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

Parking at new King township offices...

 Photos by Barry Wallace

Parking at the new King Township municipal centre is already a problem.   The photos above were taken on Wednesday afternoon of this week a 2 pm. and all 107 parking spots seemed completely full.   The inaugural council meeting on Monday evening, Dec. 3rd, will be facilitated by return shuttle bus rides for attendees to three different parking areas in the village of King City.   One also needs to very cautious at certain times of the day and night when accessing and exiting the entrance on the King Sideroad.  A 'rear-ender' accident has already occured, just a week or so after the public opening of the site.

Please comment if you like.

Barry Wallace

  

King Townships trees...a treasure

Photos by Barry Wallace

Chris Fasciano (right), Director of Parks, Recreation & Culture for King Township addressed the annual general meeting of the Concerned Citizens of King Township last Tuesday evening in the new council chambers and updated the large crowd on King Township's new Trees Management Plan and the approach for the preservation and replacement of trees.   The initiative is a broad, unprecedented move forward for the township and could be a prelude to a long-awaited tree bylaw for the township.   I think it's fair to say that King is the greenest municipality in York Region but could be even more so, and now it should happen.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

New wine bar opens in Schomberg ...

Photos by Barry Wallace

LOT 15 WINE  BAR & EATERY 

A historic building in the heart of Schomberg, at 214  Main Street, opened this past Saturday as LOT 15 WINE BAR & EATERY.     The business is operated by Allison Mumford, who currently runs The Roost Cafe, on Keele Street South in King City.  The Roost has been very successful since opening two years ago, and Allison (see photo below) has high hopes for her second new enterprise in King Township. 

Whereas Ms Mumford operates the Roost Cafe on her own in King City, she has opened LOT 15 WINE BAR & EATERY with a partner, Mark Ross, in Schomberg.   I had lunch at LOT 15 on Monday and the food, wine and service was topnotch.   In addition to the sauvignon blanc I had with my avacado sandwich, I was especially surprised by a sip of smooth and tasty chardonnay, that was bottled locally, just a few kilometres west of Schomberg. The chardonnay was almost as light-bodied as the sauvignon blanc.   Best wishes to Allison and Mark.
Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Christmas tree competition at KH&CC

Photo by Barry Wallace

Visit  the King Heritage and Cultutal Centre gallery in Kinghorn between now and December 15, to see the 2018 Trees of Giving competition.   10 King community organizations have created beautiful and themed Christmas trees for public viewing and voting for the best tree.   Visitors can donate a loonie, or more, for each tree they think is the best.   All proceeds will go toward King For Refugees.  The photo above shows the festive display beautifully created by the members of Kingcrafts Studio in King City.

Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace