I love getting out in nature when the weather is fine. But, if the weather is frightful, well, I am usually happy to stay inside by the fire. This year winter is dragging on and I’m getting antsy. My husband, Walter, is a volunteer guide for the Rouge Park (located in Toronto, it is Canada’s first urban wilderness park). This past weekend he convinced me to come out with him on one of his guided hikes. It was just above freezing with no wind and a little light snow falling. Evidently, perfect conditions for a winter walk.
Walter is an expert birder. Alas, we didn’t see or hear one bird. I’m a plant girl…so no plants to report on either…too early for greenery. But, winter is a good time to focus on trees. Without leaves they flaunt their form and shape. One of the guys who joined our walk is a tree man…so we spent a lot of the time admiring bark. There’s something hauntingly beautiful about a stand of bare trees silhouetted against a white snow-covered canvas. And, I’m happy to report that I learned something new in the tree department. Have you heard of a ‘muscle tree’? It is an under-story shrub or small tree that has irregular ridges running vertically up its trunk. When you stroke the bark it feels like a muscled arm or leg, hence the common name ‘musclewood’ or ‘muscletree’. The botanical name is Carpinus caroliniana.
The last thing I expected to see were any insects. But, lo and behold, all over the snow-covered trails we were fascinated with dozens of little insects crawling around. Since there were no bug experts among us, I waited until I got home to find out what Mr. Google had to say. It turns out that these creatures are aquatic and called ‘stone flies’. In the dead of winter the larvae or nymphs crawl up through the cracks in the snow and ice that covers the stream where they lived the previous year. The stone flies we saw crawling on the snow were at the adult stage and they were out and about looking for mates. If you want to see stone flies, now is the time while the snow is still on the ground. If you wait until the weather is more agreeable you will have missed your chance.
This past weekend was perfect for a winter hike. Once you start moving around, and if you are dressed for winter, then it’s really enjoyable. But, no matter what time of year you visit the Rouge Park, there is something to see. It’s an amazing place…a wilderness…with all the wonders of nature there to be discovered. You don’t need a guide, but by joining a guided walk you’ll learn from both the guide and each other. The guided walks are free. To find out more about Rouge Park see http://www.rougepark.com/hike.