The Orchard Gallery

Photo by Barry Wallace

Meet Paul Harding, the man who runs the The Orchard Gallery at the Pine Farms Orchard on the north side of the 16th Sideroad of King Township, between Keele and Jane Streets.   This beautiful gallery and its outstanding Canadian fine art are tucked away, north of the bakery/cafe/store and beyond the flower beds in what used to be the one-time winery facility.   If you visit Pine Farms Orchard, you'll be extra pleased with yourself if you take a couple of minutes to see the art and soak-up the atmosphere of the gallery.   King Township's Helen Lucas is one of the artists I recognized.   Afterwards, there is a palette of colours outside in the gardens (see below).   A few minutes chatting with Paul Harding leaves you feeling you don't want to leave this heavenly spot on the King Ridge.

One last note...I bought two Cranberry Butter Tarts at the bakery.   Omigawd!   What a treat.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Sunny day in late May

On the 7th Concession

On the 8th Concession

Wild shrubs on the 16th Sideroad

Pergola lantern

The joy of Nasturtiums

Frog hiding under Hosta 

Double White Clematis on a shed

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Heavy Horses ~ Schomberg Fair 2012

Photos by Barry Wallace

Six teams of heavy horses competed in the 2012 Schomberg Fair this past weekend.   Two teams competed in the lighter class and four teams went head-to-head in the heavy class.   The weighted sled started at 3,000 lbs. and moved up in 1,000 lb. increments.   This is a spectacle that must be seen and heard to be appreciated.

 All of the equine competitors were Belgians, an immense breed known for its stamina and the seemingly preferred choice over Clydesdales and Percherons.   The contrast between the apparent raw power of these creatures and their fancy show-off harness is a treat for the eye.

  Weight was added between pulls in 1/2 ton increments.

'Basher and Smasher' lean into a pull at the 4,000 lb. level.

Pulling 5,000 lbs. ~ above and below

Below, the lone lady driver in the field won with her team in the lighter category (her team is pictured at the very top of this blog).   Her winning ribbon is clamped between her teeth.    The other team in this category was driven by her husband, who declined to attempt a heavier weight with his team.   Who says chivalry is an out-dated concept?

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Barry Wallace

First poppy of 2012

Photo by Barry Wallace

But pleasures are like poppies spread -

You seize the flow'r, its bloom is shed

                                                                                                       ~~ Robert Burns

Beautiful solitary peony

Photo by Barry Wallace

This is the first peony in the garden this year.   It appears it may be the only bloom on this particular bush this year.   There isn't another single bud on this plant.   But this flower is a beauty.   It is 9" or 23 cm. across.   Apart from its floral beauty, the white peony is popular as a tea and an accupucture additive.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

From biggest oak to smallest oak

Photo by Barry Wallace

Chinkapin Oak

Quercus muehlenbergii

The day after I blogged about the mammoth Burl Oak at Humber Trails Forest & Wildlife Area, west of the Mill Road, at King Creek, I happened to meet a young employee of the Toronto Region Conservation Authority who told me he was meeting, that very day, with a resident of King Creek and a York Region employee to view the Bur Oak with an intention of getting the tree officially designated as a York Region Heritage Tree.   Great news!   This is exactly what should happen to this magnificent specimen.   I had a very pleasant chat with the young TRCA staffer and went upon my way, completely forgetting to mentioned to him that I had also spotted a young Chinkapin Oak not far from the Bur Oak.   Lake Ontario is the northern limit for the Chinkapin.   It reaches Hamilton at the west end of Lake Ontario and Kingston at the east end of the lake.   The area in between, on the north side of the lake, is not supposed to have Chinkapin Oaks.   But there is a small, young one directly north of Toronto, in southern King Township, near the banks of the East Humber River (see photo above).   The Chinkapin is also known as the Chinquapin Oak.   Chinquapin is very close to the Virginian Algonquin Indian name for the tree's nut.   According to Wikipedia: "The Chinkapin Oak is especially known for its sweet and palatable acorns.   Indeed, the nuts contained inside of the thin shell are among the sweetest of any oak, with an excellent taste even when eaten raw, providing an excellent source of food for both wildlife and people".   And while this Chinkapin is small today, it can grow to 50' in height (some have grown 160' in the US.)
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Barry Wallace      

Humber Trails ~ along the East Humber River

Photos by Barry Wallace

Eastern Comma

           Old man-made spring

Silver-spotted Skipper or Hoary Edge?

Silver-spotted Skipper

Trilliums

Blockage on the Humber

Golden Alexanders

Greater Celandine

Campfire ashes

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace