Gray Squirrels...

In the south end of my home town, Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, there is an Island, on this Island is a park, I spent a lot of time there as a kid, great spot. We went over pretty much every day for a short drive, the squirrels were plentiful, many old oak trees and the acorns were plentiful on the ground, kept these fellows busy ! Love the coloring, gray with brown tinges...

A few birds from our trip...

A Black-billed Magpie, thanks Elaine of 'Articview', I had no idea what kind of bird this was and she had a great post on the same bird. This was taken just past Dryden, Ontario on our trip last week. These Bald Eagles were hanging around too, same area, there was a roadkill (deer) in the ditch and they were quite interested in it.

Some Manitoba Canada Geese in flight..

My new baby...

Have been eyein' this baby since before it came out, today is our anniversary and hubby said 'go for it'...he says 'a happy wife...a happy life'...lol.... a few test shots in the back yard today with my new Canon 60d !!

Terry Fox Memorial...

In Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Terry was a brave young man who lost his life to Cancer. He has raised millions for the cause.

Just got home from a short trip...

back home to Manitoba to enjoy family and the Canad Inns Curling Classic, will post pics soon...

My Puppy-girl ready for Hallowe'en...

I usually have a little bit of fun with our pup, she is 5 years old, (but she doesn't know it) on the holidays, she is our baby and really doesn't mind the 'dressing up' as long as the snacks flow...lol...
She is a rescue dog, her mom was a terrier, not sure of the dad, and it doesn't matter, she is a joy!!

The Candle Light Vigil for Chilean Miners..

As all around the world watched and prayed for a great outcome of the rescue of the Chilean miners, over the last few days, our great city went one step further and had a candle light vigil for the miners at our Miners Memorial Park... Timmins and area is a huge mining community,
and it is near and dear to our hearts..my hubby has over 3o years of working underground and knows all to well of the ups and downs of mining, lost a few buddies, had some good scares too, over the years, and the last few months of following this story, sure brought back memories and fears...he retired 7 years ago but we still have many good friends who work in the mines and live it day to day. Thank God conditions are better in Canada and the U.S. but you just never know...this vigil was to remember them and give them hope, and as we all know now, things sure turned out great...but it was sure a tense few days, we were glued to the set, as were many of you, trying not to miss a single fellows return to surface. This was an actual couple from Chile, I am not sure of the circumstances of them being here, but they spoke very little English, but did the 'Chilean chant' (that we heard so often on tv)

often and it was awesome to hear. This vigil turned out to be upbeat as the miners were being rescued quickly and without incident, and everyone was so relieved.
Our Mayor Tom spoke a few words...

And Bob Calhoun who is the president of the miners memorial locally..the group of miners, in the background, are just a few of the Mine Rescue guys from the Timmins and Kirkland area mines, these are the fellows, who train constantly, for any disasters in the mines and are ready for them.

They all had their mining lights on, which in the mines, sometimes is all the light you have.

This was the candle which you could buy for a small donation as a remembrance, written on the top of it was 'Dare to reach your hand into the darkness, to pull another hand into the light'. by Norman B.Rice.

The Bishop of the Anglican Church and a Catholic priest lead in prayers and the weather was perfect, a few hundred people showed and it was a great evening, left everyone very happy in the overall outcome of the rescue.

A statue...who tells a story..

As promised, we were pleasantly surprised to see this fellow on our Sunday drive.
With hubby's P/T job, he often travels to northern towns and had seen this fellow about to be erected. Besides being a big Mining area in Northern Ontario, logging was always huge also.
He is erected on the site of a new tourist Information booth, soon to be constructed on the highway 11 corridor.
He is nearly 20' tall, weighs 1000 lbs. and was sculpted by the sculptor, Denys Hepell of the Gaspe region of Quebec, Canada.
It took him 3 solid months from concept to final painting. With hand in the air, and finger pointed, it appears he is about to 'tell a story'..."in the old logging camps of the north, where loggers often had to spend entire winters in bunkhouses before seeing civilization again, story telling was a gift that was cherished by many of the woodcutters" ( All Information is from the local newspaper from that area, The Enterprise.)
As yet they have not named him, they may hold a contest in the local schools to find the most fitting name for him. Some already suggested are....Abitibi Andy, River Drivin' Randy, Jackpine Joe, Black Spruce Barry, Tamarack Terry, White Pine Willie and Silver Birch Billy...All would be appropriate, also The Lumberjack or just The Storyteller has been tossed around.

Many thanks to my girlfriend Carolle who is from that area and was gracious enough to ask her dad for information for me and he was kind enough to bring me the paper with the article in it.
Much appreciation to both of you!! :)

He even appears to be saying that Canadian tag .."EH !!" ................Love it !! :)

Cochrane....

Ontario is a small town Northeast of Timmins, about an hours drive, the town has many references to Polar Bears, including the town's mascot, pictured here, Chimo is his name.
They also have the Polar Bear Habitat, from which I have posted pics of, last year. Chimo is erected outside the Chamber of Commerce, in Cochrane.

These are from our drive yesterday, I have a few more interesting pics to show you, but am waiting for information on it, before I post the pics, will be later today or tomorrow, I think..

Our drive today...

We went for another drive today, must enjoy this weather before it changes, any day now..
the Cattails were swaying in the breeze..

Came upon this farm, with many sheep..

and one 'Billy goat' amongst them... loved the bell around his neck....it rang with every step..

They were enjoying their snack together....:)

A Saturday drive...

The beauty of Tamarack trees along the highway... the needles turn bright yellow and fall off in the fall... As a child, I rode on the train, a lot with my mom, (it was a common mode of transportation)in the 50's...someday I hope to take a 'train ride' again.....

Farm Friends...

Took a quick drive out to a few of the local farms yesterday,
Here is "Blondie"....he has been on my blog before, he always rushes over to me, I think,
he may think my camera is 'food'...lol A newbie to me, I call him "Black Beauty"....

This fellow couldn't of cared less if I was standing there waiting, he just would not look up!

I called, whistled, made weird noises and no way, he just went on eating, oh well, next time.

Last of my 'fall colors'....

I promise ! (unless I find another spot that I know you would enjoy).. :)
These are from another small lake outside of Timmins, It was a calm day yesterday and the waters were like a piece of glass...couldn't resist !!

I love reflection so much too, and this spot was calm and clear,

would like to have that piece of 'deadwood' in my flower garden....


Definitely putting this spot on my 'place to visit list' for next year....

Beaver in reflection..

Here is a pic of the Lake where the rest of these pics were taken.. He was swimming back and forth, pretty much ignoring us, although he was at the end of my
Canon sx10is 20x zoom, I was quite pleased with the pics and the 'colorful water' around him..it was also a clear and beautiful day...

Here is the 'downside' of Beavers, especially for cottagers...they can be very destructive...

A Garter Snake out for a stroll...

A girlfriend and I took a walk at Kettle Lake Provincial Park today...she noticed this small garter snake on the path ahead of us...although I am not fond of snakes at all, I do enjoy coming across one when I have my camera with me.. :) It slithered into the grasses but not before we got a few pics ...

Notice the red tongue...

Local fall colors...

Fall colors on the Mattagami River, which runs through Timmins.... Looking South, down the river...

Looking North, I am standing on the bridge, where my 'duck race' pics took place, if you recall. Also shows Domtar Sawmill on the right... :)

This is the fountain at Gilles Lake, which is also inside town limits...