My Forest Friends

After two days of gusty winds, most of the trees are bare.  I hiked the trails at the Strathcona Wilderness Center this evening with the hopes of seeing some wildlife.  When the underbrush is covered with leaves, the deer and moose have a place to hide.  With the empty branches, I really wanted to see some forest friends.




 


I spent some time gazing at the beauty of the pond.  There was still some color on the trees that reflected in the water along with the reflection of the fluffy white clouds.  What a serene scene!

I started out on the Wagon Loop trail.  The carpet of leaves crunched under my shoes.  Blue jays were busy hiding food under the leaves.  Squirrels ran up and down the bare trees, nattering at me as I came by.  Dark eyed juncos flew through the underbrush looking for seeds.  A large owl swooped out of a tree top.  Once again I miss getting a photo!

My first bit of luck happened early on the hike.  A young hare was sitting amidst the leaf carpet.  It was still brown in color and showed no signs of turning color.  Looks like its not thinking of winter yet.  A moose was drinking at one of the sloughs.  It heard my noisy steps and ran off into the trees.

I kept watching for the owl.  As my eyes traveled up and down the tree trunks, scanning the branches for the elusive bird, I felt some eyes staring at me.  A couple of white tail deer were not far from me.  I hoped that they would stay put while I got the camera out.  Lucky for me, they did not run off until I got a few shots.  A raven flew over and scared them off.

I made my way back to the trail head at the pond.  The muskrats were busy swimming from shore to shore.  As they made their way through the water, they created v-shaped ripples on the surface.

The rose bushes alongside the pond are still holding onto their leaves.  The bright colors stand out against the bare tree trunks.

The evening was calm.  As I stood by the pond at the end of my hike, I could hear geese, chickadees, ravens, and bluejays.  It was peaceful, serene and the perfect way to end the day.

 

Autumn Aromatherapy

 I drove home today in a shower of leaves.  The gusty wind bared the branches that were once hidden by bright autumn colors. When I passed by the Strathcona Wilderness Center, I noticed that the trails visible from the road, were layered with a carpet of brown.

There were a couple of areas along the route that contained trees with leaves still holding tight.  Brilliant reds contrasted against amazing yellows.  I'll be sure to leave a bit earlier in the morning to attempt to capture a few good photos of the last bit of autumn color if they don't give in to the tugging wind.

When I got home, my deck was covered in leaves that danced between the furniture.  As I came up the stairs, the sound of crunching leaves was heard underfoot.  All I could think of was having a leaf bonfire this coming weekend.  That is one of my favorite things to look forward to.  I wish that smell could be bottled as it would be one of my favorite aroma therapies.

In a few weeks, those last bits of autumn color will be covered in a layer of white.  Take the time to get out and enjoy the colors, the sounds and the peacefulness of this season before it's gone for another year. 

 October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came,—
The Ashes, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The sunshine spread a carpet,
And every thing was grand;
Miss Weather led the dancing;
Professor Wind, the band....
The sight was like a rainbow
New-fallen from the sky....
~George Cooper, "October's Party"

The Perfect Weekend

As I watch a gentle rain shower out the window, I'm reflecting on a great weekend spent outside. Not one, not two but three opportunities to witness autumn in all it's splendor.  

We tried out a new trail today.  It ran alongside Astotin Lake at Elk Island National Park; passing through wetland areas and mixed forest.

The morning started off with some rain showers that intensified the colors and the smells.  The yellows were especially vibrant.  Photographs do not do justice to the scenes along the way.

We parked in the main lot, hiking a paved path along the lake until it ended at the actual trailhead for the Lakeview Trail.

There were still a good number of waterfowl on the lake and in the small ponds.  We could hear geese honking overhead.  Muskrats created v-shaped ripples in the water as they swam.  When the ripples disappeared, the water was as smooth as glass.  The beautiful fall colors reflected off the surface.

As we hiked, the smell of ripe cranberries filled the air.  Every now and again, we glimpsed clumps of red amidst the yellow.  If it was not a cranberry bush, it was a colorful rose bush with its bright red rosehips.





 



One section of the forest had numerous decaying logs.  Each was covered with a soft blanket of moss that varied in texture and color.  Brightly colored orange lichen added contrast to the bright green. 

We could hear bluejays calling in the trees and smaller birds in the underbrush.  I heard something skitter through the dead leaves.  When I glanced over, a little brown mouse stared back at me.  It's partner was not as daring; taking off down the bank on the left side of the trail.

As we came back to the paved part of the trail that bordered the lake, we found a number of benches on a viewpoint.  It was a great spot to sit a spell, have some snacks and take in the beauty.  Ducks were swimming and dunking for food in the water just in front of us.  In the distance a red canoe was spotted along the shore of the island.  To the south of us, some hardy picnickers were set up close to the dock. 

 
On the way out of the park we stopped at the Bison Loop.  A herd of Wood Bison were gathered in the field.  They put on quite a show for the onlookers.  Young calves were feeding on their mothers.  Bulls were creating dust clouds as they rolled in the dry dirt.  Yearlings made their way onto the road, creating a traffic jam until they decided to move into the field on the other side.

Today's outing was a great way to end the weekend.  The weather was superb and the sights spectacular.  This quote says it all.  I could not have said it better.

"I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by staying in the house. So I spend almost all the daylight hours in the open air."

Nathaniel Hawthorne

A Walk in the Wild

The weather was perfect for a walk in the park.  We began at Elk Island National Park on the Beaver Pond Trail.  Colored leaves showered down from the treetops as the wind rustled the branches.  It is getting easier to see through the trees as the underbrush is almost bare. 

Now that the leaves are dropping, you can notice what has been growing underneath them.  Decaying logs are covered in brightly colored lichens.  Some of them have a variety of fungi growing out of the wood. 


 


I found a log that was covered in fungi that had grown around  a blade of grass.  I wonder how long that took.

Another log had fungi growing from the end of it.  Moss was beginning to cover it.

Every now and again I came across some bright red cranberries and rose hips.  The birds will probably take care of them over the next few days.

There was time to visit Elk Island Park and the Strathcona Wilderness Center today.  The geese have left the pond at the SWC, leaving the beaver and muskrats in peace.

We saw a young bull moose that was photo shy and an owl that got spooked as we walked over the crunchy leaf carpet.

The amber light from the setting sun made the leaf colors appear more brilliant.  The bugs are gone and the temperature was perfect for a hike in the woods.

Time flies when the cameras are in tow.  The trail that should have taken 45 minutes to hike, took more than 2 hours.  There is just so much to take in before the colors of fall are covered in Old Man Winter's white blanket.

Make some time to explore.  Bundle up and get some fresh air.  If you don't have trails close to where you live, visit a local park or walk in your neighborhood.  Take in the autumn colors.  The leaves and berries are beautiful.  Listen for the autumn sounds.  You may hear the geese flying overhead or the blue jays squawking as they hide their winter stores.  There's nothing like a walk on the wild side in the crisp autumn air!  It has that magical ability to clear the mind and rejuvenate the soul.

 

Simple Pleasures

I was awake at 3:30am this morning.  As I waited for the smell of the fresh brewed coffee to awaken my sense of smell, I glanced out the kitchen window.  The sky was cloudless and filled with twinkling stars.  The sight was breathtaking.

I live in a dark sky preserve area.  There are no streetlamps and residents within the area are encouraged to make wise choices in the types of lighting used on the exterior of their homes.  With the lack of artificial light, the sky is darker and the stars are brighter; as are the lunar eclipses!

I took my coffee out to the deck.  Good thing it was dark.  The neighbors couldn't see the crazy lady outside in her jammies and housecoat, staring at the heavens; wondering if there was life out there.  Added to the beauty was the crisp, fresh morning air.  What a way to start the day!

While I was out there, a couple of foxes were calling to each other.  The cows on the farm behind my house were mooing and a dog barked in the distance.  There was no human noise at that hour.

I've heard the foxes a few times now and have hoped that they would make their way into my yard.  A few years ago, I had one visit regularly.  It provided some great entertainment as did a number of skunks that took up residence under my cottage.

I enjoyed watching the skunk antics when the cats would torment them but I could have done without the final, very smelly result.  At one point in time, I had to contact the local agriculture department for a trap.  Seven skunks later, my yard was perfume free.  

I've had an animal menagerie in my yard over the years.  Foxes, skunks, porcupines, moose, deer, garter snakes, tiger salamanders and frogs.  In addition to the animals, there have been a variety of birds that have frequented my feeders.  Blue jays, pileated, downy and hoary woodpeckers, magpies, starlings, nuthatches, chickadees, finches, grosbeaks, and hummingbirds to name a few.

Who needs a television when there is so much natural entertainment to take in.  I lead a simple life; taking in the beauty around me.  I observe the simplicity of a mature dandelion flower; each little seed waiting to catch a breeze to be transported to a perfect spot to sprout.  I pay attention to the sound of the rustling grasses in the wind and the pattern of flight that the butterflies create as they visit each flower.  I marvel at the way the raindrops cling to the strawberry leaves and reflect the bright morning sunshine on a summer day.  Nothing compares to the feeling one has when a hummingbird hovers right in front of your face or when a chickadee lands on your hand to feed on some sunflower seeds.

There is so much to see, to hear, to feel, to explore.  Take a moment to notice and truly experience the little things.  Simplify.  You might like it.



 

'Real' Camping

My tenting outings over the last few years have been limited to the backyard. This summer I had opportunity to get out the tent and head to Fish Lake; not once but twice! 

Blue sky and sunshine prevailed on both trips.  The lake was like glass; so calm that you could see the fish swimming.

I hiked the trail alongside the lake.  It loops up into the trees through a moss covered forest floor.  The hike is different each time you go as there are a variety of wildflowers that bloom at different times throughout the season.  Indian paintbrush, prairie lilies, wild roses, wild asters and liatris are only a few of the many flowers that grow in that area.  I stopped numerous times to take in the beauty of the flowers.  This caused me to lose my glasses somewhere in the forest undergrowth.  Good thing the second pair was in the glove compartment.

Each time I visit the Nordegg area, I make a return visit to Landslide Lake.  A controlled burn took place there years ago and the area is in the process of rejuvenation.  The burnt bark is now peeling to reveal pure white trunks.  The contrast is breathtaking.  

Young aspens are growing, creating an underbrush for the birds to hide in and the moose to forage in.

The area is sacred ground for the nearby aboriginals.  They fasten prayer flags to the trees during their spiritual ceremonies.  I was fascinated by the neatness of the knots on one particular tree.

I took my fishing rod along on both occasions.  The fish did not bite but the time spent at the water's edge was relaxing.  I have visited Fish Lake since the late 1980s and during my visit in August, it was the first time that I was asked for my fishing license by a conservation officer!  I guess there is a first time for everything.

I was part of the minority in the campground; a tenter.  Most sites had large trailers or motorhomes parked on them.  Satellite dishes, televisions, showers, dishwashers and all the other comforts of home could be found in those recreation vehicles.  What kind of camping is that?  

I did have to laugh as one poor fellow tried backing his big unit into the site across from me.  He must have been new at the process.  Forward.  Backward.  Forward.  Backward.  He had a really hard time trying to get that trailer parked.  As he shut the motor of the truck off, I heard his teenaged daughters, "Dad, this site has no power.  We can't park here."  Good old dad had just spent thirty minutes trying to park as darkness fell and his daughters couldn't stay in that spot because there was no power.

I love 'real' camping.  There's nothing like the smell of a campfire and cooking over it.  There's nothing like hearing the coyotes howl and the loons call as you lay awake in the tent.  There's nothing like breathing in the crisp mountain air as you stick your head outside the tent in the morning.

When I put the gear away for the year, I packed it so I can grab and go next year when camping season rolls around again.  I can't wait.


 



 

Colors of Fall

The blooms of summer have matured and gone to seed.  They now provide a variety of textures amidst the brilliant pallet of color that the leaves are providing. 

The first frosts of the season have turned the green leaves to reds, yellows, oranges and browns that decorate the forest trails.  It is a sight to behold.  The sunshine streams through the treetops, illuminating Mother Nature's colorful display.  

The first flakes of snow fell this morning, signalling the onset of even cooler temperatures.  The trees will soon be releasing those colorful leaves.  They will create a carpet on the trails; a place for the birds to hide their winter food stores and an insulating layer for the insects that have buried into the soil.

Now is the time to get outside to enjoy the colors of fall. There is a feeling of peace to be found on the trails at this time of year.  The temperature is crisp and refreshing.  An autumn walk is in order to clear the mind before that colorful carpet is covered with a carpet of white.

"The time of the falling leaves has come again. Once more in our morning walk we tread upon carpets of gold and crimson, of brown and bronze, woven by the winds or the rains out of these delicate textures while we slept.  How beautifully the leaves grow old! How full of light and color are their last days! There are exceptions, of course. The leaves of most of the fruit-trees fade and wither and fall ingloriously. They bequeath their heritage of color to their fruit. Upon it they lavish the hues which other trees lavish upon their leaves...But in October what a feast to the eye our woods and groves present! The whole body of the air seems enriched by their calm, slow radiance. They are giving back the light they have been absorbing from the sun all summer."
      ~John Burroughs, "The Falling Leaves," Under the Maples

 

 

 

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!