Solitudal Day Off

It was a beautiful sunny day here in Maple Ridge. It is my first day off and I was all set to make the most of the lovely weather. My first stop, was the dog groomers. Binny would be there all day getting purdied up. After that I killed an hour at the Wharf. Mornings like this are unbeatable . The mist was burning off and the sun was glinting through. My next stop was the hospital for an x-ray of my shoulder. My doc thinks I have rotator cuff damage, but ordered an xray just to be thorough.

The rest of the day was mine. So armed with camera, I set out to see where the road would take me. To my surprize, I was drawn out through Pitt Meadows to Pitt Lake in Grant Narrows Regional Park. About a 15 or 20 minute drive to reach the lake. But the scenery all the way there is breathtaking on a day like this!

Although it was warm and sunny at home, there can often be a cool wind up that way. But it was still and balmy. Some of the fields were covered in puddles large enough to be called ponds or small lakes, a visible reminder of the many days of rain not too long ago.

The sloughs through Pitt Poulder were filled right up to the top. They look pretty with the blonde fringe of winter bleached grasses. Soon bright green shoots will start to push up through it. This area was claimed and settled by the Dutch, which explains why it is named a dutch word like poulder. Not many people out there though. I enjoyed my solitude. Sometimes its good to get out alone and clear the head. Be at one with nature... blah blah blah. Ok, so I couldn't get a date! Keith had to work today.

This fellow in red, had the same idea as myself. He was out on the dike in his wellies, fiddling with his tripod while his faithful labrador patiently waited. When I saw him there, I pulled the car over to make sure it wasn't my dad!

On the way, there are many farms to see. I saw these unusual specimen of bovine up a dead end road. Apparently they weren't too happy to have their photo taken. I do believe they gave me a dirty look just before they turned and walked away from me back into the mist from whence they came!

After I left there, I thought I would go check in on the progress of the new Golden Ears Bridge. This is a really huge project. It has been interesting to follow the progress of construction. The men working on the site are doing very dangerous work. They look so tiny up against the enormous equipment and supports.

Click on this picture to enlarge it and check out the teeny little super guys. You couldn't pay me a million dollars to work way up there! Ahh yes, men doing rugged work, its a sight to behold. I know it is hard work, but they must enjoy it on a day like today. They remind me of little boys with a giant erector set! By the way, I picked up Binzen from the groomers at 4pm and he looked very handsome.