Canada Day/Sunday Best

Happy Canada Day! to all my Canadian readers

July 1st is Canada Day. YAY, a day to celebrate the 145th birthday since Confederation, which in 1867 united the then colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario.

Hopefully on Monday I'll show you how I celebrated.

I almost forgot to say, this is a poppy blooming in my gardens today. I chose a red blossom since Canada's colours are red and white.

I am linking to Your Sunday Best at A Rural Journal

Dragonfly/Critters

Red dragonfly perched atop last year's cattail

Yesterday afternoon we visited a marsh and among the wildlife there were butterflies and dragonflies. Here you get to see one of the handsomest dragonflies, looking like he's barely hanging on. Truth be told he knows perfectly well what he's doing. He'd fly off to catch a munchy and then return to this perch to wait for another tidbit to fly his way.

To see many more critters, visit Misty Dawn at CAMERA CRITTERS 

Great Blue/Weekend Reflections

Great blue heron on take off

I just cannot take enough photos of these majestic birds!

 Just a few minutes before

Great blue heron a few seconds later

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

RR1/Rural Thursday

One-of-a-kind rural mailbox

I bet everyone who sees this mailbox smiles.

Added later: I think the animal on the mailbox is a dinosaur. Do you think maybe it's a comment about snail mail versus email?

I am linking with

Rural Thursday

F/Alphabe-Thursday

 Peeking inside a modern fire station, Newmarket, Ontario

Hmmm. I'm impressed by the neatness here. I wonder if these guys and gals always hang their clothes up at home too.

 An old fire station, Meaford, Ontario

The doors are closed, the blinds are down. Don't you wonder if everything is as tidy inside as in the photo above?

Not to worry though. This is no longer an active fire station. It's now owned by a heritage society that plans to house historically significant documents and artifacts behind these doors and windows. I sure hope the society has installed fire alarms with working batteries, don't you?

Closer look at front door

I bet the latch and hinges are historically significant.

I am linking to Jenny Matlock at Alphabe-Thursday HERE

Night Heron/World Birds

 Black-crowned night-heron #1

This medium-sized, stocky heron is the most widespread heron in the world but most of us rarely see any because they are most active from dusk through dawn. Their range includes five continents, excluding Australia and Antarctica.

Black-crowned night-heron #2

Like their cousin the great blue heron, they forage in shallow waters, feeding on crustaceans, fish, amphibians, insects. and small rodents.

I am linking to World Bird Wednesday.

June26/Nature Notes

American goldfinch pulling seeds from ripened yellow sow-thistle

Brilliant yellow this time of year, male American goldfinches are hard to miss, especially since they tend to travel in flocks.

Hungry American goldfinches

This week they were active and everywhere...or so it seemed - weedy fields, backyards, roadsides and even our mulberry tree. They definitely sought out each other's company.

American goldfinch on last year's mullein.

Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more
NATURE NOTES.

Outrigger/Our World

Outrigger canoe - Pickering, Ontario

With roots in Polynesia, outrigger paddling is also practiced on Lake Ontario, which was news to me as I had never seen it done before except on film or TV.  Last week, my husband and I happened upon this crew paddling in Frenchman's Bay so stopped to watch and take photos.

At rest about to go out again

Unlike rowing, the paddlers sit in a line facing forward.

They are off

The seats are numbered with number 1 closest to the bow. Seat 1 is the stroker who's responsible for setting the pace.

 The arm (outrigger float) on the left adds stability

The steerer sits in the last seat. I bet you can guess what his responsibility is.

Turning

Typically, the strongest paddlers sit in the middle of the canoe and the one with the most endurance at the front.

More photos from Our World can be seen by clicking HERE.

Viceroy/Sunday Best

Yum, sugar water!

Two wasps and one viceroy appear to think they are hummingbirds!

I am linking to Your Sunday Best at A Rural Journal

Finch/Critters

 Turn this way?

 Turn that way?

I'm outta here!

To see many more critters, visit Misty Dawn at CAMERA CRITTERS 

Ashburnham Lock/Reflections

Ashburnham on the Trent-Severn Waterway

A quiet moment on the Trent-Severn - heavy summer traffic is about to begin.

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

Early Evening/Rural Thursday

 Early evening at a local horse farm

Living the good life, dontcha think?

All are enjoying a tasty nibble

I am linking with
Rural Thursday

E/Alphabe-Thursday

 EVENING light over Lake Simcoe I

In the Northern Hemisphere, summer begins this EVENING (June 20) at 7:09 pm EASTERN Daylight Time. Today marks the Summer Solstice when  the sun's apparent position is the longest distance above the EQUATOR.

 EVENING light over Lake Simcoe II

AH, I love an EVENING drive to a nearby lake to watch the sunset. Could this be Heaven on EARTH?

EVENING light over Lake Scugog

I am linking to Jenny Matlock at Alphabe-Thursday HERE

June 19/Nature Notes

Mid June, Central Ontario

Sultry weather! Mother Nature is showing her happiness in blossoms and butterflies. (The rest of us are wiping our brows and drinking lemonade.)

Largest square: monarch butterfly. Working clockwise: crown vetch (Coronilla varia),  bindweed (Convolulus arvensis), white admiral butterfly. common milkweed (Asclepias syriacus), and red clover (Trifolium pratense).

Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more
NATURE NOTES.

Wilson's Snipe/World Birds

Wilson's snipe, Carden Alvar, Ontario

This snipe would be well camouflaged if it were standing in a field, but as you can see it was feeling bold standing on a fence post, apparently something they are well known for. 

Can you hear it saying wheat wheat wheat?  If it were flying overhead you might hear an eerie woo-woo-woo-woo-woo-woo.  It's breading season and apparently there's a lot to talk about.

Is it listening?

Notice its long beak, short neck and short legs. With it's long bill it probes for insects and worms in wet meadows and fields, as well as along the edges of streams and ditches.

Yep, it heard my camera click

I am linking yo World Bird Wednesday.

Elegant Backyards/ Our World

A pair of metal birds standing on BIG rocks

Building a rock can often be a problem and landscaping it too. But one upscale neighbourhood in Bobcaygeon, Ontario, is making the most of their huge rocks.

A road runs along the backside of these lots so I was able to photograph the backyards from the street/

Smaller bird in amongst trees and small rocks

Hostas and ferns accompany this metal bird.

Gardens amongst the rocks

The rock is so attractive that statuary isn't necessary to maintain the elegant look of the neigbourhood.

More photos from Our World can be seen by clicking HERE.

Swallowtail/Sunday Best

Eastern tiger swallowtail

Yesterday, tiger swallowtails and other butterflies seemed to be following my husband and I as we walked in the  York Regional Forest. Truth be told, though, there were a LOT of butterflies.

I am linking to Your Sunday Best at A Rural Journal

Here Comes Trouble/Camera Critters

 Baby raccoon

At dusk, this very young raccoon was out and about with its sibling,  unbeknownst to its mom.  Here it's at the side of the road not one bit afraid of me. In fact, it kept walking up to me so close that most of the photos I took of it were duds. I was using a long lens so did not want it to come so near.

Same baby raccoon taken with different lens

Unfortunately, by the time I was using a different lens, the raccoon had crossed the street. I captured this shot just before the two babies hid under a car.

Where was the mother? Where do you think? If you guessed foraging in a trash can, you'd be correct.

A few minutes after the babies toddled into the woods, the mom appeared looking very concerned. She finally missed her babies!

To see many more critters, visit Misty Dawn at CAMERA CRITTERS 

Canal Lake/Reflections

Unruly utility poles reflected in Canal Lake

Keeping poles standing upright must be a full-time job for utility companies, at least where I live. The poles around this lake point every which way.

Same day but a few minutes drive around the lake

The air was a tad misty looking in this direction (easterly).

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

Sketchings/Rural Thursday

Drawn by aliens?

Well, I'm sure you've heard of elephants that can paint and chimpanzees that can draw... but what about trucks and tractors that sketch?

Another view

Somebody's vehicle has talent, dontcha think?

I am linking with
Rural Thursday

D/Alphabe-Thursday

Dragonfly with coppery wings

Yes, Virginia, DRAGONS are real in the form of DRAGONFLIES.

 Dragon wind vane

xxx

Another dragonfly

xxxx


I am linking to Jenny Matlock at Alphabe-Thursday HERE

Baltimore Oriole/World Bird

 Papa Baltimore oriole forages for goodies

This fence is a comfy spot for papa to rest. Orioles like insects as well as fruit and nectar, and here papa seems intent on finding some yummy protein.

 Oriole nest hidden in the leafy branches of a quaking aspen

Is the nest empty? Hmmm. It's very quiet.

 Papa returns home

Oh, here comes Papa! He arrives quietly...but CamaraGirl spots his orange feathers. It's hard to hide when you're dressed in such bright colours.

 Papa jumps into the nest

He jumps in part way. CamaraGirl wonders what he's hanging on to as his tail bobs up and down. He must be feeding Mama as she sits on her eggs.

Papa rests, having done his job well

Good work, Papa!

I am linking to World Bird Wednesday.