Take a Walk on the Wild Side

The 'Wild Side' being a walk in the woods! 

I took the dog out for a long-overdue hike in a local conservation area today.  It's one of my favourite trails in our area ... the pup likes it too because he spends the entire time off-leash (along with a myriad of other dogs).  Here's Cody blending in with nature ...

 

The trail was good today.  Not too icy.  No deep snow. 

 

 

I've walked this trail when it's been solid ice ... treacherous!  There's a meandering creek that gurgles its way through the trees.  Cody loves water, and just the sound of it can send him round the bend.

 

 

So I kept a close eye on him where the trail runs beside the creek.  I don't trust his intelligence when he's near water.  My friend once witnessed a St. Bernard go through the ice on a creek similar to this one.  In his desperate attempt to save his dog, the dog's owner just about went under too.  The thought of losing my dog through the ice leaves me cold.  This is a fast-moving creek which freezes thick and solid in some areas, but is open rushing water in others.

 

 

 

 These woods hold many types of trees.  Alongside the swift-moving water are some ancient willows.  I used to tell my kids this was 'Grandmother Willow' from the 'Pocahontas' movie ...

 

She certainly looks the part ... just look at all that gnarly bark ... lots of deep green moss growing on her too.  If you wait long enough, her face emerges through this broken bark ...

 

 

There are quite a few old trees in these woods ...  along with

a few carcasses from long-ago bolts of lightening, or disease ....

 

 

Lots of variety in the landscape too.  From bulrushes and marsh grasses ...

 

 

 ... to orderly rows of pines ...

 

 

But this can also be a mysterious forest, and you won't want to lean against these trees for too long.  They might just swallow you up!!

 

 

A bit of metal doesn't seem to affect the growth of them in the least ...

 

 

After a couple of hours of traipsing our way through these beautiful woods, and through a bit of open field ...

 

 

... the sun was starting to dip ...

 

 

 

 I didn't want to be caught out there in the dark, so the pup and I gradually made our way back to the car park, but were happy to have enjoyed some fresh air, and lots of hilly, snowy, quiet walking ....

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Wendy & Cody