Summer is almost half over… or, there is still half to go/half full! Boy, time flies when one is having fun! And, really, I couldn’t even tell you what I’ve been doing. Well, I could, but it is not all that exciting…. really, it’s not, I swear.
0 Comments
I really don’t mind doing errands when this is my route: I knew that the rail trail was somewhere… and, I found it… and, I also got distracted… I found a trail into the Dundas Conservatory land… absolutely gorgeous!
I urge everyone & anyone to check out MeYou Health and participate in the Daily Challenge. Each day comes with a simple challenge to improve well-being, one small and manageable step at a time. For example, Today’s Daily Challenge, Friday Jun. 24, 2011: Connect to your community and learn one bit of trivia aboutyour city or town. How to do it: Type the name of where you live (city or town, state/province) and the word “history” into your Internet browser’s search engine. Then take a step back in time and learn one bit of trivia about the place you live. When was it settled? Did it ever have another name? Who made it famous? (If you really want to re-live history, go to your library and ask a reference librarian for help with finding original documents!) Why it matters: As people move from place to place, they shed attachments to communities. Knowing a bit about the history of your community will increase your bonds to it and help you feel more connected to your neighbors. It may even help you feel more civically engaged the next time you decide whether or not to take the time to vote on a referendum or attend a town meeting. Fun Fact: Entire countries sometimes decide to go by a new name. For example, Japan was once Nippon, Belize used to answer to the name of British Honduras, and Thailand used to be called Siam. Taken directly from: https://challenge.meyouhealth.com/2011/6/24/connect-to-your-community-and-learn-one-bit-of-trivia-about-your-city-or-town As this is a challenge that encouraged me to sing Dundas’ praises – some poeple know that I do this every chance I get (I should really work in Tourism!) – for my post, I shared this Blog’s link. And, these are some of my replies: Jone K. replied: Great passion! Canada, eh? Got hockey? Michelle L. replied: I love going to spencer creek for hikes and to take pics! It’s so nice there! Christina M. replied: I always loved Dundas, at one point, before you were born we even looked into moving to Dundas but settled on Ancaster. (This is my Mom… we do the Daily Challenge together!) Carol D. replied: My daughter and her husband and my one and only grand-daughter live in Dundas and they love it. John is from Dundas and has lived there all his life. I love wandering around down town Dundas and the wonderful shops that are there. Mickey McGuire’s is the best I alway come out of that store a lot poorer but it’s worth it. Nikki S. replied: @Jone K. Oh, yeah, we have hockey… Dundas was actually Kraft Hockeyville, 2010 (potential for another yearly festival eh?)… we won a bunch of money to fix up the Arena! @Michelle L I know… my Hubby and I even go crick-walking… we out on our water shoes and get in! There are some really deep spots… awesome for a really hot & humid day. It’s too deep & fast right now, though… we tried last night, but almost got washed down stream! So, we thought better of it… though we did stop to imagine the headlines in the Dundas News:) @Carol D. I love the cheese shop, but I hear you about the poorness… It is a rare, but well worth it treat indeed! ps. How old is your grand-daughter and does she go to Dundas Central? Ps… if you live in Dundas, we refer to the Creek as a Crick, but I haven’t ever found out why!I have many ideas for more Dundas-related projects… but for now, here are some more pictures: For a fascinating read of Dundas History… http://www.unityserve.org/dundashistory/… check it out! I just read that the Arena used to be a reservoir until the dam gave out and was never rebuilt. And, King St. was named after King Henry III; before that it was called Hare St.Huh.
It can’t rain all the time. When the rain subsides and the sun emerges, it is our Duty and Great Privilege to get out there and Enjoy the Gift… “We live in this world when we love it.”
(Sri Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds #279, 1916) Or, Thoughts & Observations from a Dabbling Birder… I have been oblivious for such a long time, walking about, listening to my iPod. I didn’t know what I had been missing. For whatever reason, I recently found myself strolling along without my ear-buds in place and, to my pleasure, I discovered the sounds of nature – a cacophony of trills, cheeps, whistles, and calls, against the back-drop of the rushing water of Spencer Creek and the softly whooshing wind. I was floored by how beautiful the sounds of nature can be. And, if I listened closely enough, I could sort of tell from which direction the songs were coming from… I saw birds, and I stalked birds, and I took pictures of birds: “Birds are nature’s most charismatic entertainers. Clothed in brightly coloured plumage, they are lively and interesting to watch. Endowed with the enviable power of flight, they are the embodiment of freedom. And, apparent to all, they perform the natural world’s finest music… Bird songs are among the finest expression of nature’s orchestra – their music lifts our spirits, celebrates each dawning day, and heralds the passing of the seasons. Whehter we live in cities, suburbs, or country areas, birds are always there to greet us if we allow ourselves the time to watch and listen.” (from, Common Birds and their Songs, by Lang Elliott and Marie Read, 1998) It seems a little ridiculous, now, that I have downloaded sounds of nature onto my iPod, including birds. All I had to do was go outside and LISTEN! (Sometimes, I’m a little slow on the uptake!)
Ah, the joys of Spring – a time of new beginnings and new discoveries… Take time to Listen to the Birds! … Or, The VERY Rainy Spring… Some POSITIVE things about our Situation, in which the thick layer of the atmosphere is causing temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth’s surface, allowing for the condensation of atmospheric water vapor to form into drops of water heavy enough to fall, making it to the surface. These two processes, acting together, are thus leading to the air becoming saturated leading to liquid participation:) 1. The rain is keeping the allergens down. 2. It is helping to keep our robins fed. The following (#3 – #6) are from the Hamilton Spectator, Tuesday, May 17, 2011: 3. It’s a great time to plant evergreens, trees and shrubs, says Manfred Kastrau, an arborist and landscaper who owns a nursery in Hamilton’s east end. A long, cold spring is great for tree roots, which like cool, wet soil. 4. Remember all those air quality warnings in the early spring? Not this year. The rain helps keep pollution at bay. 5. Even if the summer turns hot and dry, all this rain now will help keep drought away, said Dave Phillips, senior climatologist at Environment Canada. 6. It’ll make us appreciate the sunshine more when it comes…. 7. No sun burns! 8. Record-Breaking, and who doesn’t love to break a record?! From the Hamilton Spectator, Thursday, May 19, 2011: The Wettest Spring… Ever… It’s official. Wednesday night’s heavy downpour has pushed us well over the brink of what we actually needed to break a record this spring. With 27.2 mm of rain Wednesday, this spring is Hamilton’s wettest. Not only is it the wettest spring on record, it is also the wettest period we have had from January 1 to May 18. For the period March 1 to May 18, Hamilton has had a total of 381 mm of rain and snow. The record, prior to this, was in 1996 when we were showered with 363 mm. Since Jan. 1, we have received 497.1 mm of rain and melted snow, with the record being 493.9 mm. This year, we have completely smashed the record and we still have another week and a half to go. vkauri@thespec.com (Well, aren’t we the over-achievers?!) 9. And, look at all the Loveliness… Hi, my name is Nicola Schneider, Funtastic Teacher, MissNikkiRocks, or Nikki (as I am known outside of Cyberspace). As I was walking along the Creek today, it hit me… Why don’t I have a Blog about my favourite place, Dundas, ON, and more specifically, Spencer Creek? I only wish I had thought of this idea sooner! I have loads of Photos of the Creek from different seasons and from different adventures. I have been enjoying the Creek since I moved to Dundas in October, 2008 with my now-husband, Donnie, almost four years ago. It was about a year and a bit after ‘that-which-shalt-not-be-named’, the Biedermann Packaging fire and pesticide spill in July 2007. Oops, I named it, and it should be named – and not forgotten – EVER! – and definitely never repeated. I think the Creek is finally making a Drastic Recovery (though you’d have to check with ‘Those-That-Know’, say, the Conservation Authority, or whomever). I know I’ve seen articles and news reports saying just that, but I have not yet found those resources. And, we can see its progress and growth as we Adventure along its shore and even IN the Creek itself. This Blog is where I will share, with you, my love of Spencer Creek and Dundas, Ontario. Enjoy:) Note: All photographs are taken by me, unless other-wise stipulated. |
Along Spencer Creek, or, Why I Love Living in, Our Valley Town, Dundas, OntarioI love Dundas so I'm gonna show it with my pictures! ~ Navajo Prayer ~
******************* In beauty may I walk. All day long may I walk. Through the returning seasons may I walk. Beautifully will I possess again... Beautifully birds... Beautifully joyful birds... On the trail marked with pollen may I walk. With grasshoppers about my feet may I walk. With dew about my feet may I walk. With beauty may I walk. Archives
November 2018
Categories
All
|