Is it Spring Yet?

Waiting for spring

Last week when I was out walking around Southlake Hospital in Newmarket, I spied a few evidences of springlike wishful thinking. It was still cold but the woman in the dark red jacket was out dreaming of warming weather...or so it looked like to me. Moving clockwise, two mallards searched areas in and around a creek for a suitable nesting spot; a Canada goose considered taking a cool, fresh swim; a woman swept winter street sand away from the entrance to her driveway,  a mallard swam in between sheets of ice, and lots of snow melted alongside a creek.

Chess table and two benches awaiting players

YAY! Snowdrops!

I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE

Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.

Sunlit Cardinals

Female cardinals last Friday

I am linking to Sunlit Sunday Here.

I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE

Late Winter

East Gwillimbury horse farm

Eighteen days till the first day of spring! We've had snow cover here all winter. A little melts - but not all - and then it snows again. Soon it all magically melts, right?
I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE

Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.

Inside Sunshine

When the garden is covered in snow

Thank goodness for supermarket flowers this time of year! They make shopping for groceries almost fun.

I am linking to Sunlit Sunday Here.
I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE

Mid February

Brown, white, icicles and snow

This winter has been a season for icicles. I'm sure they are thicker and longer than they have been in a few years. They are more like what I remember from my childhood.

Largest square: icicle on our local farm seed store. Moving clockwise: a snowy field under a blue sky; a horde of crows (this is just a tiny square of what was actually there); more icicles; crows in amongst corn stubble; and wild turkeys scratching for seeds.

I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE

Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.
  

Winter Birds

Birds out & about in early February

True there are no flowers in my Ontario gardens right now but,  I have bird feeders so there are tons of birds.

Largest square: female Northern Cardinal.

Moving clockwise: White-breasted Nuthatch, Mourning Dove, male Northern Cardinal, Tree Sparrow, and Dark-eyed junco

I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE.

Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.
  

Fire and Ice

Cold day, warm sunset

It's official - today we are now halfway through winter. Wiarton Willie (our local albino groundhog) is predicting six more weeks of cold weather and  Environment Canada agrees.

Largest photo: The light at the entrance to Whitby Harbour is covered in ice.

Moving clockwise: Ice on rocks in Whitby Harbour, sunset over farm,  drifting snow, sunset over E.G. field and sunset through maples.

I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE.

Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.
  

Mid January

More than just overcast skies!

Well, it's true the sky is often overcast here in January...but not ALWAYS. This week has seen a mixture of snow, rain, wind, cold and "January Thaw."

Largest square: proof that I was not the only crazy person out taking photos this afternoon.

Moving clockwise: icicles on rocks, snow on spruce trees, farm with pink sunset as backdrop, ice created by spray from HUGE waves (Lake Ontario) and a snow plow (need I say more?).

I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE.

Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.
  

Casino Art

 First Nation mural

A couple of weeks ago my husband and I visited the grounds of the Great Blue Heron Casino located on land owned by the Mississagusas of Scugog Island First Nation just east of Port Perry.

This mural (and three others) is painted on an outbuilding a few yards from the casino.  I like the bright colours and the simple style, which I think suits the building the murals are on.

Samples of other murals on same outbuilding

The art has been there a while.  These days there's a fence and walkway that obstruct part of the murals, making me wonder if the artwork is appreciated as much in 2014 as when it was first created.

Apparently there's art inside the casino too, but we didn't go inside  so I didn't take any photos.
I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE.


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

Kinda Seedy

Here for the yummy seeds

Feeding the squirrels birds is part of the joy of winter. Okay, I admit that I don't mind feeding the squirrels too, as long as they stay on the ground and off the feeders.

Largest square: male cardinal. Working clockwise:  blue jay, black-capped chickadee, white-throated sparrow, tree sparrow and red squirrel
I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE  and
Sunlit Sunday Here.

Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.
  

Ice Storm Aftermath

 Ice Storm, five days later

The big news here is the ice storm that arrived last Sunday. Many people (mostly in Toronto) are still without power because so many broken tree limbs landed on power lines. Hydro (electrical) crews have been working non stop.

 Ice on staghorn sumac berries

Ontarians north of the city (where I live) were much luckier! My neighbourhood has experienced power flickers and that's all.

Ice on fences and weeds in the countryside

Fence, weeds and ice under hazy sun

I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE.
Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.

Note City Daily Photo bloggers: The CDP theme for January is “Photo of the Year.”  

Frost on Window

Jack Frost on sun room window

When it's really, really cold outdoors, Jack Frost decorates our sun room windows overnight. In the largest square you can see where sunlight  started to melt the frost, which I think is pretty too.

Yes, it HAS been unseasonably cold lately!

I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE.

Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.

Note City Daily Photo bloggers: The CDP theme for January is “Photo of the Year.” 

Not Quite Officially Winter

 Lake Simcoe at Virginia Beach

I guess it depends on whether you think December 1st is the first day of winter OR the Winter Solstice is (this year December 21at 12:11 pm) .

It sure looks like winter here! Close to Lake Simcoe's shore is covered in ice, not thick, mind you, but definitely ice.  It's actually quite pretty when the light is good or sort-of good.

Wintery Weather

Largest square: Virginia Beach (L. Simcoe). Moving clockwise: stairs to a dock on the Trent-Severn Waterway; reflection of boathouse in Beaverton Harbour (L. Simcoe); Starling eating grapes on the shore on Jordan Harbour (L. Ontario); weird shaped ice - looks like logs - in Beaverton Harbour (L. Simcoe); and swirling snow on ice in Virginia Beach (L. Simcoe).

I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE. 
Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.

Let There Be Lights

The lights are on!

It sure is looking festive...and not just in the malls but also on town streets.

 The main street in Port Perry

I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE.

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

End of November

 Slow-flowing creek

Gloomy skies tend to dominate November over Ontario but when the sun shines, it can be quite lovely.

 Ice, snow and elk treated almost as pets

Now too tame to live in the wild, these elk will live out their lives within the confines of this fenced-in area. It's a large field with a bush in the back.

Ice and snow, but creek still flowing

I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE. 
Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.

Mid Autumn Rural Ontario 2

Leafless limbs, cow corn, farm

Still autumn!

Winter may be "right around the corner" but it's not here yet!  Largest square: Red-breasted nuthatch  eating peanuts.  Moving clockwise from top right:  flying common mergansers, flying goldeneye, paddler in yellow kayak, swimming gadwall ducks, and paddler in blue kayak.

I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE. 
Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.

Mid Autumn Rural Ontario

Canada geese over Ontario farm

November is mostly overcast in central Ontario.  Air traveling over the "warm"  Great Lakes (compared to the air) picks up moisture, creating thick clouds. 

Farmers' fields have turned  brown, and leaves have fallen from the trees. I do love the browns and golds, especially when the sun shines.

Fallen leaves in quick-frozen ice

Puddles have formed where some leaves have fallen, then frozen.

Frost on grass

I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE. 
Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.

Chippy

Out of its hole and up on the fence

This chipmunk  is out "shopping" for nuts and seeds to store for the winter ahead. I was lucky enough to see it pop up in its hole,  climb out, look around. and then hop up on a fence to collect a mouthful of seeds.

I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE. 

Hoar Frost 2

Frost and Hoar Frost

 It sure has gotten cold lately!

I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE. 
Please visit Michelle at Rambling Woods for more NATURE NOTES.

Extreme Decorating

 Somewhere south of East Gwillimbury

One house and fenced-in yard. Really. Some of you might think this is over-the top, but I think this is...er, over the top too.  However I do confess I really did want to photograph it and...

 A few closer ups

 create a mosaic of some of the elements.

 Porch above the front entrance

Someone is crazy about Halloween, dontcha think?

Side yard

I am Linking to Mosaic Monday HERE.

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

The November 1 theme for City Daily Photo bloggers is "Heights."