Bruce Trail - Short Hills Provincial Park - Map 3 and Map 1 (our oops)

 Last time Nicola and I hiked we learned that we had to check online for the status of various sections of the trail. Of course it takes more than one incident for me to learn, so I didn't. When we arrived at the section that we wanted to hike (in St Catherines, at 11am already) the parking lot was blocked off and on line we learned that some of the Niagara Section of the Bruce Peninsular is closed due to the large number of people who were using it. Sitting in the car we tried to figure out whether we would have to drive the half hour to the Grimsby section to access the trail. Nearby was Short Hills Provincial Park with a section of the Bruce going through it so we decided to give that a try.

The parking lot was full and cars parked up and down the side of the road. Way more people than we were comfortable with but we gave it a go.

There were a lot of people, mostly families, on the trail to the falls (currently dry)

but once we got on to the section that was actually part of the Bruce Trail it wasn't as crowded.

The fall colours had not really started here yet but there was an occasional brilliant tree and it was windy so it occasionally "rained" spiraling leaves.

Nicola's photo or me trying to get a shot of a tiny toad below another dry waterfall location.

It was hot and muggy so the 5.3km felt like a lot longer.

Having done less than we had planned, we drove to the start of the Bruce Trail at Brock's Monument Park. When we started this endeavor, 3 years ago, we didn't realize that there was a cairn marking the "Southern Terminus" so we knew we had a few 100metres to walk to truly have started at the beginning.

It's a lovely park with plenty of space for the families and friends who were gathered at picnic tables, under trees and out playing in the open spaces. We had to ask a park employee for the location of the cairn.

Proof we were there. Selfie (we are sooo bad at them) by Nicola.

Between a parking lot and the road, not that easy to find.

We followed the white flashes through the park

to where we started on June 17, 2017

 

We changed out of our hiking clothes in the washrooms there and then met Mum and Dad at the Lighthouse on the Niagara Parkway near Fort Erie. It was a lovely location, out on the patio, but the service was extremely slow and the food was just OK. Luckily our focus was on the visit not the restaurant and it was lovely to see them.

On the home front

 

The bluff is all Asters and Golden Rod now.

Monarchs are the easiest wildlife photography

and they are so beautiful.

Up early one day, I looked out the laundry room window and saw this next door.

While the reported origins of Groundhog Day are many, the concept is thought to be linked to the Germanic tradition of Candlemas Day, a Christian feast day. According to the folklore, a sunny Candlemas Day means a longer winter. In Europe, however, the animal used was generally a hedgehog or a badger. from nationalgeographic.com.

He was happily chewing on dandelions.

He ran back under the cottage when I stepped out the side door, hoping to get a better picture.

A groundhog's burrow can be anywhere from eight to 66 feet long, with multiple exits and a number of chambers.There can be several levels to their burrows, says Zervanos. "They have a burrow for hibernating, and then they have another section of the burrow that's more like their summer home where they can come out more easily."Their burrows even have separate rooms for defecation—otherwise known as bathrooms. from nationalgeographic.com

I wonder what they will find when they demolish that cottage.

 

Occasionally one of the nearby windmills is not turning and there are trucks in the gravel road to them but one day

there was someone working on one of the blades.

On another day, a crane up to a blade.

When Mike and I went on the windmill tour in California we watched a movie that touched on these kinds of jobs. Wow, you would have to have a head for heights.

This pepper plant came with me from Long Point but all but one pepper got blown off on the trailer ride over. I got one, really nice, red pepper off it, about a month ago.

But recently I noticed that it had set flowers again and was growing some more peppers. As the nights are getting colder, I bought it inside to see if it will produce some more.

Speaking of colder nights, one of my shrubs is starting to show some fall colour.

I bought this because I love Echinacea and it was looking a little sad on a 30% off table.

As soon as I planted it, it perked right up and now is in full bloom.

I have been keeping an eye out for a "cat condo" for Rasta for a while now. "Why?" you say. I don't have a good answer for that. Other cats seem to enjoy them. He's spoiled. Anyway they are expensive and so I haven't bought one. Then in Costco I saw this one. $50. The cheapest one I have seen was $60 and it was just one level so I didn't read the size and thought it would be a modest little condo. Nope. It's huge.  Multiple levels, lots of places to curl up or watch the birds, soft carpeting and good scratching posts. Not sure where it will end up but for now it is in the front room for bird watching.

Walks and Bike rides

 This year the onset of bad weather seems even more ominous, more time indoors. There will be less time outside, feeling safer, visiting with friends and family. I have been outside and active as much as possible. Aside from the ongoing gardening and grass cutting I have been walking, bike riding and on a weekly basis, sailing.

A huge flock of Cormorants watched us leave the marina. No fear of a cull this close to all the people. Phone photo by Mark.

Phone photo by Mark

Rick, who I sail with, and I have been for a couple of walks; Lynn Valley Trail and Dundas Valley

.

Nicola and I had hiked part of the Dundas Valley as the Bruce Trail goes through it

 

but it has quite a complex of trails and we didn't even scratch the surface.

 

Rick and I also biked the Lynn Valley Trail and the Niagara Parkway Trail from Navy Hall,

across from the Youngstown Yacht Club,

 

up to Queenston.

I was not prepared to climb the escarpment to Brock's monument.

 

We did stop at Laura Secord's house (Closed)

 

and Riverview Cellars winery. Rick had the forethought to bring crackers and cheese to go with the tasting.

 

It must have been a good growing year

 

as there are an abundance of grapes.

The green ones don't have the same impact, behind their bird protection nets.

On a very still day, Brit and I, walked Long Point,

 

happy to see more beach than we have seen all summer.

In these conditions the water makes sand art.

 

I had never seen sand bubbles before.

 

A flock of Sanderlings ran, on legs going so fast you could hardly see them, ahead of us.

Just one of them ran towards us.

A bike ride from my place to Hoover Marina in Nanticoke led to a lunch of perch and fries on the patio, for Rick and I, and a view of this lovely lady at dock. I was surprised to see such a large boat there as it is quite a shallow entrance and not a large river.