I was born in Wimbledon, England during World War II.  My father was a Canadian soldier and my mother worked for the British Admiralty.  During my first year, I was evacuated, with my mother, to Wales because of the dangerous wartime conditions in London.

 

At the end of the war in Europe, my mother and I sailed to Canada.  I was just one year old and my father, who was still in the Army,  was not returned to Canada until later.

 

I was raised on the farm they purchased on the "South Coast of Canada" - the north shore of Lake Erie.  There was lots of work to be done on the farm, but not much money to be made.  It wasn't a life of luxury, but it was a good life.

 

There was woods on three sides and I spent a lot of time exploring them, enjoying the wildlife, looking for bird's nests, and, once I was old enough, hunting rabbits.

 

In 1961, I became a Junior Forest Ranger and spent the summer working in Nagagamisis Provincial Park, near Hornepayne, Ontario.  I wanted to join the Navy, but forestry was my second choice of a career.

 

I joined the Canadian Navy in 1962, serving over 34 years until 1997, and was posted to locations from coast to coast to coast in this Canada and to Bermuda.

 

Much of my service time was spent in the  far north: eleven years in Inuvik, N.W.T;  two in Churchill, Manitoba and; I accumulated close to three years in Alert, N.W.T., now Nunavut.  (Alert is the northernmost permanently inhabited place in the world.)

 

I spent six years on the west coast.  Three in Masset, Haida Gwaii and three in Nanaimo, Vancouver island.

 

I spent over two years on the east coast in Moncton, New Brunswick and Cornwallis, Nova Scotia.

 

I also lived in Bermuda for five years - a two year tour and a three year tour.

 

I have lived in and/or travelled extensively in every province and territory except for Nfld. and Labrador and throughout the continental USA, including Alaska.

 

I have been very lucky to have seen the places and had the experiences I have enjoyed during my life.  I would do it all over again, if I had the chance and was young enough.

 

I am now retired. My pace has slowed.  I have time to spend on photography, which was always an interest, but there were just too many other things to do. 

 

Now I have time to dedicate to learning the skills and upgrading my ability as a photographer.  I am doing the best I can, but not at the expense of everything else.

 

I am still having fun. 

 

I am a very lucky person!