tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26296540675970108872012-01-31T05:36:09.205-05:00The Smitten Imagefor the thousands of words that pictures are worthHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.comBlogger5471100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-55116749352889528222012-01-31T00:01:00.003-05:002012-01-31T05:07:25.951-05:00Meeting Elizabeth and No Posts of the WeekUnfortunately, I've not had much chance to visit many blogs, this past week so once again, I'm going to put off posting the POTW until next time. I've only collected a few and I'd rather offer up a more complete selection when I have more time to put into it. Hopefully, that will be next week, but no promises.Edited to add that I just realized that I'm one day early with this non-POTW. It Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-12987482253388674622012-01-29T00:01:00.005-05:002012-01-29T00:01:02.056-05:00Texture"The full measure of a man is not to be found in the man himself, but in the colors and textures that come alive in others because of him."~ Albert Schweitzer "The past becomes a texture, an ambiance to our present."~ Paul Scott “I search for the realness, the real feeling of a subject, all the texture around it. I always want to see the third dimension of something. I want to come alive with theHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-54542595474832885142012-01-26T06:00:00.006-05:002012-01-26T11:48:58.909-05:00CreeksideAbout ten days ago, I took a walk along the creek near Frank's place. There was a fresh blanket of snow lightly covering the shoreline, and the creek water had begun to freeze along the edges. It was a lovely sunny morning and I enjoyed snapping a few shots.Now here's a technique that Jillsy Girl helped me out with last July. Try as I may, many times before and since, I haven't been able to Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com74tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-61234498395813548632012-01-25T00:01:00.003-05:002012-01-25T00:01:03.035-05:00Eye-Catchers and Posts of the WeekI have a trio of eye-catchers for you. Sunlight, streetlights and store signs.Alien Landing: I was probably reading blogs when this green glow caught my attention and demanded my camera's presence. It was the sunlight streaming through a new water bottle creating striking lines in brilliant green.Night Lights: It was a rainy ride across the city from my place to Frank's. I was with my friend Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-3148958080320356582012-01-22T00:01:00.001-05:002012-01-22T00:01:01.618-05:00How High Can He Fly?Yesterday, Frank's #1 Son sent me an email advising me that it was Squirrel Appreciation Day. Sure enough, MessyMimi who always announces what's going on Today in History at the end of her blog posts included it too. I'm a day late with this but I figured that now would be a good time to share a few photos taken a few months ago of Benny and a very patient squirrel.These images were taken shortlyHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com86tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-7673320110403853332012-01-19T06:00:00.010-05:002012-01-25T20:37:51.128-05:00Golden MomentsEvery moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such.~ Henry MillerAs promised, I have a few more photos for you which were taken on a New Year's Day walk. The weather had been quite cold for a few days and there was a new blanket of snow on the ground. That snow has since melted, but a bit more has fallen this past week. We're still having a very easy winter, so far.OnHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com60tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-33520473736046279372012-01-18T00:01:00.001-05:002012-01-18T00:01:00.829-05:00He Works for Peanuts and No Posts of the WeekSorry folks, but as you may have noticed, I haven't been keeping up with my blog visits over the past few days. I've had a visitor and been a visitor in the real world, this past week. And when blog visits diminish, so does my collection of the Posts of the Week. So I'm going to have to skip them, this week and try to find more for you for next time. I hope you'll understand. In fact, I feel I Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-17926875286246521812012-01-14T00:01:00.001-05:002012-01-15T00:05:20.410-05:00A Sunflower in WinterNot too far from my home, there's a solitary sunflower which remains standing, head bowed to the winter. This image was taken about one week ago. I hope you enjoy the images and quotes.“The gaudy leonine sunflower Hangs black and barren on its stalk, And down the windy garden walk The dead leaves scatter,- hour by hour” ~ Oscar Wilde“The sunflower is a favorite emblem of constancy” Thomas Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com57tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-61609806370451664582012-01-12T06:00:00.004-05:002012-01-12T06:00:00.708-05:00Think of a TreeThink of a tree. When you think of a tree, you tend to think of a distinctly defined object; and on a certain level, it is. But when you look more closely at the tree, you will see that ultimately it has no independent existence. When you contemplate it, you will find that it dissolves into an extremely subtle net of relationships that stretches across the universe. The rain that falls on its Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com58tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-48158199810004769012012-01-11T00:01:00.000-05:002012-01-11T00:13:55.674-05:00Bennie Gets a Gift, Calendar Winner and The Posts of the WeekBenny has become quite adept at opening gifts. All you need to do is tear a piece of paper in front of him and he takes that as a personal invitation to rip into any one of the many gifts he's seen over this past holiday season. The problem is that he thinks everything belongs to him.As luck would have it this fine day, one of the gifts was indeed for Benny. It was presented to him with a tag Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-28872020384500086602012-01-08T00:01:00.003-05:002012-01-08T00:01:03.146-05:00Colours of Winter and a Small GiveawayIt's been an exceptionally tame winter so far, this year. We've had the occasional bitter cold days and biting winds but for the most part, our temperatures have remained a little below or above freezing. Even the snow has been a brief and infrequent visitor. Only the first two photos below were taken in late November. The rest were shot in December and though we've certainly had a hard frost or Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com94tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-57745086542277571882012-01-05T06:00:00.004-05:002012-01-05T06:00:12.511-05:00Paws, Wheels, Wings and Other ThingsI've been remiss at visiting blogs over the past couple of weeks - something I hope to remedy soon. Until then, I have a few random images to share - taken over the past several weeks. Shortly before Christmas, I received a couple of gifts in the mail, as mentioned in this post. My ever-curious Skittles had to know what I was unwrapping. Here he is in the kitchen, back paws on the floor. Front Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com75tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-37200799340772923892012-01-04T00:01:00.007-05:002012-01-04T10:55:19.349-05:00Two Trees and Meagre Posts of the WeekBelow are a couple of trees which catch my eye in all seasons, but especially in winter when their branches are bare, and the sun sets behind them in colours that only this season can offer. Both photos were taken in November.This one is along the park path where I do most of my wandering. Behind it is a busy parkway.This beauty can be found in Frank's neck of the woods, about as close to his Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-25877649764229233842012-01-01T00:01:00.004-05:002012-01-01T00:01:00.500-05:00This Beautiful ChildThis beautiful one year old child is my kids' youngest cousin, Maeve. We spent Christmas at her house, and my camera and I just couldn't get enough of her. Like her brother Elliot and sister Lily, she has conquered my heart - forever to be held captive by this Littlest Angel. I suspect you might be captivated too.Did I just hear you sigh?Happy New Year, Everyone!Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com65tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-5808620182775394982011-12-29T06:00:00.005-05:002011-12-29T06:00:07.370-05:00It Was Merry and BrightI hope everyone had a good Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Solstice. I have a few simple images from Christmas evening.There were lovely decorations.A delicious turkey dinner was followed by incredibly yummy treats.Which was pursued by this little wise man a.k.a The Cookie Monster.Where there are wise men, there must be angels and this little sweetie is always angelic even when she's being a Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com54tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-42183414965776589462011-12-28T00:01:00.003-05:002011-12-28T00:22:24.525-05:00Icy Creatures and Posts of the WeekA couple of weeks ago, I took Benny for a morning walk. The temperatures had dropped below freezing overnight and into the day, causing puddles to begin to freeze over.This particular one caught my eye. I liked the swirls and breaks, and the more I looked at it, the more I thought it looked like a couple of different animals. Taking in the fuller picture, I thought I could see a dolphin.Moving Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-68947484716138340352011-12-25T00:01:00.002-05:002011-12-25T00:01:00.775-05:00Merry ChristmasWishing all of you wonderful people a very Merry Christmas, if you celebrate and a Happy Holiday, if you do not. May colour, light and the beauty of trees surround you.May you share many smiles with family and friends.May you enjoy the wonder that comes your way. (Many thanks to Jinksy of Napple's Notes for crocheting and gifting me with the wonder of unique snowflakes)May there be many sweet Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com60tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-69934536058374717002011-12-22T06:00:00.005-05:002011-12-22T06:01:15.094-05:00A Golden SeasonThis is the season of light. Hanukkah candles, treetop stars, flickering bulbs or the glint off of the unadorned Festivus (for the rest of us) pole... And of course, the hours of sunlight are now growing longer, once again.I don't have photographs of electric lights or candle flames but I do have some of Nature's best golden light. All of these photos were taken late in the afternoon, during thatHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com61tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-74571209478409610312011-12-21T00:28:00.006-05:002011-12-21T05:36:04.130-05:00Chappy Chanukkah and Posts of the WeekToday is day two of the Jewish festival of lights. Wishing those of us who celebrate, a very Chappy Chanukkah and many, many menorah. ;)And now, without further delay, here are the Posts of the Week. The icon below is yours for the taking if if your blog post is named as a POTW.GOOD AND FUNNYAll is Calm, All is Bright.. Or IS IT?by Susanat Wild Life in the WoodsA GOOD READWhere You Put YourHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-2121962386074709162011-12-18T00:01:00.000-05:002011-12-18T00:01:02.349-05:00Morning, Evening and NightOne good thing about the shorter days of winter is that sunrises happen a bit later in the morning, at a reasonable hour for being up, out and about. A summer awakening at 5-something is not likely to happen but a 7:30 stroll, I can handleIt was around this hour - perhaps a bit later when I snapped this photo. It was awfully kind of the bird to land atop the tree just in time to give me a lovely Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com64tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-67877910380587515042011-12-15T06:00:00.003-05:002011-12-15T09:23:34.751-05:00Invisible Benny and the TreatsOne day in October when we were up at the cottage, we went into town to stock up on a few groceries. It's not feasible to bring Benny with us on those one hour excursions so he stays behind waiting for us to return. We usually do so with a treat for him.On this particular day, we found something he especially loved. Usually, one or two nibbles of a treat is all it takes to make life good again Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com69tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-90500788802760577432011-12-14T00:01:00.006-05:002011-12-14T00:37:00.300-05:00It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like... No Posts of the WeekSorry folks. I just haven't been making the rounds enough this past week in order to bring you a substantial Posts of the Week. I have collected a few and I will include those the next time I publish a POTW but for now, I hope you'll forgive me. Perhaps I can placate you with 1) a few Christmas lights photos and 2) the promise of a Benny post for tomorrow? What? That'll do? Thank you. I kind of Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com52tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-86819291043569867982011-12-11T06:00:00.004-05:002011-12-11T07:56:02.048-05:00It Could Be Verse (but it isn't)Please join me now as I fondly rememberThese scenes from a day trip we took in November.We filled up for gas first, and saw something funnyThis passenger looked quite a lot like Bugs BunnyWe traveled along 'til we reached Garden HillAnd left food for the kitty at old Fudge's MillContinuing along on our one day vacationWe saw geese headed south in their flying formationThe Capitol Theatre - a Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com58tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-43651397714137285022011-12-08T06:00:00.004-05:002011-12-08T06:00:13.520-05:00Cat Got Your Tongue?I usually walk around the pond in the park just a few steps from my front door. But every now and then, I like to take to the paths which surround another man-made lake about fifteen minutes by foot. Please join me.As I approached the dock, I noticed a gull perched upon the railing. He sat there comfortably and watched me closely while I photographed him. I spoke to him as I snapped shots but he Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com64tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-45044154692870330212011-12-07T00:01:00.008-05:002011-12-07T00:01:03.706-05:00Shared Spaces and the Posts of the WeekI never know which photos I'm going to include with the POTW on Wednesdays. Sometimes I have a couple of odd images which don't fit in with anything else and other times I see a bit of a theme between them, as is the case with this trio. Each photo shows a space shared by two or more inhabitants of sorts.If you look down the stem, you'll see a milkweed seed clinging to the stem of this Queen Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-17338870460151168602011-12-04T00:01:00.001-05:002011-12-04T00:01:00.079-05:00Leftovers Again?With American Thanksgiving so recently past, along with our own Canadian Thanksgiving which occurred in October, I imagine that many of us are pretty tired of leftovers by now. So forgive me while I indulge in the last of my own photographic remnants from the past couple of months.They're those images that never seemed to fit in this post or that, but I figured that if they were all mixed up Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com77tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-85672050195984213002011-12-01T06:00:00.004-05:002011-12-01T06:00:00.220-05:00MilkweedMilkweed©2009 by Rolland G. SmithI wonder when our lives are done,If there is something past the Sun?I feel it in a pod displayAnd see it in its light array.The wings of down sustain the lifeWhen endings burst in seeming strife.There must be more beyond the podWhen usefulness becomes the sod.Angelic seeds will take its flightUpon the breeze of day or night.And start anew in place supremeTo let Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com74tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-8910000276091815412011-11-30T00:01:00.004-05:002011-11-30T00:11:26.217-05:00Flowers Revisited and Posts of the WeekSince the season is anything but warm and cheery for most of us in the Northern Hemisphere, right now, I thought I'd post a few leftover flower images from last season. I hope you won't mind seeing those colourful reminders of this past summer. I don't know what this beautiful magenta flower is but it was growing in a neighbour's yard well after the first frost.This was the last remaining flower Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-39967745768587689672011-11-27T00:01:00.014-05:002011-11-27T10:53:34.210-05:00Northern Shores, Iconic Stores and My Dear Friend, CA.We've not had any snow yet in my part of southern Ontario, and November has kindly treated us to a number of unseasonably mild days. This means more walks and more photos to share with you.As you can probably tell by the title, this is a bit of a scrambled post. Earlier this month, I boarded a commuter train so I could spend the day visiting my friend, Carol Anne. We've known each other for just Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com74tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-15590921030971369112011-11-24T06:00:00.004-05:002011-11-24T09:56:30.446-05:00Feeling ChipperThere aren't many faces that are cuter than that of a chipmunk, so you can hardly blame me if I go a little overboard taking photos of their adorableness, can you? They're rather abundant around Frank's place and the cottage. Coaxing them into photo range is easy - all it takes is a little seed and they're out sharing their endearing little selves with us, and in turn, with you.A - You're Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com64tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-84916641633072292492011-11-23T00:01:00.007-05:002011-11-23T00:01:00.963-05:00Gimmie a Sign and Posts of the WeekWishing all my American friends a very Happy Thanksgiving!While walking with Benny, one day last month I came upon this sign at the edge of the park, near a parking lot. It's a clever and timely placement since it was during the peak of the salmon run in the creek, which means a number of salmon carcasses along the banks. Not much is more inviting to a dog like Benny than following his nose to a Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-45984109074259015752011-11-20T00:01:00.002-05:002011-11-20T00:01:00.370-05:00Fine Feathered Friends I'm very lucky to have an interesting variety of feathered friends in the area. Some are year-round residents and others stop by for a short visit while on their migration elsewhere. All are intriguing and very enjoyable to watch and photograph. I have a number of bird images to share, all of which were taken over the last month.We have Mallards on our local pond which hang around all year. ThisHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com68tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-54827733407568729082011-11-17T06:00:00.005-05:002011-11-17T06:00:11.294-05:00Autumn MagicAutumn wins you best by this its mute appeal to sympathy for its decay. ~ Robert BrowningWinter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all. ~ Stanley HorowitzAll the night's magic seems to whisper and hush ~ Van MorrisonOn the motionless branches of some trees, autumn berries hung like clusters of coral beads, as in those fabled orchards where the Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com72tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-27313160543035470012011-11-16T00:01:00.006-05:002011-11-16T00:10:05.128-05:00The Best Leid Plans and Posts of the WeekOne Sunday morning, about a month ago, Frank and I took a drive down to the lake shore near his home. We parked and took a stroll along the water's edge. We saw what was probably a few leftover items from a Hawaiian Themed beach party the night before.They must have been a bunch of potty animals.And now, without further delay, here are the Posts of the Week. The icon below is yours for the Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-47597352092729164252011-11-13T00:01:00.005-05:002011-11-13T07:14:00.194-05:00The Seedy SideAutumn is a time of abundance.Birds happily feed on seed which Frank spreads around his place. This sweet little chickadee enjoyed the feast.The creatures are quite cooperative and as soon as the chickadee flew off, this adorable chipmunk took over.He wasn't alone. A few feet to the right, his buddy was getting ready to fill his cheeks with premium bird seed.Nature has her own way of spreading Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com66tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-1581692298980713882011-11-10T06:00:00.010-05:002011-11-10T06:00:04.692-05:00Remembering Our HeroesFriday, November 11 is Remembrance Day here in Canada. On this day, last year, I wrote a blog post about how Canada honours our men and women who lost their lives while on mission in Afghanistan. Our Highway of Heroes is a stretch of Highway 401 between Canadian Forces Base Trenton and the city of Toronto. It is along this road where Canadians gather on overpasses to pay tribute, gratitude and Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com65tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-87289509136776039732011-11-09T00:01:00.008-05:002011-11-09T10:23:26.637-05:00The Not So Terrible Twos and Posts of the WeekThe POTW has become a toddler.I feel like a neglectful mother having missed its second birthday, early last month but better late than never, I suppose. It has been two full years since David McMahon from Authorblog passed me the Post of the Week (formerly known as the Post of the Day) torch, and I'd like to acknowledge my two years of POTW (not to be confused with my four plus years of Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-83828167848530340372011-11-06T00:01:00.008-04:002011-11-06T00:01:00.913-04:00Cottage Season EndsI have a few photos left over from when we were up at the cottage for our last visit in October. I hope you enjoy them.On our way up there, we traveled behind this school bus for a short distance. It soon stopped in the tiny town of Harlowe to drop this student off, and then turned right as we turned left to continue on our way.We didn't go in search of walleye this time but this little statue onHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com68tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-31697208617147301092011-11-03T06:00:00.005-04:002011-11-03T06:00:04.743-04:00IlluminationAt this time of the year, every drop of sunlight is delicious but it's particularly enticing during the late afternoon - those golden hours which bathe everything in deep, rich colour. I took advantage of that precious sunlight with all of the photos below. I hope you enjoy them.The tip of this autumn leaf was peeking out of the shade and into the sunlight.There are a number of apple trees aroundHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com66tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-88889562930268439322011-11-02T00:01:00.003-04:002011-11-02T06:19:39.109-04:00A Few Weeks Later and Posts of the WeekBelow are two images of a few trees which line the path of the park, just a few steps from where I live. I tend to photograph them fairly often because I like the perspective, and they tend to look interesting from one season to the next. The first image was shot on September 19. You can see that the trees retained most of their summer greenery.This second photo was snapped just over a month Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-41439491446477428262011-10-30T02:34:00.008-04:002011-10-30T02:56:18.120-04:00Every Leaf Speaks BlissIt's been brought to my attention by a couple of folks (thanks SD and Lu) that if you receive my (or anyone's) blog posts or notifications by email, and you are commenting or replying to that email, your message will get lost in cyberspace as there is a "no reply" non-address set up by Blogger when these emails are generated by them. If you have been responding to those notifications, I thank youHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com76tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-45520751906415418612011-10-27T06:00:00.007-04:002011-10-27T10:27:31.433-04:00Autumn Burned Brightly"Autumn burned brightly, a running flame through the mountains, a torch flung to the trees." ~ Faith BaldwinPsssst.. wake up! It's time for a morning walk in the woods. I know it's chilly and damp in here, and it feels so nice to stay under the blanket but hear me out. I glanced out of the cottage window just now, and though the sky is heavy with grey clouds, I think the sun is considering makingHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com86tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-85331175445051131602011-10-26T00:01:00.003-04:002011-10-26T00:19:51.450-04:00Polychromatic and Posts of the WeekBefore I get into autumn leaves, I wanted to share a couple of colourful images which caught my eye late last month, when the weather was particularly warm and summer-like.We were just returning from a walk around the pond when we happened upon this little girl - a guest at a neighbour's birthday party. She might have been hoping that she could float along with her balloons.A few days later, we Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-57357323246078217342011-10-23T00:01:00.003-04:002011-10-23T00:01:00.655-04:00Autumn GardensI've been away from my own computer for over two weeks. About nine of those days were spent up at the cottage away from a internet connection. It's going to be a while before I can catch up but I'll be visiting, posting and replying to comments again before too long. Hopefully.When we cross the street in front of Frank's place, we find ourselves in a beautiful piece of land complete with fertile Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com72tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-91151471684622728022011-10-20T06:00:00.002-04:002011-10-20T06:00:06.216-04:00Playing With the SunAll of the following photos were taken late in the day, when the sun was lowering itself toward the horizon. That golden sunlight, just before sunset always gives such warm, rich colour to everything it touches.Come along with me and we'll see if we can hold onto the sunlight for just a few more minutes before it bids goodnight to the day.Late day sunlight has the Midas touch. Most everything it Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com67tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-68350259815423604382011-10-16T00:01:00.003-04:002011-10-16T00:01:01.382-04:00Sign, Sign, Everywhere a SignWhen I was putting together this collection of images, it struck me that it was full of signs. In some cases, literally. In other instances, I simply saw indicators of an upcoming event or the status of a current situation.The combination of rolling countryside, multiple road signs, colourful wildflowers and rows of harvested crops is a good sign that we're no longer in the city.A red maple leaf Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com69tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-7309659068825711732011-10-13T06:00:00.003-04:002011-10-13T06:00:05.627-04:00Like a Walk in the ParkIt's been ages since we've taken a walk around the pond path together. There's some mulled apple cider by the door - the spiced rum is optional. Please grab a cup and join me.My own front yard offers this sedum (Autumn Joy) bloom in its early, pink stages of opening. It must have rained earlier. These droplets on a broad leaf sure do catch the eye.More proof of the recent rain.This is my Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-81548012860704353112011-10-12T00:01:00.011-04:002011-10-12T00:01:01.500-04:00Migrating Monarch and Posts of the WeekWe're up at the cottage for a few days and therefore do not have online access. I managed to put a few Posts of the Week choices together before leaving. Due to time retraints, there are fewer than usual and I'm uncertain if we'll be home in time for me to catch up on and select any for next week. Time will tell.The photo below was taken around Frank's neck of the woods. I was trying to capture aHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-80954941518349414432011-10-09T00:01:00.001-04:002011-10-09T00:01:00.567-04:00Foraging and Critter UpdatesWhen we were up at the cottage last month, so many creatures were preparing for the upcoming winter by foraging, storing and filling up on munchies in order to weather the cold. We've been leaving bird seed for our feathered friends and whomever else might want to indulge.One by one, chipmunks have been gathering to take part it their cheek-filling. We counted seven of them in one gathering.This Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-79599749816857409262011-10-06T06:00:00.010-04:002011-10-06T08:19:55.142-04:00Here Comes TroubleThose of you who have been reading this blog (and Frank's) for a while know all about Benny and his crazy but endearing antics. Something drives a Jack Russell Terror like few other breeds of dog. He has a powerful curiosity and an uncontrollable need to chase. Combine this with tireless tenacity the inability to reason about the possibility of danger, and you have a dog who can get himself into Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com58tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-35345354689948484132011-10-05T00:01:00.002-04:002011-10-05T00:01:01.811-04:00Prelude to a Benny Tale and Posts of the WeekThe picture below is very typical of Benny. He always makes a point of being wherever the action is and oftentimes, that gets him into trouble. Tomorrow's post is about one of those time, so please tune in then to read all about it.I'll have limited to no access to the computer again over the next week and a bit, so I'll not likely have the POTW again next week but I'll keep collecting links and Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-35406585430251312232011-10-02T01:30:00.003-04:002011-10-02T12:07:37.779-04:00TextureIt wasn't intentional. When I started selecting a few photos for this post, I was simply grabbing some shot which were taken at the cottage last month. Before long, I noticed that each of the images seemed to suggest texture.This brilliant red plant is called Dragon Root (or Green Dragon, surprisingly). I found some of them growing just a few steps up the pathway which leads from the cottage to Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com66tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-8129866912485677602011-09-29T06:00:00.009-04:002011-09-29T09:58:32.376-04:00Wing PairsBelow are a few pairs of images, each sporting a pair of wings. They were all taken up at the cottage earlier in September. I hope you enjoy them.One morning, we glanced out the window to see a large figure sailing through the air, just above the surface of the lake. Mr. Blue landed on the dock. He squawked a few times and had a good look around.Thankfully, he waited around while I made my way Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com56tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-57346308136154336002011-09-28T00:01:00.006-04:002011-09-28T00:01:01.089-04:00Keeping You Hanging - No Posts of the WeekSorry, folks. I'm going to have to pass on the Posts of the Week again this time. Yesterday, I decided to head to Frank's for a few days, kind of at the last minute. I remembered to grab a few photos onto my flash drive but forgot all about the oollected POTW links. On the plus side, this means that I should have more than usual for you next time.I hate to lure you over here and then offer you Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-26939537360563222062011-09-25T00:01:00.005-04:002011-09-25T00:01:01.939-04:00Fishin' and Scopin'As often, I find myself behind the season - photographically, that is. I have an awful lot of photos taken throughout the end of August and into September. I think it might be winter by the time they're all posted at my usual rate of twice a week, so please bear with me as I allow summer to linger just a little bit longer.Frank and I spent some time up at his family cottage earlier this month. WeHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com64tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-76195340129914051972011-09-22T00:01:00.004-04:002011-09-22T00:01:00.319-04:00Cuteness OverloadWhat do you figure Benny is on the lookout for? I'll give you a hint. They're grey (often black, here in Ontario), quick, have bushy tails and are usually seen raiding bird feeders.Yup, you guessed it. He was hunting squirrels to chase down.Well, silly Ben. While he was searching long and hard for one cute rodent, he totally missed this bold little guy, making his way down the wall behind him.He Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com52tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-16410099226234945132011-09-21T00:01:00.007-04:002011-10-04T20:57:57.781-04:00Take Five and Posts of the WeekA few weeks back, we had our nearly-annual street sale and street party. A few homes participated in the morning sale, and still more came out to the potluck dinner in the court of our dead-end street.After dinner, we sat around chatting and singing. There are usually one or two neighbours who bring out their guitars, and this year was no exception. I took this shot while one of the guitarists Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-57940150759964569152011-09-18T00:01:00.004-04:002011-09-18T00:01:01.330-04:00Summer's EndI'm back from our time up at the cottage and boy, do I have a lot of catching up to do. It seems that none of you stop blogging just because I'm away, and I have hundreds of posts to visit. Eventually.None of these photos were posted before but you may find some of the items familiar, as they were photographed from different angles and used in previous posts.To me, they represent some of the bestHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com70tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-30362712957380263132011-09-15T00:01:00.003-04:002011-09-15T00:01:01.622-04:00Odds and EndsBelow are a few random summer images which I scraped up from the edges of my hard drive. I hope you enjoy them.Our local liquor store sells these buckets as party pails. You can fill them with ice to chill bottles of beer, vodka coolers or pop, or if feeling generous, fill one with items from the liquor store, wrap it and give it as a gift. In either event, I thought they made a colourful pictureHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-85481208798804744172011-09-11T00:01:00.004-04:002011-09-14T16:21:14.959-04:00For the Birds and RememberingWhat's dumb and pretty and struts around with a feather on its nose? Only a mourning dove could be this lovely and this dopey. After her preening session, she carried that feather around with her for the next half hour - possibly longer but she flew away. For all I know she has it still.Now this is a very smart bird. Her name is Lucy and she belongs to Frank. I've never seen her walk around with Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com59tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-34798196618967747522011-09-08T06:00:00.001-04:002011-09-08T06:00:09.341-04:00RoxyMeet Roxy, an orphaned red squirrel found in a Costo parking lot. Frank's wonderful sister, Theresa came to her rescue as she has with so many other orphaned squirrels and raccoons in the past. She'll be hand-raising her until she is old enough to be released.Generally, red squirrels are so feisty that it's comical. They're often seen scolding other creatures, including people by whom they might Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-3342305001284404612011-09-07T00:01:00.003-04:002011-09-07T00:01:03.849-04:00First, Last and OnlySorry folks - no Posts of the Week this week and probably not next week either - but you never know. We're up at the cottage so I've not had online access to visit and collect the links for your fine blog posts.You all deserve a rose for going to the bother of clicking on over here just to see.This rose bud was the one and only blossom which appeared on my rose bush, this year. Don't feel too Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-54834392668577046052011-09-04T00:01:00.005-04:002011-09-04T00:01:00.644-04:00Lazing On A Sunny AfternoonBelow are a few more photos from our time up at the cottage earlier this month. As you can tell, not every day was rainy or overcast. The sun did put in an appearance every now and then.
I Can - Canoe?: Late day sunshine never fails to make everything more beautiful, with its rich, saturated colours and golden hues. These two canoes kind of hide in the shadows of the surrounding glow.
IfHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com55tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-61714843434011932742011-09-01T06:00:00.005-04:002011-09-01T07:30:21.832-04:00The Rain Must FallEarlier this month, we spent a week up at the cottage. The weather was better for fishing than for swimming, but the company was good and the atmosphere was lovely as always. Below are a few photos from that week.
Mooring Malfunction: We had a fair bit of rain one windy day, and were surprised by this unusual sight though the front window during the storm. One of the boats pulled free from theHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-2614277905743217552011-08-31T00:01:00.009-04:002011-08-31T07:23:39.316-04:00Benny on a Road Trip and Post of the WeekBenny loves going to the cottage. Let me amend that to "Benny loves BEING at the cottage." The trip to and from are another story.
Despite how the pictures below appear, he really doesn't mind being in his crate. He gets inside of it quite readily and is happy just to know that wherever we're headed, he's going with us. It's the long drive which gets him antsy. He's fine when we're zooming Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com52tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-40166852853139789182011-08-28T09:15:00.004-04:002011-08-28T12:04:58.613-04:00Drive-by ShootingIt's been a while since I posted a series of drive-by shooting - images snapped through the window from the passenger seat of the car. I guess it's time to remedy that right now.
Lovely rolling hills and a glimpse of a barn and silo made for a quick decision to snap a shot.
I spotted this powder blue car for sale after we turned a corner, on our drive through a small town on our way to Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com57tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-24371935197253467872011-08-25T06:00:00.003-04:002011-08-25T06:00:09.102-04:00Summer's BestThe beautiful shades, sights, sounds and smells of summer never fail to make me sigh. Below are a few images taken in the warmth of August.
Black-eyed Susans grow in the field across the road from Frank's place. We wandered out there one day, with cameras in tow.
Along with the Susans are Cone Flowers, also known as Echinacea. It's brilliant pink petals are very attractive to Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com62tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-9242992669308131122011-08-24T00:01:00.004-04:002011-08-24T00:01:01.992-04:00Macro Bling and Posts of the Week
I recently bought this colourful bracelet at a jewelry party held by my neighbour. It looks pretty clunky here but that's mostly because it was photographed fairly close up with Frank's fabulous macro lens.
Here it is, resting on my knee - a bit more dainty than it first appeared (the bracelet - not my knee).
I've decided to make a small change to the Posts of the Week. Each week, I struggle Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-27478599801348911522011-08-21T00:01:00.002-04:002011-08-21T00:01:03.852-04:00CommonalitiesSomething is happening to my summer. It's beginning to fade despite my best effort to make it last forever. Ah well the beauty of it all is that it will be back again next year. And even better, it's not quite over yet. I hope you enjoy the following photos taken over the last few weeks.
Tennis anyone? OK, so it's not a tennis racquet but rather a dollar store piece meant for badminton. There Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com64tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-33237920587970329762011-08-18T18:00:00.003-04:002011-08-18T18:00:02.872-04:00The Colour PurpleI've been fairly absent from blogging lately and figure this will continue at least for a few weeks. I've been spending a significant amount of time away from home and very little of my home time has been spent in front of my computer. My posts and blog visit will continue to be hit and miss for a while.
Below are a few photos from sometime over the past month. They all depict one of my Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com69tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-16995473863085029922011-08-13T00:01:00.007-04:002011-08-13T17:53:20.219-04:00Fair of FaceWe have a number of small children on our street - some of whom you saw recently, playing with water and that crazy little dog named Benny. Below are a few photos of one of these girls. Her name is Lynzie and she came by to visit one day. I just couldn't stop snapping photos of her beautiful, little face as she watched Benny scamper about.
She's only two and a half but has advanced command of Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com78tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-21709480856369107532011-08-10T00:01:00.009-04:002011-08-19T22:04:22.644-04:00Days Gone By and Posts of the WeekBelow are two more photos from my day spent at the Toronto Islands. Both seemed to lend themselves to a sepia treatment and a step into the past.
And now, without further delay, here are the Posts of the week. The icon below is yours for the taking if if your blog post is named as a Post of the Week - either as top post or as a runner up.
This week's top post goes to:
Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-2825310735512355722011-08-07T00:01:00.006-04:002011-08-07T00:01:05.199-04:00A Perfect DayA few weeks back, I spent the day with my friend, Carol Anne and her daughter Cheryl. Cheryl lives in Toronto, just steps away from Lake Ontario and since her boyfriend, Matt runs one of the water taxis which take folks from the city to Toronto Islands, we decided to spend that very warm summer day exploring.I took the GO Train (Government of Ontario, in case you were wondering) from MississaugaHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com53tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-59524225231947350662011-08-04T11:27:00.004-04:002011-08-04T11:35:05.471-04:00"The Splendid Silent Sun"As I continue with summer hours (random, varied and generally irregular), I am visiting less frequently and so I collect fewer than usual Posts of the Week. Wednesday's POTW will persist on being fitful as well. I hope you understand and that you're all enjoying your summer (or winter, for those of you in the southern hemisphere).After this weekend, I'll be back at the cottage for about a week, Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com55tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-74036801902699389322011-07-31T00:01:00.005-04:002011-07-31T00:01:00.202-04:00A Crazy Little Thing Called BennyPlease indulge me. I have a dozen or so photos taken within a ten or twenty minute period. They're not good pictures as far as clarity goes. They were all taken from a distance, when I was seated on my front doorstep focused on the kids across the street. There are two pairs of sisters, who happen to be cousins and all live under the same roof. They are all thoroughly delightful children and Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com77tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-28051147428759306302011-07-28T06:00:00.002-04:002011-07-28T06:00:03.485-04:00Scenes From The CottageBelow are a few more images taken up at the cottage on our last visit.A few colourful swimming noodles just waiting for someone to grab them and make splash.Early one morning, I woke up with the strong sense that Mr. Blue was outside the living room window. I just knew he had to be there. I stumbled into the front room and this magnificent creature greeted me. He let me snap a couple of photos Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com60tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-9439671090853438872011-07-27T00:01:00.006-04:002011-07-27T08:50:03.369-04:00Driving at Dusk and Posts of the WeekThis was the view from the passenger seat one evening on the drive from my cousin's place to mine. I just thought I'd share it with you.And now, without further delay, here are the Posts of the week. The icon below is yours for the taking if if your blog post is named as a Post of the Week - either as top post or as a runner up.This week's top post goes to:The Perfect Red Dressby Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-4398584770261855912011-07-24T16:11:00.007-04:002011-07-24T18:31:50.348-04:00Four Years... It's Time for a ChangeHad I been on top of things before posting yesterday, I might have noticed that it was exactly four years since I published my first blog post. During that time, I have only changed my blog layout once - about two years ago. Similarly, my profile photo went back about three years, and since I don't have that Dorian Gray thing happening for me, I figured it was time to update that too. The image Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com83tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-27312290642023110342011-07-23T12:02:00.003-04:002011-07-23T12:06:58.408-04:00Cottage DelightsLast week, were were back at Frank's family cottage, enjoying sunshine, fishing, swimming and lovely sunsets. However, the photos below go back to our June visit to the cottage. We hope to head back up there semi-soon so I'm continuing my "summer hours" of scheduled posts and sporadic visits to your fine blogs. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy whichever photos I manage to post.It rained one of Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com60tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-25224700726815864772011-07-20T00:01:00.006-04:002011-07-20T00:01:07.082-04:00For the BirdsSorry, folks - still no Posts of the Week as I'm still away. I hope it won't be too long after my return before I can catch up and present a few. I've used most of these quotes for bird photos before. They make me laugh so I'm using them again with some new pics in this scheduled post.“When birds burp, it must taste like bugs.” ~ Bill WattersonA robin showing off how the early bird catches the Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com51tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-72442109985053756932011-07-17T00:01:00.004-04:002011-07-17T00:01:03.530-04:00Away From NatureWell, of course I'm never really away from nature. It surrounds me every time I take a few steps outside my front door. But for this post, despite being in my usual surroundings, I'm taking a step away from nature and showing you a few of the things that caught my eye, aside from bodies of water, plants, birds and other wild animals.First up, I'm about to talk trash. Our city has collected the Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-45152303294743572182011-07-14T06:00:00.002-04:002011-07-14T06:00:05.666-04:00Summer GrowthJust a reminder that I'm up at Frank's family cottage, away from computers for a week. I'll come around to visit shortly after I return.I hope you enjoy the summer quotes and images below."Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language." ~Henry James"I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June.Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-74925338063383568712011-07-13T00:01:00.002-04:002011-07-13T00:01:04.311-04:00Gone Fishin' and One Blog RecommendationSorry folks but since I'm away at the cottage, there's no POTW this week - just one fine blog recommendation. This week, I've been spending my time relaxing in this.\Fishing for these. (Walleye photo credit to Frank)And enjoying a lot of that.And you can be sure that Benny is having blast doing lots of this (for those of you who read via email, you'll have to come to the blog to see the video).IfHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-85920266581730932872011-07-10T00:01:00.005-04:002011-07-10T00:01:00.477-04:00Baby FaceBeginning later today, I'll be away from my computer for about a week as we head back up to Frank's family cottage. I have scheduled a few posts for while I'm away and I hope to catch up with everyone upon my return.Baby Face, You've got the cutest little baby face.There's not another one could take your place, Baby Face.My poor heart is jumpin', You sure have started somethin'.Baby Face, I'm up Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com69tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-25847968317435516982011-07-07T06:00:00.005-04:002011-07-24T12:24:39.918-04:00Osprey MarshOne day last month, Frank and I drove over to a place just a few minutes from my home called Osprey Marsh.We'd heard about it before but had never been there. The day was overcast, and a storm seemed like a possibility, so we didn't venture too far from where we parked, just in case. We were armed with our respective cameras, lenses and a backpack which carried water and a light lunch if we were Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-10988176233848351292011-07-06T00:01:00.001-04:002011-07-06T00:01:02.403-04:00Going, Going, Gone and the Mini Posts of the WeekHere are a few photos of Benny doing one of the things he loves best - killing balloons. (That's Frank son #1 in the last pic.)Going........ going...Gone!And now, without further delay, here are the Posts of the Week. Because I've been away, the Posts of the Week are fewer than usual. I'm hoping to be away again next week and so they'll probably suffer for the next couple of weeks - perhaps most Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-65522365102951858042011-07-05T01:13:00.005-04:002011-07-05T01:22:44.548-04:00ElusiveElusive Butterfly lyrics by Bob Lind.You might wake up some mornin'To the sound of something moving past your window in the wind.And if you're quick enough to riseYou'll catch a fleeting glimpse of someone's fading shadow.Out on the new horizonYou may see the floating motion of a distant pair of wings.And if the sleep has left your earsYou might hear footsteps running through an open meadow.Don'tHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-31383885040350910622011-07-03T14:50:00.005-04:002011-07-04T09:00:01.222-04:00RandomnessWe're back from the cottage for about a week, then we hope to return. The weather has been mostly nice if you include rain as nice. And I do. We had a great mix of sun and showers which lent itself to lots of photos. Of course, I haven't even looked at most of what was shot yet, so I'm going to post a few older images while I buy some time work on more current shots. I don't know if I'll ever Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-74833440182155525082011-07-01T00:01:00.003-04:002011-07-01T00:01:13.486-04:00Birds and BirdbrainsI have a ridiculous number of robin photos, this spring. They seem to be everywhere - the young in nests, the older ones perching, preening, staring or flying off just as I depress the shutter. I won't include too many in any one post. Here's one on top of a post which Frank might have pointed out to me. I liked the way the dappled sunlight, greenery and sky appeared to sparkle in the Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-55280129735810448272011-06-29T00:01:00.007-04:002011-06-29T00:01:03.365-04:00"I Thought We Had Just Begun"Twenty-one years ago, today, the second of my two most beautiful gifts was bestowed upon me...Happy 21st Birthday, my beautiful son.I love you,MomHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-8876993981622183952011-06-27T00:01:00.007-04:002011-06-27T00:01:01.642-04:00A Walk in the ParkIt's time to join me for a walk in the park. Grab a hat and some sunscreen. These hazy days are deceiving. Fresh as a daisy.Twin Iris. Born of the same stalk.Frank pointed out this young Robin primping.And preening.A duckling explores the water and comes up empty-billed.Our local Painted turtle basking in the sunlight on the slope of the dam. The water sparkles behind him.Up above him, Mr. Blue Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-90883481349171836722011-06-25T00:01:00.004-04:002011-06-25T00:01:02.308-04:00Benny at the Car WashMeet my beautiful young neighbour, Jacklyn. Her family has lived next door to us since before she was born and I've had the pleasure to watch her grow into a lovely, young adult. On this day, Jac and her friend Jen decided to wash her car.Benny watched across the driveways, from my front lawn. He watched as Jacklyn soaped up the vehicle and scrubbed it clean. He waited patiently for his favouriteHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-52053253159192024762011-06-23T06:00:00.002-04:002011-06-23T06:00:23.995-04:00A Floral ArrangementI have flowers to share...For openers, a view of a globeflower in my neighbour's garden.My Croton stays indoors all winter but enjoys the outdoor weather in summer. It had just been rained upon.The first Iris to bloom in my garden this year. I had a grand total of two. On the same stalk.A solitary rose hip left over from last year's climbing roses. The blooms are profuse this year. I'll have Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-42324273760101806802011-06-22T00:01:00.004-04:002011-06-22T00:01:03.042-04:00Cribbage Hands and Posts of the WeekFrank and I play a lot of Cribbage. It's a great game, and no matter how far behind one might be early on in the game, anything can happen to turn things around.Frank has been playing since he was a child and has never attained the much-desired perfect hand of 29 points. He thinks that he may have had the second best hand of 28 points only once, when he was fifteen. Forty five years and countlessHilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-12431073838792505522011-06-21T00:01:00.002-04:002011-06-21T00:01:00.885-04:00Mr. BlueWe always keep an eye out for any one of the many herons which come to the pond to fish. A bit later into the summer, we'll begin to see the Night heron with great regularity and at some point, I hope to see a few more visits from the Green heron. Right now, not a day has gone by that we haven't seen the Great Blue heron.A few days ago, we were walking the usual path around my local park. We Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-91752151891002767592011-06-20T01:01:00.003-04:002011-06-20T21:23:03.051-04:00It's On!Back to my summer schedule, it looks like I'll be enjoying some cottage time semi-soon. Some of you may have already noticed that my visits have been dwindling and my comment responses are often lacking. I won't apologize because when I do, so many of you kind folks tell me not to, and to just enjoy my real life away from the computer. So I'm going to do just that.Through the summer, I'll visit Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-90789234533970648792011-06-19T01:02:00.007-04:002011-06-19T06:16:42.811-04:00F WordsFoliage, Flowers and Feathers. What did you think the F words were?You might think these are autumn leaves but they're not. They belong on Frank's Red Maple tree in his back yard. The colours are beautiful, particularly when the sun is shining through them from behind.Out in the fields, ferns have unfurled to reveal lovely, lacy patterns.A gull, unsuccessful in catching a fish, pond water still Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-27619640121009474492011-06-17T01:01:00.004-04:002011-06-17T01:01:00.813-04:00Where'd You Get Those Peepers?On Wednesday morning, I made it most of the way around the pond without seeing anything particularly interesting. Just before I turned past the final spot where the path follows closely to the water, I saw some women and very young children watching the ducks. They had a cute little dog with them and I wandered over to pet him when I noticed what looked like two oversized bumblebees skittering Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com64tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-13355456843902446652011-06-16T00:01:00.001-04:002011-06-16T00:01:02.847-04:00Scardy KitSo here I was, hoping to get some older (late May, early June) images out to show you kind folks, when a few new photo opportunities came into my hands.Tuesday morning, I took my usual walk around the pond. As I approached the dam, I heard what sounded like a bird in distress. A man and his dog were trying to figure out where it was coming from. The dog was very alarmed by the noise. We heard it Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com57tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629654067597010887.post-31874214199386364872011-06-15T00:30:00.001-04:002011-06-15T00:41:40.630-04:00Seedy and Posts of the WeekWho's to say what's a flower and what's a weed? When I take a good look at how simple and sweet a dandelion flower is, I have no idea why people don't like them.Oh yeah. Never mind.And now, without further delay, here are the Posts of the Week. The icon below is yours for the taking if if your blog post is named as a Post of the Week - either as top post or as a runner up.This Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.com41