Wet spring in the Holland Marsh

 Photos by Barry Wallace

Farmers in the Holland Marsh are facing a wet start to the growing season as water covers hundreds of acres in certain parts of Ontario's salad bowl.   The melt-water, followed by rain, is not that deep, but getting onto the land is going to be later than growers would like.   The photo above looks north from Weston Road across a portion of the marsh, on the west side of Hwy. 400.   The three photos below were taken from the intersection of Hanemaayer Lane and Concession Rd. 2, looking southward.   The high ground on the horizon is the King Ridge, part of the Oak Ridges Moraine.   There was still a thin layer of ice on the water, at 10 a.m., Wednesday,  when the photos were taken. 

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Barry Wallace

Christ Church restoration in Kettleby

 Photos by Barry Wallace

Anglican Church bell tower under repair

Kettleby's Anglican Church, Christ Church, was built 125 years ago, in 1891, on the east side of the village, and has remained virtually unchanged since that time.   The church recently received a new roof and now the bell tower is being restored.   The parish hall, just to the north and west of the church, was built in 1934.

Christ Church, Kettleby was built of local fieldstone in the Norman style, with a square bell tower.

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Barry Wallace

Cooper's Hawk in the backyard

 Photos by Barry Wallace

COOPER'S HAWK

Accipiter cooperii

Cooper's Hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks are frequent visitor's to our backyard, especially when the Mourning Doves are gathered at the feeders.   Pictured above is a large female Cooper's Hawk that has just captured a Mourning Dove and is spreading her tail and wings ( a behaviour called mantling) over the captured bird, in a combined attempt to hide her prey and also to protect it from being snatched away by another predator.   Below she is seen plucking feathers from the unlucky dove, prior to devouring it.

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Barry Wallace

Between Schomberg and Lloydtown

                                                                                                                           Photo by Barry Wallace

One of the sources of the Schomberg River
South side of the Lloydtown-Aurora Road ~ west of Hwy. 27

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Barry Wallace

Sell-out at King Cultural and Heritage Centre

 Photos by Barry Wallace

Gordon Lightfoot tribute band a hit

It was sell-out for the the Gordon Lightfoot Tribute Band, featuring John Stinson, on Saturday evening at the King Heritage and Cultural Centre.   The two-hour show stretched into three hours as the four-member tribute band sang and played selections from over 20 of Lightfoot's studio albums.   Every song was received with enthusiastic applause and hooting and hollering.   Pictured at top is John Stinson, the featured singer and rhythm guitarist, as well as inspirational leader of the tribute band, singing one of the Lightfoot hits.   Pictured below is part of the full-house audience.

Pictured above are Steve Eyers (on the left) bass guitar, and Jim Jones (right) keyboardist.   Below, on the

right, is Eric Kidd, lead guitarist.   While John Stinson was the lead vocalist, all three of his sidemen provided vocal back-ups and great harmony.   A number of the evening's selections were songs written by Lightfoot when he lived on a farm in King Township in the 1970s.   Pictured below are two of the many people that brought the evening together.   On the left is Teri Hastings, Executive Director of Arts Society King which organized the evening's presentation.   On the right is Karen Novia, the Executive Director of Oak Ridges Retirement Community which was the event's exclusive sponsor. 

Arts Society King members, who made up the Live Music in King Committee, which organized the evening included Phyllis Vernon, Lynda Rogers, Len Vernon, John Ebata and Denny Starritt.

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Barry 
Wallace

16th Sideroad ~ west of Keele Street

Tulip-outline pine tree

Bark wet in part from southerly overnight snow and rain

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Barry Wallace

Ice storm damage in King

 Photos by Barry Wallace

The weakness of willow and soft maple

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Barry Wallace