Englands Jerusalem.....................

I have heard this Hymn so many times and my eyes always fill with tears. I can't explain how I feel, there are no words adequate. I read history, ancient history, the early Saxons, the Vikings the Picts and Scots. The Romans even, they are all in my DNA. That is England to me, my DNA. It's a beautiful country with beautiful castles and quaint houses. The roads the Romans gave us are still in use. The castles William built are still there. Good ol King Henry didn't destroy all the churches and cathedrals and monasteries...I feel them when I touch the stones and walk among the ruins. They are all a part of me. I can't explain it.



I feel close to those ancient peoples. I feel them inside me a part of me. For that reason I can never change my allegiance and become what I am not and never can be. I am British, English, I have Scottish blood as well from a long ago grandmother. I have Viking blood somewhere too and I feel that keenly sometimes. We are tame now, us modern people but sometimes, when things are just right I feel that blood well up. Prozac helps haha.



My daughter loves England too but in a much different way, I think a more romantic way, mine is visceral.
The people have changed in recent years and become something less traditional. They have come from countries that were once our Empire. They are British for sure but in a different way.When history looks back at 21st century Britain the people will feel differently about England than we do, but..........they too will become English in generations to come but with ties to their ancestral homes maybe. Will they ever love her as I do? Will people still have that bond?


Bodicea stands on the Embankment and I love her. I feel the Romans in the great city of Bath and if you close your eyes you can almost hear them whispering in the Bath houses........awesome places.
The Romans built a road right through where I once lived and I feel for the Saxons who died when they passed through, I saw their bodies and feel their loss. I wonder if we were related as most of my family springs from that area mainly farmers like those dead Saxons were.





Never have I felt such a connection as I did at Tintagel. I KNOW Arthur lived, I could feel him. This may sound like fairy tales or wishful thinking. I said I could not explain my feelings but I know these people. Romantic daydreams. If so then why? Yes I get homesick. My family is almost gone now, me too but even though I may die in a foreign country my spirit shall always be in England......until the day when Christ does in fact come back to claim us.

Silver Lake Park August....................

A quiet Saturday in August, a bit cooler than of late and so we went for a walk. We chose to go to the Silver Lake Park where we used to take the kids. Been a long time since we were there. The Beaver is gone. Too close to people to be a success. There are houses too close by. people infringe on nature way too much.

Nice for those who like nature to be so close but I prefer things left natural. I like the wildlife. Still it does adapt somewhat. We started off through the meadows to get to the two ponds that were what we really wanted to check out.Just a few people out walking. Saw this lovee on the trail.

Didn't even bark, I am glad because his family were watching some Sand Hill Cranes and a Blue Heron. I couldn't get good pictures. I forgot to put the chip in my camera and my I-phone's battery went. Gerry had Tristen's camera with him but not enough pixels when I crop. You really have to look to see them camouflaged in the reeds.




Can you see the Blue Heron? He's big but hard to see in this picture.


I must go back and see if the Heron is still there because with my other camera I could get a good shot. Today it's too hot again so won't be today.
Further along the trail I saw some Indian Paintbrush.

The woods had recovered from the fire from a few years ago and unless you knew where to look you would never know it had happened. We wondered if this was someones home.


There were apples on the trees so the deer will enjoy those when people are gone home.
The other pond is not so full of lily pads, I saw a duck fly in but didn't see him on the water when I got there.

There are signs of Autumn on the way, few leaves changing but the Goldenrod is almost blooming and Asters budding. The Sumac is showing it's colours.
I am finding it difficult to negotiate trails these days, I just don't see well. Still it could be worse so I am grateful and will go on enjoying our treks for as long as I can. I will always have these to do back to and remember

No beach left..............

It was a nice day yesterday so we went for a drive. We went back to the beaches at Good Harbor Bay. There were no beaches haha. People are stomping on the Dunes now and setting up wind breaks and chairs where the Dune grasses should be. People have no respect.




Thing is with Mother Nature, she will recover once man has left. She is in it for the long haul. So we next went to Shalda Creek I wanted to see what it looked like going into Good Harbor Bay. Very pretty and I know the kids would love playing in it. Not this year though. We took the closest trail first but without paddling across we could go no further. Saw a couple of little friends by the side of the creek.





Not wanting to get wet we stopped further down and tried again. There were some ladies doing some paintings and a very nice day for it. I have never tried painting on location.
This area was nice as well, and again the kids would love it.







I had walked along the creek on the other side and met another lady doing a lovely painting in pastels. I saw an "Indian Paintbrush" flower and also some Beaver activity. Couldn't see how recent it was, certainly not too old but the tree had put up shoots so not very recent. There was more older activity further on. Next time we will have to take a longer walk there because it was a lovely trail. Gerry had stayed with the car so I didn't go far. Next time though.




We walked in at another location further back but it would have been a bluff, not too high but not a way down either. The beach was awash and the banks had fallen down, trees in the water. Not safe for me as I find it difficult to see in dappled sunlight.




Well it was not a beach day so we mossied along stopping at one of the old farms in the park. We kept missing it because the drive is somewhat hidden, this time we were watching for it. What a beautiful place it is.
I took this picture of the Shada cabin, I am suspecting this log cabin was built by the folks who named the creek. Must read up on this.















At the back of the farm is woodlands and what is sometimes a river, now rather stagnant.


So we left there and went on to stop at the boardwalk just in case someone was around. I heard the Loons singing and tried for a picture but my lens only caught a hazy picture. I just needed to see them, one was a juvenile. They kept diving and coming up somewhere else. I stood for quite some time just hoping for a good shot but Gerry was in the car so I got a few more pictures and left.









We didn't see any deer and we headed home getting hungry. We couldn't stop for Burrito's at the Hayloft because I am on a diet for the immediate future.......sigh......
bac