The fall winds have whipped most of the leaves off the trees. And looking out the window of my den, where I write, my view of Medd’s Mountain is now very clear. Stronger winds seem to be a new and not very welcome thing for us. Yesterday we had an extremely warm day but the evening brought strong winds ushering in a cold front and today is forecast to be well below normal.
The fallen leaves are one of my favourite things about this season. The muted colours, the sound as you walk through them, and the smell they give off, all contribute to the “feel” of the season. Walking along the trail on Upper Medd’s Mountain at this time of year is made that much more enjoyable. Leaves also make a very positive contribution to soil health, both in terms of fertility and structure. I can never understand why so many gardeners are so keen on removing every last leaf from their yards.
Fall is an excellent time for planting trees so that generations to come will enjoy the leaves that these new trees will provide. There’s a large maple that has just been planted in Medd’s Mountain Park by ORCA. Look for it very near the Distillery Street entrance. And at the Deyell Monument four smaller trees of various kinds have been planted. The Deyell Monument is one of those out-of-the-way places that really should be visited more. The recent edition of the headstones from graves that were there only adds to the ambience and sense of history.
The first of my bird feeders are out for the winter season. I don’t put the full array out until I’ve finished the irksome job of cleaning out the eavestroughs. But even with only a couple of small feeders the birds come to entertain us. We usually think of migrating birds as flying much further south for the winter. And this is true for a great number of species. Some of these are still passing through and you will, from time to time, hear calls that make you think spring is here. But another group of birds comes only this far south and spends the winter brightening our landscapes. The Dark-eyed Junco is the most well known of these. Another little lovely only comes south if the crop of cones further north is insufficient. This is such a year and the Red-breasted Nuthatch has “irrupted” into our area. This tame little bird will delight you and eagerly comes to feeders. Blue Jays (no, not the baseball team!) have been more common all summer and into fall. I have not heard any explanation of why. They are a mixed blessing though: beautiful to look at but capable of emptying your feeder in no time flat!
A pair of otters visited the millpond about a week ago. In amongst the geese and ducks I thought I spied some other kind of movement. And when I trained my binoculars on the spot I saw two sleek heads. The two otters engaged in a type of synchronised swimming where their beautiful tails seemed to have a life of their own. I’ve often wondered why we see otters usually only in the spring or fall. And I’ve never had a good explanation. I can only suppose that they move up and down Baxter Creek to and from a suitable spot to spend the winter. It’s always a pleasure to see their happy whiskered faces, often crunching down on a fish they’ve just caught on the last dive.
And finally, we all know that the cooler temperatures of this season make it even nicer to be out for a walk. The sidewalk that now links the new community centre, the Township offices, the Towerhill development and the downtown of Millbrook is being well used. The walk up or downhill is so much safer and more enjoyable now that there’s a sidewalk to use.
The winds of change have brought us a new season. Is it too much to hope that these winds could blow away the Coronavirus for good?! The outdoors is calling. Get out! And enjoy!
GET OUT! by Glen Spurrell
