On With the Show

This past week has been unseasonably warm. This is November. This is Canada. We're supposed to be bundled up in layers and walking with hands in pockets, and heads lowered to brace for the brisk north winds. Instead, we spent the better part of last week in t-shirts, with hands free to enjoy the beautiful, balmy breezes which still carried that unmistakable scent of autumn with them.

It has cooled down again since then, and November now feels as it should. Summer has had its last hurrah. Soon I'll be focusing the camera on frost and other white reminders of the season, but for now, please enjoy these images taken over the past few weeks.

As with the previous post, there are movie quotes which accompany them. How many of them do you know? Answers can be found at the end of the post.

9) “The shadows are just as important as the light.”

The grass behind this fallen leaf was casting shadows, courtesy of the autumn sun. (please click, and then click again to enlarge)

10) “Don’t miss the wonders that surround you because every tree, every rock, every anthill, every star is filled with the wonders of nature.”

This is one of my favourite spots along the path which surrounds my neighbourhood pond. No matter the season, it always looks beautiful to me. The little bird on the lower right branch thought so too. (please click, and then click again to enlarge)

11) “What we take for granted might not be here for our children.”

This heron had been wading in the pond to the left of the path when he decided to check out the fishing in the creek over on our right. Without a moment of concern over the two of us and an active dog, he just strolled in front of us, over to the creek. (please click, and then click again to enlarge)

12) “Nobody takes a picture of something they want to forget.”

Some of these photos were taken a couple of weeks ago when autumn hues were much more prominent than they are at this time. (please click, and then click again to enlarge)

13) “Always look on the bright side of life.”

Standing here, looking out over the water, there's a bench behind me where we almost always stop to sit and maybe sip - no matter the weather. This was a rare view of the lake set ablaze with the season's finest colours. (please click, and then click again to enlarge)

14) "Heres looking at you, kid."

A robin absorbs the sunshine while watching cautiously from the safety of a still-leafy branch. (please click, and then click again to enlarge)

15) “The photograph shows only the reality. The painting shows not only the reality but the dream behind it.”

This photo of chicory growing in front of a backdrop of vivid, autumn hues did not turn out as sharp and crisp as I had hoped, so I played around with it in Photoshop, giving it a "water colour" effect just for fun, and to avoid hitting the delete button. (please click, and then click again to enlarge)

16) "The trees are strong, my lord." (quote continued below)

This is the view we see from across the creek on our late afternoon walks near Frank's place. No matter how many times we stop there, it always seems photo-worthy. (please click, and then click again to enlarge)

16 continued) "Their roots go deep."

This is a close up of the roots seen in the above photo but taken on a different day. The two quotes go together.


Answers to movie quotes
9) - Jane Eyre
10) - Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
11) - An Inconvenient Truth
12) - One Hour Photo
13) - The Life of Brian
14) - Casablanca
15) - Harvey
16) - Lord of the Rings

The Great Blue - Yonder (and Beyond)

It seems that every day recently, we've been seeing pairs of herons - often together, but sometimes just a short distance apart. A few of these encounters have been fly-by visits. A couple of majestic herons appear out of nowhere in the late-day sky, then swoop and dip as they follow the creek for a few meters in front of us, only to rise and continue flying high and far.



Other times, our walk through the off-paths often reveal a Great Blue Heron fishing for its breakfast. (Please click to enlarge)



This one was spotted about a five minute walk upstream of the first.

The herons seemed very nervous early on in the season. I would find myself startling them with even the slightest threat of inching in their direction. But after several encounters, they remain wary, but less concerned about my approach with the camera.



This wonderful creature watched as I approached him one morning, but never left its roost while I snapped photos. (Please click to enlarge)



Early one evening, I wandered out alone and saw this beauty fishing in the nearby pond. It seemed totally unconcerned with my presence - possibly grateful that Benny did not accompany me. (Please click to enlarge)



Kingfishers are rather elusive birds. You can often tell when one is nearby. Its rattle-like call alerts us to its presence. It seems that I no sooner focus on one, when it flies off to the next tree - just out of range. This Belted Kingfisher kindly posed for a shot before moving on. (Please click to enlarge)



A Comorant rests between fishing expeditions. (Please click to enlarge)



For those of you who don't like the creepy crawly things (myself included) don't look! I just liked the appearance of this web in the sunlight. (Please click to enlarge)



It's no wonder that the birds are attracted to this area. The fish are plentiful and the scenery is tranquil. (Please click to enlarge)



The sun's rays spill light upon the local pond and its banks, bathing it in diffused light. (Please click to enlarge)



On our way back from the evening walk, we usually stop and sit for a short while. There are apple trees across the path from one of the benches. These appear to be ripe, but were extremely tart to the taste. I didn't try one myself, but I could tell by the face Frank made. Too bad I didn't think to snap a shot of him. (Please click to enlarge)



I found this solitary clover growing in the early evening shadows of the cedar grove. (Please click to enlarge)



Nearby, chicory and rose hips (thanks for that ID, Blog Princess G) create a lovely contrast of colour. (Please click to enlarge)



And finally, for the ever-growing Benny Fan Club, here's one of our furry friend testing his swim and fetch skills. (Please click to enlarge)

Flowers, Insects and the Warmth of the Sun

A few photos left on my camera from the past month were waiting to be shared. Please remember to click on them to enlarge.

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From the bottom of a slight incline, the early morning sun twinkled from behind this common chicory flower (thanks to TSannie for pointing out that this was indeed chicory and not a Bachelor Button as I first believed).

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Here's a full sunlight view of the same plant - different blooms.

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A very heavy rain shower drew me out of the house to photograph this clematis. The partially closed flower seemed to protect its face from the torrential rain, while the back of its petals took on the onslaught of water.

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This little yellow Marigold caught my eye when I saw movement. The bee posed nicely for this shot, taken from across a garden.

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Ooops, sorry for the intrusion. Carry on..

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This little blue dragonfly was flitting about the pond, giving me a hard time trying to capture him until he landed on this twig.

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As the day grows longer, the late afternoon sun begins to settle behind the tree branches.

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A couple of wood planks lean against the fence casting interesting shadows. This shot was suggested by Frank. Yes, he has a good eye!

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The sun sends its rays high into the sky as it sparkles and shines from behind the clouds.

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Just before night falls, golden flames bathe the sky with its fiery warmth.