Thursday, March 31, 2016

Marylake Augustinian Monastery

Photo by Barry Wallace
Coltsfoot
Tussilago farfara
Linda and I strolled the long tree-lined laneway into the Marylake Monastery on Wednesday afternoon.   Beneath the huge spruce trees there was the occasional patch of snow to be seen.   But also to be seen were some patches of coltsfoot, one of the first spring plants to flower.   There were no other kinds flowers to be seen, but the coltsfoot was a delight on its own.

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Barry Wallace  



Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Coppa's still 6 months away in King City

 Photos by Barry Wallace
"...planning on early-fall 2016"
An online customer enquiry to the Coppa's website recently asked when the King store was to open.   The reply stated, in part: "...we do not have a set date, be we are planning on early-fall 2016!".   Fall this year begins on September 22.   Could it be that anticipation is building even quicker than the store?



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Barry Wallace

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Turkey Vulture ~ Keele Street near Kettleby

Photo by Barry Wallace
Coming in for a landing


We have touch down


Ready for my photo
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Barry Wallace


Monday, March 28, 2016

Graham Sideroad ... in the Marsh

Photo by Barry Wallace
Content are the blended-in
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Barry Wallace

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Dufferin Street ~ south of the 19th

Photo by Barry Wallace
Bloody disgusting!
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Barry Wallace

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Each year more Trumpeter Swans in King

Photos by Barry Wallace
Swans in King City ~ south of Seneca 
This pair of adult Trumpeter Swans and three first-year youngsters where part of a group of nine swans, in a large snow-melt pond in a farm field on the south side of the 15th Sideroad, between Bathurst and Dufferin Streets.   Scenes like this are more common each year as the largest of all swans makes their spring and fall migrations. Not so many years ago, one saw most Trumpeters with attached wing markers, indicating their origins from local re-introduction programs.   Now, a couple of decades later, most of the wild birds seen do not have wing tags...a sure sign of the success of their re-introduction to Ontario and central Canada.


















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                       Barry Wallace




Friday, March 25, 2016

What of this grand old structure?

 Photos by Barry Wallace




The Hambly House ~ Nobleton
Landmark, icon, designated historical property, one-of-a-kind design...no need to review its history here.   I only took these pictures to give some idea of state of being as it slides into an unknown future.   Look closely at the roof, the shutters, the Italianate/Victorian Gothic architectural  style, the remarkable wood and metal trim-work.   Close-up, many of the prized historical features are slipping into disrepair and ruin.   What's to be done, I wonder.   It could be said that Hambly House is Nobleton, and Nobleton is Hambly House.   Is its future protected or guaranteed?   Can its physical integrity be assured? The property is for sale.   Lots of questions...lots of speculation.   I'm getting too old for this angst.  


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Barry Wallace

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Old business to move to new plaza

Photos by Barry Wallace
Orr Insurance moving to King's Ridge Marketplace 
Posters in the windows of one of the new units of King's Ridge Marketplace (see photo below) announce that the location is to be the future home of Orr & Associates Insurance Brokers.   Describing the business as old is an understatement.   The firm traces its King City history back 104 years in the village to 1912, when Victor A. Hall started selling insurance for the Waterloo Insurance Company.   I spoke with a rep recently and she told me the move will likely happen in early May.   A second Orr & Associates location operates in the Brownsville Junction in Schomberg.



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Barry Wallace

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Rural remnants near Pottageville

                                                                                                                    Photos by Barry Wallace
Only masonry ruins remain of this old barn, once operational on the north-east corner of the Lloydtown-Aurora Road and Weston Road, just east of Pottageville.   It was also only a wave and a stone's throw from the one-time track-bed of the Schomberg & Aurora Railway which operated from 1902 to 1927.      





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Barry Wallace

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

New dry cleaner in King's Ridge Marketplace

                                                                                                                               Photo by Barry Wallace
North Park Cleaners ~ opening soon

Monday, March 21, 2016

You never know what lies below...


Photos by Barry Wallace
Kettleby Creek from the Kettleby Bridge


Kettleby Creek from beneath the Kettleby Bridge

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Barry Wallace

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Juncos still in our backyard

Photo by Barry Wallace
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco Hyemalis)
FEMALE
The Dark-eyed Juncos (a.k.a. Slate-coloured Juncos) are still foraging for seeds beneath the seed feeders.   They forage on the ground but do not scratch for food like many other sparrows.   This week's forecast calls for nights below or at the freezing mark, with colder temperatures further north.   These beautiful little birds seem to be in no hurry to head north.   As far as Linda and I are concerned, they can hang around our backyard for as long as they want.
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

Saturday, March 19, 2016

2nd Barn Swallow kiosk appears in King

Photos by Barry Wallace
Barn Swallows get special protection on Hwy. 9
A second Barn Swallow temporary nesting facility has been built in King, near to the Hwy. 400 and Hwy. 9 intersection expansion.   It is pictured above, west of Hwy. 400 and north of Hwy. 9, on the south side of both the Holland Marsh's south canal road and the canal itself.   It is designed to to provide nesting sites for Barn Swallows that are to be displaced by the massive reconstruction of the Hwys. 400 & 9 interchange. Barn Swallows are a threatened species and were added to Ontario's Endangered Species Act list in January 2012.   An earlier similar installation (pictures below) was created about three years ago, on Hwy. 9, east of Schomberg, where the Schomberg River crosses south under Hwy. 9 and becomes becomes part of the Holland Marsh canal system.   The site near Schomberg provides approximately 32 artificial nest cups, which the swallows use as bases for their own nest construction.   The site at Hwy. 400 has approximately 64 cups.   The two King installations are among 95 Barn Swallow kiosks at 57 locations in the province.   They provide more than 1,500 nesting cups.   Why the investment?   Barn Swallows are helpful to farmers because they devour huge numbers of insects that are often harmful to crops.   Meanwhile, the population of Barn Swallows in Ontario has declined 65% between 1966 and 2009.   The concept's success and measurement of results is to take three years, with an optional extension of two additional years.   First verified results from certain location will probably be available soon.



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Barry Wallace

Friday, March 18, 2016

Bad hair day in cold March rain

Photos by Barry Wallace
I stopped to grab a picture of this wet and slightly bedraggled donkey on the 19th Sideroad last Monday morning.    The look on its face seemed to ask: "Is this really necessary?"   Below, it took a moment or two to clean its muddy feet and I thought this donkey was lucky it didn't have long white feathering on its lower legs like a Clydesdale, perhaps.   It quickly gave up, took atep or two towards me and stared me in the eye (see photo at bottom).   It was a gloomy and somewhat baleful look.   We spoke briefly.   I bid it adieu and wandered on my way.



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Barry Wallace

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Bridge out over East Humber River

Photos by Barry Wallace
Part of Humber Trails is closed
If you haven't been a regular visitor to Humber Trails Conservation Area this winter, then you're in for a bit of a surprise.   The bridge over the Humber, at the halfway mark on the property was substantially damaged this winter and the bridge, and the remainder of the trail beyond, are closed to pedestrian traffic.   While the bridge did not collapse completely into the river, it would appear a complete replacement is probably the solution.





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Barry Wallace

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Maple Syrup sap by the barrel

 Photos by Barry Wallace
Maple syrup-making is upon us throughout many forests, lane ways and backyards in King.   Pots hanging on trees have sprung up everywhere.   The maple forest pictured above and below, on the south side of King City, is a little different in that the sap is collected by hoses and stored in barrels.   The entire woodlot is on an incline and slopes towards its south-west corner.   Gravity does all the work of getting the sap to the barrels for collection, by the sap-maker.   The sap is then transported to the nearby syrup-making site.   A highly efficient operation, indeed.    


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Barry Wallace

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Daughter's novel hits bookstores


My younger daughter's first paperback print book, entitled SKINNY DIPPING WITH MURDER hit bookstores on March 1st.   It is the first of three books she has written in the 'cozy mystery' genre.   Local booksellers include Walmart, Chapters, Indigo, Coles, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Book City.   The book is also already in many libraries in Canada and the U.S.  The second book in the series is called PUMPKIN PICKING WITH MURDER which will be published on August 30th of this year, followed by the third in the series to be published in early 2017.   Publisher for all three books is St. Martin's Press/MacMillan Publishing.   Two online books have preceded the three cozy mystery books.   They were published by Harlequin and are entitled SIDEKICK and SIDEKICK REVISITED.   Both are in the 'urban fantasy' genre.   Auralee was born and raised in King City and attended King City Secondary School, Guelph and York Universities.   She has an undergraduate degree in psychology and a Masters in English literature. 


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Barry Wallace

Monday, March 14, 2016

Spotted at Humber Trails...

 Photo by Barry Wallace
An Australian Shepard named Maple
With just a week to go 'til spring there was anticipation in the air at Humber Trails Conservation Area on the Mill Road, south of the King Road on Sunday.   Above,   this beautiful Australian Shepard (or Australian Sheep Dog) was on a ramble with its owners, the Dobsons, well-known King Township and Nobleton-area residents.   Just for the record, this breed was not developed in Australia, but rather on ranches in the western United States in the early 1800s.   Below are other shots of Humber Trails where winter has faded and the new season beckons. 




 Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace