An Old Fashion Corn Roast

As some of you know I’ve taken up bread baking at Montgomery’s Inn here in the west end of Toronto. The inn is an historical site and museum and depends on the generosity of time given by numerous volunteers. Every year the inn hosts a community corn roast.

IMG_4120

This was the first one I’ve ever attended and I was there as a volunteer. I helped roast the corn in the outdoor wood fired oven that we use for our bread baking every week. In the kitchen the volunteers cooked the sausages and more volunteers manned the tables where tickets were sold, food distributed and where coffee and tea were served. Down the hill there was an activity area for the children and under the tent there was live entertainment.IMG_4121

On the other side of the building several historical organizations set up booths to display information about their group and quite a few people were dressed in period costumes. Later in the evening the ukulele class that performs the first Thursday of every month also gave an impromptu performance for the community in attendance. I’ve been playing with the group off and on since January and I was happy to be there again after a bit of an absence. When you haven’t played for awhile three hours of singing and playing  can be hard on the fingers but wonderful for the soul.IMG_4122

For more information about the museum and list of events check out the website.

Lens Artist Photo Challenge – Action (in the Sky)

….thanks to Pilot Fish for this week’s challenge prompt ‘Action’

I’ve wanted to share more of my photos from the Air Show that I watched from the park at the bottom of my street. It’s nice that I can combine a post that I was going to do with a new challenge.

I found taking photos of soaring jets against a grey sky very tricky. Firstly it was difficult locating the moving planes with my zoom lens and than getting them in the frame was a challenge. Eventually I figured out how to find them and centre them  (enough to crop them later). Most of these shots were the last ones on the camera.fullsizeoutput_712e
fullsizeoutput_7130
fullsizeoutput_7132
fullsizeoutput_7133
fullsizeoutput_7134
fullsizeoutput_713a
P1060968

Labour Day – The End of Summer?

….I think not

For many Labour Day signals the end of summer; children return to school, cottages are frequented less often, new TV seasons begin, fall classes are opening up and the days are becoming shorter. The weather, however, is anything but fall like. In fact, we’ve been experiencing very hot and humid conditions. I feel sorry for the teachers and students who returned to school this week without the benefit of air conditioning (most schools here don’t have it).

Traditionally the Labour Day is the final day of the CNE and the last day of the Air Show. I attended the CNE on opening day and I watched the Air Show from the park at the end of my street, along with dozens of people from the community. It wasn’t the best day to watch it but I had been at the cottage for most of the 4 day show.

Here are some photos from the last official weekend of summer (maybe not official, summer doesn’t end till Sept 21) from the cottage and the Air Show.

IMG_4055
IMG_4056
IMG_4057

September Square – Mostly Pink Foil

….thanks to Becky from the Life of B for hosting September Squares

This month’s theme is anything pink or hints of pink or things that leave you ‘tickled pink’.

This wall hanging is made entirely from the foil covers on beer caps. It is hanging in the ROM.

IMG_3869

Dinosaur ‘in the Pink’

….thanks to Becky B for starting off September with a new September Squares Challenge

The theme for squares this month is ‘In the Pink‘ and the one rule as always is that your main photograph must be square.

My first entry is from the ROM in Toronto where I saw this ‘pink’ dinosaur. As you can see it wasn’t really pink, just lit with pink lights. My granddaughter wanted to know what happened to his head.IMG_3857

Word of the Day Challenge – Patterns

….the word for Word of the Day Challenge is patterns

Patterns are everywhere. Some are man-made and others occur naturally in nature.

Iris van Herpen: Transforming Fashion

P1060162
P1060173
P1060182

Totem Pole at the ROM
fullsizeoutput_6f5f

Budda Head
IMG_2883

Grid platform on the climbers
IMG_3021

 Fireworks – Random Pattern
P1060297

Pattern in Nature
IMG_3061

Symmetrical Pattern
IMG_3107

Asymetrical Pattern
P1060616

Artistic Pattern by Kenojuak Ashevak
IMG_3660

Persian Rug
IMG_3729

Horizontal and Vertical Line Patterns
IMG_3853

Diagonal Patterns
IMG_3856

Brick Work
P1060752

Cee’s Black and White Photo Challenge – Glass

….thanks to Cee for hosting the Black and White Photo Challenge

Wine Glass on the Beach

fullsizeoutput_7116

Glass Bird Feeder
fullsizeoutput_7115

Philip Beesley Glass Sculpturesfullsizeoutput_7114
fullsizeoutput_7113

Glass of Beer

fullsizeoutput_7111

Glass Windows on the ROM Addition
fullsizeoutput_7110