What Children Like

I never get any protests from children. All you get are giggles of mirth and squirms of delight.

I know what children like. 

~ Roald Dahl

There is no shortage of adorable children in Peterborough. And of course, since kiddos come in all shapes, sizes and species, you'll find a few of the non-human variety here, as well.

I hope you enjoy.

Come away, O human child!

To the waters and the wild

With a faery, hand in hand,

For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.

~ W.B. Yeats

These two siblings were having a bit of a tug of war on the dock, one evening. He wanted to stay and she wanted to return to the nearby restaurant.

Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. You may house their bodies but not their souls, for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

~ Kahlil Gibran

She won!

Watch the littlest kids carefully; the biggest messages for the grown-ups are hidden there!

~ Mehmet Murat ildan

Closer to sundown on the same day, a younger pair peered into the water together while their mom watched over them from just outside of the camera's view.

I like dogs

Big dogs

Little dogs

Fat dogs

Doggy dogs

Old dogs

Puppy dogs

I like dogs

A dog that is barking over the hill

A dog that is dreaming very still

A dog that is running wherever he will

I like dogs.

~ Margaret Wise Brown

Bounding into the water just like a little kid, this dog couldn't be happier.

The most affectionate creature in the world is a wet dog. ~ Ambrose Bierce

And back out again with his victorious capture. He runs to his person to toss the ball into the river for another opportunity to swim and fetch.

A child's imaginary playmate just might actually be there. ~ Doug Dillon

Same river, different dog with his kidlet, having a late afternoon swim.

Your children will smash your understanding, knowledge and reality. You will be better off.

Then they will leave. You'll miss them forever.

~ Tibor Kalman

And then they moved on. The dalmatian was in a kayak with one of two adults (though only one of visible in this photo) up ahead.

A party without cake is just a meeting. ~ Julia Child

I'd hazard a guess that there were a bunch of kids enjoying a birthday party just inside this home.

Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.

~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Speaking of parties, the little cutie hidden behind the cup is one of Carol Anne's neighbours who recently attended her milestone birthday party.

A child is a curly, dimpled lunatic. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

I suspect that this little guy has another pair of shoes much like this at home.

Cats are rather delicate creatures and they are subject to a good many ailments, but I never heard of one who suffered from insomnia. ~Joseph Wood Krutch

The only "kid" I have still living with me is my beautiful Zephyr.

The soul is healed by being with children. ~ Fyodor Dostoyevsky

This little sweetness was having fun exploring the sand and splashing in the water.

When a kid says "smell my hand," it almost never smells like cinnamon. ~ Brian P. Cleary

And finally, this exuberant little girl was feeling the evening music at an outdoor concert.

More photos coming up soon. I do also hope to get around to some blog visits before too long. See you soonish!

Spring Miscellany

Following are a few photos taken over the last couple of weeks around my place and Frank's


I can't begin to count how many times I've seen a bird perched upon a branch or other interesting surface which begged to be photographed for one reason or another. Usually it's the bird's own beauty that draws me in. Sometimes it's the setting. Occasionally the background. More often than not though, I'll raise my camera, focus on the creature and snap the shot just as the bird has taken off in flight, leaving me with an attractive branch and background but no bird. This robin was kind enough to stay put for one photo.





And when it did take off, it was even more thoughtful to do so at the exact same time that I pressed the shutter and not the usual split-second before. Thanks, robin!





The remaining trunk from a tree which was cut down last year. I expect more interesting growth of moss and fungus around its rings each year.





One of the tulips blooming in my front yard.





Now that the warm weather is here, Benny loves to fetch a stick which we toss out into the creek for him. It allows him to practice his swimming skills which are quite good.




One afternoon, we had finished tossing sticks for Benny and decided to sit at a bench and take in the sights for a few minutes. A woman was walking along the path, approaching us from the left. As she passed by in front of us, we both distinctly heard what we thought was her stomach growling. It was only when she had continued past us that we realized what had really growled...


This wee beast.. all safe and sound hiding behind his person.





This damaged tree provides a perfect shelf to place a peanut for a lucky squirrel. It's a bit of a crude offering - only because of the graffiti to the bottom right of the peanut.





Late at night, along the path, the park lights create interesting shadows of the new growth.





There must have been some sort of promotion going on a the car dealership across the street, beyond the hill. Those spotlights were criss-crossing in the night sky and I decided to get a picture of them. I tried some with and without the flash and I played around with the ISO. It was only when I uploaded this one, that I noticed that the tree supports were angled pretty much the same way the lights are behind them. A lucky mistake.