Monday Morning Musings

Posted on July 18, 2016 under Monday Morning Musings with 3 comments

Flashbacks.

Every now and then something happens that immediately teleports me to my youth. It’s usually a song that I’ll hear on the radio. When I hear the opening bars of “Whiter Shade of Pale,” I find myself stumbling around the Parish Centre at a high school dance begging for a waltz with that special someone. Ask me how that went!

I was out for my morning walk yesterday and it was simply the most wonderful morning of the summer. Saturday evening’s rain shower cooled things down and the air was deliciously fresh and clean. Part of my walk took me on a short trail that many people aren’t aware of. Shortly after you turn off Hawthorne Street onto Vincent’s Way ( across from Brendan’s ), if you veer to the right, you will notice what looks like the start of a roadway. If you’re an old timer like me, you might remember that many years ago, there was talk of a road that would connect upper Hawthorne Street to “the interval”, to alleviate traffic entering the downtown. That roadway is now a path that takes you through the interval and exits at the bridge over the Wright’s River near the former dairy.

Shortly after entering the pathway, I was hit with a sensory explosion. It was incredibly still and silent save for the birds that were chirping . The warmth was starting to emanate from the ground and I could see a few bumblebees and the odd grasshopper. The powerful and awesome smell of several wild rose bushes greeted me. There were buttercups galore and endless bunches of clover.

And, “bam”, just like that, I was a young lad on Hillcrest Street, wandering through the back field on my way to distant lands… the woods up behind the cemetery! In order to get there, I had to walk through the woods behind the old Antigonish High School ( now the Annex ), cross the Bishop’s Bowl, pass through the graveyard and re-enter the woods near what is now Church Street extension. Most times, you would travel this route with a few buddies but occasionally you walked alone. Yesterday’s walk so reminded me of these solo walks where all your senses are on high alert. Sorry, Disney, but nothing can capture magic like a solo walk with Mother Nature. Her “magic kingdom” is right in our back yards… and free!

I am spending much of my summer hanging out with my 8 year old granddaughter and her friends. I am happy to report that when they get together, there are no computer games played. There is a great deal of making crafts, walking down to explore the Brierly Brook, trips to the water park at Columbus Field, sojourns to the library and the occasional ice cream at one of the ice cream stands. It is nice to know that kids can still have “unorganized fun” without staring at some electronic device.

Have a great week.

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