NEWS!

Bluffers Park #225
Favourite photo moments ... see after Upcoming Events

Free Spirit #451
Special Announcement!
Recently, I was introduced to a very special group of individuals who share their time, generosity and compassion in caring for rescue horses. It was quite by chance that I even learned about the horses. I feel privileged to know these people, to have the opportunity of photographing these beautiful animals and help out in my own way.
If you purchase any of the horse images, please know that a portion of the proceeds will be donated towards their care.
So … hopefully you’ll enjoy this new series of photographs and also be happy knowing that your purchase will be helping.
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I read this very short story on the Second Chance Wildlife Sanctuary's website and would like to share it with you. It is entitled
"You Can Make A Difference."
In Maine, they tell of an old man walking along the beach with his grandson, who picked up each starfish they passed and threw it back into the sea. "If I left them up here," the boy said, "they would dry up and die. I'm saving their lives." "But," protested the old man, "the beach goes on for miles, and there are millions of starfish. What you are doing won't make a difference." The boy looked at the starfish in his hand, gently threw it into the ocean, and answered: "It makes a difference to this one."
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Current & Upcoming Events
If you would like to receive notices about upcoming events, please drop me a note - susan@spudsnaps.com
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Spring has arrived in Toronto!
Come out and celebrate the arts!
June 12 & 13, 2010 - Momiji Art Show! Saturday, June 12 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. & Sunday, June 13, 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. 3555 Kingston Rd & Markham Rd., (south-east corner.) Once again, Momiji is hosting a multitude of artists, including yours truly! - from painting to pottery, sumi-e, fabric, jewellery and photography (of course!) and much more.
Come out and enjoy this wonderful event and don't forget to visit The Artists' Cafe on Saturday - always tasty treats and refreshments! I always enjoy participating in the Momiji show - the atmosphere is terrific and the building itself is always a pleasure to visit. This is a golden opportunity to see what your local artists have been creating and you just might find the perfect gift for a friend or yourself!
Cedar Ridge Gallery also has its Celebration of the Arts on this same weekend - unfortunately I will not be able to participate in the outdoor show as I'll be at Momiji. However, I will be exhibiting in the gallery along with other members. Cedar Ridge is located at 225 Confederation Drive, (north of Kingston Rd., south of Lawrence Ave. E. , east off Scarborough Golf Club Rd. in Scarborough - Tel. 416-396-4026. Lots of free parking!
June 10 - July 13 - The Bluffs Gallery, 1859 Kingston Rd. (just east of Birchmount) will be hosting another Scarborough Arts Council Members' Group Exhibit, this summer's theme is 'Solstice' and I will be exhibiting here also. Tel. 416-698-7322
Saturday, July 17, 2010 Art in the Park at the Scarborough Arts Council, 1859 Kingston Rd. This year there will again be 50+ artists in the beautiful Harriston Estate Park surrounding the Scarborough Arts Council. I will not be exhibiting in this show, but invite you to come out and enjoy the event. There will be refreshments, entertainment and an amazing array of local artistic talent! Always a great show!
Several shows have come and gone since Sept. 2009 - my apologies for not listing here, however, I have relayed these events through my email list. Will try to be more on top of things in 2010!
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August 27 to Sept. 29, 2009 - Scarborough Arts Council's Group Members' Exhibit "The Heart of the Matter' at The Bluffs Gallery, 1859 Kingston Rd., (just east of Birchmount Rd., close to Rosetta McClain Gardens, Scarborough - tel. 416-698-7322.
Friday, Sept. 25 & Saturday, Sept. 26th, 2009: "Creative Visions" art show and sale, presented by the Port Union Seniors at the Port Union Community Centre, 5450 Lawrence Ave. E., Tel. 416-396-4034.
Art will be on display all day and evening on Friday and until 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. There will be an opening reception at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 25, 6:00 p.m. Be prepared to thoroughly enjoy the evening! The volunteers put on a spread of goodies like you've never experienced - and then of course there's also the art!
This is a wonderful art show and sale, showcasing affordable fine arts and crafts by local artists.
Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009 - 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Whitecap Arts & Crafts Sale, 3311 Kingston Rd., apt. bldg. at Whitecap Blvd., rear entrance, ground floor, (south side, just east of Bellamy Rd.) - parking on Whitecap Blvd. or in Visitor Parking.
Local artists bringing you fine art painting, pottery, bags, hats, knitted goods, jewellery, photography, art cards & prints and special non-art products - Avon!
Get a headstart on holiday shopping!
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see new Captioned Cards
in Nature/Wildlife! Enjoy!
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The Journey #409
The Framing Dames hold an artists' reception on the 1st Friday of each month - 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. - come out and enjoy this Open House Show & Sale at the Framing Dames' Meadowvale Gallery and meet some of the artists that exhibit in the Gallery - refreshments are also served! Mark your calendars! Please phone as summer hours may change this schedule.
Word is getting out! This is getting to be a popular and most enjoyable monthly event. Even if you're not looking to purchase art right now, come and browse! It is a nice get-together and you may just spot that perfect gift or piece for your home or workplace.
The Framing Dames, 211 Morrish Road, Scarborough - see you there! Tel. 416-287-2025
(Seasons of the Park, Summer Rain, Bluffers Park, Imagination)
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Favourite Photo Moments

Baltimore (Northern) Oriole
With nature shots, particularly critters, the opportunity for a photo can come up so quickly and be gone just as quickly! To be lucky enough to capture a shot within a short time frame, is quite a thrill. There are times when you may wait many hours, days, weeks even, waiting for that perfect moment!
Some of my favourite photo moments:
The Journey (shown just above): A beautiful yellow tulip caught my eye in Rosetta MacClain Park recently. It almost looked like a painting with red streaks throughout. While I was thoroughly engrossed photographing the tulip, along came a ladybug - walking right along the edge! How perfect! In her eyes, this tulip must seem enormous - her little world - then she spread her wings and flew away - and yes, I was fortunate to get this shot also! Appropriately, and without any imagination on my part, it is called ''Ladybug, Ladybug, Fly Away Home" after the nursery rhyme!
King of the Marsh: Recently I discovered my first Caspian Tern! They've been around for eons, I've just never experienced them. This particular tern, I've spent many hours watching, as it searches and captures its dinner - dive-bombing into the water head-on! You will find the King of the Marsh photo in the Nature/Wildlife section.

time for dinner....
Often it's difficult to come up titles for scenes and I often ask others for input. One gentleman thought 'this bird had attitude" -- the marsh was his territory! After some pondering, I decided that 'King of the Marsh' seemed totally appropriate for this Bluffers' resident! The more I look at this photo, the more it rings true! So, thank you Martin for your help on naming this scene!
Swan series: Bluffers Park, one of the world's greatest wonders ... well, at least to me! On this particular late afternoon at Bluffers, I came across two beautiful swans. I stood for almost 2 hours at the water's edge, at times hanging onto a small branch to keep me from falling into the water. It was almost spiritual to watch this pair, as they glided, danced and courted together. With every move they made, they were completely in sync with each other, moving simultaneously as one. In one shot, they formed a perfect heart as they paused in front of me. They were aware of my presence, but I guess they sensed that I would not cause them any harm.
This was definitely one of my most memorable and enjoyable times photographing nature. The pictures in this series are The Dance, In Sync, and Swan Hearts.
Kingfisher with Fish: Last summer, I was on a bird hunting hike along the top of the Bluffs. At one point, I looked down and there on the beach below, was a kingfisher sitting on an old tree limb, complete with a fish in his beak! I was so excited, I almost fell off the edge!
Geese in Flight (or as David, my framer likes to call it,’The Magnificent Seven!’: On September 29th, 2006, the Port Union Waterfront Park was officially opened. This is a great place to walk or bike and such a treat to have this facility within our city. I was standing out on one of the ‘rock pile’ type structures,(levee?), photographing the horizon to the west. All of a sudden, I heard a very loud ‘whirring’ sound. As I turned around, a flock of Canada Geese were flying straight towards me. Their wings sounded like a giant wind machine and you could feel their strength. I felt so fortunate to capture this moment and will always remember this day.
Flower on Rock: An October afternoon at Bluffers Park , I happened to glance down towards the water. There, growing in a rock, was this lovely purple Ecchinacea plant. The late afternoon sun was shining on it like a spotlight. So pretty, so simple, so unusual.
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SpudSnaps may be purchased online (see Order Form) or at these local Toronto (Scarborough) outlets:
Earthsong World Gifts, Music, Art & Crafts in
"The Beauty of Nature" exhibit has finished at Earthsong,
The Bluffs Gallery , 1859 Kingston Rd. ,
Global Pet Foods, 3110 Kingston Road, Scarborough - pick up treats for your pet and a card for a friend, all in one store! Tel. (416 ) 265-1047
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It's hard to imagine that autumn has come and gone. As I read 'A Tree's Thoughts' at the bottom of this page, it is a reminder of that wonderful time of year, but winter has its special moments also ... boots, shovels, icescrapers and remembering how to drive in the snow! On the other hand, there are those delicious comfort foods of winter - stews, lasagne, chicken soup, chili ... always a compromise!
Mary Adair, Editor of Pencilstubs.com, (an internet literary magazine), featured the scene 'Imagination' in a special Arts Presentation in the May 2005 issue. www.pencilstubs.com provides a wonderful opportunity for writers to share their work. ('Imagination' can be found in The Unusual section )
Hat Frenzy! A friend of mine, Diane Foote-Taylor, makes amazing hats. While I don't have any experience with commercial photography, I agreed to photograph Diane's products for her website. It was a lot of fun, the pizza was great and all in all, it turned out quite well! Drop by Hat Frenzy's website ... www.hatfrenzy.com You just may find the perfect hat and other accessories ... all ages, all styles ... all seasons ... they're beautifully made and very creative!
Past Events
2009
June 25 - Aug. 4, 2009 - Scarborough Arts Council's Group Members' Exhibit 'Elements ' at The Bluffs Gallery, 1859 Kingston Rd. (just east of Birchmount Rd.) near Rosetta McClain Park, Tel. 416-698-7322.
Reception
2008
November 30, 2008 - January 9, 2009 - The Bluffs Gallery '
Nov. 2008 - Jan. 2009 Christmas Show at The Framing Dames, 215 Morrish Rd. (Highland Creek) (off Old Kingston Rd., east of Military Trail) Scarb. 416-287-2025. I currently have 5 photos on display in their gallery.
Lions Club Annual Christmas Craft Show, Birchmount Community Centre, 93 Birchmount Rd., Sunday, Nov. 2, 2008.
Friday, Sept. 19th -& Saturday, Sept. 20th, 2008: 9th annual Creative Visions Art Show & Sale at the Port Union Community Centre, presented by the Port Union Seniors, 5450 Lawrence Ave. East, Scarborough. This is my 3rd year participating in this wonderful and very diverse art show. I hope you can come and enjoy the wide array of fine arts, crafts, paintings, sculpture and of course ... photography
Saturday, Sept. 13th, 2008, Verndecor Interiors Trade & Consumers Home Show at the Toronto Beaches Lions Club, 10 Ashbridges Bay Park Rd. , (just south of Lakeshore Rd. E.)
A quick thank you to the great folks I met at Cedar Ridge Creative Centre, the Highland Creek Heritage Festival and The Framing Dames! It was a pleasure meeting you all and seeing a lot of old friends!
July 26, 2008, Art in the Park, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. in the beautiful Harrison Estate Park, at the Scarborough Arts Council, 1859 Kingston Road, Scarborough, (just east of
June 21 & 22, 2008: Momiji Centre Art Showcase & Sale, 3555 Kingston Rd & Markham Rd., (south-east corner.) We had a great time at the Momiji Centre Art Show &
June 12 - July 22nd, 2008, 'As You Like It' SAC Members' Exhibit at The Bluffs Gallery (
Sunday, June 8, 2008 – 12 noon to 5:00 p.m. Celebration of the Arts, Annual Exhibit and Sale at Cedar Ridge Creative Centre with special guest Mayor David Miller and special unveiling of a commemorative sculpture and garden - live entertainment, tea room and more! 225 Confederation Drive ,
Feb. 25 to March 21/08 - Rotunda,
2007
Saturday, Nov. 24/07 - 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Once again, the Fairmount Christmas Fair will be held at
Sunday, Nov. 4/07 - 9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Scarborough Central Lions Club Christmas Craft Sale. This is a wonderful annual community event - great shopping, great refreshments - always enjoyable! There will be over 55 vendors, including SpudSnaps photography! Join us at the Birchmount Community Centre, 93 Birchmount Road, just north of Kingston Road, Scarborough.
At the Bluffs Gallery, the 'Savour' exhibit has been held over until October 2nd, 2007, so you still have time! The Bluffs Gallery's members' Savour exhibit celebrated the final weeks of summer. For this exhibit, I chose 'Seasons of the Park'. It is the same scene in the Harrison Estate Park, but photographed in each of the four seasons. The park is located on the south side of Kingston Road, east of Birchmount Road, in Scarborough and enjoyed by residents year-round.
Many stroll through on their way to Rosetta McClain Park; neighbours meet and chat, enjoy their morning coffee, joggers jog, cyclists cycle and some choose this place for quiet and relaxation - to enjoy the simple pleasures of nature - listening to the birds singing or watching the antics of the squirrels! It is a favourite playground for the dogs of the neighbourhood as well! It is a special place for many.
Sept. 10th/07 - 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. ,
Friday, Sept. 21 & Saturday, Sept. 22/07 - 8th annual Creative Visions Art Show &
Aug. 24th extended to Oct. 2nd, 2007, at The Bluffs Gallery - 1859 Kingston Road, just east of Birchmount Rd. Monday to Friday 9a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tel. 416-698-7322
Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 258,
Momiji Centre, Art Showcase & Sale, Saturday and Sunday, June 23rd and 24th, 2007, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., 3555 Kingston Rd. at
The Framing Dames First Annual Juried Art Show, featuring artists from
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A Tree’s Thoughts
by Susan D.
It is autumn
Look how beautiful I’ve become for you!
You felt happiness and hope
when you saw my new buds and blossoms
in the spring … a new beginning
I gave you shade in the summer
with my full dress of leaves.
Look, I’m showing off for you!
My leaves are a painter’s palette
but will soon disappear with the wind
My branches will be blanketed in snow
my winter friend.
I will see you in the spring and
once again take great pleasure
in revealing my beauty to you
with new growth.
Treasure these moments, these memories
the sights, the sounds, the fragrances of autumn
to carry you through the winter
while I sleep and rejuvenate.

(c) SpudSnaps