Sept 1st: Lakefield

We arrived in Lakefield Friday, prepared to spend the Labor Day weekend at the marina there. Very nice place to stay with great showers. It was a little windy and some rain was expected but we were nicely tied to a dock. Went to the grocery store and then relaxed the rest of the day. We looked out the window and noticed a beautiful sunset.

The next morning I went for a long bike ride. There is a great bike trail that runs along the river. It goes from Lakefield to Peterborough, about 10 miles. Wasn't sure how far I'd go.

First stop was the old train station with a historical sign. The station is now a book store and definitely in need of repair. Hope someone decides to restore it, its a cool building built in 1881.

Grand Trunk Railway Train Station

Across from the railway station was an example of how much the Canadians enjoy cottage life in the summer. There was a big sale going on with all kinds of fun toys.








I rode quite a while and decided to stop at one of the locks to get an idea of where I was. I found a mileage/kilometer post erected by the local boy scouts. Kind of fun since we went to all the place listed. I had gone farther than I thought.


I could see Trent University not too far away so I rode down to see what it looked like from the road instead of the boat. Very nice buildings. We cruised under the bridge on the right in the picture.


On my way back I spotted three turtles sitting in a small pond just off the trail. I couldn't get close enough to get a good picture but at least I could show I saw them.





In a previous blog I described how a certain fly lays eggs on the golden rod plant. I have been watching for the round ball that forms on the stem. I found quite a few.

During late summer, a certain fly will lay its eggs on the golden rod plant. The larva burrows into the stem forming a bulge or gall ball in the stem of the plant. It will winter over in this ball and emerge as an adult in the spring. Wildflower enthusiasts will note during early spring that almost every Goldenrod plant harbours a gall. But not all galls harbor a grub. If the gall has a tiny hole in it, it means that some bird, like a chickadee or woodpecker, has extracted the grub during the winter or the grub has wormed its way out on its own. Goldenrod blooms August through October.

Last blog's wild flower: Birdfoot Trefoil

Birdfoot Trefoil

This wildflower was originally named by early settlers to Canada who named it 'trefoil' because of its three leaves and 'birdfoot' for obvious reasons. A member of the Pea family, Birdfoot is found in waste places, roadsides and lawns. Birdfoot is an alien plant having been transported to Canada by early settlers.

This blog's wildflower: