December treasure

It seems a long time since I was at the beginning of the month and with a variety of weather it has been quite the changable month. We have had snow but not on Christmas Day and as always the most exciting thing about Christmas is the anticipation and waiting for Louie to give me thumbs up for Christmas music in the car, eagerly waited upon and final go ahead on the 1st!

This is how the start of the month was for us

Some freezing going on but the river still flows

Slate clouds over Lake Ontario

I really liked this rock on the right, it is dripping ice! We are looking at America. 

Sunset on the way home

This is a true proud moment, my Christmas cactus is doing it's thing and it is all because of tea! Just wow

We had a weekend in Toronto and yes there is blurring but genuine laughter, rare to catch and so lovely!

They light up the Distillery district and it is quite magical

So bright

They have preserved the old warehousing and it is lovely to go in the winter and see it all lit up

They even put street signs for posing in front of so you can 'social media' your moment

It is cool 

They have all the words!

The city is quite it's own light show!

Mosaic ceiling at the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum)

One of their fantastic displays

This is a real capture of the city at night, we have it all, speeding tram, the CN Tower lit up and the church

I also like liked this of the reflection of the street, modern and old captured

The night sky in the city is quite interesting and I like this concrete with hair!

The CN Tower is quite the structure and just look at that sky

Not long before we're back home and seeing freezing rivers and clever ducks

Amazingly quite a lot of colour, even though it is winter

Yes the love of my cactus continues and honestly what a show it put on for the whole of December

I love!!!! this photo. Check out the shadow on the wall! You honestly can't make a rooster do this

The barn and fields where Isaac rides. It is an amazing environment

Right next to the Christmas Tree farm. Always an experience. This did end up being the "one"

It was definitely a one chap job and several lookers on

Around this time we starting discussing that Damian's car doesn't have a roof rack and my mini does! We had gone there in Damian's car.....so the tree travelled with my self and Louie in the back. Good job we are small and no the boot didn't fully close and no we didn't laugh. It was rather a tense drive home and I also was waiting for the tree to gently slide away. It didn't and I was glad we hadn't picked the one I wanted (that was probably 10ft tall, they look smaller in the field!)

Almost frozen over

But then a warm up and look at the colour of the fields

Muted and warm and well spring like

Ignoring the dirty windshield, I like the hill, the telegraph poles and the lines it all forms.

Just such an amazing view, flat, featureless but somehow vibrant

We pass this place on the way to Lake Huron and I just am drawn to the tumble down farm.I am sure it will gently disintegrate. But I like the faded blue on the house and red shed contrast

Bayfield and a lovely day at Lake Huron

Chattering squirrel on the move and yes he is jet black

It was so calm at Bayfield, I have not experienced it being like this in Winter before

Boats tidied up in the Marina

I took this picture as it shows the snow (yes snow) on the shore

This is also snow with dashes of sand on top of it

The same with the pile on the pier. The snow has melted and the sand washed onto it. Those two explorers at the end are Damian and Louie

Amazing to see how the lake has washed the snow away and mixed in the sand

Louie is standing on the shore and it is snow and sand....

calm lake

Light is fading 

and the drive home

Then back to snow

This was just before Christmas and so we did feel festive and as we ushered in the New Year we reflected on another year in Canada. At this point we feel ready for winter proper, hopefully it won't exhaust us although this snow day led to shovelling the drive 3 times. !!

Wishing you the most Happiest New Year and all the best for 2020

Blink of an eye

As I look at this last months pictures, it really is such a transitional month. There is still a lot of colour in the trees and then snow in and out ! Today was a freezing rain event, just letting us know what we are in for. But enough of that, for now we can enjoy the colour of late Autumn and lovely light.

This is when we went to Bayfield on Lake Huron. This collection of colours was in a garden we walked by. It felt like a complete picture of Autumn and look how bright that Japanese Maple is!

This is looking down the street to the Lake. Lovely warm yellow, so even though the sky was dull it felt cozy

That is down by the shore and the Lake is grey! We didn't get out of the car, this is Goderich and I remember the day as exceptionally cold!

And then we had some snow come..the flame bush had just come out in all it's glory

There are even berries still about

This dried Hydrangea head looks like it's wearing a hat

Snow and leaves and everything

My beloved Ginkgo just about made it but by the 3rd frost they were down. But so golden

These ones are hanging on

Bright sunshine soon took away the snow

More hats

The leaves continued to change

Just amazing

We went for a walk in the woods and all was muted colours

This is Huron Park and is it lovely

This conifer looked so lime green, it totally stood out that day

Then of course more snow

This is one of the streets, and it is hard to see where the road is

But the contrasts all around as Autumn meets Winter

The colour of the sky and the bright light made this picture perfect

Bright and sunny

The lake is starting to freeze. We had a thaw after this but it won't be long till it is totally frozen till Spring

Victoria Park Lake also was frozen on this early morning shot

The autumn leaves just bunching on the ice

There is still food for the birds though

I love this picture. The leaf just caught at the side of the lake and the lovely blue sky

Just idyllic

Back to the woods on a brighter day and the light streaming through the trees was such a soft light it literally felt like the air was glowing !

This shallow pond was quite icy though

I love this plant, just amazing in the meadow, now that's a seed dispersal system to be proud of, totally glorious

Sunshine in the meadow

And the tiny Christmas cactus flowers in time for American Thanksgiving....this cactus was on it's knees and if not for the cold tea would be a gonner!   

As we have romped through to December I hope I manage to remember to take some snaps. In between mince pie making and general merriment!