Caboose Camping April 24, 2024

When culture generates stress, nature offers rest.

When culture produces narrowmindedness, nature offers a bird’s eye perspective.

When culture makes people feel isolated, nature makes them feel free.

Just like the caboose I am staying in, I am going no where while I am here!  This afternoon I spent a few hours out on the deck reading.  I finally started  “A Year in the Woods”.  The three lines at the first of this post are from that book.  They resonated with me and I wanted to share them with you.  

🌲 🌲 🌲 🌲 🌲

I woke well before sunrise to the sound of the robins gleefully singing.  While the coffee was brewing, I donned warm layers, slung my camera over my shoulder, poured a cup of that coffee, exited the front door of the caboose, crossed the deck, walked down the stairs then through the yard to the trail that would lead me to where I could watch the sunrise.

When I was here last year, snow was still everywhere and lots of the locations on the property were not accessible.  There is not a flake of snow to be seen anywhere, there was not much to begin with this winter so it was gone quickly and early.  This morning I spent time at Sunrise Lagoon savouring sips of coffee and the sunrise.

Beyond the Lagoon is Pequito Pond.  It looked full of ducks from a distance, I saw them fly away as I approached.  There is a Duck Conservation Area beside the Pond but there is no access to it.

Breakfast was next on the agenda. It paired nicely with a fire, it was still close to zero in temperature.  When I arrived yesterday, I was surprised to see three gigantic bags of firewood sitting by the picnic table.  I also found an axe and fire starter inside a cabinet in the caboose. I have been taking full advantage of being permitted to have a fire. This could change any day or even any minute with the current conditions.

It was such a peaceful morning by the fire listening to and watching the birds.  The two other cabooses are not occupied nor are the campsites close by. It’s still early season and also being here mid week makes a difference.  I could hear people every now and then away off in the distance along with birds far and near.  This Common Crackle is one of many in my trees.

The Morning Dove appeared curious.

This Robin stared at me with a piece of twine in its beak.

Time came to head back to the trails to walk a few kilometres after sitting and reading for an extended period.  The wind picked up and created an interesting looking sky.

a Western Meadowlark 

sky views while walking again later

This is the view as I arrived back at my caboose, ready for dinner, then a fire, then calling it a night much later.