Judy P's Tickle Trunk

….or ♪♪  Val-deri, Val-dera….

The first hike was a little over a week ago at Keji (Kejimkujik National Park) with my daughter. We had planned a 6km hike but when we arrived it started to rain and the mosquitoes were thicker than the raindrops. We soldiered on but chose the shorter Grafton Lake loop which is only 1.6 km. I think in the end we did close to 2.5 because we accidentally went back around one loop. That’s because we forgot to  bring the map. We also forgot the bug spray and my hat.

Mosquito heaven.

I took the following photo because I thought it would show the thousands of mosquitoes circling around my head. They must have been camera shy. Since then I have stared at it at length trying to figure out which of my ancient ancestors I resemble. Granny Short’s nose, Aunt Marie’s chin and Aunt Consie’s hair. Otherwise I think I am starting to look like Lance!

Hiker Momma.

My favourite part of the hike was the area around the old fish hatchery.

And of course you can’t go to Keji without seeing a deer or two.

Roadside deer.

I was embarrassed by being so ill-prepared and so when I got home I started a book of lists. A list of what to take boating, hiking, camping (one for wilderness, one for campground) and one for Not Since Moses. Anything you think it is critical to have and that I may have forgotten to list?

My next hike was today at a little park in Liverpool which I only just discovered. It took me exactly seven minutes to do the trail walking at a moderate pace so perhaps it doesn’t even qualify as a hike.

It was a pretty little walk out around a small point of land. I loved the trail carpeted with pine needles, the sunlight dappled by the oak trees and the constant birdsong. I also liked that this park was maggoty with ladyslippers.

I must have seen a couple of dozen in the first fifty feet of walking.

Looks a little like an alien creature from an episode of Dr. Who. Are Those nostrils?

© Judy Parsons 2015

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