Sunday Sounds

Or should I say

Sunday morning and 

almost no sounds

mid-November greys

meet my eyes

crows caw from afar

a blue jay screams

chickadees squeak

and all the kinglets

that I see and hear

turn into chickadees

when closely observed

with binoculars

oh

traffic noises

cars, train whistles, jets roar

but on our grounds

almost nothing

greys

browns

beiges

and then

a touch of green

Friday Flower

Common St. Johnswort

Millepertuis commun

(Hypericum perforatum)

            Today I did my usual walk through the Royal Botanical Garden's Rose Garden and then into the Hendrie Valley. On the edges of the rose garden plots grow many wild flowers at this time of the year when most of the garden workers have gone. It is a good time to see "weed" flowers. The Hendrie Valley, which is full of wild flowers during the spring and summer, is going slowly to sleep but there are a few holdovers still in bloom. 

            After I have done the tour of the garden and valley I move onto the Hamilton Waterfront Trail at the edge of the Hamilton harbour. There the waters of the harbour, the heat of the trail pavement, and the street lights that were installed all help to keep wild flowers alive and blooming into the late fall and early winter.

            Today's walk resulted in my finding  58 late blooming wild flowers. The temperatures were cool, about 7 degrees C, and the winds were brisk, but the sun shone brightly so I was able to photograph a few flowers.

From My Daily Walk

            I feel very privileged to live in a location where I can see wild White-tailed Deer almost everyday. This was one of four that we saw from the breakfast table a day or two ago. I stepped out on the porch to take the photo which is why she is looking so attentively in my direction. I took over a half dozen photos before they wandered off slowly. (Most days I just see a flash of white tail as they move off through the bush on one of our trails but occasionally they stay to look back. My luck with Wild Turkeys is much poorer. I have yet to get a good photo of a Wild Turkey and I certainly do not see them everyday. They are very timid and move off as soon as they are aware of my existence.)

            I have much better luck with plants. They do not leave as quickly but they do leave. This Common Milkweed will probably be gone in another few months.

            At least the moon cooperates as it keeps coming back month after month. It is waxing toward full moon right now and this is from last evening so it will be even more advanced tonight.

Arrow-leaved Aster

            



This flower has been blooming beside our north ravine trail until yesterday. It has given up flowering today so I shall have to look in other locations to see if it is still blooming.

Grey Day with Light Rain