It feels like only yesterday spring arrived, melting the snow off the trails in Mill Creek Ravine where I enjoy running. On my first run of the season, the pussy willows were blooming and poplar trees were shedding their sticky buds as leaves began emerging from their winter’s hibernation. The air smelled alive with earthy scents, and Mill Creek was a torrent from the spring runoff. I could also hear Sandhills Cranes flying north towards their breeding grounds in the Arctic.
As the days grew longer, and summer arrived, June showers transformed the landscape into a green oasis. I enjoyed early morning bike rides with Michelle on country roads beside brilliant yellow canola fields. We also enjoyed canoeing in the early morning, as we listened to the songbirds, especially the White-Throated Sparrow, with its wavering high-pitched song, “Oh-sweet-canada-canada.” But now spring and summer are gone, and fall is here, and I have been savoring an unusually warm October.
Fall is my favorite season for running. I love the crisp morning air and seeing my breath as I run on crunchy golden leaves that litter the trails. Mill Creek is now trickling over the rocks, carrying the fallen leaves downstream towards the North Saskatchewan River. I still go biking in the country with Michelle, but we wait until the afternoon when we can feel the sun’s warmth. The fields are now covered with straw-coloured stubble, and I can hear leaves rustling in the trees. I also hear Canada Geese that are flocking in the fields with their grown goslings, getting ready to migrate south for the winter.
One fall day, Michelle and I canoed our favorite stretch on the North Saskatchewan River with good friends. As we paddled, colors of green, amber, and crimson decorate the banks of the river. At the halfway point, we stopped alongside the river and enjoyed a leisurely lunch and conversation with our friends. It was a pleasant trip, making me hope for more beautiful days to do what I love.
However, fall won’t last forever and winter is coming. Despite the frigid weather, I will embrace the new season by cross-country skiing on the snow-covered trails. And even though winter has its deadly grip on the forests, coloured with shades of white, brown, and grey, I’m reminded life still exists in the frozen landscape when I hear the familiar song, “chickadee-dee-dee.”
If you want to learn more about birds, the following site is an excellent resource.
One Last Kick 