Nature – Page 2 – Slow Lane Musings

Enchanting Taos

For one reason or another, we had failed to visit Taos on our previous trips to New Mexico (NM), although we longed to see it. To make sure we got there during our most recent trip, we made Taos our first stop. Taos is an interesting small town on a high plateau, approximately 7,000 feet above sea level, nestled at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the southernmost extension of the Rocky Mountains.

During our time in Taos, we visited the Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the home of one of the longest continuously inhabited communities in North America. We drove around the spectacular 83-mile loop known as the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway, stopped to marvel at the Cimarron Palisades and the views from the Eagle Nest Lake State Park, and made a detour to get a glimpse of the Rio Grande Gorge and Bridge. We were there in May, a shoulder season, so the town was quiet, and we almost had the NM roads to ourselves. Everything came together for a relaxing holiday full of memorable discoveries.

Daffodils

“When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.“
William Wordsworth

We always appreciate the efforts of neighbours who maintain attractive floral gardens that bring joy to all who stroll through the community. Although we have many trees and flowering bushes, we do not have a flower garden ourselves. Through trial and error, we had come to the conclusion that impatiens are the only flowers that don’t seem to mind our limited sun exposure and manage to survive the inevitable interest of our many voracious garden visitors.

However, since hope springs eternal, we decided to give daffodils a try his year. They bloom before the trees have all their leaves, and daffodils have a reputation for being unappetizing to squirrels, rabbits and raccoons. Our experiment was a success…

About time

Not long ago, time was a constant preoccupation for both of us, with meetings and deadlines filling the calendar, milestones setting the pace, and so many activities and obligations to be fitted into each day. Like for most people, our “free” time clustered around weekends and holidays. The usual complaint was that there was never enough time. At least, that was the easy excuse for procrastinating.

When we retired, we began to carve out a new relationship with time. We now revel in our “do as you will” time; not as a retreat from the concerns of the world but a freer and more deliberate type of engagement.

In February, we made a list of subjects we know truly little about. The list was very long. One of the topics on the list was geology. We began exploring that subject and soon stumbled on the concept of deep geological time. Our notion of time was challenged again in an exciting and awe-inspiring way.

The power of nature

The unusual and severe ice storm that affected eastern Ontario and southwestern Quebec on April 5^th brought a mix of ice pellets, freezing rain, thunderstorms, and high winds over several hours. These were followed by heavy rainfalls and thick fog. Later, as the temperature rose, big chunks of ice pelted down noisily from the trees.

These events were predicted by the weather services, but the outcomes could not be. As a result of Mother Nature’s fury, over two hundred thousand households in Ottawa were without electricity and there was significant damage to trees, power lines and property. In Quebec, more than a million households lost power. The response to the emergency was impressive.

Vancouver’s other park

Most residents and visitors to Vancouver have spent some time strolling, running or biking the paths of the iconic Stanley Park, minutes from downtown in the city’s West End. The English Bay Beach, strewn with logs for sitting and watching the sunset, is a famous staging post for those heading to Stanley Park.

Fewer people have heard of, or visited, a less well-known but impressive park perched on the highest point in the city of Vancouver and offering stunning views of its manicured gardens, the distant urban landscape, and the mountains beyond. That park is called the Queen Elizabeth Park and it has much to offer. Join us for a tour.

Spring blossoms in D.C.

It’s a tricky business to plan a trip to Washington, D.C. around the timing of a nearly unpredictable event that is very short lived. Indeed, there is an element of luck in catching the cherry blossoms at their peak.

Every spring, the National Park Service attempts to predict the “peak bloom date” based on the different stages of bud development. This magic moment is when seventy percent of the Yoshimo Cherry Trees are in bloom. In the past, this has been seen to happen any time between March 15 and April 18, depending on weather conditions. You would nearly need to move to D.C. to be there at the right time.