Slow cooker

[vaneramos]

As Brenna and I departed for Toronto yesterday afternoon, a heavy mist decended. It provided an interesting atmosphere for photography. The dampness was cool and refreshing. The first three images were taken in the countryside between Guelph and Campbellville.




sweetpeas








Arriving in Toronto we stopped at the western beach for a walk and some pizza. As an emerging sun slowly evaporated the mist, it turned the day into a regular Ontario pressure cooker.








We met Monique, who took Brenna shopping on Queen Street for craft supplies. Meanwhile I went to a doctor's appointment. By the time I had finished, the heat was oppressive. A teenage girl had fainted on the stairs down to the subway.

Comments

[art-thirst.livejournal.com]

Kodak.com has or, had, a webcam showing the peregrine falcons that nest on their Rochester, NY. building. It takes about six weeks for the eyaeses (baby falcons) to fledge. It amazes me they grow so quickly. How fast do those swans grow into independence and, able to feed themselves; do you know?

[poetbear.livejournal.com]

those are all great! but my fave is the one
of the transmission tower in the background with
the overgrown fence in the foreground.~paul

Re: I don't know if you know this but....

[art-thirst.livejournal.com]

Yes, I noticed the webcams have been repositioned today. I haven't seen any of the falcons (parents and five offspring) in two weeks. One of last year's offspring is living in Canada. They have leg bands for identification. (sorry for the duplicate postings, all deleted)

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I expect the swans, like most waterfowl, are precocious, born able to swim and start learning how to feed themselves almost immediately. However, I have visited the Toronto waterfront in winter and found swans still moving together in family groups. Their social behaviour is a lot different from raptors.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you liked that one, although the photograph barely captured the feeling of the scene. I wish you could have seen the whole row of towers stalking away into the invisible distance like a row of skeletons. I couldn't get the right angle on it to take a good shot.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Occasionally I see black swans, too, but the mute swans are much more common here. They're introduced, of course. We have no indigenous swans nesting around the Great Lakes.

However in late winter vast yodeling flocks of tundra swans will land on water-covered fields around Southwestern Ontario on migration to the Arctic. It's a breathtaking sign that winter is over.

[poetbear.livejournal.com]

i bet if you had a jeep and big pair of cable cutters
you could get the right angle!~paul

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

You know, I don't care much about vehicles, but would love to own a Jeep.

[ubermunkey.livejournal.com]

ah number four is so incredible. the innocence. Such a little girl. The body language is so pure so very sweet. really touching Van.

[poetbear.livejournal.com]

Van, i believe you'd be that great rarity,
a responsible Jeep™ owner! ~paul

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thank you, C. You know a little girl. Brenna has genuine innocence.

Hugs,
Van