The Forest in Spring

 

Spring has never been a favourite season. Too capricious, and rather deceptive. The bright sunshine on my head warms me, but the sharp wind off the ocean drives to the bone. However, I am beginning to like Spring more and more. I love the colours after a winter of brown and green, and the way life springs in every corner.

Come to the woods, for here is rest.

There is no repose like that of the deep green woods.

Sleep in forgetfulness of all ill.

John Muir

Tim and I took a few days away camping in our trailer/caravan about midway up Vancouver Island. All around our site, low to the forest floor, bloomed hundreds of pink Fawn Lilies (erythronium revoltum). It's generally the pale white ones I see here, so to be surrounded by the pink variety was such a treat. I recently learned that they are categorized separately with the white ones labeled erythronium oregonum. They were everywhere on our hikes, pink stars against the green. 

And then there were the Western Trilliums (trillium ovatum), less prolific, growing singly or in clumps of two or three. The Western Trillium takes 15 years before blooming, and if the flowers are picked, the process must begin again. Their season is short, and has almost finished, so I was glad to see so many. 

Forests are like churches, hallowed places.

There is a stillness about them,

a sort of reverence.

Sabrina Elkins

Beavers are so effective at their work, reclaiming abandoned fields with their dams. Beyond the beaver house in the photo the land is mostly dry, but the line of the dam creates a pool for fishing and swimming. My husband's grandparents once owned a farm further north, and after they passed, the fields were neglected and the beavers moved in, creating wetlands that support many species. 

Western Skunk Cabbage  (lysichiton americanus) 

If you walk in the woods, you might start to smell something rather odd. Some liken it to marijuana, but most find it reminds them of skunk scent. Then you see it, a bright yellow plant growing in swamps and damp patches in the forest. The flowers are on the tall stalk protected by the showy curved spadix. 

A patch this large can throw off quite a strong scent, attracting insects and pollinators. 

As is the case with many camping trips, there was one very rainy day. After a cozy and leisurely breakfast we explored in our vehicle rather than on foot, driving to the end of the Muchalat Inlet, just past the small town of Gold River. Enroute, waterfall after waterfall gushed from the steep canyon walls down beside the roadway. The falls seen above left passed under the road into the river below via a large culvert. 

And here is a video of the top of the falls. How noisy it was. 

Another noisy sound was this Red-breasted Sapsucker tapping furiously on a metal sign. They do this, not for food, but to communicate and establish boundaries. Perhaps, being Spring, this bird was looking for a mate. 

We've been home again for a few days, catching up on the tasks of everyday life. I'll leave you with one more image of one of the shy wonders of the forest, elegant and short-lived, but so admired. 

A Little Escape

 

Campgrounds are open in our area, with precautions in place, and they are already full. We took our little Escape trailer (caravan) to Nanaimo for a week of rest and relaxation. I confess that my expectations were very low. I didn't want to be cold, and wasn't certain how comfortable the trailer would be. I need not have worried - it was warm and cozy. We enjoyed mostly good weather with chilly mornings, a bit of rain, and some lovely sunshine. The view above was our view for 5 mornings - high tide where the Nanaimo River estuary meets the sea. 

And this was the afternoon view at low tide (from a slightly different angle) where the river and sea curve their paths through the mud flats and grassy banks. In the distance several large cargo ships lie at anchor, perhaps awaiting loading at one of the local sawmills or pulp mills. 

The river estuary is home to many, many birds. On a gravel bar, a group of young bald eagles, watched over by an adult, were tearing at some unknown prey. A very brave crow looks like it is scolding the impassive eagle who looks as though he could make short shrift of the saucy crow. 

Early signs of spring were everywhere. Tiny unfurling green leaves, catkins, and even early pink rhododendron blossoms acted as harbingers of the season. 

We took a number of hikes during the week - twice to the Cable Bay Trail and Joan Point to see the current at Dodds Narrows. Once at slack tide when boats can safely pass, and once when the current raged. We sat on a rock with our thermos of hot tea and watched the water boil and churn. Several groups of sleek sea lions had a wonderful time riding the current, then diving and swimming upstream again to do it all over again, just for fun. You can just see the head of one sea lion in the photo above. 

Out of the main channel, this quiet cove looks almost tropical. Don't be fooled - the water is extremely cold, and a sharp wind made us glad for gloves, wind-proof jackets, and toques. We saw a Great Blue Heron standing motionless on the rock there. We were as quiet as could be and watched him for some time, but then he caught wind of us and lifted off with a slow beat of his wide wings to a more remote perch. 

We read books, ate well, drank tea, and came home rested. This week is also a vacation week for my husband, and we were planning a trip to the mainland to see my parents, but the restrictions are still in place and we are staying home. 

I'm looking forward to catching up with my blogging friends over the next few days.