Things are looking up

 On my woodland walks I like to look up into the crowns of the trees.

We  don't look up a lot.  Me, I worry about tripping on endless ropes of roots, or rolly polly ankle twisting rocks, and so my eyes are often fixed on the ground.

Nevertheless, I try to remind myself on each walk, to look up at least once.  And I'm rarely disappointed.

I've had to learn from experience that when I do look up, I need to lean against a nearby tree or I'll topple backwards !

~~~~~~~~~~~

It's wonderful to watch the changing colours of the seasons in the tree canopy.  From the budding lime greens of Spring,

to the deep rich greens of Summer.

In Nova Scotia, Autumns are long and mild and colourful.

Sometimes when I look up I see something unexpected.

Of course, some trees are green all year round.

While others are stark and bare.

Next time you're in the woods don't forget to look up.

Maybe next time I'll show you what I see when I look down.

BTW thanks for your comments on my last post.  Blogger seems to be letting folk leave comments but they show as "Anonymous".  So friends, if you leave a comment, include your name in the comment.

I'm happy to be back blogging.  Thanks for coming along with me.

Back by popular demand ... well ... sorta.

How are you doing my friends ?  

I present to you the "Cole's Notes" version of my life.

Life has been a series of woodland rambles,  gardening fun and explorations of this beautiful province.  In other words, not much has changed since I paused Blogging.

As you may know by now, Winter is my fourth favourite season.  

But now it's almost May and Winter is well behind us.  

Dexter and Sooki are wonderful companions. Sooki is on several medications to help lessen the pain from her leg surgeries.  As she is now well over 13 years old, I suspected that winter would put an end to her; but happily it did not.  She still looks forward to going for walks.  Now the warmer weather is coming, she enjoys lying in the sun on the back deck.

In November my daughter Kaitlyn, went to England to spend three months with a friend there.  Well, that three months turned into six; and though she is coming back in May, her heart remains in London.  As a result, I am experiencing "empty nest syndrome" at age 73 !

My dog walks are also another way to get out and observe nature.  The photos I take I then post to iNaturalist.

I tell you more about my explorations.  Next time ...

I'm hoping to keep in touch via this Blog.  However I gather that Blogger.com doesn't send out notices of new posts.  I send notices of new posts out to an email list of friends and I'll share too to FaceBook.  I don't know if commenting is still functioning either.  Guess we'll all find out together  I would like to hear from you either by a comment or email.

So ... what have you been up to ?

How buggy is my valley ?

The answer to that question is very buggy.

Very, very buggy.

It seems like there was barely a one week or two between the last of the snow drifts and the first clouds of pesky midges.  

What's a girl to do ?

Well this girl went to the Dollar Store and got this very fetching hat with attached bug netting.

I'm hoping that I'm not going to have to wear this all summer in the woods but considering the beauty of "my" new woods, it's a price I am willing to pay.

I've always been a little nutty for Moss.  

And after our long bitter Winter and overly late Spring I am finding these bursting greens intoxicating.

And Wendy and Sooki are always happy to tag along.

BTW I had to discard a lot of images because bugs were flitting in front of the lens.  

Autumn ...sigh.

 I love Autumn.

And this Autumn hasn't disappointed.

Lately I've been taking Wendy and Sooki to Shubie Off Leash Dog Park almost every day.  (Trey isn't an "off leash dog park" sorta dog).

Walking there gives the dogs the socialization and exercise they need, and I have a nice walk and the time in nature that I need.

Oh the leaves smell so marvellous as they lie in browning drifts along the paths.

I try hard not to think of Winter which is lurks just around the corner, and savour the rich colour of the season.

The broom outside my door ...

An old-fashioned straw broom stands outside my front door, next to the recycling containers and the bowl of dog toys.

However I don't think I'll  be using it for a few days as it has been commandeered for another purpose.

Hundreds (nay, perhaps THOUSANDS) of teeny, tiny, eensy, weensy, baby, Yellow Garden Spiders are using my broom as a nursery.

They cluster together (for warmth ? security ? comfort ? ) until some jerk human gently blows on them...

and then they scatter as fast as their microscopic legs will allow.

Some of them run an inch.  Some run as much as two or three inches, before,  like "drones" separated from the Borg collective, they feel drawn back to re-join their little cluster.

But rather than being  "Seven of nine", our little wayward drone,  might be "237 of 460",  as egg sacs can contain up to 1,200 eggs.

 I can't imagine the logistics involved in planning their family reunions !

A spring time walk

There is something intoxicating about a spring time walk in the woods.

 The air smells so fresh and green and earthy. 

It's even better right after a rain.

 ... 'cept for the blackflies that magically appear at this time of year. 

My walks are less like walks and more like rambles. 

I poke along, frequently stooping down to get a bug's eye view of  life closer to the ground.

 There is so much to see.  Little worlds at my feet. 

I take loads of photos, as if I could capture not just the image but the wonderous feeling. 

 

 There is such an amazing variety of species. 

When I look at trees I know maples from elms and birch and so on.  When I look at moss I can see all the varieties but ache to learn their names and a little bit about each one.

My chum, Amy-Lynn, has a marvellous Nova Scotia nature blog called Flandrum Hill.  http://flandrumhill.wordpress.com/ 

Amy-Lynn looks at things in nature and understands the why and how. 

I look at nature and go "Duh and WOW".