Welcome, Ontario: 2nd Week of April, 2020

Apparently there was once a sign here saying “Welcome” to visitors passing by. As a few buildings sprouted up here, the name stayed.

Welcome does not have a main street but does have a historic church:

Hope United Church

and a school:

Rural scenes are very close:

Lake Ontario is nearby but it is very difficult to get near it due to fences and homes. There is one road that led me to a small beach:

I was able to photograph a Cedar Waxwing,

Turkey Vulture

a Turkey Vulture:

and saw and heard hundreds of Canada Geese and a Northern Harrier.

Some botany:

White Cedar (Picea glauca)
Choke Cherry (Prunus serotina)
Sensitive Fern
Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)
Goutweed (Aegopodium podograria)
Day-lily (Hemerocallis fulva)
Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora)
Brome Grass (Bromus inermis)
Crack Willow (Salix fragilis)
Cottonwood (Populus deltoides)
Forsythia
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)
Manitoba Maple (Acer negundo)
Norway Maple (Acer platanoides)
Corn

NATURE POETRY

Poem by Yasir Hussein

We fell asleep in one world, and woke up in another.

Suddenly Disney is out of magic,

Paris is no longer romantic,

New York doesn’t stand up anymore,

the Chinese wall is no longer a fortress, and Mecca is empty.

Hugs & kisses suddenly become weapons, and not visiting parents & friends becomes an act of love.

Suddenly you realise that power, beauty & money are worthless, and can’t get you the oxygen you’re fighting for.

The world continues its life and it is beautiful. It only puts humans in cages. I think it’s sending us a message:

“You are not necessary. The air, earth, water and sky without you are fine. When you come back, remember that you are my guests. Not my masters.”

6 thoughts on “Welcome, Ontario: 2nd Week of April, 2020

  1. Patricia Lund

    Thank you Miles for all the country jaunts that you have shared with us. I feel like I am on those walks and breathing in the fresh spring air. I really liked the poetry too and think this latest poem is the best one for capturing the world’s mood right now.

    Reply
  2. Brian Whitefield

    Totally agree with Patricia – you have become the spring tonic we all crave! And this poem touched me at once as well.
    I remember Welcome vividly from my youth. Coming home to Cobourg from Toronto, once we passed the ‘marshmallows’ (large round white oil tanks near the 401) my sister and I knew we were not just ‘Welcome’, but almost home.
    Thank you Miles!
    Keep safe and be well.

    Reply
  3. Lisa Volkov

    Oh yes–a tonic, that is the word, all right. The big sky, the water, and the beautiful sights of nature–what vital refreshment of the soul for those of us cooped up inside! And yes, another great name, too. Thank you so much, Miles!

    Reply
  4. Pina

    Beautiful pictures,
    And the last 2 lines of that poem!
    Thank you for sharing. It’s like I go out every day for a wonderful walk.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *