier this summer, a work train took up some worn tracks and laid new ones, leaving the old rails in small piles.

Finally, last week (Friday, I think) a small train picked up the debris, and I just happened to catch the train under the bridge that crosses the highway outside Mount Albert. The train was travelling backwards, which I found intriguing.
Here the train was moving south on the other side of the bridge. (I was now on top of the bridge)

As you can see, a yellow tractor with a claw on a long arm was at the back of the train. The worker operating the claw made his job look easy, directing the tractor's arm out, grabbing the metal and carefully placing it in an open car.

Another worker worker was directing the operation, standing on the car just behind the engine. (You can't see him in this photo, but he was there, really he was!) Two other workers were inside the engine, one of them the engineer who was moving the train back and forth...mostly back. Not sure what the other worker was doing. ;-)

I'm assuming the old tracks will be melted down and made into new tracks. ;-)

To join in the Bridges Between Countries Fun, visit Rune E at Visual Norway http://visualnorway.blogspot.com/

SHH! Did you hear something?

This bunny has been in a nasty fight (look at its ear) so I'm surprised it didn't take off the minute our car slowed down a few metres from it. Perhaps the wascally wabbit felt safe because I was INSIDE the car leaning out the window on the passenger side. And maybe it would have taken off if I'd opened the door and stepped out. AH! But I didn't!


For more Camera Critters, visit Misty at http://camera-critters.blogspot.com

Engine Through the Cattails

A Canadian National engine travelling north from Toronto on the tracks that pass through East Gwillimbury and one of my favourite places for photographing wildflowers and critters.

Upscale Stable/ Sky Watch

Into every life some rain must fall. Luckily these horses have a place to take cover, eh?

Hmmmm. Some horses live in nicer places than people, and here's a photo of one such spiffy residence. Kinda nice, don't you agree?

Whenever we travel west to reach highway 400 -- a major north/south highway -- we pass by this gorgeous building. When the "stable" was being built we couldn't imagine who was going to live there. ;-) The house behind, which you can just barely see in the background, isn't too shabby either.

To see more blogs celebrating Sky Watch, visit http://skyley.blogspot.com

By the Tracks/ Fave Things

A favourite place to photograph wildflowers

These are busy tracks running north and south between Toronto and Prince George, British Columbia (and to points in between). Sometimes the trains passing though are only 20 minutes apart so I have to look and listen when I'm playing with my camera here. There's a road crossing fairly close by to the north and to the south so I listen for the TOOT! On certain days I can hear the trains many kilometres away. This is a great place to photograph wildflowers and insects.

Starting at the bottom left and moving clockwise: Queen Anne's lace, St. Johnswort, purple loosestrife, virgin's bower, monarda and....gold! OK, fool's gold. ;-)


To visit more blogs featuring favourite things, visit BJ at http://rubbishbyroan.blogspot.com/

Northern Cloudywing

Northern Cloudywings (Thorybes pylades) are skippers common to most of North America. Until I took this photo, I thought they were plain little butterflies. But hey! Close up this little guy is kinda cute. I hope you agree.

Its compound eyes could melt the heart of it's prospective mate. ;-)

These little guys rarely venture into built-up areas, so unless you live or visit the country you may have never seen one before.

Those Were the Days/ Wordless Wednesdays

To join in the Wordless Wednesday fun:
http://www.wordlesswednesday.com

Old Red Truck/ Ruby Tuesday

I love this old red truck. During most of the warm weather, it's a lawn ornament it sits on the lawn beside the owner's driveway. It disappears in winter, I assume to hide in the garage from snow and ice. But during the two parades held annually in Mount Albert (Santa Claus and Sports Day parades), it's out and about in style.
Want to peek inside? Eek! How do you drive this thing?



To celebrate Ruby Tuesday, why not visit Mary, The Teach ?

Garage Sale/ Odd Shot

Today's Flowers is one post down. ;-)

I hope you see the humour in this Odd Shot post. (My husband didn't. LOL)

To be fair, the sign is not for the garage sale behind it but for the hardware store that allows a local church congregation to hold its garage sale on the northwestern corner of the hardware store property...very visible to highway traffic.

Many thanks to Katney who hosts Odd Shots at her blog Katney's Kaboodle: http://katneyskaboodle.blogspot.com

Rose of Sharon/ Today's Flowers

A few years ago, a friend gave me a rose of Sharon slip and now this lovely shrub towers above...oops! Am I supposed to admit my garden has weeds? ;-)

Truth be told, the bed this shrub is in is fairly weed free. But it does tower above another bed that's begging me to spend some time in it. (I really wish most days had more than 24 hours!)
And here's the underside of another blossom, which I think is pretty too.

To see more lovely flowers visit http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

Puzzled Squirrel/ Camera Critters

This squirrel looks puzzled? Is he thinking "Who is that creature with the camera?" ;-)


For more Camera Critters, visit http://camera-critters.blogspot.com.

Spring... a fading memory/ Autumn's in the Air

It seems like the mountain ash in my yard was flowering a few days ago, but already the berries are ripening. In a few weeks the berries will begin to ferment and the local robins will greedily eat themselves silly.

Joy

Evening Primrose

Joy descends gently upon us like the evening dew, and does not patter down like a hailstorm.
~Jean Paul

And now it's time to acknowledge two blogger friends who bring me great joy. ;-)

First an apology to MaryBeth at Small City Scenes: http://smallcityscenes.blogspot.com, who gave me this award on July 28th. Yes, more than three weeks ago! I thanked her then but said I didn't usually post awards on my blog. Fair enough, I guess. Except it has occurred to me since that receiving should be just as gracious as giving, and now I would like to say on MY blog how much I enjoy visiting hers almost every day to find out what's happening in Stanwood, Washington.

Here's the award she gave me: Thanks, MB!

Yesterday I received a second award, this one from Mary, the Teach, host of Work of the Poet: http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/

Mary has a great blog. She has a wicked sense of humour. Try it...I bet you'll like it!

Looking into the Valley

Pure serendipity!

It had been a nice family get-together and we were driving home. It would be hard to miss this beautiful sunset, even if we were driving eastward! Then we turned north and pulled over to the side of the road to watch the sun go down in the valley below. A couple of other cars pulled over to watch the spectacle too. I LOVE living in a place where some people slow down to enjoy nature at its best,



More beautiful skies can be seen at http://skyley.blogspot.com.

Raindrops on Leaves and Flowers/ Fave Things

Hosta Leaves after a Shower

After a gentle summer rain, one of my favourite things to do is to take photos of water drops on leaves and flowers.

Sweet Peas Covered in Droplets

Favourite Things is hosted by Blue at Behind Kyanite's Door: http://behindkyanitesdoor.blogspot.com

Should I jump or.../ Wordless Wednesday

To join in the Wordless Wednesday fun:
http://www.wordlesswednesday.com

Rowan Berries/ Ruby Tuesday

East Gwillimbury rowan trees (mountain ash) are loaded with berries this year after two years with none at all.

The tree pictured here is planted with two others in a local park. Each is covered with berries that sometimes stay on the trees through February offering a tasty frozen bite for hungry birds. And bonus! They berry-laden trees look wonderful in winter when the rest of he neighbourhood is covered in white.
This tree was planted seven or eight years ago and is now a good-sized tree.


Ruby Tuesday is hosted by Mary, the Teach at http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

Rugosa Roses/ Today's Flowers

Rugosa aren't fancy...but they ARE my favourite roses. Nothing -- absolutely nothing, in my my opinion -- can beat their heady aroma in late June. And the pollen must be fantastic. Just ask the local bees!

Most years these rugosas bloom all summer and THIS is one of those years. ;-) Sure, the bushes are not as prolific as they were in June, but they are still flowering!

Once the blooms are done, the rose hips steal the scene, huge and lovely. I've dried them for tea and have even made delicious jam with them. But darn! My husband is a diabetic so the less sugary stuff in the house the better.


To celebrate Today's Flowers, click HERE to find more bloggers posting blooms.

If you're looking for Odd Shots, it's one post down.

Keeping Ontario What?/ Odd Shot

This sign is at an entrance to a lovely town and always makes me giggle. It seems to me a sign encouraging residents to beautify their area ought to be in better shape. But hey! Maybe that's just me?

Other bloggers posting Odd Shots today can be found at Katney's Kaboodle: katneyskaboodle.blogspot.com

Fringed Poppy

The annual poppies have bloomed longer this year than usual. They're making my gardens look GOOD. ;-)

Red Admiral/ Camera Critters

Red Admiral Butterflies (Vanessa atalanta) are common butterflies across North America, Europe and Asia, so I'm sure most of you are familia with them. But this one looks so pretty on this coneflower I just had to photograph it.

Why these beauties are’t called orange admirals is kinda stupid completely beyond my understanding. But at least I get the admiral part as the orange red bands do look a lot like the chevrons seen on naval uniforms.

In spite of the rainy weather lately, this people-friendly butterfly has been visiting my purple coneflowers. Red admirals are said to also enjoy sipping nectar from clover, buddleia and asters but this one seems to prefer my echinaceas, which are close to my kitchen door and make it easy for me to to capture them with my camera. ;-)




Click HERE to join in the Camera Critters fun.

Soapwort Collage

Jack and the Hollyhock Stalk/ Sky Watch

The weather this summer has been hollyhock-friendly and any Jacks out there wanting to climb sky high can start on the journey NOW because the hollyhocks are reaching for the clouds.
These specimens, flowering in my country gardens as I write, have been "wild" for years. I never have to plant them anymore even though technically they are biennials, meaning they live two years and flower in the second season (sometimes in the first, as well). Hollyhocks are survivors and reseed themselves, even in gardens where I've ripped them out repeatedly. I suspect the seeds have a long "shelf life" or perhaps a sense of humour. What do you think?

Time at the Forest Pond/ Fave Things/ Thursday Challenge

Favourite Things click HERE
Thursday Challenge: click HERE

Betty's Fresh Corn

Betty's corn is the BEST! Straight off the farm. In fact, in the collage you can see Betty and her wheel barrow just as she's about to turn left to pick a few cobs more for her stand beside the road.

Betty's sweet corn is an institution around here. Everyone looks forward to August when Betty opens her stand for the season.

Betty also sells cucumbers and other crops as well as jellies and preserves.