Jack’s Walk

I think someone forgot to give Mother Nature the memo that it’s springtime. Yesterday we had a blizzard and today it continues to snow off and on. The temperature is hovering around -5 and everywhere I go people are grumbling. Jack and I decided to go to the park this morning and even the ducks and geese seemed out of sorts. Over at the frog pond the water is still frozen and there isn’t a single thing even close to blooming. What few bulbs that had poked their heads up have come no further. I don’t blame them. If not for Jack, I wouldn’t be outside today either.

Frog Pond

Frog Pond

©voyager, all rights reserved

 

 

Jack’s Walk

It’s snowing here today with high winds (gusts up to 90 km/hr) and I just can’t bear to take one more wintry photo this spring. Instead, I give you this beautiful old willow tree that caught my eye the day Jack and I went to the lake. It looked so sculptural silhouetted against the blue, blue sky. I’m actually very fond of the look of bare trees in the winter. You can see how unique each one is and that they all have their own personality. Normally, I don’t find them depressing at all. Today, though, I would give a lot to see a tree fully dressed. Heck, today just a few leaf buds would thrill me.

Willow tree

©voyager, all rights reserved

 

 

Jack’s Walk

Over the weekend Charly wrote an interesting post about different types of fungal infections in trees. Today, Jack and I came upon this downed tree and if I remember his post correctly this is a sapwood infection with unaffected heartwood. The damage is quite extreme and I think the infection is parasitic rather than fungal. So much of the wood has been eaten away that I suspect some sort of critter made a banquet of this tree.

©voyager, all rights reserved

 

 

 

 

Jack’s Walk

We went to the lake today to look at the lingering ice and there was none! This was cause for celebration and Jack chose to do his happy dance in the cold, cold water. Don’t worry, though, he’s fine. Jack’s coat is so dense that only his guard hairs get wet. His undercoat and skin stay completely dry. Labs are thoroughly built to be swimmers. They even have webbed feet.

 

©voyager, all rights reserved

Jack’s Walk

Today Jack and I went out to the country for our walk. It was another dull and chilly day, but we found this lovely horse to talk to. He wouldn’t come closer because of Jack, but we did slowly walk the fence line together. The horse has a bit of a crook in his left back leg with a slight limp, but he wanted to keep us with us and we walked together for quite a while. It was very peaceful.

©voyager, all rights reserved

Jack’s Walk

Our walk today was cold, wet, windy and muddy. Pretty much a typical Canadian spring day. There was one bright spot though. My neighbour has made her garden bloom by planting wine decanter and bud vase flowers. I might just copy that idea. It’s going to be awhile before the real flowers turn out.

©voyager, all rights reserved