Of leaves and perhaps a flower

Today is so windy that I could scarcely get a shot. At this time of year, as many of you know, I like to capture the act of  “leafing". Compound leaves are simply spectacular to watch in their birth.

Here is the compound pinnate leaf of the Mountain Ash, tantalizingly soft and full of promise.

The down on so many things: goslings, chicks, and leaf buds, reminds us of the fragility of life, and the fleet foot of time for soon the down is gone.

I promise I will send you the sequencing of the unfolding of the hickory compound leaf. I take them every year. You know, I simply love them: "the leaf orchids" of the tree world.

The Yellow Bird Magnolia down is not to be out done by the ash, and it’s  flower is arguably more showy. When it's golden bloom is spent, the magnolia branches bring memories but the ash hosts thrilling cedar waxwings.

Dogwoods have simple, un-toothed leaves, and their veins  curve right to the edge of the leaf.  Perhaps  I may do a close up someday of the curving veins but for the time being we must be content enjoying the subtle colors of the leaf bud ...and that sure isn’t hard.

It is still so early temperature -wise. The wild flowers must bloom before the leaves emerge or they will not have enough sun. I will be on the prowl very soon for the early ones, like dutchman’s breeches, however the best place I know for them is along the St. Lawrence River in the granite hillsides. I shoot them all, as many as I can, then sometimes hang my trophies on the wall.

For now I will leave you with the cultivar scilla: bountiful beautiful scilla, bug and all.

Beavers hang out on Parish Rd

This April 15th morning I rose to a lackluster sky. Seldom do I wait until the day unfurls past noon to go out to shoot. Today was an exception, and while I thought I might get “skunked” by going out at that time of day, I can’t recall ever being skunked. (Except by my dear friend Noel once playing cribbage.)

I drove down McCann Rd to the Narrows then on up to the North Shore Road. I love that road with its granite, marble, wetlands, and of course going over the Precambrian Shield, which seems to me to lie like a great rib protecting the Heart of the Rideau: the Upper Rideau. I marvel at the ground down granite, rounded and smooth, a scarce shadow  of its inception vaulted into existence some 10,000 years ago.  Up 10 to Parish Road, one of my favourite haunts largely because of the wetlands, and cultural history, then home. The beaver on  Parish Road, below checked me out for some time before it got bored and dove. I do have the sequence of its diving but am not sure it would be special to anyone but me.

Hope you enjoy. I did!

Common Green Shield Lichen

“Who", I ask, “Is looking at whom?"

In the Early Days

In the early days, before the ice is out and snow lingers, we watch .

Hope stretches for signs that spring will soon surge forward.

We go to places where current pushes at ice edge

And crystals form on shorelines.

We go hunting the early ones, the Buffleheads and Mallards, and Canada Geese but the Swans' white on navy blue

Arrest us on the shore.

Leaving slowly, savouring life's reach for spring,

Peering deer, robins  on rails and  cautious chipmunks 

Lift winter’s pursed lips

To a smile.

Swans

Canada Geese

Mallards

Male Bufflehead

Canada Geese and Mallard pair

White tailed deer

Robin

Chipmunk

Checking Real Estate

The male Starling is calling to a female this April 7th morning. It was such fun watching these two, the male trying to impress the female. She did not seem impressed by his choice of lodging and perfunctorily flew away.

Male calling for female attention.

Female joined him

Flirtation

They communed

He convinced her to check it out

She did

Went in

Turned around, looked out

and flew away!

guess he blew it.