220927 toronto trip

Sept. 28

This tree is the main reason we were in Toronto. It was our backyard Norway maple. [I call it "immigrant" species now, it did not "invade"! It was brought here by humans intentionally or by accident, and lives here now. So goes migration. Since the dinosaurs, living things have migrated from place to place for food, warmer weather, by storm, wind and misadventure.]

This picture was taken the last time I lay in the hammock, which was tied between the tree and the garage. I shall miss our tree. It held the treehouse I built for Rain. Ladders led small pirates up to the crown "crow's nest", or a cozy place to read.

Partly gone.

Just the main. This was removed after we were gone back to Quebec. It was tempting to leave it for a performance of Waiting for Godot, brilliant suggestion from AS. The artist wanted to mosaic it, of course!

In other tree news, the chestnuts were almost ripe and the sycamore was turning red.

We have lived a stone's throw from the hydro field for thirty-eight years. For twenty-two years it has been my dog walking path. Many neighbours bring their dogs here, people whom I have known a long time now, often without knowing their names! I know the names of their dogs! It is my piece of wilderness in the obliteration of city brick and steel. There are wild black raspberries in July, trees to climb, wildflowers everywhere, birds, butterflies and crickets, and sumac.

Sometimes Robin accompanies me and we play spaceship while we walk: the hydro towers are various, very high-tech rocket ships that we fly about a universe. We visit planets with interesting flora and fauna, sometimes a pink, sometimes a black sky, usually some form of deathly poison. An old solar pocket calculator makes a perfect omni-function tricorder. I don't get to have many ideas in this game, and Robin gets to be the captain.

I find daily peace and restoration walking here. One of the perks of dog companions is walking, rain, shine and snow, even on Christmas day: some minutes of exercise, fresh air and solitude.

The hydro corridor runs north across the creek - we saw a coyote, a more likely sighting in Etobicoke than here in the Estrie! Saw one another evening, crossing our own road.

*****

Began a task, while at the house, of clearing the craft room for a room for Robin. When one buys stock on spec, (hands up artists!) one doesn't always use it. I have accumulated twenty years of china and learned along the way a clearer idea of which pieces I will actually use. Much of it is going back into second-hand redistribution. Had a good laugh, went down to the camping gear boxes for a couple of plates for our picnic, and realized I have fifty plates at least, here in the craft room!