Monarch on Clover

Monarch on Clover, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.
Photos: July 27, 2013

Who knows how much longer we will see these beautiful butterflies flitting among the flowers. Their numbers have been declining. Their wintering grounds are threatened by logging. They certainly added a flash of colour to my walk - this time with a friend along the water in Lachine



The milkweed is blooming. This is where the butterflies lay their eggs so the newly hatched caterpillars have food to grow on. It is miraculous to me that these creatures fly such enormous distances to places they have never been. Those that are born here have never been to the wintering grounds in Mexico. Those born in Mexico have never been here, yet each year they know just where to go.



We were lucky to spot of a heron. It caught some dinner while we watched - a concentrated look at the water, followed by a quick stab down and then it swallowed its catch.



A family of Canada Geese swam close to shore. The young are almost the size of the parents now. They have time to gain strength before their flight south.

A great day for a walk!

A Burst of Seeds

A Burst of Seeds, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Walking in the woods in autumn - even decay has its beauty. The milkweed has sent out its seeds: promises for next year.

Reflections in a pond - it is easy to imagine another world at  the bottom with the Lady of the Lake living there.

A few late leaves cling to the branches, though most of the trees are bare. They shimmer with the gold of the low lying sun.

Dead trees lie on the forest floor. Fungus takes hold helping to break down the old wood to bring new life. 

Leaves by the Brook

Leaves by the Brook, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photos: September 30, 2011
Another day, another walk, this time on an old railway bed which is now a linear park. A friend of mine cycled for a couple of days on this route. I'll stick to walking, or shorter cycling trips.

Despite the clouds, the fall colours were glorious. Again, there was the dichotomy of the vibrant reds and oranges and the plants whose colour has faded.

The path twists and new vistas delight around each corner. Water rushes along the river, over rocks, making babbling noises.

These old train lines were the doorway to the Laurentians. While it is wonderful to see them put to new uses, it is a shame that train travel is now more restricted to "profitable routes" - those between larger cities. Getting to the countryside now has to be done in a car resulting in traffic jams along the routes leading there.

Day 305: Geese

Day 305: Geese, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Nothing says autumn quite like the flocks of geese flyng overhead. We saw this large assembly near Casselman. It was the first time I had seen snow geese and there were many mingling with the Canada geese. I imagine they fly in separate flocks, but they were all enjoying the pickings from this farmer's field.

It was a beautiful sunny day, the kind that celebrates the beauty of the changes as the plant life dries up and the last of the milkweed scatter its seeds. In this area, the trees have lost their foliage, exposing nests that once sheltered. These geese will be off soon, looking for more hospitable places, where food will be plentiful over the coming winter.