Kirkfield/ SOOC

Kirkfield Lift Lock on the Trent-Severn Waterway seen from the road on the north side of the lock

PART 3
The lock master is at the window of the control room on the observation deck.

Part 1 - Sky Watch
Part 2 - Weekend Reflections


  To see more photos Straight Out Of the Camera (SOOC) visit Jan at http://www.murrieta365.com

Osprey/ Camera Critters

Watching me like...an osprey (bet you thought I'd say "hawk"

This osprey parent was very concerned that I was in its territory.  Did it really think I was going to climb the telephone pole to hurt or scare its little one?


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

Looking Down/ Reflections

Reflections at Kirkfield Lift Lock

PART 2
Continuing from yesterday's post, I am still up on the the observation deck.

These reflections are in one of the water-filled chambers that rise and fall 49 feet taking boats to a higher level if traveling easterly (the highest point on the Trent-Severn Waterway) and to a lower level  if traveling westerly.

A boat in the chamber about to head easterly after being lifted up 

Looking down from the observation deck, watching boats come and go through the canal

Actually, one boat is is stationary. Its owners are a little to the right (where you cannot see them) eating lunch.

To enjoy reflections from around the world, click HERE! 

More tomorrow!

Kirkfield Lift Lock/ Sky Watch

Clouds over the observation deck at the Kirkfield Lift Lock, Ontario

Last Monday (July 26th) was a lovely sunny day - not too hot and not to cold. We were entertaining family from Upstate New York who had never been to the second highest lift lock in the world, which happens to be less than an hour from our house. Isn't the sky lovely?

Looking easterly again, a view of the lift lock

This view was taken in April when the locks had not yet opened for the boating season (May 15 to October 15). I cannot believe how blue the sky was!

The lift lock mechanism is like a gigantic scale with two chambers that hold water. When one chamber goes up, the other goes down.  The hydraulic lift lock raises boats nearly 15 meters (49 feet).

In the second photo the chambers are at the same level for the non-boating months. But in the NEXT photo the left chamber is up,  full of water and...

 View from above last Monday

 I am up there on the same level as the windows in the first two photos to photograph this lovely reflection as well as the beautiful sky again - but from the opposite direction looking westerly.


To be continued tomorrow....


  To see tons of gorgeous skies from around the world, visit the Sky Watch Website and click on the thumbnail photos: http://skyley.blogspot.com

Kirkfield/ Nature Notes

Wildflowers in late July, Kirkfield, Ontario

Kirkfield is a hamlet northeast of East Gwillimbury and on the Trent-Severn Waterway between Lake Simcoe and Balsam Lake.  Here are some of the wildflowers growing there last Monday starting with the largest square and working clockwise: purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) in amongst Queen Anne's lace (Daucus carota), bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare), Beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutis) soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) cinquefoil (Potentilla pennsylvanica), and everlasting sweet pea (Lathyrus latifolius).

For more Nature Notes,  please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods by clicking  HERE.

Yellow Bike/ Yard Art

Two-wheeled dried flower container

This was out in front of a century-old home in small-town, Ontario. Since then I've spotted another painted lime green but I have not taken a photo of it...YET.

To view more YARD ART, check out MaryT's blog HERE.

Jumping for Joy/ Watery Wednesday

Falling into the Talbot River, Ontario

He looked like he was trying to fly but couldn't get any lift. It was a long way down!

 Swimming to shore so they could jump again

To jump and swim, three boys had ridden their bikes to the top of the bridge I was standing on. They were having a great time and were delighted I had my camera to document their bravery. 

Even though I was using my telephoto lens, the boys still appeared to be a long way down.


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

 

Wheat Harvest/ My World

Shiny new harvesting machine

I was hoping the driver was smiling as he came at me with this huge machine!

The weather in south-central Ontario has been sunny and warm this summer and wheat is ready to harvest in many farmers' fields. This machine has circled the field once cutting...

Ripened wheat

Starting with the largest square and moving clockwise: large red harvester cutting wheat, smaller green harvester pouring wheat kernels into hopper to be taken away, red machine cutting wheat, field not quite ripe for cutting, green machine cutting and leaving windrow of straw,  close up of front wheat with fire extinguisher above it

Back of harvester leaving cut straw in windrow

Visit My World Tuesday  HERE to see tons of photos from around the world.

Painted Lady/ Macro Monday

Painted lady (Vanessa cardui)

Scouting for butterflies in a meadow of Queen Anne's lace and milkweed, I almost missed this painted lady  hiding in the sun but out of the wind.


  To see more macro shots visit Lisa's Chaos at http://lisaschaos.com

Ditch Lilies/ Today's Flowers

Wild orange daylily, a.k.a. ditch lily (Hemerocallis fulva)

Beautiful...but not for most of my gardens. This wild  daylily  is invasive.  Truth be told, however, I do have a nice patch of these lilies on town property close to the road.

Beside the road between East Gwillimbury and Uxbridge, Ontario

This is how I love them best, mixed with other wildflowers beside country roads.

If you love flowers -- and who doesn't - check out Today's Flowers at http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

Through the Trees/ SOOC

A June Sunset over Lake Simcoe, Ontario

I love the rays falling down on the lake.


  To see more photos Straight Out Of the Camera (SOOC) visit Jan at http://www.murrieta365.com

Guard Llama/ Camera Critters

Guard llama on a farm south of Port Perry

These days, llamas on Ontario farms are not unusual as they have a natural dislike for coyotes and foxes, which prey easily on sheep and goats. This one seems to be looking away haughtily...but really it was quite interested in being in this photograph and was trying to give the lens its best side.

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

Stopping to Drink/ Weekend Reflection

Pond in York Regional Forest, Ontario

Trails in this forest are popular with walkers, dogs and horses.

To enjoy reflections from around the world, click HERE! 

Red Sun, Layered Clouds/ Sky Watch

Seen from Woodbine Avenue, East Gwillimbury, Ontario

It was an overcast evening and I did NOT expect to see a sunset at all as we drove home from Newmarket.  But for a few moments the setting sun slipped beneath some clouds and red, orange and yellow light sneaked through where the clouds were thin.

  To see tons of gorgeous skies from around the world, visit the Sky Watch Website and click on the tumbnail photos: http://skyley.blogspot.com

Beaver River/ Nature Notes

Beaver River, Cannington Ontario

Here the Beaver River meanders slowly through the village of Cannington on it's way to Lake Simcoe. Starting with the largest square and moving clockwise:  Cattails and waterlilies growing in the river, wild daylily seed pods overhanging the water, pink yarrow (Achillea millefolium) - usually white but I have seen a few pink-flowering plants this year, creeping bellflower (Campaulla rapunculoides), burdock (Arctium minus), and red-osier dogwood berries.

For more Nature Notes,  please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods by clicking  HERE.

Looking for Minnows/ Watery Wednesday

Pond at the Eldred King Tract of the York Regional Forest

It was a perfect day for wading in the water but the golden retriever preferred to swim while the girl searched for minnows and tadpoles.


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

 

Dog Days of Summer/ My World

Seen at Gamebridge, Ontario on the Trent-Severn Waterway

The July temperatures are getting to all of us, even this poor dear pooch. He can hardly wait for the canal lock to fill so he can continue easterly along the waterway, cool breezes swirling around him. Until then, he's thinking about taking a nap.

Visit My World Tuesday  HERE to see tons of photos from around the world.

An Intimate Moment/ Macro Monday

Mating damselflies

You know what? These damselflies couldn't have cared less that I was there.

  To see more macro shots visit Lisa's Chaos at http://lisaschaos.com

Potato Blossoms/ Today's Flowers

Blossoms on potato plant (Solanum tuberosum)

Did you know there are more than 5,000 varieties of potatoes? (Neither did I till I looked it up.) The blossoms can be white, pink or  purplish but I see mostly white around here.

A field of potatoes, Uxbridge, Ontario

If you love flowers -- and who doesn't - check out Today's Flowers at http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/

Trent-Severn Waterway/ SOOC

Somewhere on the Trent-Severn between Lake Simcoe and Peterborough, Ontario

  To see more photos Straight Out Of the Camera (SOOC) visit Jan at http://www.murrieta365.com

Old and New/ Weekend Reflections

Old town reflections in new(er) town windows

Like most places across North America, small and medium-sized towns in central Ontario are a mixture of late nineteenth century architecture (as you see in the window) and twentieth century buildings.

To enjoy reflections from around the world, click HERE! 

Cesarea/ Sky Watch

Cesarea, Ontario on Lake Scugog

Peace and contentment at the end of the day - what could be better?

  To see tons of gorgeous skies from around the world, visit the Sky Watch Website and click on the tumbnail photos: http://skyley.blogspot.com