Island Lake Conservation Area at Orangeville, May 30, 2021

 Above:ampitheater which is sort of in-the-lake-by-the-lake-on-the-shore, which the artists enter via a bridge. audience sit on the sandy beach or grass. I have never seen a theater on water. 

I loved the darkness in the middle of the day, with the hot sun above in this part of the area!

young pine cone?

Flowering pine cone?

Rockwood Conservation area: May 23, 2021

 Today we went to Rockwood Conservation area on the Grand river. It is one of the best conservation areas I have visited in Ontario. What made this place special and different from all other good conservation areas were the caves and more importantly the many many nooks  by the river by which we can sit in privacy and enjoy the bird songs, the river, rocks, food , a book, whatever. 

We had to pay 15 $ (two of us) to get in. There are parking lots close to the river...near the beach, close to the ruins of a limestone building and one can enjoy a walk round the waters. Many people were in canoes, kayaks, boats. Many families were enjoying their picnics on the beach, swimming, playing in the water and so on. 

Here are a few photos. 

Below are photos of the caves

The photo above and below is supposed to be a glacial pothole caused by swirling action of water which had fist sized rocks and eroded the rocks in this circular way! I am not a scientist! I am merely quoting from this article: https://hikingthegta.com/2015/08/21/rockwood-woolen-mill/

Below are photos of the ruins of the woollen mill which is in this conservation area.

Below are random photos from the hike

I love this flower above but dont know its name

Above is a lilac which was white! (Most lilacs are light purple)This conservation area was full of lilac bushes in bloom and it was so pleasant to smell the lovely delicate fragrance as we walked. 

Above and below...layers of rock...

above: a tiny island for the waterbirds!

This is a shack facing the conservation park and on top of a hill, the other side of the road...while I envy the people who live there, I also know that the traffic sound cannot be escaped from that perch.