tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13155095192616834412024-03-28T21:29:04.967-04:00Seasons in the Valley + Furry Gnome's AdventuresThe Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.comBlogger2865125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-36408430386255132332024-03-25T13:27:00.001-04:002024-03-25T13:27:37.577-04:00The Birds Invaded! Finally!<p>As I went to sit at the window a couple of weeks back, a flash of red caught my eye. It was a Cardinal! Haven't seen one in ages, though I heard them singing around the neighborhood last week when it was so warm and I got out riding. And then in about 5 minutes four other birds flashed out the window - more than I've seen all winter.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXePV8HkfS0lPTIsIfIEa4iWudelksiMcXG4Vyb5j6X5vWiemByhOC16-40bQFIlRXtLnvpFy8h-6RzzR6tVinGdV-D37UMhPy6g_8eAPn5II9QUL9Y2oOfgrgsnMhtepJB9SrKcI46By2ojzmlh2lFwbZE59hAQi5QTs1Tx1FDMIjqUmrdMZy46_k4lOH/s2726/B1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2726" data-original-width="2212" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXePV8HkfS0lPTIsIfIEa4iWudelksiMcXG4Vyb5j6X5vWiemByhOC16-40bQFIlRXtLnvpFy8h-6RzzR6tVinGdV-D37UMhPy6g_8eAPn5II9QUL9Y2oOfgrgsnMhtepJB9SrKcI46By2ojzmlh2lFwbZE59hAQi5QTs1Tx1FDMIjqUmrdMZy46_k4lOH/w520-h640/B1.jpg" width="520" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first one I got a good photo of (at least good for my phone camera) was a White-breasted Nuthatch, climbing upside down as usual on the feeder.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1cCPIK5TmienKhgPfcWvtSQuJ6OTl0UBIgtxNf5fKDTfyws0aUK8SPTQ4kfzpaWELySCKHFDoM2if0SJJ3E2KEZ0VlZgj_FuCyJJT2ARC0arwp-oNfA7JMiI2X5wa4vxjxrFAolY8IiFYnI0HWoGHxRcexF0nYXirSVnoTgMrXL2Gd2dWhu8uYjL4R7td/s2594/B2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2430" data-original-width="2594" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1cCPIK5TmienKhgPfcWvtSQuJ6OTl0UBIgtxNf5fKDTfyws0aUK8SPTQ4kfzpaWELySCKHFDoM2if0SJJ3E2KEZ0VlZgj_FuCyJJT2ARC0arwp-oNfA7JMiI2X5wa4vxjxrFAolY8IiFYnI0HWoGHxRcexF0nYXirSVnoTgMrXL2Gd2dWhu8uYjL4R7td/w640-h600/B2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>How's this for the unique patterns on its back? I love the three-tone colours.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3cv-LxG-tUZp_oOKQPr0FcPYBrGpXzjET2IZbBmDy2Vp87Nuuokr2MxSSMDQRj6LBXzPWKKj40egrT6140lLQQwmu6_Z1zaiGmdJpS4m9WiIe2viSA11PNvYRmTvEiwCWaQgmWPIwBZjIOoogniIOf2wh-eWMJMcOz7S1EcbeYGOzHCkZg1AlqXqE230Y/s2765/B3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2765" data-original-width="2536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3cv-LxG-tUZp_oOKQPr0FcPYBrGpXzjET2IZbBmDy2Vp87Nuuokr2MxSSMDQRj6LBXzPWKKj40egrT6140lLQQwmu6_Z1zaiGmdJpS4m9WiIe2viSA11PNvYRmTvEiwCWaQgmWPIwBZjIOoogniIOf2wh-eWMJMcOz7S1EcbeYGOzHCkZg1AlqXqE230Y/w586-h640/B3.jpg" width="586" /></a></div>Then the Cardinal settled down among the detritus of last years garden, presumably picking out sunflower seeds from among the leaves.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQF8GYVJhChuS1alORfdgqJad3410fGepYHp7nHZa5s4oCQcFzJZvwgP4S86JXQKBf7iHi_11j-sZy9lJOaJsFqVjac80H1HFshxvRzb2Lkp3-z6_REQ-fcgp3O4KN29znWRwcomV5pVrdysBwVQz3b58C4glcAuZJNIbZEG-6hEV-ImbDicGAJg6kBbP/s2822/B4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2627" data-original-width="2822" height="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQF8GYVJhChuS1alORfdgqJad3410fGepYHp7nHZa5s4oCQcFzJZvwgP4S86JXQKBf7iHi_11j-sZy9lJOaJsFqVjac80H1HFshxvRzb2Lkp3-z6_REQ-fcgp3O4KN29znWRwcomV5pVrdysBwVQz3b58C4glcAuZJNIbZEG-6hEV-ImbDicGAJg6kBbP/w640-h596/B4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">I think the Cardinal is the iconic bird of spring here, its loud piercing call easy to recognize from its typical perch high in the treetops. Though 30 years ago I remember my mother being excited to see one they were still so unusual.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JnGMbY_lA36IP_oU06Cc8157RNIAVPrFtV6r1tf9cHbabz8otNrRfB0N7IS-aICPCGr1HQ-uC7OSKkiaBH_Y5DlECjdGo3kWgkYtM_M9wcEtbxH2avi1uwoLzBh5H14Hev_X3hlZLWRnAclN7ppp5Echqz-OFcnf7qtpW2-m8ANbP7lqYpsrexct8Ntx/s2554/B5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2223" data-original-width="2554" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JnGMbY_lA36IP_oU06Cc8157RNIAVPrFtV6r1tf9cHbabz8otNrRfB0N7IS-aICPCGr1HQ-uC7OSKkiaBH_Y5DlECjdGo3kWgkYtM_M9wcEtbxH2avi1uwoLzBh5H14Hev_X3hlZLWRnAclN7ppp5Echqz-OFcnf7qtpW2-m8ANbP7lqYpsrexct8Ntx/w640-h558/B5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then a Mourning Dove flew in and perched in the red chair with a bug in its beak. Dull colouring overall, but those dark spots are iridescent in the right light.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCoHG89TjK6WZes6iHmiOVNDlMGKIhM2yK6Nv5heJ8NFDKyXWV9m_U3cSBWgpegicuHr_u8hB5ZMQZscalI1p5JvmiBS5GbIhzglJrK9c2Jpz-92sGOU-u1SQQSLxQU8rOHDTNtL9FDPGDS5ZJP0HHxquQ7tUwOJcwMJT1uuOYIVa48_ylht0-p19P6Tk_/s3000/B6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2576" data-original-width="3000" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCoHG89TjK6WZes6iHmiOVNDlMGKIhM2yK6Nv5heJ8NFDKyXWV9m_U3cSBWgpegicuHr_u8hB5ZMQZscalI1p5JvmiBS5GbIhzglJrK9c2Jpz-92sGOU-u1SQQSLxQU8rOHDTNtL9FDPGDS5ZJP0HHxquQ7tUwOJcwMJT1uuOYIVa48_ylht0-p19P6Tk_/w640-h550/B6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Finally a Dark-eyed Junco ran behind a big pot, only appearing briefly as it dashed away toward the neighbors. Not a very good photo, but it completed the sudden five minutes of visiting birds for me. After a winter of seeing no birds, I was relieved!</div><div><br /></div>Today is a bright sunny day and getting warm. I think I'll go out for some fresh air!<br /><p><br /></p></div>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-48889898707958672942024-03-23T14:30:00.000-04:002024-03-23T14:30:24.037-04:00Turns out It Wasn't a Mistake After All! <p>Well, I should have googled it instead of trusting my own (faulty) memory. The date of the spring equinox changes a lot more than I realized, and it isn't always the 21st. In fact it won't be the 21st again in my lifetime!</p><p>Thanks to Anvilcloud for sending me back to Google. My head is now spinning with facts and figures about the Gregorian calendar, which is the one used by the modern world. The root of the problem is that the earth rotates around the sun once every 365.25 days, not precisely every 365 days. To keep it simple, the extra quarter day is added in the form of a Leap Year every four years. That keeps things balanced out, and is about the limit of my understanding.</p><p>We owe this complex system to Pope Gregory XIII, way back in 1582. He modified the previous Julian Calendar to create a new set of rules in order to keep the date of Easter closer to the actual spring equinox. </p><p>So I did check back, and I was right originally about spring starting on the 19th, but that was just a brain fart, thinking that Tuesday was the 21st - correct but by accident. Now it's correct because I took the time to look it up!</p><p>However, my original point remains true. The equinox is typically described with the words "spring has finally sprung." I have trouble with that when I look out my window to see it snowing. And with that I have probably kicked a dead horse enough!</p><p>For anyone interested, the next time the spring equinox does fall on the 21st is in 2101.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-70887177272034854712024-03-21T15:28:00.001-04:002024-03-21T15:28:58.844-04:00What a Stupid Mistake!<p>And none of you even called me on it! Did you even notice?</p><p>On Tuesday the 19th I claimed it was already the spring equinox, which happens on the 21st, today! I was two days early and I've been feeling guilty ever since I discovered the mistake. So sorry for misleading you.</p><p>Mind you, the message is still the same - snow on the ground for the first day of spring. Tuesday it snowed and yesterday it alternated between blizzard and sunshine. I went out to physio and managed to avoid the blizzards. Today I'm just back from 'coffee', and trying to rectify my error. (We call it coffee, but it's really a few old codgers gathering for lunch).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHB5VmoWFjMKtFm-DE-fOFp8409SnHf0m7jq4XOgPjG910NzKJgKYXWJWACPce118qKr5n0VKFN6h-qNhSubgDcwlFrUVwXEN9RFTuClmKl8JeMypLaD3Dj93ys4O2Imo7IBgQKsHNzmUzhLdRUziveFeru25nr7hk9FKEHCDO6KUOMDTHukHd4-y83Lsk/s2877/S22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2877" data-original-width="2654" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHB5VmoWFjMKtFm-DE-fOFp8409SnHf0m7jq4XOgPjG910NzKJgKYXWJWACPce118qKr5n0VKFN6h-qNhSubgDcwlFrUVwXEN9RFTuClmKl8JeMypLaD3Dj93ys4O2Imo7IBgQKsHNzmUzhLdRUziveFeru25nr7hk9FKEHCDO6KUOMDTHukHd4-y83Lsk/w590-h640/S22.jpg" width="590" /></a></div>Here's our snowstick bringing the same message. Phooey to spring equinox, whichever day it falls on. At this point all we want is sunshine and warmth!<br /><p><br /></p>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-54609282732825667582024-03-19T15:07:00.001-04:002024-03-19T15:07:12.823-04:00Happy Spring (Not)!<p>It's March 21st, the spring equinox here in this part of Canada, so that makes it the first official day of spring. Nonsense! We woke to a late gasp of winter not spring, and it's still snowing as I write this. I understand the solstices as a reason to celebrate, but the equinoxes are relatively meaningless in my books.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgtsC9MEinI8GaoQGKsd8FJ8e91jvXBrXGZriysvjE9PTB2viblBppug3zU9lnaI0ZHfqxjmaB4pKM9tBvkCpKzPXJKyoGM404y2fva-ixa5-DDXAt-icwUXsYHfIHCRUVoxX8H7kxaGQmcuL0BTLYUMS7LnEUZ_jSKwK3V1uraVn_fPG7Pk8_2fK1fmo/s3685/S23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3685" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgtsC9MEinI8GaoQGKsd8FJ8e91jvXBrXGZriysvjE9PTB2viblBppug3zU9lnaI0ZHfqxjmaB4pKM9tBvkCpKzPXJKyoGM404y2fva-ixa5-DDXAt-icwUXsYHfIHCRUVoxX8H7kxaGQmcuL0BTLYUMS7LnEUZ_jSKwK3V1uraVn_fPG7Pk8_2fK1fmo/w522-h640/S23.jpg" width="522" /></a></div>Never-the-less, spring will come - eventually! The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-73290785119067652972024-03-17T14:50:00.004-04:002024-03-17T14:50:32.649-04:00Happy St. Patrick's Day!<p> It's not a Shamrock, but at least its green! Maidenhair Fern.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwCupwfkyanb4qIQ6HqjvF5ugdbz7LSNb_0ZQ1_n3laBh65lXpcxxE80KdfUP6kWdg60w6qBVeZCN1v5FGSTDBX_l23Y7tvrjnS-egfYG9mRiupPvwl7Pvr6ng5MBN2T3dZD2YF8t7uTAwUrFknu0AFaprjuqyAUx_0ImXYuLeri2gs8CG5CU0zmAEiSED/s1024/Maidenhair.TIF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwCupwfkyanb4qIQ6HqjvF5ugdbz7LSNb_0ZQ1_n3laBh65lXpcxxE80KdfUP6kWdg60w6qBVeZCN1v5FGSTDBX_l23Y7tvrjnS-egfYG9mRiupPvwl7Pvr6ng5MBN2T3dZD2YF8t7uTAwUrFknu0AFaprjuqyAUx_0ImXYuLeri2gs8CG5CU0zmAEiSED/w640-h480/Maidenhair.TIF" width="640" /></a></p><br /><p><br /></p>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-10531697296056296402024-03-15T13:23:00.000-04:002024-03-15T13:23:06.616-04:00First Spring Flowers - Far Too Early! <p>We had a couple of those inordinately warm mid-March days earlier this week, and the first spring flowers bloomed at our house. We have no Snowdrops or Crocus or it might have been earlier. It's turning colder again for a week now, so I don't expect any more, but these are a taste of what's to come.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvr6epwE4YwsROpPpsh7Bby3g8bMXBMgVa_NtyPVnLLGC2Am-EOEFRH2OfM15yNjJQBR90NNw9JoRtezw-znhgy2yRXwfbbJ4FS3pH_uXRsKZDKYjpzwcXgcilEdLX3Pb1SnA8BwMx-bBpp8DtPjgwTh__GLG55-LxbEnDLVaZgTmsz4y_3qACU2FCsssk/s3546/F1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3546" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvr6epwE4YwsROpPpsh7Bby3g8bMXBMgVa_NtyPVnLLGC2Am-EOEFRH2OfM15yNjJQBR90NNw9JoRtezw-znhgy2yRXwfbbJ4FS3pH_uXRsKZDKYjpzwcXgcilEdLX3Pb1SnA8BwMx-bBpp8DtPjgwTh__GLG55-LxbEnDLVaZgTmsz4y_3qACU2FCsssk/w542-h640/F1.jpg" width="542" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZGM9ASGV6OVTL3ugsmnMUN8KyAFa8lno01O2nWwGF2y7C5kiBGLjkXKbmnERMXqZAR12k2PVuSfvU0bRL-p6iwjy7PFF5tYOb6J2bibkLRIfCgolV8tAS0l06FJ8cgLMNfK-XdPfLB8KWTDeUmn5wo5JNtg42WTncrV-wGSFl33tq-rwYqJTXHZEqmDY/s3509/F2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3509" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZGM9ASGV6OVTL3ugsmnMUN8KyAFa8lno01O2nWwGF2y7C5kiBGLjkXKbmnERMXqZAR12k2PVuSfvU0bRL-p6iwjy7PFF5tYOb6J2bibkLRIfCgolV8tAS0l06FJ8cgLMNfK-XdPfLB8KWTDeUmn5wo5JNtg42WTncrV-wGSFl33tq-rwYqJTXHZEqmDY/w548-h640/F2.jpg" width="548" /></a></div>The Dwarf Spring Iris, in its brilliant royal blue, is my personal favourite flower of early spring. I can't get close enough to soak in its beauty.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7JWCdWowbJt39cLpTRn5ErKFezz76SQsasR7hrF-qltkLMUe8AZWJCY9JKzO9WnzeDW15YkAMbvVQvCb0BnxhMGLDBvhwqVsXoQxOnrxDFtnok5nBo8FNLG917JqMm2Po1dDAiOXm-GtBNHixSAjG5PTQKIhijOAEkEWDir1VxhafYT6Rcavr9vA9pLQ/s3000/F3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2801" data-original-width="3000" height="598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7JWCdWowbJt39cLpTRn5ErKFezz76SQsasR7hrF-qltkLMUe8AZWJCY9JKzO9WnzeDW15YkAMbvVQvCb0BnxhMGLDBvhwqVsXoQxOnrxDFtnok5nBo8FNLG917JqMm2Po1dDAiOXm-GtBNHixSAjG5PTQKIhijOAEkEWDir1VxhafYT6Rcavr9vA9pLQ/w640-h598/F3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>I don't remember seeing this white Hellebore in past years, but here it is, out in the back garden. Its leaf is very distinctive and stays green all year here. Its blossom always faces down, preventing me in a wheelchair, from getting a good look.</div><div><br /></div><div>After two days this week that reached 12°C with bright sunny skies, it feels like we're headed back to winter. Snow and freezing temperatures are in the forecast for next week.</div><div><br /><p><br /></p></div>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-60671586641460295962024-03-13T10:53:00.000-04:002024-03-13T10:53:25.536-04:00Trains Arrive in Owen Sound<p>After the railroad day at the museum I got interested in understanding how two different railways arrived on opposite sides of the bay in Owen Sound, and two different train stations were built on opposite sides of the bay, so I started reading. There were so many arguments about rail lines and bonuses and amalgamations in the late 19th century it's hard to keep track of things!</p><p>And it's hard to capture in words the fervent belief in the idea of 'progress' that ran through the communities of southern Ontario in the second half of the 19th century. Politicians and businessmen alike were expecting growth and prosperity, if only the railway was built! Two and three-story buildings were built on main streets, and the earliest town services started up. And of course they were only copying the dreams of bigger communities to the south.</p><p>In proposing new railways, entrepreneurs were motivated by the idea of a 'portage' from Toronto to Georgian Bay, only one that was turned into a railway line. And the first east-west line was to serve as a 'bridge' between Niagara and Michigan. Both the Ontario Simcoe and Huron and the Great Western lines got underway at once. </p><p>The literature on historic railways is full of information on both changing decisions as well as the tangible things that interest historians, like locomotives and train stations. There is also a constant refrain of railways demanding 'bonuses' or subsidies from local towns I'm going to set those things aside for this story.</p><p>The map below shows the two old rail routes into Owen Sound, the green line on the left and the red line on the right. They both ended up with stations within sight of each other, on opposite sides of the harbour. Today one is a restaurant and the other is a museum. Remember there were the rocks of the Niagara Escarpment on both sides of the harbour, so there were significant grades to be incorporated in these lines. Neither line still exists today, but the rights-of-way do..</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4Cqy_IGT0iMYvyRvcRSF6ZQfyEhcpRFO8g18phh_1Y45Ry9lSRKw8HgyoSmeuxDvQ_hF93VnlXa6hedrjag1rPYoYLBy8b-W6vS3BE0LTrioJHe5MLt2FnWIk7jlIVJYH44a5iYoqtZL7E-31sn0CuRxUB9rDZpsIwjhrfK0vyvGOB5cdmHlzaEmLz1b-" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="1123" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4Cqy_IGT0iMYvyRvcRSF6ZQfyEhcpRFO8g18phh_1Y45Ry9lSRKw8HgyoSmeuxDvQ_hF93VnlXa6hedrjag1rPYoYLBy8b-W6vS3BE0LTrioJHe5MLt2FnWIk7jlIVJYH44a5iYoqtZL7E-31sn0CuRxUB9rDZpsIwjhrfK0vyvGOB5cdmHlzaEmLz1b-=w640-h452" width="640" /></a></div><br />The Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway on the east side was the first of these, arriving to a large celebration in 1873. We cross its right-of-way every time we go to Owen Sound; it's now a walking and riding trail that extends far south of town, and the station in Owen Sound is a restaurant.. <p></p><p>This line was built on narrow gauge tracks to save money, but soon there were demands for it to shift to the standard gauge being used elsewhere. They couldn't afford it themselves, so this led it to be sold to the Ontario and Quebec Railway, a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1883.</p><p>The Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Railway, the first operating railway in the province, had opened a line from Toronto to Collingwood in 1853, and there was immediate pressure for it to be extended to Owen Sound. It almost got to Owen Sound first when it was built to Meaford in 1872, but it never made it further. That railway was renamed the Northern shortly after it was built, and it's the right-of-way of the Northern that provides for the Georgian Trail running east of Meaford.</p><p>There's a confusing history of names and amalgamations for the railway that eventually arrived on the west side of Owen Sound. To keep it simple the Port Dover and Lake Huron only made it as far as Stratford, and then, facing bankruptcy, amalgamated with the Stratford and Huron Railway. In 1881 these became a subsidiary of the Grand Trunk Railway, which finished the line to Wiarton, northwest of Owen Sound, in 1882.</p><p>With regular service but high prices from the CPR on the east side of town and regular service to Wiarton available a few miles to the west via the Grand Trunk Railway, Owen Sound began to agitate for a second railway line. Although it took over ten years, by 1894 a spur from Park Head on the Grand Trunk Railway was built and the first train chugged into the station on the west side of the bay. In 1923 the GTR was absorbed into the Canadian National Railway or CNR.</p><p>So I have my answer as to why Owen Sound has two different railway lines leading into town from east and west.</p><p>Of course the good times didn't last as cars, trucks and highways took over from trains. By 1985 the Northern Railway into Meaford was closed, and by 1995 both railways closed their lines to Owen Sound. All three old rights-of-way are today used as riding/walking trails.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-87917086012803319662024-03-10T14:35:00.001-04:002024-03-10T15:23:35.610-04:00Grey Roots Museum Visit<p>Yesterday we headed out to visit Grey Roots Museum on the edge of Owen Sound, a place we really enjoy. We maintain a family membership for the two of us. We went for the model railroad day; I've always been intrigued with the historic railways that came to Owen Sound. I ended up somewhat disappointed, but there was a fascinating exhibit of carving that surprised me.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWJjX6j_xhoIWBdZBLZcBvbuQmDC0a6rISvzT2W2xeAZWdML0kyOQUeN6f7D26hJlzJjnOHUDq_uh0o6F0C1Hefd5xbiu0g4QW8SCRnCYK4ug3_7nhVqlvsJYm9-jZSsMxeSnl6ahCbKoXfROphEm4efYoH2rGVsxOPEv7WDeXtaUlLbM2Oj8_I37BcpC/s3319/M1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3319" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWJjX6j_xhoIWBdZBLZcBvbuQmDC0a6rISvzT2W2xeAZWdML0kyOQUeN6f7D26hJlzJjnOHUDq_uh0o6F0C1Hefd5xbiu0g4QW8SCRnCYK4ug3_7nhVqlvsJYm9-jZSsMxeSnl6ahCbKoXfROphEm4efYoH2rGVsxOPEv7WDeXtaUlLbM2Oj8_I37BcpC/w578-h640/M1.jpg" width="578" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEift-GAoNAgahlFkYgKku668VgfUI9n5xTOJcOhoWenLybBidf01dx0w47RDIcQGfGoYmJq84RSsdISdnUnu4QQz-XkDC1T1LmvQy2Ee5m0GFDvbfiWfZuM8DDv_IrCq6fp3oJqxXz8Tjf7m6SQPUlDKbBFjCdDKEF868wM904bcY-9X0U_iJZG8WaIP35n/s3430/M2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2822" data-original-width="3430" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEift-GAoNAgahlFkYgKku668VgfUI9n5xTOJcOhoWenLybBidf01dx0w47RDIcQGfGoYmJq84RSsdISdnUnu4QQz-XkDC1T1LmvQy2Ee5m0GFDvbfiWfZuM8DDv_IrCq6fp3oJqxXz8Tjf7m6SQPUlDKbBFjCdDKEF868wM904bcY-9X0U_iJZG8WaIP35n/w640-h526/M2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>This was the model railroad, two small trains moving around a large oval 'doughnut' table. Neat little trains, but somehow I was expecting more. Sorry, both trains were moving so a little blurry.<div><br /></div><div>There was a talk about the trains coming to Owen Sound we went to as well. Learned a lot, but there was no good map - and I'm a geographer.<br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDXgHB1bHAMJIGSo8fhw2kIb4-QriY2nT-WavE9Rsh7oS3l3udSYaRqVOascyZ9Q2Qz9bZOyFLPDecrCeGA53ynMVwhXUuf5vUYKVAyy62p8O2YW8HQvBrP5Bf5D5FlbP42kDTU0wmnP93GzvP2Wwd1IKLSpJJhFbuyejLbBxipMSwI0tFC2CULZxhvfq/s3302/M3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3302" data-original-width="2231" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDXgHB1bHAMJIGSo8fhw2kIb4-QriY2nT-WavE9Rsh7oS3l3udSYaRqVOascyZ9Q2Qz9bZOyFLPDecrCeGA53ynMVwhXUuf5vUYKVAyy62p8O2YW8HQvBrP5Bf5D5FlbP42kDTU0wmnP93GzvP2Wwd1IKLSpJJhFbuyejLbBxipMSwI0tFC2CULZxhvfq/w432-h640/M3.jpg" width="432" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69ZDae-ZbcnFDpnYo-9tGIUN1tNnwtelbeHDbiBV0BIP-GbqEcYQSKZ0S3bqCmmZM6ZXXsGTHW25QDskqSNXOT6gVxJEGA8RVxLj-J_R1XZp9Mz41iEKsAr_l-zQEojWdCYX-M2ZPl6ocXo0crIJxZXqP7Bq0zB7bxJisDuUOWc0M8kntzr-7BWfAwV_O/s3442/M4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3442" data-original-width="2760" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69ZDae-ZbcnFDpnYo-9tGIUN1tNnwtelbeHDbiBV0BIP-GbqEcYQSKZ0S3bqCmmZM6ZXXsGTHW25QDskqSNXOT6gVxJEGA8RVxLj-J_R1XZp9Mz41iEKsAr_l-zQEojWdCYX-M2ZPl6ocXo0crIJxZXqP7Bq0zB7bxJisDuUOWc0M8kntzr-7BWfAwV_O/w514-h640/M4.jpg" width="514" /></a></div>There was a new exhibit of stained glass windows that was nice though. These are the actual windows removed from the old Desboro United Church, now beautifully restored by museum staff.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvnss0vFkxEgEiv38XgZfclvg7M4mOpkqd1aO3TXIshDXUzg6IcuHIGASchO4hQGR3QQCM_AYzWwn9-JIAdcsrunmU8CoUcuFg4d-QcbDFFuSJFhEwS4oBMFv_pn3glA6_6ffh0aV6-wKdiUaki4Jh5tvnwVKAkVLDtxZY_TqyrppdS_yH3DADW2KjWuWG/s3684/M5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3684" data-original-width="2756" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvnss0vFkxEgEiv38XgZfclvg7M4mOpkqd1aO3TXIshDXUzg6IcuHIGASchO4hQGR3QQCM_AYzWwn9-JIAdcsrunmU8CoUcuFg4d-QcbDFFuSJFhEwS4oBMFv_pn3glA6_6ffh0aV6-wKdiUaki4Jh5tvnwVKAkVLDtxZY_TqyrppdS_yH3DADW2KjWuWG/w478-h640/M5.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>I remember sitting in church as a very young child and counting the panes of glass like these in the big windows of the Kilsyth United Church.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyyaSvVjAPP5Vsxm6mwImEp6LkVYvyBd6R9QIXMcMQTd3lw3Xy60x3-T3-L0NZeLJx5toX1qV1zqyhZKHj9epexeq07rkxdsFt1dgQ2ZnONINBVNeWH_U5x2A-v8-XmVHAwkkVY7EQkWx4iki3oEe0weWUeAsAFvXeV8GOb-zkcSXsxyYMhej6wd7HgoMv/s3982/M6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2207" data-original-width="3982" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyyaSvVjAPP5Vsxm6mwImEp6LkVYvyBd6R9QIXMcMQTd3lw3Xy60x3-T3-L0NZeLJx5toX1qV1zqyhZKHj9epexeq07rkxdsFt1dgQ2ZnONINBVNeWH_U5x2A-v8-XmVHAwkkVY7EQkWx4iki3oEe0weWUeAsAFvXeV8GOb-zkcSXsxyYMhej6wd7HgoMv/w640-h354/M6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And this is the remarkable exhibit of carving, genuine folk art done over many years by Erskine Brown who lived near Kilsyth where my dad grew up and my grandparents lived. Sorry, these are all in plexiglass cases, so there's some reflection and glare. This is the carving I like best, 'cause I could just picture a farmer returning from the woodlot with a load of firewood.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidmKWlTRHjHPKfmwhzumBnKwvc2peQ0LpH7X4RQYHaKHJ2_ornFJcSt0uOg_9_xD8XZ2QojFCxB2infOum6IViq6k-YKFNW5PpSzFHvUtLdHFVmNf51o91-gizH7ieAjIq4tyvYPANIW1EGRCHPY4ie5C84PDddq0-koKurS1Oke2PvvByrqcErDcjCnv/s3383/M7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1985" data-original-width="3383" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidmKWlTRHjHPKfmwhzumBnKwvc2peQ0LpH7X4RQYHaKHJ2_ornFJcSt0uOg_9_xD8XZ2QojFCxB2infOum6IViq6k-YKFNW5PpSzFHvUtLdHFVmNf51o91-gizH7ieAjIq4tyvYPANIW1EGRCHPY4ie5C84PDddq0-koKurS1Oke2PvvByrqcErDcjCnv/w640-h376/M7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A stage coach of sorts.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv1s14dIw2NmY7BlaRnUoMYUnRpnILGyyAhz52F5Y_Gzt2j1UHBM04wp1tK2mWz1x-TEucDlpvqqZbEQLyWOerwIpESN7aYmZYMxwhZDwgB3a7hkRvXkPE25WU1u1PFNuo_QSVNjGfnd2Iilkx9rDZyJ5pEqEKQ1BXJD_nvys8obrAnKS-6ZUDqwo3NKu_/s3333/M8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1378" data-original-width="3333" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv1s14dIw2NmY7BlaRnUoMYUnRpnILGyyAhz52F5Y_Gzt2j1UHBM04wp1tK2mWz1x-TEucDlpvqqZbEQLyWOerwIpESN7aYmZYMxwhZDwgB3a7hkRvXkPE25WU1u1PFNuo_QSVNjGfnd2Iilkx9rDZyJ5pEqEKQ1BXJD_nvys8obrAnKS-6ZUDqwo3NKu_/w640-h264/M8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And a team of eight horses pulling a wagon, a hearse by the looks of it.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJSpIOAych7jXT2jT_9wc_OKuTxdi7_KJo_nbWxpUtCFYhWqu3TjsrimTdH42XbND-zHM75b-RL3pZilMlFNOu6YGvuuRUShNYFESSWfv1GWI9sXvXVgsXxKLMj_gHYwv1D0YLZD8a8bmEhwXPwrgYJAkdSoXr9Rh6RRb9ePq7oGpPnVPmYQK6vWyYweK/s2698/M9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2116" data-original-width="2698" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJSpIOAych7jXT2jT_9wc_OKuTxdi7_KJo_nbWxpUtCFYhWqu3TjsrimTdH42XbND-zHM75b-RL3pZilMlFNOu6YGvuuRUShNYFESSWfv1GWI9sXvXVgsXxKLMj_gHYwv1D0YLZD8a8bmEhwXPwrgYJAkdSoXr9Rh6RRb9ePq7oGpPnVPmYQK6vWyYweK/w640-h502/M9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm absolutely sure that my grandfather had a carving of Erskine's, and I certainly recognized the name. He was 15 years younger than my grandfather, and 20 years older than my dad, and lived nearby. It would not have been surprising if they knew one another. Small world!</div></div></div>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-84009596477928632352024-03-08T11:24:00.001-05:002024-03-08T11:24:29.024-05:00Green Things Poking Up!!<p>It's unheard of in my memory, but we have spring plants popping up about a month earlier than normal. They're just green sprouts so far, but thanks to paying close attention to the garden I know what they'll be when they bloom. It's as if a wonderful time of year has arrived early!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_KKRmrCQV9VFU4HaqnZs4uAECFiGaLSPG-UH9GSNzEDrot4LAV17p6OvX8DQe5wTeb79dyJWBq8tp8jBtAfT_F-24gH1AR46cE10gGKD-35SvM26NJ7TTkjz8QbcT9fo5SGgAFzBXSRRgIeJ5IjKIKCDs9Wy9vRKJghL-7d3NfxVwuG8-Fb8VUV74HuU/s3781/S15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1971" data-original-width="3781" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_KKRmrCQV9VFU4HaqnZs4uAECFiGaLSPG-UH9GSNzEDrot4LAV17p6OvX8DQe5wTeb79dyJWBq8tp8jBtAfT_F-24gH1AR46cE10gGKD-35SvM26NJ7TTkjz8QbcT9fo5SGgAFzBXSRRgIeJ5IjKIKCDs9Wy9vRKJghL-7d3NfxVwuG8-Fb8VUV74HuU/w640-h334/S15.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>This is out back, the tiny green leaves of the Primrose brightening up on the left, and on the right the sprouts of new bulbs Mrs. F.G. planted last fall. She's not sure what they are, but maybe a few Crocus. Note that she's planted them right where I can easily see them from the window - she's always thinking of me!<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2dgSay5bgSavzV8zQ29NZ1a2JvYWmvtKfUT9ViSB0GHC1FnoylV8vrykr1NfOTh8OeKQE3yuF_x9HsbT83bQqDoulFV0NQq_ulT56fX1ujynp1riKZpINHhP3e5C6mz5rBD2a47FxkIIgypvJ6L3j_xJ-uPG44Pj0fLfab6s46gLAVifwPrTJXhNv18Cy/s3739/S16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2348" data-original-width="3739" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2dgSay5bgSavzV8zQ29NZ1a2JvYWmvtKfUT9ViSB0GHC1FnoylV8vrykr1NfOTh8OeKQE3yuF_x9HsbT83bQqDoulFV0NQq_ulT56fX1ujynp1riKZpINHhP3e5C6mz5rBD2a47FxkIIgypvJ6L3j_xJ-uPG44Pj0fLfab6s46gLAVifwPrTJXhNv18Cy/w640-h402/S16.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Out front these very bright green shoots of Daffodils were shining in the sun.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ha7k8ZY_MO61J-V11sKKb0QXz2bpG5C92_81ohSSiSGcB1KHAbMUrf0g2IQNv5mE15Qm1lgcyQ8nUmzwZ1S-Z898cDSbd3cHiztQwlY19_My_9-C9I84eXWoRlg5TmZ1eN96fdv0bD_T8xtgv1EKtMzAFWvvy_JsOf3-wJ1waUwRCGT7712zSDADfJGi/s3802/S17.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2434" data-original-width="3802" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ha7k8ZY_MO61J-V11sKKb0QXz2bpG5C92_81ohSSiSGcB1KHAbMUrf0g2IQNv5mE15Qm1lgcyQ8nUmzwZ1S-Z898cDSbd3cHiztQwlY19_My_9-C9I84eXWoRlg5TmZ1eN96fdv0bD_T8xtgv1EKtMzAFWvvy_JsOf3-wJ1waUwRCGT7712zSDADfJGi/w640-h410/S17.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>These are the thin straight shoots of the Dwarf Iris, the first flower to bloom for us, normally in early April.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKduTIAv7zcKILS5zcYTHjsyOOpQzbEDbLzp2helEYv724lAaritZZ1RbW0QRAfrUc67utdt9S9AB6fHzUIBQZ_f_aJ11L7R3TRo8x1X7grXtObVI3uDmUBZj8lr8Ru2s3X_LO9iDGs4aslFEZ3j-L_D5WGtrunTBOvwMoTEmC9UVb3y0LeKryvM6jEBr/s4000/S18.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2407" data-original-width="4000" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKduTIAv7zcKILS5zcYTHjsyOOpQzbEDbLzp2helEYv724lAaritZZ1RbW0QRAfrUc67utdt9S9AB6fHzUIBQZ_f_aJ11L7R3TRo8x1X7grXtObVI3uDmUBZj8lr8Ru2s3X_LO9iDGs4aslFEZ3j-L_D5WGtrunTBOvwMoTEmC9UVb3y0LeKryvM6jEBr/w640-h386/S18.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Can you see the white flower of this Hellebore, ready to unfold its bloom (centre right, lying on the ground)?</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNbc5yK1Ahk-mwt8va8d0OQz3T0zedsiXzNq7iz8gpWwm0wWkH-yPJhNLLz7FUpM_pdDAvhtdAXgm3Mn7epNqXjpSV3XTqYK04ldVhyphenhyphenkaJfY45z3k29EcPUEhBsH-4GsMcDDooQtWgGLBdoIUaoJFAqqxb3cetGm9C0S4rACywPD9bmMpQUJK3BlplfZd/s3662/S19.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2401" data-original-width="3662" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNbc5yK1Ahk-mwt8va8d0OQz3T0zedsiXzNq7iz8gpWwm0wWkH-yPJhNLLz7FUpM_pdDAvhtdAXgm3Mn7epNqXjpSV3XTqYK04ldVhyphenhyphenkaJfY45z3k29EcPUEhBsH-4GsMcDDooQtWgGLBdoIUaoJFAqqxb3cetGm9C0S4rACywPD9bmMpQUJK3BlplfZd/w640-h420/S19.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And I spotted these Snowdrops at a friend's house. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MOdj90Wct5hmhkfmnQXYgOfpeibkNjhTphYs9aUS0PD27wmbciTbII5YaeHVtQPNQbZz6z1XnTrSM-yKB1WAoFad1HiBzuytIF3NtmlWlqbsjevqUWhyphenhyphen2RFG2g1Pl-kDUisbC7GIfOFkXqfv6dK57uG6j3gqw7uMwezQSCB_0cLXvMk5LdA2ZJKKGmb7/s3000/S20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2601" data-original-width="3000" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MOdj90Wct5hmhkfmnQXYgOfpeibkNjhTphYs9aUS0PD27wmbciTbII5YaeHVtQPNQbZz6z1XnTrSM-yKB1WAoFad1HiBzuytIF3NtmlWlqbsjevqUWhyphenhyphen2RFG2g1Pl-kDUisbC7GIfOFkXqfv6dK57uG6j3gqw7uMwezQSCB_0cLXvMk5LdA2ZJKKGmb7/w640-h554/S20.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At the same time our resident chipmunk has emerged from its hibernation (below our deck we think), and is running around enthusiastically. <span style="text-align: left;">All welcome signs of spring, ignoring the fact that it's a month earlier than normal!</span></div></div>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-19787630176495021032024-03-06T10:35:00.003-05:002024-03-06T10:35:58.739-05:00And One More Time! <p> Well, we just can't believe the ridiculous weather we're getting here in Ontario. It's still early March, but it's like mid-April outside, with temperatures staying well above freezing and no snow at all! There are just so many implications I don't know where to start, but I'd guess we're going to notice a lot of extremes this summer.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9QN1S7-iObgr1qRg4lTF6ucK4opEtZijGzdtOmhDPmmikAyrTxMtjs5cb2gRB-h-IlroAXxKhvs7ic_Glt7tlHYlSRTUGgAtA3tCcottPkZQYCpS98-xwSQWFbdiIHWinD3JAUMtq7jmlSJHqYQ4RtkfqcsjbBHmiEypnIwMvPYWLC7xMc5O0TXCgb_yP/s3684/S10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3684" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9QN1S7-iObgr1qRg4lTF6ucK4opEtZijGzdtOmhDPmmikAyrTxMtjs5cb2gRB-h-IlroAXxKhvs7ic_Glt7tlHYlSRTUGgAtA3tCcottPkZQYCpS98-xwSQWFbdiIHWinD3JAUMtq7jmlSJHqYQ4RtkfqcsjbBHmiEypnIwMvPYWLC7xMc5O0TXCgb_yP/w522-h640/S10.jpg" width="522" /></a></div>I won't bother repeating the picture of complete snow cover from my last post, but the temperature rose again and the snow started to melt - again.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxUWqeQUMmWonQ3SXcy5LW6pfhew4AeWDrH3YorTV2ZwXR22j0HDaWyMRQddKMfZ4_djnPsxRdR7de5bklF9Ox6JXbV5pWgwIpbAYyHDO6tjqUHmpVtT-Vp5krpNH-pwSQDrAhQN6LtidbURsjJaRP5whlBr51GZGIR94vMCxjhuk-KCLPaw4xpTxS4EW6/s3328/S11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3328" data-original-width="2918" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxUWqeQUMmWonQ3SXcy5LW6pfhew4AeWDrH3YorTV2ZwXR22j0HDaWyMRQddKMfZ4_djnPsxRdR7de5bklF9Ox6JXbV5pWgwIpbAYyHDO6tjqUHmpVtT-Vp5krpNH-pwSQDrAhQN6LtidbURsjJaRP5whlBr51GZGIR94vMCxjhuk-KCLPaw4xpTxS4EW6/w562-h640/S11.jpg" width="562" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our snow stick crane was left free of snow himself, though snow still covered the ground around him. He's always in shade from the house at this time of year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcdteES45dLAj1Jx8P-kci5hyphenhyphenCWBkFl0FwL5qclPNbExGSQ_vCNLQFfWHCvy6kpSy6vVIKFiAau-wTZBz7Bz60EbNWS5FJ7owx8GuWpBN1GH_51X3MB85c9Bpz4v-Z9RlY-0pSoU0jh6sgIO4VGxm_cicheIelKZiRQMDPlb6p-E-925Api6QxmEetCmO/s4000/S12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2852" data-original-width="4000" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcdteES45dLAj1Jx8P-kci5hyphenhyphenCWBkFl0FwL5qclPNbExGSQ_vCNLQFfWHCvy6kpSy6vVIKFiAau-wTZBz7Bz60EbNWS5FJ7owx8GuWpBN1GH_51X3MB85c9Bpz4v-Z9RlY-0pSoU0jh6sgIO4VGxm_cicheIelKZiRQMDPlb6p-E-925Api6QxmEetCmO/w640-h456/S12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A day later and it was bright and sunny, the temperature hitting 20°C, with no snow left anywhere - on March 4th no less! The street sweeper doesn't even come until mid to late March.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-8JNzfcZyTPvy36XWK9V_HU_h1-fcqdKCiaWUDRb58ROcsxVJGsqLxZKm0I3YBvp_EyOdN8vqgm2iiS_kkiTOoQy63sn75qC8PfbJXl6ZHXNc7e-jTGrD9uybY4YlZbb4iseuLTMMNgGP9M1X70C7XAdyl76hHjXAFzJvxu1U6y7xPNti5xaiTjDc93l/s3563/S13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3563" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-8JNzfcZyTPvy36XWK9V_HU_h1-fcqdKCiaWUDRb58ROcsxVJGsqLxZKm0I3YBvp_EyOdN8vqgm2iiS_kkiTOoQy63sn75qC8PfbJXl6ZHXNc7e-jTGrD9uybY4YlZbb4iseuLTMMNgGP9M1X70C7XAdyl76hHjXAFzJvxu1U6y7xPNti5xaiTjDc93l/w538-h640/S13.jpg" width="538" /></a></div>The matted leaves are currently protecting the garden, but plants will burst through those wet leaves with no trouble in the coming days. I'll show you a few in the next post.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><p><br /></p></div>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-70340436097691513262024-03-01T14:15:00.002-05:002024-03-01T14:15:26.541-05:00The Rollercoaster Bounces Again!<p>You may recall that in the last photo I posted we were back to snow cover here, what seemed like a normal February, at least for a few days. Well it hasn't stayed that way.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQJTulM4WLVwjLxScHTSc7IHGvVmd87uYygyy7lOEYcU9_fGNofcaPrCkB9j_-Wbn3FLleW5dD1UDg101erGcMqiclaYWwYewKYaeQBgrMEOhYM-FZPNAzOLzUDilO460LXDeQytn2Iyc8lruj1_s2hp-fNnd8iZ-STtKxjOqBPFF4UxEYn4H0d_ArfPZ/s3963/S1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2844" data-original-width="3963" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQJTulM4WLVwjLxScHTSc7IHGvVmd87uYygyy7lOEYcU9_fGNofcaPrCkB9j_-Wbn3FLleW5dD1UDg101erGcMqiclaYWwYewKYaeQBgrMEOhYM-FZPNAzOLzUDilO460LXDeQytn2Iyc8lruj1_s2hp-fNnd8iZ-STtKxjOqBPFF4UxEYn4H0d_ArfPZ/w640-h460/S1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRl0KGvHbkSz5sO8Ff8IdMurlx-7jc3b1NBiZnpe2XUpEqhiNbp5SUGDO40gwERGgZsxyqoSEkxu1kqle-L8EsTLF48MZd4oGg68bbO4zQBCf07rNffR-_w6QfockuIj2DX3vxvu1g9Q44xrtPU90F368Yo5nzE_1j_l6IpDfpKC_BdznTkpVr4UtWNXN/s4000/S2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRl0KGvHbkSz5sO8Ff8IdMurlx-7jc3b1NBiZnpe2XUpEqhiNbp5SUGDO40gwERGgZsxyqoSEkxu1kqle-L8EsTLF48MZd4oGg68bbO4zQBCf07rNffR-_w6QfockuIj2DX3vxvu1g9Q44xrtPU90F368Yo5nzE_1j_l6IpDfpKC_BdznTkpVr4UtWNXN/w480-h640/S2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div>Here's where we were on Feb. 19th, looking like a normal winter's day.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNeA2zH6YjhDJEajQojU-bJK5G98I1Fj9sv_cSgoBthgIlnF_oL86Lb-DfjgG7IKF7R7xcnyP8HpSzZHEsraEgP70lW-fklJ_97b9M24UPmawS3hE6u1909dd_q_bnKHmKN20bHu_DCIQsid9VbC15x-r9vEQnnExr4NFjMStTcyka82tI9l_uHzWxfe6/s3773/S4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3773" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNeA2zH6YjhDJEajQojU-bJK5G98I1Fj9sv_cSgoBthgIlnF_oL86Lb-DfjgG7IKF7R7xcnyP8HpSzZHEsraEgP70lW-fklJ_97b9M24UPmawS3hE6u1909dd_q_bnKHmKN20bHu_DCIQsid9VbC15x-r9vEQnnExr4NFjMStTcyka82tI9l_uHzWxfe6/w508-h640/S4.jpg" width="508" /></a></div>Then the temperatures rose (to 11°C) and it started to melt.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROcIgaaNu7ykf1Yi1KlkM_Z5KnAwNLIjl6sbIDH7-5lnx_udpnTZkjg12z6noRjcFqMZlPV_8kCR3PRvMOmEYceDLnrjF-SHvzGHjtJhaJQ5wcEqsX4pd1mUaIuGoS8SPzpCUoE7p2gwBpImYnyv3U4eIkHhrrtrqY39EE47CoqHuJ_h4l4169rqCAVtx/s3684/S5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3684" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROcIgaaNu7ykf1Yi1KlkM_Z5KnAwNLIjl6sbIDH7-5lnx_udpnTZkjg12z6noRjcFqMZlPV_8kCR3PRvMOmEYceDLnrjF-SHvzGHjtJhaJQ5wcEqsX4pd1mUaIuGoS8SPzpCUoE7p2gwBpImYnyv3U4eIkHhrrtrqY39EE47CoqHuJ_h4l4169rqCAVtx/w522-h640/S5.jpg" width="522" /></a></div>And kept melting until by Feb. 28th in the morning there was virtually no snow left. This is NOT like a typical February day!</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVOniorLMKaczX7S7zgC1rXX-klOMsO3XtfthLNk-7UaDNRZCU-cxrkErO23k3sjS8iFCVFcut-Z7nL0g9FjkWzKUyRfX3e4Bo8vH6ejfBFv2kIM2QE4ZkJAHfhzoSkPJKQ-5ycURia_9_HocJtc3KFhNSlG7CsECakiUkDEceSYpqhWfZpuBUDbPGAWj/s4000/S6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVOniorLMKaczX7S7zgC1rXX-klOMsO3XtfthLNk-7UaDNRZCU-cxrkErO23k3sjS8iFCVFcut-Z7nL0g9FjkWzKUyRfX3e4Bo8vH6ejfBFv2kIM2QE4ZkJAHfhzoSkPJKQ-5ycURia_9_HocJtc3KFhNSlG7CsECakiUkDEceSYpqhWfZpuBUDbPGAWj/w640-h480/S6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Then another snowstorm blew through and temperatures plunged.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4UGig0hKWU2WYDeIyeT-fblr2IbOvl3NB6hkgjG5j-c2aNTcQSWveNpC8Cm_dr5VhMqOKfIorZYO3ISojDV2MNE3fPbk9JOt8T92rTtzpfW_sqzjbOIoOUFzgXYq50moBACLmlOHX3Rcbtivq7XEaUpau3EIHm1g2JTYbaMf4HQvyPrqRUq-WDww1lfbc/s3664/S7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3664" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4UGig0hKWU2WYDeIyeT-fblr2IbOvl3NB6hkgjG5j-c2aNTcQSWveNpC8Cm_dr5VhMqOKfIorZYO3ISojDV2MNE3fPbk9JOt8T92rTtzpfW_sqzjbOIoOUFzgXYq50moBACLmlOHX3Rcbtivq7XEaUpau3EIHm1g2JTYbaMf4HQvyPrqRUq-WDww1lfbc/w524-h640/S7.jpg" width="524" /></a></div>And now we're back to a white landscape again.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkGyjz91r-Ai85jdsb9SmxhHLrdQu1TH5C5wDtsUEygQ7pjO9rqq2_UWy225OAgvzYTB-op0Xn0Lur6glvtpLh0BxlthlxmaW6-Uf8lH4HH3QoRo-Np_b7GOJn0r4KDcYeLfNKkRmPX0-jUtJpqhYAuc10_CBZNsVAgYLRqLx1vAW_kxRFZTWhZTjC_wx1/s3348/S8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3348" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkGyjz91r-Ai85jdsb9SmxhHLrdQu1TH5C5wDtsUEygQ7pjO9rqq2_UWy225OAgvzYTB-op0Xn0Lur6glvtpLh0BxlthlxmaW6-Uf8lH4HH3QoRo-Np_b7GOJn0r4KDcYeLfNKkRmPX0-jUtJpqhYAuc10_CBZNsVAgYLRqLx1vAW_kxRFZTWhZTjC_wx1/w574-h640/S8.jpg" width="574" /></a></div>For a short while our snowstick has a cap of white (yesterday), but it's now 9°C in bright sun, and just going higher, possibly to 17°C on Monday! And daytime highs will be well above freezing for the forseeable future.</div><div><br /></div><div>So is this scary or not? From what I've read this crazy winter is because we're under a strong El Nino pattern currently, though it will be changing to a La Nina pattern by summer. The strength of this pattern is scary in the short run for farmers and for our creeks and rivers. Without winter snow accumulation, soil moisture will be low, creeks may dry up, and eventually crop yields may be less. In some areas the forest fire season will be worse.</div><div><br /></div><div>But it's also scary in the long run as an indicator of climate change. One year does not climate change make by itself, but as year after year gets warmer, that's climate change. Many indications are that it's happening faster than anyone expected. Politicians may argue as to whether it's caused by human activity or natural cycles, but it's near-impossible to argue it's not happening.</div><div><br /></div><div>There's lots of scientific theory behind all this, all related to ocean currents and water temperatures in the Pacific. El Nino brings warmer waters to the surface, and warmer, drier winters to the northern U.S. and to Canada. La Nina brings colder water to the surface, and in turn colder, wetter winters. Interestingly Spanish fishermen noticed this pattern in the Pacific 400 years ago and named it El Nino or Little boy, and La Nina or Little Girl.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you want a good but short explanation, read the National Ocean Service article on "What are El Nino and La Nina"?.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-50151762063311244312024-02-28T14:39:00.001-05:002024-02-28T14:39:41.136-05:00Commenting Problems<p>You may have noticed I haven't been commenting for awhile. It's all due to Google! You all deserve a big apology but I think I've figured out a solution, and you may have started getting my comments again in the last 2 or 3 days. It's been very frustrating because I often have something I'd like to say!</p><p>I read all your blogs in the evening, sitting with my ipad. For some weeks now I have been unable to leave any comments, getting a range of different error messages from Google. I've tried various remedies with no luck.</p><p>But then I tried commenting using my desktop computer, and it seems to work! In some ways it's better because using the big keyboard for typing is a lot easier than the limited one on an ipad. So I've started sitting down during the day and checking your comments on my blog, then going and commenting on yours (if I have anything significant to say).</p><p>I hope this will get me back to commenting regularly, and more thoughtfully too. Rest assured I'm reading your blogs and enjoying them in any case. Any ideas to fix this welcome.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-84269881678273576822024-02-26T13:25:00.001-05:002024-02-26T13:43:45.180-05:00Rollercoaster Weather - Part II<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">The weather rollercoaster has continued through yet another snowstorm and then further melting. We're really experiencing a strange year for temperature. If this is climate change I'm worried even though it makes life easier for me personally.</span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9OlKCsQBrRv4J1PBJn1mmIGG76iza9FszTIz6ZytUwMSTBIy53LKjFj-poE0vjyaYFy7RZCo6gFfPa2Scw6qxOgIYBJ4FU51vLWgHzQ8T1DnLMMVJXo3xJw1lkujohyphenhyphenmxkHYP3fYiDLse8-06waPkG5wOWX91oibLtedc_KvPbzBB1J7Mk_tjK6m5xQZ4/s4000/Sn7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2341" data-original-width="4000" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9OlKCsQBrRv4J1PBJn1mmIGG76iza9FszTIz6ZytUwMSTBIy53LKjFj-poE0vjyaYFy7RZCo6gFfPa2Scw6qxOgIYBJ4FU51vLWgHzQ8T1DnLMMVJXo3xJw1lkujohyphenhyphenmxkHYP3fYiDLse8-06waPkG5wOWX91oibLtedc_KvPbzBB1J7Mk_tjK6m5xQZ4/w640-h374/Sn7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div>First a reminder of the 'graupel' we had on Feb. 11th.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77qJn7djz0nctEyyKLIkiLq5eeMk1vo_KVIwU3OvKMmvC-WQfUhx4XTL1ywDcKAN95tIkPdJAx-INtvEirogFcR_Q89g2Idfb22aFW55l06weKg-8nJCApST1HisOZrPlpbkI0L0eWiJupGl4HJMZBBbf94W2FdMB86BUBsfRV6Ql-BrDJrKFr32qh1Eu/s4000/Sn8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2630" data-original-width="4000" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77qJn7djz0nctEyyKLIkiLq5eeMk1vo_KVIwU3OvKMmvC-WQfUhx4XTL1ywDcKAN95tIkPdJAx-INtvEirogFcR_Q89g2Idfb22aFW55l06weKg-8nJCApST1HisOZrPlpbkI0L0eWiJupGl4HJMZBBbf94W2FdMB86BUBsfRV6Ql-BrDJrKFr32qh1Eu/w640-h420/Sn8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>On Feb. 14th a light dusting of snow.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7CyHLuOy37fU_RtJQhGt1snooR-ZPWLGlVUxZ42f-Z4wrXWD22u2jXk5sRU4n54kIXxBtShHWE8BvafIOxU9S0jEPHVg_VzBGH0H-WW9KuB3yi414-OKrdvpcDR1Z0Ax4Q6QL_VrFZNHcV8r8wPlFg0Ve4FMrVFeQE9LNsu5qA0ztUlym53lmocvM-di/s4000/Sn9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2778" data-original-width="4000" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7CyHLuOy37fU_RtJQhGt1snooR-ZPWLGlVUxZ42f-Z4wrXWD22u2jXk5sRU4n54kIXxBtShHWE8BvafIOxU9S0jEPHVg_VzBGH0H-WW9KuB3yi414-OKrdvpcDR1Z0Ax4Q6QL_VrFZNHcV8r8wPlFg0Ve4FMrVFeQE9LNsu5qA0ztUlym53lmocvM-di/w640-h444/Sn9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>A bit more snow,</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiieJ2hdH7aS0GY82geTC9DjFZRbiEIjqPYX-nRFC-GpiEHREB0ST2ZenO00N-4LUdW4M9grDkg3SSL1dagl4aX60lBhT9qVjQ2GXF5_p7MiVjhcfzFmNxLAM8FDM_w7AE4OkOOuJ90kMzpfPFK5yugIqnb9eHNjP90xL2izym2zCIz4VTeRN1feV8gu6MP/s3625/Sn10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3625" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiieJ2hdH7aS0GY82geTC9DjFZRbiEIjqPYX-nRFC-GpiEHREB0ST2ZenO00N-4LUdW4M9grDkg3SSL1dagl4aX60lBhT9qVjQ2GXF5_p7MiVjhcfzFmNxLAM8FDM_w7AE4OkOOuJ90kMzpfPFK5yugIqnb9eHNjP90xL2izym2zCIz4VTeRN1feV8gu6MP/w530-h640/Sn10.jpg" width="530" /></a></div>until on Feb. 17ty the world was white again. Winter had returned.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-hEqNMCWwjJO_rWHeabuYxx_a-K3B1UZkIIFT6hvJ3tzSXGzcNUF92RupK9y2LoN-GHohhlr3n2p_D5_vDJKnGvkBmRKWhaTMraELp31hvJwcxszIsZhIX7BfUydl6iOhPJZyYNxNU8OuyGszoZNtVeZRDJykwOKecbsde3aHB5bIZ4H4xTcA84K6z6o/s3325/Sn11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3325" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-hEqNMCWwjJO_rWHeabuYxx_a-K3B1UZkIIFT6hvJ3tzSXGzcNUF92RupK9y2LoN-GHohhlr3n2p_D5_vDJKnGvkBmRKWhaTMraELp31hvJwcxszIsZhIX7BfUydl6iOhPJZyYNxNU8OuyGszoZNtVeZRDJykwOKecbsde3aHB5bIZ4H4xTcA84K6z6o/w578-h640/Sn11.jpg" width="578" /></a></div>Our snowstick crane did have a bit of a winter blanket.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhucom3RXNW23CR07yxGv86xQZO7XjUW6XPXJ9M-jT1pvFYzY98_b85IHNtGFr30Bexh1FlUvbsLiQPCyD-IMCopliZYsgorXMUcC05XUEy7K5vt1jpzRjfJ4QbAF3VxwYMzy6quDzhv_Z_ZktrptCA_hiYKoW4lANusu2swYXxkXSx5b8i7eoswSrZed6z/s3230/Sn12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3230" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhucom3RXNW23CR07yxGv86xQZO7XjUW6XPXJ9M-jT1pvFYzY98_b85IHNtGFr30Bexh1FlUvbsLiQPCyD-IMCopliZYsgorXMUcC05XUEy7K5vt1jpzRjfJ4QbAF3VxwYMzy6quDzhv_Z_ZktrptCA_hiYKoW4lANusu2swYXxkXSx5b8i7eoswSrZed6z/w594-h640/Sn12.jpg" width="594" /></a></div>And on a sunny day the shadows were back.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><p><br /></p></div>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-11068317001214040572024-02-24T13:50:00.001-05:002024-02-24T13:50:07.637-05:00The February Weather Rollercoaster! <p>This has been the strangest February in my memory for up and down weather. And the 'ups' have ben frankly ridiculous and a little scary! It's worrying that we have had a February so completely unlike any previous February in my life! We need cold and snow to kill off the bugs, replenish the water table, and keep the ski hills open.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzW4vBFzqYSve6D0_xRk_WiGWrujFgHO9b60Gxr3ekWjpM9WS8nSxYLI5uBTriWDL_a-YK6CQgdUefBW5Hb4b9wB80Tv7FYS1YZ9znPofBVvbnzi7fhkhgKgrLXCTAez_Hkzai7EfDKW-Z_DOvekzcLr6bpocK4w8EclB5-M0OLCTV_E3aBpmf01ABkGb5/s3534/Sn1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3534" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzW4vBFzqYSve6D0_xRk_WiGWrujFgHO9b60Gxr3ekWjpM9WS8nSxYLI5uBTriWDL_a-YK6CQgdUefBW5Hb4b9wB80Tv7FYS1YZ9znPofBVvbnzi7fhkhgKgrLXCTAez_Hkzai7EfDKW-Z_DOvekzcLr6bpocK4w8EclB5-M0OLCTV_E3aBpmf01ABkGb5/w544-h640/Sn1.jpg" width="544" /></a></div>This is our front lawn on Feb. 5th! Absolutely absurd!<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjobkKaG-lLKOf2wFtdMToHcHEXEUwFbxlXuBt3cUMbFGFXWeb6wvdA60cuizI7sj-j4XAPBkmtKhbcdpaYOFDo2eRkonK3pgvKE-T1yTCVIWvo25eSKZBYEErDqSY7yIaNrTCHNF9CF_6JQD4i_EY72Ef99Q_tcWXGt8CVTYUtQjiLTZ0boa2NG_EdAGt9/s3526/Sn2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3526" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjobkKaG-lLKOf2wFtdMToHcHEXEUwFbxlXuBt3cUMbFGFXWeb6wvdA60cuizI7sj-j4XAPBkmtKhbcdpaYOFDo2eRkonK3pgvKE-T1yTCVIWvo25eSKZBYEErDqSY7yIaNrTCHNF9CF_6JQD4i_EY72Ef99Q_tcWXGt8CVTYUtQjiLTZ0boa2NG_EdAGt9/w544-h640/Sn2.jpg" width="544" /></a></div>It just kept on melting. Cross-country skiers were getting frustrated!</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlPSa9K1smgHh-VSocvT27HVoa4Jj_Cg_tNcIZL0DlE1CaXo84G30IV0DPvNpcD6JcGHpqpv-uzHaotR3QmuNJjsnuQ2QMzY7Qr40Wb1h1bCBce1xxzBJ0usPamxO2BXRjFVGv3tTFh3Cozt7CrpzekudEYYTCHGovgiKTjkV8KE5PqUqhGJrOzxQFow5/s3486/Sn3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3486" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlPSa9K1smgHh-VSocvT27HVoa4Jj_Cg_tNcIZL0DlE1CaXo84G30IV0DPvNpcD6JcGHpqpv-uzHaotR3QmuNJjsnuQ2QMzY7Qr40Wb1h1bCBce1xxzBJ0usPamxO2BXRjFVGv3tTFh3Cozt7CrpzekudEYYTCHGovgiKTjkV8KE5PqUqhGJrOzxQFow5/w550-h640/Sn3.jpg" width="550" /></a></div>At the low point there wasn't much snow left, and lots of green - this on Feb. 10th.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlIjww0bS7krxWFzeTy4a_5kFlvAHex-spQAZctqdaXA5EQVbUggEmoZXOGpOfy-c1psSsrGtstu688ZZTYQcNH1qy4OFZecBFzQQoV89Sfd61jzIOJ75cPosZwqFIZhLSicKw9gsqEgXvgV8imwdJrFKEAbwTdqkwVVgd_2pkIBtxHM8ZxPTE-aeCh9a/s3000/Sn4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2983" data-original-width="3000" height="636" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlIjww0bS7krxWFzeTy4a_5kFlvAHex-spQAZctqdaXA5EQVbUggEmoZXOGpOfy-c1psSsrGtstu688ZZTYQcNH1qy4OFZecBFzQQoV89Sfd61jzIOJ75cPosZwqFIZhLSicKw9gsqEgXvgV8imwdJrFKEAbwTdqkwVVgd_2pkIBtxHM8ZxPTE-aeCh9a/w640-h636/Sn4.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhvE80kkhgp3Yk_TARBp9uAgrYsXOSzxeBZdpkhr66Ioma7trce8IqyGwM9qwWshRRbUtovThIAa1GoGNEVmeOlaPh8K34kIMxIe3-s1FNn5cTME7md6A-ePiMkppjy0u-UGjq4orCDp5AWKCvR9TYQkMrXEHdqgFe_vs-ZV3TJAXIBhOclhN1RZ4Qn5_/s3344/Sn5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3344" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhvE80kkhgp3Yk_TARBp9uAgrYsXOSzxeBZdpkhr66Ioma7trce8IqyGwM9qwWshRRbUtovThIAa1GoGNEVmeOlaPh8K34kIMxIe3-s1FNn5cTME7md6A-ePiMkppjy0u-UGjq4orCDp5AWKCvR9TYQkMrXEHdqgFe_vs-ZV3TJAXIBhOclhN1RZ4Qn5_/w574-h640/Sn5.jpg" width="574" /></a></div>Then the rollercoaster started back the other direction with a light bit of 'graupel'.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYY5EmLgip7nk7-n2UnqUKzBsoaUutme-Sdc1ly6uI4o7txtk2BR7-QOM00tOZMBlfKmkv8xEMJUlKxocnnXxBzuiqlO_SxU8hVI-P0FhL5FbTo9iswG4AxvO7YqVVJFaakeczWpkRD9OPgyoEiemBdH_0StGjqBi17aZ_qnI3ie4cXSB6RGLyclldwPoM/s3672/Sn6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3672" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYY5EmLgip7nk7-n2UnqUKzBsoaUutme-Sdc1ly6uI4o7txtk2BR7-QOM00tOZMBlfKmkv8xEMJUlKxocnnXxBzuiqlO_SxU8hVI-P0FhL5FbTo9iswG4AxvO7YqVVJFaakeczWpkRD9OPgyoEiemBdH_0StGjqBi17aZ_qnI3ie4cXSB6RGLyclldwPoM/w522-h640/Sn6.jpg" width="522" /></a></div>I love ferns, so I like this Christmas Fern with a those tiny bits of white accumulating.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFEphIb1_g3dmTR3bPo4LzqIEW9P_joGt5MYnGpOEPFLPaYrvr04mR9agoUoJoGdWVmi171tJfJ_K05rHCHFog8v6ycvlQ8-JcxIIbFfIXmrz78q1toNzbgXfm9QqHaIvnn9JnjJAvArDSMSvMf343_eqyZkjO96BNuW6EQKfsFZbj41YGrfd-4w7OrFOo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="555" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFEphIb1_g3dmTR3bPo4LzqIEW9P_joGt5MYnGpOEPFLPaYrvr04mR9agoUoJoGdWVmi171tJfJ_K05rHCHFog8v6ycvlQ8-JcxIIbFfIXmrz78q1toNzbgXfm9QqHaIvnn9JnjJAvArDSMSvMf343_eqyZkjO96BNuW6EQKfsFZbj41YGrfd-4w7OrFOo=w555-h640" width="555" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">For comparison, here's just one picture of our snowstick from a year ago this month.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /></div><div><br /><p><br /></p></div>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-20911869346065100392024-02-22T15:20:00.003-05:002024-02-22T15:20:52.352-05:00William <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcQiCUq0txoejq7N-uK6X9W6D9eSCknk1KCUe2Ueal07lmmGan6EfxcLLss46Kl08vXPeLWzqhjdDlPit9jBdbNinlTJ1jf2cshwwg-cavnhP7yEdVy9IKD8K37IHng7SXJmoxDaNtb7Yh5a4KwRBtNTly_UMOKzLOC2MKuEIjbk-Slut3ZrP_bQF5egB1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcQiCUq0txoejq7N-uK6X9W6D9eSCknk1KCUe2Ueal07lmmGan6EfxcLLss46Kl08vXPeLWzqhjdDlPit9jBdbNinlTJ1jf2cshwwg-cavnhP7yEdVy9IKD8K37IHng7SXJmoxDaNtb7Yh5a4KwRBtNTly_UMOKzLOC2MKuEIjbk-Slut3ZrP_bQF5egB1=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">William, 1977 - 2015</div><div style="text-align: center;">Water Bomber Pilot</div><div style="text-align: center;">We think of you everyday.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-45556698064287854562024-02-20T10:41:00.000-05:002024-02-20T10:41:39.826-05:00Flesherton/Eugenia United Churches and the Hanley Institute<p>You will recall my recent (Jan. 31st) post on rural churches, in which I included the United Church building in Eugenia. This church was part of a two-point charge with Flesherton United, but at the time I could not figure out which church was still in use, or if both were. Well, one of my loyal and helpful blog readers here in Meaford came to my rescue, and the answer is very interesting.</p><p>This church in the village of Eugenia is now being used as the church and it's no longer a two-point charge. That's one half of the story.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyByVp_50nvqdRcmUnfk5QFufBfY5_1jf8p4zv0BqdeCqSJJUi_t_7ZdTxANnJSv1WStnpjRnt2yot_WaWTzsP5QlFLpoBDRVToqKKdhEoxPwK33T6snhoMrySzMJk_dZPpVRdFbrywvkaC5Xaf5zKGvdp-wB-GXn3NjCGZ9UxSttgMJ7lA8GLhA628xxN/s1024/DSC_0020.TIF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1024" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyByVp_50nvqdRcmUnfk5QFufBfY5_1jf8p4zv0BqdeCqSJJUi_t_7ZdTxANnJSv1WStnpjRnt2yot_WaWTzsP5QlFLpoBDRVToqKKdhEoxPwK33T6snhoMrySzMJk_dZPpVRdFbrywvkaC5Xaf5zKGvdp-wB-GXn3NjCGZ9UxSttgMJ7lA8GLhA628xxN/w640-h394/DSC_0020.TIF" width="640" /></a></div>I find the double front doors interesting, but don't know the story behind that.<div><br /></div><div>However, the interesting part of the story is that the church building in Flesherton is now the location of a group of youth programs under the umbrella of the Hanley Institute, started by a young woman by the name of Jenny Hanley. As I read on their website about the Board members they have attracted, I'm really impressed.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbyPkwajbblA4_UyR64v03CQqXeuhDd77A4wrHkK2t-0z-CtjMxxr9BrNeqSkMYZc-ffa7cbni-0oG32OIJz7OmF7qowux8uoblQaulg_aFLjXNKbfcqqbmTrYGaSIQfbW_UEvrFBMRpr3cQ5XBUdB5fF4rG3AEWwA8prXB5hAR_pJBs-g_GYY_8Y21qi/s160/Hanley.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbyPkwajbblA4_UyR64v03CQqXeuhDd77A4wrHkK2t-0z-CtjMxxr9BrNeqSkMYZc-ffa7cbni-0oG32OIJz7OmF7qowux8uoblQaulg_aFLjXNKbfcqqbmTrYGaSIQfbW_UEvrFBMRpr3cQ5XBUdB5fF4rG3AEWwA8prXB5hAR_pJBs-g_GYY_8Y21qi/w240-h320/Hanley.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>The former St. John's United in Flesherton, now the Hanley Institute.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sorry, even at this resolution the photo is blurred.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Only photo I could find. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The newspaper clipping given to me refers to a small request for funding from the local council, but the group's website provides much more insight about their programs. It offers primarily after-school and summer camp programs, and those programs are focused on building those 'soft skills' that we all know are essential for survival and employment.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As the website says, they talk openly about the 'Four Ss' - Sex, suicide, substances and self-esteem. There is clearly a strong mental health focus and they are targetting young rural youth. They do this by integrating themes like emotion management, self-esteem building, mental health awareness, team building and healthy life skills among others, into their programming. All these are important for young teens in my opinion!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The direct inspiration was the death of a local youth by drug overdose, and some of the Board have tragically lost friends or family members to suicide. They are also a talented bunch, with Jenny herself being a Certified Addiction Counsellor with 20 years experience. (I've always said you're at your best when you're about 40).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Among all the rural churches I know of, this is the most innovative use of a former church building. Most churches are mainly focussed on just keeping themselves open!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-31097400025802088262024-02-18T14:23:00.001-05:002024-02-18T14:23:54.627-05:00Sunrise!<p>Someplace in that sunny week there was a beautiful sunrise. Mrs. F.G. came hurrying into my room while I was still in bed asking for my camera. She opened the front door and got three great shots. Enjoy.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhEVt2_R59mg-N2NREe79VUXCskTp1zWn3U4JqqgfDBRx-VXo3CHWoM-IwfBBXHBMP75j8l_gDJ_T9ZJJKug8XZbUIU1aBHkU-QO5dipmcSnflWG97CkG-8Qb90_1GNrnEV0yK5Ta4Sm-c3dT1UCPSmAA68ODPl0q6sWo_8RndfdabkcLloGRqGa1LvxFJ/s3948/Su1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3948" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhEVt2_R59mg-N2NREe79VUXCskTp1zWn3U4JqqgfDBRx-VXo3CHWoM-IwfBBXHBMP75j8l_gDJ_T9ZJJKug8XZbUIU1aBHkU-QO5dipmcSnflWG97CkG-8Qb90_1GNrnEV0yK5Ta4Sm-c3dT1UCPSmAA68ODPl0q6sWo_8RndfdabkcLloGRqGa1LvxFJ/w486-h640/Su1.jpg" width="486" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWdOvVJZ-bSq7O238GVA_sLUW7lKWUwjpRx1xKsQ5vqRxp82ra2UV2SndozTYvT-_HBNJsdxPoCJhkIeXcbRMrSe_rSGcj6190T72fRzYFQuwmqtjMynDZ9GWpJMHcjBEngY405SGUY3F_xu3NKAZK_cytmV3hFHAhnfxEji22DDq_e5JvUmLNqzs0ay48/s3978/Su2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3978" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWdOvVJZ-bSq7O238GVA_sLUW7lKWUwjpRx1xKsQ5vqRxp82ra2UV2SndozTYvT-_HBNJsdxPoCJhkIeXcbRMrSe_rSGcj6190T72fRzYFQuwmqtjMynDZ9GWpJMHcjBEngY405SGUY3F_xu3NKAZK_cytmV3hFHAhnfxEji22DDq_e5JvUmLNqzs0ay48/w482-h640/Su2.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjbKzyKOrtqCx8bkYqC-Yl5o2wYONVsNvEYzqchKr0vvCWxHgGZWVJYBkuvrGgG-hNmMAbh-NAZHIRAPHq5j4DBOVFd14RcGYdTHME0BuKr3OFIGcZB8g4NZRNHsHfa8i13vV2_25yHif1mlUe5cPOiGoysKlciP1NI7Y-qYr89fjVEZXTan_wtWYPk0o/s3951/Su3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3951" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjbKzyKOrtqCx8bkYqC-Yl5o2wYONVsNvEYzqchKr0vvCWxHgGZWVJYBkuvrGgG-hNmMAbh-NAZHIRAPHq5j4DBOVFd14RcGYdTHME0BuKr3OFIGcZB8g4NZRNHsHfa8i13vV2_25yHif1mlUe5cPOiGoysKlciP1NI7Y-qYr89fjVEZXTan_wtWYPk0o/w486-h640/Su3.jpg" width="486" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-21762145492431522402024-02-16T13:09:00.001-05:002024-02-16T13:09:40.125-05:00Wheelchair rides in February!<p>It was last week now, but I still can't believe I was out riding around town in early February! We had a full week of sunny days after that Saturday afternoon drive, with the temperature gradually rising to an unheard of 12 degrees! It was actually warm!! So here are a few pictures I took on one of my rides last week, my usual shorter ride, just to give you an idea. Don't look at the houses; look at the sky!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehhMaNZ5m8UJUVoRx-0y5B9MpqCuzx-JOrf1R6vD2QMF_uqglNGQ59seLNjMFRAYQSxasRLE70x6-Jyz7rm5t_hB-qsw9ULLvinEkLdnePNGKUs2rkk7p4-lrIn_-vlY87vuHVD2rh06eiiEjhiLvXuhz6RpOdK43NfRhpSCZcxlUSLAUfw4nuQJ50MV-/s3545/R1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2104" data-original-width="3545" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehhMaNZ5m8UJUVoRx-0y5B9MpqCuzx-JOrf1R6vD2QMF_uqglNGQ59seLNjMFRAYQSxasRLE70x6-Jyz7rm5t_hB-qsw9ULLvinEkLdnePNGKUs2rkk7p4-lrIn_-vlY87vuHVD2rh06eiiEjhiLvXuhz6RpOdK43NfRhpSCZcxlUSLAUfw4nuQJ50MV-/w640-h380/R1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Leaving home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMemhw0b765i_bFy8sMABELbU4b3NYGNQ8iKsAxDf031AR3sGpCa6PEAObKKgGeIZNW-UPS7cW_wknwFq-LfgD05SqIVpXaOvgGICayQDDupffwkc21Yt4EDtovf2dzIa3ReqnE73ACezAHSi_0KM_EmCxjrCwWy2BTl-_oGewUrOPV7S0WuAhptQae7el/s4000/R2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2319" data-original-width="4000" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMemhw0b765i_bFy8sMABELbU4b3NYGNQ8iKsAxDf031AR3sGpCa6PEAObKKgGeIZNW-UPS7cW_wknwFq-LfgD05SqIVpXaOvgGICayQDDupffwkc21Yt4EDtovf2dzIa3ReqnE73ACezAHSi_0KM_EmCxjrCwWy2BTl-_oGewUrOPV7S0WuAhptQae7el/w640-h372/R2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Let's start at the far end, 7 blocks away, just as I turn around to head home.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh073EkJ_kKIlXBwY9cIkZR26N0SNg887lAqGqcAXMaybX48C1cOQiw6OTDDE-w6mX7yXddYGIxYsnHSdPaBT7NrHWlpOQagG5lfRsDzZLeUg1AflqPDD0B8IWepv4yMrNRHv9a7cep7xQYkrKP7_AJnIybK6Em-Vz2wjD0ycs4eLbv5lYSBympU0giWQCZ/s3536/R3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2185" data-original-width="3536" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh073EkJ_kKIlXBwY9cIkZR26N0SNg887lAqGqcAXMaybX48C1cOQiw6OTDDE-w6mX7yXddYGIxYsnHSdPaBT7NrHWlpOQagG5lfRsDzZLeUg1AflqPDD0B8IWepv4yMrNRHv9a7cep7xQYkrKP7_AJnIybK6Em-Vz2wjD0ycs4eLbv5lYSBympU0giWQCZ/w640-h396/R3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Then it's past the low one-story local hospital. It may be small, but it's a godsend for local residents. That first tree on the right is where the squirrel was hiding in one of my fall pictures.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFpRKrgycWo1ecr_vDk9As84TmuJKXpbFkA-DIhym45IU7azH5FdWrORUwILwJGhHe6RvgYCSVef_YIqGPABIxA1ZeOR_oFIMXLfUxeBNdGMfLsWvSdd982Bz-Psudu_F2yczX4_1ynOvJMenB2reh_hYjzmLUFQg8GLNFlHcHD-_vKr7ccu1tFIfzVu5/s4000/R4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2356" data-original-width="4000" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFpRKrgycWo1ecr_vDk9As84TmuJKXpbFkA-DIhym45IU7azH5FdWrORUwILwJGhHe6RvgYCSVef_YIqGPABIxA1ZeOR_oFIMXLfUxeBNdGMfLsWvSdd982Bz-Psudu_F2yczX4_1ynOvJMenB2reh_hYjzmLUFQg8GLNFlHcHD-_vKr7ccu1tFIfzVu5/w640-h376/R4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Ahead of us the street bends sharply left rather than continuing down the slope of another glacial shoreline, the ancient Nipissing shore. You can follow it all the way through Meaford. The tree on the left is another favourite for fall colour.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5tKX3aA2HegEte3Br-dJcjvjyI_ZGeaeg01X8tvGytME2s5zw59lKMLVgqzvPe855xazfZTPUbpTc1JrouUa-lZWh2KnGG-PnJZhXG2ty_xOKxjSzqGkkYAIR1WTJhn5x_OFUwLhSODaw9-csI1E6pT2L8VJQJTFeUwl15wZgYJ2444OAmLUt_hdlzwu8/s3395/R5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2138" data-original-width="3395" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5tKX3aA2HegEte3Br-dJcjvjyI_ZGeaeg01X8tvGytME2s5zw59lKMLVgqzvPe855xazfZTPUbpTc1JrouUa-lZWh2KnGG-PnJZhXG2ty_xOKxjSzqGkkYAIR1WTJhn5x_OFUwLhSODaw9-csI1E6pT2L8VJQJTFeUwl15wZgYJ2444OAmLUt_hdlzwu8/w640-h404/R5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Another block and I turn back onto our own street. For some reason it's like a wind tunnel on the prairies. While there may be a gentle breeze on other streets, here it hits you as soon as you turn the corner!</div><div><br /><p><br /></p></div>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-31598517668744810842024-02-14T14:26:00.000-05:002024-02-14T14:26:39.641-05:00And the Drive Home!<p>The drive home is just as interesting as the drive down there. You see everything in reverse. And it was still a beautiful sunny day. We chose to go a slightly different route and pick up some butter tarts.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDUJPnPcngPDmdWjOuVAN3YXgD13UAox1CayBsByES3Gps6Kk2fWhZ7bqg3xXHGWge_RsQozOwuQZif0peUsl69dPY2dG5H3f3_lfmZh2j2DIdNymydZBWb4fgvu2Ja-EZlL7eSio9z2OlBA3H_nUBqht_pFSR8HonTb2_rU3Gbk1K-nlw_Vzwhyphenhyphen2EVLZ/s3730/D15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1651" data-original-width="3730" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDUJPnPcngPDmdWjOuVAN3YXgD13UAox1CayBsByES3Gps6Kk2fWhZ7bqg3xXHGWge_RsQozOwuQZif0peUsl69dPY2dG5H3f3_lfmZh2j2DIdNymydZBWb4fgvu2Ja-EZlL7eSio9z2OlBA3H_nUBqht_pFSR8HonTb2_rU3Gbk1K-nlw_Vzwhyphenhyphen2EVLZ/w640-h284/D15.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Shortly after Eugenia we come to the first steep curve down into the valley. That road curving up to the east takes you to a whole range of interesting places I've explored.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOLzVkalFJrAx3yVl0iZhiJZDCBpskhlzDtIIohKkuo-OdHbd36a_OpqfwB001IGmo3cXyw8mXNbB1mIeS1hNmOmuEuZXy_x0WM2FFFPRzGatsLx2XYyBWhm4Khsud7dT_3QLcRbHivUNJBDRCKuNte9Bh13BUlmPcgYiGkw0vCtXdOMTZSCTFaCO7Ox9/s3754/D16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1773" data-original-width="3754" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOLzVkalFJrAx3yVl0iZhiJZDCBpskhlzDtIIohKkuo-OdHbd36a_OpqfwB001IGmo3cXyw8mXNbB1mIeS1hNmOmuEuZXy_x0WM2FFFPRzGatsLx2XYyBWhm4Khsud7dT_3QLcRbHivUNJBDRCKuNte9Bh13BUlmPcgYiGkw0vCtXdOMTZSCTFaCO7Ox9/w640-h302/D16.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Around another curve or two and then the valley opens up ahead of us.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLzUp7ZIJ7qGLvH3MBjQkS2emVytZNcSV-8bBEpXllA8n9VKEqnyXilOWrBWW3HIbPQ2t27J4xUagQwRXWz2GaPZAwnv4tAZTSCAcL0Oh1iu-m9k4zhl0tw12p52y5Wi9IWdz3GgmGaNwCO4EQzz4J4z_9CwJuGBqvzkKq86MpaI-xu6syDssT_UdjpqqQ/s4000/D17.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2637" data-original-width="4000" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLzUp7ZIJ7qGLvH3MBjQkS2emVytZNcSV-8bBEpXllA8n9VKEqnyXilOWrBWW3HIbPQ2t27J4xUagQwRXWz2GaPZAwnv4tAZTSCAcL0Oh1iu-m9k4zhl0tw12p52y5Wi9IWdz3GgmGaNwCO4EQzz4J4z_9CwJuGBqvzkKq86MpaI-xu6syDssT_UdjpqqQ/w640-h422/D17.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The village of Kimberley sits right down in the bottom of the valley where the old mill was built and a settlement grew up around it..</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1ty9KOkYg2-T5pGa8IZmeNWqmv8nbpQ1pCNRAsmVlmu6x8mhlXx6v3X77ydTJ5Ui8P2xcD-stmABytnZbI0q9Z4FFXSicqTqkqQOFMRyacNtVkxhVqpAxi1SWxMKRbwfOHvl_B35ciJDyrjwKmfkGBn3F6wzOeum4z7_qrVabFPZgCmcQRkHe4DLTfDR/s4000/D18.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2691" data-original-width="4000" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1ty9KOkYg2-T5pGa8IZmeNWqmv8nbpQ1pCNRAsmVlmu6x8mhlXx6v3X77ydTJ5Ui8P2xcD-stmABytnZbI0q9Z4FFXSicqTqkqQOFMRyacNtVkxhVqpAxi1SWxMKRbwfOHvl_B35ciJDyrjwKmfkGBn3F6wzOeum4z7_qrVabFPZgCmcQRkHe4DLTfDR/w640-h430/D18.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We got a glorious view of the Old Baldy cliffs just as we entered the village. A popular climbing spot.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLzw0bhYqFOOVOFJBMpEjCn_L2-zL4mR3-wmqwP9vlJacVDpyZPT5aRWouE6uh55CtVULUG2RcqO3wXK-GafjSHmpIY3OdC9l-RpzR7nUrZrv9FYd3Nlc727xjj4mT_b3naWZqEQF4Dx_7Qd8RZGvlRr1RYT8u679lyb7zzAjKBCVWfYolLLyS83h_YSA/s3872/D19.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1887" data-original-width="3872" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLzw0bhYqFOOVOFJBMpEjCn_L2-zL4mR3-wmqwP9vlJacVDpyZPT5aRWouE6uh55CtVULUG2RcqO3wXK-GafjSHmpIY3OdC9l-RpzR7nUrZrv9FYd3Nlc727xjj4mT_b3naWZqEQF4Dx_7Qd8RZGvlRr1RYT8u679lyb7zzAjKBCVWfYolLLyS83h_YSA/w640-h312/D19.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Through the village and looking back we get a totally different wide angle view of Old Baldy.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRYZb8KNCZ2j5d0Prw7-04zbZe6P4HLF_bkuSpyRElyDmNywIJSMYlCpzeazkNTAHipzO3ayzbZGyu3wRiZ6OTzSjcrYHTGC5lyy79Htw1kDK04nxEhUVyABm783-2LnGFKxa6dM9h7bhRpiWA8EoF2vLEtkEZBJeDTuh7c8N151MxrnYH9B15gsRAqw4o/s3237/d20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1775" data-original-width="3237" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRYZb8KNCZ2j5d0Prw7-04zbZe6P4HLF_bkuSpyRElyDmNywIJSMYlCpzeazkNTAHipzO3ayzbZGyu3wRiZ6OTzSjcrYHTGC5lyy79Htw1kDK04nxEhUVyABm783-2LnGFKxa6dM9h7bhRpiWA8EoF2vLEtkEZBJeDTuh7c8N151MxrnYH9B15gsRAqw4o/w640-h350/d20.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We chose to go a different way home and veered off to the right through the even smaller village of Heathcote. Here we stopped at the locally famous Heathcote bakery, the Blackbird Pie Company. They are renowned for their chicken pot pie, but we just picked up some butter tarts.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFOrhpLUDpLLN0nrHigrLJa4UgqQI2FQ9FhPibLit7D6m82piVPJgGPI9nsCXEMVeiNwe7cFXSdKq_oxb4DhhiwHDJ4StLvXXPt8iKUhYGmIV3FFZKqHcQAVo4gUrTKC0kCxeiG1XtVwyK2fUjDr00qQ6f5SBMWQNP6HzYNH5K4oUdSxuIwWBrNQqUlNol/s3878/D21.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1838" data-original-width="3878" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFOrhpLUDpLLN0nrHigrLJa4UgqQI2FQ9FhPibLit7D6m82piVPJgGPI9nsCXEMVeiNwe7cFXSdKq_oxb4DhhiwHDJ4StLvXXPt8iKUhYGmIV3FFZKqHcQAVo4gUrTKC0kCxeiG1XtVwyK2fUjDr00qQ6f5SBMWQNP6HzYNH5K4oUdSxuIwWBrNQqUlNol/w640-h304/D21.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Eventually we found our way back to Meaford, coming over the crest of that Algonquin shoreline to see Georgian Bay spread out below us,</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hQTbtDaMPSK2xNxEJBf3h8TqLpOxlU-o7uRJVbVlBwaWHxV6vFxL8uY8D0yl2QACVpP8LpTEpuoVJT7GIy8SEqrul0r05jXgcVYVSAzfj2TN-fUAkU8zFxV7TV2Q_ezLgai0I3qZR2spCV569lB4lynbgZb699dE8RDxAW4tqDIS2wAlKFut_41kcwHz/s3416/D22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2116" data-original-width="3416" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hQTbtDaMPSK2xNxEJBf3h8TqLpOxlU-o7uRJVbVlBwaWHxV6vFxL8uY8D0yl2QACVpP8LpTEpuoVJT7GIy8SEqrul0r05jXgcVYVSAzfj2TN-fUAkU8zFxV7TV2Q_ezLgai0I3qZR2spCV569lB4lynbgZb699dE8RDxAW4tqDIS2wAlKFut_41kcwHz/w640-h396/D22.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Halfway down the slope you can pick out the bright yellow Willow trees, tricked into thinking it was spring in the sunshine,</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7ItjtEiD8JzOmhQiZ-cw2Yionv2K667n3bt5DseTHnm7JDNCX76W7fUOgbendnmqqezFonw-GNqTNQbHUC9beRjiiQUanFSM9G_2FolrURjEKwYJ5zyrkeDBvSf3DwalpgXJJ09fajEy0PWBKTGDBn_9i29bYfRnCh1xiPDYIb7z92mySPGrDiywyFY4/s3299/D23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3299" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7ItjtEiD8JzOmhQiZ-cw2Yionv2K667n3bt5DseTHnm7JDNCX76W7fUOgbendnmqqezFonw-GNqTNQbHUC9beRjiiQUanFSM9G_2FolrURjEKwYJ5zyrkeDBvSf3DwalpgXJJ09fajEy0PWBKTGDBn_9i29bYfRnCh1xiPDYIb7z92mySPGrDiywyFY4/w582-h640/D23.jpg" width="582" /></a></div>How do you like my shot of the thick black hydro cable? I think it stands out really well against the background of the bright yellow willow tree.</div><div><br /><p><br /></p></div>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-58676841724386958862024-02-12T13:44:00.000-05:002024-02-12T13:44:34.373-05:00Lake Eugenia<p>Up and out of the valley south of Kimberley, through the village of Eugenia, a left turn and down aways, and we ended up at Lake Eugenia, mostly frozen over now of course. Lake Eugenia was created back in 1914 when they dammed the Beaver River and installed that power plant in the valley. A lot of farmland was flooded.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRnVCeiEOiR2zi_MFSeHbQBtz5ACBKH6pYHP6hUl82IN3ZWvbmHaCXr21Fo08cHb2kiwzL9zSqkb29x0hjDkRSRSnsOAqj6WBmfiL7fKjeqr_IZD-gpOWQgF8rIBt6LX0Hkhyhtz9b5dyEbVlLFmmqIma3Cbd8J5xqi_xIhQyF2yXEZY62s4Mh1IFFlM3B/s3065/D7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1889" data-original-width="3065" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRnVCeiEOiR2zi_MFSeHbQBtz5ACBKH6pYHP6hUl82IN3ZWvbmHaCXr21Fo08cHb2kiwzL9zSqkb29x0hjDkRSRSnsOAqj6WBmfiL7fKjeqr_IZD-gpOWQgF8rIBt6LX0Hkhyhtz9b5dyEbVlLFmmqIma3Cbd8J5xqi_xIhQyF2yXEZY62s4Mh1IFFlM3B/w640-h394/D7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>This is just a small corner of the lake, on the south side of the causeway.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgDq5CVfcwR40WPE4ur-kEFnftNhlCzvHs4P7c1QH0dg8Km22DDNIsD7xv8DTCIJnv1MkXFx39EcL-9IcUay7F-dZH26DmY-XWyn2sBmOq2ihlP6CRNikDCNcV4c3mDQk_qPLqkoiLzA0c48lPN5qoMXMi4Jd3WCQlepGE3aHfVS-Zc9Qgv81AJ3KAgvH/s2938/D8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2726" data-original-width="2938" height="594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgDq5CVfcwR40WPE4ur-kEFnftNhlCzvHs4P7c1QH0dg8Km22DDNIsD7xv8DTCIJnv1MkXFx39EcL-9IcUay7F-dZH26DmY-XWyn2sBmOq2ihlP6CRNikDCNcV4c3mDQk_qPLqkoiLzA0c48lPN5qoMXMi4Jd3WCQlepGE3aHfVS-Zc9Qgv81AJ3KAgvH/w640-h594/D8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">No birds at the Osprey nest yet of course, but it will be interesting when they are home in later summer.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZRZLvTiccpi5fqBB3qzyUPTUSz_LjeddiPAVp0CBs41j3Mo5K3NY88mn8nBXinshzm6sB9dpV9s6itSaa3t8eW28XHYWzMQc7QnzpYs16r5juh0osbRoUS6ji4YvcdKMZfLbOwka3EC29GnxB_2m538OIrnziBd9SRxwhDihvypFByKguMGnmuKRE4MGQ/s4000/D9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZRZLvTiccpi5fqBB3qzyUPTUSz_LjeddiPAVp0CBs41j3Mo5K3NY88mn8nBXinshzm6sB9dpV9s6itSaa3t8eW28XHYWzMQc7QnzpYs16r5juh0osbRoUS6ji4YvcdKMZfLbOwka3EC29GnxB_2m538OIrnziBd9SRxwhDihvypFByKguMGnmuKRE4MGQ/w640-h480/D9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We usually pause where the old course of the river flows in under the causeway, here looking south where it's surrounded by a sea of stumps. This is a great area to explore by canoe at normal water levels.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSLufoBxk26IdMizqHoyaP7bQBnfpVfwvYnBHKmUqAQsLfaUMRxTJCbSSAjCRnlT3bPlqO8heMo-O9XNV_7k9PBg3EmQQXz4XiExrA0z1GFLSHWiY7zFJ33jOwp9TpCc6pkK-F5zURErhI_VVuHpXS3bgFBf91tZUDcSrUHw4cziuCzb5vCKQt3W0r6gE/s3445/D10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1826" data-original-width="3445" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSLufoBxk26IdMizqHoyaP7bQBnfpVfwvYnBHKmUqAQsLfaUMRxTJCbSSAjCRnlT3bPlqO8heMo-O9XNV_7k9PBg3EmQQXz4XiExrA0z1GFLSHWiY7zFJ33jOwp9TpCc6pkK-F5zURErhI_VVuHpXS3bgFBf91tZUDcSrUHw4cziuCzb5vCKQt3W0r6gE/w640-h340/D10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The vast majority of the lake is on the north side of the causeway, where it actually looks like a lake. The entire shoreline has been leased for cottages by Ontario Hydro. They let the water level down over winter in order to be ready for the rush of high water flow in spring.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxK8uJKckb6SRtYy2-nwt_xcJMXMahe2TULeMp0Y0I-fAV-w_jX5jqmLN5G67eOPrapqkeR8y7g7dflK7od4RegOkjZurl0ddv1unKOF1Kv2Mevci-rw0RsNQ_HgVQbhjBdPG4GdsckW7RZaJRX2NPGP0GAisdmD-ZnGLnSMAQPcDElgXk-loh_vrL3oyN/s3777/D11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2301" data-original-width="3777" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxK8uJKckb6SRtYy2-nwt_xcJMXMahe2TULeMp0Y0I-fAV-w_jX5jqmLN5G67eOPrapqkeR8y7g7dflK7od4RegOkjZurl0ddv1unKOF1Kv2Mevci-rw0RsNQ_HgVQbhjBdPG4GdsckW7RZaJRX2NPGP0GAisdmD-ZnGLnSMAQPcDElgXk-loh_vrL3oyN/w640-h390/D11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>It wasn't hard to spot some white birds, and by zooming in see that these are Mute Swans, a non-native species that does stay over the winter if there's open water.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsDjbdYjl4_l-tcFfkWUxo23pz6x9CUVddAL6_aDjweCAmneljYjvWFF1dBCXatXaGAX0Z-ihLNLPoskviQ-ZTJjPjxsv4bhP8G_VxjCc6_-VX3ptmBM9fj3a2gbGdzUC1CYtnb-yqbIfkAWPEgIZAqyRWLJBmg1WlZkY8DDmFu-PkA_HFKv1iv_ZjiKJx/s3622/D12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1721" data-original-width="3622" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsDjbdYjl4_l-tcFfkWUxo23pz6x9CUVddAL6_aDjweCAmneljYjvWFF1dBCXatXaGAX0Z-ihLNLPoskviQ-ZTJjPjxsv4bhP8G_VxjCc6_-VX3ptmBM9fj3a2gbGdzUC1CYtnb-yqbIfkAWPEgIZAqyRWLJBmg1WlZkY8DDmFu-PkA_HFKv1iv_ZjiKJx/w640-h304/D12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>I was trying to be artistic here, what do you think?</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivgro0sPlhu8mnr2JMT3FkfWYEJLfQTYB7pkTzP0CyVKMHnBCtQ-PpULqqzbJZem9qOZD7rBSJOczn8Ba5_7kPx5AiLdS7hjJcMED0aJkMhSTev0h2Z1R1NxS6zVHwWtm9OkROPetC7lvP1sNp4-dwLX7jJS1MSCy2kKLEUVwv331_JdykodV_tibATeLV/s4000/D13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivgro0sPlhu8mnr2JMT3FkfWYEJLfQTYB7pkTzP0CyVKMHnBCtQ-PpULqqzbJZem9qOZD7rBSJOczn8Ba5_7kPx5AiLdS7hjJcMED0aJkMhSTev0h2Z1R1NxS6zVHwWtm9OkROPetC7lvP1sNp4-dwLX7jJS1MSCy2kKLEUVwv331_JdykodV_tibATeLV/w640-h480/D13.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>This shows you the context.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBIGV-cu9wcceRW4tGak8swnR_-WU5w640-DdYwHG0BqFZwU18-tQrEufb9J7B2aJGrKd7KoV65IqA5EEqdBo_DZBeiCkpYH2xPW-aB7KtXkpe0zTtwEmnn9g9MuF1Txy9qLFiV8xzXic7fZNuTkrA-_ve8JiZ6sUP-N-86auAahva53aJO1X1j0kJB43X/s3910/D14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2589" data-original-width="3910" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBIGV-cu9wcceRW4tGak8swnR_-WU5w640-DdYwHG0BqFZwU18-tQrEufb9J7B2aJGrKd7KoV65IqA5EEqdBo_DZBeiCkpYH2xPW-aB7KtXkpe0zTtwEmnn9g9MuF1Txy9qLFiV8xzXic7fZNuTkrA-_ve8JiZ6sUP-N-86auAahva53aJO1X1j0kJB43X/w640-h424/D14.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Some other interesting patches of ice and stumps. Then, leaving the lake behind we headed home.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><p><br /></p></div>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-23251817648948467372024-02-10T14:19:00.002-05:002024-02-10T14:19:32.415-05:00A Saturday Afternoon Drive<p>On that first bright sunny day we'd had in weeks we decided to go for a drive. We chose Lake Eugenia, straight south of us, and headed out of town. The sun was glaring, but I managed a few slightly off-true-colour photos along the way.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqE_IgZpyJI7ewXftlf68RUF4IOxwurjmu6n6qHpCiVvLraL33K6MRMD3eepIL3_R_7T_77uRJTUGx7mIBXWwCPhF9xL6iyuczviXljLNLUp4wuFtpnumuUVM2V4YZIBhDdMszKkYollEAw_9YNjjjpI-vRJF_ABpTqMRPE9AWiWaxuoWRXOM-qHFp_WzH/s3422/D1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3422" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqE_IgZpyJI7ewXftlf68RUF4IOxwurjmu6n6qHpCiVvLraL33K6MRMD3eepIL3_R_7T_77uRJTUGx7mIBXWwCPhF9xL6iyuczviXljLNLUp4wuFtpnumuUVM2V4YZIBhDdMszKkYollEAw_9YNjjjpI-vRJF_ABpTqMRPE9AWiWaxuoWRXOM-qHFp_WzH/w562-h640/D1.jpg" width="562" /></a></div>The big hill on the way out of Meaford is not the Niagara Escarpment, it's the ancient post-glacial Algonquin shoreline. That's another story sometime.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnf6-Ij3t1y0_zi4v-DV52kvaifRxZKr-0YGMEIoPsBg0KCg-ua7NZpFSaM1nUpN1vIOG3NucFtB0Ukh06YUGSj25mlJ1lYUSFjEXVoLzEwLNeq6nAFLmMk0Z7_Bxy6jU3SxykyDVgRojDcTru5i1-jXAh9Q3Xou1DRB6kDku97egb-oGkeksL2QfCgGy9/s3925/D2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2163" data-original-width="3925" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnf6-Ij3t1y0_zi4v-DV52kvaifRxZKr-0YGMEIoPsBg0KCg-ua7NZpFSaM1nUpN1vIOG3NucFtB0Ukh06YUGSj25mlJ1lYUSFjEXVoLzEwLNeq6nAFLmMk0Z7_Bxy6jU3SxykyDVgRojDcTru5i1-jXAh9Q3Xou1DRB6kDku97egb-oGkeksL2QfCgGy9/w640-h352/D2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We passed the big steel grain bins along the way. Here they both store and dry crops of corn, soybeans and wheat. I presume they bring in seed for those crops as well.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRxNsxFzCmJBATgGg7yAJrtEnvYZg8N1XUCOvLM-lxO0YSXyJXZcjXQ8enabF1S9Ap6cMhGQnvTkVEn8_IioFyJzaZZDrMc4Jp4ke8rvkuVITvjc-PoQwoCQzvhZ65txZm4W5duhTWZKDaDnIJ3-Pa3XLNO003xI-WCSLENGpF3IWyS5kNQhV-LC7eGFd/s3000/D3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2232" data-original-width="3000" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRxNsxFzCmJBATgGg7yAJrtEnvYZg8N1XUCOvLM-lxO0YSXyJXZcjXQ8enabF1S9Ap6cMhGQnvTkVEn8_IioFyJzaZZDrMc4Jp4ke8rvkuVITvjc-PoQwoCQzvhZ65txZm4W5duhTWZKDaDnIJ3-Pa3XLNO003xI-WCSLENGpF3IWyS5kNQhV-LC7eGFd/w640-h476/D3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Shortly after that we come over the crest of the hill and start down into the Beaver Valley. Lake Eugenia is beyond the far horizon.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-kNuky3teOvRQje44D3n5s5oiXiVcL_SKczjxkXTjOo7GtxElC414aNemafcrKgZVALaxDfp3JX5FaThRiweEJAzn4td21E6c6Sa2KvUHXwIe8mDGv3_pl9gTsxhoaOgmtl2wWf0vHT4gsoJ5hcv07TnZtHI0e_zXPvd8gQWyf4UEzrV736VGj7cDAd9/s4000/D4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2770" data-original-width="4000" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-kNuky3teOvRQje44D3n5s5oiXiVcL_SKczjxkXTjOo7GtxElC414aNemafcrKgZVALaxDfp3JX5FaThRiweEJAzn4td21E6c6Sa2KvUHXwIe8mDGv3_pl9gTsxhoaOgmtl2wWf0vHT4gsoJ5hcv07TnZtHI0e_zXPvd8gQWyf4UEzrV736VGj7cDAd9/w640-h444/D4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>In a couple of spots we could look up to the cliffs where the Bruce Trail passes, and where I spent so much time exploring in my past life. Sorry about the reflection.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLERXOoWBPJMbmgPn-gYN8ooKaUBy5kL5nASMindJpB58hkrnZvIAbS2BZjF7A__1xIDXM8e0uyNPRAlIXWUUuptPoNN18DKKTFQhEsIfeCCJJlq1v22xgySyYlOB27A-HiIdsh03J1su-TJvoGDF9PqK6HUdoNvK41DPryAP1Ne_zluACT203PZS4k92T/s4000/D5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLERXOoWBPJMbmgPn-gYN8ooKaUBy5kL5nASMindJpB58hkrnZvIAbS2BZjF7A__1xIDXM8e0uyNPRAlIXWUUuptPoNN18DKKTFQhEsIfeCCJJlq1v22xgySyYlOB27A-HiIdsh03J1su-TJvoGDF9PqK6HUdoNvK41DPryAP1Ne_zluACT203PZS4k92T/w640-h480/D5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Then we pass the old Talisman Ski Hill, site of my skiing in my teenage years, but sadly overgrown and abandoned now.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLXwMrXR8b6wcURT0952_C2GfmJvgAQCJoFgT1NNk8SWhKDorUppBIPBCfGWuWryT1UTHA3QJ5tkSiBakjCR9FovjjC9nBqMTN__D1YBoDqGalRadYFaUMPPbykfJlhNodqjZb6LlzLCxNCpUEEmNRGUb19ngK58VHlKs1rAj2TV8V_gk2lxMAlEPLGGt/s3721/D6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1902" data-original-width="3721" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLXwMrXR8b6wcURT0952_C2GfmJvgAQCJoFgT1NNk8SWhKDorUppBIPBCfGWuWryT1UTHA3QJ5tkSiBakjCR9FovjjC9nBqMTN__D1YBoDqGalRadYFaUMPPbykfJlhNodqjZb6LlzLCxNCpUEEmNRGUb19ngK58VHlKs1rAj2TV8V_gk2lxMAlEPLGGt/w640-h328/D6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>And on the left a beautiful view of Old Baldy, just before entering Kimberley. I don't think I have many winter shots here.<br /><p><br /></p></div>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-72750579433725294292024-02-08T10:53:00.000-05:002024-02-08T10:53:20.006-05:00A Sunny Day Finally!!!<p>Saturday turned out to be bright and sunny! And the same thing happened on Tuesday! It's the downslope of winter here as the gloom fades away and the sunshine returns. Now I can revert to posting about what's actually happening, at least close to the current date.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmghhN_kNr8wFmWDsIGik1vV095Ps8ivg3DD01iGh0V_0fazChrQ24UT3Vru57ySl5mPMkjqVTTaYFFdBop8tmxVm1i04QFV_D4ni6KqvynPTKt3_JBFPb_jaf1IGVepZFsJxThn_1C5tOkEM3gozJ89aRLb34dHxItNQG0v5Afb3k12blyZ-zjHTqe87/s4000/S1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2622" data-original-width="4000" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmghhN_kNr8wFmWDsIGik1vV095Ps8ivg3DD01iGh0V_0fazChrQ24UT3Vru57ySl5mPMkjqVTTaYFFdBop8tmxVm1i04QFV_D4ni6KqvynPTKt3_JBFPb_jaf1IGVepZFsJxThn_1C5tOkEM3gozJ89aRLb34dHxItNQG0v5Afb3k12blyZ-zjHTqe87/w640-h420/S1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The first thing I noticed were the shadows. although of course with the almost snowless winter we've been having they aren't as bright as they might be.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZcFOHWBcBtnZHPjZlnYlAalDdvv8VLTwtqPLPr1aasT7JDWhs4b2uYlHeiU3WfFPtCF8VmQbwBH4KUBtcVXCWk6H2kNhMIDSmlqeK7OIFE1RcT_VHLbNUHHRypQJGB4PCQhG1h47USf4hY9HSaaVJlIpaljMN9HmgpJ-IfGE3isBRm3sPGQImy68MmUU/s4000/S2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZcFOHWBcBtnZHPjZlnYlAalDdvv8VLTwtqPLPr1aasT7JDWhs4b2uYlHeiU3WfFPtCF8VmQbwBH4KUBtcVXCWk6H2kNhMIDSmlqeK7OIFE1RcT_VHLbNUHHRypQJGB4PCQhG1h47USf4hY9HSaaVJlIpaljMN9HmgpJ-IfGE3isBRm3sPGQImy68MmUU/w640-h480/S2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>It was truly a cloudless day, though the temperature didn't rise much above freezing.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2bz_a2uYaYTFyvtV7OPGALRLD8Pdz0mmw7w1xgc_1AuIS0FvrTYuTSX3XEsHilm8SMiFd9vHS4nrtndRPdg5Row-nTKFv4CQ_gdp5IqLrkAyOkMZJi83XKKjAR9fVNKHodWFZwqTwkABeZ_1tO7T6lgQJdg_q-cGjNDdYTJ_Lsmuf-DFiHSPJjDkBNYo/s3008/S3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2792" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2bz_a2uYaYTFyvtV7OPGALRLD8Pdz0mmw7w1xgc_1AuIS0FvrTYuTSX3XEsHilm8SMiFd9vHS4nrtndRPdg5Row-nTKFv4CQ_gdp5IqLrkAyOkMZJi83XKKjAR9fVNKHodWFZwqTwkABeZ_1tO7T6lgQJdg_q-cGjNDdYTJ_Lsmuf-DFiHSPJjDkBNYo/w594-h640/S3.jpg" width="594" /></a></div>Our snow stick was totally exposed except for his feet.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOdTA8LRRHQSRLBbp_yUFzvSrkBxc55cJSm0KLLPxESsVZN8r0wr8Itnne2eassXpbckkkd6Aa4lxr5evd1yvaio1vV529Pbg10m9m6EXCooKTrRYNwzxNtcy15X2N8DsUXClrjzk7xxp7mkPytd2ti2x6j1NTjf09XreRjjvfwBcPgy0XG4MarHhE6Po/s4000/S4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOdTA8LRRHQSRLBbp_yUFzvSrkBxc55cJSm0KLLPxESsVZN8r0wr8Itnne2eassXpbckkkd6Aa4lxr5evd1yvaio1vV529Pbg10m9m6EXCooKTrRYNwzxNtcy15X2N8DsUXClrjzk7xxp7mkPytd2ti2x6j1NTjf09XreRjjvfwBcPgy0XG4MarHhE6Po/w480-h640/S4.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4hstVqFdarJl6zdHwP1_13xaAhaOpj3Dlqx1pTnZH9oGnWS7zZ-Oz_2kTLCwsAU5lYCEo0JaowwlnCPUpZuIAJry0zT4-fN1uucVUjolqTaXXCbLB6ejrUUuUZ8Ea0LxoHnnVUL8ezX1ArABwzE92eXVpW77RmNhgSFPPwQLcOh3_8FoftdRfSUSXfr2/s3659/S5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3659" data-original-width="2852" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4hstVqFdarJl6zdHwP1_13xaAhaOpj3Dlqx1pTnZH9oGnWS7zZ-Oz_2kTLCwsAU5lYCEo0JaowwlnCPUpZuIAJry0zT4-fN1uucVUjolqTaXXCbLB6ejrUUuUZ8Ea0LxoHnnVUL8ezX1ArABwzE92eXVpW77RmNhgSFPPwQLcOh3_8FoftdRfSUSXfr2/w498-h640/S5.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>And the tree trunks against the sky were striking. Hopefully we'll have more days like this!<br /><p><br /></p></div>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-80249856019723685042024-02-06T13:01:00.004-05:002024-02-06T13:01:44.311-05:00Walter's Falls Water-powered Feed Mill<p>Among the buildings I have shown you, this one is unique! It was hard for me to believe at first, but one day when I stopped into the Walter's Falls Feed Mill to buy our birdseed I got into conversation and was astonished to learn that this was one of the only water-powered feedmills left in Ontario! Not only that, but we could get a tour around it. I promptly requested one for my little photography group, and we went there in the summer of 2014.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5r3STPQaotch7myJhfyYcPKqtMjBDTpjWWSswZvtvLSCn2MhgpBM9EPtU54z9UuazuaS0HnrSANP79YP2Vip0CDjkSvJt3VpXICk0UcoJ-fKCkp2-s3mY1gRPuCS0fUa92Fn2YW3dTfJmQ0Bmg-Sw6H0fGCYHmu7eX_r8UEt7S3iSfjzaHgsNYPN2RVL/s1000/WF1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1000" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5r3STPQaotch7myJhfyYcPKqtMjBDTpjWWSswZvtvLSCn2MhgpBM9EPtU54z9UuazuaS0HnrSANP79YP2Vip0CDjkSvJt3VpXICk0UcoJ-fKCkp2-s3mY1gRPuCS0fUa92Fn2YW3dTfJmQ0Bmg-Sw6H0fGCYHmu7eX_r8UEt7S3iSfjzaHgsNYPN2RVL/w640-h460/WF1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNDxUx2gy1Rh1_0LMDI_yVT95r_9H6t0yS7U_qpJjPuMtLJ3p6-yNQZWc1xfPw0RyvBxw-hlpkEEb-s2r_0-Geuwiow3JMi2mr3RFzUUvYmhmYIIh3oud7Wy8xfqt81F_UgfFM807HmY9Q5dgZyogbjFjBRUZx6KjBu4PSvv6wpDj4wmxGwJbz6V7-A9D/s1000/WF2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNDxUx2gy1Rh1_0LMDI_yVT95r_9H6t0yS7U_qpJjPuMtLJ3p6-yNQZWc1xfPw0RyvBxw-hlpkEEb-s2r_0-Geuwiow3JMi2mr3RFzUUvYmhmYIIh3oud7Wy8xfqt81F_UgfFM807HmY9Q5dgZyogbjFjBRUZx6KjBu4PSvv6wpDj4wmxGwJbz6V7-A9D/w640-h428/WF2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>Stepping into the mill itself was like stepping back in time. There was a constant loud whump-whump-whump from the machinery and I wondered just how it all worked.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh667TBZIlrJCmwJpE84Gzaea9lO-Q1M7TF_0SlvxGHVi4oGS92v9S0XeHzgZq4EyomLHRaAqeLr912-5CkccT45-Sn2zFQEWocbR4iropyfV5md2EliYVpNMtw9nyo_FBfxymacrUuwtfBRsdtkC9zdRCsp9ZnXgi2XFBXszROI5FmPGITMPTfhWLvEnA/s1000/WF10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh667TBZIlrJCmwJpE84Gzaea9lO-Q1M7TF_0SlvxGHVi4oGS92v9S0XeHzgZq4EyomLHRaAqeLr912-5CkccT45-Sn2zFQEWocbR4iropyfV5md2EliYVpNMtw9nyo_FBfxymacrUuwtfBRsdtkC9zdRCsp9ZnXgi2XFBXszROI5FmPGITMPTfhWLvEnA/w640-h428/WF10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>When we arrived for our tour one of the staff took a few minutes out of his time to show us around, and we started at the mill pond. This was a surprise; you can't even see it from the road and it's quite large.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-BNQ4DL3UgD_AcQEhrJZnUDc699Tn8pERj83_Z5zEuzXSLTg8yleQyjk9O7GZgsewEhdPxu4sYkg8PSIrPoQyXvfMh8_uUwgH_uKgk16OC4RrGFa1A2HDSvOcwvLRpgIxFX7N8k63z_3iUvN3Fkkjkm0BXsbzL-SHewNwPoGgIaBUFFqujxrf0nDjNP1/s1000/WF11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-BNQ4DL3UgD_AcQEhrJZnUDc699Tn8pERj83_Z5zEuzXSLTg8yleQyjk9O7GZgsewEhdPxu4sYkg8PSIrPoQyXvfMh8_uUwgH_uKgk16OC4RrGFa1A2HDSvOcwvLRpgIxFX7N8k63z_3iUvN3Fkkjkm0BXsbzL-SHewNwPoGgIaBUFFqujxrf0nDjNP1/w640-h428/WF11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Here the pipe leaves the mill dam and heads downslope to the mill.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAvb4KbEBL-doERofcBJ57wyOzgLWXRRUjrlbnDuubb3lFzxGpotNz80HhWzS7tMAUoQwIrNxU_TFTWoZdctKMbzFIPPPnAVGwJe1MmAYuqEaxXnh8W0Uh0YcI2xOGP1ymUmWcAkgvUkrfApi5a2sgKKHVrnQz5EJCSJ4JUWZ8rSR_Yxv6-4XTHWwoS_M/s1000/WF12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAvb4KbEBL-doERofcBJ57wyOzgLWXRRUjrlbnDuubb3lFzxGpotNz80HhWzS7tMAUoQwIrNxU_TFTWoZdctKMbzFIPPPnAVGwJe1MmAYuqEaxXnh8W0Uh0YcI2xOGP1ymUmWcAkgvUkrfApi5a2sgKKHVrnQz5EJCSJ4JUWZ8rSR_Yxv6-4XTHWwoS_M/w640-h428/WF12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>There we go!</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1aqR8LEEhdgme0h7j-6TzWNO9mYNAHndvRt9OC1P2rrDK2LuD2B2Abznn5Es3n_kPYqcSWASWPR9RbBTuFLdnOUE1NJirwv8OWVQ0iu5fH0H32xi5EBVNFUkrahGqJp14iq9B_ypZoZy0oFhKcud8RmbEcBFtTeMoUumANh3ZKwbLYb3PWAscLQR7hH6P/s900/WF13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="602" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1aqR8LEEhdgme0h7j-6TzWNO9mYNAHndvRt9OC1P2rrDK2LuD2B2Abznn5Es3n_kPYqcSWASWPR9RbBTuFLdnOUE1NJirwv8OWVQ0iu5fH0H32xi5EBVNFUkrahGqJp14iq9B_ypZoZy0oFhKcud8RmbEcBFtTeMoUumANh3ZKwbLYb3PWAscLQR7hH6P/w428-h640/WF13.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>There's a standpipe just before the mill to provide a pressure relief valve. If pressure builds up, water simply rises in that stand pipe. At the end of the day when the mill shuts down, this provides a safe outlet.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmET8zFCG-5YC-tTU_hkKgKdvaP9S63nPjpDIdiZY6RA8Hj6I4uNgSmqFpzYiZFToBB3TWXWHNcithyphenhyphenPCRj2WxAzSxhkJy_AGGu1eGYDYrgDbn-g4Hpns6H83yZn0daQumpFN9_GIcSQS0A01I6Tzb7aEwRiz8H85k4hTDKzez8tM9qrQe9LT1-0vbN9y/s900/WF4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="698" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmET8zFCG-5YC-tTU_hkKgKdvaP9S63nPjpDIdiZY6RA8Hj6I4uNgSmqFpzYiZFToBB3TWXWHNcithyphenhyphenPCRj2WxAzSxhkJy_AGGu1eGYDYrgDbn-g4Hpns6H83yZn0daQumpFN9_GIcSQS0A01I6Tzb7aEwRiz8H85k4hTDKzez8tM9qrQe9LT1-0vbN9y/w496-h640/WF4.jpg" width="496" /></a></div>These are the millwheels. The water spins the bottom horizontal wheel; that wheel spins the top vertical wheel, which runs all the belts in the mill.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LTcfAzIXTCdI7JK7QHxU8wwPgD2tWglzet1tOLS2nJqMRXUBBI6H7RheaCC90Akr5_UKFM2UsKlUMTRxx1etpuvNwwzmVxVnFf-x9e43-hgqxlkqjaxPUYbvslwgYUAcMDoQWWJrM9Fh4MtC1HN_c7gOpnDXueNwGFZLit1PHez8kMxa8QDJwRciK1be/s717/WF5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="717" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LTcfAzIXTCdI7JK7QHxU8wwPgD2tWglzet1tOLS2nJqMRXUBBI6H7RheaCC90Akr5_UKFM2UsKlUMTRxx1etpuvNwwzmVxVnFf-x9e43-hgqxlkqjaxPUYbvslwgYUAcMDoQWWJrM9Fh4MtC1HN_c7gOpnDXueNwGFZLit1PHez8kMxa8QDJwRciK1be/w640-h600/WF5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>I managed this shot with a flash, showing the two big wheels. <span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: times;">Believe it or not, these are all wooden teeth, each made out of hard maple, and fitted separately into the wheels. Every morning before turning things on the miller greases these gears and tightens each tooth to be sure they're ready for the day's work. </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZPRQdRti_KOxmr0xoyNBheczf4AXXZE6xhXSGDt3q06nLndCWeB9rBWdVcxpjhFfAai1JU0ULgDxk-BJ_AmMXTqHMw0YovfjOrrH1fXGaBDEhTuFxbY7MAqcGlPC1y-JuwFnQ4PXxLFuDSGGZL6mjxwkItmAIkmk5Z8Hf2KdYocypvb7BIYaxfwWgHr9/s900/WF6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="611" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZPRQdRti_KOxmr0xoyNBheczf4AXXZE6xhXSGDt3q06nLndCWeB9rBWdVcxpjhFfAai1JU0ULgDxk-BJ_AmMXTqHMw0YovfjOrrH1fXGaBDEhTuFxbY7MAqcGlPC1y-JuwFnQ4PXxLFuDSGGZL6mjxwkItmAIkmk5Z8Hf2KdYocypvb7BIYaxfwWgHr9/w434-h640/WF6.jpg" width="434" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's from here that a series of large and small belts run the machinery. The actual grain being ground is of course all out of sight inside the pipes for safety.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-jEmtCq7uzO8nfB15CmqEtcFp3iroUNax_MCcdAOtRgN2TaBj8hvgtaJYMF-Dat8gu8-t6NYoQAbBRolKOyDAILnQxvKh4iMeFWTjI0-Vom4j-N8bkqiIBYgIpmoqXnPnCjkLtAU9tffG9CMe6hzQcCS8aLEvzMFl3TZv3OLctmhDmz9yek4WTb2jioN/s1000/WF3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-jEmtCq7uzO8nfB15CmqEtcFp3iroUNax_MCcdAOtRgN2TaBj8hvgtaJYMF-Dat8gu8-t6NYoQAbBRolKOyDAILnQxvKh4iMeFWTjI0-Vom4j-N8bkqiIBYgIpmoqXnPnCjkLtAU9tffG9CMe6hzQcCS8aLEvzMFl3TZv3OLctmhDmz9yek4WTb2jioN/w640-h428/WF3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A series of these chutes enable the mill to grind and bag its different products - including the birdseed we bought. Below are the final products, all stacked and ready for purchase.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyefzJW-SbHrlFGdODI_qyl8SPKW2Yc_g7FlpN6NJB0UzK09I5ieFrm8nKAFO9m_MDYBPsrFxLS9D0A2cWLpiWshQRo6IBqMhH3e-rDx7zWbeJi7jaTIi82uj2tpHTTCE_2Ujt2yxAC2gKzVhAX4E4IZLBWCT4Ni_3R-m4v0pSpSllwt_psA7V825BTofV/s1000/WF9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyefzJW-SbHrlFGdODI_qyl8SPKW2Yc_g7FlpN6NJB0UzK09I5ieFrm8nKAFO9m_MDYBPsrFxLS9D0A2cWLpiWshQRo6IBqMhH3e-rDx7zWbeJi7jaTIi82uj2tpHTTCE_2Ujt2yxAC2gKzVhAX4E4IZLBWCT4Ni_3R-m4v0pSpSllwt_psA7V825BTofV/w640-h428/WF9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>I had quite an interesting time retrieving these pictures for this post, as I don't have the original files. My only copies are from my original two posts in early October, 2014. So I saved the images from those posts 'backwards' so to speak, to my photo files, then I was able to edit them, mainly to brighten them to create better images. I tried dropping them in the post initially, but that didn't work. Saving them to my photo file did. The ten year old photos are saved!<br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-16567335859285633602024-02-04T13:02:00.003-05:002024-02-04T13:02:47.115-05:00Abandoned Buildings<p>There are lots of abandoned buildings around here, but almost all of them are old barns. These are a few more interesting buildings, including several houses. I haven't been past many of these in about a decade, so who knows what shape they're in today.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogw7Bo0jNTN305kdaTD52gxeKc2KassU7SN-DpS92jr2KmURKtP0OdgrZ8h5GCXnh7E9Owb5Od5lZXEeAqaMxbullNxWeIE1qWTEH6usuczzy7h7ytgT5_2VfKjKuXBM9GZSwmA85dGPRh8Vafxozv00S5L9-0DIlEQaKU25OSa8Q6pXWoQJSBxAIo1rc/s1024/DSC_0227.TIF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="1024" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogw7Bo0jNTN305kdaTD52gxeKc2KassU7SN-DpS92jr2KmURKtP0OdgrZ8h5GCXnh7E9Owb5Od5lZXEeAqaMxbullNxWeIE1qWTEH6usuczzy7h7ytgT5_2VfKjKuXBM9GZSwmA85dGPRh8Vafxozv00S5L9-0DIlEQaKU25OSa8Q6pXWoQJSBxAIo1rc/w640-h394/DSC_0227.TIF" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8P2fUIOk6ygjaDPGUpWkEnypp2eO2A3Ndc1rRkcpZs-PHYhWB4OcDnkMQyk125a2MFfa2lieMbXz-09gyq0XJfbY6IJFlqYWYxZnWEpkoiLrS7NkCkPJCgy02M_FRs4SWwIQXqUFgBZOjTRVR7xNVW3KRnvbJp7zexW0QAdQG1UoOK9wMqK-Ha-orS_Y-/s1024/DSC_0231.TIF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="685" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8P2fUIOk6ygjaDPGUpWkEnypp2eO2A3Ndc1rRkcpZs-PHYhWB4OcDnkMQyk125a2MFfa2lieMbXz-09gyq0XJfbY6IJFlqYWYxZnWEpkoiLrS7NkCkPJCgy02M_FRs4SWwIQXqUFgBZOjTRVR7xNVW3KRnvbJp7zexW0QAdQG1UoOK9wMqK-Ha-orS_Y-/w428-h640/DSC_0231.TIF" width="428" /></a></div><div>This is the only log cabin I know of which is at least somewhat still standing (apart from a few which have been refurbished and maintained). This stands back in the woods, not too far from one of the Bruce Trail side trails, which is how I found it. Amazing dove-tailed corners, all with only hand tools!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFuriFvA2Ui20RaYF8Kbv0mBrsAl4BIsOwHMlPDjrt6oYFbMJmVEyINS25poGHIAAzwKGsa69hEQqYnE0tK9kjiDaZzE4txLvYlPvdTwGjUy6X0QRSl_mMTz4kKfVg11-cF4HfKotVuRzfDA5h5RZ4BwPCsnRPDNltEEGDnhYMvMQJp7CTzFQt8JDBvwS/s1024/DSC_0925.TIF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="1024" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFuriFvA2Ui20RaYF8Kbv0mBrsAl4BIsOwHMlPDjrt6oYFbMJmVEyINS25poGHIAAzwKGsa69hEQqYnE0tK9kjiDaZzE4txLvYlPvdTwGjUy6X0QRSl_mMTz4kKfVg11-cF4HfKotVuRzfDA5h5RZ4BwPCsnRPDNltEEGDnhYMvMQJp7CTzFQt8JDBvwS/w640-h428/DSC_0925.TIF" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">This old barn foundation is certainly not unique, but it stays in my memory for two reasons. First it's the only one I've visited with a geologist in tow, who could explain the minerology of each block. As I recall, the light coloured ones are the native dolostone around here; the others are glacial in origin, various combinations of things like quartz, felspar or basalt, brought down from the Canadian Shield by the glaciers. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">The other reason I remember this one is crazy - someone bought it, had it taken apart stone-by-stone, moved and reassembled, as a garden feature!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfo_9UTQzFXIbuH5yzzimB5WXoNpDQnoG5durdOIGtB2f8PK55bOoYtuxnjvha_V583FVbU-VBfBW7mF__vGWsmpmD8FYuNcFuoi6oq7m2r2MY5SID3dPcrewPBDnh7iDbGfxq9f41Aw9s6z84vFHhHxnY-WWYcAd0kRbXk9OP4HmMPVkiV0dUjYK1U9uI/s1024/DSC_0463.TIF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="1024" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfo_9UTQzFXIbuH5yzzimB5WXoNpDQnoG5durdOIGtB2f8PK55bOoYtuxnjvha_V583FVbU-VBfBW7mF__vGWsmpmD8FYuNcFuoi6oq7m2r2MY5SID3dPcrewPBDnh7iDbGfxq9f41Aw9s6z84vFHhHxnY-WWYcAd0kRbXk9OP4HmMPVkiV0dUjYK1U9uI/w640-h428/DSC_0463.TIF" width="640" /></a></div>A more recent home but still obviously old, and abandoned for some time.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62GpkweeC2tA3oPzZCN23ERhVrlnLMNepLkrnq0gbxVjSfPNIoJvrw1-MvpIZh2MPqBkXJaBJbL5ZTKGesPf-CL7Vbcv6Vvg6bkQzfBKef3iDTZX6ESwESEwybB7M8udemuKSF9V4tRVLoCh4JZF_-ECCcr43qzmlGZ7XBzNUSF6k_yHpBtZg4H2mXXG5/s1024/DSC_0804.TIF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62GpkweeC2tA3oPzZCN23ERhVrlnLMNepLkrnq0gbxVjSfPNIoJvrw1-MvpIZh2MPqBkXJaBJbL5ZTKGesPf-CL7Vbcv6Vvg6bkQzfBKef3iDTZX6ESwESEwybB7M8udemuKSF9V4tRVLoCh4JZF_-ECCcr43qzmlGZ7XBzNUSF6k_yHpBtZg4H2mXXG5/w640-h426/DSC_0804.TIF" width="640" /></a></div>And an even more recent home, hidden behind overgrown trees and shrubs, but still abandoned.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtGPXRFNH2M0UNt3mmRE6u4rC3_ZA_cheF7QVMaviwSHMAMB_yZIZycP7xh9GMZOUcnhGzkF8GHLHRc4p5B79Rz3jiQQMYLJgHy4tvoBTXZD3cymJow9QfHJ8bspvMjkC674DnUcC7hg3W9rRiFrf_ODk_ZAgPj3WEohbH_aXe44X1KSBpvt_VrtvF-s-q/s1024/DSC_0338.TIF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="1024" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtGPXRFNH2M0UNt3mmRE6u4rC3_ZA_cheF7QVMaviwSHMAMB_yZIZycP7xh9GMZOUcnhGzkF8GHLHRc4p5B79Rz3jiQQMYLJgHy4tvoBTXZD3cymJow9QfHJ8bspvMjkC674DnUcC7hg3W9rRiFrf_ODk_ZAgPj3WEohbH_aXe44X1KSBpvt_VrtvF-s-q/w640-h428/DSC_0338.TIF" width="640" /></a></div>This beautiful old stone house I'm not quite sure of, I think it's just in transition. I know it was occupied until recently, but I don't know whether it's abandoned or just kept so family members can use it on summer weekends. I suspect that's how it usually happens - when one generation passes on and the family doesn't have the will to simply sell it promptly, and doesn't maintain it. Around here one winter can do a lot of damage if the pipes freeze.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxuBWAT7C_KVH2qdkRpWKpBC-8ahAB7uAMJVgpKJadaTACeky7V7XTCR_v_h12f3Wo9cQvmaV5W5oGcOIeK-muySXZZ9EIUXyTYOjz49M9EAAzFGhBW7bnDFNlHIepZv38jEel432uHeRRQc0UrHvKU7WXE7rQcsi4ULXsVxw_Sa-t_SGwDFPFMNmI31G/s1024/DSC_0562.TIF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="1024" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxuBWAT7C_KVH2qdkRpWKpBC-8ahAB7uAMJVgpKJadaTACeky7V7XTCR_v_h12f3Wo9cQvmaV5W5oGcOIeK-muySXZZ9EIUXyTYOjz49M9EAAzFGhBW7bnDFNlHIepZv38jEel432uHeRRQc0UrHvKU7WXE7rQcsi4ULXsVxw_Sa-t_SGwDFPFMNmI31G/w640-h428/DSC_0562.TIF" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These last two are much bigger buildings. This is the old ski lodge at Old Smokey, a ski hill just north of Talisman. I never skied here, but I remember driving past it in my youth. It ended operation in about the mid-1980s..</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJqm-yg_TObGRuv8tXjVvLH0XLJKQ4ZE7qTfkzKIJ2qZ7bJv3rqe-06c7yVZyx2waCTZvmPNmPkLjtNUSZruj-1q8lozzCjvwyjG68OwdFwWqCAG4Aw-pVZmx8DTik4sA7UYr5yHHXz6_vv1Ke209X4waQuZ0dloY00ZKnh0v198gi_xqkYpVojfZqsaET/s1024/DSC_0434.TIF"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="1024" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJqm-yg_TObGRuv8tXjVvLH0XLJKQ4ZE7qTfkzKIJ2qZ7bJv3rqe-06c7yVZyx2waCTZvmPNmPkLjtNUSZruj-1q8lozzCjvwyjG68OwdFwWqCAG4Aw-pVZmx8DTik4sA7UYr5yHHXz6_vv1Ke209X4waQuZ0dloY00ZKnh0v198gi_xqkYpVojfZqsaET/w640-h428/DSC_0434.TIF" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And this, unbelievably, is the Talisman Ski Lodge, a busy going concern until about 10 years ago, but a sad story since. I've skied here, and our own children did as well, but it was sold to a developer who slowly discovered that the cost of refurbishment was too high. Pipes had burst, and mold had spread. I think the municipality owns it again now.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Add up the investment in these buildings and others, and that's a big financial loss! The loss of Talisman is felt acutely in the local community, as it was a significant source of employment, a very visible feature along the road north of Kimberley. It was still operational recently enough that many locals still remember it.</div><br /><p><br /></p></div>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1315509519261683441.post-35079307349161029182024-02-02T13:48:00.002-05:002024-02-02T13:48:47.686-05:00Other Buildings Still in Use<p>I've collected a number of other interesting building here, each with its own interesting story - a power plant, two old mills. a sand dome, and an extra church I didn't share in the last post. In my mind there's something unique about each one, more than my title would suggest.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfyuwhU3J1uPQ3vflOBGqZF51hu44w6vr66tZKPUlygWLk7Ze5CcCMF4zygidYO2II4jFxODFppKugwZAW6hzX2nZTxKmBKW7QhWfxrNYqT7-jOJ1V9TlUHAV4HV98F_kESwHvCFZKuTp1QEt-nMwTsD9Fbx-peHyZu8NBBKCDwtWMdjpLFFloLhfUEQd7/s1024/DSC_0685.TIF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="1024" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfyuwhU3J1uPQ3vflOBGqZF51hu44w6vr66tZKPUlygWLk7Ze5CcCMF4zygidYO2II4jFxODFppKugwZAW6hzX2nZTxKmBKW7QhWfxrNYqT7-jOJ1V9TlUHAV4HV98F_kESwHvCFZKuTp1QEt-nMwTsD9Fbx-peHyZu8NBBKCDwtWMdjpLFFloLhfUEQd7/w640-h398/DSC_0685.TIF" width="640" /></a></div>This is the Eugenia Generating Station, built in 1915. They dammed the Beaver River above the village of Eugenia and fed the water through large wooden stave pipes to the crest of the escarpment, where it hit the surge towers and then plunged to the powerhouse. I'm old enough to remember the enormous wooden pipes, which built huge icicles wherever they leaked. Now the pipes are metal and buried.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0P_gpSDI7DqB-oE3lfVFQZY6oKclatPfAO9xEFi0k4m8Fxy4nUUwXwFk5kVFOTI4JdCvvZEhPiQwVGMIh4_2TRDohs2B47ph1c51HEK6xb2Z3H0hvgQUyT8OVG7sSw9gDqc20YVzdyL0QuX5H1SS9qLhi74BS94HS3LgxS30oFAlFQWnhdzdPtSlp857/s1024/DSC_0316.TIF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="683" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0P_gpSDI7DqB-oE3lfVFQZY6oKclatPfAO9xEFi0k4m8Fxy4nUUwXwFk5kVFOTI4JdCvvZEhPiQwVGMIh4_2TRDohs2B47ph1c51HEK6xb2Z3H0hvgQUyT8OVG7sSw9gDqc20YVzdyL0QuX5H1SS9qLhi74BS94HS3LgxS30oFAlFQWnhdzdPtSlp857/w426-h640/DSC_0316.TIF" width="426" /></a></div>At the top of the escarpment, these are the surge towers, These function to keep the water pressures as stable as possible, by allowing the water level to rise if pressure increases and fall if pressure decreases. Thus the water pressure entering the generating station down below stays relatively stable. Two large pipes drop right down the slope into the powerhouse, as you can see in the top photo.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFqXIi2DCYLuZ2xROwYE0EaCyEDXEh13iTkIY8wYAwtMMrD5CGMiXCFscLfmw60pmFns5mp69NxM1Jo1P19idqQhFxGwNb2x1TlJJ8NVSzt8eCzxspKU6gc74kmz5lFTPmn4ohyDIYQkaWo0gUbBYBL0cCutV8QcCehY5KEXf4ioBgFjYu53-1OcvEKiy/s1024/DSCN0552.TIF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFqXIi2DCYLuZ2xROwYE0EaCyEDXEh13iTkIY8wYAwtMMrD5CGMiXCFscLfmw60pmFns5mp69NxM1Jo1P19idqQhFxGwNb2x1TlJJ8NVSzt8eCzxspKU6gc74kmz5lFTPmn4ohyDIYQkaWo0gUbBYBL0cCutV8QcCehY5KEXf4ioBgFjYu53-1OcvEKiy/w640-h480/DSCN0552.TIF" width="640" /></a></div>And this is the powerhouse, four big generators in a row, taken on a day when they had an open house. It is all run remotely now, from a larger hydro centre, but my uncle worked here in the late 1940s, the uncle I never knew as he died far too young. They had 6 or 8 small houses along the road, and my aunt and cousin also lived here briefly. This hydro plant still makes an important contribution to the electrical grid, partly because it has the highest drop of any hydro plant east of the Rockies.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIhJgaUc62AgB_w2_7Qri73mFKfEqr93skzKSeO6dRIPHIn6fXzVC2__k-CHDrK2SC05-LkdToeq4Jpqm_hDzRJiIIBZKVM_yzMPuamftBkOQwQAn_BOPn8SK35rlxOd5vU_9DLjcVBALE15MPK5UAx73CS3q68r5DSHqylWMQBod-lTpYkirKrzYr4WQ/s1024/DSC_0124.TIF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="1024" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIhJgaUc62AgB_w2_7Qri73mFKfEqr93skzKSeO6dRIPHIn6fXzVC2__k-CHDrK2SC05-LkdToeq4Jpqm_hDzRJiIIBZKVM_yzMPuamftBkOQwQAn_BOPn8SK35rlxOd5vU_9DLjcVBALE15MPK5UAx73CS3q68r5DSHqylWMQBod-lTpYkirKrzYr4WQ/w640-h428/DSC_0124.TIF" width="640" /></a></div>This building is all that's left of the old sawmill in Walter's Falls, which burned to the ground in 1984, and was rebuilt on the edge of the village where it continues to operate today. I think this building is just used for storage now, but it's a very picturesque setting beside the milldam. The big pipe leading to the waterfalls behind us is a remnant of the old sawmill.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZHAC7n9J2rpOY0DitSYs4twy7EMTvpzMqNJuC8cpGFPvsfcV7QIqYl1MBMsRwSyVlm6UKiCp84zwWwKTHyPc82WVev2N3r_J8aLKEHA5PVrO-abFhlcq4N096zRCQ_dLfk0Z_6gi1ANEjYzbFAc5Ca-_vjZrwSnQpl9O8nzLTAygSFST42OkzmWcFH0k/s1024/DSC_0752.TIF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="1024" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZHAC7n9J2rpOY0DitSYs4twy7EMTvpzMqNJuC8cpGFPvsfcV7QIqYl1MBMsRwSyVlm6UKiCp84zwWwKTHyPc82WVev2N3r_J8aLKEHA5PVrO-abFhlcq4N096zRCQ_dLfk0Z_6gi1ANEjYzbFAc5Ca-_vjZrwSnQpl9O8nzLTAygSFST42OkzmWcFH0k/w640-h428/DSC_0752.TIF" width="640" /></a></div>A block up the road is the Walter's Falls grist mill, an honest-to-goodness water-powered feedmill, one of the few left in Ontario. I've had a tour inside and it's simply amazing, a page out of history. I think I'll do another more detailed post just on this old mill. We used to buy bird seed here.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpV0lZgIfoKyPngbgHOwtPwpIB60gJEx2mFrUE3tac8R-egugIMCZC2gqYgKsr2Bo-Kh_Mn3nvr3QZO_BVE3F0fmZWKAvD-cb8YsnRAf2T5pGRXCTJYhCecwetbM_6bZiyjW_BxdRR275gIoEVGJU2jEo1_epoeY5__Rh6a-WT2URxTXbS4_5gI6U02Ooc/s1024/DSC_0611.TIF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="1024" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpV0lZgIfoKyPngbgHOwtPwpIB60gJEx2mFrUE3tac8R-egugIMCZC2gqYgKsr2Bo-Kh_Mn3nvr3QZO_BVE3F0fmZWKAvD-cb8YsnRAf2T5pGRXCTJYhCecwetbM_6bZiyjW_BxdRR275gIoEVGJU2jEo1_epoeY5__Rh6a-WT2URxTXbS4_5gI6U02Ooc/w640-h362/DSC_0611.TIF" width="640" /></a></div>Of course if you live in a cold climate like ours, you need someplace to store the 'pickled sand' they spread on the roads in the winter. A few decades back someone came up with the bright idea of building sand domes. They fill them up in the summer, and trucks stop by in the winter to reload the sand.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you haven't heard the term 'pickled sand' before, it's a mixture of sand and a small bit of rock salt, which both provides better traction and melts the snow and ice.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDp01ANrERRrnNTzWRsvm-66mkqrsMmJk-nLoKjQ-tO_wLvi51cKD08GefruABSvstNXGTIg0LRC1SMqKeabHRHA38uzUmiUclh9fo8VxNCv8LpzeMqB27GA51WSvWn0S0DxxkG58KHJo33H0ZnTIFLVtN3a9l90y3VNJgzXRgVqKV4PdDVknDaG4B2de3/s1024/DSC_0670-2.TIF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="899" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDp01ANrERRrnNTzWRsvm-66mkqrsMmJk-nLoKjQ-tO_wLvi51cKD08GefruABSvstNXGTIg0LRC1SMqKeabHRHA38uzUmiUclh9fo8VxNCv8LpzeMqB27GA51WSvWn0S0DxxkG58KHJo33H0ZnTIFLVtN3a9l90y3VNJgzXRgVqKV4PdDVknDaG4B2de3/w351-h400/DSC_0670-2.TIF" width="351" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Did I mention we live in a cold climate?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTG5Ybun-RJZTvGiAFfFV386I4Vm660e1EJBuvrQnhMkvZXshDP5JTiVik8ip_94RQI5id22laHpAVggkRFmL7jpKrZbIRE_-h3CEj4GZljn8HHM6lRfaptsXYrrmPxpFcTX7jMaekbtRtLOLIkOY8UopcGVx_FtKoP2djUxHb-gw04D4CP7DA9Ro98wx4/s1024/DSC_0663.TIF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="1024" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTG5Ybun-RJZTvGiAFfFV386I4Vm660e1EJBuvrQnhMkvZXshDP5JTiVik8ip_94RQI5id22laHpAVggkRFmL7jpKrZbIRE_-h3CEj4GZljn8HHM6lRfaptsXYrrmPxpFcTX7jMaekbtRtLOLIkOY8UopcGVx_FtKoP2djUxHb-gw04D4CP7DA9Ro98wx4/w640-h398/DSC_0663.TIF" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi03PSNyN_qC0P4EEfS_ZZtdYiyUFLtFqDukPEoaJ5LfnRuRx_gbNxytWTV8jnlEtKKfOazwzeBqu94FVrwovmwUAsGm5rQZygHLucAEHz-vJ5uG0BlCNiN8WfpOM-QPMU-zb8_D6V6W2ax0kjWvZtyQVlHV0Vu8tqMChNBmTtQAm0s32E4arNwRjWr-rRX/s1024/DSC_0666.TIF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="1024" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi03PSNyN_qC0P4EEfS_ZZtdYiyUFLtFqDukPEoaJ5LfnRuRx_gbNxytWTV8jnlEtKKfOazwzeBqu94FVrwovmwUAsGm5rQZygHLucAEHz-vJ5uG0BlCNiN8WfpOM-QPMU-zb8_D6V6W2ax0kjWvZtyQVlHV0Vu8tqMChNBmTtQAm0s32E4arNwRjWr-rRX/w640-h428/DSC_0666.TIF" width="640" /></a></div>I added this photo of another rural church not because of the church, which is now a residence, but because of the enormous driveshed beside it. Many rural churches used to have drivesheds where horses could be sheltered during winter services. I'm old enough to remember the one at the church where my grandad had been minister, but you hardly ever see them now.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>The Furry Gnomehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02485265576983125216noreply@blogger.com6