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| Vermilon Forest Skyline |
Despite the forecast of rain, I've gotten out hiking and of course taking photos. Also I've spent sometime contemplating how fortunate I am to live here. When I was young, still at university in fact, we used to debate " what a Canadian is " Nine out of ten times, this was debated viz a viz Americans, which always resulted in a negative definition. Or lately we debate it in terms of multiculturalism. But that leaves me and millions of Canadians without a home. After all we second generation Canadians have no real feel for our parents' country. In my case it always felt very foreign. Having lived out of the country and ultimately having been as a young man offered the opportunity to move back to Europe, which I turned down, let me offer this definition- a Canadian is a person who is at home in his environment, be it the wilderness or the city. The key is to know them both, and thus preserve them both. This is of course the totally opposite of the US experience, which essentially is to develope everthing. The opportunity to explore the wilds must be offered to new Canadians. Most new Canadians have never experienced a wilderness or even a park and they must know the difference between the two and the city. This is what we must work on, and even insist on.It essentially makes us unique in North American. There is nothing like where I live in the US or Europe; possibly the only other country that has the same thing is Russia, and the Russians call their country "mother Russia".
I'll speak more about this later as my philosophy defines itself. A Post to
http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/
Thanks to Karen & Jackie for identifying the Sulphur. Hope someone comes up with an identification of the brown one.
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| Skyline |
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| Black Swallowtail |
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| Eastern Swallowtail. |
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| Pink Edged Sulphur. |
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| Mourning Cloak. |
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| Unknown |
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| Buttercup. |
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| Devil's Paintbrush. |
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| Mountain Ash showing a tinge of fall. |
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| Wild Asters |
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| Canada Geese |
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| Canada Geese. |
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| Canada Geese. |
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| Northern Leopard Frog. |
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| Unknown Toad. |
The Butterflies are tremendous and the frog and Toad.
ReplyDeleteyour photos astound me with their clarity and beauty. I certainly won't debate you on the point of how Americans view land as something to be developed. I agree. and it makes me sad. perhaps one day that will change, but one might argue that it's too late. your post is inspirational and lovely. thanks for sharing Gary. happy day to you and Boomer.
ReplyDeletethe leopard frog is lovely as are the butterflies.
ReplyDeleteWell done. Wonderful pictures
ReplyDeleteOutstanding photos, they are so crisp and clean, beautiful! I think your unknown butterfly might be a sulpher.
ReplyDeleteHi Gary
ReplyDeleteSome really lovely shots of the butterflies I especially like the swallowtails.
Regards
Guy
Your photos are so crisp and clear. I think your unknown green butterfly is a Pink-edged Sulpher! I photographed a similar one a while back. I'm just loving the leopard frog. He's a cutie! I see one every once in awhile.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous butterflies and floweers. Lovely photos.
ReplyDeleteThat's something to think about, for sure. In general, I would agree, but, I think that, on a local level, people are starting to think more about preserving their wild areas. The town that I live in has several hundred acres that are forever wild. It's good to think that those areas will be available for future generations to enjoy.
ReplyDeleteYour first undidentified butterfly is definitely a Pink edged Sulphur / Colias interior. Take a look at the photo here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.scienceviews.com/photo/library/SIA0225.html
The second one could be part of the Swallowtail family. I could not see if it had a tail, but not all species of Swallowtail do, such as festoons and apollos. I could not find either one in my Butterfly book.
I like your Northern Leopard Frog, he is a handsome fellow. Great photo's as usual.
Very thought provoking post and the photography is also wonderful. I love the variety of butterflies you showed us and also enjoyed the flowers, geese and other shots.
ReplyDeleteDid you hear the CBC discussion on Cross-Country Check-up about Canada's parks?
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures Gary! I love the butterflies :)
ReplyDeleteWow Gary you have so much going on...
ReplyDeletebeautiful captures!
Oh, that Pink Edged Sulphur is lovely and the Leopard Frog really jumps off the page. :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos, and an interesting definition of Canadian.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos today, Gary!
ReplyDeleteInteresting definition of a Canadian, also, although I think it might be hard to apply it to all of us. Many city-dwellers never get the opportunity to experience the countryside.
I'm a third-generation Canadian, grateful to have been raised by an outdoorsman, to have been able to live in both worlds.
My city-raised husband and I recently returned from Russia, seeing two of its major cities as well as smaller cities and towns, and miles and miles of dense forest. We saw very little wildlife, however.
Really enjoyed your post for Our World this week.
— K
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel
°º♥
ReplyDelete°º✿
º° ✿♥ Olá, amigo!
Natureza linda... maravilhosamente fotografada.
Beijinhos.
Brasil°º♥
°º✿
º° ✿♥
Nice post Gary. I think I'd definitely fit in the Canadian mould going by your definition.
ReplyDeleteA great post Gary. Such lovely butterflies, and that Pink Edged Sulphur is marvellous.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful, extraordinary photos with excellent color, is a delight to savor the beauty of your photos.
ReplyDeleteA great series of photos and I like your thoughts about the importance of the wild environment in ones' own country. IMO too many people only know the cities!
ReplyDeleteNot only Russia Gary but Australia as well. Here 'The Bush', or going bush, is essential to the greater part of the population. It must be something that has rubbed off from our Aborigines who are nomadic and have a great need to go 'walkabout'. You may have noticed that I too feel the call of the bush, that is why I have my own 500 acres around me and when that gets too constricting, I go to the arid inland or the ocean where there is not another soul on the beach.
ReplyDeleteSplendid wildflowers, butterflies and critters. Love those Rowan berries.
I'm not Swedish, but live in Sweden, where there are huge tracts of wild land and plenty of space for everyone as it's a huge country with a small population.
ReplyDeleteWonderful shots of the butterflies.
the butterfly shots are wonderful. your nature shots have gone better each time.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful nature photos... Thanks for sharing... Have a great week ahead
ReplyDeleteSamson's Photoblog
I am not a descendant of an imigrant, but I have the same feeling as you. I still have a German passport but never lived in Germany as an adult. Since I was 14 I have lived in Belgium and it is my country. My home is here my friends are here and besides a little part I don't know Germany at all. Just as a tourist. I kept my German passport because there is no difference between social rights.
ReplyDeleteYour pictures are beautiful!
Hi Gary - Interesting post. Interesting ideas on "connection". I work with a large number of well educated people, many of whom seem to have "light green leanings". However, most seem really surprised that I still go to National Parks in the winter - "it's too cold" they all say! To which I normally reply "Do you own a coat?" To contradict Arija a bit (sorry!) I dont think that Australians are that well connected to their land - despite even in the most popular locations you can have the place more or less to yourself if you move more than a KM from the car parks! Dont think what I'm saying here will be much of a surprise!
ReplyDeleteCheers - Stewart M - Australia
This brings to mind the iconic Canadian image of Pierre Trudeau sitting in his canoe.
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking about this the other day. My partner is fascinated by and follows the development of virtual world 3D imaging and technology. I could care less personally, but he gets really excited about it and shows me how close it is getting to the real thing. What he shows me are usually images of natural settings--which I find interesting in that why is recreating nature so often choosen. I don't really get it. Perhaps becase I actually spend a considerable amount of time with the real thing, whereas he does not and spends a considerable amount of time on the computer. So perhaps there is a dissconnect there. I am having trouble finding the words to discuss this, so I will have to leave it there, but I'm sure there is an interesting philosophical discussion about this.
love this post - all sorts of good stuff in there...great photos!
ReplyDeleteI love all those butterflies :)
ReplyDelete