The splashing sounds from the nearby stream let us know we were getting close.
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The splashing sounds from the nearby stream let us know we were getting close.
As you read this column, please know that it has been written from the author's deep respect of a culture that really should have had a much, much higher standing in our nation's history.
Chai is a four-year-old spayed domestic shorthair who came into the Ontario SPCA York Region Animal Centre in search of a new home when her family could no longer care for her.
When the caller asked if I could speak to her group about mast production, I assumed she had me mixed up with someone else. What did I know about building sailing ships? As the conversation went on, however, it became obvious that she was indeed on the right tack, as 'mast' is a word to describe the fruiting bodies of trees — acorns, beechnuts and such.
Is there anything more iconic for the season than to see and hear a flock of Canada geese flying overhead? Sometimes you first hear them and will stop whatever it is you are doing and look skywards… wondering if they will be low enough and close enough to be seen through the branches of the colourful maple tree.
Honey came into the care of the Ontario SPCA York Region Animal Centre when her family could no longer care for her.
By dictionary definition, a ‘foray’ is a raid for plunder, to lay waste and pillage. This is why I cringe whenever I hear about the annual proliferation of edible mushrooms forays, which are usually well-hidden within the context of being an educational experience.
My paddle was literally mid-swing when our eyes locked. “Least Bittern! Least Bittern! Least Bittern!” I screamed silently to myself. This was a very special interaction indeed.
Mocha is a nine-month-old Border Collie mix who is seeking her forever home.
It’s always interesting to see how certain events are linked to other events, especially within the natural order of nature. What are the ripples of effect and their impacts when set in motion by a random act, such as a blue jay pecking at a ripe apple?
I’m deep into a relaxing bath, a lovely refresher after a hard hike through the local forests, when I cast my gaze across the room and suddenly feel not so relaxed anymore. My pants are hanging on a hook, and hanging on the pant leg is a large copper-coloured… something… with legs.
Event planning and preparation these days can be challenging, what with supply chain issues, travel challenges and severe weather events all conspiring to thwart your best laid plans. As I write this, we are the throes of pulling together a “Celebration of Lives Well Lived” for my late in-laws, Matt and Jane Valk.
Piper is a petite five-year-old chocolate lab mix, or as her friends lovingly refer to her, a “pocket chocolate.”
As we are now into the hot and hazy days of summer, the birds have quieted down, the wildflowers are just sitting there, and it seems that Nature has engaged the summer vacation mode. But don’t be fooled into thinking “there’s nothing going on out there” — the insect world is hopping busy.
Carmel is a five-year-old cat searching for her fur-ever home.
Can bad news also be good news? How much spin does one need to apply to make a bad news story a good news story? This interpretation of an event is somewhat commonplace in our interactions with nature.
A countryside walk will often reveal loose bird feathers. As molting takes place the old feathers are shed as new ones grow in. And not wanting to be flightless, most birds molt one feather at a time thus always remaining protected from the rain and also retaining the ability to fly.
Orchids are a fussy bunch of plants. They grow only if the soil pH is just right, if the moisture is just right and if the amount of sunlight is just right, and they reproduce only if the right kind of pollinators are in the neighbourhood. There is no wonder why botanists get a little excited when they encounter a real live orchid in the wild.
Linda is a one-year-old Mountain Cur-mix who is an inquisitive and independent dog. She was among 25 U.S. dogs who came into the care of the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society from shelters south of the border that were at capacity.
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