Hurray for Fall!

Summer is over and I'm back; on the trails and on the web.  The heat of summer and I don't get along.  I love fall and winter.  I tend to hibernate through July, August and September until the temperature cools and the mosquitoes disappear.  Don't get me wrong, I don't spend 100% of my time inside but I do spend the hottest part of the day in the house.

I managed to go camping a couple of times.  It's been a few years ago that I actually got to pull out the tent and do some 'real' camping.  The weather was great and the time away was peaceful and relaxing.

I got my front yard landscaping completed.  The nature-scaping  encouraged a number of creatures to come and live in the yard.  The largest garter snake that I have ever seen took up residence in a crack that developed in the soil bank alongside my house.  It brought friends.  I've lived in this location for 11 years and have never seen garter snakes in my yard.  This year I saw at least 6 of them, varying in size.

In addition to the snakes, the tiger salamanders and frogs checked out the front yard.  They liked hiding under the large grasses that I planted.  With all the rain that fell this summer, the growing conditions were perfect for the newly planted shrubs and grasses.  Most tripled in size providing some shady, moist locations for these creatures.

 I did go out to the trails a few times.  During fall/winter I aim for 3 to 4 times a week.  I think that was the total for the whole summer this year.  The mosquitoes were abundant and didn't care if I had repellant on.  If I missed a spot the size of a pin head, they found it.  It does not make for a pleasant hike when I'm fighting off the bugs so they don't go up my nose when I breathe in.

My goal was to hit the trails on a regular basis again on October 1st; rain or shine.  I started at the Strathcona Wilderness Center and ended at Elk Island National Park.  What a fantastic morning.  The wind rustled through the tree tops creating a shower of colorful leaves that danced across the hiking trails.  

At the SWC, the blue jays were busy hiding stores of food in the cracks of the tree bark or underneath the carpet of fallen leaves.  An owl swooped overhead from a colorful old poplar.  The squirrels nattered and the grouse were putting on a regal display. 

When I left the SWC, a large bull moose crossed the road in front of me.  It's hunting season and it was headed into a safe area where hunting is not allowed.


Elk Island Park did not disappoint either.  The bison were out, grazing on the last of the green grass along the roadside.  The colors were amazing; yellows, oranges, reds.  I intended to try a new trail today.  The Shoreline Trail runs alongside Astotin Lake.  I didn't get to hike the entire trail.  There was a roadblock.  A very large male bison approached from the opposite direction.  I tried waiting it out, hoping that he would turn around but he wasn't moving so that meant it was me that had to turn around. 

I'm looking forward to my regular outings again.  My nose will be pressed against the window as I watch and wait for the first snowflakes to fall.  Until that happens, I will enjoy the sounds and smells when I head out to explore.  Autumn means that life slows down.  The air becomes crisp and the sunrises brilliant. The wood box is full for those chilly days when the stove will be lit.  It feels so good to be back outside!