One week

We visit some Heritage Roads every season. The old red dirt roads pass through the countryside and highlight various aspects of Prince Edward Island’s geography and history. While I love the changes from summer to autumn along these roads, the spring to summer changes are just as remarkable.

One of our favourite Heritage Roads, the Millman Road is in the centre of the island. My husband and I walked the road on May 22nd and took photos at various vantage points along the way. Then we returned on May 29th.

A scene which resembled a tunnel of grey walls with a red dirt floor on the 22nd, 

was alive with the new green of late spring on the 29th.

Each repeated scene was the same. The grey 

was replaced by the glorious green.

From the landmarks, you could tell it was the same area, 

but the green changed the look completely.

Trees are busy opening leaves so they can do important work over the next four months. We will return later this week to the scenes and compare them to last week.

Summer is nigh.

Uplifting

Recently I was near the International Children’s Memorial Park in central Prince Edward Island and since I hadn’t visited for a few years, I decided to stop by.

The park commemorates children who have died and in the two years since my last visit, many trees have been planted in the memorial forest. As I looked across the area, it was obvious many parents have experienced sorrow and pain in those two years, pain no parent should ever have to know, the death of a child.

There is a pond in the park where islanders fish in season. A trail runs beside the pond. The last time I walked the trail at Scales Pond, hundreds of butterflies lifted off the plants lining the trail. 

It was a spirit lifting experience after walking beside the memorial forest.

The experience this year was similar although not with butterflies. Tree Swallows darted about high above the water, drawing the eyes upward in wonder at the sight of them. Try as I might, I couldn’t manage a good photo of them. However, numerous unseen European Starlings rested in the tall grass ahead of me and as I approached, they lifted skyward, taking my spirits with them.

I managed this photo after watching many starlings take flight.

The location of this park has a way to take you out of yourself to look beyond. It is a wonderful memorial to our children.

Here fishy fishy

Like her paternal grandfather before her, our daughter enjoys recreational fishing. Every year she takes the kids fishing and my husband and I tag along at least once, though we are not fishers. The kids look forward to the adventure and the three year old had received a new fishing rod for his birthday. It was their first trip for the year.

The older two, girls nine and seven, have caught fish before so the anticipation of the capture this year was foremost in their minds. The three year old wasn’t sure what to except since he couldn’t remember anything from last year when he’d just turned two. However he was caught up in the excitement like his sisters.

The path to the area was lined with dandelion which the girls noticed because of the bees they attracted. There are lots of bees around early this year.

We arrived before noon and the kids, readied by their mother and maintained by the three adults, fished for an hour before they wanted lunch. 

We’d brought a picnic of course and the sunny day was perfect for a blanket on the grass while the seniors sat in their camp chairs.

The area is a Red-winged Blackbird paradise and we saw more males than females. This one is showing off his coloured epaulet. 

Song Sparrows also love the area and they, with the blackbirds and grackles, kept us entertained as we ate. This sparrow looks like it needs a feather trim like many of us need haircuts these days. 

I also spotted this Yellow Warbler, a first for me, 

flitting amongst the trees.

On our way back to the vehicle, one area of the pond was extremely noisy. We stopped and listened to what we believe are American Toads singing their courtship song. You can hear birds as well. The video is 30 seconds.

Small creatures can leave a big impression!

The kids didn’t catch any trout but the time by the pond was fun for everyone. There’s always next time!

P.S.

During the next fishing trip, each of the kids caught a fish. They declared the day the best ever!

The beach at Brander’s Pond

The beach at Brander’s Pond is one of our favourites and every year we visit at least once. This year few of the cottagers have returned to the area and we were the only people on the beach. Non resident cottagers haven’t been granted entry to the island yet due to the Corona virus.

The pond empties into the Gulf of St Lawrence and the water is crystal clear. 

Nearby ducks played in the pond though I couldn’t get a good photo.

The sea stack along the shoreline is one of the attractions of this area.

Our visit in August of last year resulted in one of my favourite photos of the year. 

The white atop the sea stack is guano of the Double-crested Cormorants who enjoy sunning themselves there. They haven’t returned to the stack yet this year though there were plenty flying along the coastline while we had lunch and watched the fishing boats.

                                                                                2020

The sea stack has eroded over the last three years though not as much as I expected. The shoreline has taken a bigger hit you can see.

                                                                             2017

The beach is pristine, with the exception of some fishing gear which washes ashore every year. The red sand and sandstone cliffs are in sharp contrast to the sea. Looking closely at the cliffs, 

one can see the layers of sand deposited and hardened over time which are easily eroded.

The view up the beach draws us onward.

The reality of the pandemic is light years away for a few hours.

The land

Last week on the way to the beach where we saw fishers off shore setting their lobster traps for the season, we passed numerous fields where farmers were turning or had turned the soil for this season.

I was surprised to see the dust from this field. We have had so much rain recently and lots of snow this winter which has only melted in the last month. It is an indication of how much water is needed to keep the soil hydrated.

Of course we are never far from the sea on Prince Edward Island. You can see Malpeque Bay in the background at the right of the photo.

This field was on a hill above Brander’s Pond.

The road to the beach runs alongside the field. This equipment was more modern than the previous tractor. I remember my grandfather with a horse and plough which he manoeuvred holding two handles as he walked behind. A part of history now!

These fields off the Confederation Trail 

and beside Scales Pond appear to be ready for planting this year.

Land and sea are woven into a rich tapestry which make this little island so special.

Setting day

Friday past was Setting Day on Prince Edward Island, the day when the lobster traps are set for the first part of the lobster season. In the island tradition, family and friends gather at day break around the wharf and along the shoreline to see the fishers off this first day. This year was different. People were encouraged to stay home because of Covid precautions.

The last several years, my husband and I have gone to the shoreline early in the morning at Cabot Beach and watched as the boats left Malpeque Harbour. 

                                                                  Setting Day 2019

The boats were low in the water, filled with as many traps as they could carry while families waved them on.

                                        Boats loaded with lobster traps, Setting Day 2019

Boats returned to port to load up again to finish the job.

Setting Day this year was a beautiful sunny day with a slight breeze so my husband and I, mid morning instead of day break, went to the beach on the north shore near Brander’s Pond. A walk on the beach was in order.

Fortunately, fishers in one fishing boat were busy setting their traps just off shore and we watched other boats in the distance. 

We walked, had a leisurely picnic and watched the fishers hard at work.

Later, we visited New London and watched the boats move up the channel back to port. 

We saw one headed out again with the last of its traps. 

While we didn’t see the loaded boats leaving port encouraged by the crowd, we did enjoy Setting Day nonetheless. Lobster will be on the menu this week for sure.

Trails at Bonshaw

The provincial and national parks are closed in Prince Edward Island because of the Covid pandemic but the trails of Bonshaw are open to hikers. Bonshaw and the adjoining trails at Strathgartney are two of our favourite hiking areas so my husband and I headed out this week.

The parking lot was almost full. Steady movement of people through the lot showed how eager people were to be out and about in these times. It was sunny, windy and cold, but among the trees it was comfortable.

The earth is beginning to yield new growth now as plants push their way through the humus. The trees have buds which are growing, giving the promise of the new green of spring in a few weeks.

The coniferous trees are becoming a vibrant green again as the hours of sunlight increase. Ferns will soon appear on the forest floor.

There are mountain bikers this day, sharing the pathways with walkers without any problems. There is plenty of room to move aside for walkers and riders. However, hikers and bikers spread out over the kilometres of trails are hardly noticeable.

While I love a walk on a beach, it is equal in comparison to the sense of well being I feel in such a woodland setting as the trails of Bonshaw.

 

The height of the trees alone is enough to take me out of myself and feel a part of something greater. The light through the trees casts shadows which dance over the ground with the sway of the trees in the wind. Light plays hide and seek with visitors. The air is fresh and clean and reaches deep inside as your breathing slows while you take in the setting.

Though one must be careful of the roots along the trails as they can be dangerous under foot, they make me smile. They are so important to the forest and I always tread lightly around them. The roots remind me of the unseen part of the forest so essential to its well being and ours.

While the picnic area was closed, we had a table and chairs with us and set up on the grass near the car. It was good to be back at Bonshaw for another year. 

Even this early in the season, the benefit of our time in the forest is obvious!