Springtime Thoughts

I’ve decided on a walk towards a favourite park, La Freyère, it is called.  I know I’ve shared it before.  It always offers something more.  To give myself more distance to walk and take in the beautifully crisp day, I park about one kilometre away.  This gives me my first glimpse of the St. Lawrence and the huge houses mansions (some owned by celebrities) along the way on the river side and large fields across from them.

I decide to enter through the parking lot of the now torn-down La Saulaie restaurant.  It was THE place to dine, dressed in one’s finery, to nosh on the fanciest of meals with the best of wines.   It is now part of the park annexed to La Freyère.

I cross the double bridge (sorry, I cannot help but photograph it from all angles!), cut through the park and cross the boulevard, towards the Stephen-Langevin Arboretum.  Maybe I will be lucky and capture some birds.  However, not thirty feet in, I am surprised by the presence of a few deer.  I know many cross the river from the islands right across from the park, but I had never been so lucky before.

Content with what I have seen, I decide to walk along, where there are less people and I can feel one with my surroundings.

It is officially spring, according to the calendar, but here in the woods, you would not know it.  Snow covers the paths, a (mostly) firm walkway created by the regular visitors of this park, but if you step off said path, can easily sink past your ankles.  It’s deeper in the non-trampled parts.

The sun, like fool’s gold, shines brightly and blinds me, but offers no substance.  Not much, anyway.  Standing perfectly still, protected by the woods, face upturned, there is a soupçon of heat.  I am amazed how powerful that limited heat is and how much snow it can melt despite the freezing temperatures.

I walk on, enjoying the silence that is broken by the honking of returning geese.  They pass overhead in twos or larger groups, raising a ruckus, announcing their presence.  “We’re back! We’re back!”  So many people hate them because of the mess they leave on lawns, in parks, etc. but I just cannot.  They are beautiful, albeit often nasty, creatures.  I look forward to seeing them with their babies, all fuzzy and adorable.  But that is not yet.

For now, I am in the moment, eyes looking up, in hopes of finding an owl or falcon, though it seems not my destiny to find them without someone else pointing them out!  So matter.  I trudge on, admiring the play of light on the maple seeds and the criss-crossing of branches of trees I cannot name, notice the colours of the various grasses, mixed in with the red dogwood (I think?).

Past an open field, I approach more woods and what looks like a secret passage.  It’s magical – to be perceived as your imagination sees fit, of course.  Depending on the light, it could appear more sinister…

Exiting my hidden path, I walk along the sparkly creek, that brings me to the edge of the woods.

And this beautiful view

I chose to return along the outside path which winds its way through the trees, so that will have looped the whole arboretum. And let me tell you, it is a chilly one.  The field is to my right and I can feel the wind stinging my face as I walk back.  I try to pick up the pace but as you can see, the path is rather narrow.  Must be careful!

I crossed back over the boulevard and into the La Freyère park so I can take a short walk to the St. Lawrence.  It is beautiful in every season and with some snow and sun?  I’m sure to get a few more pics. (Hopefully you’re not bored yet!)

One last one of the bridges, but from the other side…

I’ve now kept you long enough and thank you for sticking till the end.  Hopefully, the next time I share this park, there will be no snow and things will be a-blooming!

 

 

 

 

 

Left Gasping

It’s Quadrille Monday on dVerse today and De Jackson (aka WhimsyGizmo) is hosting.  The word (or variation thereof) today is “Gasp”.  It’s all Merril’s fault that I went where I did and not where I thought I would.

 

Friends, south of the 49th

leave me gasping

their purple crocus and

yellow daffodils

blooming since February!

Here?

Sun shines, sometimes;

just above freezing, occasionally

bicycle path partially clear, for now

first run of the year

Gasping, I push on

Spring is coming, right?

 

Winter Whites and Blues

Frank J. Tassone hosted Haibun Monday for dVerse yesterday. He wants us to get seasonal in honour of winter.  Those of us in the northern hemisphere might be just about done with the white stuff and cold but hey, it does have it’s beautiful moments. Should you want to try your hand, just click here and add your link.  All jokes aside, I do love winter – not as cold as we’ve had, thank you very much!

There is something special about waking up to a fresh blanket of snow.  Bleary-eyed, you crawl out of bed, not really ready to face the day (or maybe you are). You open your blinds and catch your breath. While you were sleeping, nature was laying down a gift.  All is covered in pristine white and the skies are as blue as they can only be in winter.

Now energized, you check the temps and dress appropriately to go out and get a better view.  Away from the noisy streets, as you make your way, you feel the silence grow louder the further you go.  The crunch under your feet is now muffled by the layer of fluff, your breath comes out in plumes and your jacket crinkles as you walk.  While the sun is shining brightly, it is stingy with its heat.  But you don’t really mind as you’ve dressed accordingly and while slight, you do feel the lightest of ray of kisses on your exposed cheeks.

Ah! If only all of winter were so!  But alas. That is the part of the gift of having four seasons.  We must enjoy the best of them while we can.

Blanket of white snow

Blue skies and crisp air delight

I’m ready for spring

 

 

#Weekend Coffee Share – Mid-February Edition

weekend-coffee-share-nerd-in-the-brain-2

Before I even start my share, thank you to Emily from Nerd in the Brain Blog for her first, of many, hosting duties!  I think we are going to have much fun!  If you want to join in, just click on the image above, and you will be brought over to Emily’s home, where you can join in.

If we were having coffee… oh look, it’s noon!  Would you prefer something else?  It is Saturday, you know, you can have whatever you’d like.  I had a late start so I’m on my second coffee.  This cold that has been hounding me since last Thursday makes it taste a little wonky but it’ll do.  I fear I have caught that two-week bug I keep hearing about.  I ended up finally going to the doctor’s on Thursday, knowing full well that it was “too soon” for her to see if there is an infection or not so I got a prescription for an x-ray for my sinuses for next week if I feel the need… yeah. Well. I’ll be fine.

If we were having coffee, you would see that I got a new ‘do on Tuesday!  Yes, it was time.  Valentine’s Day Present no. 1. I don’t like to keep the same hairstyle for too long (something a former hairdresser of mine told me.  I asked him his opinion on women, age and length of hair and his response was:  What ages a woman is keeping the same hairstyle for years on end.  Somehow I got an image of Rachel from Another World and knew exactly what he meant!  Thanks, Joseph.  I follow your advice, though I no longer have you as coiffeur.  You are downtown and I haven’t worked downtown in ohmigosh! 20 years!)  So, here’s the new look.  Will never obtain the same look as the hairdresser does and it will take a week before I can do anything with it (usually does after having it long for so long!)  I happened to have been feeling rather well that day so I didn’t cancel my appointment (though I warned Françoise that I was still sick – she told me to come in anyway).  I paid for it by feeling worse then horrible by Thursday – which is why I finally relented and went to see the doctor.  Anyway.

 

Valentine’s Day present no. 2 was flowers to me from me with all my love…  Then my eldest felt guilty that I had bought him some Kinder Surprise, so he picked up sushi and chocolate for me!

And how could I forget!  There is a Tim Horton’s (THE coffee shop all over Canada – but don’t tell them, I am not in love with their coffee) beside the hairdresser and I hadn’t had my coffee yet, so I picked up a cup.  Dye job lasts a good 45 minutes so….  As I left the salon, Martine, one of the hairdressers calls to me:  Hey, you want me to throw out your coffee?  To my “yes” she said, wait, let’s roll up the rim.  Well, I’ll be darned.  I got a free cup of coffee!  So I brought said winning empty cup and got myself another for the drive home.

Guess what?

img_20170214_144521_440

Maybe I should have bought a lottery ticket…

On Wednesday, we got quite the snowstorm.  I’d go so far as to call it a blizzard.  Man oh man!  Bummer for the school kids that it started after they all got to school. Buahahaha!  It was over just in time for them to come home too!

View from my bedroom window

View from my bedroom window

As a result from all this snow, rain, more snow, my Tempo (winter tent-like-thing for cars) is buckling under the weight.  Because I have been so sick, I didn’t think of telling the boys to remove some.  Too late.  The damage is done.  We’ll have to replace some screws – again.  Like the first year after Mick passed away.  This was HIS department!!  Sigh.

Oh!  And before I forget, I finished reading our very own Trent McDonald’s book of short stories, Seasons of Imagination.  A most wonderful collection of short stories.  Some of them really stayed with me and I almost wished they would go on (though they were complete stories in and of themselves…)  Worth picking up, I tell you!

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Oh. My. God!  I am awful.  How could I forget to thank my sister for going out of her way to buy me meds from the pharmacy, and bring me her left-over chicken noodle soup!  Thank you, Lisa. You always come through in times of need!  I love you, Sister! xoxoxo 

I think I’ve taken up enough of your time for today.  I wish for you all a most wonderful day!

Always, with lotsa love!

Dale

xo

 

A Haiku For Monday

Cold weather and cooking jobs have kept me from my usual walks about my town.  This morning I decided it was necessary and would probably help me be more productive in the end!

Decided to have fun with it!

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Lost…. and Found

Yay!!!!  It is finally snowing!  While some people may not be happy with this situation; Zeke and I are eccstatic!  Snow equals less cold equals more fun outside.  Very simple math.

By 9:00 sharp, we are out the door….oh wait, where’s my other mitten? Bloody hell… do I have to wear gloves?  I can’t wear gloves, I have Raynaud’s which means my fingers freeze at the thought of cold… No, this will not do.  Working up a sweat now and not even out the door.  Voilà!  Sneaky bugger was hiding behind the folding door.

By 9:10 sharp….

A perfect winter morning… Some Loreena McKennitt, Snow to inspire you.  (Sorry, could not embed it!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HT4dMXIr-o

Off we went towards the Industrial area so that we could go play in the woods right behind it.  Finally, a chance to take some nice pictures (I hoped) and the sun was not shining so, no washed out colours… but no sparkles either…

Before hitting the woods, there is a row of various grasses.  Quite lovely, if I say so myself!

As we went deeper into the woods where the snow was way deeper than it looked – I sunk in half-way between my knees and my thighs at a few points – we encountered various trees and thorny bushes.

I was far from cold at this point!  Lordy, what a work-out it turned out to be!

We finally get out of the woods where all we can hear is the hum of the electricity….

…when I realise, I have no leash!  Argh!  It was around my neck (like a scarf) but must have gotten caught on some branches.  Dammit. I have to go back into the woods, retracing my steps…

Found!

Found!

Success!  Off we went for a nice cuppa tea for me, and some treats for my companion!

And what timing too.  The snow was turning into quite the storm by the time my water had boiled!

Just in time

Just in time