Yesterday in rain and cool temperatures, I hiked the Bruce Trail in a favourite area of mine with a very small (two car) group.

We negotiated slippery rocks on the escarpment while thoroughly muddying our boots and pants.

The canopy of trees on most trails provided some relief from raindrops overhead, yet finding a dry spot to enjoy our lunch was no small feat and in fact became an impossible task!

Any leaves which had changed showed muted colours on such a grey day.

With windy conditions the day before some had fallen before their time, making it more difficult for the women hikers to find privacy on the trail.

Despite all of these deterrents, hiking in nature provided me with the oxygen, exercise, endorphins and companionship (both during the trek and afterward in a coffee shop) that I craved yesterday.

Similarly, I enjoyed my adventure the Sunday prior, although a very different experience ensued.

One week ago gave me a brilliant, sunny, summer-like day on a variety of trails, again in one of my most well-liked areas.

Sunshine showcased magnificent crimson leaves on Sumac bushes, and vivid purple and canary grasses in meadow-lands.

A variety of deciduous trees on escarpment trails offered glimpses of colourful change occurring among vibrant green leaves.

Birds chirped as butterflies circled and followed me on the paths I took.

Several hikers travelled together on this day, in a yellow school-bus, in order to get to the area we desired.

City dwellers without vehicles have limited options when escaping into nature!

We finished our enjoyable, fast-paced outing in a lovely, rolling village where we hikers met some bikers who apparently enjoy frequenting this locale as well.

Now, when I say bikers I do not mean cyclists!

Motorbikes of every make and engine noise, carrying leather-clad gents of varied description roared into town as we walked the hilly countryside.

As some of us searched for the local pub, and determined that there is only one inn that offers alcoholic beverages, the black-jacketed bikers sat outside the ice cream shop and coffee store, relishing cones or imbibing coffee!

Not one of them was to be found where we congregated before our journey back to the city.

Perhaps that is one benefit of having a designated bus driver as opposed to manoeuvring a motorcycle in the great outdoors

Leaves change to brilliant shades of crimson, scarlet, canary, and tangerine before they fall from branches bearing buds which hibernate until the following renewal of spring.

This month also elicits bittersweet emotions for me personally.

As I am in the autumn of my life, and literally born under the sign of Libra, I am conscious of how quickly time can slip away.

I have experienced sudden losses of life throughout my own, which raises my awareness of the precious gift each day with loved ones brings.

My journey has had numerous twists and turns, a wide variety of adventures; some of the most significant being inward.

Introspection is a blessing and a curse.

Living in the present moment is most fulfilling for me as a conscious choice, being aware of consequential actions.

I remind myself to ‘be still and smile’, as the mystery of my future unfolds before me while my past falls away . .  .

A friend and I lined up for entrance to a local bar/restaurant we had not experienced before.

As I am inquisitive, I took the initiative to meet a few people who might possibly be able to expedite the two hour process.

As it turns out, they did so, and consequently we were ushered to a coveted spot at the bar where we could not only sample various wines to get just the right one, but also eat the most mouth-watering cuisine imaginable, not to mention enjoy people-watching as we were simultaneously admired by many.

The bartender’s youth did not belie his ability to discern beauty as he told me mine could open doors!

I told him that if the manager, who stopped by and offered us a free drink to linger, gave freebies to every beautiful woman there, they might go out of business and he would be out of a job!

He replied very sincerely that I, unlike the rest, possessed true beauty, the genuine thing!

Now that was “price-less” I must admit

Three years ago another baby was born on a date with numbers that when interchanged signify the meaningful passing of a soul close to him.

All of these individuals are genetically related to one another and three of them to me.

On the day of the earlier of these births, as I stood on a dock overlooking a glistening lake, the most glorious double rainbow appeared before me which encircled the heavens overhead and the lake beneath me, forming a perfectly magnificent double circle of colour.

Birth and death of course are parts of the same cycle of life.

What happens before and after each of these events is a mystery revealed only to the participant, the traveller.

However, as one who is open to receiving signs of life from the universe, particularly those in nature, I truly embrace whatever is presented.

My life experience dictates that the most colorful rainbows follow heavy downpours from cloudy skies.

This annual film festival has made Toronto a global hot spot in September .

Celebrity star watching is a favourite pastime of many, who not only line up for hours to catch a glimpse of the famous, but also frequent clubs, restaurants, hotel lobbies, and even the local Yorkville Starbucks with the hope of sighting a star or two   No pun intended!

I, on the other hand, have inadvertently in recent years crossed paths with an actor I admire, while walking the Bloor Street sidewalk after leaving a local health food store.

One never knows where, when or how a star might just be seen!

Last night I experienced another type of stargazing during my first night hike.

As I was looking for something different to do on a Friday night, that would reward me with a pint or two after a moderately fast paced 15 kilometer hike, I decided that a group in north Toronto would provide just the right event.

In fact, with clear skies that cast a bit of cloud to create a heavenly sunset, and a nearly full moon to guide the way, this hike turned out to deliver more than I had anticipated.

Wandering through virgin territory with only a flashlight to illuminate the wooded trail that lay before me during some of this trek, as my gaze turned upward I witnessed what I cannot see in the well lit city night sky.

The stars turned out in stellar quality and quantity, reminding me what true stargazing is all about ;p

At her age I could have said the same thing, and believed it.

Throughout my youth I always dated boys/young men older than me.

In fact, I was barely out of my teens when I married my first husband, who was three years my senior.  It just seemed that with my maturity level this was the natural order of things.

When almost three decades of marriage ended and I re-entered the dating scene, I once again gravitated to men older than me.  Only now I seemed much too young for them!

At this stage of life’s journey, my age expectations are almost non-existent, provided the younger men whose company I find myself enjoying have no problem with my number.

Some believe I am their junior until they determine the reverse to be true, and then cannot handle the possibility of being with ‘an older woman’. 

Others don’t give age a thought.

The men who date women a decade or two, or even three, younger than their own ages, would never refer to themselves as ‘predators’ or ‘dirty old men’, as some women perceive them to be. 

Yet, when these same men view women dating in a similar fashion, some label them ’cougars’, which conjures a negative image of ‘huntresses’ on the prowl for young males.  

Once again the old male-female double standard adage rears its head! 

The first time I was referred to as ‘an older woman’, while my daughter wondered aloud whether a seven year age difference would be problematic for a man she thought might be a good match for me, I looked around the room to see where this ‘older woman’ could be hiding!

Since I feel ageless most days, and genetics have been kind to me, I do keep them guessing, at least for a while.

Then, when I refer to my ‘first’ husband in conversation I usually get a double-take. 

If asked whether I have a second (or third) husband I answer, “Not yet!”

Or, on a shy day/date, I might reply, “I am my former husband’s first wife since he has a second wife, which makes him my first husband”.

In retrospect, he actually might end up to be my ‘starter’ husband

One year ago today I was hiking the Seven Sisters in England and wrote about this experience on my return; however, I was unable to post in my blog on the ten month anniversary of her death.

This had been the first time I did not write here on the fifteenth of the month.

Each of those first twelve months it was important for me to do so, as that gesture enabled healing to occur.

In spite of moments of sadness, I now feel at peace. 

In fact, I have a new mantra that assists my inner journey to that place where I am most comfortable . . .    Peace,  love,  joy . . .  the sea is calm.

In actual fact, there are several rainy and cooler ones predicted for the indefinite future . . .

This is one lucky Friday the thirteenth! 

Another reminder to enjoy each minute no matter what the day.  The present moment is the gift.

On the terrace, as I refreshed my base tan, I enjoyed reading a book.

Felt sooo good to absorb the rays while laughing  aloud in sections, tears forming in others.

The sign of a very good read for me is one that can elicit my emotions in a tangible way.  As a writer that is also the goal for my readers.

Last evening, as a precursor to this delightful day, I discovered a little gem of a bistro in the city, thanks to a new friend I met while hiking. 

I will return to this particular spot on another Thursday, as I am told that is the night the locals gather.  It only took me 11 years to learn that! 

An indication that I really am a late bloomer, or maybe my timing is exactly right . . .

Time will tell . . .

Last evening, my youngest daughter surprised me with a special delivery, from both she and her sister, of the most exquisite bouquet of tulips, a sure sign of spring and prelude to Sunday!

Today, I was treated to a sunny sky accompanied by cool breezes from the lake, while enjoying drinks on a patio whetting my appetite for the meal to follow.

Two hours of drinks as a matter of fact! 

The crowded patio thinned, as those not imbibing as they awaited their food left. 

Even a lone mother duck who wandered onto the patio had difficulty finding bread!

We would have been tempted to follow suit had we not been enjoying the liquid ambience in a natural outdoor setting and, more importantly, each other’s company.

The food, when it finally arrived, was substandard for this frequented restaurant, as something mysterious was occurring in the kitchen.

We were either fortunate or not, depending on one’s perspective, as while we were eating we overheard our waiter tell his other customers that the kitchen had closed and only drinks were available.

A  fire had triggered the sprinklers and fire alarm, which thankfully we could not hear outside the building.

Laughter, aided by liquid refreshments, sunshine and the glistening lake, overcame what would have otherwise been a very disappointing celebration.

It is only Sunday which makes me wonder what surprises might arrive Friday, May the 13th

For men, there is also Father’s Day in June to return the favour!

There are probably as many different types of mothers as there are women on this planet. 

Unfortunately, not all are the nurturers one hopes would conjure warm and fuzzy feelings at the mere thought of them.

All are human to be sure, with the frailties that state of being brings.

Some women have been fortunate to have had an excellent role model in their own childhood, and they become ‘naturals’ it seems in the realm of motherhood.

Others become parents accidentally and are ill-prepared for the lifelong task.

Most fall somewhere between the two extremes. 

Those who embrace the role passionately usually thirst for knowledge, and spend countless hours learning all they can with respect to raising children.

When there are past unresolved childhood issues, these can surface, most at a subconscious level, as mothers guide or merely observe their boys and girls as they enter each stage of development.

Opportunities for personal growth are afforded when this happens, or conversely unconscious inner turmoil can create trauma influencing parenting decisions affecting their children.

Now that I am a mature woman with adult children of my own, I recognize that my mother was an individual who did her best with what she knew while raising me and my siblings.

In her elder years before her death, my mother’s youthful personality came to light after years of being submerged while caring for others.

She was of a generation of women who believed caregiver was mostly synonymous with martyr.

Fortunately I learned the fallacy of this belief, although not before experiencing some of its negative consequences.

Self-caring is what enables one to be a healthy caregiver.

Whatever type of mother one has/had, the most important reason to acknowledge Mother’s Day is to express gratitude for the woman who brought a life into this world &/or the woman who parented that individual, you!