Sweeter, Richer, Louder

Close friends contribute to our personal growth. They also contribute to our personal pleasure, making the music sound sweeter, the wine taste richer, the laughter ring louder because they are there. 
~ Judith Viorst

So now that the chilly month of November is here, I figure it's a good time to reintroduce the balmier days of summer. Mostly, I happen to have a lot more photos from the period of time when I suspended my blog and so I'm going to inflict some of them upon you from time to time. This is one of those times.


A familiar site from the past. A foggy morning in May with the sun just beginning to peek over the hill and a graceful bird on the wing.






And here's the same spot at the end of a different day.






Later in the summer, this is the view from one of the bridges in Peterborough. On this August evening, friends and I were about to head over to a free Kruger Brothers concert in the park. Their amazing banjo and guitar strings weave classical music with bluegrass and folk. I had seen them perform with Steve Martin on Letterman a while back and was looking forward to this evening's performance - minus the wild and crazy guy. The forecast called for a likely rain shower and we were equipped with raincoats and umbrellas. You can see that although it was still dry, the clouds were beginning to form.






It was difficult to take the imminent rain seriously when sun and clouds painted the sky such a friendly shade of pink. The music hadn't begun yet, and neither had the rain. Oh, but both of them did - at around the same time.






I didn't take any photos of the rain because I was trying to keep my camera and myself tucked under the umbrella because it didn't just rain - it POURED! The downpour started early on during the music and only let up a bit before the Kruger Brothers were done. Most of the people who sat around so casually during the pink sunset were long gone. A diminished number of us sat it out and enjoyed the show immensely, in spite of the wet weather. These guys managed to stay dry on stage and neither their spirits nor ours were dampened. The show was fantastic.






A couple of weeks later, I joined the same friends at a different park for a different show - the folk festival. I was tired and didn't stay for very long but enjoyed the music and the people-watching while it lasted. It wasn't any more crowded than this but I still had a hard time finding Carol Anne and Michael. They were somewhere on that hill. And I still can't find them in this picture. It's not them - it's me!






I did find them eventually - seated not too far from this cutie.






This pooch was hyper-focused on his person - waiting to get the signal which would allow him to grab the frisbee.






The view toward the stage was lively. Music was good. Kids were happy. The weather was dry!






The sun bathed the hill with gold as it began its descent.






In between performances, folks chatted, daydreamed or read. Some went off in search of food. Many just enjoyed the last rays of sunlight.






A quick photo on my way out.

More (perhaps even more current) photos coming up soonish.

A Ray of Sunshine

Have a ray of sunshine and light with you everywhere you may go.

~ Lailah Gifty Akita

Sunrises around here are irresistible to me. If I'm awake for them, that is. As the summer winds down, that orb in the sky dawns a little bit later each week, so the chances of catching one now and then will increase for a few months. This is one that I awakened to in mid July.






This little Ruby-throated hummingbird was sitting in the sun, just outside of our kitchen window. The photo was taken through the glass.






Sometimes the sun highlights the subject with such intensity that the background just disappears - at least with certain camera settings.






Other times, everything around it just shines. This White Admiral butterfly is just basking in the warm summer sun.






These little goldfinch beauties seem to create their own sunshine.






Juicy, red currants need lots of sunshine to ripen.






Occasionally, even a stormy sky can't resist allowing a bit of sunshine to peek through. I bumped up the colours considerably on this one.






Bee Balm soaking up the rays on a midsummer day.






Despite its name, this little Pumpkinseed Sunfish shouldn't be out of the water and in the sunshine for long. And he wasn't.






Leafy green tendrils reaching out to tickle the edge of sunlight.






Late in the day, the sun pours in from the west, illuminating Blueberry Island, across the bay.






A lovely Common Loon relaxing beside a sunbeam. Don't you just love that red eye?






Cats enjoy sunlight better than most of us. Skitty found the perfect patch of warming sunlight for snoozing. His little paw looked so photo-worthy to me.






It's rare that we get notable sunsets because we face east. On this evening though, we got the bounce off of what must have been a spectacular sunset for those facing west. Still, you can't complain about this view.

Thanks for sharing the sunshine with me. More photos coming up soonish.

Like A Million Suns

It is hard to be angry when one has seen the sun rise because it makes one feel so small and insignificant. It has been rising forever and will rise forever no matter what we do or do not do. All our problems are as nothing to the sun.

~ David Gemmell

One of the best regular occurrences here at the lake are the beautiful sunrises. Some days it's subtle. Sometimes the rain obliterates the sunrise. Other times the dawn is brilliant. This was one of the beauties

The Sun will rise and set regardless. What we choose to do with the light while it's here is up to us. Journey wisely.

~ Alexandra Elle

Here's a bit of a closer look at the misty hills across the bay.

Limitless undying love which shines around me like a million suns it calls me on and on across the universe.

~ John Lennon

Another lovely sunrise as seen through the screened in porch outside my bedroom.

Universe is the Sun watching its own self.

~ Dejan Stojanovic

And again, the wonder of the dawn as seen from my bedroom.

If there is nothing new under the sun, at least the sun itself is always new, always re-creating itself out of its own inexhaustible fire.

~ Michael Sims

I never seem to tire of the view. It changes every morning.

Never look directly at the sun. Instead, look at the sunflower.

~ Vera Nazarian

The lovely flower that gets its name from the sun.

I need sunflowers! I walk many miles, trying to find some. If they're fresh, I kiss their honey faces. If they're dried, I put them on my windowsill, where they continue glowing.

~ Klaus Kinski

Despite how it may appear, we don't have many sunflowers growing on the property. These kind of just happened as a result of feeding the birds.

Moral indignation is jealousy with a halo.

~ H. G. Wells

One July day, I looked up to discover this lovely sun halo. My camera cooperated by allowing me to photograph pretty much what my eye saw.

I want my words to illuminate like the sun, as I give my daily lecture on photosynthesis to my houseplants.

~ Jarod Kintz

Sigh!

I wanted to do my part to help preserve that golden age of travel... I step aboard The Patron Tequila Express rail car, and I go back in time to the days when a long journey was something fun and very special. 

~John Paul DeJoria

Okay, so this last one isn't really sun-related. Unless, of course, you've ever had a Tequila Sunrise...


More coming up.. at some point.

The Smiles of Nature - and Other Things

Colors are the smiles of nature.

~ Leigh Hunt

The shadow of your smile
When you have gone.
Will colour all my dreams
And light the dawn.
~ Paul Webster (The Shadow of Your Smile)
Beautiful sunrise. Mist across the bay. Gold in the sky. All reflecting in the tranquil lake. How could one not smile?


 



Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though it's breaking
~ Charles Chaplin (Smile) 
 I was delighted to discover that we had bleeding hearts growing here.






Keep on smilin' thru the rain
Laughin' at the pain
Just flowin' with the changes
Till the sun comes out again
~ Jimmy Hall - Wet Willie (Keep on Smiling)
This sign, at a local baked goods and trinkets shop, gave me a chuckle.






When you're smiling, when you're smiling
The whole world smiles with you.
~ Joe Goodwin (When You're Smiling)
Saturday morning garage sales - perfect for restocking the library. I just finished reading Secret Daughter. American and East Indian story line. Canadian author. It's not bad.






Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag, and smile, smile, smile. 
~ George Henry Powell/Asaf (Smile, Smile, Smile)
A decorative bicycle parked in a yard seen on one of my outings.






Smile an everlasting smile
A smile could bring you near to me
~ Barry Gibb - Bee Gees (Words)
Benny - he makes everyone smile. I know you agree.






Whenever I see your smiling face I have to smile myself because I love you. Yes, I do.
~ James Taylor (Your Smiling Face)
As promised in my last post, here is the strangest little creature I've ever seen on the outside of the window pane. This adorable tree frog was only about 3cm (just over an inch) long. Cute, or what?







A long, long time ago I can still remember how the music used to make me smile - 
~ Don McLean (American Pie)
These little guys provide night music (much like crickets do) during their mating season in late spring and early summer.







I'm so happy that you love me.
Life is lovely when you're near me.
Tell me you will stay. Make me smile
~ James Pankow (Thanks, Suldog) - Chicago (Make Me Smile)
Colourful Muskoka chairs (Adirondak chairs south of the border) always make me smile. They remind me of the Laurentians, north of Montreal, where we spent our summers as children.






Keep smiling, keep shining
Knowing you can always count on me, for sure
That's what friends are for.
~ Carole Bayer Sager (That's What Friends Are For)
My Skitty and Zephyr always make me smile. True brotherly love.





To know, know, know you
Is to love, love, love you
Just to see you smile
Makes my life worthwhile
To know, know, know you
Is to love, love, love you
And I do, yes I do, yes I do
~ Phil Spector (To Know You is to Love You)
This gentle paw belongs to my beautiful Zephyr.






Looking back at sunsets on the east side
We lost track of the time
Dreams aren't what they used to be
Some things slide by so carelessly
Smile like you mean it
Smile like you mean it
~ Mark Stoermer- Killers (Smile Like You Mean It)
We face east so when a sunset provides colours this vivid, it makes me wonder just how brilliant the view would be facing west. Of course, then we'd miss our wonderful sunrises.

More photos coming up.. sometime.

Harmony in Autumn

There is a harmony

In autumn, and a lustre in its sky,

Which through the summer is not heard or seen,

As if it could not be, as if it had not been!

- Percy Bysshe Shelley

The following photos are not all from the same day but they do represent one of the pre-snow autumn days up here. I hope you enjoy them.


The sun comes into view just above the horizon, across the bay. It looks like it's going to be a lovely day.





These frilly steps are growing on a less than healthy tree on the property.





Still, it has much colour, texture and beauty to offer.





A left turn at the end of the driveway takes us toward the public boat launch. This was taken along the way, sometime in October.
 





This little mushroom offers its cap as a resting place for some debris which fell with the season from the tree above it.






This canoe has seen better days. It's to our right near the end of the boat launch path.







Glancing across the bay, we find ourselves looking at beautiful Blueberry Island.






Autumn catkins catch my eye.






Dusk is falling on the lake - in shades of pink and mauve and blue. I can only imagine the view for those who face west.







Later in the night, the full moon offered a glimpse at a tree's bare branches. That was a treat but even more so, it delighted the eyes a bit earlier when it was just rising...







... and it did this.


Thanks for joining me on this (compilation of a) day. It's been a while since we've walked together. Let's not wait so long next time.