Spring is Coming to Todmorden Mills
Posted: April 8, 2014 Filed under: Animal Life, Inspiration, Ontario, Plant Life, Toronto, Water | Tags: birds, buds, climate change, green, spring, Todmorden Mills, Toronto, trees, urban nature, woods 2 Comments
On Sunday, I went again to Todmorden Mills in Toronto. It was sunny and relatively mild–around 8 or 9 Celsius. I walked on the little wildflower path through trees and by a pond and streams. On the way, I’d seen a cardinal atop a naked tree–pointed out to me by a young couple passing by. In the woods, I heard chickadees and a red winged blackbird. And a woman walking her dogs pointed out a woodpecker–I think it was a downy–on a nearby tree that she was photographing. I searched the ground for tiny green shoots, leaves and moss, looked in the trees and shrubs for buds and came upon a squirrel looking down at me while munching a nut.
I was thinking about the latest climate change report that came out several days earlier warning again about the changes to the climate that are already here and that will be coming. I thought about what we gain and lose when nature is protected or harmed. When I am in a natural setting, urban or more wild, I feel a link to something larger than myself. I am a living being among others in nature. I know my experience is not unique and that the companionship of humans and non is vitally important for my, and others, well-being.
Todmorden Mills in Winter
Posted: February 24, 2014 Filed under: Animal Life, Inspiration, Ontario, Plant Life, Toronto, Water | Tags: birds, Canada, nature photography, Ontario, snow, sunlight, Todmorden Mills, Toronto, trees, urban nature, woods Leave a commentLast week we had some warmer days and on a sunny afternoon, Wednesday the 19th, I walked to Todmorden Mills Heritage Site just off the Don Valley Parkway in Toronto. I knew it was my chance to see the wooded wildflower preserve while the snow was still on the ground, ahead of predicted above-freezing temperatures and rain. As always, my mood improved greatly walking in this beautiful setting. I heard chickadees and, I believe, a cardinal above the traffic. And I loved seeing the late sunlight on the snow, trees and rail fences. Here’s some photos from that day.
Cyprus Lake Trail
Posted: July 1, 2013 Filed under: Animal Life, Mineral World, Ontario, Plant Life, Water | Tags: black and white photography, Bruce Peninsula, Bruce Peninsula National Park, Canada, Cyprus Lake, cyprus lake trail, hike, mallard, nature, Ontario, rock, water, woods Leave a comment
On the Cyprus Lake Trail, June 2013
On our second day at Bruce Peninsula National Park, we hiked 5.2 km around Cyprus Lake. We went through woods by the water and I photographed many wild flowers that I’ll be posting soon. The walking was easy and the day cool, great for a hike.
On the Cyprus Lake Trail in June 2013
On the Cyprus Lake Trail, June 2013
By the Cyprus Lake Trail a mallard has a cool drink, June 2013
Todmorden Mills on a Cool June Evening
Posted: June 6, 2013 Filed under: Animal Life, Ontario, Plant Life, Toronto, Water | Tags: birds, Canada, flowers, irises, June, mood, natural world, nature, Ontario, plants, Todmorden Mills, Toronto, trees, wild phlox, wildflower preserve, woods 2 Comments
At Todmorden Mills, June 5, 2013.
I went to Todmorden Mills in Toronto in the early evening yesterday. It was cool and sunny and my preoccupations of the day left me as I got closer to the trees, freshly mown grass, birds and flowers in this bit of preserved nature. The irony of its being so close to the Don Valley Expressway is never far from consciousness.
Todmorden Mills, June 5, 2013
There’s a wildflower preserve at the site—a short trail through forest by ponds. There I saw yellow and violet irises growing by the water, plus many wild phlox. I came upon a man and his beloved dog having a walk as well as a jogger. Many robins, sparrows, red winged blackbirds and cardinals were with me.
Yellow irises by the pond at Todmorden Mills, June 5, 2013
Iris by a pond at Todmorden Mills, June 5, 2013
In that short hour my mood went from preoccupied and low to extremely peaceful.
Wild phlox in the wildflower preserve at Todmorden Mills, June 5, 2013
Kortright Centre in Spring
Posted: June 1, 2013 Filed under: Ontario, Plant Life, Water | Tags: black and white photography, Canada, ferns, green, hike, Kortright Centre for Conservation, natural world, nature, nature photography, Ontario, peacefulness, spring, Stream, trees, walk in the woods, wildflowers, woods Leave a comment
By a stream at Kortright Centre for Conservation, May 2013
Last weekend I went to Kortright Centre for Conservation for a walk in the woods. The day was cool and sunny—perfect weather for hiking in comfort. The woods were a vibrant green, a little deeper in hue than the first yellow green of spring.
Green Kortright, May 2013
Ferns by the stream at Kortright Centre, May 2013
I photographed the woods and stream in colour and when I wanted to emphasize patterns, I moved to black and white.
In the woods at Kortright Centre, May 2013
As always, when I am at Kortright, I felt a great sense of peacefulness to be in those welcoming woods, so close to Toronto and yet in a world so different.
At Kortright Centre, May 2013
At the Edge of the Brick Works
Posted: May 20, 2013 Filed under: Ontario, Plant Life, Toronto | Tags: black and white photography, Brick Works, Evergreen Brick Works, landscape, natural setting, nature, nature photography, Ontario, spring, Toronto, trees, Victoria Day, woods 1 Comment
By the Brick Works, Toronto, May 16/13
Several days ago and today, Victoria Day in Canada, I went to one of my favourite haunts–the Evergreen Brick Works. Sometimes the textures and shapes of the landscape call out to me to be photographed in black and white. These were from wooded paths around the perimeter of the Brick Works, some of which lead to ravines that wind through the city.
Path just above the Brick Works, Victoria Day, 2013
Willow Tresses over a path above the Brick Works, Victoria Day 2013, Toronto
While in Charlottesville
Posted: May 2, 2013 Filed under: Animal Life, Plant Life, Uncategorized | Tags: birds, Charlottesville, dogwood tree, dwarf iris, garden, nature, redbud tree, spring, Stream, trees, Virginia, woods Leave a comment
Woods and stream in Charlottesville, Virginia, April 2013
Last week when I was in Virginia, I stopped in Charlottesville. Off the main roads, we walked in a wooded area accompanied by the melodies of song birds. The trees and plants had put forth spring yellow-green foliage. This was wonderful to see after travelling south from Toronto where only the first buds had begun to show. Not that those hadn’t been welcome too, just that spring was at a more abundant stage in Virginia.
Dwarf irises in the woods, Charlottesville, Virginia, April 2013
In the woods, I came upon wild violets and pale lavender dwarf irises arising through last autumn’s leaves. A small stream flowed nearby and the temperature was in the upper 70s.
Redbud tree in Charlottesville, Virginia, April 2013
To and from the woods, we walked across landscaped ground. Redbud trees were in bloom with tulips and azaleas in a garden plus another pale green flower I have not identified. The dogwood in flower is from a nearby location.
Dogwood tree in Charlottesville, Virginia, April, 2013
Todmorden Mills
Posted: March 15, 2013 Filed under: Ontario, Plant Life, Toronto | Tags: beauty, cars, heritage site, nature, Ontario, snow, Todmorden Mills, Toronto, trees, wildflowers, winter, woods Leave a comment
Yellow House at Todmorden Mills, Toronto, March 2013
Last Friday I went to Todmorden Mills, a heritage site in Toronto adjacent to a wildflower preserve. Todmorden Mills is off Pottery Road, near Bayview Avenue and the Don Valley Parkway, so this visually beautiful place has a backdrop of rushing traffic. Often I cannot shut out the distressing sound of the cars, but was able to accept them this day and focus on the physical scene. Indeed, a disturbing part of living in the city is the necessity of shutting down senses at times as a form of self-preservation.
Wildflower preserve by Todmorden Mills, Toronto, March 2013
Wildflower Preserve adjacent to Todmorden Mills, Toronto, March 2013
However, last week as I walked around the grounds I did enjoy the snow that hadn’t fully melted in the valley, the trees, shrubs, stream and old buildings. I imagined what the land this city sits on might have looked like in the late 1700s when a sawmill and grist mill were built here. The strangeness of roaring cars and trucks adjacent to the remains of this old community brought forth feelings I’ve had before about being in two worlds. And, at the same time, I felt refreshed by spending an hour or so in this bit of preserved nature and history in the midst of the city.
At Todmorden Mills, Toronto, March 2013
Todmorden Mills, March 2013 with the Brick Works Shuttle Bus passing by on Pottery Road
In the Snow at Kortright Centre for Conservation, 2
Posted: February 28, 2013 Filed under: Ontario, Plant Life | Tags: Kortright Centre for Conservation, nature, Ontario, snow, Stream, trees, winter, woods Leave a comment
Kortright Centre in the Snow, Feb. 10/13, Ontario
Here’s a few more photos from our day at Kortright Centre earlier this month. A beautiful, memorable time in the snow.
Kortright in the Snow, Feb. 10/13
Stream through the snow at Kortright Centre, Feb. 10/13
Snow at Kortright Centre on old roots, Feb. 10/13
At Kortright Centre, Feb. 10/13
In the Snow at Kortright Centre for Conservation
Posted: February 19, 2013 Filed under: Animal Life, Ontario, Plant Life | Tags: beauty, birds, Canada, conifers, hiking, Kortright Centre for Conservation, natural setting, nature, Ontario, snow, snowfall, trails, trees, woods 2 Comments
Snow on Conifers at Kortright Centre, Feb. 10/13, Ontario
On February 10th, the Sunday after the significant snowfall in Toronto and all of southern Ontario, my husband and I drove to Kortright Centre for Conservation to walk in the snowy woods. We belong to a car sharing company and had fortunately reserved a car for the day in the hopes of having a snowy outing. We’d missed being in the snow at Kortright the previous year when so little snow had fallen.
Snow in Woods at Kortright Centre, Feb. 10/13, Ontario
In the morning, we walked through deep snow. We don’t have snow shoes, so the going was strenuous but very beautiful. Our afternoon hike was on trails that had been cleared or walked on and was easier going, but no less lovely. The afternoon light was diffused and the snow seemed to shine from within as it softly covered the ground. The blue grey shadows of the trees and logs washed across the warm white. What a miracle snow is.
Snow in the woods at Kortright Centre, Feb. 10/13, Ontario
As I often write, the poignancy of this beauty in light of human contribution to the warming of the planet was with me. I took solace in the day: in the chickadees, woodpeckers, finches, mourning doves and cardinals we saw and heard, in the trees, the stream and frozen marsh and so much that is life-giving and calls out to be seen, heard and valued deeply.
Kortright Centre, snowy woods on Feb. 10/13, Ontario
of humans and nature 
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