Mennonite School Workshop

Many of the children at Floradale Public School, where I attended a recent Focus on Nature workshop, are Mennonite.

Children who grow up in the David Martin Mennonite sect wear traditional clothes -   bonnets and long skirts for girls, straw hats and suspenders for boys - and come to school by horse and buggy.

Some children in the class were not permitted to take a nature photography course and were sent to another class for the day.

Those that did stay had a great time. They were enthusiastic to be out exploring nature and curious to learn more.

When I asked one student about high school and university, she said matter-of-factly "Oh no, we stop going to school when we turn fourteen."

British Columbia Wildlife

 I was hoping to see Orcas while in B.C. but that was not to be. Instead I encountered many other species on trip and they all seemed quite comfortable having their portraits taken.

Young male Stellar's sea lions posture and pose for the camera

Humpback whales are used to being petted in Mexico and will approach a tour boat hoping for similar treatment in BC

We watched an otter catch and eat a gull in Victoria's inner harbour

Flocks of Cedar waxwings gorged on hawthorn berries

Douglas squirrels liked the hawthorn berries too

 We have Pileated woodpeckers and Bald eagles in Ontario but it was nice to see them here in the forests of beautiful British Columbia.

Really Big Trees

Gail and I recently spent two weeks travelling in British Columbia. It was Gail's first visit to Canada's west coast and what impressed her most were the trees. Indeed, compared to trees in Ontario, they are huge!

On our way to Campbell River we took a detour to visit Cathedral Grove, one of the most impressive stands of ancient Douglas Fir, Western Hemlock and Red Cedar on Vancouver Island.

As soon as we parked the car the sun broke through the clouds giving the forest a lovely dappled light  that was perfect for photography.

Some of the old growth trees are gone now, brought down by wild winds and the axeman's hand. But the old stumps and logs soon become a nursery for the next generation of trees.



Forests need our appreciation, respect and protection. We need them to be healthy and growing strong. Only then will life on this planet thrive and survive the coming climate crisis.

Sublime Scugog

Heather put a new dock in at her home on Lake Scugog. I took this panorama of her on the dock at sunset with my iPhoneX and added the 'vivid warm' filter to it. She loves it!

Bug Hunter

One of the most rewarding activities for me and the kids at FoN's summer camps is bug hunting with our cameras. Of course they like to actually catch the critters with their nets but I like to show them how to sneak up on them to get a good shot.

So here are a few of my favs this summer. (click to enlarge)

Dogbane leaf beetles getting it on

A cicada emerges

Title slide from my camp slideshow

A fellow bug hunter!

Praying mantis

unidentified bee

A skipper butterfly flutters in the pool

A deer fly

A hummingbird moth caterpillar

Fine Feathered Friends

Getting a good photo of a bird in the wild is one of my most difficult challenges in photography. They  don't like me getting too close; they move around a lot; and they're usually obscured by trees and shrubs they live in. So good shots can be few and far between. Here are a few of my favourites taken so far this year...

Blackburnian warbler at Point Pelee

the Cuban Tody at Brisas Sierra Mar

a Turkey in Chivarico, Cuba

a male Northern Cardinal in Hendrie Valley, Burlington

an Eastern bluebird at the Guelph Arboretum

an endangered Prothonotory warbler at Point Pelee

Fresh Perspectives 2019

30 prints on display at 10C Shared Space in Guelph

Focus on Nature held three Fresh Perspectives student nature photography exhibitions this year: one in Oakville and two in Guelph. They are an excellent way to highlight the talents of the children who partake in FON workshops and camps. And they underscore the importance of the work we do to encourage a stronger connection to nature in the next generation.

Below are some of my favourite images that were displayed this year...

photo by Mikayla

photo by Noah

photo by Mia

photo by Madison S.

photo by Senay

photo by Cowan

Toronto Zoo Revisited

"Dad, let's do something together this weekend," said my son Trevor.
"Let's go to the Zoo!" I replied. "Sure," said Trevor, "I haven't been in years."
And so, on a recent sunny Saturday morning, Trevor and I headed for the Toronto Zoo.  (I think he had a much better time than he anticipated!) Here are my favourite shots from the day...

Poopie is over 50 years old now; one of the oldest orangutan s in captivity

As if she knew I wanted a great shot, Poopie sat in the sun playing with a palm leaf

The Giraffes were indoors today

It's all happening at the Zoo: Simon gets down to play

 Having been a Zoo volunteer many years ago, I have a life membership. If I lived a little closer, I think I would volunteer again!

A Green tree python

Golden lion tamarins from Brazil are an endangered specie

The textured skin of a Chameleon can change colour

A Mountain gorilla posed for a moment

The Komodo dragons always seem to drool their poisonous saliva

Cuba Revisited

I last visited Cuba in 2007 for a one week vacation in Varadero, with a side trip to Havana. Now, 12 years later - having just spent 2 weeks at Brisas Los Galeones, about an hour from Santiago de Cuba - I can see that a lot has changed in the country but not all for the better.

Cell phones are everywhere now. Most Cuban people have never owned a computer but now they have access to the wider world with a device that is much more affordable and convenient.

Apparently, there are no Cuban firewalls to restrict knowledge access, nor restrictions on social media sites like Facebook or Twitter.

But I wonder if there is the expectation of privacy, as there is here in Canada? Or does the Cuban government monitor and control the population more efficiently. Big Data is watching you.

Life is still hard in Cuba. Rationing of basic food staples is in effect, something I'd never heard of 12 years ago.

Salaries ($12 to $40 per month) are so meagre that a second source of income is needed to stay afloat.

There are no luxuries to be had unless you have a foreign relation to help out.

But despite the hardship, and the knowledge of how far behind they are economically, the Cuban people put on a brave face and greet you not with rancour but with a smile. They may be resigned to their situation yet they are ever hopeful of a brighter, more prosperous future.