Went for a nice hike

Well, I was up at my Dad's again for a couple of days visiting.  He is doing well and working away on his garden.  There is a lot of it, so it takes up a lot of his time as he really got behind on it when my Mom was sick.  He now has it more to the way he would like it and now is looking for more plants to replace the ones that he didn't like or found to be evasive.

While Dad was working in the garden, I did some vacuuming for him, and got supper ready (Sheppard's pie and apple crisp for dessert). I made enough for him to freeze a couple of meals.  I also spent some time on his scanner, scanning some of our old photos.  I am gradually scanning all our photos to digital, it is slow work but I am getting there.  I enjoy it though, sort of my hobby and keeps me out of trouble.

In the mornings he always goes for a nice hike/walk with KC in the nearby area.  Today we headed for Vydon Acres (or Kingdom Mines which people refer to it as these days) which is a little commumity close to his village of Galetta.  The Morris Island Conservation Area, which has some nice trails and is along the Ottawa River.  Going early in the morning is nice because rarely is there anyone around and we will let the dogs off (not suppose to though, if there are people around we keep the dogs on a lead and always pick up after them). The dogs had a great time, Whiskey was always close by, but KC would go off running in the bush and then coming running back, I swear he went double the distance we did.  We started out on the Old Voyageur Trail and went on to the Miner's Trail.  The Old Voyageur trail is a well gravelled trail and part of it is wheelchair accessible but the Miner's trail is a more rugged trail and you have to watch out for rocks and tree roots when hiking.

Map of the Morris Island Conservation Area

The Causeway Trail (used to be an old railway line). Trail is wheelchair accessible and there is also a fishing platform part way along the trail

View of part of the Ottawa River with the train trestle in the background

Ruth's Dad and KC taking a break at one of the many lookout spots

Ruth's Dad and Whiskey on the Miner's Trail

Neat looking moss and ferns growing on the rocks in a swampy area

A pretty area by a pond

A pretty wild iris kind of flower

The conservation area also has a canoe launch and picnic tables set up throughout the trail system, it makes for a nice getaway for the day if you like the outdoors.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that on the way to the conservation area I saw a wild turkey and some babies.  I tried to get a picture but the mom ran off and the only the babies heads could been seen in the long grass and they were just a little to far away for a good picture even with the zoom.

It was great that we got the hike in this morning because as my Dad was driving me back to Perth to meet up with Kevin the rain started and it hasn't really stopped... we even have the little electric heater on in Sherman at the moment.  Not sounding like it is going to be a promising weekend either.  Hopefully the weatherman will be wrong.