Sprung

It's been a little while since the last post, Etta is on restricted activity for ten days and so our walks have been short. But I have seen so much change even in the past two days I had to take my camera this morning and wow such a lot to share. :)

First let me tell you where we have been walking the last few days, the place is called Squint Lake Park. Everytime I drove down a particular road and came to a particular four-way I would see a sign for 'Squint Lake Park' and wonder where and what this park was. I am geographically challenged in that I have pretty crappy spatial awareness (my sense of direction is awesome though) so I couldn't work out how a park with a lake could fit into the space my mind conceived being there. But I never quite had time to go and investigate until I was looking for places to walk the dog. I google-mapped and found that it was an largish area with indeed a lake and so we set off to find it. My mind was blown when I found not only this parkland and a golf course but also a mini shopping mall  and many many houses. The lake is somewhere in the golf course and dogs aren't allowed (nor am I I suspect) so I haven't actually seen the water but as you will see in this post there's plenty of other water for me to wax lyrical about. 

There's a large car park, tennis courts, a playground, HEATED clean and tidy restrooms and a baseball area. Around all this is a 10-15 minute loop through some lovely and interesting woodland. At some point I am going to talk about the sports facilities here in Canada but not today. Remind me if I forget.

So onto the walk and what we saw. First up, as I opened the car door the air was filled with music. I thought my phone was ringing although the tune was nothing I had installed but no, it was drifting over the trees. Etta was slightly perturbed and reluctant to walk to be honest but we persevered. She loves to sit and watch people and machines. Yesterday she sat and watched a man in a tractor aerate the baseball grass, pitch, area... (rounders ftw). Anyway I digress, the music was oriental, melodic strains that I soon found were guiding a few people through what I assume was tai-chi. I had to wait til I was on the far side to get pictures and the figures are small, but what a charming way to start the day. Almost as good as walking the dog and taking pictures. 

Tai-chi on the softball pitch at Squint Lake Park

Tai-chi duo behind the fence at the softball pitch in Squint Lake Park.

So I was charmed by that and once Etta got used to the music, which actually went quite nicely with the environs, she became charmed by a couple of ducks strolling on the path ahead of us. She pulled and tugged to get to them, I pulled and tugged her back and they strolled a little faster away. As we came too close they flew off around the corner and I knew they would return up the lane to taunt her again, as indeed they did. 

Ducks on the path winding around Squint Lake Park

But the stretch of walk between now and then is the real reason I had to take the camera. I am so sad that I don't have a pic from Monday because the change in the 'green' is more than I can describe, even in two days the trees have just erupted in colour. I shall try my best to continue to document just how this tunnel develops. 

Squint Lake Trail beside the golf course.

The green started off as just leaves, curling bursts of green, but then they open more to reveal beautiful droplets of white flowers. I have no idea what species they are although I have looked and searched - I shall continue to do so because, well how can I claim to know everything when I don't know that? So much more to come as the taller trees and other bushes come into leaf. Exciting!

Trees in Squint Lake Park just coming into flower

Delicate flower drooping from the leaves where it grew.

Squint Lake trees

Life amid the dormancy, can't wait to see what those dry branches produce.

The dead leaves caught on the blooming tree just caught my eye.

I got a little carried away snapping these spring blooms, but I just love the contrasts and the juxtaposition of new life and old. And if I can't be somewhat self-indulgent here then where can I be? Hope I manage to convey some of what I wanted to capture.

So, this section runs along side the golf-course and I heard a golfer cry Fore! Then I saw him and tried to get a shot, I ended up focusing on the tree with him a blur behind. Then as I looked at the picture and ummed and ahhed whether to use it or not I decided it actually was kinda profound. Golf clubs had that elitist reputation for a very long time, though I know it is very different now. Even the word golf has had the acronym attached 'Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden' so the sense I get from the image, of being on the outside looking in, was a fun reminiscence.

Burnaby Mountain Golf Course

However, just a quick search shows that women are still not allowed as members of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club!! Wow things still have quite a way to go it seems and exclusion was an appropriate caption.

Ducks further up the trail at Squint Lake

Byebye Etta

So as we headed up the slight slope of this section the ducks reappeared much to Etta's delight. She's had a fun encounter with a squirrel along this section in the past. She advanced and the ducks retreated until eventually they took flight and landed in the trees out of reach. Foiled again Etta, foiled again.

I am often amazed by trees and stumps. Something about the way they grow and how they twist and bend just catches my imagination. I could fill pages with ivy covered stumps, moss covered trunks, fungal protrusions and more. But I shall limit myself at this time to just a few. (Notice I didn't limit myself to a specific number though hehe)

Odd shaped trees on the trail at Squint Lake

So, looks to me as if these trees were chopped off at some point and they refused to stop but grew up at right angles to the stump. From a twig or a branch the tree persevered and redesigned itself creating something beautifully unique (or two things which I guess means just beautiful and not unique...) The end of the taller stumplet has a hidden secret.

Stump life in Squint Lake

I have looked inside this everytime I have passed, which is many times, hoping something will pop out. It's almost hollow but a lump of the tree core remains slowly rotting away. Such stories could be built around that image. Maybe they will be.

The last stump is a silent giant topped with ivy. The forests are full of trees at different stages and this one isn't done yet. Size wise it was maybe twice as tall as me, around 10 to 12 feet, that gives you an idea of the height of the tree on the left and behind it

Stumps in Squint Lake Park

How magnificent this must have been at full growth, the canopy of leaves casting shade and giving shelter to birds and other creatures. Insects burrowing, feeding, laying eggs. Now as it rots down it continues to provide both aesthetically, in my opinion, and practically as seen by the ivy and no doubt the voracious insects at work in the mulch.

I mentioned the elusive lake and also the other water. this last bit of our walk through the park is a celebration of the two streams that wend their way along the trail, one on each side of the baseball pitch. I love water, am never happier than when I hear the sound of it babbling, lapping, swooshing and even more so when I am in it myself. Too chilly right now for paddling but I can look.

Eagle Creek at Squint Lake Park

This type of simple bridge is very common in the parks I have been too, they have a lining across the middle to help with slippery conditions, sturdy footwear is still advisable though imho.

Eagle Creek in Squint Lake Park

 Salmon spawn in the stream according to the notices so I shall keep my eyes peeled as the year goes on. I already showed you the ducks and haven't shown the water logged state of the ground, but trust me there are puddles pooled around the sides of the trail and plenty of muddy spots for a white dog to delight in.

Salmon and trout spawning potential in Eagle Creek at Squint Lake Park

Calmer water here but the level has shrunk since I first saw this water about 6 weeks ago.

Eagle creek in Squint Lake Park

Immovable object, the water doesn't fight it goes around until it wears the stone down by its flow. That rock was once part of a mountain no doubt, eventually it will be sand on the bottom of the creek.

We were heading back to the car when I heard honking overhead. This is not the best picture but it shows the line of geese heading southwards, to Burnaby Lake I suspect. The sky is leaden but no rain yet; rain is forecast til next Monday though. Yah boo sucks.

Geese flying overhead in Squint Lake Park

There are great flocks of snow geese that land near Tsawwassen, I hope to head out there and get pictures as they head north to breed when the weather warms up.

Our Siberian Husky admiring the daffodils - or deciding if they are edible?

The 'entry' by the baseball area and restrooms had a lovely flower bed complete currently with vibrant daffodils. Full size ones and cheerful on a grey Wednesday.

Spring daffodils in Squint Lake Park by the softball pitches.

By the softball pitches in Squint Lake Park

I love the dwarf daffs too, some in the garden next door that I shall get permission to photograph. Spring is such a gorgeous time after the so often stark grey and white of Winter.

We headed home and I am so excited that soon the roads leading to our cul-de=sac and the cul-de-sac itself will be lined with trees in full blossom. last year it was exquisite and I hope to share it with you very soon.

Cherry Blossom Trees in Burnaby

This is the tree directly opposite us, in the Summer the ranks of trees high behind the houses will be magnificent, and in the Autumn (Fall) it will be just incredible as the colours change.

Canadian Flag amid the Cherry Trees

Next door the Canadian flag flies proudly and I just think again how blessed we are to live here, in a country that is beautiful in so many ways. In its natural state and in the freedoms and privileges we have as citizens and residents.

On that serious but joyful note I come to the end of my pics from today. I do hope you readers are enjoying this as much as I am enjoying crafting it. Even if no-one else reads it I would still write but it would be truly lovely to get some feedback. So if you enjoyed or hated leave a comment and let me know you were here.

Thanks for reading. xx