White clouds in the garden

Photos by Barry Wallace

Peonies

Spirea

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Barry Wallace

May's nasturtiums herald summer

Photo by Barry Wallace

Flowers wide enough to wrap a fairy in.

-- with apologies to Wm. Shakespeare

Has skating club changed its name?

Photo by Barry Wallace

Joseph Noble, the early 19th century storekeeper for which the the village of Nobleton was named, must be spinning in his grave this week, at the spelling of his namesake village on the Trisan Centre reader-board in Schomberg.   As an old newspaperman, I'm reminded of a phrase heard occasionally in my early years when people knew they were going to be quoted in the local rag: "Say what you want about me, but spell my name right".

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

163rd Schomberg Fair

2013 Horse Pull Champions were this pair of Belgian stallions from Collingwood.

Waiting their turns.

Getting ready to hitch up to the sled.

The winning pull.

Two horseshoes were yanked off one horse in the later rounds.

Red-haired boy is attracted to red-haired cow.

...and some of the critters were really small, cute and cuddlesome.

All photos by Barry Wallace

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Barry Wallace

Chestnut and Crabapple blossoms

Photo by Barry Wallace

Forde Crescent ~ King City

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Barry Wallace

Sunset ~ after the rain

Photo by Barry Wallace

Carrying Place Golf & Country Club

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Barry Wallace

Keeping King green

Photo by Barry Wallace

Nobleton ~ King Road

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Barry Wallace

To every spring a blossom

Patton Street ~ King City

Methodist Episcopal Cemetery ~ Kinghorn

Kingcross Drive ~ Kingcross Estates

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Barry Wallace

Photos by Barry Wallace

What the heck is it?

Photo by Barry Wallace

I have noticed this odd structure being constructed over the last two or three weeks, on the south side of Hwy. 9, between the 8th Concession of King and the western boundary of the Holland Marsh.   I have no idea what its purpose might be and there is no sign associated with it.   The exact location is on the south-east bank of the Holland River (west branch) where the river goes under the Hwy. 9 bridge.   The photo above looks west along No. 9, towards Schomberg.   If you know what this structure is, maybe you can leave a comment here as to its identity.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Pulmonaria and the bumble-bee

 Photo by Barry Wallace

Bees and hummingbirds love Pulmonaria in the early spring

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BtheB

Every roadside a spring garden...

     Photos by Barry Wallace

                                     Is there anything greener than spring?

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BtheB

Pastoral 10th Concession

Photo by Barry Wallace

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BtheB

Recognizing the obvious?

Photo by Barry Wallace

Here's a new road sign I hadn't seen until today.   Mill Road, running south of the King Road, between the 7th and 8th Concessions, has a supplementary sign announcing that the Mill Road is also a gravel road.   I believe Mill Road has been a gravel road for approximately 180 years and now I am a little curious about the origin and reason for this sign.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

New village landmark in King City

Photo by Barry Wallace

If you're planning to have lunch or dinner in the front patio of Hogan's Inn, on Keele Street in King City, be prepared to share the space with this charming, almost-to-scale, horse and rider.   The lovely statue serves to underscore Hogan's horsey heritage as a 19th century hotel stable and a scheduled stop for the horse-carriage service from the train station, at the south end of the village, to the centre of the village.   The carriage service was particularly useful to shoppers returning to King Township from shopping in Toronto and to travelling salesmen laden down with their wares and samples.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace    

King City landmark succumbs...partially

Photo by Barry Wallace

Herman McBride house sliced in two 

The old Herman McBride house on Clearview Heights, at the south of King City, in behind Clearview Motors & Service Station has been slimmed down to make room for a second housing unit on the same building site.   Originally, a request had been proposed to completely dismantle the the old McBride house and build two new houses on the site.   The request was not granted however, and now the west portion of the McBride house will remain and a new house will be built on the east half of the lot.   Apparently, this planning compromise is supposed to please parties on both sides of the development issue.   Let's hope that what's left of the McBride house is affectionately restored and that the new house is of a complementary design.   The property for the present King City United Church, located a block north on Elizabeth Grove, was donated by the family of the late Mr. and Mrs. Herman McBride back in the early 1960s.
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace

Chipmunks eat everything

Photo by Barry Wallace

Chipmunks are omnivores and eat everything from grass to nuts, fungi to worms, seeds and insects, to frogs and fruit.   This one in the backyard today seemed to be checking out the barrel containing young strawberry plants.   It will have to patient as the plants have only just started to sprout.   Here's hoping it doesn't start eating the leaves before the blossoms appear.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

The gates of King

Photo by Barry Wallace

I've pictured this gateway in this space a couple of times over the past few years and commented about its artistic statement.   Right now, the lily has been gilded with the addition of two huge planters evoking thoughts of spring.   I would not presume to call this the grandest gate in King but it would certainly make the short list.   It is located on the west side of Weston Road, between Churchill Avenue and the 18th Sideroad.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

GO Train parking finds divine solution

Photos by Barry Wallace

Parking for Go Train riders in King City continues to be a frustration, despite constant expansion of available spaces.   The latest partial solution is to occupy unused spots in the King City United Church parking lot on Elizabeth Grove, just east of the firehall.   When the photos shown here were taken on Friday morning, May 3,  just three vehicles were taking advantage of the new arrangement.  However, with the growth in local housing and increased GO Train ridership, it's probably just a matter of time before the parking lot is full to overflowing.   For the church, this may be a case of better the devil you know than the devil you don't.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Fifteenth Sideroad

Photo by Barry Wallace

The Old Manse

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Barry Wallace

Anas platyrhynchos in King

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Let there be ... on every pond ... a Mallard duck

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BtheB

May Day in the Marsh

Photo by Barry Wallace

Keele Street ~ Ansnorveldt

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Barry Wallace

Plumbing supplies!! Are you kidding?

Photos by Barry Wallace

I casually asked someone this week if they knew what the former Chinese food restaurant, on the King Road in the middle of King City, was going to be when renovations

were complete and it re-opened.   My friend

replied that it was going to be a plumbing supplies store.   I gasped: "you're kidding?".

My friend was not kidding and we had a spirited discussion about the wisdom of such an undertaking.   We agreed the store seemed too small and that there was too little parking, plus it should be a chic retail store of some sort, or a speciality restaurant with Vietnamese food.....yeah, Vietnamese food!      With the hopes of so many villagers hanging on the revitalization of King City's business core and attractive retail development, a plumbing supply store seems a bit of a disappointment.   Maybe the plumbing info is a ruse and there is something chic in the works.   Oh well, we shall see what we shall see.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace