Standing Tall in the Cold

Standing Tall in the Cold, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

Yes I wanted the horizon on a tilt.

These Tall Goldenrods are growing and blooming at the edge of the Hamilton Harbour and beside the Waterfront Trail. Special "Thank you," to the city of Hamilton for putting in this wonderful trail beside the harbour!

Photo was taken Friday, November 28, 2008. I also found 14 other late wild flower species while out walking on Friday.

Before the Snow

Before the Snow, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

I took this yesterday, Friday, Nov. 28, before the snow began to fall again.

These Henbit buds will probably just wait for a sunny day to melt the snow and then, if the sun continues to shine, the buds may open for another late flowering. Meanwhile, I like the colour and details on the flower buds too on this late November day.

This is another alien plant that came over from Europe and western Asia.

Night Again

Night Again, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

Another night photo. This is a montage of two photos. One was taken at at 1 second exposure and the other at 4 seconds. Both were f 4.0 and ISO 1600. I liked how the two photo melted together.

Ice in Nice

Ice in Nice, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

While out looking for wild flowers I found some wild ice on a shrub. Actually, the shrub had flowers on it too but I have not been able to identify the shrub to my satisfaction yet.

Minimalism

Minimalism, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

This sculpture is at the Royal Botanical Gardens. I was lucky to be able to photograph it without too much background clutter. The piece is called Royal Couple and was made by the Canadian Michael Dennis.

Portrait of a Cow

Portrait of a Cow, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

Cow Vetch actually; this plant was still blooming on November 21 near the Hamilton Harbour. It has long since stopped blooming on our property.

Night Photo

Night Photo, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

After viewing a photography information video on shooting at night:

Craig Tanner's Light Diary
www.tmelive.com/

I had to try it out. (4 seconds at f2.8 ISO 1600)

Another Lesson

Another Lesson, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

So today I learned that it would be better to order 10 bales of hay and have them delivered in the driveway about 75 metres away from the barn and then carry the bales, or use my little red wagon, to get them to the barn on six occasions rather than order 60 bales of hay and have the truck back down to the barn and get stuck and force about 2 hours of looking for a tractor to pull the truck out and still have 60 bales to carry into the barn to stack.

On the other hand, if we decide to get some ducks I do now have some long narrow ponds almost ready.

QAL

QAL, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

The Queen Anne's Lace captures snow and keeps it for a while off the ground. When the weather is dry, the seedhead is tightly closed with when it is damp it opens up to let the seeds go. This action happens all fall and winter.

Apple Thieves

Apple Thieves, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

OK, OK! It was my fault. I did not get the goats stall door closed properly and I forgot to shut the door that led into the hay and apple stores so Gerturde and Alice helped themselves to about 6 dozen apples that were supposed to be about a two months supply of Apple-a-day treats for the donkey. Sigh!

Oh yes, it snowed last night so the rest of the windfall apples are out of sight now.

I did manage to find a few apples before the snow got too deep.

Burning Bush?

Burning Bush?, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

Some people call this Burning Bush. (I wonder why.) It adds a lot of colour to our west meadow in November. It's real name is European Eunonymus or European Spindle Tree (Euonymus europaeus. [Fusain d'Europe in French]

Actually, in November of 2007 it did not have too much colour. I suspect it was because of heavy insect damage in the spring and a very dry summer. This year it is back to normal.

One of Sixty-three Species

One of Sixty-three Species, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

This Storksbill flower was one of sixty-three different species that I found blooming in and along the edges of Hamilton, Ontario last Friday, November 14. I think being in a low area, below an escarpment, and next to Lake Ontario keeps flowers blooming longer in this area. Also, there is a paved trail with street lights that goes next to the harbour. I think the combination of pavement heat, streetlights, and lake water also help keep the area warmer.

Paying 4 Procrastination

Paying 4 Procrastination, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

Really I had been meaning to finish digging the potatoes but somehow . . . the beginning of a snowfall moved me a bit faster. (Those of you who live in the city probably don't have to worry about this little chore but then do you know where your potatoes come from and what was put on them to make them grow?) This is local food that is really local. It was grown about 30 metres from the kitchen and fed with compost made from kitchen scraps.

Cattails Sculpture by Bob Verschueren

Cattails Sculpture by Bob Verschueren, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

This is the full sculpture that I disguised yesterday by taking a close up from the side. Actually, when I took the detail I did not realize what it would look like turned 90 degrees. I liked the result.

Yesterday's photo was taken from the left side of the sculpture looking behind the bent cattail leaves with shadows showing against the white wall.

Mystery

Mystery, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

This is a close up detail of a wonderful piece of earth art. Have you any ideas about what it is from this selection?

I'll put up a photo of the entire work tomorrow along with the name of the artist and the location. Meanwhile . . .

Just Floating

Just Floating, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

I liked how the one Maple leaf was off on it's own by the edge of Lake Ontario.

Fall Falling Falls

Fall Falling Falls, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

"Logie's Creek tumbles 41 metres [135 ft.] over the escarpment to form Tews Falls, just a few metres less in height than Niagara Falls. "
Information from the following site:
www.conservationhamilton.ca/parks/visit/Tews_falls.asp

This is on one of my favourite walks in our area. I have been there several times a year for over 40 years now but it was just today that I found out the name of the creek that goes over the falls.

From the Passenger's Side

From the Passenger's Side, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

I don't like driving at night any more. I also don't like driving in, or near, Toronto. This was a modest bit of 8 lane highway. There are places on the 401 highway on the north side of Toronto where I have counted 20 lanes, 10 going each way. I prefer country roads where the grass grows down the middle but not I've not seen any of those for a few years.

Sunset in the City

Sunset in the City, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

I was helping Eglantine hang her photo art show in Toronto yesterday and it took a lot longer than expected. We got to watch the sunset over the Toronto harbour area as we drove toward home. We drove west on Lakeshore Blvd. to get out of the centre of Toronto before hitting the Queen Elizabeth Way. Traffic was heavy for much of the way home so I got to take some photos from the slow moving car.

Pocan

Pocan, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

According to The History and Folklore of North American Wildflowers by Timothy Coffey "Pocan" was an earlier name of American Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana).

I liked the way the sun was making the stems of the fruit such a bright colour.

We've Been Waiting at This Bus Stop For Hours

We've Been Waiting at This Bus Stop For Hours, originally uploaded by Ontario Wanderer.

Well, OK, waiting in the barn for the next feeding time at the Donkey Sanctuary. These are 3 of 54 donkeys at the sanctuary.