Lovely Outliers

This past week has come and gone in a flurry of activity and excitement, with lots of new developments in dorky thesis-related realms and tiny steps forward professionally, but nothing profound or really that interesting for the blogosphere. In lieu of thunderous insights on the nature of mankind or thrilling retellings of bold adventures, I thought I would share a couple pictures from a couple days ago as I wandered through the woods near my home (The Greenbelt in Ottawa) to see if I could spy the some signs of growth and renewal, the tiny and lovely miracles of spring.

From where I stand, in my heavily-used Forever 21 biking boots. The forest floor and walking paths are all heavily carpeted with soft, dead leaves.

Delicate and beautiful papery leaves still clinging to the trees.

This tree has LIPS!! (and other features that referenced other bits of anatomy).

The stick that gave me quite the fright! This SO looks like a sneering snake from a children’s book. I caught this in the corner of my eye, moments after being startled by (or startling) a white-tailed deer.

BAM!Bits of vibrant colour so rich in contrast to the dead autumn leaves. These tiny baby ferns are unfurling and little sprouts are popping out of the forest floor. There is a flurry of activity in the forest, only in miniature.

The trail is along the flight path for the Ottawa airport, so you can spot some pretty cool plane underbellies as you stroll along.

And these are the tiny and lovely miracles happening in my back yard.

Some miracles come so slowly, you don’t even realize they’re happening.

And, in a zeitguisty move, I dare not end without at least one selfie.

Happy adventures everyone!