Sheppard’s Bush and good weather definitely go hand in hand. Today’s winter weather was beautiful and appreciated by many. We all know how volatile our weather has been in the past few months – so I didn’t take a risk and I arrived at the conservation area in the early morning.
“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.” ~ Henry David Thoreau
The main entrance to Sheppards Bush Conservation Area is off Industrial Parkway, just south of Mary Street. My first winter journey this year, however, I don’t think it was for all the folks already walking the Sheppard’s Bush trail today. A popular place to walk dogs especially. I walked my cameras. I was kind of surprised how many people visited around the same time as me and even if I didn’t see others they left footprints behind. I also noticed that the ice storm didn’t leave much damage behind unless the clean up crew already came or the fallen branches were hiding under the snow blanket.
Sheppard’s Bush Conservation Area spans over acres and acres of land, however, the most popular short walking trail is near the Sheppards house, currently home of Windfall Ecology Centre. Driving in I was thinking about Dierdre and David Tomlinson, Merlin’s Hollow English Garden, and their Christmas card I received a couple of months ago. Walking into the park I didn’t have to think about them, I met them. We parted in different directions at the beginning, walked the loop and met up again.
“Every moment is an experience.” ~ Jake Roberts
I brought my 100-400mm Canon lens anticipating to photograph birds. I only heard them this time – chickadees, cardinals and woodpeckers. However, I was lucky to photograph at least some kind of life – the squirrels at play. While in the forest I never fail to look up at the sky and I always do the same at Sheppards Bush. Looking at the bare branches against the sky for me resembles cracks in the sky.
No leafs on the trees means transparency. I didn’t realize but where I was standing I was definitely on a hill overlooking Wellington Street and Bayview Avenue. If I clearly recall my early years hiking this area landscape views are different now – developed. On the way walking back I discovered graffiti – probably one of the best ones yet in Aurora, in my opinion.
My journey lasted about one hour and a few hundred pictures later. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking them. On last note, some people are interesting – while I was enjoying today’s beautiful winter day, many already were thinking about tommorrow and the rain ahead.
Anna Lozyk Romeo
Aurora, ON
