A December Walk December 3rd, 2017

We went for a walk today on the path. Chilly, but not cold. With a light mist in the air and no wind, it felt good breathing the fresh air and looking at the ever changing plant life that nature offers on an almost daily basis. There's always something new to see any day you venture out in nature... a small flock of geese flew over as we started out, honking their way to the lake. 

The tree tunnels have taken on their winter dress. Mist makes for good photos, but it also heightens the mood in nature.

It's been a bumper year for walnuts. The squirrels find a comfortable perch in a tree, and chomp down on the walnuts. The shells tend to fall at the base of trees. Though they start out as a golf-ball to tennis-ball sized green spheres, they blacken as they age, or at least what's left of them do, once the squirrels are finished with them.

It's been a while since I took many shots on the path. Maybe that's why I took several today. The rich green of this Garlic Mustard caught my eye. Jane & I were wondering how long it looks this green. Under the snow for a while? How much sun does it need to stay this bright? 

If you like nature's scents & smells, crush a leaf in your fingers and smell it. Pioneers used it in their cooking.

Some of nature's Christmas decorating... Wild Cucumber seed pods on a Cedar hedge.

As some of you already know, fungi are one of my favourite subjects. These are Turkey Tails.

The arched blue-ish Raspberry canes stand out this time of year.

We thought this was unusual. Looks like the tree rotted at its roots, close to the surface. Jane thought it looked calcified.
 

The woods in their December browns. If the white holds off for a few weeks, I'm fine with that. We kicked our way through the leaves like we did as kids. We do it every year. It's still fun.

 

A favourite type of shot for me on the path... someone else enjoying the day. The mist adds a warm, cozy feeling to the scene.

 

This has to be a perfect home for some small creature... squirrel is the obvious guess, but who knows? It was low to the ground so not a good choice for squirrels really. Maybe it's vacant.

The leaves still have some color, but it's softer & more subtle this time of year.

As we approached home, I was falling behind Jane, as I looked for more to shoot. Off she goes, into the mist.

Last night we went to a Christmas lamp-lighting ceremony down at the lake. Loved it. There are three heritage homes there that date back to the 1800's. This was on a wall. Interesting idea.

Trying to re-create the 1800's as best they could, the lighting was just oil lamps in some rooms... which your nose quickly told you.

The ornaments on the tree were home made, to reflect the times. It was a beautiful tree.

This ex-Nova Scotian sang Christmas songs of the day, with some from today as well. She had a beautiful voice. Besides the guitar, she played a Dulcimer.

After we visited the houses, and had our picture taken with a period Santa, we grabbed a coffee and went and sat under a gazebo overlooking the lake. Listening to the water lapping the shore, and watching a light fog drift in from the lake made it feel like we were thousands of miles away, in a dreamlike scene. It was wonderful... a feeling of solitude & peace.

With the quiet introduction to this busiest of seasons at the lake, and the walk in nature today, it feels for a short time at least, that all is right with the world.

All our best,
Bob & Jane
__________________