Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

                                                                                                        Photo by Barry Wallace

"Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree..."

Highway 9 and Jane Street

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

A winter wonderland...

Photos by Barry Wallace

The winter view from the top  of King's Thornton Bales Conservation Area is as breath-taking as it is when climbing the 99 steps down into the valley and back up.  But beware.  When the trail and steep steps are packed with snow and ice, the footing can be very treacherous.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Endlessly moving forward...

Photo by Barry Wallace

Two tallest buildings in Nobleton?

Certain aspects of Nobleton are changing one's orientation while passing through the village.   That seems to be the case at the intersection Hwy. 27 and MacTaggart Drive in the north end of Nobleton.   The new commercial building on the south-west corner is apparently 4 stories high, while the eight-year-old St. Mary Roman Catholic Church, on the north-west corner, with its cross atop the sloping facade, is also quite vertically impressive.   Add to this the extensive restructuring around the main intersection in the middle of village, at the King Road and Hwy. 27, and one is left with a significant  impression of the old Nobleton.

Please comment if you wish.    

Barry Wallace

Breath-taking northern cruise...

 Photo by David Love

Long-time King residents, David and Ann Love (pictured below) recently took a 15-day cruise from Greenland to the Torngat Mountains in northern Labrador, down the Labrador / Newfoundland coast and across to L'Anse aux Meadows on the tip of the Great North Peninsula, in Newfoundland

                                                                                                 Photo by Barry Wallace

Photo above and below by David Love

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Barry Wallace

Wild Turkey visits Banner Lane backyard...

Photos by Barry Wallace

My friend, Ed Miller, who lives a couple of blocks away from me on Banner Lane, in King City, called me Sunday morning and asked if I would like to see the Wild Turkey in his backyard.   Silly question.   I put on my 'BarrytheBirder' blogging cap and scooted over to Ed's place.   The photos here show what I believe is a first-year (juvenile), male Wild Turkey.  It apparently got by the fall hunting season this year without incident.   If it stays in the village of King City (such as Ed's backyard) it will be safe from hunters in both hunts next spring and fall.   I happen to know that most wild birds are well fed in Ed's backyard.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Barred Owl near Pine Farms Orchard

Photo by Barry Wallace

I photographed this splendid Barn Owl from my Jeep, on the side of the 16th Sideroad of King, just west of the Pine Farms Orchard last Thursday.  It seemed oblivious to me as I took several photos and remained where it was as I drove off after several minutes.   What a strikingly handsome bird.

Please comment if you wish. 

Barry Wallace

Not Camera on King ~ but Camera on Weminji

Photo by April Dawn Gull

It could be a photograph from King, but it's not.   It is a shot from the village of Wemindji, on the east shore of James Bay, in Quebec.   The frosty, blue-looking picture was taken by my sister Denise's daughter, April Dawn Gull, of what looks to me to be spruce and tamarack trees.  Wemindji is a Cree Indian village, which is very pleasant in the summer, but can get awfully darned cold in winter.  That's because Wemindji is 1,470 kms. almost straight north of King City.   One had to fly into the village with Air Creebec a few years ago, but there is now a highway the entire way.  Average, non-stop driving time is 17 hours and 13 minutes!  No, I have not driven there...yet.   This winter doesn't begin for another three weeks but my sister and her family have had a head-start on winter.  Right now they have a ton of snow and temperatures in the past week or so got down to -15C daytime / -24C nightime.   My neice, April Dawn, also posted an online photo (see below) of my sister "Denny" when she was Prom Queen at King City Secondary School in the late 1960s.   I'd never seen this photo before.   Gosh, she was pretty!   Her date at the prom was Nick Cappal.

Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace