The World Reveals Itself

The world reveals itself to those who travel on foot. ~ Werner Herzog

Let's have a little wander around Peterborough. This takes us back to mid-October when trees hadn't fully changed but the air was still mild and inviting. Please join me!


It was a windy day, and my walk started over at Little Lake where I had a good view of Centennial Fountain showing off her rainbow colours in the brilliant sunshine.






A moment later, the wind picked up, lifting the prism skyward. We were also feeling the mist from across the lake, at times.






This gull was battling the breeze over the waters of Little Lake.






The breezy day was also having fun with the clouds, creating wispy white fingers in the sky.






There must have also been some water droplets in this cloud which formed a subtle rainbow of its own.






This little cutie decided to hang around and pose for a few photos.






Wandering further south, we ended up winding through the paths of the Little Lake Cemetery where this angel was watching over some of the local residents.






Exploring the surroundings, this cutie of a ground hog took one last look before disappearing in her burrow between a couple of monuments.






Something interesting had been going on in this spot where a small, colourful collection of glass and pottery had been left behind.






This little guy was also having a nice little wander several hops ahead.






Juniper berries are bright blue eye-catchers in the sunlight.






Another colourful scene which caught my eye on the way home.






And speaking of home, this was the view outside of my window when the sun broke free of gloomy skies and brushed the trees with its brilliance.

That's it for this time. More photos coming up just as soon as they're ready.

A Walk Around the Lake

Perhaps the truth depends on a walk around the lake.

~ Wallace Stevens

Step slightly back in time as we take another walk along the shoreline of Peterborough's Little Lake. These pics were actually snapped during the latter part of the summer but I know you folks have never balked at photographic time travel before, so please join me.

When a stone is dropped into a pond, the water continues quivering even after the stone has sunk to the bottom. ~ Arthur Golden

This is called The Launch Pad. Peterborough is full of whimsical, creative artists and these slingshot-styled resting spots are proof of that.

My Mom said she learned how to swim when someone took her out in the lake and threw her off the boat. I said, 'Mom, they weren't trying to teach you how to swim. ~ Paula Poundstone

How handy to live right across the road from the public dock.

It was one of those places where mist lingers well into the day and the dawn chorus starts early. 

~ Fennel Hudson

Water birds of all kinds are not too shy in the presence of people - even those of us who are toting a camera.

Looking out over the lake, I felt enveloped in the most peaceful, loving utopia. ~ Laurie Kahn

This girl sat for quite a while - probably listening to music, texting occasionally - but mostly enjoying her surroundings.

A lake is the landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature. It is earth's eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature. ~ Henry David Thoreau

And then I happened upon these guys. There are two dogs and they show up on the pier with their people most pleasant evenings, anxious to fetch the tennis balls from the lake.

If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water. ~ Loren Eiseley

On this day, the daughter had just tossed the ball for her canine friend.

Man is troubled by what might be called the Dog Wish, a strange and involved compulsion to be as happy and carefree as a dog. ~ James Thurber

And nothing could hold this baby back.

Water is sufficient...the spirit moves over water. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

Dad was gearing up to throw this one out for the other pooch. Gotta love the look of anticipation.

He had as much fun in the water as any person I have known. You didn't have to throw a stick in the water to get him to go in. Of course, he would bring back a stick to you if you did throw one in. He would even have brought back a piano if you had thrown one in. ~ James Thurber

You'd think he'd have been launched from one of those slingshots.

Moody and withdrawn, the lake unites a haunting loveliness to a raw desolateness. ~ Dale Morgan

While waiting for the pooches to return, I noticed some charcoal art on the cement.

Take the broken pieces of your life, bake a master cake out of it. Don't stand still like a lake; keep flowing like a stream! ~ Israelmore Ayivor

Each of them after their own tennis ball, though sometimes the stronger swimmer would steal his buddy's ball and make him swim back without it.

The water doesn't know how old you are. ~ Dara Torres

At a different dock, kids were having fun jumping off into the water.

A lake carries you into recesses of feeling otherwise impenetrable. ~ William Wordsworth

And speaking of lakes, this photo was taken a couple of days before moving from my previous dwelling - the final sunrise that I witnessed while living there.


I have many more photos from that time. I continued to snap some even though I stopped blogging in March for a few months. Eventually I'll sprinkle them in among my future posts.

Well here's one more..



Today's blog post was brought to you by the letter R.

Honor the river, stream, lake, or well that makes possible your life, your town, or your city.

~ Gail Thomas

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Happy Thanksgiving to my co-Canucks!

Still Walking

Thank you all for your kind and compassionate messages about my Skitty boy. They were all very comforting. Thanks also for so warmly welcoming me back to blogging. I'm not sure how much time I'll be putting into posting and visiting but I'll take it one step at a time. So for now, here's step number two..

.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.

He who limps is still walking. ~Stanislaw J. Lec

Peterborough - it's a lovely city. And an incredibly friendly town. I have gone out for walks most evenings and have yet to return home without having engaged in at least a couple of chats with people. There's a river and lake within walking distance of my apartment. All of my shopping needs can be reached by car in just a few minutes. It's a creative town - a musical city - an artsy community. There's always some form of entertainment happening somewhere - or so it seems. Of course, just as in the old days, if I go out walking, my camera comes along - and at least for today, so do you.


Somewhere on the street close to my place, the late-day sunshine was playfully teasing these vivid flowers.



A multicoloured clothesline caught my eye from a distance.



Breast cancer survivors were out for a group paddle on Little Lake. Champions, one and all. That's Centennial Fountain in the background.



As my fellow Canadians can probably figure out, Centennial Fountain began spouting water over Little Lake in 1967 - 100 years after confederation. All week long, the city has been celebrating Peterborough Pride and even the sunlit fountain shows its support with a colourful rainbow.



A view of the lakeside homes across the way.



Many Peterborians (yup, that's what we're called - I'd have preferred Peterbudlians but I just got here and don't have a say in those matters) take their boats out for a paddle after work.



Others might go out for a tour of the locks on the local riverboat.



There is no shortage of ducks, geese and gulls along the shores of Little Lake. I have also seen the occasional heron and I'm told there are loons - though I've yet to see or hear them.



On this particular evening, a group was setting up these floating candles in preparation for a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The candles were later sent out on the lake. I didn't hang around that long but you can see a photo of that here.



Here's a closeup of that world peace flower.



Heading back toward my apartment, the sun was still flirting with flowers.



As early as August 9, a solitary maple tree was anxious to get on with autumn. Slow it down, willya?

And this concludes our first walk together in Peterborough. Thanks for joining me. I hope you'll come along for several more before too long.

I stroll along serenely, with my eyes, my shoes

my rage, forgetting everything.

~Pablo Neruda