Life at the Eastern Citadel
It's been a while since I posted a new, photography-focused project. We recently moved out of the city to a more rural setting and along with my day job, we've been busy unpacking and organizing our new home. I've certainly been making photos all along, but hadn't had the time to put together some of that work in a collection, other than by sharing through Instagram and other social channels.
This curated series is a new instalment, covering the last couple months in our new community of Campbellford, Ontario. I'm very fortunate in that I am a 5-minute walk to the Trent River and nature trail and our backyard backs onto a protected forest (which I need to explore more). I'm a short drive from a conservation area, a walking trail and local farms.
On the front steps of our new home.
There are so many photo opportunities for me that are either a short walk or a short drive from home. I'm truly enjoying the possibilities.
The nearby town of Warkworth is home to the Millenium Trail, a stunning collection of 83 different varieties of Lilac bushes. Every year, the town hosts a Lilac festival when the plants are in full bloom.
Wild columbines are an indigenous plant to Ontario and are everywhere in the spring
Also near Warkworth is the Century Game Park, where you can see elk and bison roaming grounds.
The "Friends of Ferris Park" offer weekly walks through parts of the nearby provincial park.
A 20-minute drive from home takes me to the Healey Falls dam, controlling outflow from Seymour Lake feeding into the Trent River. Road access is currently blocked, due to abuse of the grounds by inconsiderate visitors, but you can park near the road and walk 10 or 15 mnutes down to the dam.
Seymour Conservation area is a short drive and has a few different walking trails
Grey and Great Blue Herons are feeding regularly near the Hagues Reach dam close to our home and I'm finding ample opportunities to capture these majestic birds. I've also seen loons, osprey, great egrets and the omnipresent Canada Goose.
Part of our street is yet to be developed, so it means there is a multitude of wild plants, meadows and additional forested areas to explore.
The Kawarthas is also home to a huge farming community. Being this close to local farms, being able to meet and buy from the farm families, and to experience the cycles of the growing season is both a privilege and an amazing opportunity to capture photos.
