Morning fog/Rural Thursday

 Early morning, East Gwillimbury

Many mornings this time of year the air is thick with fog.

I am linking to

Rural Thursday

Sunrise/Rural Thursday

 Barn behind corn field and spruce trees

This was taken at sunrise after a cold night with frost.  And then I decided...

"Pencil sketch"

to experiment with Photo Shop Elements. Yep, I like the original too but hey! I still wanted to show you how the "pencil sketch" turned out.

I am linking to

Rural Thursday

Water's Edge/CDP Theme Day/Rural Thursday

Georgian Bay on Lake Huron

Lake Huron is the second largest of the five Great Lakes, the third largest fresh-water lake on Earth.

On the northern shore of Lake Ontario

Lake Ontario is easternmost Great Lake, the smallest of the five in surface area (although Lake Erie contains less water),  the 17th largest lake in the world.

No one knows for sure what the word "Ontario" means. Some believe  it comes from the First Nation word "kanaderio" meaning "sparkling or beautiful water."  But the name may be a be a variation  of "Onitariio" meaning "beautiful lake." Or  it may have developed from "Skanadario" - "very pretty lake."  However,  the word may mean simply "a large body of water."

No matter what, it IS a pretty lake - even on a mostly overcast day like the one I took this photo.

I am linking to City Daily Photo Theme Day.

I am also linking to

Rural Thursday

Cornfield/Rural Thursday

Cornfield, Uxbridge

I took this photo because I love the lines in the field of cow corn and way it has been cut. I think the farmer is measuring the yield per acre.

Farm machinery

I am linking to

Rural Thursday

Domestic Ducks/Rural Thursday

 Domestic ducks in private pond

Longer view

I am linking to

Rural Thursday

Float plane/Rural Thursday

 Rural backyard on a lake

I was out hunting for migrating ducks when I discovered a different kind of flying "bird." This is not one you find in many backyards, is it? Here it looks like it's hidden in the weeds but...

here you can see the reeds have been cut down so the float plane owner can escape before someone asks him/her to mow the lawn or take out the garbage.

I am linking to

Rural Thursday

Colour/Rural Thursday

 Roadside colour in Muskoka in Toronto's Cottage Country

Every autumn my husband and I like to take a day to travel northerly to see the changing leaf colour there. It had been a dry summer so I was surprised to see how rich the colours were this year.

Rural mailbox

I am linking to

Rural Thursday

Yellowing Fields/Rural Thursday

Sunshine peeking through the clouds onto this farm

Last weekend the sun was was playing peekaboo. I love how the light has coloured the rusty roof, trees and cattails.

A longer view

As you can tell, the sun was behind the clouds when I took this photo.

I am linking to

Rural Thursday

Shopping By Boat/Rural Thursday

Returning with groceries

This shopper needed the boat to get groceries. I guess her husband or kids had the car.

I am linking to

Rural Thursday

Lonely/Rural Thursday

Summer's End

The pond looks kinda lonely with no one out fishing in the rowboat.

Cheer up, little rowboat! Weekend is coming!

I am linking to

Rural Thursday

Lake Scugog/Rural Thursday

 Saturday evening on Lake Scugog

Another view

I am linking to

Rural Thursday

Morning Mist/Rural Thursday

 Mist on the fields

Sunday was one of those days when it paid to be up before the sun.

A slightly different view

I am linking to

Rural Thursday

Country Garden/Rural Thursday

 Colourful birdhouses adorn a tree, King Township, Ontario

We couldn't just drive by this! We turned around to take a second look and take some photos.

 More than a tree with birdhouses

It's a garden with....

 Closer look at the fence

 much attention to detail, even a hanging basket on the fence.  So much detail, in fact,

 On the other side of the fence

that I tiptoed (SHHHH) down the driveway to take a closer look. And with my telephoto lens,

Gladioli and zinnias

got even closer.

I am linking to

Rural Thursday

August Harvest/Rural Thursday

 A farmers' market and fields of onions and carrots

East Gwillimbury lies on the eastern edge of the Holland Marsh, an area rich in fertile organic matter that retains water and nutrients.

Workers harvesting carrots

Other crops grown in the Holland Marsh  include cabbage, spinach, beets, bok choy and other Asian vegetables. Some of the veggies will be sold at the Farmers' market in the first photo, and some will be transported to towns and cities in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). 

I am linking to

Rural Thursday

Yellow Canoe/Rural Thursday

 Tiny Marsh, Ontario

This year the water in this wetland is low - even for early August - but not too shallow for a canoe.

Enjoying a paddle through the lily pads and reeds

FYI: Tiny Marsh is not tiny. It takes its name from the township it's in, which you may have just guessed is called Tiny Township. No, the township isn't tiny either! Apparently a former lieutenant governor's dog was.  Yep, the township was named for someone's pet.

I am linking to

Rural Thursday

Colourful Irrigation/Rural Thursday

Irrigation rig, Holland Marsh

I have been frequenting marshes lately, trying to get good photos of shore birds such as various sandpipers that are beginning (ALREADY!) to migrate south from the Arctic.

The Holland Marsh, which borders on the western side of East Gwillimbury, is only partly marsh now, much of it having been drained a century ago to grow vegetables for the Greater Toronto Area. AND - believe it or not - the former marsh does need to be irrigated during dry spells.

I am linking to

Rural Thursday

Watering Hole/Rural Thursday

So refreshing!

I am linking to

Rural Thursday

Ontario Fields/Rural Thursday

Outside Zephyr, Ontario

Ontario is dry and could use some rain, but some of our fields are still quite green.

I am linking to

Rural Thursday

Cottage Country/Rural Thursday

 On the road to Lake Rosseau

When it's hot and muggy, Toronto's Cottage Country is a great place to be!

AH!

I'll have a tall glass of lemonade, please.

I am linking to

Rural Thursday

Hey, Hay/Rural Thursday

 Bales ready to be picked up and hauled to the barn...or  to wherever

The weather here has been perfect (warm and dry) for cutting hay, drying it and then baling.

I am linking to

Rural Thursday