Walking through the Farm...

[fajrdrako]

Lisa, Lynne and I decided to go for a walk today - giving myself a break from apartment rearrangement and editing. I suggested that we got to the Farm - that is, the Central Experimental Farm - because it's about halfway between my place and Lisa's, and it's a break from the city - within the city.

It was a cold and windy day, but could have been far worse. While we were walking, it didn't rain or snow - though it snowed later, just about the time I was getting home. It was nice for a walk. We even got some scattered sunshine.

We went first to the Frog Pond, which doesn't look like much in April. The frogs, which are brass, were still in storage for the winter.

Then we went to the Arboretum, and wandered (over rather boggy grass) into the Fletcher Wildlife Garden. There were a few boisterous, happy dogs, and their owners - one named Radar was particularly cute. I haven't explored the Wildlife Garden much at all, and there were many wonders:

• A bright red cardinal alone in a bare tree, singing his heart out. We could hear him for a long time. "It's amazing that one bird can make so much noise," said Lynne. I thought of my budgies, and said nothing.
  
  
• There is a 'backyard garden' with flagstone paths and flower beds - not much to see in April, though there were a few green sprouts appearing under the leaves. A handwritten note in the window of the building - which really did look more like a house than a government building - noted the type of wildlife we might expect to see.
  
  
• There's a pond for amphibians, with a tiny waterfall. We stood on the bridge in silence for a while, listening. Beautiful; serene.

It always brings back childhood memories to go to the Arboretum, where I used to toboggan as a kid (in the winter) and picnic (in the summer).

I didn't take my camera, but I had my Blackberry, and kept stopping to take pictures. Photos of the day:

1. At the Arboretum: trees and water.



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2. Trees.



I always like photographing trees. We were into the Fletcher Wildlife Gardens here; ther were many intriguing winding paths.

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3. An enchanted tree. Well, isn't it?



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4. The crow.



Calling from a tree, and getting no answers

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5. A Pond at the Fletcher Wildlife Garden.



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6. Simply Biscotti.



We were looking for a place to have a hot drink to warm up after our walk. We were on our way to Starbuck's on Preston, but Lynne noticed the place across the street, Simply Biscotti, so we went in. Beautiful Italian pastries, many varieties of biscotti, and a good choice of teas and coffees. I had Matcha Green Tea Latte - delicious.

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