“It is so small a thing to have enjoyed the sun, to have lived light in the spring, to have loved, to have thought, to have done.” – Matthew Arnold
Tiny, barely there snowflakes lazily fell from the blurry grey sky this week with the promise of more to come. And as predicted, the first snowfall of a waning season arrived in the predawn to paint our world in “picture postcard” stokes evoking distant holiday memories.
Snowfalls are a rare event here on the West Coast and I eagerly looked forward to moving through the forest and our neighbourhood breathing in the cold air wafting down from the north while fluffy snowflakes touched mask-less faces keeping six feet apart.
A long winter’s walk through fragrant cedar and lacy bare trees beckoned – the snow covered trails offering a hushed respite from the everyday. We walked the upper trails, an area I haven’t traversed in a long while and the snowy vistas that greeted us were magical. We were wondering if we might come upon an elusive coyote but it may have been too cold for wandering. There are about twelve coyotes co-existing in the park although two aggressive coyotes were recently euthanized for nipping at joggers on trails bereft of human activity pre-pandemic. Thankfully, the rest have been left in peace and not seeing a coyote was good news after almost a month of trail closures to modify their behaviour (sadly, some park users may have contributed to this behavior change by befriending or feeding them).
Our snow day only lasted forty-eight hours resulting in walks near the edge of the park to look for remnants of snow at the base of trees and spread upon gardens. Mountain air and glorious sunshine merged to leave one feeling exhilarated – hearing the haunting sound of a French horn being played above the seawall by a young woman sitting on a bench and a few steps later, hearing the shivering notes of a lone bag piper added yet another sensory layer to a winter day hinting at better days to come…
Meteorological spring arrived March 1st with softer air, brighter blooms and longer days with exquisite smudged sunsets lighting up the buildings near us on fire. On a recent warm day knowing that many more will come, we made our way to our go-to park concession, Lumbermen’s Arch, for perfectly cooked fish and tasty chips, sitting outside with the welcome sun caressing our faces.
True spring has now arrived (the weeks seem to fly by!), the signs are everywhere – 19 Great Blue herons perching like gargoyles on nearby rooftops have begun to face the heronry, some of the previously empty nests hosting one or two pairs already. Leafing and blooming abound – dreams of shedding layers, toting a book and a thermos of freshly brewed tea to a park bench and strolling through sweet smelling forest fill our thoughts. Hardier souls are already pointing the way, a recent sunny lagoon walk revealed a solitary biker sitting against an observation deck, his faraway gaze on the waterfowl and woodland beyond, making me dream of summer but first, spring!



Gorgeous! Spring growth warms my heart. šŗ
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Thank you for your beautiful comment, Brad! Just reading the word “gorgeous” evokes images of beauty and many more days of spring growth to come…
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You’re welcome Kim. š
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Sounds (and looks) lovely out in your area. Mossy forests are so enchanting!
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This is the first year that we’ve experienced such a mossy forest, there are some spots where one could happily lay and take a nap!
Thank you so much for stopping by, it brightened my day…
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this warms my heart Kim… so beautiful…
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Your beautiful words warm my heart too, Mich! X
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Wonderful photos and your description brought me along the path with you! It was crisp today – and sunny but was more like an autumn day instead of spring….
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I love autumn but enjoy the journey through spring and summer…
Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope warmer weather comes your way!
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I so missed your words Kimberlee! The pictures are delightful and your words describe the nature around you so well that I immediately see it in my mind’s eye. Even though where I live we don’t really see the transition of seasons, I can just imagine the feeling you get when walking through it. Your senses must constantly be bombarded with the majestic beauty of nature.
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I so wanted to post a winter to spring theme before summer, lol!
We are indeed bombarded with nature, Mark! One day it might be a young eagle taking to the sky or purple lilacs like this morning gently swaying in the breeze or the little apple tree on the corner blossoming in pale white…there is always something to see or experience and I’m blessed to be able to share it with such lovely readers…
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I do like your winter posts because I get to experience something that I don’t really see here where I live, but your spring posts radiate so much color that I hate to say…I like it even more than winter.
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It’s a joy to share the seasons with you, Mark!
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A beautiful sense of Spring Kim and it’s lovely to see the moss š I’m sad to read two coyote were euthanized instead of relocated. They don’t recognise the boundaries set by humans in areas where they once roamed free and I’m sure a better way can be found to co-exist with nature.
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We’re so glad that educating the public seems to be the way forward rather than destroying such wild beauty. I’ll never forget encountering a coyote on a garden path in the park many years ago…we each gave each other enough space to pass and there was a sense of the “other” when our eyes met…a recent sighting on one of our favourite trails yielded the same behaviour, there was a respectfulness present that I treasure.
Thank you so much for stopping by, Xenia, it warms my heart! X
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Another inspiring note that make me want to go immediately back to walk on the sea wall and our parkās trails. Your words translated such vivid images. Love the photos too. Thanks again Kim.
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Thank you so much, dear neighbour! As we said on the phone just minutes ago, we are so blessed to be able to breathe in the beauty that surrounds us here in our small corner of the world…
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Beautiful photos. I like the colors you see when you go out walking. There’s something soothing about them to me. Our spring isn’t quite that bright.
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Your words are so appreciated and I thought of them on our morning walk through the park this morning! Purple lilacs and yellow tinted tulip trees are blooming, we seem to be awash in fragrance and colour this year…
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Beautiful photos from your walk, Kim. I love the idea of the herons perching like gargoyles and the music of a French horn and bagpipes along the trail. I’m glad spring is here with its sunshine and green. I needed it this year more than I knew. Best to enjoy it as the days fly by. Be well, my friend. Always lovely to read your posts. ā¤
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Spring is so poignant this year, everything seems more lush and fragrant!
Thank you (always) for your beautiful words here and I’m so glad you enjoy the reads (and rambles!), Diana.
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they do indeed look like shots from Lord of the Rings but oz and NZ don’t get much snowfall … only on a few mountains for the skiers š
I hear your joy at the approaching change of seasons while our days grow shorter and colder …
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Hi, Kate!
It’s lovely to see your words here…we can hardly wait for summer but spring this year seems to be more lush and much greener, inviting us to savour these brighter days…I hope you’re able to savour the autumn warmth before the cold…I’ll be thinking of you!
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don’t waste too much energy on that one Kim, our cold just means another layer š Seldom use a heater … we really are spoilt here
Enjoy your lush green spring, sounds like a fertile entry into summer … I’d probably have to wear wool in your summer š
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Thank you, Kate!
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It’s sad that our increased presence in nature is affecting the coyotes in a negative way, as is too often the case. This was another beautiful walk with you in your spring nature, experiencing the smells, the sights and even the music!
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Thank you so much for stopping by and enjoying a wander…a bear was just relocated, he was about a 20 minute walk away ambling down some city railway tracks…nature and man converging here in our small part of the world!
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