The Iron Horse Ranch

                                                                                                                                                                                 

Photos by Barry Wallace

Like a moth to a flame, I am drawn to this gateway every time I drive by it.   It marks the entrance to The Iron Horse Ranch on the west side of Weston Road, between Churchill Avenue and the 18th Sideroad.   Not only is the metal double gate itself spectacular, but the immense, colourful and everchanging planters, on each side, are a sight to behold no matter the time of year. 

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Trumpeter Swans on Glenville Pond

                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                                                           Photos by Barry Wallace

Here are more photos form my other blogsite 'BarrytheBirder'.   The birds are Trumpeter Swans which landed on Glenville Pond (Dufferin St. & Hwy.9) recently.   These magnificent birds are on their southward migration to warmer climes in the U.S.   Trumpeters have made a comeback in eastern Northern America after an absence of many, many decades in the last century.   Conservation efforts on their behalf have had a large impact in the growing return to Ontario flyways.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace 

Why do goats have goatees?

                                                                                                        Photos by Barry Wallace

The black goat above caught my eye on Tuesday morning as I traveled on Dufferin Street.   I decided the black coat and those rakish horns gave it a rather malevolent look, which I suppose was unfair, seeing how we have never been introduced.   As I stopped and got my camera out, another goat with its own striking look, tried to stare-down the black goat.   It was a stand-off for several seconds and then the grey goat blinked first and took off.   A moment later, the encounter was repeated and the black goat prevailed once more.   It was all bluster and bluff and no butting.  They then resumed their grazing.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace  

Ted Bird's Red-bellied Woodpecker

                                                                                                                                    Photo by Barry Wallace

This picture of a male Red-bellied Woodpecker was taken at the home of my friend, Ted Bird, near Schomberg.   I normally run pictures like this in my other blogsite "Barry the Birder".   But this is such an attractive bird and it was close to home, so I thought I would share it in this spot.   Schomberg, and points east and west on the same latitude, generally mark the traditional northern winter limit for this bird.   However, with global warming, many North American bird species are moving slightly further north each year.   I wouldn't be surprised at all, to discover that the northern winter limit for the 'Red-bellied' has already moved further north and will continue to do so for several years.

Please comment if you wish.

BtheB

Fitting farewell for former mayor

                                                                                                                     Photo by Barry Wallace

Former long-time King Township mayor Margaret Britnell passed away on October 12th, at the the age of 87.   Her remarkable political career spanned 27 years between 1970 and 1997.   An open house celebration in her honour was held this past Saturday afternoon at the King City Seniors Centre, on Fisher Street in the village.   A touching tribute to her memory were several of Margaret's old election signs on the King Road and on Fisher Street.   In the photo above, one of the old election signs was co-incidentally juxtaposed on the corner lot of the law office of Margaret Black, herself a former King Township mayor.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace  

Looks like snow...feels like snow...must be snow

Photo by Barry Wallace

...but there's six weeks of fall left!

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

King City underpass is fertile ground for taggers

The railway underpass in the centre of King City (Keele St. & King Rd.) is the largest art gallery in the village...maybe the entire township.   Below are a few of the tags to be found along the railway tracks.   Regular commuters on the GOtrain  have a chance to see the tags every day.   Otherwise, most residents are probably not aware of their colourful presence.   My Oxford Dictionary of New Words defines a tag as follows: "noun: A graffito, usually consisting of a decorated nickname, word, or initial, made by a graffiti artist as a personal 'signature'."   It also defines tag as a "transative verb: To decorate (a place or object) with graffiti; to leave (one's graffiti signature) in a public place".   And of course, a person who paints a tag is known as a tagger.

 Tagger unknown

 Tagger unknown

 Tagger unknown

 Tagger unknown

 Tagger unknown

Tagger unknown

The 'New Words' dictionary says that graffiti tags started to appear in the streets of New York during the early seventies - and were called tags in 1980.   The practice of tagging did not spread far outside large American cities until the mid-80s.   Then it was the popularization of hip-hop culture that involved youngsters in constructing the highly decorated nicknames, often on highly visible public buildings.   The 'New Words' dictionary goes on to quote England's Guardian newspaper which stated in its Feb.22, 1995 edition, that "Someone was tagging the subway walls at the White Hart roundabout, in west London...They subsequently caught a youth in a nearby park, hands and jacket covered in silver paint...and put him in a police cell at Southall police station.   They returned to find the cell wall had acquired a beautiful tag, precisely matching the White Hart subway work of art".

It makes me wonder...if we artistic souls all had the chance to do it over again, would this be a tempting and irresistible venture?   Hmmmmm.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace