Sharon Temple

Sharon Temple National Historic Site and Museum

November 1st is City Daily Photo Theme Day and the theme this month is Landmark

Sharon Temple has been called "the birthplace of democracy in Canada" and I'm proud to say this site is right here in East Gwillimbury. The temple was built in the late 1820s by the Children of Peace (a Quaker sect), a group that believed in democratic principles based on faith, hope, charity and love.

The building is a unique structure with doors on all four sides, significant because they open to people from all four directions. This site, which also includes eight historic buildings, regularly hosts concerts and other special events. The Children of Peace loved music and the acoustics inside the temple are amazing!

I am linking to City Daily Photo Theme Days  HERE

Red Sunset

Seeing red

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

Halloween

 Fences on porches at front of house

The people who live in this house love Halloween! They've decorated their front porches  and

 Black cat

front garden with seasonal fun and also...

 Side fence at backyard of same house

their side fence with spooky characters and...

Boo!

ghosts wishing you and yours the best Halloween ever.


I am linking to Good Fences HERE.

X/Alphabe-Thursday

 Wind surfing - Xhilarating!

X is for exhilarating  Xilerating 

Well, I have never tried this sport but this guy was having tons of fun!

 Another wind surfer

Although the day was dreary, cold and windy, this guy seemed to be thrilled to be out sailing on the water too.

Looks like an OOPS! moment

Actually, the windsurfer was coming in for a break to adjust something on his sail.

Brief stopover

His friend came in for a few minutes too.

I am linking to Jenny Matlock at Alphabe-Thursday HERE 

Northern Pintail

Male Northern Pintail (Anas Acuta)

A few ducks have begun to arrive at a favourite marsh just north of Lake Ontario.  Among those stopping over for a brief rest on their way south are Northern Pintails and this fellow was kind enough to swim close enough for some decent photos.

 Swimming in amongst dead marsh plants

I waited for this one to stretch his long graceful neck but whenever he did he was behind dead and dying cattails and weeds. He's handsome now but not as elegant looking as he will be next spring when attracting females. But wait!

Female Northern Pintail

It seems the Northern Pintail males visiting this marsh already have a female following.
I am connecting to Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday HERE

Old plow and trailer

 Old trailer with pumpkins

Truth be told I took these photos a month ago and then forgot I had them!  It's definitely not this green here any more.  But we do see lots of pumpkins still being sold at the side of the road.

Old plow

This plow looks like a LOT of work to use!

In celebration of the old and wonderful "stuff", I  am connecting to Rubbish Tuesday HERE.
More photos from Our World can be seen by clicking HERE.

Colour still Here

Orange and blue on Lake Simcoe

Some of the trees have totally dropped their leaves...but not all!

Orange!!

I didn't see any red this week but I did spot some orange.

Reflection in a small cove, Cook's Bay on Lake Simcoe

Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.

Chipmunk

 Chipmunk

This little guy is wondering "Should I or shouldn't I?"

 Tempting a chipmunk

She wishes he would!

I am linking to Saturday Critters HERE.

Cam's Pond

 Cattail reflections

Last week I showed you reflections in one friend's pond HERE. We have another friend who has a pond too and this is how it looked last Saturday when we visited him.

Small dock and cattails

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

Harbour Fencing

 Fencing at Cobourg's inner harbour

The fence isn't spectacular but I like the reflection.

Fence in the background

At first I drawn to the reflection but you can also see the fencing that lines the north side of the harbour.

I am linking to Good Fences HERE.

W/ Alphabe-Thursday

Wooden fantasy ship - aka playground!

W is for WOODEN.

A friend of ours (Cam Aiken) is an artist/carpenter with a four-year-old son.  Look what Cam built in his backyard - a cool fantasy ship made of wood!

 Bow of the pirate's  fantasy ship

Truth be told, this ship is flying the Canadian flag...so maybe it's MY imagination that it's a pirate ship.

 Fantasy ship's sandbox

Fantasy ship's climbing wall

Fantasy ship's mess hall

Another view of the fantasy ship

 To see more of Cam's work, visit www.etsy.com/shop/AikenKraft

I am linking to Jenny Matlock at Alphabe-Thursday HERE 

Green-winged Teal

 Female Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis)

Green-winged teals are small ducks that like shallow ponds and marshes. A few breed in a marsh near where I live. They are among the last ducks to migrate south in the fall and the first to return in the spring. Some may still be here in December.

They are the smallest North American dabbling ducks. This time of year they feast on the seeds of grasses and sedges.

Female and male

I am connecting to Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday HERE

Window Display

 Winery window display

Friends of ours own and operate a small winery and in the entranceway there's a charming window and shelf with old stuff I wish I owned. I'd love to have those wooden birds. I'm sure I could find a place for them...okay, pretty sure.

The window above the three birds has one more bird

In celebration of the old and wonderful "stuff", I  am connecting to Rubbish Tuesday HERE.
More photos from Our World can be seen by clicking HERE.

Colourful Autumn

 Red maple leaves in a local park

How can anyone feel grumpy when all you have to do is look outside or - better yet - walk outdoors to revel in such beauty?

 Reds and yellows

This time of year Mother Nature is not shy about wearing red and yellow, that's for sure!

The leaves in the first photo are/were on this tree on a sunnier day

Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.

Rascally Raccoon

 Juvenile raccoon helping itself to some bird seed

When they are young, cute. When they are older, not so much.

But we humans need to remember - at least I think - that we have invaded THEIR territories and that many of us are slobs so it's only natural that raccoons will take advantage of our slovenly behavior.

Yum! Fast Food better than McDonald's!

However, I agree it's wrong, wrong, WRONG when they destroy roofs and other parts of our homes!

I am linking to Saturday Critters HERE.

Aubrey's Pond

 A friend's small pond

The pond is fairly small but there are myriad colourful reflections this time of year.

 Bridge to the island in the centre of pond

Reds and greens

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

Birders on Platform

Cranberry marsh, Whitby

Some days this time of year, this platform is very crowded with birders as there's a hawk watch in progress. A group of experienced birders is watching for and counting raptors a they fly south over this marsh and then travel easterly to Niagara Falls. Most of the time the kettles of hawks and eagles are flying so high I can barely see them. But those doing the count use scopes to see far better than I can with my camera.

Raptors do not continue south here as they would have to cross Lake Ontario and the birds don't want to do that, so they fly to between Lakes Ontario and Erie near Niagara Falls where they have only a river to cross.

I am linking to Good Fences HERE.

V/Alphabe-Thursday

 Hanging squash

V is for VEGGIES - hanging veggies, actually. OK, I have to admit that I have never seen anything quite like this before - the front side of an apple orchard decorated with  squash and pumpkins.

 A short stretch of the front side of the apple orchard

Sadly, a few of the decorations have fallen onto the grass, probably a result of the wind we've experienced lately.

 Hanging pumpkins

I wonder if the pumpkins will be recycled as Halloween decor.

Hanging pumpkin and squash

I am linking to Jenny Matlock at Alphabe-Thursday HERE 

White-throated Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow (Zontrichia albicollis)

Usually these handsome sparrows stay close yo the ground but this wonderfully cooperative one sat on some tree branches at my eye level and fairly close to where I was standing.

 Dreaming of black oil sunflower seeds?

In summer they eat copious amounts of insects and some berries but now their diet consists mostly of seeds.

Considering his options?

Most White-throated Sparrows spend their summers in Canada and their winters in the U.S. But a few live all year close to Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence Seaway.

I am connecting to Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday HERE