Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Pine Farms Orchard ~ King 16th Sideroad


                                                                                        Photo and haiku by Barry Wallace
duck puns are not all
that they are quacked up to be
some are really fowl
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace


Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Bennet Drive, King City


                                                                                                  Photo by Barry Wallace
Keeping the wolf from the door
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

Monday, October 29, 2018

Around-the-Bend Farm...at Kettleby

Photo by Barry Wallace
There's nothing baleful about this happy face.
Please comment if you wish...
Barry Wallace

Sunday, October 28, 2018

Critters in the backyard...

Photo by Barry Wallace
 "Of course bunnies like bird seed"
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

Saturday, October 27, 2018

Former Nobleton Junior Public School demolished

 Photos by Barry Wallace
The former Nobleton Junior Public School on the south side of the King Road, just east of Hwy. 27, was demolished this week.   The building, dating from 1936, was owned and sold by the York Region School Board to a developer with, I believe, as yet unannounced plans for the site. The Township of King's demolition approval was subject to certain conditions which included the old school's bell tower and bell be salvaged and stored, opportunities and costs be explored for the restoration and display of the bell and tower on township property in Nobleton, commemoration of the school by a story-board or other informational device on township property in Nobleton, and that any proposed redevelopment of the property incorporate materials and /or design elements of the existing structure to reflect its original character.   We shall see what we shall see.


Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

Friday, October 26, 2018

More fall arrivals at the feeders...

 Photos by BarrytheBirder

Evening Grosbeak
(Coccothraustes vespertinus)


Dark-eyed Junco
(Junco Hyemalis)



HOUSE FINCH
(Carpodacus mexicanus)
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace




Thursday, October 25, 2018

New municipal offices opening delayed a week

   Photos by Barry Wallace 
The new King Township municipal offices will open at 8.30 am., on Tuesday, November 6, at 2585 King Road.   The move to the new building will begin on Friday, Nov. 2 and finish on Mon., Nov. 5.    All offices will be closed for those two days.   The opening is one week later that originally slated.

Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

On the King Ridge...

Photo and haiku by Barry Wallace

fall is a hued time
skies may be sweet or selfish
each blown leaf unique

Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Keele Street ~ north of 16th Sideroad

Photos by Barry Wallace
The Kell Farm


Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

Monday, October 22, 2018

Parked in front of Hogan's Inn ~ King City

 Photos by Barry Wallace
'LITTLE MISS GSXR'
This Suzuki motorcycle, named 'Little miss gsxr' caught my eye in front of Hogan's Inn several days ago.   The pink and black colour combo made me immediately assume it belonged to a woman.   The rider wasn't around while I was photographing the bike but I saw the rider, on the bike 10 minutes later, heading up Keele Street.   It was a woman and her helmet had the same pink and black paint job!   Very cool.    


Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

Sunday, October 21, 2018

New Oak Ridges Library?


Photos by Barry Wallace
I'm looking a little east of King in this blog ... towards Oak Ridges.   Many King Township residents patronize not only the four library branches in King, but also the Oak Ridges branch of the Richmond Hill Library, on Yonge Street just north of the King Road.   In July of 2016, Richmond Hill awarded a contract for a new library to be built and opened 17 months later, but rain delays and contractual issues forced a completion date a further 5 months, to the end of March, 2018.   Another 1/2 year of delays forced the town to terminate the contractor's work and make a claim against the project's bonding company.   Bottom line?   Still no completion date.   Local readers also have to contend with reduced library facilities in King City (in the Senior's Centre)  due to its new building construction.   Modern-day construction woes?   I think I've read this book before.
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace   



Saturday, October 20, 2018

Hummingbirds and warblers have left...

...but others have arrived

 Photos by Barry Wallace
Female and male Purple Finch


Pine Sisken













Red-breasted & White-breasted Nuthatches


White-throated Sparrow


White-crowned Sparrow
... more to come another day
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace


Friday, October 19, 2018

Jane St. ~ top of hill - just south of Hwy. 9


                                                                                               Photo by Barry Wallace
All hallow's eve approaches
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

Thursday, October 18, 2018

Close to Kettleby...

Photo by Barry Wallace
 ' Plague of Grackles ' 
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Kettleby then and now...

Photo: Album of Oldies / Elizabeth Gillham
Kettleby photos: 1908 and 2018

Photo by Barry Wallace
The two photos above were taken 110 years apart.   The streetscape may have changed somewhat in appearance, but not much situation-wise.   The top photo is from Elizabeth Gillham McClure's Album of Oldies book, published locally by her 40 years ago.   The building (second from the right in both photos) began as the Kettleby General Store and was erected c.1851.   Today it is known as Dorio's Kettleby Italian Bakery, and has been operating as such for the past 15 years.   While this Kettleby General Store was always a community hub, it also benefitted from housing the Kettleby post office, which meant that at one time or another, everyone in Kettleby likely visited this busy establishment.  Kettleby's first post office was opened 167 years ago on August 6, 1851.   At that time it was called 'Kettleby Mills, Canada West'.   The word 'Mills' disappeared eight years later in 1859.   Presumably, the store/post office operated in parts of three centuries.
Kettleby is a treasure.   It is at the heart of King's origin and history.   It roots us in this small and beautiful part of the world. 
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace  

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Autumn in the backyard...


Photos by Barry Wallace
Japanese Maple and False Spiraea



 Dahlias ~ champions of the fall garden
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

Monday, October 15, 2018

Dufferin Street ~ just north of the railway tracks

Photo by Barry Wallace
1937 CHEVROLET PICKUP FLATBED
This  oldtimer is sitting on the west side of Dufferin Street, just north of the King Ridge Marketplace.   I'm guessing it's a 1937 Chevy, give or take a year ... maybe.   I've no idea about whether it's for sale or not, but it's turning a few heads as they drive by.
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace


Sunday, October 14, 2018

King gates and fences...










Photos by Barry Wallace
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

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Saturday, October 13, 2018

Northern Cardinal...


Photo by Barry Wallace
Here's a young Northern Cardinal (left) pestering its parent for food at a feeder in our backyard.   Both its parents are still feeding it, but it can also feed itself if it gets desperate enough.  Cardinals can have two to three, even four broods a year.   I believe this youngster is from a second brood.
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

Friday, October 12, 2018

Garter snakes about to Hibernate...

Photo by Barry Wallace
Garter snakes are native to North America and go into hibernation in late October.   Hibernation dens can hold hundreds of garter snakes and some will come to the earth's surface on warm, sunny, winter days to bask on rocks for short periods of time.
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace


Thursday, October 11, 2018

New King Township Municipal Offices



Photos by Barry Wallace
October 2017


October 2018
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace


Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Hidden away in Richmond Hill...

Photo by Barry Wallace
Bond Lake ~ Oak Ridges
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Apples on the King Ridge...

Photo by Barry Wallace

Ode to Autumn
J. Keats
            SEASON of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
                Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
                Conspiring with him how to load and bless
                With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
                To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
                And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
                To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
                With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
                And still more, later flowers for the bees,
                Until they think warm days will never cease;
                For Summer has o'erbrimm'd their clammy cell.

Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

Monday, October 8, 2018

Early October...

Photo by Barry Wallace

(Lake Jonda ~ Eaton Hall Lake ~ Seneca Lake)

Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

Sunday, October 7, 2018

Kettleby charmer...

 Painting: Donna Greenstein
CURTIS HOUSE

Photo: Barry Wallace


Unfortunately, the large ancient tree in front of the Curtis House in Kettleby has been cut down.   I do not know why the tree was cut down but it was probably for a legitimate reason.   I'm sure everyone in the Hamlet feels a little sad about losing it.   Such is life.   I just couldn't show a before and after shots. 

Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

Saturday, October 6, 2018

You see 'em all in King...

Photo by Barry Wallace

BENTLEY CONVERTIBLE
in front of Hogan's Inn ~ King City

Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

Friday, October 5, 2018

Parked in front of Roost Cafe on Keele Street

Photo by Barry Wallace
I stopped by the the Roost Cafe on Keele Street in King City last Friday for a large cappuccino but my preferred parking spot was taken by what appeared to be a 2018 Ferrari (photo above).   That's my 16-year-old 2002 red Jeep Liberty parked across the street, in front of the All Saints Anglican Church, and all I can add is that I know for sure that my Jeep has gone places the Ferrari never could.
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace