River Meets Lake

The Rouge River emptying into Lake Ontario.

Fill The Frame

Overhead shot into the baby koi vat. If they see you standing there they go in to a feeding frenzy.

Grand Trunk Trail

This community walkway started out as part of the historic Grand Trunk Railway. In 1858, the GTR reached the small village of St. Marys from Toronto and points further east. From here, the line went west to Sarnia and then, on the other side of the Canadian American border, from Port Huron to Chicago. The major challenge for both structural engineers and contractors was the erection of this bridge to cross the Thames River. The bridge required a row of massive stone pillars to support the girders and tracks. It immediately became a landmark in St. Marys.

In 1995, the Town of St. Marys was able to purchase the Sarnia Bridge from the Canadian National Railway, as well as the right of way within Town limits along the abandoned line. A citizens' committee was formed in June, 1996, to work towards transforming this old railway line into a trail for everyone to enjoy - residents and visitors alike. The Grand Trunk Trail was opened in 1998 with 3.2 kilometers of paved, accessible trail. Without a doubt, the highlight of this walkway is the Sarnia Bridge with panoramic views south over the town and north to the beautiful countryside.

Long Legged Woman

A leftover from photo from last October in Peterborough, Ontario.

Signs - M

One of the most recognizable signs in North America. I'm linking to Lesley's Signs, Signs.

Cyclamens

When I get the winter blahs I like to head out to the local garden nursery and get a feeling of things to come.

Tracks In The Snow

There is a small amount of construction going on in this field. I believe it has something to do with irrigation.

Odd Man Out

Notice how the seagull in the middle does not fit in with the rest of the group. He is larger and his markings are different.
Anyone have any answers?

Birds Of A Feather

... flock together.

Frozen

Frenchman's Bay does not always freeze this smooth. It all depends on the weather. If it is windy or snowing at the time of freeze up the surface will be rough. Last week the people ice fishing told me the ice was four inches thick.

Late Afternoon Sun

55 minutes before sunset.

Signs - No Butts About It

Smokers are finding that their space is getting smaller and smaller.

Just below the sign at the top you will find this cigarette receptacle to keep smokers from tossing their butts on the ground. Cigarette butts are not biodegradable and contain toxic substances that need to be disposed of properly. A lot of smokers toss their cigarette butts onto the sidewalks or streets and don't stop to think where their butts end up ... Lake Ontario. These new collection bins are part of a strategy to address the problem. The butts will be recycled into plastic lumber and shipping supplies. I'm linking to Lesley's Signs, Signs.

Nighttime Blues

At night the tiered parking has a light display.

St. Marys Heritage Landmark

The water tower was built in 1899 and is a solid stone structure which is representative of other stone buildings erected during this period within the Town of St. Marys. It is one of the best examples of industrial architecture constructed during the turn of the century in Southwestern Ontario.

Dial Phone

At the Arva Mill I spotted this phone sitting on shelf collecting dust. I mentioned to the young lady behind the counter that I would really like to take a picture of the phone but it was too high up on the shelf to get a good shot. She immediately reached up and brought it down to eye level. She did assure me that it was still in working order.

Construction

The cityscape is continuously changing.

Pond Hockey

A lot of profession hockey players got interested in the sport this way.

Clint Eastwood

The Wooden Nickel has massive renovations going on inside. I hope they keep the man with no name right where he is.

Signs - 13

Would you travel this road or are you superstitious? I'm linking to Lesley's Signs, Signs.

Speeding Trains

I am standing on the pedestrian bridge over the Rouge River watching the Go Transit train pass by.

VIA passenger train going east to Montreal. In 2015 two men found guilty of terrorism charges after being accused of plotting to derail a passenger train on this bridge were sentenced to life in prison. During their trial, court heard that an undercover FBI agent gained their trust and surreptitiously recorded their conversations, which made up the bulk of the evidence in the case. The two were recorded speaking about alleged terror plots they would conduct in retaliation for Canada's military actions in Muslim countries, including the derailment of a Via Rail train travelling between New York and Toronto. Read more about it here.

Looking Up

One of the many artistic skills of Mother Nature.

Winter Beach

The off season is the best time of the year to avoid to avoid crowds.

ND Filter

My wife bought me a neutral density (ND) filter for Christmas. This photo is my first experiment of using one. ND filters reduce the amount of light entering the camera, enabling a longer exposure time than otherwise possible. Longer exposure times can achieve a wide variety of artistic effects, including softening the appearance of turbulent water or emphasizing motion within a crowd of people.

Pick A Colour

Can't decided on a colour... mix em' up.

The Window

There is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment the photographer is creative. Oop! The Moment! Once you miss it, it is gone forever. - Henri Cartier-Bresson

Signs - The Bridesmaid Syndrome

Misfortune of being very close, but never the winner. I'm linking to Lesley's Signs, Signs.

Shoppers

Using a slow shutter speed at the mall.

Ingersoll Train Station

The station was constructed in 1886 by Great Western Railway. In 1979, VIA Rail took over train operations on the line and abandoned the station in favour of the white wooden frame shelter in the background. The Town of Ingersoll wants CN to either repair or demolish its former train station.

The run down building is on federally owned land and therefore the municipality has no jurisdiction over it. Due to the style of the building and it's decaying condition they most likely will just level the building instead of trying to restore or move it.

First Baptist Church

He said "let there be light"... and I photographed it.

Waterfalls

The first settlers arrived in St. Marys in the early 1840's, attracted by the area's natural resources. At the new town site, the Thames River (Canada) cascaded over a series of limestone ledges, providing the power to run the first pioneer mills and giving the community an early nickname: Little Falls.

A New Year, A New Dawn, A New Day

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. - Oprah Winfrey