Fave Photo 2015/CDP Theme Day

South Simcoe Railway, Tottenham 

January 1st is City Daily Theme  Day and this month the theme is "Photo of the Year."

How can  a photographer choose one favourite photo?  Impossible!! 

But this one I do love for many reasons. For one, I discovered this neat Simcoe Steam Railway, a heritage rail that my husband enjoyed visiting several times ( I kid you not! Photographers drag their families along to get the best shot even if it takes more than once or twice or more). And we dragged a few friends along too, even convincing them to take the short journey aboard the train from Tottenham to Beeton!

In B&W

Lately, I have been converting a few B&W photos for a future project. The South Simcoe Railway has made the grade.

I am linking to City Daily Photo Theme Days  HERE

After Snowfall

Winter is here

This photo was taken last year. This winter we finally had our first significant snowfall Monday night...followed by rain, so it doesn't look as nice as this photo. The snow has turned to slush and then probably into ice. EW! Winter has caught up with us!

I am linking to Good Fences HERE

Xs and Os

 Part of a gazebo

When I spotted this gazebo, I just new I had to photograph it and play with it!

 Turned 90°

B&W version

I am linking to NF Digital Art Meme  HERE.

Y/Young Nature Lovers

 Young birders

Start kids young loving the environment and our planet will have a much better chance of surviving climate change, I bet. These two are waiting for chickadees to discover the seed in their hands.

 Close encounter with a Hairy Woodpecker

This two-year-old boy was delighted when the woodpecker landed in his dad's hands. Dad is a seventh-grade science teacher who  brings a busload of kids from his classes to this conservation every year. His lucky son doesn't have to wait till he's 13 to have this experience.

Such Excitement!

Such excitement!

This little girls is thrilled that this mallard has come this close to her to accept a handful of seeds.

I am joining ABC Wednesday  HERE

Northern Pintail

 Female and male Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)

Supposedly, Pintails are here in south-central Ontario  only during migration, but I have seen them on standing on ice in mid winter. As long as they can still get food these two may not move on, although the weather has turned quite a bit colder so perhaps they have already headed farther south.

 Female Northern Pintail

The female may not be as  striking as the male, but she is still a beauty!

Male Northern Pintail

Males are easy to recognize even from a long distance. They have long necks with a white stripe.
I am connecting to Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday HERE

CPR Train

 Canadian Pacific Railway mural

If you like trains, Parry Sound is a great place to visit! Trains have passed through this town since 1899.  This mural celebrates the Canadian Pacific Railway, important to the town since the days of steam engines.

Closer view of engine 

Flora and Fauna in bottom lefthand corner

I am joining Monday Mural HERE

Apples!

 Apples fallen from a tree (not mine)

Not only was there an abundant crop of apples this year but...

Apples hanging on

a few are still refusing to let go from the trees.

 I have picked buckets of apples up off the ground for my compost and a friend took away bushels to make cider. And still there are are apples on the trees!

I am  linking to  NATURE NOTES.  

Dairy Farm

 Old barn with new boards on it's easterly side

It makes me feel good to see new boards on an old barn.  The northerly end could use some repairs too, but this farm is kept up so I'm pretty sure it will happen soon.

A wider view

I am joining the Barn Collective HERE

Winter Shadows

Whitby Harbour

Not many people were out on the pier even though the sun was shining. It was a pretty day but I suspect most people were out Christmas shopping or wrapping presents.

I am linking to Shadow Shot Sunday 2 HERE.

Chickadee-dee-dee

Chickadee on cattail

This was a first for me - a chickadee eating cattail seeds...or perhaps looking for tasty insects or collecting fluff for its nest.

During the summer months, chickadees eat animal protein such as insects and ticks. When I learned they ate ticks - including the kind that carry Lyme disease - I decided they would be very welcome in my gardens!

 Chickadee on red-osier dogwood

During the winter months, though, they eat seeds when they cannot find insects. Although they don't migrate, they do gather in flocks during cold weather - mostly with other chickadees but they are fine with other small birds joining in too. In fact, migrating birds are known to spend time on stopovers with them. which is great if you want a variety of birds at your feeders.

Two hungry chickadees

I am linking to  Saturday Critters HERE.

Merry Christmas

 Christmas baubles in shop window

The ornaments are reflecting colours off the street and in the background the yellow stuccoed building is reflected from the across the street. (You can see the reflected building better in the fourth photo.)

 Closeup of bauble from above

 Closeup of Bauble from below

A yellow building is reflected in background

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

Pier at Oshawa

Fence on the entrance to the pier

Many years the gate is closed by this time in December to keep fishers (and photographers)  from slipping on ice and falling into the harbour, so last week I was surprised to see the gate wide open.But hey! No ice to worry about!

I am linking to Good Fences HERE

Lakeview Park Beach

 Orange snow fencing to keep snow from drifting too far

Hmmm. What snow?  It's definitely not bikini weather...but last Thursday there was no snow either.

Ring-billed gulls weren't complaining about the weather either

I am joining Wednesday Waters HERE.

X/Xmas

 So many Santas!

It shouldn't be a BIG surprise that Xmas would be a BIG X-word for today.

 Santas in a store window

Spell Check seems to think "Santas" is not a word! Obviously there's more than one!

One Santa's mail box

Reminder to me: Send Santa (the one here) a note. QUICK!

I am joining ABC Wednesday  HERE

White-breasted Nuthatch

 White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 

One of my MOST favourite birds, I love it when I see a white-breasted Nuthatch at our feeders or when I'm out on a woodland walk.

 Coming down a tree

This little guy was up, down, around and then up again. He seemed to be everywhere!

Strong feet to hang on like this!

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

Still some Color

 Hardy cranesbill geranium leaves

Sometimes it pays to look down to find colour this time of year. These leaves have not died and shrivelled away just because the temperature has dipped below freezing! Aren't they colourful?

 Water droplets on cedar

Some mornings the fog is so heavy that water droplets form on trees and needles.

Rose hips

One is red, the other wrinkled and dried out.

I am  linking to  NATURE NOTES.  

Fergusson

Wood carving celebrating Adam Fergusson one of two founders of Fergus, Ontario

According to the Dictionary of Canadian Bibliographies, Adam Fergusson "was a lawyer by training and a country gentleman by inclination."  Fergusson was born in Scotland but emigrated to Canada with his family in 1834 after having been sent a couple of years earlier to "Upper Canada" (now Ontario) to check out agriculture here. Obviously, he was impressed by the farming possibilities. (Remember he was a hardy Scot!)

Front view from the street side

A year later, he and James Webster purchased a large parcel of land, some of which became the village of Fergus.

Side view

Three year later, Fergus commanded a militia unit in the Rebellion of 1837. He was loyal to the British Crown and in 1850 was opposed to Upper Canada being annexed by the United States, preferring to remain under the British flag. He worked hard to improve Canadian agriculture and at the same time worked to establish political reform, attempting to safeguard the interests of the common people.

As seen from the back

In 1841, Lower Canada (Quebec and Labrador) and Upper Canada (Ontario) joined to create the Province of Canada until July 1, 1867 when the Dominion of Canada was formed uniting Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Sadly, Fergusson never saw this union as he died five years earlier in 1862.
More photos from Our World can be seen by clicking HERE.

Red and Green

Painted Christmas colours year-round

These barns were photographed northeast of East Gwillimbury on day threatening to rain. As you can see, it had snowed a bit the night before.

I am joining the Barn Collective HERE

Rust and Shadows

 Rusty old frame and shadows behind a strip mall

Not very Christmasy but what can I say? Suddenly the weather has turned overcast and not great for shadows. We can always hope the weather improves for next week's shadow shot.

Vertical view of the old frame and shadows

I am linking to Shadow Shot Sunday 2 HERE.

On Parade

Participating in the Santa Claus Parade

It was mitten and hat weather but everyone had a good time.

I am linking to  Saturday Critters HERE.

December Sun

A sunny December day

It doesn't look like early December in Ontario, does it?

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

Farm Fencing

Fencing and dried weeds

Look through the weeds and you can see the fencing. As you can see, the dried weeds are still standing tall as we've not had enough snow to knock them down.

I am linking to Good Fences HERE

Jackson's Point

 Jackson's Point, Lake Simcoe

Another lovely late afternoon in December and we were out looking for migrating ducks. The only ones we saw were Buffleheads. But there were tons of reflections.

Lovely weather for fishing

I am joining Wednesday Waters HERE.