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  

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

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

Graham Sideroad ... in the Marsh

Photo by Barry Wallace

Content are the blended-in

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Barry Wallace

Dufferin Street ~ south of the 19th

Photo by Barry Wallace

Bloody disgusting!

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Barry Wallace

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

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

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

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

New dry cleaner in King's Ridge Marketplace

                                                                                                                               Photo by Barry Wallace

North Park Cleaners ~ opening soon

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

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.
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Barry Wallace

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

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

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

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

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

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. 

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Barry Wallace