Hello everyone, this is my first time posting in this community π I have read the rules, and I understand this is considered a niche community. From a quick look at my posts, one will realize that niche is my middle name! π
So for this post, I would like to share a family outing that contains a little bit of everything. We will see nature, architecture, and even some graffiti. Here is a little glimpse at a walk around the City of Hamilton!
We begin our tour at the entrance of the trail. It is located at an underpass -- a bridge that links our downtown to our uptown. Our oldest daughter, Kiva, has become much more fearless and adventurous; she used to be afraid of an ant, but now she is wanting to try things independently! One of those things was walking along the underpass (Daddy went with her, don't worry! π )
(See? There they are π Daddy and Kiva, waving from the top)
Making our way into the forest and trees, I was already seeing a ton of interesting things. A sticker for a nationalist group, hmmm π€ Some romantic graffiti... Even a child's prized kite, caught in the power lines πͺ
Upon first glance, very few people would assume this is Canadian wildlife. I have lived here my entire life, and even I have troubles accepting it! π People expect to see huge towering pine and maple trees, but there are many areas that leave the impression of a magical rainforest...
We came across a bunch of beautiful plant life. Here are some teeny tiny daisies, growing alongside the trail.
My husband came across a lovely collection of orange tiger lilies 𧑠Tiger liles are a native plant here (I believe -- they grow EVERYWHERE!), and while we typically see them in people's gardens, coming across a patch in the wild doesn't happen often!
Our oldest daughter's middle name is Lily. Every time she sees these flowers, her heart gets so full and happy π₯° "Kiva Lily!" she will cry out π
Here are some cattails! You may be familiar with this plant; they grow around rivers and marshland. The brown tips at the top are where their seeds are contained. You may have seen a video or two of people being pranked, and taking a HUGE bite of fluff! π€£
I was fortunate enough to come across a TON of wild blackberry bushes during our walk -- I LOVE blackberries π You may be thinking to yourself, "But those are red..." It's a very strange affair. Blackberries are red when they form, and they begin to turn black/purple as they ripen. Raspberries, on the other hand, start out WHITE, then ripen into red! This is how to tell the difference between the two π«
I plan on returning to this trail tomorrow, to begin picking ripe berries. Fresh, non-GMO foods are always the best...
THESE berries are NOT edible π
These are called Honeysuckle Berries. They come in a variety of different kinds, some which are okay to us, and others that are poisonous. It's always better to air on the side of caution...
Even with the blackberries: I know that they are edible because I am familiar with them. Having grown up with berry bushes, I know which distinguishing features to look for.
This is Motherwort (I actually just learned this today! π). A plant of the mint family, this plant has been used for thousands of years to help with ailments of the heart. Heart disease/failure, anxiety attacks, high blood pressure... I find this extremely interesting, and I'm hoping to utilize motherwort in the near future π
This is known as a Smokebush, and I am absolutely in love with them π₯° They remind me of something from the mind of Dr. Suess, with their huge colorful balls of poof~
Unfortunately, I could only catch a quick shot of this bush because it was on someone's property, and she was just standing there, watching me π (Not in a malicious way; we said hello! π)
Walking through the neighborhoods, I took some photos of houses that I love. Here is one that I find to be gorgeous π The time period, the color, the second-floor balcony, the beautiful flowers out front...
I am hoping to take more photos of houses around the neighborhood soon. I would like to start a series of photos! Most people here are friendly and don't mind that kind of thing, so long as you say hello and strike up a conversation π
This one I snapped for my daughter -- "Pink car!" I replied, "Yes, plus the house looks very nice!"
This is called a Little Library. They are as the name implies: little libraries, set up by neighbors, that offer books! π I have found some good, bad, and even RARE books tucked away within these houses.
Another one for our daughter, although to be fair, the entire family loves this one as well. This pole sits on a quiet neighborhood street, just COVERED in ivy! It is typically harmless when it grows rampant like this, and it hasn't caused any fires yet! π My only question is, is any light capable of coming from this post?...
This is another favorite of mine... This is a Daylily. They come in every kind of color and combination, but this one is my favorite. The pinky mauve, alongside the deep shade of maroon -- simply stunning π₯Ίβ€οΈ
Stepping out of the neighborhoods and approaching the city mall downtown... We started seeing some urban artwork. The wall of this store contained a very gothic-looking version of Pac-Man.
I don't know what it was about this piece; I was mesmerized by it... His one hand wasn't pinned down and kept flapping in the wind, almost as if it were calling to me...
A piece done by some local artists π @ scottanddestroy is one of my favorite graffiti artists, he has done some incredible pieces. Apparently, he and other artists plan on painting the ENTIRE exterior of the mall with artwork! I'm really looking forward to that, it will look amazing!
(I didn't realize it until afterward: there is graffiti on the sidewalk as well. It says, "This time we watch π" )
All in all, it was a wonderful day! π I plan on making today even better! The girls and I will be visiting my grandmother shortly; she has nice summer clothing for them π Husband is going to attempt to get the RV starting today ππ Afterward we are all going to meet up, to take a walk through the neighborhoods in search of unique houses! We plan on having a nice dinner as well.
