Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Coasting Through Cates

One of my favourite places to walk, to be, to breathe, is in Cates Park near my mother's house.  I feel so lucky that in these early days of December the sun is still shining and I can enjoy good brisk walks.


I used to come to this park when I was a teenager; it was my first real awareness of "being in nature."




Often I come to the park to ponder questions that have been stumping me.




Although sometimes I feel it's better to leaf them well enough alone.

There are textures, colours, and ready-made collages to be found at one's feet that never leaf me uninspired.




There are tangerine-toned fungi all puckered up and red leaves that look like  whiskery, lipsticked kisses.




There are parsley-shaped leaves, green furry moss, and mushrooms shaped like cauliflower ears.




And in the distance, there is almost always a ship, usually the one seen from my bedroom window




although this morning I was rather surprised to see a cement-mixing truck being towed up the inlet.




While I'm at it, how a boat an altered view from my window?

Still coasting along,

26 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing the walk.

    Any birds in the trees? The WV was wingist.

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  2. aaaaah, nature... what could be more beautiful!

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  3. You know what? I took a big gulp of piney air gazing at these picture--they are that fresh. You really transported me. Tee hee about the stumping and leafing well enough alone!! (Have you always been like this, louciao??)

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  4. DCW,
    When you and Driftwood are in town I could take you on a tour, weather and time permitting.
    No birds, other than crows strutting their stuff. The wv lied.

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  5. johanna,
    Indeed, no one does it better than Mother Nature. All we humans can do is offer up feeble imitations.

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  6. jann,
    It must be the west coast forest that brings out the pine nut in me, or the pun nut.

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  7. It must have been 35 years since I last visited Cates Park. A return engagement would be very pleasant.

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  8. Now that looks like a place I would happily visit, and linger in the woodlands like the wee Pixie that I am! There is something so restful and calming about those water ways!

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  9. To live where you live, must be the closest thing to heaven. How utterly lovely! We have a forest area where I live as well, and my dog Roxy and I go walking there every day. I find it always helps me call out to my muse and take in the beauty of nature. :)

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  10. I knew that if I came here to find some beautiful images of nature at its best, aalong with a dusting of puns, that I wouldn't be barking up the wrong tree. ;) Beauties one and all, Louciao.

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  11. If I had a trunk like an elephant, I'd trumpet abundantly, eloquently, to fill the woods with joyous music. But I haven't so I shan't, and shall just have to leave you in the golden sounds of silence...

    Ah, yes, we do love it when you branch out into the natural world. And just look at all that fungus among us ! Enough to make a person nearly delirious...

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  12. DCW,
    35 years?! You will find the site much gentrified (as we ourselves have become,perhaps). Many of the larger cedars got blown down in the big windstorm a few years back, too, which changed the look of the land. But it is still and ever a delight to wander through.

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  13. Saj,
    Yes, the park and the rocky beach always brings great solace and peace to me. It must be not too different from areas in NZ? Sweet that this post has brought out the pixie in you. Now I understand what those pointed ears are all about.

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  14. Bella,
    I only wish I could still live here! Although this is my birthplace, I can't really afford the real estate so am only able to come "home" to visit every so often; a privilege for which I am truly grateful, nevertheless. On my walks through this park I always encounter many dogs out walking their people. There's even a special trail for them, but everyone just takes whatever path they want and no one minds.

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  15. Hilary,
    I must admit, you are a bad influence on me!

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  16. Owen,
    The fungus among us is oftimes humongous!
    Now that would really be something, to encounter an elephant with his trunk all packed, bellowing through the park. Not quite the same thing but my mother encountered a bear in the driveway this morning, going through the garbage (the bear, not my mother). They each took off in opposite directions. It was 5 a.m. (your bedtime, I believe) and I heard her yell up the stairs to me, "There's a bear in the driveway!" but I pretended to be asleep, considerate daughter that I am. No, I didn't grab my camera and go rushing out to catch the blogging opportunity!

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  17. By "bad" you must mean good. ;)

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  18. I have a favourite park in London where I like to go to clear my mind - here it is the coastal path....just twigged that you have branched out into your be-leafs....Greetings from the Riviera..

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  19. Lynne ! So what you're saying is that you were willing to let your own sweet maman get eaten alive by a bear while you slum-bear-ed away upstairs ??? I can't bear it... normally what a dutiful daughter is supposed to do is to leap out of bed, go grab a broom from the kitchen closet or a 12 gauge shotgun from the mantel and go running out to put yourself between the bear and dear maman, then telling the bear in no uncertain terms to make tracks and beat it on down the road !

    There was a story somewhere about someone who was killed by a bear, they said when he left the house he told his family he was on his way to the mall...

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  20. what an oasis ! thank you for this escape. please have a good thursday.

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  21. A healthy dose of nature is so refreshing. Your images contain healing properties.

    Thank you

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  22. Hilary,
    So bad it's good, absolutely!

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  23. Catherine,
    It's good to have a place of solace where one can examine one's be-leaf system. I will leaf you to it on your newfound path of Riviera enlightenment.

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  24. Owen,
    As far as I know, not too many locals have been eaten by bears. I think the garbage around here is too good. The Bear Patrol Hotline advises to have a whistle on hand and blow it loudly if confronted by a bear. I think that's so if the bear does eat you they'll be able to locate the bear due to the loud whistle he will be emitting from his stomach as he breathes out.

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  25. Robert,
    Yes, it truly is an oasis--a wonderful escape into a little preserve of nature in a bustling suburb.

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  26. Daniel,
    Thank you for your lovely comment! Really something to think about: the healing properties of photos. Certainly, a walk in a natural setting is a healing sort of experience. I'm glad I could bring some of it back to share here.

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