christmas presage

Royal Recreational Trail, Guelph.

red vegetable

Guelph Farmer's Market.

here comes the sun flower

Guelph.

it's not brocolli

Definitely looks like it should be under water. But it's a small land plant.
A coral lung?

Bayfield Inlet.

lady in the wind

Evergreen gone grey.

Bayfield Inlet.

cardinal flower

Favourite of hummingbirds.

Bayfield Inlet.

cone returning to the soil

I Died as a Mineral

I died as a mineral and became a plant,
I died as plant and rose to animal,
I died as animal and I was Man.
Why should I fear? When was I less by dying?
Yet once more I shall die as Man, to soar
With angels blest; but even from angelhood
I must pass on: all except God doth perish.
When I have sacrificed my angel-soul,
I shall become what no mind e'er conceived.
Oh, let me not exist! for Non-existence
Proclaims in organ tones, 'To Him we shall return.'


Written by
Maulana Jalal al-Din Rumi (1207-1273)
Translated by
A. J. Arberry

Bayfield Inlet.

lily peace

Bayfield Inlet.

moon and star

After the 3rd century B.C. the vast majority of educated persons knew the earth was a sphere. Eratosthenes measured the size of the earth quite accurately.
The fiction that people used to believe the earth was flat comes from the popular books by novelist Washington Irving.

Bayfield Inlet.

quartz of berries

Blue food is rare in nature. Blue is an appetite suppressant. Well, unless you're a bear.
Diet tip: dye your food blue and serve it on blue plates.
Survival tip: Don't paint yourself blue and wander the woods.

Bayfield Inlet.

British Soldiers

A lichen - which is a fungus and an algae cohabiting.

Bayfield Inlet.

the orange and green kiss

This photo reminds me of a scene from Genesis - a short documentary on the origins and variety of life on earth. Stunning imagery. All ages. Manages to skirt both evolution and creationism.

Bayfield Inlet.

sunset on the rocks

Bayfield Inlet.

the boys love jumping

Bayfield Inlet.

aurora and the green door

Faux po'.

Bayfield Inlet.

handful of tree

This trail follows the right of way of the defunct Electric Railway from Guelph over to the Bruce Trail near Limehouse. The Guelph Hiking Trail Club.

Guelph Radial Trail.

Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival

The Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival.

Quebec Street, Guelph.

looking at prints

Zavitz Hall.

University of Guelph.

egg collecting

We share 60% of our genes with these descendants of dinosaurs. And 20% of our meals.

Liverpool Street, Guelph.

going to market

Liverpool Street, Guelph.

Sarah's garden in the spring

Guelph.

Webster's Falls

jackadach.com has a nice series of waterfall photos, mostly from south western Ontario.

Dundas.

church of our lady in red

The higher parts of the church are more recent but appear more ancient. Some history here.

Church of Our Lady, Guelph.

Hilton Falls

Great area for hiking, biking, cross country skiing, or taking your grand daughter to see a waterfall.

Hilton Falls Conservation Area.

indian pipes

Living in the dark woods these flowers without chlorophyll are sometimes mistaken for fungi.

In shining groups, each stem a pearly ray
Weird flecks of light within the shadowed wood,
They dwell aloof, a spotless sisterhood.
No Angelus, except the wild bird’s lay,
Awakes these forest nuns; yet night and day,
Their heads are bent, as if in prayerful mood.
A touch will mar their snow, and tempests rude
Defile; but in the mist fresh blossoms stray
From spirit-gardens, just beyond our ken.
Each year we seek their virgin haunts, to look
Upon new loveliness, and watch again
Their shy devotions near the singing brook;
Then, mingling in the dizzy stir of men,
Forget the vows made in that clustered nook.

- Mary Potter Thacher Higginson (1844-1941)

Duncan Crevice Caves Conservation Area.

food grinders

Here's part of my uncle's collection of food grinders. Most people collect something. I try to collect my wits.

Collector Collection
Archtophilist Teddy Bears
Bestiarist Medieval Books on Animals
Bibliophilist Books
Brandophilist Cigar Bands
Conchologist Shells
Copoclephilist Key Rings
Deltiologist Postcards
Dologist Bird's Eggs
Lepidopterist Butterflies
Numismatist Coins
Philatelist Stamps
Philographist Autographs
Phonophile Phonograph Records
Plangonologist Dolls
Receptarist Recipes
Vecturist Subway Tokens
Vexillologist Banners or Flags

Grey County.

gull on the Grand

A gull scours the placid waters of the millpond above the falls in Elora for ... well, probably for popcorn & chips. If you can get past the quaint shops into the gorge itself there are some impressive scenes of high limestone walls and white water.

Grand River, Elora.

Sarah making Morris music on May Day

Morris Dancing has been around longer than The Rolling Stones and although not quite so lucrative does manage to draw a number of foolish souls out at dawn on May Day to watch and join in with bell ringing and stick whacking.
Each year after the leaping and ducking is complete the local side, The Black Sheep Morris, sing and share breakfast. You can hear Sarah sing here. More info on Morris dancing is here.

Goldie Mill, Guelph.

hand made fence & blue tarp

A small section of a larger gate or fence assembled from local branches located in an off trail grove. Who would construct this natural koan?

Eden Mills.

snow sheep

Here resting on their barrels are the famous Jesuit Snow Sheep. There are some beautiful short trails to traverse, organic farming, and more info here.

Ignatius College, Guelph.

tea time

Guelph.

old black water, keep on rolling

Sarah braving the cool fall water.

Eramosa River near Eden Mills.