Saturday, December 23, 2023
Friday, September 15, 2023
Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Memo from Montreal to Toronto:
Saturday, August 5, 2023
The Canadian Cottage Garden, end of July 2023
It is just as I wanted it to be. To sit in the garden, surrounded by flowers, and on a hot summer day to have insects, wild bees, and butterflies going from flower to flower, busy with their work of pollination and collecting pollen and nectar.
Tuesday, August 1, 2023
Monday, May 15, 2023
Return to the hidden trail
First walk this spring on the hidden trail which is on a ridge above the train tracks from the Westminster Bridge to Meadowbrook Golf Course. Access to the trail is below the bridge on the north side.
And, of course, wonderful sounds: birds singing, a train passes (a Canadian sound we all know), water running down to the tracks, and always more birds.
But I am not impressed with all of the stuff that has been dumped in the area beside the trail: old tires, BBQs, garden junk, people think the world is their personal garbage can. BTW, we don't say "trash" here in Canada, it's just plain old "garbage".
And now there are notices posted saying this area will become part of a larger nature trail through this area. I heard of this before, it seems to be a joint Hydro Quebec - City of Montreal project, to clear the way between different sections of electrical pylons and create new trails that are connected and cross this part of the city . . . they say it will be the country in the city. It's a good idea, I guess, but I don't like losing this trail as it is. However, everything changes -- the St. Pierre River is covered over, the trail will be changed, and so on --. And how long will it be before this happens? At the rate government moves it will be years. So, for once, not worrying.
Wednesday, December 28, 2022
Last walk on the hidden trail for this year
Although we've had a few mild days, the cold is upon us and it makes life a lot less enjoyable. While I am usually happy to go for a morning walk, now, hearing that it is -10 C outside, I think it might be a good day to stay indoors, or go for a shorter walk and buy a few groceries on the way home. There is really nothing appealing about cold weather, not our cold weather. And it was cold a few days ago when I went for a last walk for this year on the hidden trail. The usual conviviality of walkers and dog owners was gone, it was all women dog walkers and me. The dogs enjoyed barking at me, and what of the women? I ignored them as I hurried along, cold, colder, and getting colder still.
Note: these photos were taken at least two weeks ago, before we had all of the snow we now have, and it's still falling.