Thursday, May 30, 2013

A Day In The Backyard

Everything is growing like crazy and I didn't want to miss the opportunity to capture 
some of it's beauty to enjoy when the cold and white Canadian winter sets in.

Bleeding heart in full bloom

Asian Swallowtail enjoying the lilac's

The poppy pod after the rain

The flox is bursting into colour

This fledgling robin landed in the garden after its first flight

The ants are working on the peonies

Solomon's Seal after the thunder storm

The lilac's smell so wonderful

Bunny enjoying some of my flower's....naughty, naughty!!
I love his fir standing up on the top of his head

Bumble bee pollinating the solomon's seal

Our Newest Graduate

Drew, we are so proud of you and wanted to let the world know 
that you have finished your upgrading with amazing marks. 
Drew has been accepted at Conestoga College to take computer programming 
starting in September. Congratulations and we wish you all the best as you 
fulfill your next dream.  Love Mom & Dad xo

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Pinery, May 24-26 2013

Another wonderful week-end of adventures. It is always nice to get back to the Pinery and we were able to have our favourite site which made it even better. After setting up we had to do our usual drive into Grand Bend to see the sites and for Duncan to check out the motor homes that are for sale just outside of town. It was very windy at the beach so we didn't stay long. On our way back we drove the loop in the park and took in the sites along the way. Everything is so green at this time of year and the view was much different from our last trip down in late fall. We enjoyed a roaring campfire and a relaxing evening.
Saturday we headed up to Goderich to see how the town is progressing with all the rebuilding after the tornado in 2011 and of coarse to make a stop at the bakery for some donuts!!! On our return trip back we stopped at Neftel's Creek Conservation Area.  Just after parking the car a Yellow-rumped Warbler decided our mirror was another bird and proceeded to flirt with it. It was quite funny to watch and I was able to get a few photos. We hiked one of the trails and continued on our journey back to the Pinery. We enjoyed a great supper that had been cooking all day in the crock pot. We headed out for a hike in the woods and sunset on the beach before relaxing at the campfire with a cup of tiramisu hot chocolate. Yummy!
Sunday we had a lazy morning before going for a walk on the beach. The step on the motor home started to act up and would not fold up. It would work some of the time and not other times. So when we were able to get it to close we shut it off. We stopped at the Visitors Center and I went for a hike on the Cedar Trail while Duncan had a snooze. When I got back and opened the door the step came out even though it was shut off. Well, that was the start of a long process of trying to get it to close again. We tried many things and in the end we drove home with it down. After getting home I opened the door and the stair closed. We have decided there has to be a short somewhere and will have to get it fixed. For now it has been disconnected and we will have to climb a little bit to get in. No more traveling with the step down. It was a nice week-end and we enjoyed our time at the Pinery as we always do.

Dwight the raccoon greets us on our arrival

A Male Eastern Towhee

A little windy even for Mrs. Cardinal

Nothing tastes better than a donut from Culbert's

The square in Goderich with all the new trees planted

There are new planters that can be used for seating

Neftel's Creek
Male Yellow-rumped Warbler

I see something in this mirror.......

What a good looking bird!

This bird is hard. Why can't I touch this other bird?

Follow the winding path through the trees

Pine trees tilting but not falling

Look way up to the tips of the trees

Back at the Pinery
 Saturday evening hike through the flowers

Evening sun on the flowers

So many flowers to enjoy at this time of year

Late day reflections on the Ausable Channel

Waiting patiently for the wind to blow

Beach grasses at sunset

Sunset over Lake Huron

Chickadee came to visit

Do the nuts taste better than what is in your mouth?

Writing in the sand...........

Male Ruby Throated Hummingbird at the feeder

Female having her turn at the sweet treat

Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak reaching for a snack

Strawberry Wild Columbine

Flowers along the Cedar Trail

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Awenda, May 17-20 2013

I got one, I got one!!! I finally was able to capture a picture of a Pileated Woodpecker. This is only the second time I have seen one in all the time we have spent out at the parks. Duncan spotted one way up in a tree and I was able to get two pictures before it flew off into hiding again.
We had a wonderful long week-end away. We stopped at the General Store in Stanton to get our fix of fudge on the way up. When we arrived at our site there was a yellow-bellied sapsucker woodpecker waiting to greet us. Well, not really there to greet us but just looking for bugs I'm sure. After setting up we headed to Kettle Lake to see what we could see. There was not to much action there but the scenery was great. It was nice to take in the sites of this wonderful park again.
We drove into Midland on Saturday to get fuses for the brake buddy as it blew its fuse on the way up.  On the way back to the park we stopped and had some yummy poutine in Lafontaine and picked up campfire wood. Later we hiked the beaver trail and that is where we saw the pileated woodpecker. We enjoyed a wonderful evening at the campfire and it was so warm we didn't even need jackets.
Sunday we met up with Mike and Wendy for lunch in Midland. It was nice to reconnect with them and catch up. Hopefully we will see them again soon during our summer travels through the parks. Sunday evening we enjoyed the sunset by the water even though it was a little cloudy.
Monday we hiked the beaver trail again in hopes of seeing the woodpecker but he could only be heard and not seen. The mosquitoes had come to life by then so we were glad we had lucked out with almost a bug free week-end. We had no rain to dampen our plans and the weather was amazingly warm for the May long week-end.
Memories Of Awenda
 Pileated Woodpecker way up in a tree

Heart shaped log in the bush

A back lit red trillium 

 
Yellow-bellied sapsucker welcome 

The trilliums were in full bloom throughout the park

A male American Restart at Kettle Lake

Jack in the Pulpit flower along the Nipissing Trail
My first siting of a Gray Catbird

I love the colour contrast in this trillium

 Ring Billed Seagull taking in the sunset

Sunday evening sunset with the haze

Faces In The Woods



Chester The Chipmunk Comes To Visit




 

Reflections At Kettle Lake
 There are many colours even in spring

Almost looks like a fish with the reflection

 We love Awenda! Can you find the heart shape?

The lake was like glass on Sunday evening