Happy Halloween

Sunset over Pumpkins/ Sky Watch

Even the sky over this farmer's field is poised to celebrate Halloween. Eerie, eh?

To join in the Sky Watch fun, which features skies from all around the globe, visit the Sky Watch blog at http://skyley.blogspot.com

Heritage Railway/ Sepia Scenes

Uxbridge-Durham Heritage Railway

I hope you can hear the conductor calling "All aboard!"

Operating in central Ontario, the Uxbridge-Durham Railway, run by volunteers, carries tourists 20 kilometers from Uxbridge to Stouffville (and back) on Saturdays and Sundays from May to mid October.

This is a closeup of the well-maintained station. Hey look! Toronto is only 41 mile from here.

The railway also includes several refurbished passenger cars built in the 1920s and some 1950s locomotives.

Regular weekend rides are now closed for the season, but you can still ride the Santa/ Christmas route in December.

To see other Sepia Scenes visit MaryT at http://sepiascenes.blogspot.com/

Halloween Preview/ Ruby Tuesday

These festive guys are ready...are you? Happy Ruby Tuesday!

FYI: MyWorld is the post below!

To join in the Ruby Tuesday fun, visit Mary, The Teach at http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/

Sharon Temple/ My World

Sharon Temple in East Gwillimbury, Ontario

This building is among the most important ones in East Gwillimbury, the centre of my everyday world.

Between 1825 and 1831 using simple tools with skillful artistry, a small sect of former Quakers calling themselves the Children of Peace crafted the Sharon Temple. But this in not - and never was - a church. Instead the building was used once a month to collect money and goods for the poor.

The temple’s three tiers represent the Trinity.

After the sect’s charismatic leader, David Willson, died in 1866, the group slowly diminished, holding its last meeting in the temple in 1889. The building fell into disrepair and was nearly torn down. But in 1917, the York Pioneer and Historical Society purchased and restored it. The temple, which celebrated its 175 anniversary in 2007, is now part of a Canadian national historic site and museum. It’s also a National Peace Site and an Ontario Archeological and Historic Site.

Inside the temple at its centre are six pillars, four of which are named Faith, Hope, Love and Charity. And inside the pillars resides an ark that contains a secret compartment not discovered in modern times until 1990. It contained hundred pages of community records.

To learn about what's happening in other blogger's worlds around the globe, visit http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/

Calendula/ Today's Flowers

Calendulas (also know as Scotch marigolds) are very hardy annuals and one of my favourites. These will bloom until we have a very hard frost and sometimes last well into December here in central Ontario.

Even better, I never have to plant them because they seed themselves throughout my garden. Although, I may purchase some seeds this spring as I once had a lovely shade of light-yellow calendula and now have only this sunny yellow and...

orange. How could you NOT love this lovely orange beauty?

To view more blogs celebrating Today's Flowers, visit http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

Donkeys/ Camera Critters

It was a misty evening not long before sunset, when my husband happened upon this field with three donkeys.

The white donkey was totally unimpressed with me, too busy eating hay. The black donkey turned it's back on me. But the tan donkey thought I was fascinating. Its eyes followed me wherever I went.

With Halloween only a few days away, it feels appropriate to post these headless pumpkin dogs. The one on the left seems ready to play, don't you think?


To join in the Camera Critter fun, visit Misty Dawn's site at http://camera-critters.blogspot.com

Apple Picking

My husband and I spent a few days in Upstate New York last week, taking a scenic shore route. Along the way we saw many apples literally ripe for the picking. Don't they look scrumptious? I love crisp apples in autumn!

And they were being picked too. We didn't see any workers but we did see quite a few trucks such as this one, plus tons and tons of crates, many of them full like the ones on this truck. Some of these my turn up on grocery store shelves in your area. ;-)

Geese Over Highway/ Sky Watch

The sun sets so early now! Yes, I took this through the windshield...but I wasn't driving. ;-) I couldn't resist taking this photo of geese flying overhead.

To join in the Sky Watch fun, which features skies from all around the globe, visit the Sky Watch blog at http://skyley.blogspot.com

Old Store/ Sepia Scenes

I confess that this isn't really an old photo but it IS an old building situated on a tree farm south of East Gwillimbury. The architecture suggests the building was built more than a century ago, perhaps during the 1880s or 90s.

It's now the headquarters of a tree plantation that has been in operation since the 1960s. On December 1st, customers drive north from Toronto to cut their own trees, drink hot chocolate and roast marshmallows.

Unfortunately, the building is beginning to show its age, although the main roof looks to be in good repair, which is a very good thing. The sepia tones make the building look like it's in better shape than it actually is. ;-)

The west side of the building, which faces a north-south highway, needs work. And here you can see the display windows on the first floor that indicate this was originally a store. The windows are now packed with boxes and stuff, making the building from this angle look neglected from the road.

A few decorative details on the building show that this building must have been a beauty in its day. Notice these decorations under the roof at every corner.

Many thanks to MaryT, the Teach, at http://sepiascenes.blogspot.com for hosting this meme.

Lake Ontario/ Watery Wednesday

Last weekend's weather was partly sunny and perfect for driving around Lake Ontario, the Great Lake between Ontario and New York state. My husband I traveled to Rochester, just across the lake from Toronto.

Although the water was actually choppy in some areas, it wasn't here because of the breakwater. No birds were on the lake...not even sea gulls. However, we did see gulls, geese, ducks and swans further inland at the mouths of the many creeks that empty into the lake.

You can find more photos celebrating Watery Wednesday at http://eyesmindheart.blogspot.com/

A Taste of Halloween/ Ruby Tuesday

FYI: That's My World is one post below.

The neighbours are going all out this year and this is just a taste of what you might see trick-or-treating in East Gwillimbury this year. Stop signs are always red, but who would have thought a ghost would wear a red bow tie for Halloween? ;-)

BOO!

To join in the Ruby Tuesday fun, visit Mary, The Teach at http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/

My World/ Ontario, Canada

Now that it's autumn, my world is very yellow.

And all year long it's often a bit wonky. ;-)


To learn about what's happening in other blogger's worlds around the globe, go to http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/

Carpet Rose/ Today's Flowers

Carpet roses grow close to the ground much like...you guessed it...a carpet. Not many roses are hardy enough to grow in East Gwillimbury, but these are! And they bloom without ceasing all (YES ALL) summer. In summer's heat they don't bloom as profusely, it's true, but look at them NOW! Pretty nice for this late in October, eh?

To view more blogs celebrating Today's Flowers, visit http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

Grackles/ Camera Critters

Ever feel like you're part of an Alfred Hitchcock movie? Recently a flock of grackles touched down for a few minutes and then...

flew away. I just barely had time to grab my camera.

To join in the Camera Critter fun, visit Misty Dawn's site at http://camera-critters.blogspot.com

Virginia Creeper

I can't believe people around here buy Virginia creeper at nurseries when it's so abundant in the wild. Of course, most of the year the vine is inconspicuous so perhaps they don't recognize the plant's five-leaf motif. This photo was taken when it was just beginning to show it's true colours.

And this is what it looks like NOW! I think it's beautiful. And bonus: it has lovely dark blue berries. But trust me, if you live in Ontario all you need to do is plant a few blue berries and before you know it, the vine will cover your fence, your garage, your car.... I have a Virginia creeper in my back yard that I hope will soon disguise my four compost bins. ;-)

Fall Foliage/ Sky Watch

This is Ontario in mid October! Isn't the sky beautiful?

Oh! You weren't looking at the sky? ;-) You were more interested in the colourful trees behind the spruce trees? Well here's another look:

And here's another:

The sky WAS beautiful last Sunday (gorgeous blue, eh?) but, truth be told, I wasn't really looking at the sky because the maples were unbelievably stunning in full sun.

To join in the Sky Watch fun, which features skies from all around the globe, visit the Sky Watch blog at http://skyley.blogspot.com

Full Moon/ Sumac Leaves in Fall/Fave Things

Two favorites today. First the moon, which is not often seen over my part of Ontario due to cloudy skies. The moon was beautiful Tuesday night. ;-)

The countryside is awash with colour at the moment and nothing is more colourful than the staghorn sumacs. This cluster is beside a small pond and I hardly notice them most of the year. Right now, though, they're screaming Look at me. Look at me!

To join in the Favourite Things fun, visit Blue at Behind Kyanite's Door - http://behindkyanitesdoor.blogspot.com

Birdbath/ Watery Tuesday

This is what a blue jay looks like when it's taking a bath. This one was splashing, singing, hopping around. It was so funny to watch it with its feathers all puffed out. I'n still chuckling - it looked sooooo silly. ;-)

You can find more photos celebrating Watery Wednesday at http://eyesmindheart.blogspot.com/