White swan on dark water

You can't go wrong with a shot of a white swan on dark water. Trees bare of colourful leaves and ground still bare of white snow, take a picture of the perfect fallback - a white swan on dark water.

(This image has been messed with a bit using Photoshop content aware. To learn more, I posted some info on my Photo blog on a post titled, "It was a firing offence." Stay alert, there is a link that leads to a post on media use of models to illustrate news stories. Forgive me if this appears like I am trolling for hits. I'm not. I'm just trying to share.)

Children are the future of our cities

Fiona checks out the bouquet she gathered for her grandmothers.

Many cities are in trouble, all around the globe. But they do have a hope: Children.

Fiona loves walks and this fall she discovered the dry, withered leaves of fall covering the ground. She loves them. They crackle and snap when walked upon. They float wildly, dispersing everywhere, when tossed in the air. And they make a great bouquet when gathered up and carried home. (Huh? I never thought of that.)

The little 26-month-old child carefully gathered a fist full of leaves, telling me they were for her grandmas back home. When she had gathered too many to carry without damage, she called for me. "Help, gah-gah! Help!"

After spending some time gathering leaves, she examined her collection with a critical eye and decided something extra was needed. She picked a couple of dandelions gone to seed. The white fluffy heads contrasted perfectly with the brittle, brown-yellow leaves. She had the focal point for her dried leaves bouquet.

Our children have imaginations that are not trapped in the past. We must nurture these young minds. We must encourage our children. The seeds of a promising future are contained within.

More Fall Colours

This is another shot of fall colours in London, Ontario. This one, too, was taken in London's Springbank Park on the Thames River in the southwest end of the city.

For a post on art, craft and photography, please follow this link to Rockin' On: The Blog.

Fall colours in London and Southwestern Ontario

Took two shots, then wind blew away the yellow leaf.

The past couple of days have been blessed with wonderful fall weather. Days just on the verge of being warm. They've been perfect for getting out to enjoy the fall colours.

Today I hiked about Springbank Park. I took lots of shots but the one I liked best was a shot of fallen leaves on pavement. Maybe I should have just shared it as it was shot, but I shot it RAW and when it came time to convert the file I took some liberties with the colour. It was just too tempting. Forgive me.

The colours now reflect my memories of fall rather than the reality.

Green Toys sold in London, Ontario

"Oh boy! Yots uh yummy stuff. gamma."

Fiona's mother and father follow the green path as do many of their young friends. When Fiona hit two, a couple of months ago, her mother's lifelong friend, Emily, gave the little girl a Green Toys tea set.

I had never heard of Green Toys but it is not surprising that Emily knew of the company and supported it. All Green Toys are made in the States, mainly from recycled plastic milk containers. The company says that every pound of recycled plastic they use saves enough electricity to power a television for three weeks.

Just recently I blogged on a Canadian entrepreneur, Kevin O'Leary, the chap from the Dragon's Den and Shark Tank. In researching the piece I learned that the American toy manufacturer Mattel no longer makes toys in the United States. Some years ago, Mattel CEO Robert Eckert closed the toy company's Murray, Kentucky, manufacturing facility, moving all production to China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Mexico. (I don't believe they have brought back much, if any, of the production.)

Surely, making stuff in the States from materials made in the States is better for the American economy than the Mattel approach. It would certainly have been better for the workers and the cities and towns affected by the closures.

If companies like Green Toys are able to produce stuff in the States, why idle plants and throw thousands out of work? Is the company's bottom line that important?

Dandelions are invasive; they're from Europe!

I always knew dandelions were invasive. When they invade one's lawn, they are just about impossible to get rid of. This is especially true in Ontario now that the province has banned herbicides for use on lawns.

What I didn't know is that dandelions are a true invasive species; They are not native to North America but came here from Europe. Gosh! Did someone bring them here with the goal of making dandelion wine?

I hate to confess this but in the spring I actually find lawns bright with yellow blossoms quite attractive. But it isn't long before the youthful, spring dandelions have grown old and grey, covered with seeds ready to be spread by the wind.

Fiona loves dandelions, spring, summer or fall. I told the little girl to make a wish and then try and blow all the seeds away. If you can blow a dandelion bare with one try, I assured her, your wish is granted. Well, that's what my mother told me. I'm just passing on the fun.

Using up the Thanksgiving leftovers

"Me try. Me try." She tried and she succeeded. Kids amaze me.

Monday was the Canadian Thanksgiving. Today, Thursday, we are down to our last leftover turkey, thank goodness.

Judy was making a turkey pie from the last remaining bits of turkey. Little Fiona wanted to help. The little 25-month-old grabbed her toy pastry roller, pulled a chair up to the kitchen counter, climbed up and set to work.

In the end, the kid was actually successful. She managed to roll some dough flat. It was just too cute. Judy took the little piece of dough and patched it into the bottom of her pie shell.