Saturday, July 9, 2016

Archies Rock Official Designation Hike.


New Signage
   New Markers
      New Friends
          Same Archie!


Hike Sunday July 10th, 2016.
Details
The Wintergreen Fund for Conservation, and the Mattagami Region Conservation Authority are inviting City residents and outdoor enthusiasts to come and join them on Sunday, July 10, 2016 at 12:00 p.m. for a hike to Archie’s Rock.

The hike will also feature the dedication to Archie Chenier, the man who discovered the geological formation and will also showcase the new signage for the area.

Everyone is encouraged to mark the day on their calendar and come out to enjoy the great outdoors.

Everyone is asked to meet at the White Birch Outpost at 12:00 p.m. or at the MRCA office at 11:30 a.m.

If you have any questions, please contact Crystal Percival at crystal.percival@timmins.ca or call 705-360-2660.
See a interactive map Click Here

Previous Blog Entries all on one page (Youtube, Daily Press, Timmins Times).  Click here

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Snow Dome?



Spotted this snow dome across the harvest block.

The top of this balsam fir has this pile of snow supported on the top. I am guessing the top is broken off. The tree was a little to big to shake the dome of to see why it stuck there.



Saturday, February 27, 2016

Monarchs in Mexico recovering




monarch-population-figure-monarchwatch-2015


Good news for the butterflies

Plant milkweed will continue to help.
http://monarchwatch.org/blog/2016/02/26/monarch-population-status-26/

Monday, February 22, 2016

2016 Successful Winter Hike



What a great turn out.


This map is of the longer hike. One hour and 4.5km

The Mattagami  Region Conservation Authority has pictures up on their face book page see it now

2016 Timmins Winter Hiking Day - Part Two see it now

Frank Giorno add 22 of his pictures from the day see them now

Pictures taken with my camera in the hands of others see them now






Saturday, February 6, 2016

Compost Workshop



Great Turnout !! Down to Earth Day.

Agenda and links are on the left under Pages.

Great Discussion about composting and vermicomposting.

There was over 125 years of composting experience in the room and 11+ years of vermicomposting experience.

Thanks City of Timmins for the room and the composter we gave away.

Many thanks to the Master Gardeners for hosting the event.





Sunday, January 31, 2016

Christmas Visit Tamarack


This tree is fantastic!

Has been in the Timmins Honour Roll of Trees (go there) and now is also a Geocache (go see)



Saturday, January 23, 2016

Down to Earth Day



Cochrane District Master Gardeners

Saturday February 06, 2016

For more information on the composting part look to the left under "Pages"  Topics and links are on that page. It will stay and even updated after the workshop as required. Comments, suggestions always welcome.




Sunday, December 6, 2015

GETTING BACK INTO BLOGGING


IT HAS BEEN AWHILE


Christmas Bird Count is coming up so need to make sure the PR effort is front and center.

CBC has a Facebook page take a look

CBC has a blogger page with lots of links Look under pages or click here




Monday, August 4, 2014

Annual Kettle Lakes Walk and Talk


Hike and History
Plant and Provenance

July 25th, 2014 Kettle Lakes Provincial Park

Hike at 10:30 had a great turn out.




Talk at 8:00 was a good turn out, the drizzle stopped long enough for us to get our tree planting done.



See all the pictures taken that weekend click here

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Arbour Day 2014


The best time to plant a tree, 
was 100 years ago
The second best time to plant a tree
 is today!!

oh so true

Everyone should plant one tree, once a year.
That is one small thing the will make a big difference!



I love Arbour Day.
That is the day I get to talk to the public, the interested in planting a tree, public.

We had white spruce available at 2 locations in the city. All the green people came out for this fund raiser.
Thank you all! 


Oxygen Grows On Trees

Seizure and Brain Injury Centre - Timmins


Colouring It Up 

for epilepsy






Trail around Gillies Lake is used for many events. Here is the Colour it up event. Looks like lots of fun.
I will take pictures of the kid from afar.


Seizure and Brain Injury Centre - Timmins on Facebook
Daily Press pictures and story right here

All the pictures I took are in this album



Oxygen Grows On Trees

Aboriginal Day Timmins


Hollinger Park
June 21, 2014

A wonderful wonder in the park.





I know what you are saying "where are all the pictures of the drummers and geese being cooked"? Well I am working up to that. The image just never seems to capture the moment.

I seem to be better at capturing the trees and birds and the bugs. I am working on people, respectful people pictures. It is easy to take pictures with people in them, but not so easy to capture the person, respecting their cultural diversity.

I will take any hints you may have for me. What should I aim at, where do I point the camera?

Timmins Daily Press read more and see more pictures.



oxygen grows on trees

Kees Pols Mr. Timmins Trails Retires.



Great Job Kees!!

(To all my friends - been a busy early summer, I will work my way backwards for a little bit while I catch up on  a month or two)

I look forward to Kees organizing and guiding more hikes - now that he will have a little more time.



My FaceBook Album is here

MRCA FaceBook pictures are here

Daily Press and Timmins Times news is here and here


O2

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Earth Day 2014


CTV Earth Day Tour
Sudbury
Timmins
North Bay
Sault Ste. Marie


CTV spot for Northern Ontario tour see the video

CTV spot for Timmins Earth Day see the video

All the pictures I took can be seen here

Last 4 years of events. Posts and Pictures. read now

:)

Trees are amazing.



These Black spruce trees are tenacious!

Black Spruce reaching for the sky.












This black spruce got a twist somehow maybe 50 years ago.
Some may say this is a Culturally Modified Tree, but this is in the middle of nowhere.
I am thinking snow made this one.



 :)

2014 Arbour Day in Timmins



Saturday June 07th, 2014
10 am to 1 pm 
while supplies last.

@ Mountjoy Historical Conservation Area
and
Gillies Lake.


Forestry size WHITE SPRUCE tree seedlings locally grown at Millson Forestry Service.

This is a fund raising event for the Wintergreen Fund for Conservation and donations will be accepted.


:)

Happy Birthday Archie


Archie Chenier turns 89.
Born : May 24th, 1925

The person  Archies Rock  is named for.



Archie's Rock Pictures and Video. read more

Timmins Outdoors read more


:)

Friday, April 18, 2014

I"m into Nature: Discover Timmins’ Natural Beauty



Timmins Public Library
is Hosting
I'm into Nature: 
Discover Timmins’ Natural Beauty

 Saturday, April 26, 2014 at 2pm. Guest speakers from Millson Forestry Service, MRCA, and the MNR will be presenting information on the tree population, local walking trails and how to safely prevent human and wildlife conflicts. For more information please call 705-360-2623 ext. 8519. This is a free program and appropriate for ages 9+.

Timmins Public Library Events read more
Timmins Chamber of Commerce Events Calendar see it now
City of Timmins Events take a look

My time will be spent talking about the Timmins Honour Roll of Trees (what's that), Boreal Forest Trees, Seeds, Seedlings and Solid wood.


oxygenrowsontrees

Earth Day 2014


Earth Day Northern Ontario Style!!
Sudbury
Timmins
Northbay
Sault Ste. Marie

EARTH DAY TIMMINS 2013
April 22 : Sudbury @ New Sudbury Center 
April 24 : Timmins @ GoldCorp Hollinger Project Information Center
April 29 : North Bay @ North Bay Toyota
May 01 : Sault Ste. Marie @ Pino's Get Fresh

Tree seedlings and Briquettes will be given out at each location, while supplies last.

CTV Northern Ontario spot view on youtube
CTV Timmins Ontario spot view on youtube

You can look back at past Earth Day events with the links below. I just picked one link for each year, many years have more than one entry.
Earth Day 2013 blog entry
Earth Day 2012 blog entry
Earth Day 2011 blog entry
Earth Day 2010 blog entry
Earth Day 2009 blog entry

The making of Muddy Mark read more

Earth Day Canada page


Monday, February 24, 2014

2014 Winter Hiking Day at Hersey Lake


Great Day

Great People



Again this year the Timmins Porcupine Search and Rescue people were out training. They gave us hikers a little demonstration of some of their skills.

It was a wonderful fit!  You should have been there!!!


Timmins Press.com was at the event read more

All the pictures I took this year can be seen here

2013 Winter Hiking Day read more

2012 Winter Hiking Day read more


oxygengrowsontrees

.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

2014 Timmins Winter Hiking Day


Save Sunday February 23rd, 2014



Poster

2013 Winter Hiking Day read more

2012 Winter Hiking Day read more


114th Christmas Bird Count.


December 21st, 2013

This is the 20th year that the Timmins Naturalists have participated in the 114th Christmas Bird Count.

The count is supported by the Wintergreen Fund for Conservation.



2013 Christmas Bird Count 114th. My Pictures

Timmins Naturalists read more

Christmas Bird Count information at Bird Studies Canada   read more

Wintergreen Fund For Conservation  read more




#Tree Tweet on Christmas


My submission to #treetweet

Jian Ghomeshi on CBC Q set this up.

I can't figure out how many pictures were posted but it is lots.

Hope you can participate next year.


My Twitter

CBC Q

#treetweet page on Twitter.


Saturday, December 7, 2013

2013 Timmins Christmas Bird Count



114th Christmas Bird Count
December 21st, 2013
20 years of participation

The Timmins Naturalists, with support from the Wintergreen Fund for Conservation, announce the date for the 2013 Timmins Christmas Bird Count. December 21st, 2013 will be the count date for the 114th International Christmas Bird Count.

This marks 20 years by the Timmins Naturalists. Over the last 19 years there has been over 75 participants, over 400 volunteer hours spent and 45 species identified. This data collection effort is asking all level bird watchers, both field and feeder watchers, to get involved.

The Timmins Naturalists are always looking for “Citizen Scientists” to participate in data collection efforts.

Timmins Naturalists Christmas Bird Count Webpage

Bird Studies Canada Christmas Bird Count information click here

Audubon International click here

Timmins Chambers of Commerce Calendar take a look now

Timmins Daily Press story and photo click here



oxygen grows on trees

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Beaver should ditch the Pond !!


Good Food
Muddy Drink
Tiny Home
Terrible Neighbours

Ditch that homestead !!






Want to visit the homestead, click here, for the location. Drop in anytime, bring poplar sticks to add to the food reserve.

Tenacious Tree, Rock On Roll'n


Pictures are worth more 
than the words I could add.



Pictures taken about here.

oxygengrowsontrees

3rd annual TD Tree Plant


TD Friends of the Environment
3rd Annual Tree Plant

Yes, I am a little late posting, what ya go'na do?

A great turn out this year considering the weather.

All the pictures I took can be seen on the Millson Forestry Service FB page, take a look.

TD Tree Days a National event, read more
99.3 kiss FM report
Timmins Times, tree plant will happen, read more
Timmins Times, tree plant did happen, read more

02 G.O.T.

Observations this summer - What did you see?


New birds added to the 
Timmins Checklist of the birds!

Summer is done and this fall I will work on updating the Observations Naturally page and the Timmins Checklist of the Birds.

SNAKES - turns out I am not the only one to notice lots of snakes this year on the roads. It seems there was hardly a week went by that I was not avoiding a snake crossing the road. Many never even moved until I got out of the truck and went back to make sure I missed. They must be loving the heat from the sun this summer.

I was sent an interesting picture of a ruffed grouse with a snake in it's mouth. Guess it was going to work on it as it's meal for the week.

TURTLES - I did not see one this year! I did get some notes on what you saw. Highlight being another sighting of the Blanding turtle at Gillies Lake. I have also had a report of a small snapping turtle at Gillies. I still have not seen photographic evidence of the sightings.

If you see a turtle in the area I would love to know where you saw it, and I would really really like to see the pictures you took of it!

TURKEY VULTURE - Lots of conversation about the turkey vulture. Groups of them seen at the boat launch, one seen on the ground at a moose carcass on Dalton rd. Eagle seen on the carcass another time. Love to see this bird, it is so distinctive in the air.

BALD EAGLE - I know the last 2 years the Bald eagle has stayed all year, at least one at the Deloro landfill. Last week it was reported that there were at least 4 hanging around at the dump. Christmas Bird Count here in Timmins had a pair of Bald eagles reported! I even have video of the pair. see it now

Let me know what you are seeing out there. Always interested in your sightings.

Oxygen Grows On Trees

Kelowna BC, walk in the park.


One Week in Kelowna
They got Nature there too.


Swimming in Lake Okanagan



This is the GPS track file of where we walked and how we got there. The trail takes you through tunnels and over former train trestles.  The camera marker is where the yoga picture of me was taken. 1 meter behind me was a 5o meter drop, Mom was a little freaked out. "What's the worst that could happen??"  http://goo.gl/maps/i9pF0


Many of the trestles were destroyed in the Okanagan Mountain Park Fire, which happened 10 years ago. 238 homes were lost and the fire was almost 24,000 hectares. read more




We also went to a new start-up that has constructed suspension bridges and a giant sundial.
The pool has a wave ride. I was able to stand for a minute after the 10th try, I wipe out good, got a few laughs from the young ones watching.

Loved to see all the different trees!  Northern Ontario has so few species compared to the hills of Kelowna.