An October Hike

 

Our unusually warm and sunny days of early October have turned into unusually cold and mostly sunny days of late October. Frosty mornings mean warm coats and gloves, and the occasional scraping of ice from the windshield. How beautiful the sunshine is, and how glorious the colours. 

One of my favourite autumn poems, by George Cooper, begins with 

"October gave a party

The leaves by hundreds came,

The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,

And leaves by every name."

It was a party out in the woods today. Crisp and cool, very cool in the shaded forest, but out on the rocky ridges where the sun shone boldly, there was warmth. 

We hiked up and down, but mostly up, until we reached Holmes Peak, overlooking the Saanich Inlet. Here on the ridge we enjoyed the view, and some dark chocolate. 

We came across a hand-carved swing, placed there in memory of a loved one, and a delight for young Sadie. It made me a wee bit nervous as falling off on a forward swing might mean a tumble over the cliff. 

Naturally freshly peeled arbutus trees have such a beautiful pale green colour. The trunk on the left is smooth and bleached by the sun. 

Leaved branches form high along the trunks and reach for the sun, with bright berries that glow against the blue sky. 

It was such a beautiful afternoon, talking, laughing, enjoying the scenery. A gentle wind ruffled the water and provided updrafts for the crows and eagle we saw. 

This morning, from my bedroom window, I watched skein after skein of geese or ducks streaming eastwards from the Sooke Hills. They were a long distance away, dark lines and shapes stretching against the pale sky. It was magical.

Times like these, observing and being in nature, provide relaxation and respite, and a lovely change of pace from the week. And so begins another week, the last in October. Whether you have snow or sun or rain or wind, I wish you the enjoyment of the beauty of this season.