A Scattering

Today on the trail

2009-12-06T19:14:00.002-05:00

I bundled up and walked the Youth Start Trail this afternoon and, while we don't have snow on the ground, it is cold enough for standing water to turn to ice.

On the other hand the moving water is still moving and so are the ducks. I also saw a Great Blue Heron but I wasn't quick enough to catch a photo as it flew off as I approached.

Goldenrod gone to seed.

And I took this shot of a male Downy Woodpecker right in our own garden at a suet feeder.

Friday My Town Shoot Out - a few of my favorite things

2009-12-03T20:50:00.000-05:00

I approached this topic (chosen by the Shoot Out Team) by thinking about favorite things I like to photograph. Are there things that I photograph often? You betcha!

For example, I photograph this barn pretty much everytime I drive past it. A spring shot-

From Favorite Things

And a winter shot -

From Favorite Things

I also have a bit of a fixation with these bee hives; resting for the winter in this photo -

From Favorite Things

And then there are other things I photograph that I understand why they are favorites. The dark green rectangle on this barn used to be covered by a sign which read something like "C. Riddell and Daughters". You don't see signs that read "and daughters" too often.

From Favorite Things

The Mourning Doves that nest above our front door are favorites of everyone in the house -

From Favorite Things

including Gray, watching from his favorite perch

From Favorite Things

And finally my last item is probably my favorite Christmas decoration. It is a Hallmark ornament from their 1982 collection and it reminds me of my brother who wore a robin egg blue velvet shorts overall on his first birthday in 1958. My brother, like the angel, has red hair. It touches my heart every year when I hang it on the tree.

From Favorite Things

Click on the camera icon in the right hand column and you'll be able to access links for the other Shoot Participants - stop by and visit some of them, I promise it will be worth the mouse clicks.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-02T06:17:00.001-05:00

From November 2009

Please visit Wordless Wednesday for more visual treats.

Mr. Toast's First Annual Christmas Tea!

2009-12-01T12:32:00.003-05:00

Anyone in the mood for a virtual Christmas Tea Party?! I first read about Mr. Toast's First Annual Christmas Tea in Barry's post this morning and now intend to RSVP myself. I'll be arriving with my cousin Deborah from Newfoundland, my friend Marilyn from New Brunswick and my friend Inge from Germany. We're bringing along Great Big Sea who will perform The Seven Joys of Mary and probably anything else you request.

See you all there!

Today on the trail

2009-11-28T21:26:00.002-05:00

It was a lovely afternoon for a walk.

Lots of Mallards on the river.

Signs of fall fading, sliding towards winter.

A freight train rumbled by.

And I got to meet Stewie, the pot-bellied pig. I've seen a fair bit of wildlife on this trail, but this was a first. He was actually quite cute and allowed me to pet his snout. When I took this photo his human was trying to tempt him (with a treat) to sit. Emmmm, not so much....cute but stubborn.

Skywatch Friday

2009-11-26T20:57:00.004-05:00

Nothin' but blue on the Grand River and above it as it flows through Paris, Ontario. Paris is a great little town to browse and shop - a delicious, worthwhile stop is Chocolate Sensations. mmmmmm..........

For more beautiful sky views from around the world, please visit Skywatch Friday.

Friday My Town Shoot Out - Faces/Smiles

2009-11-25T21:37:00.002-05:00

It's all relative -

Twin sisters Morgan (left) and Grace, daughters of my friend Heather and her husband Jason.

and mother and son, my mother-in-law Freda and my husband Geoff

This week's theme, Faces/Smiles, was the brain child of Sarah of North Idaho and Cottage Gardens Studios - take a look, Sarah's art work is fabulous!

If you'd like to see more photos on the theme, please click on the camera icon in the column to the right and you'll be transported to the Friday Shoot Out site where you'll find the list of participants.

Monday

2009-11-23T07:25:00.002-05:00

It's Monday. How is it that it comes around again so fast? Hope your week goes swimmingly.

End of the day

2009-11-21T20:45:00.002-05:00

4:40:54pm, Wednesday, November 18, 2009. Sunset around and through the old Harvey Woods factory building in Woodstock. The building has been sitting empty since the early 1990s when the company went into receivership.

The motion in the photo is due to the fact that this photo is a "drive-by" shot and, no, I wasn't behind the wheel.

Friday My Town Shoot Out

2009-11-19T18:42:00.001-05:00

I'm using my "get out of jail free" card this week. Sorry, I won't be posting - will be back on board next Friday. Have a great week everyone!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-11-18T20:12:00.002-05:00

Check out more Wordless Wednesday participants - you never know what you'll find!

Not day, but not yet night

2009-11-15T20:46:00.000-05:00

Toronto City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square, November 9, 2009

An award - I'm chuffed!

2009-11-14T19:56:00.003-05:00

John (otherwise known as Scriptor Senex) has bestowed his weekly Award for Photographic Excellence on me!

I'm a Follower of Scriptor Senex's blog and particularly like to visit to see what he's come up with for the weekly round of the Friday My Town Shoot Out. This week's theme is Places of Worship and he's managed to include Stonehenge - awesome!

Friday My Town Shoot Out - Places of worship

2009-11-12T18:51:00.004-05:00

Trinity Anglican Church is located about 5kms north of Hickson, Ontario and was built in 1847. This property is beautifully maintained even though it is only used one a year for the anniversary service. Note the covered hitching post on the left.

When I took this photo about 12 years ago, Chalmers United Church was one of five United Church of Canada congregations in Woodstock. Today this building stands empty and up for sale as the congregation has amalgamated with another under a new name. Heaven only knows the fate of this beautiful structure.

Thanks go out to Rebecca for the theme of Places of Worship for the Friday My Town Shoot Out. To see the members link list, please click on the camera icon in the right hand column and it will take you to the Shoot Out site and all the pertinent information.

A walk in the woods

2009-11-11T14:02:00.005-05:00

Today, November 11th, is Remembrance Day here in Canada . Geoff and I were walking in the woods as it was marked this morning at 11am. If you look closely, you can see a yellow plane in this photo, it is a Canadian Harvard. The Canadian Harvards are part of the annual Remembrance Day ceremony at the Cenotaph here in Woodstock.

While we were taking our quiet walk in the woods we heard Chickadees and Cardinals, and saw this White Breasted Nuthatch looking for lunch.

Sunday afternoon photo op

2009-11-08T17:21:00.002-05:00

Geoff and I enjoyed a walk on the Youth Start Trail here in Woodstock this afternoon and we saw two Woodpeckers, this female Red-bellied Woodpecker:

and a female Downy Woodpecker:

Hope you saw something wonderful on your walk today!

Friday My Town Shoot Out - Skylines

2009-11-06T07:57:00.001-05:00

This week's Shoot Out theme, Skylines, was chosen by Kate of Kansas because: "One of my favorite things to see when I go to a new city is the look of their skyline - and for me, skylines can be the look of a small-town Main Street or the giant buildings of a huge city's downtown or a field full of corn. "

This is the skyline of the small (population approximately 35,000) rural city I live in - Woodstock, Ontario, Canada. This is the skyline of our downtown, taken on a recent Saturday morning.

And here's an agricultural skyline just west of Woodstock. We have the bes of both worlds.

Skywatch Friday - Sunset, Moonrise

2009-11-05T15:00:00.002-05:00

From October 2009

For more skyviews, please visit Skywatch Friday.

the gift

2009-11-02T07:54:00.005-05:00

Sometimes when you have a heavy heart an unexpected gift shows up just at the right moment to lift your spirits.........

This little Downy Woodpecker showed up on the suet feeder outside our kitchen window this morning. Just what the spirit doctors ordered.

Wishing you a peaceful day.

Sunday Photo Shoot

2009-11-01T16:33:00.001-05:00

Lots of awesome fall colours and bare trees against a dramatic sky. But the best find was the nice big Red-Tailed Hawk (top right) in a tree at the east end of Oxford Street in London near the airport.

From November collage 1

Friday My Town Shoot Out - Park Scapes

2009-10-30T07:30:00.003-04:00

This week the theme for the Friday My Town Shoot Out, Park Scapes, was chosen by JarieLyn of Las Vegas, Nevada.

My favorite park is located a long way from my town but it's my favorite place to vacation. It's Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland. Here are some photos from my most recent visit in August.

My cousin, Deborah, and I had a great time exploring new places and old. Will my photos convince you to visit???

For links to other members of the Shoot Out gang, please click on the camera icon in the right hand column of this blog.

2009-10-30T18:39:00.001-04:00

When I saw these crows hanging out at sunrise this morning I thought they were the perfect backdrop for me to say.........

From October 2009

Have a spooktacular Halloween!

Skywatch Friday

2009-10-29T20:17:00.001-04:00

For more views of sky from around the world, please visit Skywatch Friday.

My World Tuesday - City Hall, Woodstock, Ontario

2009-10-26T21:58:00.002-04:00

City Hall at dusk

To tour more of the world, please visit My World Tuesday.

Creature comforts

2009-10-25T20:13:00.000-04:00