Dragonfly/ Macro Monday

Widow skimmer, male

I just love the way this widow skimmer shines in the sunlight.

To see more macro shots visit  MACRO MONDAY at Lisa's Chaos.

Harvesting Wheat/ Scenic Sunday

Amish farmers 

Looks like yesteryear but this photo was taken a few days ago, four horses pulling an All-Crop harvester originally meant to be pulled by a tractor. The harvester was built between the mid 1930s and the early 1960s - a minimum of half a century ago. The machine is taking in the seed heads and spitting out the straw.

After the farmer who's driving the rig circles his field,  he will position the part that looks a bit like a giraffe over a grain hopper to empty the harvester of the seed heads. Then he will circle his field again to harvest more wheat.

I admire the Amish way of life, seemingly much simpler than our modern ways. But I'd have trouble giving up my camera, computer and blogging.

To see more scenic photos visit  SCENIC SUNDAY.

Sailing/ SOOC

In the harbour at Collingwood, Ontario

There's a sailor in that boat, really there is. He's at the very back of his boat, motoring out to Georgian Bay. 

To see more photos straight out of the camera, visit Jan's  SOOC at Murietta365.

Top Spot/ Camera Critters

Two gulls fighting to be top dog....er... gull

To join in the fun, visit Misty Dawn at CAMERA CRITTERS 

Walters Falls/ Weekend Reflection

Reflection in millpond at Walters Falls, Ontario

To enjoy reflections from around the world, visit James at Weekend Reflections HERE

Reflection/ Sky Watch

Cardinal Golf Club, Kettleby, Ontario

Here you see the sky reflecting in a pond behind the clubhouse.

To see tons of beautiful skies from around the world, visit  Sky Watch

O/ Alphabe-Thursday

Osprey flying into nest - Bobcageon. Ontario

O is for OSPREYS, also known as a sea hawks, raptors that are approximately 60cm (24 inches) long with a wingspan that measures 160 centimetres (64 inches).  Yes, they are big birds, though a bit smaller than bald eagles.

Adult osprey feeding baby

OSPREYS usually breed near freshwater lakes and waterways as their diet consists mostly of fish, often slow-moving fish like pike and pickerel.

Nest atop high pole with a platform especially made for ospreys

Ospreys live on every continent except Antarctica, often building their nests far above the ground atop a spruce or pine. Their nests are made of twigs gathered from the ground or broken off trees. Where no tall trees are available, they choose power pylons (common here in Ontario), factory chimneys or platforms on high poles.

Added later: I should explain that I took the first two photos standing on a bridge (or was it a pier?) on one side of the river,  and took the third shot from the other side of the river. 

I am linking to Jenny Matlock at Alphabe-Thursday HERE

July 27/ Nature Notes

South-central Ontario this week

Like most of eastern North America, the weather here has been sizzling hot. I hope the colours in this mosaic convey that message.

In the largest square you can see this bee is delighted with the pollen it found on this wild mustard (Sinapsis arvensis).  Moving clockwise: a cultivated daylily (Hemerocallis) in my garden,  ant on bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare), red honeysucle berries (Loncera ssp), butternuts (Juglans cineria) and wild perennial sweet peas (Lathyrus latifolius).

Please note that I include the botanical names because they remain the same around the world but the common names vary.

Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.

Evening Fun/ Watery Wednesday

Guys on a mission

Have guns, will travel - squirt guns, that is. Using their pockets as holsters, each one of these boys has at least two loaded squirt guns. Was this about to be a showdown at sunset?

I am linking to Watery Wednesday where you can find many more watery photos.

Georgian Bay/ My World

A small beach on the south side of Georgian Bay (Lake Huron)

This is proof that if you come to Ontario in July you can leave your mittens, scarf and toque at home.

Added later: Thanks, Kathy. I forgot toque is Canadian. (I think it's actually French Canadian). It's the knitted hat with no brim that so many here wear in winter.

More proof (another beach on Georgian Bay)

In spite of the heat wave, this young guy is practicing just in case a few frozen white flakes fall.

I am linking to My World.

Green Dragonfly/ Macro Monday

Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly

I took this photo this morning and for the life of me I cannot identify it! Does anyone know what kind of dragonfly this is?

Thanks, Jane, for identifying this female or young male Eastern Pondhawk! I checked my handy-dandy guide and you are CORRECT. I underlined the part about the green ones so hopefully I will SEE the information next year when I forget what it is. (Miracles do happen, sometimes.)

Side view of same dragonfly

I wanted to get a front view too but couldn't because I didn't want to walk into some poison ivy.

To see more macro shots visit  MACRO MONDAY at Lisa's Chaos.

Georgian Bay/ Scenic Sunday

South side of Georgian Bay west of Collingwood

To see more scenic photos visit  SCENIC SUNDAY.

Craigleith Heritage Depot, Town of the Blue Mountains, Ontario

This circa 1878 railway depot has been recycled and is now a museum. Inside are a wide range of items relating to the Town of Blue Mountains.

The photo is bit distorted, which (and I don't know why) makes me smile.  I wanted to fit in as much grass in the foreground as possible but also capture some of the clouds.

To see more photos straight out of the camera, visit Jan's  SOOC at Murietta365.

Peekaboo/ Camera Critters

Goat peeking through the sides of a wooden bridge

This goat lives on a  nearby organic farm and is partway between a field of yummy weeds and its barn. 

To join in the fun, visit Misty Dawn at CAMERA CRITTERS 

Canal/ Weekend Reflections

Family fun on a canal on the south side of Lake Ontario, New York, U.S.A.

Last week we visited relatives in Upstate New York for a few warm days. Everyone was looking for ways to cool down.

To enjoy reflections from around the world, visit James at Weekend Reflections HERE


 

Taking A Pause/ Sky Watch

Overlooking Cook's Bay, Keswick, Ontario

He's on his cell phone, probably explaining where he is and why he's not home. What do you think he's saying?

To see tons of beautiful skies from around the world, visit  Sky Watch

N/ Alphabe-Thursday

Tiny purple flowers of climbing NIGHTSHADE (Solanum dulcamara)

Also known as bittersweet or woody NIGHTSHADE  (but it is not deadly NIGHTSHADE), this is a woody perennial that grows one to three metres (3 to 10 feet) tall. It probably grows some place near you unless you live in one of Canada's Prairie Provinces or in one of the most southern states in the U.S.

A cluster of inedible, somewhat poisonous red berries

Climbing NIGHTSHADE is a relative of tomatoes and potatoes. BUT don't eat them! Although rare, eating these berries can kill you.

I am linking to Jenny Matlock at Alphabe-Thursday HERE

July 20/ Nature Notes

Seen from the road

Some of what can be seen these days as vacationers travel Ontario roads. The largest square is a mama donkey and her baby. Cute, eh?

Moving clockwise: Canada anemone (Anemone canadensis),  Sulphur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta), common St.John's-wort (Hypericum perforatum), common goat's-beard (Tragopogon dubius) seed head and burdock (Arctium minus).

Please note that I include the botanical names because they remain the same around the world but the common names vary.

Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.

Sailing lessons/ Watery Wednesday

Sailing lessons, Rochester, New York

Yesterday was a cloudy, muggy, windy day in Upstate New York where I have been for a few days but these kids were having a wonderful time learning to sail. And none of them seemed to mind that their boat was number 13...and, although several other boats tipped over, this one stayed upright during the entire lesson.

I have quite a few posts to read and respond to so I'm hoping to get around to all of you very soon.

I am linking to Watery Wednesday where you can find many more watery photos.

Six Nations/ My World

Victoria Park, Brantford, Ontario

Unveiled in 1886, this granite and bronze monument, designed by Percy Wood of England, celebrates Joseph Brant and the confederacy of the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca and Tuscarora First Nations - The Six Nations.

Chiefs of each of the Six Nations (at the time when the bronze was cast) were models for the figures

The British government donated the bronze, recycled cannons used at the Battle of Waterloo and in the Crimean War. The Six Nations supported the British during the American Revolution.

The monument is one of the first of its kind in North America

I am linking to My World.

Mid July/ Scenic Sunday

Looking easterly, Ontario fields a few minutes before sunset

To see more scenic photos visit  SCENIC SUNDAY. 

Jackson's Point/ SOOC

Light in the harbour at Jackson's Point, Ontario

To see more photos straight out of the camera, visit Jan's  SOOC at Murietta365.

Guard Dog/ Camera Critters

Sleeping on the job at an old-fashioned hardware store

OKAY, maybe he isn't really a guard dog. Perhaps he makes a better mascot.

To join in the fun, visit Misty Dawn at CAMERA CRITTERS 

Houseboat/ Weekend Reflections

Houseboat on the Trent-Severn Waterway, Bobcageon, Ontario

This is a fun alternative to owning a cottage, don't you think? A new vista every day and no grass to mow!

To enjoy reflections from around the world, visit James' WEEKEND REFLECTIONS at Newtown Area Photo.

Entering a marina on Cook's Bay, Keswick Ontario

Hazy skies created the loveliest of coral colours in the sky that reflected on the water.


To see tons of beautiful skies from around the world, visit  Sky Watch

M/ Alphabe-Thursday

MINK crossing the fallen stems of last year's cattails

I have seen a mink before but until a couple of weeks ago I had never gotten a good photo of one. Finally one day when I was taking photos at a local pond, I got lucky when a mink came ashore within range of my camera's lens. I say "lucky" because I suspect this mink was quite young, not people savvy.

Actually, I was taking photos of a great blue heron, which was really too far out in the pond for my lens to take take a good photo. I was standing very still hoping that the heron might move closer to me when I noticed the mink swimming into shore.  I refocused my camera and...

Hiding under a pile of cattails

click!  The mink heard my camera and scurried to hide. I waited a few minutes until the mink came out of its hiding place. The second click must not have seemed so scary, because the mink came all the way out and...

 

MINK looking straight at my lens

stood on its two hind legs to see if the coast was clear.

OOPS! That was the end of my photo op!

I am linking to Jenny Matlock at Alphabe-Thursday HERE

July 13/ Nature Notes

A slice of Ontario's wildlife and wildflowers in mid July

Largest square: A young and energetic hairy woodpecker eating peanuts. Working clockwise: heal-all (Prunella vulagaris), crown vetch (Coronella varia), milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), musk mallow (Malva moschata) and purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria).

Please note that I include the botanical names because they remain the same around the world but the common names vary.

Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.

Pier's End/ Watery Wednesday

Look what's at the end of the pier!

Have you ever been told to take a long walk off a a short pier?  (Is that the same as "Go jump in the lake"? I think so.)  Well anyway, I did take a slow long walk down this long pier, stalking the great blue heron standing on the rocks at the end. It was a good thing I took this shot before I was close enough to get a good shot because it wasn't long after that that the heron flew off. Even though the heron is quite tiny in this photo, I rather like the look of this pier at sunset.

I am linking to Watery Wednesday where you can find many more watery photos.

Car Show/ My World

A cute little Ford I wouldn't mind owning

Saturday evenings during the summer months East Gwillimbury hosts a car show in the parking lot behind the civic centre in Sharon (a village in the Town of E.G.).

Shiny, eh?

Some of the cars are classic and others have been altered.

Fast foods and sometimes live bands are also part of the fun.

Revamped Prohibition-era car?

Personally, I like bigger windows than the car above...for taking drive-by shots.

An Elliott Ness Untouchables car repainted  blue?

I am linking to My World.

Clover/ Macro Monday

Clover blossom

It's amazing how much detail there is in each clover blossom!

Insect on clover blossom

To see more macro shots visit  MACRO MONDAY at Lisa's Chaos.

Early June/ Scenic Sunday

Farmer's fields, East Gwillimbury

Friday, the sun was shining but clouds were building over East Gwillimbury. As you can see, this farmer has mowed his fields and made round hay bales, the first cut for 2011.

To see more scenic photos visit  SCENIC SUNDAY. 

Planter/ SOOC

Rectangular planter placed on broken vintage chair

This was outside an antique shop, demonstrating how even broken furniture can be used as a decorator item.

To see more photos straight out of the camera, visit Jan's  SOOC at Murietta365.

Blameless/ Camera Critters

Guilty Innocent (wink, wink) squirrel in crabapple tree

Squirrel wondering: What make's you think it was me? Do I look like the kind of critter that would chew the stems off your budding plants?   Bury treasures in your flower pots and then knock the flower pots over?  Scare all the birds away and then stuff my cheeks with mulberries? Awe, come on! Give a cute, innocent squirrel a break!

To join in the fun, visit Misty Dawn at CAMERA CRITTERS 

Police Boat/ Weekend Reflections

Police boat at Virginia Beach, Ontario

I took these photos at sundown on Lake Simcoe as I was standing on the pier waiting for the ferry to arrive from Georgina Island.

To enjoy reflections from around the world, visit James' WEEKEND REFLECTIONS at Newtown Area Photo.