Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Easter - unexpectedly simplified

My brother was supposed to arrive on good Friday, but due to what he refers to as "Chicago issues", (canceled flights and overbooked later ones) the trip didn't happen. Boohoo. This is the second time in a few weeks that a trip was canceled, and so he has now been nicknamed Mr.Mirage.

 It's too bad, because it hasn't been that cold. But it did rain most of the day Saturday. That annoying fine rain that you can't see but gets your hair soaked in no time.

So the traditional Easter meal of ham, cheese, onions, eggs and horse radish was moved back to Sunday, and reduced to dinner for two. And he missed out on the creme caramel french toast. Definitely not to be eaten more than perhaps twice a year, but soooo good.


On Sunday the sun came out, and we went for a walk along the Rideau river. The carefully controlled water level is still very low, they should be raising it sometime in the next week or two. The canal is normally filled for the start of the tulip festival, and it opens to boaters on May 20th.

The low level of the river exposes some mud flats in which the runoff of the melting snow carved deep channels. The area is littered with rocks, driftwood, and unfortunately also some trash. A wheel from a car with no tire, strips of metal belonging to who knows what.


The photographer is gifted with above average agility, and hops quickly over the rocky shore down to the level of the mud, and away from the shore, onto some stray flat rocks. Down there he discovers some natural garbage you don't see every day. At first I thought this jaw was from a deer, but a little internet research corrected me. Deer jaw is much smaller. It could be moose, cow or horse. I don't think I can find out for sure. Prior to the 1970's this area was all farmland, and it is very possible some farm animal drowned in the river. Would there still be bone 40 years later?


From the water's edge the river looks even smaller than in actually is. It appears reduced to a stream in the mud. In reality the river is currently at least 150 feet wide.


Further down the shore is a dead tree in which a woodpecker has made a nest. 


All the trees are in bud now, but there is nothing really to be seen yet. 

It won't be long now.
 

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