Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Our November Landscape

The landscape around the valley provides an interesting interlude in the seasons, stark and bare, usually not yet snow-covered.  It's a landscape I enjoy, because it lays bare the underlying bones of things, things that disappear in summer behind the vegetation, and in winter under the snow.

With the move back to standard time Nov. 1st, it's not quite as dark in the morning, but the fencerow out our winder is stark and bare, the leaves all down.  This was 6.30 today; I'm up earlier than I really want to be!

The woodlot across the road is also totally bare, and suddenly becomes completely open; you can see right through what was a wall of green in the summer.  Temperature is a big influence on walking though, the ground surface tending to be slippery and mucky if we have much rain, when the temperatures stay above zero, making a walk with the dog impossibly dirty.  A few degrees colder, it's frozen and delightful for walking.

Perhaps my favourite pieces of the valley landscape are all the old boulders in the fencerows.  When you explore the old fields at this season, you see the incredible work settlers and their teams of horses did to clear this valley for farming.

We have lots of old fields in the valley, as former farmland in places too steep, too rocky, or too shallow is abandoned and starts regrowing.  Dried brown Goldenrod and Queen Annes's lace decorate our own meadow out back.

Crops are mostly off, just some fields of corn still to harvest, on the days when it's not too wet.  Some fields are ploughed for spring - this one just a little too close to the Bruce Trail.  Seventy feet of trail was bulldozed flat.

And one of my favourite fall trees, the Tamarack, our only 'deciduous conifer', is finally losing its needles.  This is a small patch of Tamarack seedlings I planted out back, just for the pleasure of seeing them turn yellow in November.

If you're keeping track, you realize that I'm back home from heart surgery last week.  A zombie for four days (two of which I don't remember at all), I started to feel human again on day 5 and 6.  But the medical approach these days is to get you up and moving asap, so I was up in a chair for all meals starting on day 2, and walking (slowly I admit), on day 4.  You have to be able to care for yourself to go home, so day 5 and 6 were busy with getting all those tubes out, practising sitting up and lying down without using your arms, and so on.  I can't say enough good about the medical staff at St. Mary's in Kitchener, Ontario, for being both so kind and so competent. Nor can I say enough about Ontario's health care system - our biggest bill so far has been parking.  I have a long way to go, but I'm apparently doing very well so far.  I may write more to keep you posted.

Linking to:





Yes, I'm back.  Survived the heart surgery and 'resting comfortably at home' as they say.

23 comments:

  1. I missed your last post, which was so beautiful by the way, with your note that you were having heart surgery and see here that you are home and recuperating! I'm happy to hear that you are recovering well and will pray for complete healing and strength in the days ahead. A good male friend of ours had a quad by-pass this summer and is doing well and also, a female friend had surgery and is looking wonderful. It's amazing what can be done today and under our Medicare system we are really blessed! Can you carry your camera yet? ;) Take care. Pam

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    1. Yes, I was out with my camera the day I got home. But I can't drive for a month, so I'm pretty limited. Be ready to see some old photos!

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  2. Thanks for sharing some really nice country fall shots. Congrats on the recovery you are experiencing...not an easy surgery to say the least. Keep us posted on your progress!

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  3. Beautiful sunrise and all the other pictures too.

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  4. Great that you're back and I hope your recovery is speedy.

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  5. I've missed a few of your posts and that is truly my loss because each one is beautifully photographed and there is much to learn from your descriptions and thoughts. I had no idea you were having heart surgery. Wonderful to hear that you are doing well. You will be in my thoughts for sure. Today, I'm wondering why you had to be up so early. If it was to get those photographs, then it was worth it. I especially love the boulders with trees growing every which way around them.

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    1. Up early because I'm required to sleep flat on my back, and by 5 or 6 I can't stand it any more! Not so much fun as taking sunrise pictures!

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  6. So pleased your surgery went so well! Looking forward to more posts from your beautiful part of the world.

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  7. Hi There, Glad to hear from you and pleased that your surgery went well. Sounds like you have great doctors/hospital.... I have never had a serious surgery like you had ---but I have had some surgeries. One thing I know is that even after 'small' surgeries, my energy level took awhile to return. SO--take it easy and don't expect to be 100% for awhile... Blessings to you.

    Great photos... Looks like winter in your area. Have you had snow yet???
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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    1. Had snow 10 days ago, but it didn't last. Lake effect flurries forecast tomorrow.

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  8. Take things nice and easy for now.

    Beautiful late fall shots!

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  9. Glad to hear you are doing well after the surgery. That is huge! Your landscapes are lovely. I especially liked the second shot of the bare trees in the woods with all the leaves on the ground.

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  10. Great to hear you're back -- keep up the good work. Hope your heart surgery did for you what mine did for me 18 years ago. When you can, get walking and keep active. Have always enjoyed your posts and expect to see lots more of them.

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  11. This was a nice walk around your property! I'm glad to hear your heart surgery went well, and that you are back home. Keep up with staying mobile and eating and resting and you will be feeling 100% very soon!

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  12. So glad you are home, all went well, and now the recovery phase. After Hugh had 2 heart attacks, and then 2 stents inserted. no driving, foe some weeks, that was the hardest, for him and for me!!! And there you are, camera out on Day 1, take care, and keep warm, cold is no good for anyone after this surgery. regards from down south, Jean.

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  13. Wonderful photos. Hadn't realised you'd been in hospital - there aren't enough hours in the day to read every post I want to - but so glad all is well and you're back. Just do everything the quacks tell you to and take care.

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  14. Wow - glad to hear all went well with your surgery. You must be feeling quite good if you're putting together a blog post! Fingers crossed for your continued good (and speedy) recovery. I'm recovering from bunion surgery.....no where near as serious as yours! But it is hard having to sit all day.....I'm missing hiking.

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  15. Sending healing thought your way, and looking forward to when you can get out again and explore the beautiful land you inhabit.

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  16. Good to see your post today. So glad to hear that the surgery went well! I like Tamaracks too:)

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  17. So glad it all went well and you are on the road to recovery. And the photos are amazing - it is wonderful to see what is hidden other times of the year.

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  18. Wow! I missed that you were having some serious surgery. Glad all went well.

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