Happiness is three well-behaved Rottweilers...

Photo by Barry Wallace

I spotted Sho Papazian, owner and founder of 'My Obedient Dog', with her three Rottweilers in the parking lot at the four corners in King City on Saturday and I just had to get a photo of these amazingly well-behaved dogs.   They were unleashed and walked purposefully under control across the busy Keele St. / King Road intersection with Sho.   Sho is seen often around and about King City with dogs she trains and sometimes she is riding her bicycle with the tethered trainees.   This woman's dog sense seems both highly intuitive and knowledgeable.

Please comment if you wish. 

Barry Wallace

New art in King City...

Now showing at the Roost Cafe ~ Keele Street

Please comment if you wish...

Barry Wallace

1st Starling last week ~ 1st Grackle this week

Photo by Barry Wallace

Starling and Grackle are back... 

... what about Red-winged Blackbird?

Our first Starling of the year arrived on March 5th, followed by a Grackle on the 14th.   That leaves the Red-winged Blackbird to complete the blackbird trio.   Based on the warmer weather forecasts, I'm predicting one day next week for the 'Red-wing's' arrival.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

The 'Annie Rooney'...

Photo " Early Settlements of King Township"

The photo above appears on Page 123, of the late King Township historian, Elizabeth McClure Gillham's book, 'Early Settlements of King Township Ontario'   The engine is part of the Aurora and Schomberg Railway, which operated from 1902 to 1927.   The railway was a spur of the Yonge Street Radial line and operated between Schomberg and Oak Ridges.   For a quarter of the century, the train marked a period of prosperity and change.   Mrs Gillham states in her book that "the arrival of the 'Annie Rooney' was named for the comic strip of the same name, in which a trolley car was used which encountered some difficulties similar to those on the Aurora-Schomberg line - such as cattle on the track, and similar hazards".   Transportation, business and livelihoods where transformed for more than two decades.   In 1927 however, the railway ceased to operate because it too had outlived its usefulness.   Cars and trucks were more convenient and cost-effective.   A hundred year later, the old railway bed can be spotted in a number of places across the township.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

First Great Blue of the season...

                                                                                                        Photo by Barry Wallace

I saw my first Great Blue Heron of the season flying over my home in King City yesterday.   Some ponds and streams have lost their ice cover, but the heron will be hard-pressed I think to find many fish in the middle of March.  It was heading south however, so perhaps it was returning to open water which it had visited on its way north.   It was nevertheless a most welcome sight. 

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Kirby and Betty - dogs on my street

Photos by Barry Wallace

The photo above appeared in this blog space back on January 28, about a month and a half ago.   It shows my neighbour's (Lee-Ann) dog Kirby, in his winter weather gear.   The picture below shows Kirby, on the right, and his female friend, Betty, on the left, in the same spiffy outfit, walking around Forde Crescent.   It turns out that the two dogs know each other well.   LeeAnn owns Kirby, and LeeAnn's mum owns Betty, who happens to be an official service dog.   Betty helps her owner, who has a seeing problem, get around.   If you think Betty's got pink poodle ears, you're correct.   I didn't ask how that came about, But LeeAnn told me the pink has just about disappeared.   It goes without saying that these two turn a few heads as they pass by.

Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

Thawing - freezing - thawing - freezing...

Photo: Barry Wallace

This photo was taken on Tuesday morning on Keele Street, near to Dog Tales Sanctuary.   There are a few other spots like this around the township this week.   A couple of warm days are to happen this week and then temperatures slip back around the freezing mark.   My dear wife slipped on some ice last Sunday and broke a wrist.   Major MacKenzie Hospital Emergency Department was filled on Sunday with   folks who had falls.   I mentioned to one of the 'emerg' receptionists, around 9 a.m. that it was so slippery outside the hospital that there might be people coming in, who had actually fallen between the parking lot and emergency department.   She replied "We've already had two this morning".   At least they were close to help.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace