A few days in Canada's smallest province...

Prince Edward Island

My wife, Linda, and I just returned from a week visiting my sister, Diane, on Prince Edward Island...the only Canadian Province I had never been in before.    As it turned out, it reminded me of my home province, Ontario, with three big exceptions however: the red soil underfoot, the broad tidal rivers, and the breathtaking seascapes around every turn.   Here are a few pictures I took from a little fishing village called Victoria, near the island end of the one-of-a-kind Confederation Bridge.   Hope you enjoy.

The Orient Hotel

Sculpture for sale

At the small harbour

Community Hall and Playhouse

        More local artwork                                        Heading out on a warm sunny day

Photos by BtheB

No comment needed.

From an email ~ photographer unknown

BtheB

Meet Mr and Mrs. Stoneman, an inukshuk couple, at the entrance to Stoneman's Valley Inc., at Jane Street and Hwy. 9, in King Township.   It seems all things stone are available here and inukshuks are regular features.   This is, however, the first time I have see a welcoming pair such as these two.   I found them quite charming, although they did have little to say.

BtheB

Along the sideroads...

West of Schomberg

BarrytheBirder Photo

Scenes from the sideroads...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

I photographed this hot, humid, King Township scene along the 15th Sideroad this afternoon and the posers were quite co-operative, especially the heron and the frog.   A fifth pedestal was unoccupied and I wondered what might take the last spot.   A dragonfly perhaps, or  maybe a muskrat?   Sadly, I could not wait to see, but I enjoyed the scene while I could.   Please comment if you wish.

BtheB   

Raspberry Social At Laskay Hall

The annual Raspberry Social at Laskay Hall was its usual success on July 12.   Hot humid weather made the cake and pie, fresh raspberries and ice cream all the more enjoyable.   Linda and I met an old high school classmate, Penny Parmenter, from 50 years ago, and celebrated a mini-reunion of sorts.   This small community gathering is a form of  time-travel for many who attend, and little personal celebrations put smiles on the faces who underwent a brief, Brigadoon-type passage.In the photo at right, I got to turn the tables on Laskay resident and award-winning, professional photographer, Gary Conway, by taking his photo.   Gary was kept busy by making many pots of tea, among others things.   A small questionnaire was circulated during the lovely July evening soliciting comments for a King Township Sustainability Report.   Many people dutifully listed what they thought King should and should not do in the future.   There was no need to look beyond the Laskay Raspberry Social itself to focus one's thoughts.

Please comment if you wish.

BtheB                                                                                                                      Photos by BarrytheBirder  

Just in case you missed it...

Michael Kesterton, in his Globe & Mail Social Studies column today, quotes Warren G. Bennis (1925- ), U.S. scholar and organizational consultant, as follows:

The factory of the future will have

only two employees: a man and a dog.

The man will be there to feed the dog.

The dog will be there to keep the man from

touching the equipment. 

I can only hope that my grandchildren will have a broader view of the world than me.  

Please comment if you wish.

BtheB



A garden water feature perfectly executed

Photo by BarrytheBirder

MMHERONWOOD FARMMM



My wife and I, and a couple of her good friends, went on the Nobleton and King City Horticultural Society Garden Tour today and were once again treated to a couple of hours where the world is quiet and at peace.   I took a few photos but am showing only one photograph in this space.   I could have picked any one of a hundred shots and they all would be lovely, but for me the photo above records the most aesthetically pleasing subject matter of the entire tour.   It is a water feature.   There are lots of heron statues around and about in King Township.   And there are a number of heron statues with fish in their beaks also.   This statue of a heron with a fish in its beak (above) also had water dripping from the heron's catch.   The effect was of being close to a real bird at the moment it had caught a meal and was comtemplating the best way to turn it around for swallowing.   The trickling sound of the water made one stand quietly and  still, while absorbing the shaded scene.   This Elysian patch at Heronwood Farm was worth the price of admission all by itself.   Please comment if you wish.

BtheB 

Where are all the birds coming from?

Many people have commented to me this summer that they are seeing and hearing a lot more birds, both familiar and unfamiliar, than usual.   I reply that, yes, I have noticed the same thing.   It's well known that global warming and other environmental factors seem to be responsible for many species  here in south-central Canada pushing up their northern boundaries for the past several years.   In my personal opinion, this year's cold, wet, late spring stalled the annual northern migration considerably, and many birds (insectivores) threw up their wings in frustration and started nesting wherever they happened to be.   From a birdwatching point of view it's not a bad thing.   Many non-birders have actually taken the time to identify birds with which they were not previously familiar.   Some of the bird names that I hear popping up with regularity are Baltimore Oriole, Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting and Cedar Waxwing, among others.  It's an ill wind that blows no one some good, I guess.   Please comment if you wish.   (Kingfisher photo by BarrytheBirder)

BtheB  

Today's colour is green

Ferns in our backyard

Holland Marsh seedlings ready for transplanting

Lloydtown Cemetery

Green tunnel to Marylake Augustinian Monastery

 Fern for milady's hat

Nature's pure design

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Please comment if you wish.

BtheB 

And how did your barber get to work today?

This is my barber, Palma, who rode her new Suzuki 650cc Boulevard to her barbershop, in King City, this morning.   What is it with bike-riders?   Palma's already talking about trading in her wheels for something larger.   Bikers, sheesh!   I hope she doesn't ask me to let her shave the words ZOOM into my temples.   Please comment if you wish.

BtheB

Today's colour is orange

Male Baltimore Oriole at our backyard hummingbird feeder

 Guard-kittens in Kettleby at the Around the Bend Farm Market

One of my grandfather's favourites ~ nasturtiums

Schomberg Supplies feed mill on Main Street, Schomberg

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Please comment if you wish

BtheB



Red-winged Blackbird skewers hawk

BarrytheBirder photo

I stopped off in Temperanceville to take a picture of a Great Blue Heron this morning but wasn't able to get the photo I wanted.   I turned away, a bit disappointed, glanced up and there was a Red-tailed Hawk on a wire, totally ignoring the protests of two Red-winged Blackbirds and two American Robins that wanted no part of the intuder to their territory.   One the blackbirds became so frustrated with the hawk's imperious disregard of them, that it took one last plunge, swooped low, and with its outstretched beak, skewered the hawk right in the middle of its belly.   Shocked, The Red-tail lurched backwards, shrieked, and headed off for the friendlier fields.   The small birds immediately disappeared into nearby trees and shrubs and all was calm and quiet.   Please comment if you wish.

BtheB