After the coldest and most dismal April that I can remember, May arrived with sun and blazing temps. And the long suffering spring flowers were finally able to bloom, on my favourite local trail.
Of course, there were many turtles to be seen…
And off trail, things were blooming as well…
Meanwhile, back at Chez Badass it was finally warm enough to spend an evening on the patio…
The Changing Seasons is a monthly photo challenge hosted by Su Leslie, of Zimmerbitch.
Rock on,
The WB
The weekend after our horrible ice storm weekend, I made it out to Elora Gorge where – although the weather had warmed up a bit – there was still plenty of ice and snow on the ground.
I found signs posted for a fun summer activity in the Gorge – well, actually over the Gorge. This gorge:
Ziplining!
Doesn’t this look cool?
This is on my agenda for Summer 2018.
What about you? Have you ever ziplined? Would you?
Aaaaand, that’s a wrap for this year’s A-Z Challenge! Have you guessed my theme yet?
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s theme reveal!
Rock on,
The WB
Can you guess my theme for this year’s A-Z Challenge? All of my A-Z posts this month will be tied into my theme, which is represented by the title of a song that was popular when I was a child. Can you figure it out as the days (and posts) go by? Leave your guesses (one per day only, please) in the comments. At the end of the challenge, I will reveal the theme. Have fun!
April has been a very tough month where I live.
Spring is dragging its heels. And to add insult to injury, we had an ice storm that lasted 2 days in the middle of the month!
Despite all of this, the flowers are still trying to bloom.
And we took advantage of sunny weather and warmish temps on April 22, to get out for hike at the Elora Gorge. The icy ground made our walk treacherous at times. I had to grab my hiking pools out of the back of Edward II, for stability.
Today is sunny but still cool and with a bitter wind, to boot. I did get out for a short walk, however, and saw these beauties.
All this cold weather has one benefit – keeping me playing in the studio.
Can’t say I’m sorry to see the back end of April. Hopefully May brings a return to warmer temperatures!
The Changing Seasons is a monthly challenge hosted by Su Leslie at Zimmerbitch.
Rock on,
The WB
It feels like I haven’t had a spontaneous adventure in a long, long time. The last one that sticks out in my memory is recalled here – way back when Ye Olde Blogge was known as The Next Year of My Life – on September 14, 2009. (Thank you dear Bloggie, for being my memory-in-chief!)
I veered from my plan to run home from work that day, to take an unknown (to me) trail I came across instead. I had an absolute blast and felt my most badass, wildest self that day. Until my husband-to-be came home and ragged on me for what seemed like hours when I told him, rapturously, of what I did and felt.
He thought I was being reckless and foolhardy. By exploring following the river home instead of taking the road?!? The river that runs through the village where I live?!? In broad daylight?!?
Well, I didn’t agree with him then, and I still don’t now. But, because I loved him and didn’t want to upset him, I stopped doing stuff like that. Then we got married, and continued to live in his Crazytown (which I became the de facto Mayor of); then he got sick and died and I became the CEO of Everything; then I spent the next 4 years cleaning up his mess and restoring the building he let slide into disrepair and creating a new life/home for myself. No time or energy for much of anything outside of that, really.
And now here we are and I am looking forward to bringing back more exploration and adventure to my life. Starting this summer.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but what I experienced on my little river trail exploration was a microadventure.
Author and speaker Alistair Humphreys has coined the phrase, and also written a good book about it. You can learn more about microadventures here.
Have you ever taken a microadventure? Does the idea hold any appeal?
Rock on,
The WB
Can you guess my theme for this year’s A-Z Challenge? All of my A-Z posts this month will be tied into my theme, which is represented by the title of a song that was popular when I was a child. Can you figure it out as the days (and posts) go by? Leave your guesses (one per day only, please) in the comments. At the end of the challenge, I will reveal the theme. Have fun!
I regularly walk down to a trail in the Village that follows the Speed River all the way to another town.
In the summer, I also regularly encounter turtles on this walk. Many, many turtles.
Some are actually on the trail.
But most of the turtles I see are sunning themselves on logs and branches in the water. On the river, or in a pond across the trail from the river.
And there are lots of turtles to be seen under the water as well, if you stand still and focus on small movements on the surface.
I just love seeing these ancient-looking creatures on my walks. I usually stop counting at around 40.
Indigenous people believe the 13 moons of the lunar calendar are represented by the sections on the turtle’s shell.
I feel blessed to be living in such a turtle-rich area.
Is there a wild creature in your area that you just love to see each summer?
Rock on,
The WB
Can you guess my theme for this year’s A-Z Challenge? All of my A-Z posts this month will be tied into my theme, which is represented by the title of a song that was popular when I was a child. Can you figure it out as the days (and posts) go by? Leave your guesses (one per day only, please) in the comments. At the end of the challenge, I will reveal the theme. Have fun!
A couple of summers ago, I got to try out a stand up paddle board, at my sister and her wife’s place. It was their neighbour’s, who very neighbourly offered it for use when she wasn’t at her cottage.
I thought I’d find myself falling off the board and sputtering in the lake after about 5 seconds but that never happened. I guess I have more innate balancing ability than suspected.
Ever since then, I’ve had a hankering to do more of this. I have my eye on an inflatable SUP that is getting great reviews, from Costco. But maybe not this year. Unless I can sell one of my kayaks. Because people are starting to talk. 😉
Have you ever tried stand up paddle boarding? Have you tried an inflatable board?
Rock on,
The WB
Can you guess my theme for this year’s A-Z Challenge? All of my A-Z posts this month will be tied into my theme, which is represented by the title of a song that was popular when I was a child. Can you figure it out as the days (and posts) go by? Leave your guesses (one per day only, please) in the comments. At the end of the challenge, I will reveal the theme. Have fun!
Ahhh, those summer nights!
And further to yesterday’s post about spending time on the patio:
Summer nights are the best, for just being. What are your favourite ways to spend a summer night?
Rock on,
The WB
Can you guess my theme for this year’s A-Z Challenge? All of my A-Z posts this month will be tied into my theme, which is represented by the title of a song that was popular when I was a child. Can you figure it out as the days (and posts) go by? Leave your guesses (one per day only, please) in the comments. At the end of the challenge, I will reveal the theme. Have fun!
In the summer, I need to be near water. I want to be in it or on it. Luckily I live in a province blessed with, and bounded by rivers and lakes.
I live very close to water. Because of this I have invested in some watercraft, with which to get my butt onto the water. I briefly considered getting a canoe. But for stability and manoeuverability on relatively calm waters, a kayak can’t be beat, in my opinion. Behold my kayak collection:
I love to get out on the water, to get up close and personal to stuff like this:
And then there is always this, to look forward to:
When I get onto the river with one of my kayaks on a warm summer’s day, it’s like I’ve gone on a mini-vacation. And I haven’t even left town.
Have you ever kayaked?
Rock on,
The WB
Can you guess my theme for this year’s A-Z Challenge? All of my A-Z posts this month will be tied into my theme, which is represented by the title of a song that was popular when I was a child. Can you figure it out as the days (and posts) go by? Leave your guesses (one per day only, please) in the comments. At the end of the challenge, I will reveal the theme. Have fun!
Along with the summer, comes the bugs…the insects. (The bugs of summer are one reason I prefer Fall for a lot of outdoor activities.)
Insects are so necessary for survival on our planet…I know, I know. We’d all soon be dead if there were no bugs.
However, in the summer insects can also be big pains in the ass, and some are downright assholes.
Mosquitoes for one. Deer flies for another. But in my mind, there is only one true contender for the Summer Asshole Insect crown (if ever there was such a thing): the wasp.
There I was, exiting my building and minding my own business one morning last August when a wasp came out of nowhere and dive-bombed into my arm and stung me. A couple of days later my arm starting swelling and turning red around the sting.
On the other arm hand, I love seeing butterflies, damselflies, bumblebees and of course – DRAGONFLIES – in the summer.
And it wouldn’t be summer without hearing the whine song of the cicadas as the temperatures rise.
How do you feel about our buggy assholes friends? Any favourites? Any ones you just can’t stand?
Rock on,
The WB
Can you guess my theme for this year’s A-Z Challenge? All of my A-Z posts this month will be tied into my theme, which is represented by the title of a song that was popular when I was a child. Can you figure it out as the days (and posts) go by? Leave your guesses (one per day only, please) in the comments. At the end of the challenge, I will reveal the theme. Have fun!
I love to get out on the trail. It’s something that has helped me clear my mind and exercise my body since I was a small child.
I credit my dad mainly, for instilling this love of the outdoors in me. I talked about this in a previous A-Z challenge post, here.
In the summer, my hiking behaviour changes. I don’t do the heat well anymore. So my hikes are shorter, and in the very early morning or later in the evening. Or on heavily shaded trails. But I still get out there.
Do you still get out and hike in the summer? Are your summer hikes different from your spring/fall/winter ones?
Rock on,
The WB
Can you guess my theme for this year’s A-Z Challenge? All of my A-Z posts this month will be tied into my theme, which is represented by the title of a song that was popular when I was a child. Can you figure it out as the days (and posts) go by? Leave your guesses (one per day only, please) in the comments. At the end of the challenge, I will reveal the theme. Have fun!
