I've just started a special blog just for Brigadier, where people can write their condolences etc. It's http://brigadiersmemory.blogspot.com/  

This is a sad and terrible night for the Toronto Police Mounted Unit. Police mount Brigadier was killed by a hit and run driver on the street tonight. His partner was thrown off and is in hospital but will recover. These are all the details I know now. I'm so upset. I took this picture of Brig last week. He was a brave and beautiful horse. Rest in peace Brig. 

I've been flckr-ized. Spending far too much time over there in flckr land. Eesh. This is Amber, by the way, looking mysterious and beautiful. 

Really bad news tonight. Trooper, sweetie police mount here in Toronto was mauled by two pit bulls on the street. He was bitten on all four legs and sustained lots of lacerations and puncture wounds. He's resting quietly in his stall but what a horrific experience it must have been for everyone. P.C. Jim Flett managed to keep his head and his seat and help Trooper. Hopefully Troop got some good kicks in too. 

Saw this handsome fellow out wandering the fields in Caledon today. Can't make up my mind if it's a wolf or a coyote. But I'll bet someone will set me straight if I blog it right here and wait.....  

Just joined flckr, a really well-put together photo-sharing site. You can see the link in the right hand column somewhere. 

I saw this shot from a distance and just had to hike over an acre of half frozen mud to get it. 

Cloud catcher mechanism? 

The Environmental Defence team has reason to smile today. 

Anyone who has stuck with me from the beginning of this blog knows I've volunteered my photography to help the cause of stopping the Pine Valley extension road from being built through the greenspace and First Nations heritage land that runs along Boyd Park.

Well, celebrate with me, because thanks to Environment Minister Broten, the road is stopped in its tracks and the land is saved. Everyone who worked so hard to get this little strip of land recognized and who fought so long to have their voices heard deserve a huge thankyou. We are all in their debt! Thanks guys! I just know that somewhere up there Pierre Berton is smiling. You took his advice and got "mad as hell"!! 

David Donnelly and Deb Schulte share a hug on the steps of Queen's Park. 

And I swear that this massive hawk arrived in the heart of Toronto just to put his blessing on the day and the celebration. He perched above the Legislature and made sure everything went according to plan! 

There were some tears of joy shed, let me tell you. What a great day. 

I "met" a friend of Charlene Chartrand who lives in Italy. He's a photographer and does lovely work. I really like this image, it's so evocative and dreamy. His name is Piero Casaluci, Torino, Italy at www.insidesign.it
 

I'm baaaaack!

After a full week in the studio and/or sitting hunched over the keyboard, manipulating a zillion images for this ad campaign (top secret) I simply HAD to get out!! So we threw the bikes on the car and drove to the Leslie St spit and biked for three hours in the lovely freezing sunshine. Got some really nice shots too. What a relief to get out! 

Icy twisted metal rods 

This reminded me of giant fishnet stockings. 

Love this little hut. 

Spent an hour photographing dozens of fences along the way. 

Lots of lovely frozen bits along the lakeshore today. 

My trusty red bike, laying in the dirt while I play with the macro lens.. 

We stopped in Kensington on the way home, to eat and warm up after our ride. 

Me, frozen, having hot ginger tea. 

Ricardo perusing the menu at the King's Cafe 

Mmm.. sweet and sour bites. 

Leaving Kensington Market, putting the bikes on the back of the car, CN tower in the background 

The golden hour, under the Gardiner Expressway, looking back at the city. 

My sunglasses on the dashboard, CN tower blurry in the background 

Shooting all week in the studio. Here's Mick looking smashing. 

Ricardo's shot of a wind sculpture at the Distillery. 

Hey Ian, how come your wells are so much more photogenic than mine? This is the best I can come up with this week. I am snowed under with work and deadlines for an ad campaign and no time for fun shooting at all!! :-( 

No, I didn't take this shot.. I only wish I had. I absolutely love Van Morrison. I would give anything to have him in my studio and shoot him for a day.  

An old photo of my dad, Peter de Haas. He turns 80 next month. Boy, no wonder my mom fell in love with him, those blue eyes and all that great hair. My mom's in Holland right now, visiting with all her sisters. Hope she sees this and gets a smile out of it. 

Interesting creature hidden in the architecture at the U of T. 

Saw this very well-dressed horse going down University Ave today. 

From what I gathered, the occasion was the honouring of the life of the Iman Hussein who died 1400 years ago. If I'm wrong, feel free to let me know and I'll correct it. 

I love this little lifeguard station 

snow on the windshield mid-afternoon. 

Hobbling around the city today 

We bought a load of masks and costume bits today for the studio. Here's me, modelling one.
 

Mucking around with Mick 

Sculpture on the CNE grounds. There's a little spider on his nose there.. I was scouting around for somewhere to shoot the unit for their formal dress shot. 

Waiting for takeout lunch at FRESH on Queen W.  

I was born here in Toronto and I've never once been to Fort York, right in the heart of the city. It was like spring on Thursday, perfect for a stroll through the grounds. Strangest winter ever. Or I should say, non-winter. 

A bit of Toronto history. 

Bronze marker at the base of old maple tree at Fort York. 

Plaque detail at Fort York.  

You've heard of police dogs and police horses. Well, this is a police cat. His mission (should he choose to accept it) is to keep the mice out of the stables.  

Fossilized teddy bears. ;-) 

Dragons for sale 

Mooching around the city, looking for a certain type of chair to use in a shoot. Came across this "grate" shot. Thought I'd get that pun in before Ian. ;-)