ANOTHER MORNING'S WALK IN A QUIET FOREST

I THINK THESE ARE WILD COLUMBINE FLOWERS

The George G. Newton Nature Reserve is just north of us a few miles about halfway to Goderich.  I've walked the trails here a number of times over the years and this morning Pheebs and I had paws and boots on the ground once again at the Reserve.

 ABOUT A HUNDRED YARDS BEHIND THIS SIGN CAN BE FOUND THE GROWN OVER FOUNDATION OF AN OLD HOUSE

 LUCKILY THE COOL MORNING AIR KEPT THE MOSQUITOS AT BAY

 WE HEADED OFF  ON THE WHITE PINE LOOP TRAIL

There are three trails here with the 1.3km white loop trail being the main walkway.  A yellow-slash trail branches off the white trail and a blue-slash trail leads off the yellow trail.  This morning we did the white loop trail to the yellow, then the blue trail to a creek before backtracking to the white loop trail and returning to the trailhead.

 HEADING DEEPER INTO THE DARK FOREST

 A WHITE TRAIL MARKER SLASH CAN BE SEEN 

There is a lot of forest to see here along the mostly moderate trails.  A few steep grades but everything is walkable.  In fact, somebody on horseback and been around the loop trail not long before Pheebs and I got there.  We saw horseshoe tracks along the way as well as evidence of the horse's digested breakfast along the trail itself.

 I'M GUESSING THIS BIG OLD MAPLE TREE COULD EASILY BE A HUNDRED YEARS OLD

The trail winds through a spooky darkened cedar forest where the overhead canopy lets through very little sunlight making growth on the forest floor nearly impossible.  Hundred year old Maple trees can also be found scattered about here in this nature reserve area.

 NOT MUCH OF ANYTHING GROWING HERE ON THE FOREST FLOOR UNDERNEATH THESE CEDAR TREES

 ONE HAS TO PAY ATTENTION TO ONE'S BEARINGS IN THESE DARK WOODS OR RISK THE CHANCE OF MISPLACING ONESELF

 THIS COULD BE AN OLD PIECE OF FARM MACHINERY OR PART OF AN OLD STOVE OR SOMETHING

An old house foundation can be found within steps of the trailhead and further back in the forest the concrete remains of what might have been another house.  Just east of that foundation can be found a couple large depressions in the ground suggesting a couple more buildings.  And east of that along the south side the trail can be found the remnants of an old stone foundation of what appears to have been a large building at one time.  I know an old Grist Mill was in operation here somewhere years ago but I don't know if the large stone foundation area was part of that or not.  An interesting history to this piece of land.

 THE REMAINS OF AN OLD LONG AGO CONCRETE FOUNDATION

 PHEEBS STANDS BETWEEN TWO LARGE DEPRESSIONS IN THE GROUND

 REMAINS OF AN OLD STONE FOUNDATION

A creek flows through this Nature Reserve as well so it is quite swampy in areas down along the creek bed.  I think the creek was probably more of a river years ago judging from the topography.

 THE BLUE PATH LED DOWN A STEEP INCLINE TO A SMALL CREEK

MUCH OF THE CREEK IS MERE PUDDLES OF WATER UNTIL THE NEXT RAINFALL

Luckily, our air is still cool so I only had one moslesty mosquito to fend off on the entire walk.  In the summer it's almost impossible to be on the trail here with all the mosquitos in the air.  All in all it was a perfect morning for a walk and how nice to again be out in a beautiful quiet forest.  These forest walks are one of Pheebs favorite things.  She bounds up and down the trails stopping often to smell this explore that.  Sometimes she goes running past me so fast she nearly blows me right off the trail.

 A PERFECT BREEDING GROUND FOR MOSQUITOS

 WE HEADED OUT ON THE TRAIL TO THE RIGHT AND LOOPED AROUND COMING BACK ON THE TRAIL TO THE LEFT

It was nearly 11 o'clock when we finally made it home.  Had some oatmeal and chased it down with some peanut butter and honey on toast.  By early afternoon it was Siesta time for Pheebs and I before heading out for a walk.  I could hear a chain saw going over along the Pine Tree trail as well as a skid-steer machine grinding up the forest floor dragging the fallen pine trees together into a big pile awaiting the logging truck.  The pine forest destruction continues:((

 SO SAD TO SEE THIS

 THE BIG GROUND RIPPING SKID-STEER MONSTER SITS RIGHT ON TOP OF THE THE PINE TREE TRAIL

Sometimes tipped back in my sunroom recliner I look around and realize how truly lucky I am considering how scattered a sizeable chunk of my life was many years ago...........

OUR SUNBURST LOCUST TREE OUTSIDE THE SUNROOM WINDOWS

 LOOKING UP THROUGH THE SKYLIGHT......WHICH NEEDS A GOOD CLEANING BUT I HAVE TROUBLE GETTING UP ONTO OUR ROOF TO DO IT

GROANER'S CORNER:((   It was a sunny Saturday morning on the course, and I was beginning my pre-shot routine on #1, visualizing my upcoming shot, when a voice came over the clubhouse loudspeaker.  "Would the gentleman on the Ladies Tee back up to the Men's Tee, please!!"  I was still deep in my routine, seemingly impervious to the interruption. Again the announcement--"Would the MAN on the WOMEN'S Tee kindly back up to the Men's Tee."  I finally stopped, turned, looked through the clubhouse window directly at the person with the mike and shouted back, "Would the person in the clubhouse kindly shut up and let me play my second shot?!"  

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Military leaders succeed in building a computer able to solve any strategic or tactical problem.  They are assembled in front of the new machine and instructed to feed a difficult tactical problem into it.  They describe a hypothetical situation to the computer and then ask the pivotal question: attack or retreat?  The computer hums away for an hour and then comes up with the answer: YES.  The generals look at each other, somewhat stupefied. Finally one of them submits a second request to the computer: YES WHAT?  Instantly the computer responded: YES SIR.

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