Sunday, February 1, 2015

Open Spaces

Rolling countryside, open space

February 1st is City Daily Photo Theme Day and the theme this month - If you had to leave forever the city from where you usually post, what would you miss most 

 What I would miss the most (I think) is the rolling countryside, the open spaces...

Farm overlooking Mount Albert, a growing community in East Gwillimbury

and sadly that is something we are slowly losing anyway as Toronto expands and turns many of our vistas into subdivisions, industrial parks and shopping malls.

Snowy owl surveying some of what's left of East Gwillimbury's open spaces

I am linking to City Daily Photo Theme Days  HERE

I am also linking to Sunlit Sunday HERE

81 comments:

Cloudia said...

You do that beauty honor daily!




ALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
<3

Ginny Hartzler said...

What a gorgeous bird! We have lots of open spaces, too. And I love them!

Jim said...

Good theme day post.

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

Lovely countryside with the rolling hills but that Snowy Owl is superb. Have a great weekend.

Peter van den Besselaar said...

Nice entry. But surely you would find these kind of nature in Holland as well :-)

Gemma Wiseman said...

Somehow that turned head of the snowy owl seems to symbolise sweet dreams of yesterday... as it was. A moving conclusion to a lovely post.

Valladolid Daily Photo said...

Love your choice for the theme day. Well done!

Kay said...

This is a wonderful choice, something that's on my list, too. (The snowy owl is fabulous!)

magiceye said...

Beautiful takes on the theme!

Maggie said...

You certainly live in a beautiful part of the world, the snowy owl shot is wonderful.
Visiting from Normandy, France via Sunlit Sunday,
bon dimanche.

Poppy said...

Your photos of your East Gwillimbury are beautiful. Soon, it will sort of be 'my' East Gwillimbury, too, (part time), as my sister is moving there in June, and I always stay with her when I'm home. As you said, the open spaces and rolling hills add to the already picturesque prettiness of this charming town.

Looking forward to wandering these gorgeous vistas, soon.

Poppy

PerthDailyPhoto said...

EG I can understand your love of wide open spaces, long may you have them so that we can enjoy them with you.

Andy said...

In your case Camera Girl you don't have to leave to miss something. Someone else is taking it away.

VP said...

How you are right! This is exactly what I miss every day in a crowded and noisy city. Only the sea helps a bit...

Bob Bushell said...

Oh yes, I love the Snowy Owl, it's superb.

eileeninmd said...

The open spaces and the Snowy owl would be missed. Beautiful images, enjoy your Sunday!

Revrunner said...

Where I live used to be graced with rolling hills and farms. But those days have are but distant memories even among the old-timers.

Joan Elizabeth said...

What a beautiful owl.

Aimeecakes said...

Oh I love owls and that one is so beautiful! Your wide open spaces are lovely, I hope you don't lose too much of them!

jp@A Green Ridge said...

Great scenes but I love your sighting of the owl!!!!...:)JP

Mersad said...

Really amazing countryside.

Mersad
Mersad Donko Photography

Kathy said...

I suppose progress is a necessary evil. But where would we be without it!

Snap said...

Beautiful open spaces. I love owls -- thanks for the snowy one!

Mari said...

It's kinda sad when all countrysides are later developed in residential areas. They lose its beauty and special atmosphere. But I guess this is the only solution to reduce crowding in the city. Same thing happens the same in my country.

MMMHarrington said...

Lovely sense of space and light

Rose said...

Lovely photos...love that owl! I would love to see one in real life.

What I would miss most here would probably be the nearby strip pits. So close, but usually hardly a soul out there. Maybe one or two passing through if I am out there for an hour or so.

GreensboroDailyPhoto said...


You capture that wide open space beautifully. At first one wonders what we will find in the open space. Then, an owl pops into view, the light shines just right on a tree... and you get it all.

May you never have to leave your "playground"! Happy Theme Day!

Janis
GDP

tiptoethruphylsgarden.blogspot.com said...

Beautiful, beautiful countrysides ,but the snowy owl really catches my eye, have a great Sun,Phyllis

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

Beautiful scene. Your area and Tulsa are similar in that they are both surrounded by lots of open range and farm land. I love it, and here as well the developers are swallowing it up.

Unknown said...

I would miss that too, if I were you. You live in a very beautiful landscape. And I like your owl very much :)
Have a fine sunday
【ツ】Knipsa

Anonymous said...

God Bless Canada my friend. We do have a beautiful country and natures. I love owls.

You do Canada a tribute in our thyme today.

We are Proud.

TexWisGirl said...

i can relate to that love of open spaces.

John's Island said...

Hi EG CG, I really like the countryside of East Gwillimbury and can definitely see why you would miss it. You will know that I love trains and, years ago, I rode Via Rail’s Canadian from Vancouver to Toronto. It was a fantastic trip and the reason I mention it now is that as the train neared Toronto I think we went through some countryside pretty close to EG. I recall admiring those lucky people who live out there. Your photography in this post is excellent, as always, and the snowy owl is just awesome. John

Country Gal said...

Beautiful photos . That's why we moved farther southwest because the greater Toronto area is stretching north and east . I used to live in Caledon which is growing as is Orangeville and then moved to Brampton for a bit which was a small farm town and now is an ugly city so we now live off the north shores of lake Erie southwest of it all where there is lots of farm land rolling hills small old farm and port towns and valley's . Thanks for sharing , Have a good week !

stardust said...

The same with the place where I live. Lots of open space has been developed for commercial use. The snowy owl is majestic. Stay warm and have a nice week.

Yoko

Judy said...

And I would miss seeing your pictures of that open space and all the wildlife that you share with us.

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

Lovely photos of your area - and the owl is spectacular. I only saw a Snowy Owl one time - it was flying low over a field next to our house in the country in California.

Joseph Pulikotil said...

Hello greetings an good wishes.

Stunning photos.

Best wishes

William Kendall said...

The open spaces are beautiful in your area. Such a good choice!

Small City Scenes said...

I agree!!
Super shot and that one of the Snowy---Excellent.
MB

Judy said...

I wish I had a car so I get out to the rolling countryside, the way you have captured here...

Sylvia K said...

Such a beautiful countryside it is indeed! Terrific captures as always and I do LOVE that owl!!! Thanks as always for sharing the beauty!!

Randy said...

You do have some amazing wildlife there.

cieldequimper said...

Ah, I can relate! And you've shown it so beautifully!

Breathtaking said...

What a lovely capture of the Snowy Owl!:)I'm sure I would miss those wide open spaces too. We need space, and so do the critters.

orvokki said...

You have beautiful views wchich you would miss.

Lois said...

Oh wow, I would miss that too! It's a shame when progress encroaches on such beautiful vistas. I love that picture of the Snowy Owl.

Ela said...

Such beautiful landscapes !
Great pictures !
Greetings

Stephanie said...

Lovely serene countryside and gorgeous owl image!

Shammickite said...

Hopefully, our elected officials will work to preserve our lovely open spaces.... but you never know. Greed happens.

RedPat said...

I rarely get out of the city so it is nice to see the countryside through your blog, EG! Love the owl!

CountryMum said...

I would so miss the open countryside too! As well as the huge horizons we have out here. Love your photos.

Karl said...

Beautiful open spaces and superb owl ! Good choice for this theme !

Lowell said...

That snowy owl is mesmerizing! What a shot! Pat yourself on the shoulder.

Anonymous said...

Oh...be still my heart! That snowy owl capture is gorgeous. Wonderful sunlit photos, all of them.

Birdman said...

After the 1st shot I was settled either on a cattle ranch or a golf fairway. hahaha

Ruth Hiebert said...

Beautiful open spaces. I would miss that kind of scene so much,if I had to leave this area.

Linda W. said...

Nice countryside landscapes. Love that snowy owl too.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Oh I only can hope and pray that zoning regs will prevent any further urban sprawl. People (and owls) need open space! Wonderful pictures ... The snowy owl is amazing!

Jenn Jilks said...

Good for you, you snapped an owl!
I'm with you. When we moved from the lake, with the open vistas, it hurt my heart.

GreenComotion said...

Hi Tina - Wonderful photo of the owl and the countryside. Here is to hoping the industrialization/expansion of Toronto doesn't obliterate the natural beauty that surrounds your city!
May your wish become true!!
Have a Beautiful Day!
Peace :)

Hilary said...

I did leave my city (Mississauga) to come out to the country (Maynooth) and as much as I love my surroundings, here, I still miss my old space frequently. Especially my park just a few feet from home where I saw more wild animals on a daily basis than here. Go figure. :)

hamilton said...

It can be a shocking drive out into the country when you see the mass of houses that's sprung up since your last trip. What a gorgeous shot of the snow owl!

Gill - That British Woman said...

super shots especially of the owl.

Gill

Michelle said...

A great photo of the snowy owl!

Pamela Gordon said...

Urban sprawl is slowly creeping out our way too and I know I'd miss the beautiful farm land, open spaces and orchards if I had to move. Sadly, I'd probably move to a new sub-division which is part of that urban sprawl! I love your photos. The snowy owl is gorgeous.

Lorrie said...

That's a stunning photo of the snowy owl. Winter has its own beauty - austere and elegant.

Jack said...

I would have thought that you are far enough out that you have a limitless amount of open space.

Paula said...

The Snowy Owl is beautiful.

Tammie Lee said...

gorgeous wintery images!
and then
the snowy owl, you got a WOW out of me!

Carola Bartz said...

I would miss my lake very much, and the beautiful State Park we have here right at the city limits.

eclectichomelife said...

It is a shame that Toronto is overspilling. I fear this is the future. Fabulous shot of the owl

Halcyon said...

One of the things I loved about Toronto was that you didn't need to go far to find these beautiful open spaces. But I do agree with you about the development. Pretty soon Toronto will take up maybe 1/3 of Ontario? ;-)

Rick (Ratty) said...

Where I live looks very similar to what's in your pictures. That's what I love about it, and that's why I moved here. I do miss the forests from where I lived before though.

Babzy.B said...

beautiful landscape and stunning owl picture ! :)

Darla said...

Like you, I enjoy open space. It seems relaxing.

Darla

Pondside said...

Every time I visit Toronto I am struck by how much more of it there is. In the early 70's I lived in Camp Borden and commuted to York U. I remember the rolling countryside. When I made that same drive last year I was hard pressed to find remembered villages - it was all one big sprawl.

Karen said...

Oh, that Snowy Owl is stunning. Thanks for sharing.

kayerj said...

three of my favorite things, although I've only ever seen a barn owl. I would love to see a snowy owl.

Pat Tillett said...

Easy to understand why you would miss it. Beautiful photos. It sounds like you are already missing parts of it that have been developed.

My Little Home and Garden said...

I like the photos you take of the rolling countryside. In my area, the city is expanding as well. Fortunately, the countryside is still not too far away.

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East Gwillimbury is a rural town less than an hour north of Toronto, Canada's largest city. My family calls me CameraGirl because I take my camera with me wherever I go.