Celebrate Summer

The yard was still too wet to work in it so I spent some time at Elk Island National Park this morning.  On the way to Beaver Pond Trail, a coyote crossed the highway.  It found something tasty in the ditch so was distracted when I drove by.

There was not much for traffic on the parkway so I thought I would have the trail to myself but when I pulled into the parking lot, there were a couple of other vehicles.  As I was getting set to head out, a gentleman was coming in.  He gave me advance warning to put the insect repellent on or I would be one big mosquito bite by the time I was done walking.

I hadn't visited this trail for quite awhile.  It has grown in so much that there is only a narrow path to walk on down the center.  Everything is so green!  The underbrush is thick making it impossible to see beyond the edge of the trail.  

I could hear the songbirds in the treetops but even if I would have had my binoculars, I would not have been able to see them.  I could hear the waterfowl and the shorebirds in the beaver pond but again, could not see them because of the thick brush.

Even though there has been a lot of rain, the trail was not that muddy.  I managed to make it around the loop with hiking boots rather than rubber boots.  The mosquitoes were swarming around me.  I had to cinch up the bottom of my sleeves because they were finding their way up my arm.

There were many butterflies, big and small, flitting from wildflower to wildflower.  The wild  roses were in full bloom; adding some pink to the greenery.  In addition to them, the vetch, bunchberries, violets, and blue-eyed grass were showing their colors.  Bumblebees buzzed from blossom to blossom.
 
The morning started off sunny.  I was grateful when it clouded over.  When the sun was out, it was so hot and humid on the trail.  Heat and I are not friends and I couldn't take my jacket off due to the bugs.  I was roasting like a Thanksgiving turkey.

The yard dried up enough during the day so that I could spread the rest of the mulch in the front yard.  I'm ready for a cup of coffee and some relaxing time to look through my new photography magazine that came in today's mail.  

I'm at a stand still with my yard until some more black dirt gets delivered so I think I'll have to come up with a fun way to celebrate the beginning of summer.  Road trip!