Monday afternoon, my husband and I set out for a walk in a natural park within our city limits. I was due to have a photo session there the following day. My photographer, David McCammon, suggested that we go out and take a look to see if we could find a good place, and check what colour there is in the park. And it was a perfect afternoon for a walk.

As it’s October and already quite cool, David had suggested a protected spot from the wind, so we went with those ideas in mind.

Huron Natural Park is located off Trillium Drive in the south area of Kitchener. The park is part of the Kitchener Parks and urban forestry. We’ve walked there before and had family photos one chilly November when our oldest grandchildren were 5 and 3 years of age.

The sun was still quite high when we stepped out of the car and decided which trail to take and which one promised colour. It might have still been early for some areas, but we started out.

The paths are good for walking, level in most places. One only has to watch out for tree roots.

It was protected here and especially pretty in places with the sun shining down through the leafy canopy. We met families on the path and individuals and couples walking with a child or pet and greeted them along the way.

We meandered by the Board of Education pond and looked out over the still lake, heard geese honking somewhere but did not see turtles today as we have other times.

Here’s a map to the trails that are displayed along the paths with trail markings.

 

I love how the sumachs and other trees change colour and remember the poem, Indian Summer by William Wilfred Campbell that we memorized in elementary school

And all the sumachs on the hills
Have turned their green to red.

We approached the meadow to see a field of colour, of many different kinds and sizes of plants. I had to take photos here to share with David. This was one possible place, and besides, I love meadows.

 

Further along the Meadow Path, we joined up again with the Huron Path. Sumachs had dropped many of their blossoms onto the ground. I didn’t remember that they did so, but I suppose that as any other tree drops its seeds, the sumach would do likewise. Here was my chance to get a close-up view. It looked soft and fuzzy as a carpet would.

 

As we drew closer to the main centre, we saw more people coming. Not too many and we were never in danger of being too close to anyone. Paths are wide enough for necessary social distancing.

My husband was becoming tired and in some discomfort, so he headed for the car, assuring me he could get there on his own. I just wanted to make a quick round of the playground area, new since the last time we’d been there.

 

I also wanted to check out the beginning of the Samuel Turtle story signs I’d seen. It appeared to begin in the children’s area. What a wonderful idea to intrigue the younger set than through a story of environmental protection such as this part projects.

There was something else I needed to look at, a stone being transformed into a piece of art and the artist at work.

This is how it looked that day, and the artist gave me permission to post this photo. He was adding lines in chalk to paint the next layer of his art. I will be intrigued to see how this comes along. (The next day there was indeed a bird standing in the pond area he had created.)

https://www.facebook.com/lukeswinsonart/

 

With many photos on my cell phone and feeling refreshed by the walk, I headed for the car where my husband waited, and we headed for home, but we’ll be back again before this season is done.

 

All photos on this blog, except those noted otherwise, © Carolyn Wilker. Please ask for permission.