Water, Wildlife, and Wonderful Skies!! - May 15th, 2014
Northern Ontario provides a plethora of opportunities to witness stunning scenery, breath-taking views, and the excitement of close encounters with wildlife in the natural habitat.
Since moving to Elliot Lake, nearly a year ago, we have had the good fortune of being in the right place at the right time (sometimes by sheer luck, others by design) and some of these occasions have been captured in pics or on short movie clips.
We've become acutely aware of the transience of these rendezvous moments... burning sunsets that change within the blink of an eye.... wild animals that just won't hang around for a photo-op.... and the ever-changing journey of water as it makes its way in obedience to the law of gravity.
There have been so many spectacular moments that are consigned to memory - viewings of wolves ... perched bald eagles ...the silent glissade of a garter snake.... all of which were too quick and fleeting to be caught on camera.
Although photos (and even movies) don't do justice to the reality they represent, we are pleased with the hundreds of pictorial reminders of the wonderful experiences we have had while discovering the local area within driving distance from our home.
Here are a selection taken from our Samsung Galaxy 4 cellphone/camera - excuse the plug!!
Water
Mark and I have always been drawn to water. This element seems to invoke a variety of emotive states, but predominantly one of peace, tranquility, and awe. Whether it is the stillness of an early morning lake, or the powerful movement over cataracts and rapids, we can't resist stopping and taking in the moment.
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| Huron Beach - just 40 minutes away |
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| Bridal Veil Falls - Kagawong, Manitoulin Island |
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| Beaver's Lodge - Sheriff Creek Wildlife Sanctuary |
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| Rapids on White River |
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Cataract Falls - North of Blind River
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Cataract Falls - North of Blind River
Falls at Laurentian Lodge, 30 minutes north of Elliot Lake
Wildlife
The fascination of animals in the wild has been with us since the very beginning. I remember sitting on the porch in front of our house on the Holland Marsh and watching a spider sitting in the corner of its web, waiting for some unsuspecting insect that would provide its next meal, and being captivated by seeing it move quickly to wrap the insect in a silken spool before returning to its corner to await the arrival of its dessert.
The abundance of Canadian wildlife that we have in Northern Ontario is astounding. When we drive just outside of Elliot Lake, we do so with a positive expectation that we will see deer, bears, foxes, and the occasional moose and wolf. Always from a safe position, and with a healthy dose of respect for the fact that these creatures ARE wild, we have been able to get up close and personal with some of our friends.
Freddie Fox - last Fall
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| Barney Bear |
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| Barney Bear taking a peek at his admirers |
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| Two Elk in a distant field |
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| A curious Freddie! |
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| Flutter Grouse |
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| Pileated Woodpecker |
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| Rocky Raccoon |
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| Sandhill Cranes |
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| Seagull about to attack Mark! |
After spending 15 minutes peacefully feeding with us being nearby, Barney finally flees in the wake of a passing truck.
Mark captured this scene of a flock of sandhill cranes taking off on Manitoulin Island.
In this one movie clip, he brought together our love of sunsets, silhouettes, and wildlife.
Skies
Who can look at a sunrise or sunset..... or even an angry-looking sky..... without feeling a sense of awe and inspiration? Each 'sky-moment' is different, temporary, and unrepeatable. That's what makes each experience new and unique. For me, silhouettes of trees against the background of a blazing sky provides a thrill - especially when each branch and twig can be clearly defined after they have been divested of their leaves. Please enjoy this slide show of some of the splendours of the skies that we have been able to capture. Here is the link: Skies and Sunsets.
We are determined that our love of nature will never be overtaken by a familiarity which could descend into taking things for granted. Our desire is that we will always find in nature the Source in which we all partake - and allow it to resonate deep within us as we get in touch with our inner being.
We hope that all of you who read this blog will be uplifted and will experience the inner peace that we feel when we spend time in our natural environment.
The walk from the parking lot always reminds me of an aisle in a natural cathedral, with white birch trees on either side of the trail. With the clearing sky, and emerging sunshine, the forest floor was lit up and the contrast between the freshly sprouted leaves on the trees and the pure blue sky was impressive - especially as the puffy clouds kept changing shape to create ever new vistas. 
Having heard the roar of the falls long before reaching them, it still thrills us to step onto the bridge over the gorge and see them for real. (When we had trekked here just over a week ago, the waters were just trickling as the GS had turned them off by the time we had reached there in the late afternoon. This time, we had left early in the morning so that we could get there before this would happen again). We were rewarded by the familiar sight that always enthralls us. There's something about running water that we find mesmerizing - and very calming. 
Finally, we took a detour along some local back roads in the hopes of seeing a bear or two. Alas... no luck today (and I suppose we should count ourselves lucky - having seen 4 the day before!!!). However, at the end of the day we had seen an elk, a deer, and two sandhill cranes. We also come across a small lake that we hadn't seen before. Mellon Lake appears to be mostly for fishing... though it did look swimmable and it has placed itself on our 'to do' list for this summer. 
As if to say, "I'm not a bear, but will I do?", this hawk stayed still enough for us so that we could get several shots of him. 
