Spring Takes Hold

Spring is a parade of delights as each day brings new changes. Each flower takes its turn, some lasting only days while others linger. I walked up in Summit Woods on May 5. The woods were full of dog-toothed violets (aka trout lily or erythronium americanum). Their splotchy leaves and bright yellow flowers were easy to spot.



We also spotted some sanguinaria canadensis. The trilliums were still reluctant - some leaves but no sign of flowers.



On May 6 a friend and I went to Bois-de-Liesse where the trilliums were starting to open. In most spots, it was still only and occasional flower that revealed itself.



Ferns were starting to unfurl.



And Sanguinaria reached for the sunlight.



Some interesting fungus was growing near a dead log. Anyone know what it is?



A cluster of dogtoothed violets grew near a tree trunk.



I always search out the red trilliums which open before the white ones. They are far less plentiful than their white cousins and so each one seems precious. Did you know that trilliums take 7 - 10 years to go from seed to flower?



Here is a variety of flowers together. Enjoy as they won't last long.

Snow then Sun

Close to 40 cm (close to 15") of snow accompanied by high winds fell on our city on Tuesday into Wednesday. Snow crews are still dealing with streets and sidewalks and some people have yet to shovel out their cars.



Along with some chaos comes beauty - the pristine white, the snow decorated branches and the beauty of people helping each other with shovelling, with pushing cars and with the understanding that a city moves differently when hit by a sudden intense blizzard. We get through it and come out smiling at the other end.



The temperature has warmed and the snow is melting but there was still plenty for snowshoeing up in Summit Woods. Spectacular blue skies, the sound of birds calling, woodpeckers pounding, dogs frolicking - all combined to make for a spectacular day.



While I have modern aluminum snowshoes, my spouse favours a more traditional pair.



A little escape in the woods - looking down on part of the city and the river beyond. We are very lucky to have these enclaves where nature still rules parts of our city.

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.

At the Summit

Photos: June 13, 2015

My walk yesterday took me to the top of Westmount Mountain (mountain being somewhat of a misnomer - according to this site it is 201 m or 659 ft high). Still it was a good climb. I've been wearing a fitbit for some time and find it does motivate me to walk more. The climb from where I live gave me about 50 flights of stairs.



I love all the things I notice when I walk. This section used to be a road for cars. It will slowly become part of the woods under a three year plan.



Reflections and shadows- things that are not there and yet we see them. Lots to muse about as I walk...

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.