Harlequin the horse

Photos by Barry Wallace

Harlequin, the King Township Pan Am painted pony, has taken up its permanent place in front of the 'old museum/new heritage and cultural centre' in Kinghorn. Harlequin was a result of the artwork of many King residents, including many children.   The photo at right shows some of the painted details on Harlequin's     flanks and hindquarters.   The name King and initials KC show up prominently, so that there is no mistaking  Harlequin's home turf.  

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Barry Wallace

My mistake... the old Gordon house stays put

Photo by Barry Wallace

Dentist to move into old Gordon house

I jumped the gun a couple of days ago when I suggested the Old Gordon house on the King Road, opposite Shoppers Drug Mart, was about to be knocked down.   The house is not being torn down, but, along with a few additions, will become the new home of King City dentist, Dr. Bruce Robinson, who currently practices dentistry on the north side of King Road, slightly west of the old Gordon home.   The demolition team began the process on Tuesday but they are are only removing certain outside features of the old house.   In the photo above, they have just removed the front porch and steps.   The folks at the King Township planning office told me that Dr. Robinson is a big admirer of the old house, so it will be very interesting to see how the new additions and embellishments transform the old village landmark.
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Barry Wallace

Smart squirrel

Photo by Barry Wallace

When the temperature gets up to 30C, it's no use fighting it.   It's much better to lie down, stretch out and relax for a while, like the furry fellow above.   Afterwards, you go get a drink in the bird bath.

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Barry Wallace

King Road and Yonge Street

Photo by Barry Wallace

It didn't take long for Tory signs to go up

These election signs for Richmond Hill federal Progressive Conservative incumbent, Costas Menegakis, appeared at King Road and Yonge Street, within 24 hours of the prime minister asking the Governor-General to approve an election on Monday, October 19.   On October 19, 1812, Napolean began his retreat from Moscow.   One has to wonder which of our political warrior/leaders will begin his or her retreat from Ottawa, on October 19.
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Barry Wallace

This house's time has come

Photos by Barry Wallace

Another historical house bites the dust

A piece of Priestly Demolition equipment has taken up position in the driveway of the former, longtime residence of Verdun "Stash" Gordon and his wife Rena.   Permits to demolish the house are posted in the front windows and two large hardwood trees were cut down recently.   The house is next, presumably, and soon.   The old brick house, from the late 1800s was once the home and office of Dr. Telfer J. Norman.   A local architectural heritage plaque is attached to the front of house, but that does not guarantee any historical preservation, obviously.   Whether there is to be any recognition of the old house's architectural and historical past remains to be seen when something new appears on the site.

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Barry Wallace

Trumpeters on Glenville Pond

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Highway 9 and Dufferin Street

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Barry Wallace

Ospreys over King

 Photos by BarrytheBirder

A check of three spots in King Township where Ospreys have been seen this summer has turned up the big birds in two of the sites.   Pictured above is a female Osprey in a nest at the northern end of Bathurst Street at the top of the Holland Marsh.   Immediately below is a photo of an Osprey nest on a private hydro pole, on the north shore of the Spray Lake Watersports, on Keele Street at the south side of the Holland Marsh.   Ospreys were seen here earlier in the summer, but all birds and fledglings appear to have moved on.   I watched this nest, with my binoculars, for several minutes on Friday of this week but no birds showed up.

Meanwhile, in the photo below, on the right, are a large female and a smaller male on the top of the very high communications tower in Temperanceville, at the southwest corner of King Road and Bathurst Street.   I watched the nest for several minutes as the female made many adjustments to either her eggs, her young, or the nest itself.   The original nest here had been removed by utility workers, but Ospreys returned this spring and re-constructed the nest.   The rebuilding seemed to delay the mating and egg-laying, which explains why the female Osprey seems to be late in raising her brood.

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Barry Wallace