Dog Tales sanctuary has more than just dogs

Photos by Barry Wallace

Each time I drive by Dog Tales sanctuary on the southeast corner of Dufferin Street and the 19th Sideroad, I always see many horses, especially the magnificent heavy horses.   I've never seen any dogs however.   But today I also spotted a large pig and some large white geese.   All of the critters at Dog Tales are rescued animals that can live out their days in some tranquility.   It is always a delight to gaze across this scene.

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Barry Wallace

Longest day of the year approaches

Photo by Barry Wallace

Summer sunset over King

The summer solstice and the longest day of the year are almost upon us, here in King.   They are one and the same and this year they fall on Sunday, June 21 at 12.39 p.m.   Who knows if the sunset on that day will resemble the one in the photograph above.   The sun will rise at 5.37 a.m. and set at at 9.03 p.m. and the direct sunlight will last 15 hours, 26 minutes and 32 seconds.   The light that reaches us on that day will have travelled just over 152 million kilometres.   Our summer solstice is also known as the June solstice and south of the equator it is the winter solstice, as well as the June solstice.   In December, the nomenclature is reversed and in King Township we have the winter (or December) Solstice.   The word solstice means 'sun-stopping'.   Here's hoping we have a long, lovely sunset on the longest day.
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Barry Wallace

Spring spruce-up at Locale

 Photos by Barry Wallace

Locale Restaurant & Bar, at the four corners in King City, was having its shutters tended to on Wednesday.   Maintenance on a building this old must constantly be in an owner's thoughts.   Has it really been two years already since Locale opened its doors to diners?   Time flies, I guess, when you're having a good time.   Buona fortuna, Locale!

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Barry Wallace

Friday fish fry at King City United

Photos by Barry Wallace

The main man serving up the cooked fish for the King City United Church Fish Fry on Friday evening was Wayne Smith of King City.   Although the large golden Marlin on the wall behind Wayne was noticed by most of the diners, the delicious fish they were enjoying were much smaller, but oh so tasty, Ontario fish.   In the picture immediately below, it can be seen that the event was a sell-out from start to finish for most of the evening.   

Two of the satisfied Fish Fry diners were my wife Linda Wallace, of King City, and Deb Shulte, the designated Liberal candidate for King-Vaughan, who is on the campaign trail for the upcoming federal election.

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Barry Wallace 

Entrance to Magna's proposed new international headquarters in King Township

                                                                                                    Photos by Barry Wallace

'Wib' Burns's old farm laneway

For the time being, the entrance to the site of Magna's new auto parts world headquarters at Kinghorn, is the old farm lane seen above.   It is just east of Jane Street on the south side of King Road, opposite the King Township Museum.   Wilbert 'Wib' Jennings farmed this land for decades during much of the second half of the last century.   He was a capable farmer and well-known throughout the farming community of York County, as York Region was known back then.Once 'Wib' slowed down at farming, he was a regular feature at Ken MacQuarrie's King City Motors garage, at the south end of the village.   The only person on Wib's old farm this past Wednesday was the surveyor pictured below, doing preliminary work on the site. The only other creatures on the old farmland, other than yours truly, were some Canada Geese (second photo below), gleaning what they could from the stubbly soil.  

The foraging geese, pictured above and below, on the sprawling 109 acres of land now owned by Magna, may or may not be displaced over the course of the next 18 months, as Magna occupies its new 320,000 sq. ft. headquarters plus research and development centre and is likely joined by a number of new office headquarters for many of Magna's industry suppliers. 

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Rain replenishes backyard birdbaths

And this (at left) is what it's all about...a robin that has drenched itself and looking exceedingly pleased with itself.   We have several birdbaths, and my wife and I enjoy them as much as the birds do.   It's always a challenge to keep them filled with water because there are so many species of birds that use them to bathe in and to drink from.   

Then there are the squirrels, the chipmunks, the raccoon, the skunk, the cat, and who knows what else in the dark of the night. Apart from seed in the feeders, and bugs on the ground, no other item seems as important to the birds as water to drink and bathe in.

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if you wish.

BtheB

Dufferin Street ~ south of Highway 9

 Photos by Barry Wallace

Wandering by the Glenville Ponds