Yesterday I went for a lovely 5-hour trek along the Bruce Trail near the tiny village of Norval with Sara, Nicola, Alex and Cory. Nic picked me up at home and together we finally found the railway tracks where we were supposed to park and meet up. There was a perfect light snowfall happening as we set out. The plan was to hike a few kilometers, stop at the Copper Kettle Pub for lunch, then hike back to the car.
Nothing is as soothing as the soft crunch of snow under your boots as you meander along a trail, looking at beaver dams and red-headed woodpeckers and breathing in clean cold air. Unless it’s listening to the usually ultra-laconic Alex talk about why he prefers David Sedaris to Turgenev and what animal noises translate to in Russian, because let’s face it, a Muscovite accent in a winter setting is as heartwarming as a tall glass of vodka.
Sara kept us all going at a merry pace, and despite some wistful food-talk at hour two that signified encroaching painful hunger, we made it to the pub before I had to execute my “human sashimi” plan on Sara’s tasty-looking buns and thighs.
On the way back I had a bad meeting with an icy puddle and soaked my socks, necessitating an immediate hot bath once I got home at 7pm. I did a scary re-enactment of the scene from ‘Time Traveler’s Wife’ when Henry returns from his regrettable barefoot trip to the parking garage, but thankfully all of my toes returned to their normal colour after a 15-minute soak.
Enjoy a glimpse of Canadian winter at its best (as opposed to today’s shitty ice-slush hell).
I warn you, I got a little “snap-happy” on the trail; there are almost 50 photos in the album.
Now you’re just making me homesick.
I blame the illness induced delerium.
Before moving to Niagara Falls we lived in Owen Sound. Pretty nice area for nature and whatnot. What I miss most is the nature and scenery from my hometown of Marathon, ON 3 hours east of Thunderbay along the lake. I miss the quiet of it and just beinbg able to walk through nature all the time.
I do like when “city folk” do want to get out and experience it. I just miss it because it used to be my backyard. I lived in Toronto until I was 6 when we moved up there. It’s nice to go back and you get to mellow out for a few days. You only want to leave when your family starts to remind you how nice it is to live far away from them, even though you miss them when you do.
Ugh, I hated reading that scene with Henry and the feet. It made me cringe. Ever since you posted you read it, I’ve been itching to re-read, but my mother borrowed the book, and even though I *specifically told her* it was my favourite book and she *had* to keep it safe/not lend it out/give it away/return it to me asap, that was about two years ago and alas, I think it is time to admit that it will not be coming home to me.
Purdy snow hike pics, btw. 🙂
Human sashimi – “jinsashi” (raw human flesh for human consumption)
Robertson! Irasshaimase!
Kawatta koto aru? Jinsashi ga arimasuka? Onaka suita! Fohku o kudasai.
Shio o totte,
Moira-san
Stop taking the cough syrup, sweetheart. It’s doing you more harm than good.
Yeah, that part of the book was, as you say, “narsty”. The worst part is that you have all these little harbingers of doom that it’s coming, well in advance, so you have plenty of time to dread it before it happens. *shiver*
Are you SURE you want to re-read that? There’s also the millions of baby deaths, in case you’ve forgotten. A very bloody read.
I think I may have driven through Marathon when I was on my cross-country road trip with my cousin Caius a few years back. Nice place.
It’s sad that the closest I usually come to “rural” is “suburban”. I got so excited when I was living in Weston, because I could actually farm the land and watch things grow, and my neighbors walked by the ever-increasing corn stalks and pumpkin vines with eyes the size of saucers because people just don’t DO that sort of thing with their front lawns in nice residential areas.
One of these days, I tell you, I will have a sheep farm somewhere in the country. I’ll spin wool and knit it, make sheep cheese, and go for hikes the likes of which I can now only dream. But until then, the city has quite a bit to offer as well.
That’s Robertson-san to you, lady!
very very cool! i am jealous. I miss Toronto/Ontario in winter.
Yes, boss.
Gomen-nasai, Robertson-san. Ohenji omachi shite orimasu.
Oyasumi-nasai,
Pipes
ps – Hanayome Skye ni yoroshiku otsutae kudasai.