Softly the Evening Came

"Softly the evening came. The sun from the western horizon Like a magician extended his golden wand o'er the landscape; Trinkling vapors arose; and sky and water and forest Seemed all on fire at the touch, and melted and mingled together."
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

As promised, here are a few more setting sun images from our icy, cold walk last weekend.

"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky." ~ Rabindranath Tagore

I love how deep and rich the colours in this photo are but I have to admit that it's seen through a filter of sorts. It was shot through the smokey gray car window at the shores of Lake Ontario.

“Love is what makes two people sit in the middle of a bench when there is plenty of room at both ends” ~ Anonymous

This was more how my eye saw the setting sun as it swept across the benches along the walkway. The seats may appear inviting but I can assure you that the temperatures and wind were not conducive to a leisurely lounge.

“One may have a blazing hearth in one's soul and yet no one ever come to sit by it. Passersby see only a wisp of smoke from the chimney and continue on their way.” ~ Vincent van Gogh

Back near my friend's condo, the sun reflected off of the smoke emitted from the top of this monolith. The colours and motion demanded that I take a few shots.

"May I never miss a sunset or rainbow because I am looking down." ~ Sara June Parker

Inside the cozy warmth of the apartment, glasses of wine were poured and and a cribbage board set up for a few games before dinner. I kept a watchful eye on the slowly-fading pinks and blues of the northern sky.

It was a truly lovely day and I thank you for joining me.

Golden Moments

“Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such” ~ Henry Miller

On the weekend, I spent some time with a friend in the town of Ajax. It's situated east of Toronto and touches the shores of Lake Ontario. The weather has been crazy for the past couple of weeks, alternating between rain, snow and balmy thaws. We've experienced some of each over the past several days.

On Saturday, it rained rather heavily but as the evening progressed, the temperatures dropped and rainy windows iced over. The golden colour is from the streetlamp in the condo parking lot.

It snowed overnight and temperatures were bitter cold. It was overcast and windy through much of the following day but just as it was coming to a close, the clouds parted just enough for a lovely sunset. We decided to take a walk by the lake. The couple watching the calm waters of Lake Ontario are my friend's daughter and her boyfriend.

As the sun continued its descent, the icy paths were lit with golden sunlight. Had it been a warmer day, those benches might have been more inviting.

If you take a look at the far left of this photo, you can see the C.N. Tower presiding over the chilly waters.

I'll bring you back this way again in a few days. Be sure to bundle up. There's no telling what the weather might be like.

An Upside of Down

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Last week, on the bus, I saw a woman whom I found disturbing. As I watched her, she angered me, though my ire eventually dissolved into a sad awareness that her mental stability was most likely precarious at best. Clearly, she'd had a very difficult life - at least her last twenty years or so. I judged her current age to be late fifties to early sixties. After she paid her bus fair, she took her seat up at the front, opposite from, but close to the driver. She was speaking with irritation in her voice, and I thought she was still conversing with the bus driver, but he was not paying any attention to her.

I was sitting a few seats back, across the aisle. In front of me, was a young man in his late teens or early twenties. He spoke to her, and I realized that they were together. He was offering suggestions on how they would arrive at their destination on time for an appointment. He was encouraging her to consider transferring to a different bus at some point, rather than remain on this one. She scowled at him. "We can't take another bus. I only have two more tickets and we need them to go home."

He stood and walked over to her and tried to explain something. She told him to get away from her. When he sat back down, she berated him. "It shows how stupid you are. I can't walk in this cold and you want me to spend more time out there? It's all your fault that we're late anyway. You always make me late. Just wait until I tell (insert any of about four different names she used as the object of that threat)." And then I felt the icy fingers of her words grasp my own heart when she hissed "I should have put you in a group home."

The young man had Down syndrome, though from what I could tell, he was high-functioning, and he impressed me with how well he handled his mother. She never once threw him off-balance. He turned to the side and smiled at her. He told her that she didn't understand what he was trying to say, and his face showed subtle signs of amused superiority. Finally, he stood up, gently insisted that she show him her transfer and then pointed out the time stamp which would allow them to continue riding any bus for the next couple of hours. He named the bus line that he thought they should take next, and calmly continued to speak over her protests until she understood. The driver, who was now listening to their conversation concurred that his plan was sound.

She sat quietly for a few seconds and then continued her steady complaints about the weather, his tardiness and his intelligence. Perhaps his diminished intellectual capacity buffered his self-esteem from the onslaught of venomous words. Perhaps her own decreased mental ability was what triggered her tirades and gave her words malice. In any event, the boy appeared unaffected by her behaviour. On the way to his seat, her son shook his head, smiled and said "You see? Sometimes I am just smarter than you!"

I wanted to hug that boy.

Below are a few photos taken over the past week from before and during our recent thaw. Please remember to click on them to enlarge.



My backyard feeder has been filled countless times this winter - sometimes as often as three times a day, depending on the weather.This isn't a very sharp image, but I did like that I happened to catch this little bird as it was about to land.




At Frank's place, an early morning walk revealed a fresh snowfall, as a peek between these two trees would indicate. (please click to enlarge)




The bright morning sun created sharp shadows like this one of a cedar branch. (please click to enlarge)




More shadows from the cedars as they lean into early morning chitchat with one another. (please click to enlarge)




The creek was crisp, clear, cold and beautiful. (please click to enlarge)




On the opposite bank, at a bend where the water ran swift, small icicles had formed on the overhanging shelf of snow. (please click to enlarge)




The next day, we stopped the car on our way to take a look at a pretty little spot - one of Frank's favourite fishing holes of yesteryear. (please click to enlarge)




Back home again, the weather warms, and shoreline trees reflect in the melting pond. (please click to enlarge)




A subtle fog rises from the lake for a muted, smoky effect. (please click to enlarge)




Sun and shadow combine to create soft shades of blue, pale green and gray upon the icy thaw. (please click to enlarge)




Late in the day, the sun drops to meet the horizon and paints the landscape with golden warmth. (please click to enlarge)




Gilded pine needles absorb the sun, and glow with the promise of spring. (please click to enlarge)

What's in a Name (Do You Remember Them?)?

I know that a lot of you folks who so kindly read my blog and comment regularly were born in North America during the 1940's, 50's and 60's. If you're at all like I am, television became a big part of your daily entertainment throughout those latter decades and beyond.

If you heard the names Lucy Ricardo or Hawkeye Pierce, you'd immediately be able to tell me that they are characters from I Love Lucy and M*A*S*H respectively. But how familiar are you with television's more obscure roles? Those background characters who appeared routinely, but never obtained starring role status. They have hauntingly familiar names but if you heard them today, could you connect them to their television show? Of course Google could probably provide you with all of the answers, but please try using your own brain power to remember these names, and the shows which gave them life. So, how many do you know?

I'm going to turn on comment moderation so that your answers won't appear below until a few days later, so that everyone has a chance to play. Have fun!

1) Otis Campbell

2) Consuelo Lopez

3) Pinky Tuscadero

4) Agnes Dipesto

5) Gil Chesterton

6) Jenny Piccalo

7) Georgette Franklin

8) Joe Gerard

9) Gladys Kravitz

10) Dr. Alfred Bellows

11) Earl J. Waggedorn

12) Kelly Kapoor

For those of you who are too young to remember, or don't wish to play along, here are some photos taken over the past few days. Please remember to click on them to enlarge.



A typical shot of Benny while out walking. He's the canine definition of perpetual motion. If he's not chasing sticks or wayward clumps of snow, he's wrestling with his own leash, achieving his dominance over it. Crazy dog! (please click to enlarge)




Although many snowfalls have dusted this oak, it still manages to cling tenaciously to a couple of its leaves. It shares the mindset of a Jack Russell Terrier. (please click to enlarge)






In summer, this picnic table is an inviting place to sit and watch the animal life on the lake. It's just a tad less hospitable in winter, but still nestled in a scenic location. (please click to enlarge)





This branch hangs a bit heavy after repeated snowfalls. It gently sweeps the snow below it as it sways back and forth in the breeze. (please click to enlarge)





Another popular spot in summer. Young and old tend to stop by that rock at the bottom of the hill, to watch the water (or ice) in any season. (please click to enlarge)






Amid the usual cluster of Sparrows, Cardinals, Mourning Doves, Juncos and Chickadees, this little bird and its mate were new visitors to my feeder. I believe it's an American Goldfinch dressed in its winter garb. (please click to enlarge)





I keep a heating sheet on the roof of the house to prevent a buildup of ice under the shingles, as we experience thaws and refreezes. This ice was formed after snow melted and dripped off of the roof, and refroze onto the downspout and wood pieces below. (please click to enlarge)





Before plugging that sheet in this year, the late-day sun reflected off of icicles which hung in front of my son's bedroom. This was taken through the screen and two panes of glass - hence the multiple reflections. (please click to enlarge)




And here's Ymir (a.k.a. Frank) - the Norse frost giant, doing a fine imitation of his pal, Thor. (please click to enlarge)






As the day winds down, the sky came alive with soft hues of peach, pink and mauve. Winter sunsets are often so striking. (please click to enlarge)




The setting sun reflects in the snow and ice as seen from behind a park bench overlooking the pond. (please click to enlarge)





Behind the weeping willow, the sky has changed to deeper shades of purple, pink and gold which bleed into the snow below. (please click to enlarge)


I'll release comments in few days along with the correct answers for the names listed above. Thanks for playing!

Zentonym©

Zentonym©: [zen-tuh-nim] noun: Something which disturbs the Zen-like quality of ones surroundings, by emitting a loud noise or attitude, or by displaying a cool, unfriendly demeanor. ~ The Smitten Image's Suburban Dictionary.

There are a few areas around and about my place and Frank's where we like to walk. As you know by the many photos I've shared, they're picturesque areas - all of which include a body of water of some sort. It's impossible to wander through these paths and shorelines and not be struck with the beauty of our surroundings. Every season brings a splendour of its own.

Generally, we encounter other walkers, many of whom have one or more dogs with them. Benny is a friendly pup and would like nothing more than to sniff and be sniffed by another canine. There's a bonus in it for him if the pet-owner also shows him some affection. Most people find it impossible to resist a happy, bouncy little dog running at top speed to greet them. Many of them know Benny by name, and will also oblige Frank and me with a bit of passing conversation when we catch up to Benny.

Recently, at one of our usual locations, two youngish women have begun taking daily walks along the path. We usually meet them head-on at the beginning of their quick-paced walk, their heads tilted downward, yet toward one another in loud, steady, animated conversation. The unusual, and somewhat off-putting nature of their activity, is that they don't look up. Ever. They do not appear to notice their surroundings, nature's activity or other people on the paths. They seem totally oblivious to the beauty of their environs, and they're missing out on a lot.

One lovely morning, before this wintry cold settled in, Frank was alone with Benny as they strolled down the path between a pond and the creek. Similar to the day when this photo was taken, the wonderful Great Blue Heron graced these women with its presence, as it ambled majestically across the path directly in front of them. The women never broke stride, never looked up and never knew what an incredible gift of nature they had just ignored. How important can your daily non-stop conversation be, not to notice such a beautiful creature walk right in front of you?

Between Frank and me, these women have encountered one or the both of us and Benny with some degree of regularity. Their eyes flicker upward only briefly - enough to avoid bumping into us. Benny does his usual "look how cute I am!" scamper and hop as he runs up to them and... nothing. It's as if a dead leaf blew past them. One morning, I decided to greet them despite the lack of eye contact. "Good morning!" In unison, they responded with a "gmng." Their eyes never left the pavement and their conversation scarcely skipped a beat. I thought I should try harder next time.

Last week, our paths were covered with a few centimeters of snow. It was the first accumulation this year and Frank and I trudged along trying to maintain our upright status, while Benny was all charged up and raring to go. He ran off ahead of us stopping only to bury his nose occasionally, eat some snow and run back toward us to encourage us along. The women were finishing their walk and approached us as we began our own. I didn't wait for eye-contact, which I knew by now was not forthcoming. This time I simply said "Good morning" and when I got my "gmng" in return, I pressed on with "It sure is a beautiful one, eh?" Again, I saw one set of eyes glance not even toward me, but upward, as if noticing the weather for the first time. One of them grunted with a mild, feigned enthusiasm "yeah." And that was it. The other one pressed the resume button on their mechanical conversation, and they tuned out the rest of the world once again.

The very next morning, I stopped briefly, but often to take some shots since the snow-covered trees looked quite lovely. This time we could hear them approaching loudly from behind. You'd think by now they'd acknowledge the people they encounter daily, but their steady conversation - important and busy, cut through the tranquility of the day like an approaching siren. They were quite far behind me, and I stood with my back to them, camera poised to take a shot of the cedar-lined path - the breeze creating a mini snowfall in front of me.

Through the years, I can't guess how many times I've stopped or changed my route slightly to allow a photographer to get the shot he or she is after. I'd say there were at least as many times when others have extended that same courtesy to me. I'm not suggesting that these women intentionally ignored my attempt to get a shot. I doubt they would be that rude if they had noticed, but they didn't. Without so much as a pause, or a "good morning" they walked right around me, and into the shot. To add to our growing distaste for the pair, Benny gleefully trotted alongside them for a greeting. One of them must have twitched her eye slightly because she saw him approach with his usual excited, tail-wagging bounce. This is when we heard her utter her first voluntary words to anyone other than her walking partner. "Get Down!"

Frank dislikes their presence because they mess with the quiet, Zen-like surroundings which are otherwise so soothing and relaxing. We are calmed by the incredible species of birds we see each day, and by the sound of the water which trips and bubbles over rocks as it makes its way out to the lake. Throughout summer there are numerous flowers which add brilliant colours to the the sunny fields, and the trees in the nearby cedar groves share their undeniable magic - whether dotted by emerging ferns, accented by the hues of autumn or covered in a blanket of snow. A living being can not walk these paths and off-paths without feeling the wonder which surrounds them. I have to question why this is all invisible to these women. What makes them adhere to the paved path, unable to look outward from the tiny space of their own conversation? Why can't they feel some sense of harmony with nature - the air, water and land to which we're all connected?

I do realize that despite my feeble attempts, I can't change how others behave, so I know that I am simply going to have to refuse to allow it to bother me. It's truly their loss. They're young. Maybe someday, they'll open their eyes and have a good look around them. Perhaps they just need a camera or a dog, or a walk off-path, into the magic of the cedars.


Below are some photos which were taken on our walks last week.

You know it's winter when apples no longer float on the pond, but sit upon its frozen surface. (please click once, and then again to enlarge photo.)




The entrance to the pathway which we take on our morning walks is lined with cedars. The trees offer shade in summer and protection from the cold winds of winter. (please click once, and then again to enlarge photo.)



The breeze stirs the freshly fallen snow, and creates a mini flurry of snowflakes - best seen at a larger image size. (please click once, and then again to enlarge photo.)



Leaving the paved path behind, we broke through fresh snow to follow the creek. (please click to enlarge photo)



Last winter, Frank spread birdseed at various points during our morning walks. As he cleared the snow from specific logs and rocks, Benny would transform into manic mode, biting and eating the freshly-swept snow. With this new dusting, it was evident that he hadn't forgotten that routine. Here he is, with his snow-covered face, waiting for Frank to clear the snow. Maybe next time, Benny. (please click once, and then again to enlarge photo.)




The sun filters through a patch of snow-laden brush. A tree log might be home to a few small, woodland animals. (please click once, and then again to enlarge photo.)




A small cluster of snow-covered red berries stands out among the otherwise barren branches. (please click once, and then again to enlarge photo.)



Just before dusk, our afternoon walk takes us to another part of the field, where the south cedar grove awaits us. (please click once, and then again to enlarge photo.)



The sky beyond the creek reflects the vibrant hues of the setting sun behind us. (please click once, and then again to enlarge photo.)



Inside the grove, this cedar balances the fiery sun in the crook of her elbow. (please click once, and then again to enlarge photo.)



Exiting the grove, a beautiful sunset guides our way home. (please click once, and then again to enlarge photo.)




How can the beauty of this day not touch even those in their state of Zentonym©? (please click once, and then again to enlarge photo.)