Fair Weather or Foul (Fowl)

Here in South Western Ontario there’s a saying, “If you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes and it will change.” Those who love the mercurial nature of the climate along Lake Erie’s shoreline weren’t disappointed this week. Residents were treated to high winds, substantial snow falls, dense fogs, hoar frost mornings and bright sunny days all within the span of 3 or 4 days. To top it all off flights of tundra swans have been witnessed passing overhead. At least 7 or 8 flights have been seen noisily following the shoreline heading towards Rondeau. On a windless Monday afternoon a small flock stopping over at old Port Tyrconnell could be heard quite clearly up shore at the John E. Pearce Park outlook. It might be hard to believe that spring is on the way but the swans seem to think so.

Between Glimpses of Red

A bright crown over a mask of black

Watches

Dry rustle marks a remembrance of autumn gold

An echo knocks from tree to tree

Caught light, trembling on the branch

Wild in the winter calls.

Grey Water, Grey Wings

Winter does not work only on a broad scale...

he is careful in trifles.

- Alexander Smith

The winter waters of Lake Erie are grey on grey, fading back into the patchwork sky. Dark and light, the frosted shades of winter play in both waves and wings.

A Winter Afternoon

A late February afternoon is a busy time on the trails that traverse the area surrounding the Backus Page House. The wet snow makes it easy to follow the trail of foraging deer. The crisp markings of cloven hooves pass under leafless boughs out into stubble painted and windblown fields.

Further across the rows a red-tailed hawk has gone to ground. It fluffs up; standing guard over the still warm prey that will make its early dinner. Woodpeckers call and flit from tree to tree only stopping to tap in search of something to eat.

The old grindstone stands girded in white, forgotten until spring....

...while far over head, dark against the grey sky, a bald eagle wings out towards Lake Erie.