Summer breeze

After falling off my bike each of the last two years, I have been reluctant to ride again. However nervous I am, my husband is more so. He was behind me both times I went down and he can’t get the images out of his mind. Three summers ago, we rode across the island and back, a distance of 450 kilometres. The following year, I had the first fall.

I have worked up the courage to ride again however. My injury from the fall last April healed by the end of last autumn and I was ready. We started small, riding around a nearby neighbourhood during the day when there wasn’t much traffic. 

We added a few kilometres every day as my confidence grew. Then we tried the Confederation Trail again.

The day we rode on the trail, it was overcast but the sun was determined to break through the cloud cover. Summer light was bright but not brilliant as on a clear sky day. I concentrated on the riding, however it was impossible not to notice the green glow all around. We stopped to take it in, the wind rustling the leaves and the birdsong. Sitting there on our bikes, one felt at peace in a setting where worldly cares don’t exist. 

Riding along that trail, pushing through the fresh air, creating your own breeze in addition to the natural one is a great pleasure and privilege. You are serenaded by the birds and, if you’re lucky, you see the songsters cross the trail occasionally. Robins are frequent visitors. We’ve seen hares, foxes and squirrels too.  As I rode along that day, a chipmunk ran into its burrow along the side of the trail.

The above photos were taken with my husband’s cell phone. I don’t take my camera on the bike out of an abundance of caution!

We also walked the boardwalk near the marina in the harbour at Summerside this past week. 

The marina is busy again this summer. Beyond the breakwater in the distance, two sailboats caught the July breeze. 

Along that section of boardwalk, an apartment building is under construction along the shoreline. There are three huge shipping containers on the edge of the construction site. Wildflowers softened the look of the ugly containers.

People encroach on nature but she adapts…for now. Meanwhile we enjoy the summer breeze every chance we have and don’t take a minute for granted.

On the breeze

From late spring to early autumn, it is common to see sailboats in the bay at Summerside. This past weekend, a sailing race from Summerside to Charlottetown made for an interesting morning on the boardwalk as well. While we missed their sail past the lighthouse, we enjoyed watching the boats in the Northumberland Strait as they headed for the Confederation Bridge while we walked in our favourite location.

Meanwhile, one boat was headed in the wrong direction. Before long, it turned around and caught the breeze which brought it close to the others.

However, it was the last one to sail through the Confederation Bridge.

My husband and I weren’t the only spectators that day. Yellowlegs kept a one-legged vigil along the shoreline, 

though on occasion they just couldn’t take the excitement and averted their eyes from the vessels. Later, we noticed some decided to sit it out entirely.

There are always distractions along the boardwalk. That day, we noticed a sunflower, probably from a seed dropped by a bird or squirrel. Every year at least one seed from bird food survives the animals and bursts forth to meet the sun.

As we walked, a Downy Woodpecker was busy among the trees. It is the first one we’ve seen this summer, though they are common in the autumn.

Other boats not competing in the race sailed past the lighthouse too. 

It is easy to see the curvature of the earth while watching those boats head toward the mainland across the Northumberland Strait. As they dip below the horizon, only the top of the mast and sail are visible. 

And as always, some lucky creatures can sail on the breeze any time. 

Note:

The photos of the sailboats were taken with the Nikon 83 optimal zoom. They aren’t great.