PrettyPics

Milkweed Parachutes

2011-11-16T21:30:00.000-06:00

Sunrise

2011-10-30T12:48:00.002-05:00

Morning Mist

2011-10-23T07:36:00.000-05:00

Trees Behind Our Home

2011-10-12T14:18:00.001-05:00

Houssey's Rapids

2011-10-10T18:58:00.002-05:00

Anniversary Roses

2011-10-07T10:46:00.001-05:00

Big Toad

2011-10-06T19:21:00.002-05:00

Boo Pumpkin

2011-10-04T11:20:00.000-05:00

Cooper's Falls

2011-09-21T19:11:00.000-05:00

Lake St. George

2011-08-22T19:16:00.000-05:00

Wye Marsh

2011-08-16T17:35:00.000-05:00

Mushrooms

2011-08-14T16:50:00.000-05:00

Rust

2011-07-22T14:08:00.000-05:00

Garden Flowers

2011-07-20T18:57:00.000-05:00

Cardinal

2011-07-07T17:15:00.002-05:00

Lucky Find

2011-07-05T10:42:00.000-05:00

I spotted a nest at eye level on a road I sometimes walk on. To my delight, there are four tiny eggs in it. I'll be going back often to check on their progress making sure I wear a hat. Mama bird flies off when I approach but the pesky flies zero in on my head without mercy. Hopefully, sporting a chapeau, I can get a better picture of this little natural beauty.

Lily Pads

2011-07-03T19:28:00.002-05:00

Muskoka Drive

2011-06-30T17:40:00.000-05:00

Windermere House

The rocks at Rosseau

David being very, very good for the camera.

Rosseau Falls

Even the foam was pretty.

I got in a few of the pics.

David got in a lot more of them.

Strolling in Port Carling.

Last but not least my favourite picture of my favourite guy.

Viceroy

2011-06-26T14:50:00.001-05:00

Alive With Colour

2011-06-24T14:32:00.002-05:00

Winged Wonders

2011-06-18T16:12:00.002-05:00

Making Me Proud

2011-06-13T08:20:00.000-05:00

This is exactly where Daniel loves to be - out front and in charge. That wedgeless kid at the back biting his nails would really get on his nerves. He's supposed to be obeying Dan, not doing his own thing!

Daniel directing "Flight B".

Daniel was recently bumped up to 2IC (second in command) so he brings up the rear of his flight.

Daniel was asked to be on the drill team, the show off team for the big wigs. These are the cadets who know how to march in sync, stand stock still at attention and can follow the marbled directions shouted at them from their drill sargeant without missing a beat. It was impressive!

The top senior and junior marksmen got to be part of a mock range demonstration. Daniel and Andrea got to demonstrate safety procedures and shooting positions.

Lieutenant Pleau sang the praises of this year's range team. Lynx 99 went from bottom of the barrel to finishing fourth this year in competition. Daniel was their best shooter, finishing 12th overall.

The model airplane Daniel built and painted for a private competition with another cadet. His model proved to be the winner.

The photos aren't great but the pride in my heart is.

And The Winner Is...Daniel

2011-06-08T08:34:00.000-05:00

He didn't want his pic taken. He rarely does. Even when he comes home with multiple awards. Parents got to stay last night at Air Cadets to watch cadets practice for the year end annual review and were informed that some awards would be given out. Daniel got promoted from Corporal to Flight Corporal, something I knew would happen. He was the only cadet to get the two year attendance award. I wasn't surprised that he got the Marksmanship Award since he was the squadrons's top senior shooter all year. What pleased me the most was his name being called out for the Best Dressed Award. He takes pride in shining his boots, presses his uniform himself like a pro and has even started shining another cadet's boots (for a price of course) but since he had gone up for a few awards in a row, I didn't expect to hear his name again. Surprise! The winner is Daniel.

Beaver Lake Trail

2011-06-05T15:02:00.000-05:00

I can now scratch Beaver Lake Trail from my list of local attractions to visit. I've been interested in walking the trail for a few years now but could never find where it actually was. Today I asked and I now know why it's hidden away. There were indications from the very start that this trail simply wasn't worth the effort but I chose to ignore them in my excitement at actually learning its location.

I should have known to abandon the quest when one toe-nail into the adventure about 4000 buzzing insects exuberantly decided to join me every step of the way. Determined, I picked up my speed and kept my mouth shut. I got to marker number one and scanning ahead I could see that the path had not been visited for some time. It was hugely overgrown with ferns. It's not hard to cut a path through ferns so despite my new insect "friends", I soldiered on.

Not too much further in, I found the trail had been flooded and was a boggy mess. There were fallen limbs imbedded in the mud and so I found myself leaping from one not so solid perch to another to traverse to the next marker with dry feet. Limbs flailing, mind racing to find the next safe spot to jump to, I laughed out loud at how rediculously difficult this trail was proving to be. I managed the whole 4.5 km of it with only one soaker, a fact I consider quite miraculous given the nature of the trail and my not so athletic physique.

As a swatted, swathed and hopped, I kept telling myself that it was worth it to press on. I was sure there was a glorious hidden vista awaiting me somewhere along that trail. When I got to Beaver Lake, sweaty and wondering how much more blood I could afford to give to my buggy companions, I laughed again. The glorious vista turned out to be a thick row of overgrown trees. Through the foliage I could glimpse small patches of blue, all that could be seen of the trail's namesake. So much for that amazing photo op.

Raven's Pond on the return hike didn't prove to be any more picturesque. The lookout spot obviously had not been attended to. Again, the trees were so overgrown that one could hardly see that a pond lay beyond. At that point, I didn't care. I just wanted to jog away from the 3000 other insect friends that had joined the party that formerly was 4001 - me and the 4000 bugs I started with.

My only stop on the return leg was to admire some inukshuks built on a part of the Canadian Shield and to console myself that obviously I wasn't the only fool that had traveled the trail hoping to see something, anything spectacular. Now I know. The old map I've been holding onto for years is going in the recycle bin today and hopefully no one else will be as persistant as I am at ignoring the signs.

Life Out Back

2011-06-04T16:12:00.000-05:00

Unicycle Jumping

2011-06-04T08:37:00.000-05:00

He's not content to merely ride the thing; he wants to do tricks with it too. His latest attempts have been to ride it backwards and to hop onto "crash" pads with it. The potential for wipeout is huge but that doesn't stop this boy from going at it with all he's got. I keep urging that a helmet might be a good idea for these sorts of stunts but he's very sure he knows what he's doing and very determined, as always, to do it his own way.

Rustic Birdhouse

2011-06-03T10:02:00.002-05:00

By The Dock

2011-05-30T08:03:00.000-05:00

Found Something

2011-05-29T08:00:00.002-05:00

2011-05-26T08:29:00.000-05:00

They were excited to see that the swings were open. They wanted pics of them flying high. I had to lay on the sand to get a couple of these and endure the funny looks of a few parents but what does that matter when you're trying to get a good shot? I would have liked some better images but I think these were worth the wetness of my prone position.

Together

2011-05-25T10:08:00.001-05:00

In The Trees

2011-05-24T06:30:00.000-05:00

On The Baseball Backstop

2011-05-23T09:42:00.000-05:00

Paul really wanted to climb the baseball backstop at the Washago Park. I wasn't sure that it would make for a good shot but anytime my boys want me to take a picture of them, I'm ususally game. I think Paul would have gone even higher but the netting was pretty rusty and he thought he might fall through. I don't think I would have liked taking pictures of that!

Jump!

2011-05-22T14:40:00.000-05:00

Racing

2011-05-21T10:34:00.000-05:00

I was tempted to call this "Running" but when my boys are together they don't really run, they race. It's all about finishing first.

Row Of Benches

2011-05-20T14:41:00.003-05:00

By The Boat

2011-05-19T21:49:00.001-05:00

Admiring the Art

2011-05-17T07:53:00.000-05:00

Paul requested this shot. He's a huge admirer of graffiti. Daniel thought this was pretty shoddy work but Paul was convinced that the "artist" meant for the paint to run like it did.

Funny Faces

2011-05-16T09:21:00.000-05:00

I think Paul is trying to look like a tough guy in this one.

It Looks Like They're Talking

2011-05-14T12:05:00.000-05:00

I told them to look like they were talking. I think they obeyed me quite well.

Red Bench

2011-05-12T08:54:00.000-05:00

When I said to do something on the red benches, Daniel's first idea was to lay on them like a homeless person. Paul moved far away from his bum of a brother and posed nicely on his. These shots are too busy for me with all the background noise but I still like those bright red benches and of course, I love the homeless hobo and the respectable lad posing on them.

Location, Location

2011-05-10T07:53:00.000-05:00

Background is very, very important to me. In my opinion, it can make the difference between a good shot and a great one. I'm always placing my boys with the background in mind. They couldn't at all see why I wanted them in these scrabbly bushes but I saw something there and like how the natural background enhances the calm and thoughtful poses of my boys.

Tough Guy

2011-05-09T08:29:00.000-05:00

The boys graciously let me photograph them yesterday for Mother's Day. It was painful (for them) at times but I'm so happy to have new pics of them. We have a hard time coming up with poses. I keep saying, "Do something interesting." and they keep replying, "Like what?" For this shot I instructed Paul to lean against the building and look natural. He's very cooperative and did just what I asked. I love this boy. He's my tough guy.

Fun With Picnik

2011-05-01T16:17:00.002-05:00

Prettier By The Day

2011-04-28T08:04:00.000-05:00

Birthday Tulips

2011-04-26T09:53:00.000-05:00

Aren't these tulips simply stunning? My dashing husband sauntered into the kitchen yesterday with these blooms casually draped over his arm. He picked ones that were still tightly budded so that they would last longer. I'm so excited that today they are starting to open to reveal all their gorgeousness. I'm so eager to snap more pics of these beauties over the next few days

Old Joe's Trail

2011-04-24T15:32:00.000-05:00

Easter Lily

2011-04-21T15:45:00.000-05:00

South Sparrow Lake Road

2011-04-09T09:03:00.003-05:00

There isn't a lot of colour yet but the warmer temperatures and longer days are getting me outside once again with my camera. Some of these pics look more like abstract art but I'm a fan of that sort of expression so I like them.

Lemon Slice

2011-03-14T16:45:00.000-05:00

Yellow Rose

2011-02-18T12:50:00.002-06:00

Admittedly, it was looking a little droopy but with a little propping it still managed to photograph well.

Valentine's Day Roses

2011-02-15T10:07:00.002-06:00

David got to the flower shop just after it closed on Valentine's Day. I suppose that he stood outside the window looking so dejected that the owner's took pity on him and let him in. He chose roses for me in a variety of colours because as he put it, "I thought it might be more fun for you to take pictures of them if they weren't all the same colour." Does he know me or what? These roses are such a cheery addition to the living room and I am totally in love with the idea of taking more pictures of them and of thinking lovingly about the wonderful fellow who went way out of his way to get them for me.

Beauty in the Bowl

2011-02-04T12:54:00.003-06:00

Lysol coats the toilet bowl beautifully. You know it's going to be a good day when you can find anything lovely while cleaning the bathroom :)

Thank You Roses

2011-02-01T12:41:00.000-06:00

McCrae Provincial Park

2011-01-29T16:23:00.001-06:00

David

2011-01-19T15:02:00.001-06:00

He can never believe that I want to take pictures of him. So glad he didn't fight me. I really like this one.

More Thai Eggplant

2011-01-02T19:26:00.004-06:00

I fiddled with shutter speed on this one and think I managed to get the thai eggplants to look less grainy. It helped that the camera was sitting on the counter so that my natural shakiness didn't hinder. If I keep experimenting, I may just learn.

Thai Eggplant

2011-01-01T13:33:00.004-06:00

I had more fun photographing these little vegetables than I did eating them. I was delighted when my youngest son strolled by, asked what on earth I was doing and then shone his new LED flashlight on the thai eggplants. Just like that they went from green and pretty to blue-purple and dramatic. What a lucky kawinkadink. I'm going to have to experiment some more with that little flashlight.

After The Snow

2010-12-14T15:37:00.002-06:00

Not So Pretty

2010-11-30T15:50:00.001-06:00

Daniel's look pretty much sums up this attempt at some decent pics of the boys. Sad thing is I had to bribe them to sit for me and I didn't even get any great shots.

Orillia Boat Cruise

2010-11-16T14:07:00.003-06:00

The cruises aren't running now but it was fun to manipulate these images in Picnik.

Down By The Bay

2010-11-03T08:09:00.002-05:00

Like A Painting

2010-11-02T09:01:00.000-05:00

Samuel de Champlain

2010-11-01T07:47:00.000-05:00

Red Berries

2010-10-31T14:46:00.002-05:00

Big Spider

2010-10-22T17:39:00.002-05:00

My husband didn't find her very pretty but from the moment he shuddered and called me over to see her, I was spellbound by her grace. She leisurely climbed what she had spun letting me capture her in all her beauty. I couldn't help pairing her bulbous eight-limbed body against an orange background. It is almost Halloween after all.

More Euphonium

2010-10-20T21:55:00.003-05:00

Worked a little Picnik magic on my euphonium player today. He's so cool!

A Boy and His Dog

2010-10-16T16:34:00.002-05:00

I had a chance to help out a friend today and was rewarded with some free entertainment courtesy her boy and his dog. These two had a blast playing in some raked up leaves and for a few minutes were very content to let me snap away. The dog almost seemed to plead with me take her portrait when she quietly nestled in the pile after the boy got a splinter. She sat looking at me and cocked her head when I pointed the camera her way. The boy, not so much. He was all about jumping and diving and throwing as little boys should be.

Our Beloved Euphonium Player

2010-10-10T13:11:00.003-05:00

In the hands of a fourteen year old boy with a younger brother, the euphonium is not a musical instrument; it's an instrument of torture. The overwhelming urge to practice rarely occurs when younger brother isn't at home. No. It comes upon the fourteen year old boy when younger brother is trying to watch television or listen to tunes. Where the fourteen year old boy practices depends entirely on where younger brother is trying to peacefully enjoy himself. I can pull the fourteen year old boy aside and explain to him that the gig is up, that we all know what he's really trying to do and he will in every instance defend his pure motives, his desire to do his homework, his love of music, etc., etc.

I have visions of hauling my fourteen year old to emergency one of these days with his head stuck in his beloved euphonium which of course would happen after younger brother got thoroughly fed up and smashed it on his "innocent" noggin. He doesn't know it but I think I may have saved his life today or at least spared him time, pain and embarrassment at the hospital by luring him outside to get pictures of him masterfully playing "Frere Jacques" or some equally great tune in all of nature's autumnal glory.

He tooted for a few minutes and I snapped as much of it as I could and then it was over. I guess he got the attention he wanted because he marched back inside and miraculously "practice" was over and brotherly love was once more established as the two trotted off to shoot each other in some video game.

Fall Foliage

2010-10-09T10:38:00.002-05:00

I love nature. She's so quietly obliging when it comes to photography. I can approach her with my Nikon in full view and she doesn't sigh, cringe or duck and weave. She's endlessly patient as I experiment with aperture and never whines, "Are we done yet?". I can take one picture or a thousand and she never tires of me admiring her beauty. It matters not to her if I spend two minutes focusing my lens on her or two hours. Her constantly changing wardrobe almost begs to be captured and she never asks what I plan on doing with my photos. They can be deleted as experimental failures of they can be posted as successful images; it makes no difference to her. She's stunningly beautiful whether I care to notice or not.

Today I did care to notice. Her colours were so vibrant set against the blue of the sky and the warmth of the sun. She left me with some burrs and two very wet feet but she also gave me some shots I'm happy to call my own. She's at her most colourful now and it was a joy to do a shoot with her. Yup. I love nature.

Autumn

2010-10-08T23:04:00.002-05:00

This is what I see looking out my back window. So beautiful.

Yellow

2010-10-03T14:19:00.000-05:00

Great Blue Heron

2010-09-29T09:29:00.003-05:00

This great blue heron was standing statue-like in the ditch when I first encountered him. I was unaware of him but he was intently watching me as I sauntered down the road. As soon as I spotted him, he took off on giant wings. I desperately fumbled with my camera to get some shots of this incredible bird and then the game began.

I really wanted more pictures of this photophobic fella so I casually carried on with my walk hoping he would circle back to the ditch. It worked! He came back to the very spot I had first caught a glimpse of him. I then tried to sneak up on him to get a good shot. No go! That bird had his eye on me and if I got one toenail too close for his liking off he flew. I even tried to sneak up on him using the cars racing by as cover. This heron had a pretty big personal bubble that just wasn't going to be invaded.

Had it been any other night, I think I would have camped out to get the photo I wanted but it wasn't any other night. It was the night that I had to get supper on the table early to get my eldest to his thing. Well, Mr. Great Blue Heron, I have no such obligations tonight. Be aware, very aware, because you now have a stalker that's determined!

Falling For Fall

2010-09-28T08:52:00.003-05:00

I'm not the hugest fan of the Fall season. Everything about it reminds me that winter is coming. The weather gets progressively colder and what was green and thriving turns brown and sad-looking. Still, even I must admit that there is a lot of beauty to Autumn. Nature changes her wardrobe, casting off the lush greens that are so last season and struts her stuff in gorgeous reds, oranges, yellows and browns. She even flaunts her style in my humble back yard.

Boys

2010-09-27T08:46:00.004-05:00

It wasn't easy getting these two to agree to let me take pics of them, but I'm glad in the end that I convinced them. Every now and then, I get a shot like this one that I just love.

Euphonium

2010-09-17T14:35:00.003-05:00

D's playing the euphonium at school and agreed to a few pics with his new instrument. He's so awesomely natural in front of the camera! I love it!

Red Admiral

2010-09-13T10:25:00.003-05:00

Something God designed on something man-made, this red admiral caught my eye and let me venture quite close without the usual butterfly skittishness.

Wild Turkeys

2010-09-07T09:28:00.003-05:00

I wouldn't exactly call these photos "pretty pics" but I was pretty excited to find these gals visiting my yard yesterday morning. They watched me warily, quietly pecked and occasionally gobbled giving me some unexpected early morning delight.

Monarch Butterflies

2010-09-05T18:29:00.001-05:00

It's been a good year for Monarch butterflies. So nice to see them en masse again.

Purple

2010-08-31T13:51:00.002-05:00

Indigo. Aubergine. Violet. Magenta. I love them all!

Red Mushroom

2010-08-25T17:30:00.002-05:00

Tis the season for interesting mushrooms to appear and no one could be more interested in finding them than me. This red beauty almost looked like a piece of plastic stuck in the grass by the lake. So glad I took a closer look! Maybe I shouldn't have plucked it but it wouldn't have made a very interesting subject hiding in the grass the way it was. Sitting on my computer desk though it has space to show off all its gorgeousness.

Niagara Falls

2010-08-18T19:39:00.003-05:00

Uthoff Trail

2010-08-13T18:48:00.001-05:00

Monarch Butterfly

2010-08-09T16:31:00.001-05:00

This one is a female. P dubbed her Sheneekwa.

Purple

2010-08-08T12:34:00.002-05:00

Fun With Flowers

2010-08-04T08:40:00.001-05:00

Bee on Thistle

2010-07-30T18:48:00.000-05:00

Winged Wonders

2010-07-27T12:18:00.002-05:00

Colourful

2010-07-22T15:37:00.002-05:00

It was a gorgeous day and I didn't have to wander very far from my front door to see nature's display in all its colourfulness. Surrounding me is a sea of green punctuated by summer's bright hues, a berry here, an insect there, striking contrasts to the little world that is theirs. They live such short, desperate lives but they do it in vibrant style.

Bird on a Fence

2010-07-21T12:45:00.000-05:00

Red Dragonfly

2010-07-20T17:24:00.001-05:00

Dragonflies and damselflies come in the most amazing colours. I just wish that they would sit still more so that I could capture the whole rainbow. I think the trick is to get up early and photograph them while they're still warming up. I'll have to try that one of these days.

Green

2010-07-19T20:09:00.001-05:00

Flowers and Sky

2010-07-13T14:43:00.001-05:00

Mysterious Moth

2010-07-09T16:33:00.004-05:00

He's pretty and we're pretty sure we found him just after he came out of his chrysalis but for the life of us we can't positively identify him.

Squirrel

2010-07-08T13:27:00.002-05:00

He darted in and out a lot but a little patience on my part and he's immortalized in this photo. LOL!

After the Rain

2010-07-07T14:00:00.003-05:00

Lilies

2010-07-06T16:14:00.001-05:00

Bridges

2010-07-04T14:25:00.004-05:00

Richard and Sally's place to steal a kiss

Oma and Opa's way to take in the scenery

Impressive to sail under

Come in all shapes and sizes including shortest between Canada and the U.S.A.

Can be works of art like this stone one

or modern wonders like this one in New York

boats

2010-07-03T19:47:00.004-05:00

I live in a province of lakes, but not owning a boat, I rarely get on the water. Last week was a bit of an exception. My brother and his girlfriend visited from out west so to give them a taste of our neck of the woods, I purchased passage for them on the Segwun, North America's oldest operational steam ship. I don't know a lot about ships but I think the Segwun's a beauty.

A few days later, I had a chance to hop aboard the the Thousand Islander, enjoy the cruise myself and see lots of other people enjoying the water aboard their own vessels. Of course, I snapped pictures. Boats and water make for a whole lot of prettiness.

Evening Primrose

2010-06-23T10:17:00.002-05:00

Evening primrose are supposed to flower at dusk with the blooms dying the next day. That might explain why I only found two sad yellow flowers like this one, both definitely not at their peak. I will have to go and look tonight and see if I can watch them bloom before my eyes. I have seen this once in a friend's garden and it was like watching a miracle. They open up rather quickly and spectacularly and are a true joy to watch. What luck to find some in the meadow out back only steps from our deck.