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Chasing waterfalls
I love hikes. It’s tail wagging fun. My family takes me on many. Sometimes I encounter squirrels to chase. Bunnies here and there. I like that a lot. I can be speedy when I have something to chase. Sticks are good too. Here’s something new I learned that are super fun to chase. Waterfalls! We took a short car ride to get to this hike. I am not so crazy about car rides. Except when my whole family is together. If only one person is in the car I am in trouble. We are going somewhere where they poke and prod me or where they cut my hair. Either way,…
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Boulders and big rocks at Niagara Glen
My Spanish teacher is quite interested in Canadian nature. I have been showing him photos, like our cottage scenery or the Niagara escarpment, to discuss in class. It’s helpful to learn vocabulary about nature. It seems there are a variety of coastal related words in Spanish, like la cala (cove), la orila (shore), el litoral and la costa (both meaning coast), cabo (cape) but not so many for rock formations. As I was trying to describe the landscape of Niagara Glen I learned there is no Spanish equivalent for boulder. The best translation for a boulder is una roca grande. A big rock. There are certainly a lot of big…
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Wildlife encounters at the cottage
Four hummingbirds were fighting over the last dredges of sugar syrup this morning. When the battle was over I refilled the red plastic feeder. Third time this week. A steady stream of tiny shimmering birds have been zipping over for a snack. It’s so popular they knock each other out of the way. Even without any sweet enticement I have been fortunate this summer to spot plenty of wildlife at our Little Straggle cottage. On a walk in the woods, I had a staring contest with a lone fox. He spotted me and stood utterly still in the forest. I admired his lustrous red coat and full bushy tail before…
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The sage owl
I spotted this owl on my walk the other day. Someone had carefully shaped pieces of bark to form a body, wings and tufts of feathers above the head. Two acorn shells mimicked the distinctive round eyes of an owl. The woodsy owl blended in with its environment. It’s easy to miss. As I looked into its acorn eyes for the first time I imagined the owl thinking “Well, it’s about time you saw me.” You see, I have walked this trail many times and never noticed it before. I only spotted the owl because I had stopped to sit on a stump. Refreshed, I stood up and turned around.…
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Southampton on Lake Huron
Last week my husband and I were on High Street in Southampton. It’s a pretty little street with a few boutiques shops, a bakery and some restaurants. It ends at the clear blue waters of Lake Huron. We were standing outside a historic stone building reading the posted restaurant menu. The door opened and we heard the happy chatter of voices from within. Out came two elderly women wearing red straw hats. One of the women looked as us and declared: “The food is good.” Funny. It was the second time this happened. Earlier in the day, in neighbouring Port Elgin, Ted (a local resident) confirmed “The food is good”…
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Trying new things
It’s a new year. I am not one to make New Years resolutions but I do like to try new things. In fact that was one motivation for setting up this blog. Trying something new can break the monotony of routine, stimulate creativity, or get me looking at things from a new perspective. Sometimes simply cooking a new dish or listening to new music can reinvigorate me. One of the new things I am so glad I tried in 2021 was forest bathing. Distinct from walking or hiking in nature, forest bathing encourages you to slow down, even sit down, and connect with the forest (see Forest bathing invitations for…
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White trail markers
I do enjoy an outing that combines a walk with a tasty destination. A Bruce trail hike PLUS a winery EQUALS one fine day. On one of these fine days, I was looking quizzically at a Bruce trail marker (cover photo) trying to figure out which way to go. I heard someone holler, “Are you looking for the trail?!” Well yes I was. The gentleman kindly pointed me in the right direction, which also happened to be the driveway to a winery: Locust Lane Winery. Perfect. The trail head was at the end of the winery’s driveway. From there, the trail passed by abandoned vines, alongside a small pond, across…
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Forest bathing invitations
“Place your feet firmly on the ground and feel the connection with the earth. Think of all the roots twisting and stretching out underneath you,” says Beth in her soothing voice. I am sitting in the forest on a collapsible stool. Beth is a certified Nature and Forest Therapy guide. Our small group has paused here, among the trees, to sit, close our eyes and allow ourselves to open up to the forest. She encourages us to slow our breathing and take note of any smells and sounds around us in the breezy forest air. It’s like we are prepping our senses, getting them ready to engage with the forest.…
