The wind

When I wrote recently about the geese nesting at Cavendish Grove I didn’t share photos of how the glade, tucked into the grove had been altered by post-tropical storm Fiona. The glade was a beauty which we visited from spring to fall every year to see nature’s parade. Leaves played with the light filtering through the giant trees.

One could walk through the glade and pause amid the majestic maples and other deciduous trees. Autumn was a wonder. 

However, one cannot walk through the glade any more.

Many trees are down now, blocking one entrance entirely. Large trees took their shallow root systems with them when they toppled and blocked the path. Other trees fell across their neighbours and are tenuously held there. In my lifetime, the glade will not return to its former glory. Wind can destroy in minutes what takes generations to grow.

Recently, on one of our morning walks along the boardwalk, a sunny day reminded me of another side of nature on a windy day. With an easterly wind approaching 60 kph, a flock of gulls was gathered at the mouth of the stream which crosses the boardwalk. 

They floated on the breeze, often waiting for a strong gust of wind to lift off the earth. Their joy in the fast moving air was palpable. Young and old alike gathered to have fun in the wind. Watching them was a joy!

Finally this week, I’d like you to meet Kirby. He walks regularly with our friend along the boardwalk and we often meet them along the way. We always give Kirby some treats, so he recognizes us from a distance. 

Kirby would pull his owner off her feet if she didn’t release him to run to us and he runs like the wind! Look at that smile!

Life can be sad but there is much joy if we just stop and look.

Notes from the island

The sun is rising earlier everyday for another few weeks and light lingers in the western sky well after 10 p.m. every evening. These glorious days of expanding light are my favourite time of year even though nature is never sure what temperature to provide with them. While it’s been colder than average for a few weeks, the new green of spring has finally erupted from the buds and the glade at the Grove is in fine form again. Yay!

It’s been an interesting few months around the island as the pandemic guidelines and regulations have eased and tourist season approaches. Life is feeling more like the pre pandemic normal now though many seniors, besides me, continue to wear masks in the grocery store, theatre etc. My husband and I had the second booster last week and will continue to take boosters as long as they are recommended.

We have delayed gardening and some painting outside this spring until this past week when it was colder and we stayed closer to home. While weeding and mulching are complete, planting in the vegetable patch is delayed for another week at least as is the painting, both requiring warmer days.

This past month, we reconnected with David and Miriam. David is a blogger from Ontario I have followed for several years. My husband and I met them when they came to Prince Edward Island last September and again last month. David’s blog is at   https://travelswithbirds.blogspot.com

Last week, we met with Helen and her husband, Frank. Helen is a blogger from Australia. They have family here on the island and are visiting after more than two long years away from their family because of Covid. Helen’s blog is at   http://outandabout3.blogspot.com

When we met with David and then Helen, we had a picnic and a walk at Cavendish Grove each time. It is wonderful to be able to share our favourite places with visitors to the island and to get to know fellow bloggers better. It is amazing though that by the time I meet another blogger personally, it’s as if I know them already. Blogging expands one’s life in many wonderful ways. Meeting a fellow blogger is probably what it was like to meet a pen pal when letter writing was the way we communicated.

We may be able to connect with another blogger next weekend if the weather and time permit. It is good to be living a “normal” life again.

The light in the glade

On our last visit to Cavendish Grove, we had a mug of hot soup for our picnic. Following lunch walked to Cavendish Beach as we usually do. Along the way, we stopped in the glade which is always a treat, but particularly so on a beautiful autumn day, when the light through the trees provided an additional element of wonder to the space.

At lunchtime in the glade during the summer, the sun is overhead and while the leaves are plentiful, some sun gets through to the forest floor directly below.

By late October, the golden foliage filters light from the angular sun across the forest floor. Outside the glade, that sun highlights the trees which glow in their autumn finery.

The path through the glade was leaf covered and we shuffled through, the only sound in this open space. 

The smell of autumn leaves is captured in this clearing and is a familiar and welcome memory of childhood days playing in the woods. 

Before long, we were back on the trail to the beach, 

passing through a tunnel of gold or open air lined with familiar wildflowers gone to seed and autumn glory. 

Even the trees love it there.