Wednesday, July 2, 2014

My Canada Day

      Yesterday was Canada Day and a day for all kinds of public events and interesting activities. These events were all in the name of celebrating our country's 147 birthday. We live in  beautiful land and wonderful country. There's lots to celebrate. I have been with this country for over half of it's life!

     Now , I'm not big on public celebrations. I'm happier to go off by myself and wander through an area that still has the native habitat. So yesterday, the Micro manager and a friend went to the local celebrations and I went off for a walk through the local nature sanctuary. Don't get me wrong. I like my country and think I'm most fortunate to have had my family make the choice to live here.

     I took my camera and knew what I was looking for but thought I was too late as the flower I was looking for bloomed about mid June. I thought I might as well look. I did find Lady's slippers. The first find was of very brown and long past due bloom. A little while later I found a lady slipper in full bloom. It made my day. I took many more photos of flowers , but I dumped most of them as they were not in focus.

The faded lady slipper

The lady slipper in full bloom


I'll leave this one for you to identify!

Common Wild Rose



The trail I spent my time on.

A really healthy wetland. Well maybe not. It's choked with reed canary grass.

33 comments:

  1. i like your way of celebrating, too. :) thanks for sharing the blooms. really like that wild rose!

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    1. Any native habitat that's left is full of roses at the edges.

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  2. I don't know about such things but aren't wetlands a good place for reed canary grass?

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    1. Not here. Reed canary grass is an invasive and chokes out our native riparian plants.

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  3. I think that four-petaled flower is called a bunchberry, but I could be wrong! Happy Canada Day, Red. :-)

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    1. Thanks. You're so right on the bunch berry.

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  4. It is bunch Berry, but it is also called Canadian Dogwood.
    I like a good walk on the wild side more than crowds too.

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    1. It's interesting that it's in the dog wood family.

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  5. A great way to celebrate. I'm amazed after your winters that flowers still survive.

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    1. All life adapts to it's location. Where you are is just as rugged. I don't know if you find roses there.

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  6. Your woods look very much like ours even though we are much further south. Our lady's slippers are a deep pink. I would always rather be in the woods by myself or with one or two others than in a crowd full of people.

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    1. I think we have five species of lady slippers here . Some are very tiny compared to the very showy yellow lady slipper. I like days when I'm by myself.

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  7. Nice to see all the blooming plants, I think the lady slipper we know here too, we call it just a slipper.

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    1. I had five other species but the photos were so poor I disgarded them.

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  8. There is supposed to be an abundance of reed canary grass, which is large part of healthy wetlands. Beauty of a shot there in the reeds "Red". We did the motorbike ride to St. Andrews, attended a special ceremony early morning to honour all the soldiers that died in Afghanistan and much family of the 10 fallen soldiers from New Brunswick attended. Some travelled many, many miles to be at the ceremony. There was a flag for every soldier hung along the fence into Kingsbrae Gardens, a lovely service, the placing of a soldier's rifle, boots, dog tags in front of a large painted canvas of all 176 soldiers portraits. Quite an undertaqking by local artist - then a grande lunch was made for us by the staff at the Gardens, followed with the Canadian Army Veterans Motorcycle Unit (2 C.A.V Thiepval - which is us) fronting the Canada Day Parade through St. Andrews, led by Mounted Police. Then followed the Canada Day Celebrations in our dear town of St Andrews by the Bay - the front street is closed off, many vendors, much music, many shops - festive mood right up to fireworks. You can check it out on internet - the town becomes a festive crowd of red n white - only requirement to wear red n white. Quite a site to be seen and most enjoyable, memorable day. I would have also enjoyed your walk through your path. Take care Sir Red :)

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    1. Reed canary grass is an invasive species here. There are cattails in the back of this shot. You had a great post on your July 1 holiday. You really know how to have a good time.

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  9. Some real treasures to be found. I was at a fen one year and thousands of the orchids were in bloom. We sat and sketched a few, mostly just enjoying the beauty of all around.

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    1. Yes this is a beautiful wetland where the water level seems to keep at a constant level.

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  10. I have to say that I would be torn between how the two of you celebrated the day. I rarely get the chance to photograph things other than nature these days and I think I would have leaned toward joining your Micro Manager. ;)

    I was going to say that they flower is a Dogwood when I saw DJan's remark. It turns out that Bunchberry and Dogwood are one and the same.

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    1. You might be torn between which way to celebrate the day. You would be a well balanced person.

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  11. I would have preferred the walk you took too! I'm not much on being gatherings or celebrations. Nice flower photos!

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    1. I've not been able to get away very often lately so this was a treat.

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  12. The lady slipper is quite unusual. But pretty.
    My cousin was here yesterday. They are Canadians. From Kelowna area. My aunt married a Canadian and has dual citizenship.
    Cheri

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    1. We have 5 different species here. I went through Kelowna last week. My daughter also has dual citizenship and lives in the Chicago area. We are all related and that's good.

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  13. Bunchberry is a nice plant to have around. I wish I could grow it but our soil is too alkaline, Sounds like you had a good Canada Day.

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    1. Bunchberry is very common along the edges of the woods.

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  14. Well your two young Canadian tennis stars are sure putting Canada on the Sporting Map at Wimbledon - Eugenie Bouchard and Milos Raonic - Eugenie into the finals and Milos into the semi-finals, but has an obstacle called Roger Federer to overcome. I think Milos will, just to keep up with his female counterpart. Go Canadian stars - do Canada proud.
    Cheers
    Colin

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    1. Our tennis players are doing well. Thanks for supporting them.

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  15. That is a wonderful way to spend the way, and a terrific way to celebrate the beauty of this country!

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    1. Yes, and I do still honor my country even if I'm not out there in a public celebration.

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  16. Good for you! Our ladyslippers are done like a donut. I'm happy to share yours!

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  17. I, too, prefer a quiet walk looking for photo ops than to be out and about in a crowd. Happy Belated Canada Day!

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