Land and sea

On a lupin quest this past week, early one day ahead of the smothering humidity, we headed around Bedeque Bay towards the Indian Head Lighthouse on the shore opposite Summerside. As we neared the south side of the bay, a Great Blue Heron flew across the road about five meters ahead and above the road. Such a sighting was a great start to the day.

Along the way, fishers and farmers were busy. In the bay, on the south side of Holman Island, oyster fishers grasped the shellfish between the teeth of the tongs they held over the side of the boat. 

On land, the first cut of hay was underway in one field but cows nearby weren’t ready for breakfast.

In another field, an elderly farmer used an old tractor in his field near the road. I missed that photo and on our way back, he had stopped the antique and left it in the field. Tractor without farmer isn’t quite the same.

However, lupins lined the red dirt road near the lighthouse. 

Our first look at the breakwater was one of surprise. Had the breakwater been damaged by storms, removing some of the huge rocks along its length? 

After the requisite lighthouse shots, I walked out the road to see the lupins. The sight of the blooms in this seaside setting, though high above the waterline, is a favourite of mine.

The pinks, blues and purples, the mixes of colour along with an occasional white, always make me smile. 

Overhead, Bank Swallows flew their usual erratic way catching insects. They are an important part of the aesthetic of this place.

Islands by their very nature are linked to both land and sea. Earlier in human history the sea was our only means of transportation to and from an island. The sea also provides food as does the land of course. The vistas before me on Prince Edward Island are a combination of land and sea which I have known all my life on my island homes.

I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Back in the saddle

It’s taken almost a year but I am back on my bike again. I am fortunate it’s an e-bike because I doubt I’d be able to ride a regular bike without pain. However, the throttle takes away the need for peddling, so I can enjoy biking again with my husband. We rode the Confederation Trail twice last week. It is the old rail bed which except for one area along the coast, goes through the centre of the island. 

The trail goes through farmland which is being harvested currently or will be in the coming weeks. Farm equipment was out in some fields, cutting hay in this case. 

Gulls were busy in the hay, not averse to leaving the shoreline behind to forage in the freshly mown fields. 

In some areas, the hay is already baled. By chance, the bale in the centre of the photo below looks like it has fireweed poking out of both sides. 

You never know what’s in a shot until you see the result.

Most fireweed is gone to seed at this point of the summer. The fuzzy seed is easily carried on the breeze and distributed everywhere.

The last section of trail we rode is newly resurfaced. We turned around at a new bridge constructed over a marsh/pond area. 

A cloudless sky was reflected in the surface of the pond, a mirror which created a rich deep blue.  

A reflection of a clump of grass 

looks almost as real turned upside down.

Riding along the trail surrounded by nature, with the wind in your face, provides a glorious sense of freedom. This month crickets add to the ambience. You can hear them through the breeze all along the trail, as if to summon autumn which is waiting among the trees.

The trail is well maintained across the island and is used by islanders and visitors alike. This cyclist is glad to be back there.

Dandelion Trail

Our most recent cycling adventure on the Confederation Trail took us to the Pleasant Valley area where we had finished cycling last October. Along the trail, the dandelion blooms greet hikers and cyclists.

What was a scant bloom in a few places the previous week had become a full bloom in many areas.

Wild strawberry blooms look out of place among all the dandelions but the tiny white blooms are visible along the trail..

This section of trail is through the rolling hills of the central portion of the island. Steep banks on either side of the trail keep one focussed on the straight and narrow trail ahead. 

Through the trees we see some fields are being plowed, ready for spring planting. 

However, any time a view of the countryside is exposed, the dominant colour is yellow in the unplowed fields. 

As we approached the community of Hunter River, we could hear elementary school children out for recess on the opposite side of the river, running, shouting and having a great time. We caught glimpses of them through the trees and the sounds brought us back to our days teaching all those years ago. 

A new bridge across the Hunter River gives area residents a great route for a walk. 

An old church in the community has been for sale for years but it looks like someone has purchased the building and is renovating the old place. It is good to see this work rather than demolition.

A few nesting boxes are located adjacent to the trail as well. My poor eyesight thought it was a grackle at one of the boxes. 

I was pleasantly surprised to see a Tree Swallow at the opening of a box when I looked at the photos. I captured a photo of one of the birds on top of the box as well. 

We stopped briefly to observe a mare and foal my husband saw through the trees. The mother was watchful of every move I made as I attempted to get a photo of the two through the trees.

We stopped for lunch at one of the picnic sites along the trail. This one had an old tree nearby with two huge woodpecker holes though no birds were present.

Before we arrived back at the car, we stopped to hydrate on the trail between two fields of yellow. The view on one side was a yellow delight.

The other side showed the burgeoning hills of yellow.

On the short drive to the highway, we passed a cattle farm where the cattle were out grazing among the dandelions, looking quite content.

Soon the blooms will be replaced with fluffy seed heads. It will be interesting to see the countryside when the air is filled with seeds as well. 

Picnic in the grove

The October sun is warm and the gentle breeze feels like those of August which is strange for an October day. We had cycled on the Gulf Shore Parkway and worked up an appetite. We headed to Cavendish Grove in search of a picnic table to have a leisurely lunch.

We found two tables side by side at the edge of the grove so we could sit in the sun. 

It is perfect. A few people are walking the trails but nobody is eating there. Our crusty bread, meat, cheese, olives and pickles are delicious with a mug of black tea. Lunch is memorable in the October sun.

Later we walked around the grove to take in the sights. The shade in the grove is one of the attractions of the area in the summer, but this amount of shade won’t be around too much longer.

The trail through the glade is particularly beautiful, 

especially with the yellows of the Striped Maples in the area.

Further along the trail, the area used for weddings and photos isn’t busy. 

However, a plough is working in the field behind the chapel.

Back in the grove, this tree trunk is impressive. 

Above, the leaves range in colour from green, to red, yellow and orange. Nature overshadows much human-made beauty.

The apple trees in the grove have dropped most of their crop at this point. I wonder if it is safe to sit on that bench now?

Part of a tree came down in the last wind storm. It is sad to lose any part of the old guard in the grove. I hope they all make it through this winter.

A new ride on a changed trail

My new E-bike has arrived finally and I am enjoying the ride. My husband and I rode around our neighbourhood before we headed further afield. It took me some time to adjust to the pedal assist, throttle and gears. It is lots of fun however and the day it arrived I felt like a child at Christmas. 

Then we had high winds, up to 89 km/h, 55 mph, which ruled out cycling for several days. When we were able to ride again, we took to the Confederation Trail. One month ago, when we rode this particular section of the trail, the scene was different.

Remember this old fence and the horses? 

The horses are not in this field as the fence is destroyed, probably a casualty of the wind storm. It was sad to see the old fence this way.

This was the trail last month, 

the green walls reaching skyward as we enjoyed the setting. A month later, 

the green is replaced with autumn colour, predominantly red, as the maples reveal their Canadian identity. The sight makes us stop periodically to take in the fleeting beauty. 

Many of the fields are already harvested and have been replanted for winter to prevent soil erosion. This field was harvested last month 

and seeded with grass which has grown well. 

The sound of water along the trail is unusual and again we stop. 

Ice has started to form on the water, a reminder our days of cycling are numbered for this year. It’s gotten a lot colder this last week.

There is something calming to the spirit about cycling. Although the physical effort can be demanding, riding with the wind in your face, the sound of the birds and the occasional sighting, eyes on the trail ahead and the vegetation all around, are all exhilarating. The spirit absorbs the essence of the experience. You can call it the effect of endorphins, but I like to think the spirit recalls the experience and provides a sense of well being. I can’t wait to go again.