Summer, Don't Go!

Below are a few summer photos and quotes.


Then followed that beautiful season... Summer....
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow




Bees do have a smell, you know, and if they don't they should, for their feet are dusted with spices from a million flowers.
~ Ray Bradbury




And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.
~ F. Scott Fitzgerald




Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.
~ Henry James




It was a splendid summer morning and it seemed as if nothing could go wrong.
~ John Cheever




In summer, the song sings itself.
~ William Carlos Williams




Of all the wonders of nature, a tree in summer is perhaps the most remarkable; with the possible exception of a moose singing ''Embraceable You'' in spats.
~ Woody Allen




How sweet I roamed from field to field, and tasted all the summer's pride.
~ William Blake




Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.
~ John Lubbock




Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.
~ Russel Baker




A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.
~ James Dent




These are the days of the endless summer
These are the days, the time is now
There is no past, there’s only future
There’s only here, there’s only now.
~ Van Morrison

More in a few days!

Live in the Sunshine

Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sunlight is painting. ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne 

A leaf fluttered in through the window this morning, as if supported by the rays of the sun, a bird settled on the fire escape, joy in the task of coffee, joy accompanied me as I walked. ~Anais Nin

We were so far back in the woods, they almost had to pipe in sunlight. ~Roy Rogers

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy. ~John Denver

The sun does not shine for a few trees and flowers, but for the wide world's joy. ~Henry Ward Beecher

Photograph: a picture painted by the sun without instruction in art. ~Ambrose Bierce

You can't have a light without a dark to stick it in. ~Arlo Guthrie

In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary. ~Aaron Rose

Yeah we all shine on, like the moon, and the stars, and the sun. ~John Lennon

Nothing can beat the smell of dew and flowers and the odor that comes out of the earth when the sun goes down. ~Ethel Waters

Birds and Birdbrains

I 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 background.

Here's a young one. I think he's got a bit of nest-head happening here.

What's this sparrow peeking at?

Its buddy on the bushes below.

A Red-winged blackbird sitting high atop a branch, singing that beautiful melody. This too, might be one of the many birds that Frank notices first.

A Mourning dove. Never a very bright bird...

... but always beautiful. I love the iridescent gold on its neck.

For all the feeder-raiding these guys do, they might as well be included in a bird post.

Happy 144th Birthday Canada!

This was a scheduled post. I will not be able to return visits for a short because I am away at the cottage or on my way home. I do not have any more scheduled posts but I should be home with a new one soon.

Golden Opportunities

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

For me, photography is a small series of golden opportunities.

I miss many of them. I can tell you of many instances when a moment presents itself and immediately vanishes - long before I can find my camera, much less get the setting right and snap a shot. Sometimes it's a sight seen from the car, too close to the road to capture a shot as we speed by - long passed before the thought fully registers. Other times, a bird lights quickly and perfectly in front of me but is gone before my hand can reach to adjust the lens.

Those are lost golden opportunities which will always remain as my mental snapshots. Below are just few that I didn't miss. Please remember to click on each image to enlarge it.

"Early morning hath gold in its mouth." ~Benjamin Franklin

Proof that not all of our squirrels in Ontario are black.

"Gold’s father is dirt, yet it regards itself as noble." ~Yiddish Proverb

A winter Goldfinch a few months before its body is as golden-yellow as its throat.

"Gold gives an appearance of beauty even to ugliness." ~Nicholas Boileau

Those giant burrs which Benny had on his back a couple of posts earlier.

"Night’s darkness is the bag that bursts with the gold of the dawn. ~Rabindranath Tagore

A couple of geese basking in the last of the golden sunlight.

“I can see, and that is why I can be happy, in what you call the dark, but which to me is golden.” ~ Helen Keller

A light snow covering helps to light the park path at night.

"Stories are like fairy gold, the more you give away, the more you have." ~Anonymous Snowman

A whimsical winter decoration adorned my neighbour's table top on New Year's Eve.

"For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver." ~ Martin Luther

A bit of snow and nearby streetlamps help light up this tree. That blur in the foreground is Benny.

“And all is not golden that glitters, And not all that glitters is gold” ~Aloysius Charles Swinburne

Headlights, taillights and streetlights as seen through the back seat window on a rainy Christmas night.

"Water is best, but gold shines like fire blazing in the night, supreme of lordly wealth." ~Pindar

On our way to Christmas dinner. The rain-soaked streets provided some vibrant reflections of the street lights.

As Autumn Fades

We got our first few inches of snow yesterday evening. The balmy weather we enjoyed during the first week of November has dropped to frigid overnight lows, creeping to just above-freezing temperatures during the day. Most of the leaves have withered or dropped to the ground, and bare branches are covered with their first blanket of snow. There will be many months of winter photo opportunities ahead, but for now I'd like to continue to enjoy the colours that warmed the fall landscapes before this frost set in.

Below are a some photos taken earlier this month. Please be sure to click on them to enlarge.




This is one of my favourite places to walk in the morning. The cedar-lined path runs alongside the creek, across the road from Frank's place. Through the winter, he'll pack a container of bird seed and a handful of peanuts, and he'll leave them in strategic areas for the critters to find. He's an old softie that way. (please click to enlarge)




Most of the trees have lost at least half of their leaves, making it easier to spot animals and objects on their branches. A couple of weeks ago, during one of our walks, we spied this empty bird's nest. It was within reach so Frank bent the branch gently so that I could get a shot. (please click to enlarge)




At home, a walk around the park reveals a similar state of bare-branched trees. This squirrel watches closely. Maybe we have something for him. (please click to enlarge)




Good Evening. Something about this scene made me think of Alfred Hitchcock... (please click to enlarge)




This lone leaf clings to the tree as if to deny the season's passage. I can empathize. (please click to enlarge)




Looking down, a scattering of pine cones and tattered leaves blanket the ground. (please click to enlarge)




As the foliage thins out, it becomes easier to see the lake through the trees. The late day sun illuminates the colours of the season. (please click to enlarge)




Slightly off-path, kids like to sit on this rock or climb a branch and daydream. Others party. Unfortunately, it's taken its toll on the tree which has seen better days. As the sun goes down, it still look pretty wonderful to me. (please click to enlarge)




Living near the airport as I do, our skies are busy with arrivals and departures. Sunset offers a startling sky for lingering contrails. (please click to enlarge)




A walk at sundown reveals the last colours in the darkening sky. The slivered moon peeks out between the branches. (please click to enlarge)

To see some beautiful photos from around this area, head on over to Frank's blog. I'll have some more autumn photos of my own in a few days.

Finding Inspiration

I often post images of the scenes and creatures I encounter while walking along the paths of my local park. The pond within, offers a setting which is inviting to a wide variety of birds, but it also attracts animals of the human variety, including camera-toting bloggers.

This post is no exception. When you scroll down, you'll see some photos taken around the pathways near home, but my mind has wandered to a few of the regular characters I see during the course of my walks on any given day.

One evening, when Frank and I were out walking Benny, we noticed a youngish woman walking toward us from farther along the path. Another person, walking a medium-sized dog approached her from the same direction we were walking. There was nothing aggressive nor even curious about the dog as it neared the woman, but she forged a wide detour around him, which took her off of the path and onto the grassy area nearby. She resumed her pace on the pathway several meters behind him. It was obvious that she was afraid of dogs, and so we reeled Benny in to allay her concern, and to save her the extra steps. Frank tried to tell her that Benny was quite harmless. Her smile was sweet and apologetic, but her outstretched hands said "Keep away." We respected her fear, and speculated about what may have caused it.

I've seen her several times since that day. A few of those times I had Benny with me, and the woman always walked out of her way to avoid passing too closely to him, and always with that same shy, contrite smile. On the days that we've crossed paths without canine company, her smile was big, bright and relaxed. I feel bad that her life's experiences have molded her in such a way that she is fearful of what may lurk around the next corner, but I admire, and feel inspired by her ability to keep walking these paths despite her fears.

In the late afternoons, I'll often encounter another inspiring woman. She's in her late sixties or early seventies, and uses a walker to get around - the kind with four wheels, a flip-up seat and a frame that partially wraps around the body for support. The paths are hilly and steep enough to require moderate exertion when biking, so I am always quite impressed to see this woman travail as she takes in the sights, and exercise both her body and her will. Occasionally she'll stop, flip down the seat and have a rest, which is when we'll chat for a bit.

One day last week, I saw her resting on the dock, staring out onto the water. The late-day sun was glaring into my eyes, making the small silhouette which caught her attention difficult to see. I squinted more effectively, and focused on and snapped the photo of the fuzzy, yellow gosling shown in the previous post. She offered her theory as to why there was only one offspring. She believed that some other creature has been attacking the rest of the flock at night. She was probably right since I've not seen any sign of young water fowl after that day. I do hope to chat with her at length one day soon. Her spirit and strength is ennobling.

For the last several years, I occasionally encounter a tall, slender man who walks slowly - a large, impressive lens-laden camera hanging heavily from his neck. I would usually rush past him, iPod clipped to my waistband, keeping pace to the music that only I could hear. From time to time, I would catch a glimpse of him - his deliberate saunter drawing him to a bush or by the water, his eyes never losing their locked focus. He was busy observing. If he'd look up, we'd pass each other with a nod and a quiet hello. I was always curious about what he was photographing, but never wanted to intrude on his hunt.

It's no coincidence that his stance is rather birdlike in appearance. It turns out he is one of the best bird photographers I've ever seen. We finally began chatting last summer when I embarked on developing my own interest in photography. Mario is a soft-spoken, intelligent aerospace engineer who immigrated to Canada from his native Romania some years ago. His recently-discovered passion for photography has occupied much of his free time, and he can often be seen tentatively stepping toward the bushes and trees of parks and conservation areas in order to capture that perfect shot. And he always does.

When I don't know what species of bird I've just seen, I know I can find out in a hurry, as Mario would have already seen, photographed and provided information about it days earlier on his site, or readily advise me in a quick exchange of email. He may not know it, but he has inspired me to work harder at attaining better shots by waiting, watching and mostly by learning which creatures can be found just steps away from home.

A few weeks ago, Frank and I were sitting at a picnic table which overlooks the pond, not far from the dock to our right. Coming from that direction, we could hear the distinct sound of a woman's voice singing a gospel song. Glancing toward the dock, we could see a middle-aged black woman, moving rhythmically to the music she created. She knew there were others in the park, but she danced as if she were alone on that dock. She wasn't. Nearby, a white teen-aged boy scurried awkwardly, back and forth between the rail at the edge of the dock, and the grassy area behind it where a tall weeping willow grows. We were drawn toward them.

A closer look told us that the boy was mentally handicapped. He was taking great joy in finding sticks beneath the tree, and running over to the water to toss them in as far as he could. His eyes beamed with pride as we applauded his efforts, and he immediately ran to repeat his ovation-worthy performance. The woman belonged to him - possibly his care-giver or his adoptive mother. Her beautiful smile told us that she too took pride in the applause and admiration that was shown for her impromptu song and dance. Perhaps she sang to help sooth and keep him grounded. Perhaps she sang to help sooth and keep herself grounded.

She explained that the boy could not speak. He could vocalize though, and his enthusiasm mounted with each splash he made in the water below. He'd then turn to us to await our appreciation and encouragement, which we happily delivered. After a short while, he enlisted my help by grabbing me by the hand and running with me to the waters edge to make sure I would see where his stick landed, and applaud the deed. I thoroughly enjoyed our wordless communication. After we said our good-byes, we walked home wondering about the relationship between woman and boy, and marveled at how inspiring it was that they each existed within their own space, doing what it took to keep afloat amid the sticks and debris that were tossed into their respective waters.

I'm looking forward to seeing and chatting with all these inspirational people again throughout the course of this summer.

Below are some photos taken during the past couple of weeks. Please remember to click on them to enlarge.

Before leaving my yard, I noticed this iris bud a day or two before it bloomed.



And these tulips in full bloom.



I'm not sure what this small flower is, but they're growing wild in the park. Water droplets accumulated on its petals shortly after a downpour.



I liked the little crinkle at the top of one of these heart-shaped petals.




This cute little guy looks like he's doing some sort of a Kung Fu-type pose, but the image was snapped the split-second before he turned and ran off.



This young robin was also keeping a watchful eye.



Stopping to enjoy the water fowl, I noticed this chalk drawing on the dock. As indicated, Tanaika is a 14 year old artist who obviously took a liking to one of the Mallards. I'm glad I was able to capture a shot of her art before the rain washed it away.



Generally, our lake is populated with Canada Geese and Mallards and other transient creatures. Occasionally we'll see a few different species of ducks stop by for a day or two, and then move on. This Wood Duck seems to have decided to make this place its home. It's been here since the winter.



This dead tree stands pretty tall and unobscured from view. Its bare branches allow a winter-like look at the birds which perch upon them. The tree came alive with dark silhouettes against the pre-dusk sky. These two appeared to be deep in conversation.



And this loner actually showed up the night before - when it was a little later and a little darker.



I live less than twenty minutes from Toronto's Pearson International Airport. Consequently, there are planes going by every couple of minutes. As this one cruised by overhead, I caught its reflection in the lake below.



And one last airplane (did you notice one in the small photo at the top of the page?), silhouetted against the setting sun, taking off for places unknown. Perhaps it's flying to where you live...