Water's Edge/CDP Theme Day/Rural Thursday

Georgian Bay on Lake Huron

Lake Huron is the second largest of the five Great Lakes, the third largest fresh-water lake on Earth.

On the northern shore of Lake Ontario

Lake Ontario is easternmost Great Lake, the smallest of the five in surface area (although Lake Erie contains less water),  the 17th largest lake in the world.

No one knows for sure what the word "Ontario" means. Some believe  it comes from the First Nation word "kanaderio" meaning "sparkling or beautiful water."  But the name may be a be a variation  of "Onitariio" meaning "beautiful lake." Or  it may have developed from "Skanadario" - "very pretty lake."  However,  the word may mean simply "a large body of water."

No matter what, it IS a pretty lake - even on a mostly overcast day like the one I took this photo.

I am linking to City Daily Photo Theme Day.

I am also linking to

Rural Thursday

X/Alphabe-Thursday

 Old wooden wagon wheel

X is for: Xs and Os

Oh my goodness! I saw this wheel and immediately thought to Alphabe-Thursday. How crazy is that?

Xs and Os to all my readers!

Seen from the opposite side of the wheel

I am linking to Jenny Matlock at Alphabe-Thursday HERE

Nuthatch/Wild Bird

 Female white-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta Carolinensis)

Active and agile, nuthatches are often seen traveling upside-down down a trunk or hanging sideways on a feeder. Their name comes from their habit of inserting seeds (or nuts) into tree bark and then banging them with their beaks to "hatch" the tasty insides.

Another view

Nuthatches can become quite tame, though a bit more wary of humans than chickadees are.
I am joining Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday HERE

October's End/Nature Notes

End of October

It's definitely looking a LOT like November here, Ontario's most overcast month.  But so far, the weather has been fairly mild.

Largest block: cattail with matted fluff. I'm not sure why this is quite so matted as we haven't received much rain. Yep dull skies and little rain. Our rivers, lakes and marshes are still drier than usual.

Three smaller blocks from top to bottom: a toadstool growing in the crotch of a tree; female and  male mallard swimming in shallow water; and  bittersweet nightshade wilted by frost.

Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more
NATURE NOTES.

Halloween/Our World

 M.T. Box

Someone had tons of fun dreaming up names for these  Styrofoam gravestones!

 Diane Rott

My Halloween decorating is minimal but I do enjoy seeing...

 Ben Dover

the creative decorations others put in their front yards.

Manny Bones

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

Red Squirrel/Sunday Best

 OOPS! Busted!

Red squirrels eat fungi, berries, young shoots, seeds in pine cones,  bird eggs and, yes, bird seed.

Feeling shy

Up on a limb

I am linking to Your Sunday Best at A Rural Journal

Scavenger Hunt

 1. pattern

I love this fern leaf dressed in fall colours. The patterns are tiny at the tips and get larger as they move towards the centre and then down the stem. Isn't nature incredible.

 2. Machine

Old, old tractor here!

 3. Sign

No words needed here - stop sign ahead.

 4. Rocks

A glacier thousands of years ago created this sculpture.

5. Sparkle

I am linking to Ashley Sisk's Scavenger Hunt HERE

Up North/Weekend Reflections

 Evergreens reflected in lake

Much of the foliage colour is fading here, but the nice thing about evergreens is they stay GREEN all year.
 

Evergreens and clouds

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

Cornfield/Rural Thursday

Cornfield, Uxbridge

I took this photo because I love the lines in the field of cow corn and way it has been cut. I think the farmer is measuring the yield per acre.

Farm machinery

I am linking to

Rural Thursday

W/Alphabe-Thursday

 Web #1

Spiders may be scary but they are also amazing! I was delighted a couple of months ago to find these webs beside a woodland path. I think they are beautiful.

 Web #2

Web #3

I am linking to Jenny Matlock at Alphabe-Thursday HERE

Northern Shoveler/Wild Bird

 Female northern shoveler

The northern shovelers (Anas clypeata) are migrating south,  many currently spending time in Central Ontario- some will remain here all winter.

 Male northern shoveler

At first glance, they look a lot like mallards...but LOOK at their beaks - elongated, kinda spoon shaped with comb-like edges to filter out food from water.

Another view of male's beak

I am joining Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday HERE

Mid Fall/Nature Notes

Lake Scugog, Port Perry, Ontario

Mid- fall already! Last weekend I found a few stalks of goldenrod still in bloom but most have gone to seed. Shrubs and trees were still colourful and the Scugog Rowing Club was still out practicing and spooking some migrating ducks.

Last week, I neglected to say that staghorn sumac is NOT the same as poison sumac.  So this week I am remembering to write that goldenrod is NOT the culprit that causes hay fever.  Blame your itchy eyes and stuffy nose on ragweed!

Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more
NATURE NOTES.

Demolition/Our World

 Demolishing a house in the country

Lat Friday, it was sad but fascinating to watch an old house being torn down, but this one had been condemned. It was was on town property next to town soccer fields - recently purchased - and would cost taxpayers  more than it was worth to renovate it.

 A claw takes the wall down bit by bit

Among other problems, bats were living in the attic. I saw several anxious bats flying around, upset their home was being destroyed.

Longer view

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

Colour/Sunday Best

 Uxbridge on Friday, a sunny day

We still have colour here but  not for long, so here I am showing you what it looked like here on Friday and,,,

 Port Perry on Saturday #1, an overcast day

on Saturday.

Port Perry on Saturday #2

I am linking to Your Sunday Best at A Rural Journal

Scavenger Hunt

 1. Orange

Sunrise over a farm stand near where I live

 2. Faceless portrait

Taking portraits are not easy for me, but these guys didn't seem to mind that I had a camera.

 3. View from the top

I was standing on a bridge looking down.
 

 4. Cozy

It's time for a nap a a little togetherness.

5. Stacked

I took this photo with a telephoto lens so the houses and cottages are not quite as stacked on one another as they appear here.  But they ARE close!

I am linking to Ashley Sisk's Scavenger Hunt HERE

Front Windows/Reflections

Hanging plants and trees are reflected windows

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

Domestic Ducks/Rural Thursday

 Domestic ducks in private pond

Longer view

I am linking to

Rural Thursday

V/Alphabe-Thursday

 Maple leaf

V is for vivid and vibrant

It's hard to beat the vivid  colour of an autumn maple leaf unless...

 Lake Simcoe

unless you consider a beautiful sunset or

Sumac leaves

the vibrant fall leaves on a staghorn sumac.

I am linking to Jenny Matlock at Alphabe-Thursday HERE 

I am also joining Leaves for Leontien HERE.

Blue Jay/Wild Bird

 Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

Blue jays are common just about everywhere in eastern North America in deciduous woods, coniferous forests and even residential backyards. The one above lives in Algonquin Provincial Park and is looking for a handout. Notice his/her crest is lowered. Apparently they lower their crests when they are feeding.

 Another blue jay

This one is also hanging out where humans are tossing out peanuts. And some people are holding the nuts in their palms.  While gray jays - whiskeyjacks -  like their peanuts shelled...

Found a Peanut, Found a peanut...

blue jays enjoy the challenge of shelling their own.

I am joining Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday HERE