Hello to everyone on this fine day!  I am so glad that you have decided to join me once again for our weekly get together and sit around to chat for a while.  And of course there is plenty of coffee, tea and hot chocolate for everyone to enjoy.  But once again we must pack it up and bring with us as we go to another small, but beautiful, park this week.  Well, I guess this one isn’t really considered a park, though it should be.  It is really a boat launching site so that people can get out for some fishing along the river.

Although my town is located along a large and beautiful lake, this lake is also the beginning of the Winnipeg River.  This is a fairly large river that meanders its way through all the granite hills, finally making it to Lake Winnipeg and then continuing up to Hudson Bay and the Arctic Ocean.  It is a beautiful river with many islands and though narrow at the start it quickly changes to a wider river about a mile (2km) across.

Enjoy the fabulous view out onto the river from here.  We are about 20 feet (6 meters) above the river itself at this spot.  There are many nice picnic tables available or just sit along the rocky edge with our feet dangling above the river.  Not many people use this site, except to launch their boats, so it is really quite private and quiet here.  It’s a great place to listen to the birds, such as a killdeer across on that small rocky island over there. Must be a nest somewhere close by, perhaps over on that larger island to the left.

I see a little song sparrow has already claimed one of the picnic tables, probably wants some crumbs from the cookies and cupcakes this morning. He certainly looks excited about the prospect anyway.  It is such a nice view standing at this rocky edge, oh, look down there!  It’s a pair of mallard ducks.  Hmm, could be a nest close by, it’s a little late to just be looking for a nesting location, unless they lost the first nest.  That does happen sometimes.

Not too many wildflowers in this location, undoubtedly they get picked a lot here.  People don’t realize that so many of our wildflowers will not bloom again if they get picked.  That is why some that were very common not so long ago are now hard to find.  It’s better to take a picture of them.  That way a person can enjoy it much longer, plus it leaves the flowers for others to enjoy as well.

That is something important for all of us to remember when going out somewhere so enjoy nature.  Please leave things for others to enjoy as well.  Get yourself a camera and take pictures to enjoy your outdoor experience many times.  You don’t need an expensive camera or be a professional photographer to get good pictures to enjoy.

But at least there is something left here for wildflowers.  One is very small, do you see it down there near the edge of the rock?  That’s a Bicknell’s Cranesbill, a big name for a tiny, but beautiful flower.  This little pink to light purple flower is only a quarter inch (6mm) across.  But then we have the wild columbine over there.  They are a nice size flower and still very plentiful around here.  But I see people picking them a lot so perhaps it won’t be long and they will become rare too.

Such a beautiful, sunny day, even though a bit cooler than it was last week.  But a great day to be here beside the river like this, being able to enjoy the sights and sounds of our natural surroundings.  The red-winged blackbirds are singing down by those tall grasses by the river.  The song sparrow is joyfully singing to us as well after devouring his cookie crumbs.  The gulls are calling as they soar overhead, their brilliant white looks amazing against the glowing blue of the sky.  Just beautiful, don’t you agree?

Well, it has been nice to have you stop by for coffee once again today.  I hope you have enjoyed visiting another little ‘park’.  Enjoy your week everyone and God bless!

Steve and Muffin.

© 2019 Steve McLeod.