Wise Words.

How Much Wood?

Can you trust what they say?

During my long walk on Wednesday I spotted a ground hog or wood chuck beside the TVP (Thames Valley Parkway*).

I said, "When's Spring coming?"

"'Bout 3 pm on Thursday," it said.

Happy with that, I snapped a few photos ("Are you the same as a wart hog?" I asked. It turned away. I took it as a 'no').

I then walked a few more metres to the '4.5 Km. marker', did my turn-around and headed back home, past the ground hog one more time.

"Are you related to the wart hog?"

Stone cold silence.

The following photos are from my Thursday walk. I headed north on the TVP toward the university and after my turn around I headed back home and approached Wortley Village at 3 pm.

1:15 PM - Magnolia Blossoms On A Gray Day

2:05 PM - I Walk Under The UWO Bridge. I Soon Turn Around At '4 KM marker'

3:05 PM - Sun Shines, Temperatures Rise, Magnolias Bloom. That's One Smart Hog!

At 3 pm I began the last half mile of my walk.

I passed the western entrance to Thames Park, and soon saw Wortley Village ahead. The clouds parted, the sun lit my path, the temperature rose and by the time I got to Craig/Askin and Wortley I had opened my jacket.

I recalled the words of the groundhog. (Not to be confused with a wart hog).

Spring was in the air and I heard an unmistakable sound after a nearby dog barked and robin sang.... winter's back was breaking. I'm pretty sure I heard the final crack.

Oh, It might give one more toss of its hand in parting, but it's already out the door. The above photo (taken at 3:05 pm) reveals the magnolia tree at Askin/Wortley, in front of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon's real estate office.

More Photos from Along the Way:

"Not a wart hog"

Final Thots:

*the TVP is a multi-purpose path, and its many users include walkers, runners, cyclists, parents with children on small bikes or in strollers, couples holding hands, roller bladers, dog walkers (with one, two, three, four, five or more animals), skate boarders on manually- or battery-powered skateboards, bird watchers, photographers, the occasional ham-headed dork on an electric scooter, etc.

The TVP winds its way beside the Thames in several directions all at once and on the weekend it is a very busy place because it is not always wide enough to accommodate, for example, a cyclist zipping - oft-times much too quickly - past a group of pedestrians who are walking shoulder to shoulder and hogging all the space while a pair of speedy runners are making their way around a family that includes a slow-moving oldster and three kids on bikes or in strollers and a dog on a long leash - all coming from the opposite direction.

The TVP can be scary and entertaining and colourful and present lovely, photographic scenes around just about every corner just about every day. And that's where you'll find me 6 - 7 afternoons per week because it's so much cheaper, and a heck of a lot more fun, than Cable TV.

The TVP. "Get Fit and Be Entertained, All at The Same Time." That's my motto.

Please link to Photo Study: Gateways to Greenway Park

Photos GH