Swainson's Hawk - Delemanor Retirement Residence - Rooftop terrace

Photo by Barry Wallace

Pictured above is one of six Swainson's Hawks currently being seen around and above Delmanor Retirement Resdience on Butternut Ridge Trail in south-west Aurora.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Early spring sunset...

                                                                       Photo by Barry Wallace

March 29th sunset photo

Looking westward from Butternut Ridge Trail in southwest Aurora.

'Goodbye to winter!'

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

'Summer Fence" by Phil Chadwick...

                                                                   Painting by Phil Chadwick

Shown above is 'Summer Fence' painting by Phil Chadwick, one-time King Township resident and Environment Canada weatherman.   "Summer Fence' is a memory from the summer of 2003 and Watershed Farm on the crest of the Oak Ridges Moraine.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

End of March miscellanea...

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Precisely severed...

 

Photo by Barry Wallace

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

End of winter...

 

Photo by Barry Wallace

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

 

Spring melt

Painting by Phil Charwick

One-time King Township resident and Environment Canada weatherman

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

 

Spring Equinox...World Frog Day and World Sparrow Day

                                                                                         Photo by Barry Wallace

East Humber River - King Township

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

St. Patrick's Day at Delmanor Retirement Residence...

 

Chief elf at Delmanor

St. Patrick's Day String Band

Residents singalong

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

My first great grandson... sort of...

Photo by Pat Cromie
 

Cooper Robert Foley - 9 lbs.

Although I have 5 grandchildren who may presumably have children of there  own one day, It has not happened yet.   However, my partner Pat Cromie now has four great grandchildren, including the newest arrival, pictured above, who is just three weeks old, and has quite a set of lungs on him, and 'Coop' and I are buddies already.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Phil Chadwick art...

Painting by Phil Chadwick

Herewith is a painting by former King Township resident and Environment Canada weatherman Phil Chadwick of a Red Fox kit that was sent to me recently.   

Charming depiction Phil.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

1960s handicrafts from the Wallace family...

 
Photo by Barry Wallace

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

March 7th hazy lazy thaw...

                                                                                             Photo by Barry Wallace

Butternut Ridge Trail - south Aurora

14C - light rain, winds around 14 to 16 mph., 2.45 p.m.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Bathurst Street - the King Ridge

                                                                                             Photos by Barry Wallace

November, 2026, will mark the 10-year completion of the reconstruction and paving of Bathurst Street North in King Township where the street descends into the Holland Marsh.   The project allowed northbound traffic on Bathurst Street to bypass Richmond Hill, Aurora and Newmarket. on its way to Bradford and points beyond.

Pictured above and below is Bathurst Street, looking south up onto the King Ridge (above) and north into the Holland Marsh (below).   Bathurst Street, just north of Hwy. 9, is also touted as the location of a second "Southlake Hospital' site, to be announced in the spring of 2026.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

When do honeybees appear in spring?

Photos by Barry Wallace

In Ontario, honeybees do not truly hibernate but stay in their hives, beginning to fly out for "cleansing flights" on warmer days in March (when temperatures are above 0 degrees celsius), with major foraging starting in April.

Bumblebee queens emerge from hibernation in early spring, typically between mid-April and mid-May, once temperatures are reliably warmer and early flowers are blooming.

Honeybee haiku

"A bee

staggers out of the

peony"

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

King Lodge Cats...

                                                                        Photo by Barry Wallace

This is a photo I took at King Lodge, north of King City, many years ago when my mother Muriel was a resident there.   These cats were a favourite of hers and most of the other residents at the time.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Protected against the elements...

Photo by Barry Wallace

Weather-protected canine

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Another pink to try...

Photo by Barry Wallace

Toronto Star columnist Carolyn Evans Hammond, has recommended another pink delight called Pelee Island Pelee Pink (2023).   I'm about to try a bottle shortly.   This Pelee Island product is apparently a delicious blend of 86 percent Chambourcin, a lesser known grape, and 14 percent Vidal.   The result is seems is a rose' that gleams pink in the glass.   The flavour is, apparently, juicy and round with a kiss of sweetness offset by racy aciditity.   Flavours lean toward freshly picked strawberries and ruby grapefruit.   Carolyn goes on to say this crowd-pleassing style will appeal to fans of the once-popular Bread & Butter Rose' from California.   It is 12.5% alc. and 14 g/L sugar, selling at $13.95.   We shall see...

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Olympic Medal Factor favours Canada...

 

When one divides the medal counts of top countries in the 2026 Winter Olympics by the population of each country one comes up with what I am calling the... 

'Olympic Medal Factor'

When I established an Olympic Medal Factor for the top nine medal winners in the recently completed Winter Olympics, I discover that Canada is almost tied with Italy (30 medals divided by 59 million population) with a Olympic  Medal Factor  of 5.1).  Canada's Olympic Medal Factor is 5.25 ( 21 medals divided by 40 million population).

Italy placed 3rd in the official recent Winter Olympic medal count at 30 medals.  Using what I am calling the 'Olympic Medal Factor', Canada could be ranked in 4th place in a revised medal standings tally.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

King 15th Sideroad...

                                                                        Photo by Barry Wallace

                                   Come on summer...

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Chipmunk...

Photos by Barry Wallace

Chipmunks are small striped squirrels of the subtribe Tamiina.   They are found in North America, with the exception of the Siberian Chipmunk, which is found primarily in Asia.   

The name "chipmunk" originated in the 19th century, and other names for this group include chitmunk, chiptmuck, chipping squirrel and ground squirrel.

Chipmunks are omnivorous animals, and have diets that primarily include seeds, nuts, fruits and buds but may extend to include other plant matter, fingi, insects, small frogs, worms, bird eggs and nestlings. 

Their varied diet allows them to feed on plants such as grains and vegetables grown by humans which leads them to be thought of as pests in some areas.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace 

King Township winter warrior...

Photo by Barry Wallace

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

   Photos by Barry Wallace

Eaton Hall ~ King City ~ built in 1938 

 now part of Seneca College

                                                                                      

Please comment if you wish.

BarryWallace

Phil Chardwick art...

Phil Chadwick, one-time King Township resident, one-time Environment Canada weatherman and prolific painter is still at it.   The painting above caught my eye in a recent online post of his.   The painting was made some time ago and beautifully captures the style he is so noted for.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace 

Aurora Cemetery Dead House

Photo by Barry Wallace

The Aurora Cemetery Dead House (Charnal House) on Yonge Street in south Aurora was erected in 1868 to receive coffins in wintertime for storage until spring burials.  The Aurora Cemetery itself was established in 1869, and is a fine example of a Victorian period "Garden Cemetery".

It started as a 4 1/2 acre site and today is 29 acres of of winding roads, towering monuments and mature trees.   The Dead House is one of only eight such structures in Ontario.   Another one is to be found in the nearby King City Cemetery.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Maple syrup soon...

Photos by Barry Wallace

Maple syrup making is just around the corner.   Cold nights, which we've had plenty of lately, and warming days, which are in the forecast, are the combination of weather conditions to get sap running.   The photos included here were taken at Cold Creek Conservation Area, northwest of Nobleton, in King Township, a few years ago. March and April are peak months for production.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace