Crunchies, High Park, Toronto

September 14, 2014 by Created by RCW

And of course, what would a photography trip of mine be without a survey of all the things that crunch at Toronto’s High Park.

: Spiders may be less pretty from the victim side of the picture

: This gal seemed to clutch for dear life when it hit a flower

: Looking more monarch than moth, this one took a moment to rest

: Can’t figure out what type of wasp this is

: Hard to see here, but the wings are transluscent

: If two limbs were less than 3 feet apart, you probably found one of these

: Background matting doesn’t help photo, but not my choice

: Slow to start the summer, monarchs are popping up everywhere

: Had to really drop exposure so moth wouldn’t blot image with whiteness

: Yellow on yellow makes for a very surreal image

: Luckily, the web seemed empty as this monarch tried desperately to break free

: One of the many spiders packing its lunch today

Gardens and Zoo, High Park, Toronto

September 13, 2014 by Created by RCW

Aside from the more natural wilderness of Grenadier Pond, High Park is also home to beautiful gardens and a small zoo of various hoofed animals.

: Park planners have engineered a beautiful terraced garden

: Water falls quietly along the grade of a hill of many colours

: Snails, I am used to…this was the first slug I’d seen in my Toronto journeys

: A squirrel lies quietly, its tail as a blanket

: Not just for breakfast, rhubarb forms a colourful display

: Calm, the bison keeps a wary eye on the guests

: Sometimes you don’t have the strength to hold your head up

: A quick nap on a lazy afternoon

: School groups take tours through the gardens, learning about flora and fauna

Truth (an observation)

September 10, 2014 by Created by RCW

Only in my second half-century of existence am I beginning to understand the scale of this truth.

No life guard on duty

Arrested moment

August 31, 2014 by Created by RCW

Winding woods

August 30, 2014 by Created by RCW

Taking a mini-vacation and so started with a slow wander through a wooded ravine near home.

: The manicured trail parallels a small creek

: Two small moths align on a leaf

: A collection of berries peek through the fence grating

: A group of sparrows flock around a small eddy in a creek

: The spider waits patiently in his fence post lair

: Yellow was the colour of the week, it seems

: Wasn’t expecting the flock to take off so suddenly

: A wasp gathers mud, for a nest, no doubt

: Stretching its legs between rests

: Quite willing to have his photo taken

: Some of the bees struggled to fly they were so laden with pollen

: The wasp picks at the goldenrod flowers

: I was his lunchtime entertainment

: Birds are blurry, but I was after the ripple effect

Taking aim

August 16, 2014 by Created by RCW

I aimed for the mountain top, but found only sky.

I aimed for the clouds, but found only air.

I aimed for the moon, but found only coldness.

I aimed for the stars, but found only emptiness.

Head bowed in sadness, I finally looked around,

To find a universe of wonder lying at my feet.

In-sects

August 14, 2014 by Created by RCW

Having spent a day photographing bugs and other creatures outdoors, I was surprised to find while sweeping the hallway (a surprise unto itself) that I was witness to a battle for life.

Thus, I present the inside insects (arachnids) or in-sects.