Monday, October 13, 2008

Thanksgiving Colour and Creatures


We are enjoying a beautiful Indian Summer with bright sunshine and warm temperatures during the day. Evenings are cool and clear and a full moon is lighting up the night sky. Autumn is truly my favourite season. We live within a half hour drive of the Niagara escarpment and visit several spots long this high limestone spine several times a year.

We drove to the Hamilton/Burlington area this weekend to see the colours and to check for migrating birds along Lake Ontario. (more on that in another post). It is a wonder I did not drive off the road more than once as one beautiful view after another unfolded across the landscape. The northern edge of the Carolinian forest hugs the Canadian shores of Lake Ontario and Erie and extends a little way up the eastern shore of Lake Huron.

This primarily deciduous forest is made up of oak, birch, ash, chestnut, hickory and walnut trees. Maple trees are also found and the colour on the escarpment is spectacular throughout the month of October. Many waterfalls are created by the escarpment as streams tumble over the cliffs creating deep gorges over time.


Lake Ontario was calm and beckoning. Most of the big yachts at this marina have already been removed for the winter but a couple of kayakers in bright fiber glass crafts skimmed across the waters of Burlington Bay. Large groups of American coots, common mergansers, and black ducks have joined the cormorants, mallards, gulls, geese and swans who stay around all year. More water birds will be arriving soon.

The park at LaSalle Marina is a favourite of mine for the water birds and also for the tame birds and chipmunks along the trails. My husband was surrounded by chipmunks who filled their cheeks with sunflower seeds and scurried away to hoard it for the winter. Chickadees fed from his hand, a first for him.

The flock of Trumpeter Swans is growing as nesting pairs return with their young to winter in this bay. These swans walk right up to you looking for a hand out. They were trumpeting loudly and attracting a lot of attention.

I am on my way out again to enjoy another perfect afternoon on this holiday Monday. It is time to store up the sunshine, warmth and beauty before the winter winds blow.

Postscript... I have enjoyed sharing the beauty of the Canadian Thanksgiving season over the past few posts. My lovely daughter Becka may look like me, but her twist on Thanksgiving is completely different than mine!

20 comments:

  1. Oh how lovely....the colours just take your breath away.

    I adore the little chipmunks...such a cute thing feeding from your hand.....

    Lovely post....

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  2. You certainly have some wonderful photographs to help you store up your memories. Enjoy the fall.

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  3. Oh, that looks SO fun, feeding the chipmunks! I would love to do that.

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  4. "It is time to store up the sunshine, warmth and beauty before the winter winds blow."

    Too bad we can't stuff our cheeks like the chipmunks!

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  5. A gray, damp day here ... good thing as we're inside cooking!

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  6. Gorgeous color and the warmth and sunshine you mentioned make it all perfect.Our color is mostly gone and today it is quite chilly.Only
    +4 degrees celcius.Enjoy your time in nature,looking forward to seeing the results.

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  7. Anonymous5:27 pm GMT-4

    I'm with you Ruth on autumn being one of the favorite times of the year. My family also enjoy the indian summer weather and the beauty of the season today. Perfect way to end a beautiful weekend. We certainly are spoiled with our weather as the our neighbour provinces deal with the white stuff already.

    An adorable picture of the chipmunks. I wish that those were may hands feeding those cuties.

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  8. Happy Thanksgiving Ruth! Looks like you had a wonderful day and much to be thankful for.

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  9. I used to go to Hamilton with my grandparents to see relatives. That would be a pretty easy drive for me. I should do that some time for the scenery and the birding....

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  10. You live in a very beautiful part of the country. Your pics are so clear and portray autumn so well.
    Can't believe your hubby got chipmunks to eat out of his hands!! Hope they didn't follow you home to your garden. LOL!

    Happy Thanksgiving to you. Checked out your daughter's blog and saw her turkey. LOL!

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  11. Ruth--such lovely lovely colors. I love autumn best also. My daughter was born in October, and she has picked next October for her wedding date. All the more reason to love autumn.
    Chipmunks running over his hands? He must be an animal magnet.

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  12. Such a beautiful looking day, beautiful colors, too on such a great day. I hope you and your family enjoyed your Thanksgiving. Thanks for sharing it with us.

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  13. Ruth,

    I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We had our dinner at Mom's on Saturday and it was delicious, as always. There's nothing like a mother's homecooked meal.

    I love all of your photos and really should visit LaSalle Park. I would love to see the chipmunks and the waterfowl that make their homes there.

    According to the weatherman, colder air is moving in, but we still have a day or two of this beautiful weather.

    Take care, my friend and have a wonderful week.

    Blessings,
    Mary

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  14. LOL Ruth! Becka's post gave me giggles this morning. :c)

    The photos you have shared really have soothed my mind, body, and spirit. I am looking forward to cooler days and colors here. Have a beautiful day.

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  15. Your Thanksgiving/autumn posts are very beautiful, full of wonderful photography (and colours!!!), text and inspiration.

    I love the photo of the Chipmunks!! We have never gotten that close that they feed from our hands, although my husband is a hand Chickadee feeder. This is such a beautiful time of year I cannot seem to lay my camera down and try the impossible of trying to catch all of the beauty.
    ann

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  16. I love the shot of the chipmunks. They are so amazingly hyped up now, just trying to fatten up for the cold months ahead. I see them everywhere now.

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  17. Gorgeous pictures. Thanks for sharing. It was good to visit your blog!

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  18. I feel the same way about the Fall Season.-It doesn't last long enogh for me.-I don't think I could resist feeding those chipmunks either.

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  19. Thanks for your comments. I do enjoy each one and hope you are all enjoying the season.

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  20. Beautiful pictures! Wow! We have some fall color here, but Kansas isn't really known for autumn color. Looking forward to reading your daughters post.

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