Meandering and Daydreaming | Amelia Ah You
I have the good fortunate to have nature right out of my doors. I am thankful to my neighbours who allow me access to these lands.
Now that the bright leaves are lining the forest floor and some rusty leaves still gracing the oak, the evergreens muted now take centre stage. Today's meander takes me deep into the woods with a destination vaguely guiding me. We have some markers along these trails, but many have all but disappeared. Some have left their coloured marks on the tree trunks of orange or blue.
We have names for most of our favourite and most frequented spots. 'Water on both side', 'friendly goose pond', 'paradise trail', 'herons' nest pond', 'beaver dam marsh', ' mystery lake', 'lost trail' and so on. Hot tea on a rock or fallen tree by the edge of a pond was always a thing we enjoyed.
Lollie, my dog, always seems to know where we are headed. Most of the time. Today I let her lead even though I have an intended destination. The 'beaver dam marsh'.
We follow a narrow deer path through young pines and firs and cross the old rutty logging road. The sun on our left as we head southeasterly. Climbing the steep rocks and plateaus lined with silvery lichen and green moss, we get a glimpse of the marshy lowland down below.
As we climb higher, the big marsh comes into view through the large pines. The edges of the marsh are sharply defined by the contrasting white of the light snow on thin layer of ice, reeds and leather woods and spring gale shrubs softening the borders closest to the rocky edge.
We don't make it to the 'beaver dam' today as we have been out for more than two hours and I don't have my thermos of hot tea nor treats for my loyal companion.
We head inland as we head homeward, with the sun now on our right side, the plateaus have spread out into valleys and the land form more undulating and familiar.
Nestled in the comfy chair with a hot cup of soup by the fire, I reflect on this morning's meander. The colour palette,even though muted in tone, and the textures, were rich and the views awesome.
Today's palette: yellow ocher, titanium white, Prussian blue, alizarin crimson, sage gray, sap green, viridian, cadmium yellow light and a few others.