March Coming in Like Lamb Mississauga Ontario

March is coming in like a lamb here in Mississauga, all warm and sunny and calm. And it gave me a terrific case of Spring Fever today! And the only cure for Spring Fever is to give in to it, to abandon all thoughts of work, get outside and bask in the sun.

 

Lake Ontario Port Credit View to Hamilton

 And Spring Fever or not, I do what I always do when I need to get outside: I head to and through the Rhodo Gardens to the Lake. The view in the picture above is west, towards Hamilton.

 

Lake Ontario Port Credit Mississauga View to South East

What a great day!  A brand new month, the Olympics are done (gloriously, for Canada), it's only two weeks to Daylight Saving Time and Spring Break time, three weeks to the first day of Spring and five weeks until Easter.

 

Lake Ontario Shoreline Port Credit Mississauga Ontario

 The water was so clear and calm, it appeared invisible. Often, the lake is victim to algae growths, especially in warmer months. It's so lovely to see it so invitingly clear that I found myself wondering if we could make room for a swimming beach near here.

 

Lakeshore Beach Rocks Smoothed by the Waves

 The light was perfect for taking a picture of the smooth beach rocks. The red ones are bricks worn smooth. I liked this photo so much, I turned it into my twitter background image today.

 

Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens Winter Thaw

The inch or so of snow that fell here in Port Credit last week was melting fast under the warm sun. Unseen birds kept up a chatter in the treetops and Tecumseh Creek was positively babbling. Much as I am, right now.

And I am especially thankful for such a glorious day, knowing that severe storms wreaked havoc across the east coast of North America, and large chunks of Europe the past few days.  And the terrible terremotos in Chile and Haiti.  With so much to make hearts heavy, a lazy afternoon taking pictures in warm sunshine is super therapy.

The thing about Spring Fever is you know it is fleeting. If you don't embrace it at the moment you get it, you will miss all the joy. Spring Fever hits well before the end of winter. You know the cold has not gone for good yet. The cold is gone only until the sun sets on that day.

We're in for more days of chill rains or snow and blustery winds, especially if March, having come in like a lamb, goes out like a lion.

But daylight time will brighten the evenings, as will the longer spring days. As far as winter goes for this year, I think we're on the home stretch !

Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens Waterfront Trail Saddington Park ~ Great Walks in Port Credit

Bright sunshine, warm weather, no wind and a Sunday afternoon: If you could resist taking a walk along the Waterfront Trail in Mississauga yesterday, you're a better man than I am! 

 

Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens - Lake Ontario

And so it was that I headed to Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens on the Lakeshore and sauntered (yes, sauntered!) along the Waterfront Trail through the gardens and Ben Machree Park, along the lakeshore past the PetroCanada lands to Saddington Park and along to the lighthouse in Port Credit. It was a great walk, one that took me 3 hours to go a few kilometers.

 

Lake Ontario Ben Machree Park Mississauga 

I wasn't the only one who thought the day perfect for a walk, though. I met dozens of people walking their dog, or pushing babies in strollers (even one little girl pushing her doll in a doll stroller), daddies braced with a Starbucks coffee watching toddlers dig in the sand and throw rocks in the lake, several photographers, a slew of bird feeding types and a rollerblader bobbing and weaving around us all.

 

Lake Ontario Ben Machree Park - Port Credit / Mississauga

With little snow in this part of Mississauga this year, and the water level in Lake Ontario seeming especially low, I was able clamber over the breakwater in several places to beachcomb parts of the shoreline that are usually the domain of large waves. Like in the photo above: This part of the beach is usually underwater, and the back yard of several private homes.

 

Breakwater, Waterfront Trail at PetroCanada Lands Port Credit

 Even the Toronto skyline seemed especially clear: So close, yet thankfully, far, far away. I love the view of Toronto, especially from the waterfont in Port Credit. It makes a lovely backdrop and you miss all the traffic and noise. The ship in the picture sits offshore at the Port Credit Marina.

 

West Bank Credit River at Port Credit Ontario

The Waterfront Trail leaves the shores of Lake Ontario at the Credit River, and winds north along Front Street to Lakeshore Road. There's a pedestrian bridge over the Credit River; follow the path to Snug Harbour Restaurant, and walk towards the lake to get a closer look at the ship.

See also Ducks Walking on Water post from this walk.

I made my first attempt at a google walking map of this route:
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View BRG Waterfront Trail Walking Tour in a larger map
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Today the weather changed dramatically: Our first snowfall of the year! Gone the lovely sunny Sunday, and the strollers and roller bladers. Today, the weather outside looks almost exactly like it did in this video I took at Breuckner Rhododendron Gardens over a year ago. Brr-r-r-r! Glad I took yesterday afternoon off to saunter along the Lakeshore Waterfront Trail.
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Walking Trails Ontario, hiking in Ontario,

Black, Gray, Red Squirrels, Lake Ontario Freighter on an Autumn Afternoon : This is Travel?

Squirrels in black, gray and red, a passing freighter on Lake Ontario and a sunny Autumn afternoon don't have a lot to do with travel, though an argument could be made for the freighter: Some Great Lakes boats will take paying passengers from Thunder Bay to Quebec City.  But really, I was so pleased to finally get a picture of a red squirrel, I just had to show you! But first, the black and the gray squirrels:

Gray Squirrel

There are lots of fluffy gray squirrels in Port Credit, especially in the city parks. They're pretty active all year round, burying and digging up peanuts that well meaning but misguided people feed them. Wildlife should be wild; we do them no favor by interfering.

Black Squirrel

Black squirrels, too, are abundant and active year round. Visitors from England were always delighted when they spotted one digging holes in my garden. I was not delighted at all.

Red Squirrel

But this red squirrel is another matter entirely. Red squirrels are not all that common. They move so fast, and they are so much smaller than the black and gray squirrels, that when you do spot one, half the time you cannot tell if it's a red squirrel or a chipmunk.

Red Squirrel - Nest in Tree

This old apple tree has a hollow center, a fact that doesn't prevent it from leafing  out each year, and bearing tiny fruit. It's also a perfect nesting place for squirrels. 

Baby Gray Squirrel in Nest in Tree

Early last spring, this nest was the home of a family of gray squirrels. In fact, I noticed new dried grasses tucked into the hole in this same tree today, which is why I went to have a closer look. The Gray Squirrel family moved out in early summer, and now the red squirrels have moved in.

Red Squirrel Close Up

I had my camera at the ready as soon as I noticed the red squirrel darting about the gardens. I wondered if it was using the same tree for a nest and sure enough, in it went. I focused on the opening, and when the red squirrel poked its head out, I took this picture. Actually I was able to take several pictures, as Red seemed transfixed. This is the longest I have ever seen this squirrel be still.

Old Apple Tree Condo

Something else may have taken up residence in one of the cherry trees in the park. Mississauga once was flush with orchards, and these Gardens are full of old apple and cherry trees.

Lake Ontario Freighter 

On the horizon, this freighter was moving fairly quickly eastward, towards Toronto, and beyond. I include it with the pictures of the squirrels because it's as rare to see a large ship passing by as it is to get a red squirrel to sit still for a photo.

But I didn't stop there. Why be satisfied with a picture of a red squirrel? Why not try for a video? And so I did. Here's the best I could do on the spur of the moment. Keep watch out for the second red squirrel caught on film! And the flash of gray squirrel who gets in their way.

Red Squirrel Romp on YouTube
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Related: I took these pictures at Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens.
See Wildlife in Mississauga (City Mississauga) and Great Lakes Cruises to Thunder Bay

Swans, Mother Goose, Goslings on Lake Ontario ~ A Perfect Day in the Park!

These swans, mother goose and goslings were having a lovely afternoon on Lake Ontario today. I'd stopped by Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens in Port Credit (Ontario) with a friend visiting from Australia, to see if the rhodos were coming into bloom. They are, and I posted pictures on that blog (link at bottom of this page).

Three Swans A'Swimming ~ Lake Ontario, Port Credit

After admiring the rhodos, which were positively alive with busy bees delirious for their sweet, sweet pollen, we walked over the hill and down to the lake (Ontario), where a calm lake made for wonderful swan and geese pics, including this mama below, with her half-dozen goslings.

Mother (Canada) Goose with Goslings ~ Mississauga Ontario

In the pic above, you can see how clear the water is, testament to the calm weather of the past few days. The mommy goose was a lot calmer, too, as the goslings are getting bigger and must not be quite the worry for her that they were a few weeks ago.

Canada Goose and Babies ~ Swimming and Feeding

Though the mommy seemed a lot less en garde than before, her neck kept craning like a periscope, always on the look out for any threat to her babies. Satisfied there was none, she'd dip her beak into the waves and find something to nibble on.

Goslings Come Ashore to Forage for Food

After bobbing in the gentle waters for some minutes, the goose and babies came ashore to waddle across the gravelly beach. These goslings seemed not to notice me, my friends, or the two women who were dropping occasional crumbs onto the pebbles. You can see why a predator would have an easy snack of these carefree darlings!

Close Up Picture Goslings Two

The foraging goslings came up almost to my shoes, and never paid me any mind at all. Had I any bird food to offer them, I am sure they'd have eaten from my hand.

Mauve Rhodos in Bloom ~ BRG

Here is one of the pics I took before going to the lake to see the swans, and geese. The rhodos are just coming into flower, and over the coming weeks, should give a good show. No idea how long our goslings will be with us, but I intend to visit often and keep an eye on all my lovely things here in the park!

More goslings, etc here and rhodos here
and see also the Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens blog.

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Update: May 14. 2009

Mother Goose, Goslings 6 at Breuckner Rhodo Gardens

Last night just as the sun was setting, around 8 p.m., I came across the mommy and her babies nibbling on the lush new grass alongside the Waterfront Trail east of the footbridge closest to the Lake. The goslings are growing so fast!

Pink Azalea Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens

Two new things today at Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens in Mississauga (Canada) : A sign of spring and a sign for the park.

First, the sign of spring: Near the south bridge, closest to the lake, a flush of pink near the waterfront trail proved to be a pink rhododendron just starting to bloom.

Pink Rhododendron in Bud - Mississauga ON

The rhodo blossoms were just starting to open, and I had to step into the bed to see them close up. This bed gets south sun for -- gosh-- about 5 hours a day at this time of year, and will continue to get full sun until the deciduous trees leaf out and shade the rhodos  and azaleas that share this bed.

Rhododendron in Bud, and Azalea

Here's one of the rhodo bushes that shares this bed along the trail. This bed is the last one before you cross the bridge east towards Godfrey's Lane. These rhodos are very showy in mid-spring.

Late last fall, volunteer David and Gardens head gardener Para planted ferns and more in this same bed. Since the ferns have not yet sprouted new growth, I didn't want to chance trampling them.

Azalea Bush ~ Blush of Spring in Port Credit

Here's a wider shot of the azalea. It's just so nice to see this definite sign of spring, especially after yesterday's torrents of cold rain and chill winds. More rain tonight and tomorrow (I know, I know -- it's good for the rhodos!) but this coming weekend, temperatures are forecast to be in the low 20 C (70F). This should pop all manner of blossoms into view.

Forsythia is also newly bursting with yellow, and the new redbud trees -- planted last summer -- are fat with buds. As soon as they pop, I'll be there with my camera. As will dozens of others, especially on weekends. And when the flowers come, the wedding parties are sure to follow.

Brueckner Rhodo Gardens new sign

And, now, at either entrance to the park , the new signs are up, freshly painted and with a third plank to reflecting the addition of the name 'Brueckner' in front of the city park name. For background on why the City of Mississauga is recognizing the late Dr. Brueckner, see this blog post.

Hazel McCallion Mayor of Mississauga at Rhododedron Gardens in Port Credit

Shortly after 9 a.m. today, Mayor Hazel McCallion came to visit Mississauga's Rhododendron Gardens in Port Credit, Ontario, to see for herself the new section of the Waterfront Trail that now passes through the Gardens. While the contractor still has work to do, the broad strokes are in place, and it's looking good, Vern!

Mayor McCallion, David Culham and Rose Garden Rob

'Rose Garden Rob' and former City of Mississauga councillor David Culham -- two of the many tireless volunteers who work alongside Mississauga Parks master gardener Para and staff -- show the mayor their plans for future flower beds. This summer, Rob designed, laid out and planted the new Rose Garden with some 600 rose bushes. While not much to look at this summer, the roses promise to be a fabulous summer sequel to the rhodos spring show.

Christine Brueckner, David Culham, Mayor Hazel at Brueckner Plaque

Christine Brueckner, daughter of the late Dr. Brueckner, whose rhodos now have a home in these Gardens, the mayor and Culham oblige local media with photos.

New Bridge for Waterfront Trail at Lake Ontario shoreline

Mayor McCallion walked with members of the Gardens committee to the site of the new bridge. Stone columns are in place; the new bridge should be installed soon. In this view, I am looking east to the new paved trail that joins Godfrey's Lane.

New Trail section Rhododendron Gardens

Coming north and west from the bridge above, the paved trail branches: The old section continues up the hill to the left; the new section veers to the right, along the small creek that cuts through the Gardens. At this spot, you are just a few steps from Lake Ontario. Park staff and volunteers have been busy clearing out overgrown underbrush and raising tree canopies in this area, offering vignette views of the waterfront.

Waterfront Trail at Shawnmarr and Lakeshore Roads

The heavy machinery moved out about a week ago, new sod has been laid, the tangle of old wild rose bushes and tree-choking wild grape vines that run along the creek to the left of the trail are being cleared out, and new light poles just need the light fixtures.

To see what it looked like a month ago, see this blog post.

Come have a look for yourself! Bring a picnic lunch and stay a while. Just be sure to make good use of the garbage and recycle bins, or you may find yourself being chastised by some of the locals.