Turkey Vultures in Lucy Maud Montgomery Country

On April 1, I made a post of photos from Leaskdale where the author of “Anne Of Green Gables” lived from 1911 – 1926 with her clergyman husband.

Now, three weeks later, I drove to Norval Ontario to see where she lived from 1926 to 1935.

Rev. Ewan MacDonald was the minister at this church in those years:

Norval Presbyterian Church

At noon on this day, the church bells rang out with several hymns.

Lucy, her husband and two sons Chester and Hugh lived at this house, the church manse:

Manse

There is talk of turning this eventually into a museum:

Manse

Lucy wrote this in her journal on May 26, 1927: Norval is so beautiful now that it takes my breath. Those pine hills full of shadows – those river reaches – those bluffs of maple and smooth-barked beech – with drifts of white blossoms everywhere. I love Norval as I have never loved any place save Cavendish. It is as if I had known it all my life – as if I had dreamed young dreams under those pines and walked with my first love down that long perfumed hill.

Nearby botany:

Virginia Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum)
Trout-lily (Erythronium americanum)
Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana)
Walnuts under tree in Manse yard
Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata)
Violets
Alternate-leaved Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
Early Meadow-rue (Thalictrum dioicum)
Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)
Celandine (Chelidonium majus) growing in moss

Views of Norval:

Anglican Church where Lucy Maud directed amateur theatre
St. George Syriac Orthodox Church
Iron fence
Croatian Centre

I stopped in the empty parking lot of “Nashville North”to have a look at the Credit River.

I wasn’t alone. Normally I see Turkey Vultures soaring high in the sky:

Turkey Vulture

But here were two sitting beside the parking lot:

Turkey Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Turkey Vulture

As I approached, they took to the air:

Turkey Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Turkey Vulture

By a nearby pond, I spotted a few other birds:

Canada Goose
Hooded Mergansers
Common Grackle
Common Grackle
Common Grackle
Common Grackle

NATURE POETRY

Down home to-night the moonshine falls
Across a hill with daisies pied,
The pear tree by the garden gate
Beckons with white arms like a bride. – Lucy Maud Montgomery

Miles Hearn

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