In a Felicificative Forest
When I was young we did not have a car - neither Mum nor Dad drove. We travelled everywhere on busses and subways. But we had something so much better (and kinder) than a car. We had my beloved Uncle Jimmy, one of the finest gents ever to walk this earth. Almost every Sunday morning after church, together with Auntie Pam and Nana, he’d pack us up into his car and we’d head off to a park for an afternoon of nature and hiking and picnicking (even in the cold weather). There was always a Coleman stove in the trunk ready for brewing up and a bright red Coca Cola cooler filled with tasty treats. ‘Though we went to many different parks, the one on our most frequent rotation was Presqu’ile for which I consider myself one of the luckiest ones. Thinking back on those halcyon days, it’s really no wonder that Presqu’ile became my utopia. You know, I thought it would always be a huge part of my life. It never once occurred to me that we’d move this far away.
Ever since those Sunday outings when I was a tad, romping with innocent abandon through Jobe’s Woods, and even more-so since retirement, I’ve felt a profound connection to woodland trails and all the creatures that reside within. When I’m at home, I’m usually longing to be out in nature, exploring a trail, surrounded by, and witness to, all the life in those habitats. Love of his new country, Canada, and love of nature, imbued my dad’s life with joy and with meaning and this was apparent in everything he did. If my dad didn’t actually embed his love of nature’s beauty in my DNA, it’s definitely his legacy.
Ontario: Yours to Discover
‘Though I miss Presqu’ile, terribly, I do not have to drive far here in Essex County to have fascinating outdoor adventures. Within a half-hour’s drive from my home there is a national park, a provincial park, and four conservation areas - six beautiful properties that offer limitless exploration opportunities, natural beauty, wildlife, wildflowers and bags of history for me to enjoy.
My “new” provincial park is Wheatley, which is part of our incredible Carolinian Forest; its trees forming the framework of a beautiful, all-natural park, with the most interestingly varied characteristics - woods, creeks, ponds, serene wetlands and a natural, stygian beach. ‘Though there is a smattering of evergreens, the woodland at Wheatley is primarily deciduous with Sweet Chestnuts, Shagbarks (Hickories), Oaks, Red Mulberries, Sassafras, Eastern Cottonwood and Black Gum trees - many of those “old growth”. The forest floor is decorated with a lovely variety of wildflowers creating glorious displays of colour. It’s a spectacular sight, believe you me, but to describe Wheatley as merely lush would be an understatement. This park’s beauty is in its unique topography and Lake Erie waterfront setting. The views from every vantage point are delightful - woodlands and wetlands alike - and its dense Carolinian Forest canopy gives this property an air of bucolic majesty.
This is the essence of Wheatley PP:
“Sometimes the forests were thick and dark,
sometimes like a beautiful garden gay with sunshine and flowers”*
This tranquil forest, gleaming with young green leaves, has a welcoming, comforting, softness beneath its stately arch. Nestled along the north-west shore of Lake Erie in Ontario’s Deep South, this lush, tranquil park is where pretty mornings dawn and brekkie (overnight steel cut oatmeal with peaches on this day) is served:
And some live entertainment whilst eating:
Due to down time whilst recovering from some injuries, today was my first outing in a long while, and Wheatley welcomed me back with open arms. Well, at least with wide-spread branches. Today’s ramble began with the Footbridge:
Last time I crossed, I noticed a Heron sitting on her nest in the shoreline Phragmites and I badly wanted to catch a glimpse (and shot or two) of her chicks. No such luck, however, they’ve all fledged and the nest is abandoned. Herons are noted for reusing their nests year after year so perhaps 2024 will be my year to shoot a Heron chick. Fingers crossed! Even without the joy of baby birds, you can see how idyllic this spot is - always a sweet interlude. The view looking north from the bridge is so pretty - two creeks feeding into the basin on their way to Lake Erie:
Doing the very thing that nurtures and restores me, on this pretty day I enjoyed three walks, each of moderate length, before I reluctantly admitted defeat. But, before getting into my car for the trip home, I inhaled one last, deep breath of woodsy musk, savouring its unique scent. In that instant, I realised the fragrance of the forest is homely, whether it be in Presqu’ile, Wheatley or anywhere else.
’Til next time, y’all…
Wildflowers of the Day:
Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
The perfect symmetry of this humble, wildflower is perfection.
Field Horsetail (Equisetum arvense)
Wood Anemone (Anemone quinquefolia)
Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
Forest Phlox (Phlox divaricata)
Bell’s Honeysuckle (Lonicera Bella).
Fancifully known as Showy Fly Honeysuckle
Philadelphia Fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus)
Closest to a daisy I could find.
'Though I've never stopped looking, I've yet to clap eyes on a wild Daisy here in Essex County.
*Hans Christian Andersen, Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales, from his story “Ole-Luk-Oie the Dream God”, page 190.
felicificative = to make happy