Up in Summit Park

Summer is lingering here with temperatures in the mid to high twenties. We opted to walk up in Summit Park where there is shade almost everywhere. You never know what surprises you will find, including this astonished tree. I love the randomness of finding this.



Spiders have been busy at work, not just on my balcony. These large dense webs could be found on a variety of trees.



They shimmered in the sunlight.



We walked on the narrower path. You have to look down all the time as it passes over many tree roots. The trees reach out to find the best path to water. We have had little rain recently. The forest floor is very dry.

Walk in Summit Woods

A quiet Sunday walk in Summit Woods. The butterflies were flitting around, landing in sunny spots.



We preferred the coolness of the shade.



The woods on the summit are quite dense. This yellow splash of colour was one of the few flowers we saw.



There are many shades and shapes of greens all contributing to the cool feeling.





No Pokemon (though I was not looking) but I did spy this fellow hiding in a log. A new game? A geocaching prize? Or just a lost toy tucked in to keep it from the elements.

Continuing Along the Path

Canada Day today - a time to celebrate our country - so I thought I would top this post with a maple leaf.

I have reached 183 daily blog posts this year, each containing at least one photo from each day - half way along the journey of "A Photo A Day" in 2016. I walk this path with photography-sensitive eyes, always looking for a good shot and the story to go with it.

Summit Woods sits on one of the three summits of Mont-Royal. It is an oasis in the middle of the city - nothing but natural vegetation. The only man-made structures are a few garbage cans and a couple of boards depicting the flora and fauna of the forest. When trees fall, they remain lying there. You can see some quite decomposed with new plants growing on their surface. Others, like this one has fallen more recently - its strong roots having grown around a large rock dragged it up from the ground as the tree fell.



Patterns, swirls, - there is always something to see if you look.

Step back and you will see a new topknot of plants growing out of its once mighty trunk.



A flash of pink - a little surprise among all the green.

Looking back it has certainly been a full half year and now onto the next half.

A New Year

Winter has arrived. A storm last Tuesday dumped 40 cm  ( a little more than 15 " ) of snow on the city. Even on a cloudy day, everything seems brighter with the snow. With the temperature hovering just below 0°C (32F) it is delightful to go out and enjoy it.



We finally took out our snowshoes and tramped around the woods in Summit Park.
While I have more modern aluminum snowshoes, my spouse prefers a traditional pair, complete with deerskin moccasins. There was plenty of snow - soft, fluffy - perfect for snowshoeing.



We are so fortunate to have this park - nothing but woods with paths through it - to enjoy in the middle of the city.

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My EdTech friend Alannah has challenged me to try another 365 photos this year. I can't promise to post daily, but I will be trying to post more frequently - even if it is just the photograph!

Trillium Hunt

Every year I go hunting for trilliums. Perhaps hunting is the wrong word; I know where to find them. It is just that the season is so short, I never know if I might be too early or too late. Our spring this year has been unusual with a long cold spell followed by sudden heat. I almost missed the trilliums - a number of them were turning pink and starting to wither. The tree coverage has happened rapidly and soon they will all be shaded.



It is odd to think that this beautiful blossom is turning pink because it is fading. While it still looks healthy, this is a sign of it being past its prime in the last stages before it will wither and drop off.



Healthy and white this trillium still has a few days of blooming ahead.




Each year I marvel at the trillium carpet on the forest floor. They are here for such a short time; I make my annual visit to celebrate them.

Walking

Walking, I saw this animal struggling to free itself from the snow. Or so it seemed.



Fallen trees like a carefully constructed construction.




Stairways for the forest - leading up the nearby trunks. New uses for old trees. Keep your eyes open in the forest. You never know what you will see.

Snowshoeing

Snow on the branches, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

We strapped on our snowshoes for the first time this winter. Tramping through Summit Park our eyes feasted on the snow festooned branches.



The loud tapping of the woodpeckers echoed through the woods.



Clumps of snow nestled in the crooks of branches. Nature creates its own holiday decorations.



The long afternoon shadows signal the early setting of the sun. Winter's short days are to be enjoyed before night falls.

Snowshoeing

Photo: December 28, 2012

 First day out snowshoeing this winter. The storm left a thick blanket over the forest floor. Not many people were up in Summit Park as we tramped among the trees. There is a stillness in the air after a storm. The snow muffles sounds.

The crisp breeze turned cheeks a rosy colour. My fingers felt the frosty air as I stopped to photograph. It was impossible not to stop and enjoy the sparkle of the sun on the snow crystals and admire the sculptures the snow created.



This looked to me like an icy totem pole with the profiles of faces. While man-made totem poles last for centuries, this one will be gone as it is reshaped by sun and wind. Winter is so much more enjoyable with a good layer of snow!

Autumn Walk

I have been somewhat absent from this blog for a few weeks - busy with boxes as I have moved. This was a big step, leaving my home and going into a condo. It's a beautiful place (I'll post pictures of the view, soon), but it has been a lot of work with packing and unpacking. And so many decisions!

It was good to finally find some time to walk and enjoy a beautiful autumn day. The air was crisp and refreshing, the kind of weather that gives you energy. I walked at Summit Park. I love the sound our footsteps make as they crunch on the dry leaves.



It was interesting to see the different micro-climates. On the north side of the hill there was frost and frozen puddles - a foot in winter to come. While on the south side there was no hint of colder weather.

I find there is such beauty in the decay of autumn. The frost just added decoration.



Tranquility in nature - it was much easier to get back to unpacking after this walk.

Walk Around Summit Park

A perfect day for a walk around Summit Park. The wild growth is going to seed, moving into autumn mode. The air was clear, September air, a hint at cooler temperatures.

There is still more ripening to come. There won't be frost for a while.




Summer lingers in the flowers. Nature doesn't follow our calendar. Change of month does not translate to immediate change in weather. I've been in education most of my life. The end of August is a change of seasons for me but nature takes its time.



A walk around Summit Park always means taking time to stop at the lookout, to view the city from this vantage point. Finding the beauty in the man made structures - blending with nature.

First Flowers in Summit Park

First Flowers in Summit Park, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Sometimes you just need to take a walk in nature to clear the head and unwind. I've had a workman at my home for a few days and the noise and constant presence have been getting to me. But when you walk and hear the birds singing, the woodpecker knocking away on a tree and see all the signs of spring, the cares disappear.



Slowly the flowers are opening. New growth, new wonders, new delights.

Snow Laden Branches

Snow Laden Branches, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Definitely a white Christmas in Montreal. Though we have not had a major storm, we have had a fair amount of light snow that keeps falling. Today was our first sunny day in a while. A walk through Summit Park was delightful. Dogs are welcome there and I was one of few who was there without a dog. Many dogs were out cavorting in the snow. Some wore winter attire. This is one park where dogs are allowed to run free in the winter. They obviously enjoy the opportunity to run and play and make friends with other pooches.

       
Despite the sun the cold nipped at my hands as I took them out of my gloves to snap photos, but the cold air is also exhilarating. A walk on a sunny, cold winter day is a delight.



And the days are getting longer...

May 24/10 Through the Woods

May 24/10 Through the Woods, originally uploaded by susanvg.

A walk through Summit Park always feels like a walk through an oasis in the middle of a city. The dirt paths lead through the woods. City sounds are muffled, replaced by bird songs and the raucous sounds of crows.

I feel a bit as if I am lost in the woods as I try to understand my new camera. It's a steep learning curve. I hope I come out the winner. I'm not yet convinced!

Day 129: Trillium

Day 129: Trillium, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Spring is the time of changes. Flowers blossom and fall off trees to be replaced by leaves. Leaves change from the delicate spring green to their darker full grown shades. Before the leaves are full, magic happens in some forests. The trilliums come out, sometimes so dense, they blanket the forest floor. These ephemeral flowers last a short time before the forest canopy fills in to shade them.