This isn’t a walking post, just thought I’d share some photos of a bee (my favourite subject) from a dinner over at Sharon’s on a cold Sunday. We’re still having family dinners outside (because of ^%$#! Covid), and now that we’re approaching autumn, it’s getting colder. It’s OK though, and if we hadn’t been sitting outside, I wouldn’t have noticed a very tired and possibly close to death bee on the deck. Before I could get to her, she survived a near miss with Stella’s paw. I coaxed her onto a flowery serviette, and then delivered her to the nearest actual flower. She seemed a little revived, but who knows?
From the deck to the serviette…You’re nearly there!Yes!
Met a little friend on my after-work walk to Tom’s – a Spotted Tussock Caterpillar, also known as a Woolly Bear Caterpillar also known as a Tufted Teddy Bear Caterpillar! They are not uncommon, but it’s always nice to see one. They look like they would have nice personalities.
Victoria Hill Road area, on the stairs leading into the golf course
My camera, if I use the wide angle setting, can give really interesting effects, but it also distorts on the edge. Trying to get as much green in my photos as possible as we head into Fall. Once again it was windy but it got up to 21C. 11,773 steps.
We’ve had some coolish temperatures in the last couple of days and a few, yellow leaves are blowing around on the ground. I am not looking forward to Autumn. It’s beautiful, and in the thick of it, I love it, but it’s always too soon. Always. We never get a full August without some hint of autumn in the canopy. And once it starts, it’s so quick. As I have said before, September (along with May) is the most changeable month. It starts out summery, and by the end, it is almost past-peak fall.
Folks having fun on the golf course…A summer scene…
The day started off very grey and cold, but by the afternoon the sun was shining. I had planned on making some pies with a huge bag of Tom’s apples, but the draw of the summer afternoon was too strong.
Green!
It was very cheering to walk into the river valley via the Victoria Golf Course and be surrounded by deep, deep green and full, swaying foliage. There were lots of golfers and some physically distant activity happening on the grounds, with the sound of laughter wafting through the trees. It was all so…normal. Kind of a gift.
More riverHeading into MacKinnon Ravine
Once I was past the golf course, I walked along river road and then up into Glenora via the paved trail. It really felt like summer. I then met up with Tom and we walked back into Oliver via the museum, now a favourite route. I ended up with about 15,000 steps. The temperature never got above 18C, but that was OK. The good news? It’s still summer.
I give you, the creeping bell flower. I thought it was a bluebell.
Holy boob sweat! A gorgeous but very humid walk just after a brief rain storm this morning and before the next, apparently bigger storm this afternoon.
Victoria Park Road trail
Still can’t bring myself to leave as early as Tom (5:30 am). Just after 11 am, the temperature was about 22C but with the mugginess it seemed warmer, with the exception of an occasional ‘delicious’ breeze, to quote Marilyn Monroe.
Victoria Park Road trail IIHills of colour
Spotted several spotted Ladybug pupae (apparently) on the creeping bellflowers, which are (apparently) and invasive (but very pretty) wildflower species.
More pretty invasive species…
Overall just under two hours, 12,200 steps. Down the Victoria Park Road to River Road and then (eventually) up the super humid hill in MacKinnon Ravine. I walked over to 107 Ave so that I could take a longer, shadier route to the grocery store (City Market in Oliver Square), where once again I was disappointed by their produce.
Not a ladybug but a ladybug pupae (according to Sharon)
In spite of the humidity, I’m glad that the heat wave has broken, at least for today.
Whitemud Ravine. It was actually sunnier than the clouds would suggest.
It’s hard to believe I haven’t walked in Whitemud Ravine since the winter. I’m not even sure I walked there in the winter! I probably did. I can account for February and March (Scottsdale and then the injury) and April/early May (COVID-19 shutdown) but since mid-May, I’ve really had no excuse. In fact, my walking in the last month or so has really sucked. We’ve had lots of rain, and I’ve been busy at work (including working some weekends) but if walking is not a priority, it’s not going to happen. And it hasn’t been a priority, for some reason. When I have walked it’s been over to Tom’s or with Tom, in and around Glenora. Great walks, but not the woods.
Stella refuses to pose
It’s so clear that I feel most at home, most like myself, walking in the ravines and the river valley. There’s just something about the woods. I felt immediately better once Stella and I walked down into that ravine via Westbrook. It was also wonderful to be with her, and to be surrounded by green. Sharon and Vic are away on holidays to BC, so even though Kate walks her, she doesn’t take her into the woods. Stella loves it. Whenever I come over, she noses the door of my car. She knows.
Stella stops to smell the whatever
Whitemud Ravine is incredibly lush right now. We’ve had so much rain, everything is moist, overgrown and ridiculously green. This is also my first unpaved trail walk since the injury. Crazy that I haven’t done this yet, but I was worried about tripping on a tree root and hyper-extending my leg again. It was totally fine. I didn’t feel any strain. Stella goes up hills very slowly now, but that’s OK.
Hello slough!Slough too!
One thing that was different was the little construction project about half way through is now completed. Last year, they took out the rickety boardwalk bridge and the very rickety wooden stairs. Somehow, in a feat of wizardry, they put in a bridge that doesn’t seem to have an incline, but still ends up at the top of the hill, next to the little lookout that is always full of seed for birds, squirrels and chipmunks.
New bridge!
Stella and I made it to Rainbow Valley Road and back. It took a little more than an hour, but surprisingly, it only adds up to 7,600 steps. The good thing is that it’s up and down, so a good, occasionally strenuous walk. Stella really, really wanted to go into the creek, but it’s too high and fast right now. Maybe in a couple of weeks. I sprayed her with the hose when we got back.
Next best thing to jumping in the creek…
The walk was really rejuvenating. I’m having a hard time taking care of myself these days. Lots of anxiety, stress, poor sleeping. The ironic thing is that if I was walking more, I probably wouldn’t be experiencing those things, or at least not to the same degree. Not only does walking decrease stress and anxiety, it can also prevent it. At least in my experience. The world is kind of a dumpster fire at the moment, so the least I can I do is take myself for a daily walk. It worked for 20+ years. No reason why it couldn’t work again.
There are always pretty spider webs on bridges early in the morning
We embarked on our walk at 5:30 in the morning, BEFORE coffee, to beat the heat. It was cool (13C) and beautiful. Later in the day, it was 27C so good call on our parts. Also very easy to socially distance when there is nobody else on the sidewalks!
An early morning skyThe light is SO beautiful this time in the morningTom, taking a photoAwash in green and purpleThe long shadows of the morning sunNote the green worms…
