an afternoon in nature

I've been remiss. I know. It happens.
August is moving right along whether we're ready or not. And now it's been two weeks since I've taken these pictures on a most beautiful outing with a friend who came a long way to visit.

First off we went to the Kentville Agricultural Centre but the flowers that were so glorious a month ago were gone. Instead, we wandered over the to the ravine trail.

 

The views from the trail were breathtaking

 

each more than the last

This is the landscape that reminds me most of Muskoka.

Only 5 minutes from home and NO BUGS!!  Well, at least not the onslaught that Muskoka is getting this year. One of the big reasons we came here! It's no fun gardening in a hail of mosquitos.

 

Next we drove into Wolfville to see the native plantings at the Irving Centre, beautiful public gardens sequestered between the university and the residential neighbourhood.

 

Dozens of these benches with hardly anyone to sit in them.

 

We were quite alone on the grounds

 

except for this lovely visitor

 

as we wandered deeper into the area of native plantings we came upon these stone steps,

called by the sound of rushing water

 

As we stepped down the path we found the source

 

a pretty gushing spring in the shadows of the overhanging branches

 

Looking back to the stone steps through which the spring actually ran so that we had to cross over leading us into a micro landscape of marsh plants

 

I began to get the sense that I was back in Costa Rica.

 

It's hard to believe I was there only 2 1/2 years ago.

 

It's also hard to believe that I am now on a latitude parallel with Ottawa

yet seeing such a similar kind of plant!

 

This is more like it, a berry somewhat like an elderberry.

 

or even these 'fairy' blossoms that some trees put out

(these are particularly pretty)

 

Our meandering trail led us to a bridge

So we crossed it. Love a handmade bridge!

Many of the plants were named, a real treat, but my shots were weak and so I leave the wild gardens with a picture of the ubiquitous wild rose that grows everywhere around here

Tomorrow I will share a few more pictures of our afternoon spent at this beautiful place.

 

I hope you are enjoying the long shadows and late days of summer.