Long Horn Cattle

Long Horn Cattle, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Driving back from a walk in the woods, I noticed these cows. They are not a breed usually seen around here and reminded me a it of the highland cattle we saw in Scotland, but their faces weren't covered with hair. The babies had more hair covering their bodies.

We started to hear the sound of geese and soon flock after flock flew over on their journey south. The setting sun caught their underbellies, painting them gold. I thrill at their sound, watching in awe at the thought of the distance they will travel and how they find their way back and forth each year. 

Night time temperatures drop below freezing. Autumn is waning.

Geese

Geese, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Walking this morning, I heard the haunting sound of geese. There they were overhead, heading north to nesting grounds, a sure sign of spring. It's funny how spring brings a new clean feeling, but also exposes the dirt - the accumulation of sand that had been put down to prevent slipping, the leaves that were not removed before the first snow, and in the country, mud season. Despite this, I relish each new sign that signifies the renewal.

Another Autumn Walk

Welcome Birds, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Each weekend walk goes deeper into autumn. The blazing colours are gone, replaced by sepias and browns. This bird house, and others nearby were decorated for Christmas - too early as far as I'm concerned. We are barely over Halloween.

There is beauty in the dried out flowers, colour-stripped and bare. The dried leaves rustle as the squirrels forage, filling up for their winter hibernation. You can smell the drying leaves, a crisp autumn aroma.  I love to hear the honking of geese overhead as they travel south, their wide vees crossing the sky.



The sun sets early now that we have changed the clocks. Darkness settles in. Time to hibernate.

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.

Day 116: Canada Geese

Day 116: Canada Geese, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Geese honking overhead, heading north. We see great vees passing over and wonder at their tenacity and strength. They know what teamwork is, the vees changing shape as leaders change to give each a chance at riding the currents of the one before. Driving in the country we passed fields where the geese had stopped to rest and feed.

So much I don't understand about how the birds know their routes and travel so far. So much to wonder at.

Below is part of a flock we saw a couple of days ago - this is a back vee, part of a much larger flock. I love the sound as they go overhead.