The remains of Easter 2008

[JAK]

Pictures of Margaret and I on a 10 mile hike of Irving Nature Park / Sheldon Point. From about 1:30pm to 7:30pm on Easter Monday in Saint John, New Brunswick. Temperature was -1C but very sunny, and warm if you were out of the wind, like where we stopped for tea and started taking pictures.

This is on the back side of Taylor Island, Irving Nature Park, which is actually a peninsula.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p243/JAK_45/Easter2008/Easter2008_01.jpg

Margaret making tea, actually tea plus some ovaltine and chocolate easter eggs.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p243/JAK_45/Easter2008/Easter2008_02.jpg

Yum! Needs more chocolate.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p243/JAK_45/Easter2008/Easter2008_03.jpg

Hmmm. Needs more Spruce Needles.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p243/JAK_45/Easter2008/Easter2008_04.jpg

The Frog Trail is covered in hard snow.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p243/JAK_45/Easter2008/Easter2008_05.jpg

Margarets picked out some hiking sticks. Two for her.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p243/JAK_45/Easter2008/Easter2008_06.jpg

One for me. It was a fine stick. Very useful on the ice.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p243/JAK_45/Easter2008/Easter2008_07.jpg

Off down the trail. It was a mix of snow and ice and some clear ground. Some mud.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p243/JAK_45/Easter2008/Easter2008_08.jpg

Back on the beach, on our way back to Sheldon Point.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p243/JAK_45/Easter2008/Easter2008_09.jpg

Bay of Fundy with Manawagonish Island in the background.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p243/JAK_45/Easter2008/Easter2008_10.jpg

Margaret chasing Seagulls.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p243/JAK_45/Easter2008/Easter2008_11.jpg

Myself again, windy enough for a windshirt over my Alpaca, with the staff Margaret picked out for me.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p243/JAK_45/Easter2008/Easter2008_12.jpg

This is a sculpture people have made from beachcombings, where you get onto the Sheldon Point Trail.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p243/JAK_45/Easter2008/Easter2008_13.jpg

A striking pose, with Manawagonish Island in the background.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p243/JAK_45/Easter2008/Easter2008_14.jpg

Yet another striking pose, this time from Sheldon Point.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p243/JAK_45/Easter2008/Easter2008_15.jpg

Margaret showing her technique scurrying up hills past some very icy patches.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p243/JAK_45/Easter2008/Easter2008_16.jpg

Sunset at the Sheldon Point antenna farm.
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p243/JAK_45/Easter2008/Easter2008_17.jpg

Back at the barn. Ready for the drive to MacDonald's to pick up our supper. :)
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p243/JAK_45/Easter2008/Easter2008_18.jpg

[vonfrick]

she's gorgeous!!!

i miss those days with my little one, all grown up now

[JAK]

Thanks vonfrick. The years are going way too fast now. I must get her out more often. She makes a big show of it when I tell her we are going, calling me some sort of an extremist, but once she is out there she never complains. She looks pretty happy I think. She will hike me right into the dirt if I let her.

[warraghiyagey]

Beautiful photos JAK. She'll cherish those times for sure, as she grows.
Thanks for sharing.

[JAK]

Thanks. I'm getting more bold in my postings of Maggie.
The cold weather makes it somewhat easier for sure. :)

[envirodiver]

Agreed, Jak a Lovely young lady.

The bond between a Dad and daughters is very special. I have 2 daughters 18 and 20. Just about grown and I do miss the times when they were younger.

The upside is that after going through the teen years they are now getting the urge to hike/backpack again. My oldest asked for gear for her birthday this year. I'm looking forward to some trips w/ both of them this spring and summer.

[ki0eh]

Funny how she stays on the flat but you always seem to be walking uphill. :biggrin:

[JAK]

Funny how she stays on the flat but you always seem to be walking uphill. :biggrin:Well the two have some common goals but different perspectives for sure. ;)

I should have mentioned critters.

Surprisingly no squirrels and no rabbits. Only one harbour seal as it was high tide when we passed the seal lookout.
Many chickadees in the woods. Many seagulls along the beach. One partridge in the woods before sunset at Sheldon Point.
Technically not a partridge. I think it was a Spruce Grouse, but might have been a Ruffed Grouse.

Probably some ravens or crows also. I tend to overlook those as they are rather ubiquitous.

[Bearpaw]

Looks like a fantastic time. I am truly envious. I can imagine a better time than a great walk with a little one.

[JAK]

Thanks Bearpaw. Got out again today, this time with Margaret and two of her friends and their Dad and dog. We hiked to Melvin Beach on the Fundy Trail/Parkway. Lots of snow in the woods. Saw a young moose heading up West Branch Fuller Brook. There was a little blood with its tracks, I'm guess from postholing through the crusty snow now and then. No sign of mom tracks or otherwise so it might have been mature enough to be on here own. Looked healthy enough. Their dog was amazingly well behaved, a mostly golden retrieve mix, female, they got from a shelter. Amazingly well behaved as always, didn't need a leash, showed some interest in the tracks but even with the blood not the slightest interest in taking off after the moose or anything else. Not a bark the whole trip. Really great dog. Its the same when around other dogs, just puts its nose up in the air and ignores them. Kids were great also.