Willows have a special grace. This one lives on the shore of the Grindstone Creek. While it is well fed by the marshes and creek, well visited by birds and admired by all, her crown nonetheless feathers under the rumbling and trembling of the highway overpass. Regardless, it returns every year, showing growth and responding to the light of the changing season. Every week, a new adventure awaits as spring overtakes the nature in the Hendrie Valley Sanctuary .

Revealing beyond or seeing behind the surface of being requires courage, trust and a belief in kindness. These images started with the concept of water reflections. Mirroring the beauty and spiritedness of nature's bounty through water reflections became a metaphor for seeing and mirroring the inner beauty and kindness of others beyond and behind human diversity and complexity. The techniques used in this project include merging images both in camera and in post processing inspiring empathy, kindness and love of others and one's own humanity.

Flowers, as they dance in nature, can express the joy, graciousness and serenity that life offers. They engage one into a pause of reflection where the seed of hope and resiliency emerges.

A white gerbera, a gesture of friendship, a moment of cheerfulness and charm. From a seed, young bud to full bloom, her message is to live one’s life at the fullest, to shine in one’s uniqueness with all of the underlying colours and feelings that weaves one’s experience.

“Le flâneur, adept of the joys of watching, connoisseur of empathy, the flâneur finds the world picturesque.” (Susan Sontag, 1979, On Photography) Une journée de flânerie dans le vieux Montréal le long du canal Lachine aiguise la curiosité et l’enjouement pour ce temps où les cours d’eau ont permis l’expansion industrielle canadienne. Les couleurs, la prominence et la grâce du building fantôme, Farine Five Roses, offrent une exploration de la beauté des vieux matériaux de construction et de la possibilité de renouveau et de transformation.

These images started with the fun of exploring weeds left behind as winter settles for long months of cold and snow. They hold on valiantly to some of their colours and shapes waiting to sprout their seeds in the spring. Trees go dormant with a carpet of leaves protecting their roots awaiting the spring sun to burst into their luxuriant coat. What TRACES do we leave behind after a cycle of life? Where will we play as we emerge from the cocooning of winter?

There is great comfort in seeing communities band together to celebrate nature by creating spaces that are clean, ecologically balanced and safe. The former Jeffrey mine is such an example where, after the mine closure, stabilization of the land, fertilization, planting of trees and pollination through the establishment of bee colonies, created a renewed ecological environment illustrating some healing of this planet. The joyful colours and textures of the fall trees play against the strength emanating from the blue waters of the lake formed from underground water.

The Hendrie Valley Sanctuary embodies a magnificent wetland revitalization and a place of reflection and relaxation where one can visually record FEELINGS and IMPRESSIONS. Fall meandering along the ponds, creeks and marshes reveals a spirited coat of colours, shapes and textures. The initial gold and green turns into an explosions of yellows, pinks and oranges

I fell in love with winter hikes in the Hendrie Valley Sanctuary despite the cold and starkness emanating from this magnificent wetland revitalization. Colours are subdued. Shapes and textures are restrained. But the vigour beneath offers promises of new light and Spring awakening.

Spring slowly makes its way into the Hendrie Valley Sanctuary with changing light, some autumn leaves still hanging and carpets of cattails shimmering. Quickly, early budding covers the woodland with a cloak of tender greens. The rapid transition invites you to frequent hikes before the deep green of summer covers the woodland and marshes.

Summer in the Hendrie Sanctuary envelops the marshes, ponds and trees in a sheet of greens, blues and pinks. The Christmas tree barriers abounds with bursts of colourful wildflowers. The deep green ponds are a refuge for wildlife.