A camera sits regularly on the passenger seat of my vehicle for moments like this. There are times when I have to settle for a photo that is not perfect just because of the moment. In this case, shooting through a bug covered windshield that is reflecting the morning light. There was not a thing I could do about it because I didn't want to scare this beauty away by opening up the door. What a perfect way to begin the trek to work.

Yesterday was harvest day in the garden. There was a threat of frost in the evening and looking at the calendar, I didn't know when I'd get to cleaning the beds out so I started the job and got half of it done.
The pumpkins are inside and will ripen off the vine. The bean teepee that the hummingbirds enjoyed has been removed. The onions are picked. I left the late planting of carrots in the ground. The cucumbers and strawberries are easy enough to cover with a sheet.

As I worked in the yard I could hear flocks of cranes overhead. The Canada Geese flew from the lake to the grain fields behind my yard. The chickadees were having a feeding frenzy at the tray feeder.

The daytime temperature did not go above 13C which falls in the range of what I feel is perfect; not too hot, not too cold. It was a perfect autumn day even though it still is summer.

In the late afternoon a flock of birds flew into the treetops. I had to pull the binoculars out to determine what they were. They fluttered from branch to branch. Their chattering was non-stop. I've seen the waxwings in the neighboring mountain ash trees but they were feeding on something in the top branches of the poplars.

I love fall almost as much as I love winter. The cooler temperatures will mean that I'm outside more often. The fact that there are no bugs makes hiking more pleasant. It's time to pull out the hiking boots again.

School is in next week so I've spent the last few days of summer vacation with my granddaughters. There was lots of outdoor time and no time for posts so it is catch up day.

There were a couple heavy downpours during our 5 days together; resulting in some very big puddles at the local playground.

What fun they had. We didn't have sand toys with us on the first day so they used whatever was on hand; twigs, pine cones, rocks and feathers. That puddle kept them busy for a couple of hours. They were digging holes and making the water flow. They were jumping into the puddle to see who could make the bigger splash.

We brought sand toys on the second visit. Most of the water had drained but they found that as they dug holes in the wet sand, water would fill the hole. Science in action. They spent an hour creating rivers and determining where the water would fill the holes the fastest. They found out that feathers floated on the water.

Watching them in action confirmed that outdoor time and time without toys should be provided regularly. They spent time in the fresh air. They heard the flocks of geese overhead. A couple of geese landed in the grain field next to the playground so they got to see the birds feeding. 

They used their imaginations. They conducted science experiments and didn't even know it. Twigs were trees and spruce cones became fences. Hands were shovels.

The grasshoppers in my yard were numerous. As we walked, the hoppers would fly up from the path. One of them landed on a planter. I was able to pick it up so they could get a close up view as it tried nibbling my hand. "Gramma, it thinks your hand is a leaf."

The girls checked on the pumpkin patch each day to see how orange they were turning. They picked cucumbers and carrots from the garden and enjoyed them at mealtime.

We went on a road trip. They noticed that the yellow fields were gone so they were able to see that the once colorful canola blossoms were now brown and ready to harvest. When we mixed up a cake, the girls noticed that the label on the bottle said 'canola oil' and they put two and two together. 

What fun it was to watch them question and explore the world around them. I hope their upcoming school year will provide them hands on opportunities to learn and explore the outdoors.

Last night I really noticed how short the daylight hours are getting. My drive home from work was totally in the dark. The young moose calf in the middle of the road blended right in with the pavement and was difficult to see.

I've trained myself to watch for reflective eyes, movement or shadows and I drive with my lights on high on the rural roads. That little moose was running at top speed and I feared for it. I saw the reflection of headlights on the power poles and knew a car was coming from the other direction; right in the lane that the moose was in. I slowed to a stop and the moose ran in front of me, into the ditch, just as the other car topped the hill. It didn't slow at all. That moose calf would have been a goner.

The shorter days are signalling that autumn is near but that's not the only sign. The leaves along my route to work are turning color and the pumpkins are ripening in the garden. I've never had them ripen on the vine so look forward to seeing how much they change from day to day. 

I love autumn almost as much as I love winter. The cooler temperatures and the lack of bugs will draw me back to the hiking trails.

The maiden voyage finally happened. Not at a lake, but it finally happened. I wanted to try out the new kayak and didn't have the chance to get to a lake but the dug out at my sister's farm proved to be an even better spot. Nobody could see the couple of green horns trying to figure out how to get in/out and paddle. After a few laps we had it mastered and I didn't have to put the park warden's number on speed dial. Nobody fell in. Nobody drowned. I'm ready for the lake.

The butterflies and bees are really enjoying all the late summer bloomers. The coneflowers, beebalm and sunflowers were all abuzz.

I'm sure everyone has seen those fancy jog-behind strollers. Tonight I had a jog-behind lawnmower. Well, I made my regular lawnmower into one. I jogged behind that baby as the rain clouds approached and got the grass mowed in record time. The raindrops began falling as I was putting the mower into the shed. What a work out.

That was my outdoor time. It was mow the lawn or sit in my new kayak in the middle of the garage and pretend that I'm paddling on a lake.

The wind came up and a severe storm watch just before I left work. The maiden voyage has had a weather delay. 

The morning was beautiful. I had a few minutes before leaving for work so did a tour of the backyard. Dewdrops glistened on the sunflower petals. A perfectly shaped spiderweb was clinging to the ninebark branches. The waterfowl were calling from the lake. It was a great start to the day.

Since getting back from the camping trip, the only wandering I have done is in the backyard. The garden is producing. The pumpkins are beginning to turn orange. The flowers are blooming. The bees are buzzing and the grasshoppers are hopping. I'm waiting impatiently for my full day so I can try out the new kayak.

The time has come for the final post about Shunda (Fish) Lake. The two days that I spent there were amazing; temperatures that I could live with, hours of nature sounds and entertainment, peaceful hikes and great weather.

There was barely a breeze. The water surface was like glass on most days. I think there was only a slight breeze on the first day that created gentle ripples on the water that lapped against the rocks.
My campsite was positioned beside the lake. It would have been great to have a canoe/kayak. I could have launched from the shore right from that spot. After spending many hours alongside the lake, I made the decision to begin looking for a kayak once again.

As luck would have it, they were on sale and I now own one. Now to figure out when the maiden voyage will happen!

The forest floor along the Fish Lake interpretive trail was mossy green but every now and again, wildflowers, mushrooms and berries added a pop of color. Every color of the rainbow decorated the forest.

The hike along the Fish Lake Interpretive Trail was green and quiet and peaceful. The forest floor was covered with spongy moss. Mushrooms sprouted through the natural carpet. Squirrels chattered in the trees; their middens visible along the trail. The short 45 minute hike is a must-do if you are camping at the recreation area.

The ospreys at Shunda (Fish) Lake provided a few hours of entertainment for me. I've seen them before but had never taken the time to truly watch them in action; their passes back and forth over the lake, their dives into the water when a fish came into view, their rise out of the water with a fish in their talons. Most times they were successful and had a fish in their grasp but there were times when the fish wriggled its way free or the osprey came up 'empty handed' and needed to make another pass.

I got home to 70mm of water in the rain gauge and I was worried that my flowers would be crispy after my two days away. 

It was two glorious days at the lake. I pulled in as all the weekend warriors were leaving so I tried a campsite by the lake instead of heading up to my usual spot.

It was perfect. Beautiful view from the 'front yard' and the 'back yard'. Within the first couple of hours after setting up camp I saw all my favorite birds; loons, bald eagles and blue herons. The ospreys provided some great entertainment and had better luck fishing than I did. 

I wish that I would have had a kayak with me. The camp site was situated perfectly for easy access to the lake. Next time. I have the calendar and my daytimer out.

The hummingbird action in the backyard has been non-stop. All their favorite flowers are in bloom. They usually begin at the scarlet runner bean blossoms and work their way to the beebalm, the geraniums and then to the nectar feeder. That's the only place that they sit still long enough for me to capture a photo!

I did an experiment this morning. The Biodiversity trail is a short 2.5kms. I wanted to see if I could create a longer hike. I've been walking the outer loop but today I started in the usual spot, hiking clockwise until I got to the smaller loop within the big one. Starting on the large one, moving to the small one, coming back to the large one and hiking back to where I started created a nice 1.5 hour outing this morning. Perfect.

The leaves and grasses were still covered in morning dew. The sun reflected off the droplets creating sparkles along the trail. The pileated woodpecker called through the trees. A hawk soared overhead. Butterflies and dragonflies flew from flower to flower. The swan family was on the opposite side of the pond. A mama duck had her wings full, trying to get her 14 ducklings to follow her.

As I came around the final bend on the trail, I happened across a young hare. It sat in a sunny hollowed out spot. I managed to get by without disturbing it. What a great early morning hike.

More photos at https://www.facebook.com/outdoorrambling/ 
 

I don't visit the trails as often through the summer months.  I'm a winter person and don't do well in the summer heat.  Mosquitoes and people that don't respect nature are two more reasons that I lessen my visits.  

My outdoor time is precious.  I listen to the birds instead of the phone.  I walk beneath the towering trees rather than between the office walls. The quiet and solitude of the forest is my addiction.

I did travel to my favorite spot to watch the birds.  There were no herons.  There were no pelicans.  I didn't hear any calls.  Instead, I heard voices screaming along the shoreline.  They echoed across the lake. 

I tried to shut out the noise and kept myself entertained by the gulls that did not appear to be disturbed by the human noise.