Fern Hills

These are not power walks. On hikes through the Bonshaw Hills this month, my husband and I look up and stop often to take photos. However, the undergrowth deserves notice as well, particularly the ferns.

Sometimes, they are lush and green in spite of the date on the calendar.

In other areas, the yellow ferns are striking against the background of fallen leaves.

White ferns are rarer but they stand out on the forest floor.

Ferns which are finished teasing us with their colour, turn rusty in the end.

And if we are really lucky, we find a stand of ferns in various stages of autumn glory.

But once in a while, we have to just stop and catch our breath.

Fox Run and Ravine

On our recent trip to the Bonshaw Trails, my husband and I hiked the  Fox Run and Ravine branches from the upper portion of the main trail. We planned to focus on the trees this time. 

The leaves have begun to change colour but few have fallen to the ground. Your eyes are drawn upwards to the canopy, where the upper story is changing first.

 The dark green of aged leaves still creates a green glow at lower levels.

The trunks of many of the trees were unusual.

They provide homes for a variety of creatures 

and are a curiosity to hikers. 

The golden grand-dog, who accompanies us on these hikes, enjoyed time off-lead as we were the only people on the trail.

There were several other items which attracted our attention. On the Ravine Trail, there was an animal skull atop a stump. From on-line research, we determined it was a bovine rather than an equine skull. 

We always look for interesting shadows on the trails. This one looks staged.

At the beginning and end of the hike, we walked through a meadow of goldenrod, 

gone to seed now. 

This caterpillar of an American dagger moth walked across that path. It was our favourite photo of the day.

Hello!

Favourites from the trails

The names are Witch’s Way, Canopy, Sawmill and Prince’s Loop. They conjure up images of their own but the Bonshaw Hills Trails are a delight in more than names. These are our favourite images from a recent exploration of these trails: 

was a giant woodpecker at work here?

Is this a scene from a science fiction movie, the tendrils of an alien hand creeping over the earth? 

Old man's beard covered several trees in one area. 

Dog berries are plentiful but are they a harbinger of a bad winter? 

The hobbit wasn't home on this day.

Mini maples or Canada trees, as our four year old granddaughter calls them, have taken over this forest floor. 

Goldenrod was more than two meters tall in places. 

A rock you say? A rarity on this island!

Remnants of an old sawmill cause us to pause and consider how the forest has grown around the remains. 

Artifacts from an old homestead are exhibited on one trail.

Colour, light and texture are key elements on these trails.

The golden grand-dog insists on waiting if I fall too far behind. She barks, "Are you finished with that camera yet?" Georgie is accustomed to the wait.