Now This is Sad, and Not for the Faint Hearted

Driving into Peterborough this morning I saw something dangling from an osprey's nest. Sadly it was an osprey. Its leg caught in some string or binder twine and, unable to get away, the bird died.

This morning the nest had two other birds in it and I wondered what would happen. Was that the male bird who died? Would the female fish and find food for the young? It's almost time for the adult birds to be on their way so would the female leave? Would they all leave?


On my return journey I couldn't see any birds in the nest at all. It's very sad. These birds have been helped by a man-made platform for a nest and this one has been killed by mans garbage.

Visiting

Yesterday's drive and walk took me up north of Highway 7 near Cordova Mines. The scenery changes from the rolling hills and farmland in this area to dramatic rocky outcrops surrounded by conifers and silver birch trees. This is the start of the Canadian Shield, a huge swathe of land covering much of eastern and northern Canada. It's mostly forest with thin top soil covering ancient granite. The rocks have many minerals which have been and are mined. Gold and silver were mined at Cordova.

The buildings and land of my friend's house were previously an fish hatchery but are now a gorgeous home with riverside walks and cabin.

This is the view from the ice house where the fish were stored

A good spot for fishing, or just contemplating

Camping at home

Sharing a stick

The house and outbuildings, with beautiful gardens

The lake at the end of the road

It's Starting............ Skywatch Friday

I saw these leaves today, a hint of the fall, let's hope it's slow to arrive

For more skies visit Skywatch Friday

Edit, added for those doubters who think that it was a sick tree...........

The Rain

Yesterday we had one of the many thunderstorms we have been having recently. I rushed out into the rain to try and get some photos showing the force behind it.

No hail, thankfull,y as that can be a warning of tornadoes but heavy, heavy rain.

I took scores of pictures of the birdbath trying to show the drops bouncing back up but without success. This one has some strange white lines which must be something rainy but for the life of me I can't decide what.

Today is a beautiful day. The humidity has gone and the sun is shining. It's going to be a cool 24C so I can open the curtains and window and let the air in the house. I'm even going to go for a walk.

Spooky Cat., Loopy Cat

Same cat, different moods

Higgledy Piggledy

On Thursday a friend and I drove around the area looking at possible areas for her to move to.  Just driving round with nowhere in particular to be by any given time is rather nice.

We watched this cute foal and a friend galloping round the field just for the hell of it, then he rolled around in that sand, probably also just for the hell of it. If you squint you can just see him in this shot, foals having fun do not pose for blogs.

We stopped at an arts barn that has intrigued me for a while but I have never had the chance to stop and look around. It  has a sign ourside advertising garden decorations and art, I can't remember the exact wording used. Anyway we stopped.  The grounds and barns are scattered with many, many paintings on wooden boards. Paintings of sunflowers, cats, cockerels,and horses, all lying around higgledy piggledy. (The paintings were lying around not the sunflowers, cats, cockerels, and horses.)  Lively fun paintings full of movement and colour. I didn't take any photos of the paintings and nor did I buy one. I should have though as I would like one, I'll have to go back.

I've found the barn on Google street view and here is a link to it for you.

I loved the paintings and the barns, I took some snaps on the Blackberry but it's hard to convey the atmosphere. 

It's a place that appeals to the magpie and the artist in me.

Giant Royal Bare Behinds

For some reason Canada likes to have giant statues of local things, things such as apples in Ontario's apple country, a cowboy in Alberta (predictably), the town of Dildo in Newfoundland has a whale, (disappointingly (and don't google that one on a shared computer)) Mattice in Northern Ontario has a voyageur (historically), and Campbellford has a Toonie.  A toonie is a $2 coin and Campbellford has a giant one because  Brent Townsend, the artist who designed it lives in the town.

Did you know that Canada is the only place where the Queen has a bare behind??

The Queen is on the front of the coin and a polar bear is on the obverse.