Cavan Reflections

By: Anne Corke

Mar 10 2015

Tags: animals, birds, country life, dogs, landscape, nature, Photography

Category: Ontario, Photography, Rural Landscapes, Rural Nature

1 Comment

Finally a few warm days are hinting that spring is waiting in the wings. The steady trickle of water into the eavestrough gradually relieves the roof of the tremendous weight of snow that has accumulated these past few months. Snow is melting from the paths and the driveway. My picnic table, which was completely buried, is slowly reappearing. The birds are singing spring songs. I spied a couple of robins yesterday and I’m listening expectantly for the red-winged blackbirds’ return. I monitor the hummingbird migration map on the internet, tracking their progress north. It’ll be another six weeks before they’re back. But while we are all aware that winter isn’t quite done with us yet, we know that the end is near. Already I’ve stopped complaining about the cold and started to complain about the muddy roads which result in dirty doggy paws and undercarriages. It will still be some time before our parks are fully accessible for walkies so we (the dogs and I) are not getting enough exercise. Even the backyard is relatively inaccessible, with a good three feet of snow, four feet where it’s drifted, limiting our frisbee play. To alleviate cabin fever, we hop in the car and go for drives down country roads to admire the scenery. The morning mists rise over snow-covered fields and we open the car windows to breathe in the fresh spring air. A swirling flock of snow buntings retreats from the shoulder as we approach. Such charming little birds. We often used to see them in the company of horned larks but the larks have been absent for a number of years. The crows call to one another as they fly over their domain. Even their harsh voices are music to my ears in the spring. As we crest a hill, the landscape unfolds before us. Under a soft blue sky, the rolling hills cloaked in white are delineated by black borders of brush and rail fences creating a layered effect that begs a photograph. Winter, being rather monotone, is not my favourite season for photography but the snow cover and the lack of foliage opens up the landscape revealing structures and patterns not seen in summer. Like a desert, fields of snow have a stark beauty all their own. Indeed there is beauty all around us, every season, every day of the year. Of course this is all lost on the dogs who are more interested in moving targets, rabbits, squirrels, turkeys and such. Nonetheless, Sophie and Danny enjoy the drive almost as much as I do, almost as much as the treats that they’ll get when we return home!

Copyright 2015 Anne Corke