The Leaves Have Fallen (Almost)

It takes a brisk wind to bring down the last of the leaves as fall reaches its end.  And yesterday brought that wind, as a weather front went through.  We actually had a wind warning.  If you mark the end of the season by the end of fall colour, this is it.

The leaves are totally gone from our trees across the back.  The tree on the right, on the back corner of our neighbour's property, is the last one with leaves on.  But suddenly half of those are gone. 

And here is that lone sugar Maple out on the golf course - compare this to the post on Monday last.

Soon our world will be grey tree trunks and branches silhouetted against the sky.  November is here.

Changing Moods of Georgian Bay

We headed to Owen sound today to get assessed at a private physiotherapy clinic (with positive results).  But on the way back to town we drove down to the bay to check it out.  A cold front had gone through, and we just caught an obvious change in the weather.

The skies were clearing and the water was blue to the northwest.

But the grey clouds still made the southeast view look like November.

Physiotherapy

The health care system here in Ontario provides a physiotherapist to visit you at home for the first 6 weeks (if it's  deemed that you need it).  But that service doesn't go on forever, and our 6 weeks have just about run out.  The idea is to give you time to find (and pay for) your own physiotherapist.

Before leaving London I had been referred to a Physiotherapy Clinic in Owen Sound where there was a physiotherapist with some neurological training who could deal with a spinal cord injury.  We were very impressed with our first visit.  She actually had me moving my leg a fraction of a millimetre.  This is hard work!  I expect I'll end up going twice a week, at least until winter sets in.  I hope it brings me to be able to transfer without using a sling and lift.  Positive progress anyway!

Losing Leaves

Yesterday I was trying to show you how the leaves have been rapidly falling.  Only managed one picture though, which doesn't provide for much of a comparison.  So here are a few more pictures that do allow for a comparison.

This picture was two weeks ago,when there were still quite a few leaves on the trees, especially the Sugar Maples.  The White ash trees always lose their leaves a little earlier.

This was today.  Most of the trees on our property have lost their leaves, with the exception of the maple on the right.  But that lone maple out on the golf course still has most of its leaves and always catches my eye.

I'd love to get out there and sit under that tree, bathing in the orange light, but I'm not sure I trust my chariot yet.

Camera Settings

Playing around with camera settings on my iphone today, and ended up with a whole bunch of 3 second videos. 

I rescued one photo out of the bunch to share with you - we did have a beautiful day!

The Meaford Tortoise

After our trip to Owen Sound the other day we stopped briefly down by the shoreline to see if we could spot the Meaford Tortoise that's been reported along the shore.  A peculiar conjunction of rock, wind,waves and wood is governing its appearances.

Waves across the bay were lapping gently on the shore.

In the distance a lone fishing boat was busy.

Looking northeast the water was a deeper blue entirely due to the angle of the sun.

Have you spotted our visiting tortoise?

London Plane Trees

We continued down the trail through the woods.  A maple tree was dropping its leaves quickly, covering the trail.  I like the pattern of leaves on the ground in the fall.

These leaves were accumulating on the trail in a loose carpet several inches deep.

The trail then emerged in another meadow with a nice view across the river to a footbridge we had crossed on our last visit.

Mrs.F.G. spotted another tree with a large circle of leaves underneath.  Off she went to investigate.

The leaves were exactly like Sugar Maple leaves, but the bark certainly wasn't!

It took us a little while after we got home to decipher these, but this was a London Plane Tree, planted as one of a group in the park.  The darker leaves in the lower left and upper right are the London Plane tree leaves; the others are Sugar Maples.  London Plane trees are native to Europe and widely planted in cities because they can handle the poor air quality.  If you've been to London or Paris for example,the boulevards are lined with huge London Plane trees.  I haven't see any in North America outside an arboretum.

Still Walking

We'll pick up our walk where yesterday's post ended, across from the big toboganning hill (and former ski jump) in Harrison Park.  On the other side of the trail is a nice view down to the blue waters of the Sydenham river.

The river changes character quite a bit here as the water of the mill pond downstream is backed up to this point, becoming more tranquil.

Ahead, the trail was bordered by a large clump of American Beech as it disappeared into the woods.  Many of the saplings here will keep their dry leaves over the winter.

In The meantime, they're a vivid yellow.

We paused for another picture and carried on.

It was a really well-maintained trail, plenty wide and smooth enough for the chariot.  A Short distance beyond this we turned around and headed back.  We will undoubtedly be back to follow this trail to the end.