Mercury/ MyWorld

Mercury, Rochester, New York

I've just returned from spending a few days in Upstate New York where this sculpture of Mercury - the Roman god of commerce - is a landmark in the city of Rochester. Made in 1881 of riveted bronze plates, the statue was originally atop Kimball's Tobacco Factory, which later became the City Hall Annex and even later  a branch of the Rochester Public Library. (I don't think we recycle buildings the way we used to!) The statue was removed in the early 1950s when the Kimball's building was torn down.

Its second life atop a newer building

For more than two decades the 21-foot, 700-pound statue was kept in storage. Then in 1974, it was placed atop the structure now known as Aqueduct Building, one block north of its original location.

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

Juvenile Swan/ Macro Monday

Closeup of Juvenile mute swan

Sort of a "teenager", this mute swan is not yet an adult so still wears brownish feathers and its beak has not yet turned orange. I guess it must have felt sufficiently camouflaged to let me get right up close as its feathers do resemble dirty snow...kind of. It is watching me closely though!

Juvenile mute swan sitting in snow

Adult mute swan

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

Stone Church/ Scenic Sunday

Back side of Anglican church, Roches Point, Ontario

This church dates back to 1862, making it nearly a century and a half years old, which is pretty old for this part of Canada.

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

Gazebo/ SOOC

Gazebo on private pond, East Gwillimbury

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

Marching Mallard/ Weekend Reflections

Walking on frozen water

To enjoy reflections from around the world, click HERE.

Shades of Orange/ Sky Watch

  Over marshland, Keswick, Ontario

From the archives!

  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

P/ Alphabe-Thursday

PIGEON ( a.k.a.  rock PIGEON)

Rock PIGEONS are not the most POPULAR birds on the PLANET, are they?  But the are PREVALENT just about everywhere, especially in heavily POPULATED PLACES where many PEOPLE consider them PESTS.

Originally they lived in Europe, North Africa and most of Asia. For more than 5,000 years, humans have eaten them (squab) and/or raced them. (They return home speedily when released from distant sites.)

According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, rock pigeons were brought to North America in the early 1600s by colonists.

I am linking to Jenny Matlock at Alphabe-Thursday HERE

January Garden/ Nature Notes

A taste of my gardens in January

True, nothing is flowering but that doesn't mean my gardens are bare this time of year. Starting with the largest square and moving clockwise: seed pods of leopard plant (Ligularia), snow-covered wall at front of house, seed pods of purple coneflower (Echinacea), ornamental grass (Miscanthus). Rugosa rose hips and turtlehead (Chelone)

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

Lake Ontario/ Watery Wednesday

Lake Ontario between Colborne and Trenton, Ontario

Sunny skies, cold air and choppy water

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

 

Aazhaawe/ My World

Aazhaawe Ferry. Virginia Beach, Ontario

My world is frozen and to show you just how frozen it is, here's the ferry that crosses from Virginia Beach to Georgina Island, home to the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation. Yep, the ferry is out of the water and securely tied to the shore.

Red marks the spot where the ferry is now sitting on the southern shore of Lake Simcoe

Closeup of Georgina and the route the ferry takes

The ferry runs April to December. In winter,  residents and visiting ice fishers cross to the mainland and back on an ice bridge in snowmobiles and, when the ice is strong enough, in trucks.

Ice fishing huts

Fishing is a pastime summer and winter, and right now the the lake is dotted with ice fishing huts.

Back of the ferry - Aazhaawe, means "to go aross."

The ferry holds up to 18 cars and there's also room for 50 walk-on passengers. It crosses several times each day, the schedule HERE but it won't be leaving till April!

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

Victoria Hall/ Macro Monday

Details on Victoria Hall. Cobourg, Ontario

Built in 1850, Victoria Hall is a magnificent building in the centre of Cobourg. The building is constructed of white brick and then faced on three sides with elaborately carved buff-coloured sandstone.

Beside window on Victoria Hall

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

Contrail Over Davis/ Scenic Sunday

A contrail coloured by the setting sun

As we drove into Newmarket at sunset, a jet climbed high above Earth leaving a colourful contrail behind it.

To see more scenic photos visit Scenic Sunday

Golf, Anyone?/ SOOC

Cardinal Golf and Country Club, Kettleby, Ontario

It might be tricky finding your ball but hey! Think of all the fun!!

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

Cobourg Windows/ Weekend Reflections

Windows on a main street in Cobourg

As you can see in the reflection. the buildings across the street are made of red brick too. Here you can also see the end (literally) of the Business Association's Christmas decorations.

To enjoy reflections from around the world, click HERE.

Sunrise over Hay Bales/ Sky Watch

Just over the East Gwillimbury town line in Uxbridge Township

I like the dusting of snow on the hay bales...and, of course, the sky at sunrise.

  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

O/ Alphabe-Thursday

ORANGE in the garden- blast from the past

OKAY, it's true not all OF these were photographed in my garden as ONE square in this mosaic is a wildflower. Can you guess which ONE?

Moving clockwise starting with the largest square: Great spangled fritillary on a purple coneflower, butterflyweed, orange hawkweed, mountain ash berries, trumpet vine and daylily

I am linking to Jenny Matlock at Alphabe-Thursday HERE

Common Goldeneye/ Nature Notes

Common Goldeneye ducks, Hamilton Harbour

Recently I was surprised to see these common goldeneye ducks enjoying the relative warmth of southern Ontario - as opposed to the cold of the Far North. Apparently males will stay as far north in winter as open water in protected bays permits.

Goldeneyes travel north to the boreal forests to breed. Females usually return to the area where they were hatched, sometimes returning to the same nesting site year after year. They make their nests in trees, anywhere from  five to 60 feet above the ground. Imagine the baby duckings' surprise when they leave the nest for the first time! FLAP THOSE WINGS, BABY!

Goldeneyes are diving ducks, searching in winter for mollusks,  crustaceans and fish.  In summer they prefer aquatic insects.


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

Victoria Park/ Watery Wednesday

Lake Ontario at Cobourg, Ontario

I bet this is a busy place in summer!

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

 

Port Darlington/ My World

Bird watching on the north shore of Lake Ontario

It was a cold day but these birders were bundled in warm clothing, excited because they could see common mergansers and some bufflehead ducks in the distance.

 The A marks where Port Darlington is located

Looking southeasterly the sky looked bluer

Canada geese and mallards were close to the beach and five swans (I can see only one in this photo)  patrolled the waters a bit further out.

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

Hydrangea/ Macro Monday

Hydrangea in my back yard

A few dried blossoms still remain in mid January!

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