Why I've not noticed this phenomenon before is a mystery, but the leaves of certain trees across the street from our condo have changed colour from the top down. It's as if they've pulled a warm wool toque over their heads.
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| October 16, 2021 |
In this next photo, taken today, the entirety of the trees are ablaze. Does this means we humans should prepare ourselves for an exceptionally cold winter? If so, I may just get a chance to christen my new snowshoes. ;-)
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| October 29, 2021 |
Not that I'm in any hurry to see snow, mind you. I'm quite content to take full advantage of this amazing autumn weather and last Sunday it was brilliant at the Original Navan Market. This was a first for us on two counts...a first in visiting the village of Navan which is about 30 minutes southeast of the city, and it was also a first regarding the outdoor market held at the Navan fairgrounds. We spent a couple of hours strolling in the warm sunshine, chatting with vendors we know and new ones we're grateful to have met. We've already marked November 14 on our calendar as we plan to partake in the final Original Navan Market of 2021.
Yesterday was spent entirely indoors. Not because it was cold or rainy, but because we had a luncheon date with two very, special ladies. It was a joy to spend a few hours with two of John's sisters: Jan who lives near Belleville and Bonny who lives in Guelph.
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| L to R: Jan, Dianne, John, Bonny |
Today was another spectacular fall day and John suggested a walk around McKay Lake. He discovered it last fall when I was undergoing cancer treatment and thought I'd enjoy checking it out. He was correct.
For starters, it's in a lovely section of the city that includes a number of embassies as well as stately private residences.
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| Swiss Embassy |
McKay Lake is small, but picturesque and this bench provides a perfect view.
Along the northern tip of the lake is the Caldwell-Carver Conservation Area.
As we neared the pond we realized there were four people swimming. In late October?! We chatted with this woman and she confessed she began swimming in cold water last year and it's since become a bit of an obsession. With great pride she told us that last winter she cross-country skied, skated and swam in the Ottawa River ALL on the same day. She also pointed out that while she was wearing a wetsuit, her companions who were still swimming were far more hardy as they wore only bathing suits. A few minutes later we watched another woman emerge from the pond...in a bikini!
Today was one of those days when I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. I know that November is literally around the corner, yet the swimmers and Mother Nature herself seemed determined to proof otherwise. Since when do dandelions, roses and other flowers bloom at the end of October?
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