Tag Archives: nature

Lost in Dundas Valley

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Hello my lovelies, ready set go for some more snow? The moral of this blog post is appreciate what you have while you have it ‘cos when it’s gone, bro it’s GONE. Okay that’s a little dramatic all I mean is it’s sunny and warm out now all this snow is goners.

I swear if I ever saw a turtle scale that steep hill to cross this road? My God.

The parking lot of Dundas Valley is/was covered in snow. We were stoked. Haven’t been here in years and will spare you the who gets credit for this super wicked fun idea for a day LOL but obviously me. It would have been nice to add YOU ARE HERE on the map before heading out to the multiple criss-crossing trails of D Valley but mebbe that’s just me. We got a little lost but google maps is shockingly accurate, yay that.

You tell me where you think we are on this map and I’ll give you a quarter.

My Grandfather, Dad’s Dad, his name is JRW, John White, so this was special and saved our asses on the way back also might I add the degree of difficulty for this trek was quite something because of the snow we had to clomp through. We were winded after the first incline and then discovered there would be a fuck ton more hills and kind of went mad. We stuck to Sawmill trail for the most of it then it got wonky and we were going it blind.

It was a beautiful hike that’s for sure. We did not bring enough snacks or beverages/water in case we got lost-lost in hindsight and we laughed about that the entire time. There is nothing worse than getting stuck somewhere and being hungry. All I thought about to mentally motivate myself through the end of this hike was the Thai stir fry I was going to make when we got home. It was delicious.

I’ve gotten new boots since and would love to break them in here! Kicking local snowbanks can only do so much for a girl.

Break one. You get to see the serious walkers out and about when you go for a stroll through the hills yeah and this one guy came through in leather shoes and leather jacket no hat no mitts we were like WTF LOL. Meanwhile a group of serious loud-talking walking ladies that you can hear an entire kilometer away because it’s so silent there completely engulfed in nature if you are currently going bonkers from being indoors too much and want an escape, I recco a hike. You might see deer.

It doesn’t look like much but this incline killed us it’s only half of it as seen from above very humbling we were dying AND we hike all the damn time. The snow helped and hurted us.

Canadian Beer fridge. If ya ain’t givin’er ya ain’t livin’er.

one more scope-out before moseyin’ on I’m tellin’ ya this is called Dundas Valley for a reason. More like, eight finity valleys chrissake.

To you, this is a boring picture of snow but to me it is a momentum downhill advantage that you throw yourself at. You walk down, you walk up, and on and on it goes. We would get to a peak or vista whatever the crap only to see a whole other hill to climb, hence the going mad. Still need to chart the course we took to properly brag about the Kilometers.

Walked through many pine tree clusters and bf says they were too perfectly placed therefore man-planted. I appreesh if that’s the case and you better believe yours truly got nature-splained the whole way.

Gorgeous. Spectacular. Magical. Years ago, I spent a December in Holland and went on a walk on Christmas day just over the border in Germany which resembled Canada so much. Both The Netherlands and Deutschland look like Canada. That’s all. Humble travel-brag.

The silence was also quite striking.

It was like being in a Christmas card.

We did a big hike with friends in Fergus not too long ago and they are habitual long distance hikers they would adore this and would do every single trail. They are also German, speaking of. :)

I uploaded a ton of pictures I am trying to be discerning. Failing.

Ooh la la that’s what I like. We dilly-dallied a little this day and so the majority of people weren’t passing us or out hiking by this time so we were pretty much alone which adds to the excitement in getting lost potential. Ain’t no one comin’ to find ya. I love disaster survival movies, most excellent.

This is all melted by now and muddy. We did a magical snowy forest night walk last year and everything had melted the next morning I took no pictures it was like a dream and never really happened the snow was so fluffy we were climbing hand over foot using head lamps. Bananas. Should probs do one of those naked and afraid reality shows.

Random blobs of snow would rain down on you or in front of you. Coolness.

Sort of dressed like a tree.

Oh look, more incline. Great.

Not dressed like a tree. I was mad at myself for wearing my neon orange Carhartt toque in case deer were around they’d see me a mile off but wait they could be colour blind and I actually don’t know anything about deer except their droppings really smell if a dog rolls through them so do not let that happen! Worse than a skunk.

Oh look more flooferness.

I wanted to be tall enough to punch that snow on the right from below to make it dust all over my bf but am not ten feet tall, unfortunately.

On second thought, ten feet wouldn’t be nearly enough and you don’t get good air from jumping off of snow you just sink further into it haha.

The picture of me in the beginning of the post was taken down this corridor.

If we brought a football would slam it right through that one.

I think you are starting to get the point.

LOL bf just walked by and sarcastically went, “WOW”. Yes I KNOW I hope this ends soon too.

It’s the Narnia escapism for me.

Then a bit of a fork this is probably about the time we started getting confused.

and again in landscape. I couldn’t even measure our course if I wanted to (and, I do!) because I don’t know where we were I kept “recognizing” things and then secretly being like, nope, I don’t think this is the place. I’ll just keep that to myself lol. I need that hike tracking app.

Went off course to another trail to hang on this little bridge by a creek.

I have never been here in the winter before with snow it is harder to catch your bearings ya ya okay you got it.

See a heart though!

A heart kite aww <3. bf said he pre-arranged it for me haha.

Ooh yay signs of life.

Picturesque. This was coming up on the Bruce trail now holy hell intersecting is happenin’.

The sun is trying to appear amidst the Siberian winter sky I’m surprised I even noticed it.

Another crazy incline going in the wrong direction and yes we did it and I lost my purple mitt on the other side of the hill so bf had to run and fetch it we could see it sitting there like an idiot just after huffing it back up the other side of this hill it was a low point for sure but hilarious so win-win.

Gotta get one of these first. That Mandarin bag is probs worth money now that buffets are closed eh jk.

So we turned around cos we could see the road and were on the Bruce trail which would have been a whole other trail from no return it was time to re-route and figure it out.

Running back with my mitt. Luckily I noticed it so quickly. You constantly take your gloves off to take a picture or grab/do whatever then walk a bit before putting them back on again and by that time your glove is long gone and you don’t know exactly when you lost it.

We were getting tireder by this point so any back-tracking was annoying and again this was a mighty incline. One of those days where you just want to go straight home but we still had an errand to do first which felt like HELL on earth.

My hero.

SO PRETTY. Definitely doing this again.

I filmed a music video here in 2009 at least I think it was here. As I said, we were hella lost. The only thing we brought was Scorchin’ Hot CHEEZ ITS! Leftover lasagna from the night before but ate that in the parking lot at the beginning.

doggie booty oh no.

WHERE TF ARE WE I AM OVER THIS

Finally some gotdamn Valley. We saw deer droppings, no deer. rip off.

Ain’t nobody sitting by this point just trying to get it done with actually I used this bench to get something out of my purse.

“His eyes looked like two piss holes in a snow bank.” That’s a bona fide PEIism for ya ahaha I told it to my bf and it’s one of his fav inspirations now needed to give it legs ah suppose.

There are some dangerous walking parts fyi.

Someone was fully in their element.

Hi Grandpa. <3 Miss you.

bf decided to Bart Simpson slide down this that’s the destruction he caused. Forever young.

Sent this to my Dad he said he always tried to put him on the right path lol.

That’s where you drive in and pay thank GOD there’s still one more long haul to go passed another parking lot though this is also a major tobogganing hill we were bummed we didn’t bring one.

Til next time xoxo your pal Raymi!

hike up your life

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What’s up beauties, are ya ready to vibe out to some relaxing blog? kk sames.

You seem stressed have a glass of relaaaaaax.

Keeping it slow and low out here in burbia like I like it. We cranked’er up a notch in Toronto for an afternoon a night and an afternoon so I could break out my summer wardrobe… my duds I packed away in a box and stored up above in my apartment layout for a season and it is nice to be reunited with my fashions. I have enough out here but wearing the same outfit-style all the time more or less when you’re a peacock and your bf’s stuff is all around you, you get cagey and you cannot adequately express yourself style-wise.

Actually we are both a bit’a fashionistas but tend to ‘err on the side of “garbage” normcore a lot when we’re alone lol so hot.

He has this pair of khakis that when I ask him to hold my phone it falls through a hole in the side-pocket and hits the ground. They’re actually my favourite. We embrace the skid life. Literally doing any and every thing we can to entertain and amuse ourselves.

Toronto gave me anxiety to be honest all of Thursday up until the afternoon then I was fine. I did apartment viewings for a unit in the building both days for my friends, whom are also my landlords. More on the viewings later and I had anxiety because my neighbourhood there is off the chains: summertime and living there is C R A Z Y. The Window News never disappoints let’s be honest but anyway I have a crop of friends who live on Front and we always light it up at Sugar Beach when it’s summer, so that we did. Tashina picked us up in her convertible and we blasted on down. Bf noticed the crew already there and party was a-go.

There aren’t any bathrooms down by that beach though so you have to get creative and it is disgusting the only two areas everyone uses for a toilet. This Covid life is so degrading in many ways but I’m outdoorsy with ample outdoor whizzing experience… I even got my mom on board – ladies, just always BYOTP and you’ll be good.

I just think it’s hard existing in the city or any urban setting during the summer you truly feel trapped in a concrete jungle I feel for the people I do. I am the people but I always have a base I can flee to in the burbs or made sure of it well yeah being the only one of my particular tribe to also ride the rails in the city but as for now I am “over it”.

Time seems to have flown by since April. I spent the worst birthday of my life alone thanks to covid and some meddling of others suffice to say, but yes it’s June now and that’s all behind us but I remember everything, every detail, because a lot of living has been packed into that time since before now.

It’s been domestic bliss more or less shaking the cobwebs out and adjusting to new dwellings which has been fun coupled by anxiety. The thing is, everyone is going through some form of shit right now. We have seen behind the curtain of errrryone’s bullshit and there is no hiding. Deaths, closings of businesses, BLM having a well-deserved huge moment which I will also be addressing – this was supposed to be a fluff post as in, a breather-log so as to not say all the things I really would rather air, got me? Y’always do.

Nature is religion to me right now and I feel as though I have waded through enough hoops of hell to get to this place where I am at. It’s hard for people to be happy for themselves or for others but also to just enjoy what you’ve got your ample privilege like it’s hard to just be happy with your day? Really? You are so fortunate maybe you have a bit of money in your pocket it’s summer now finally yeah the world is sincerely going to shit at the moment but look at the bright side if there is one. Be grateful. Gratitude isn’t that hard it’s just you’ve become hardened. It’s hard to appreciate what’s right up in front of your own nose and why nobody knows but, just live your truth as best you can and look around you. You have more than you know.

People are at their happiest when they are doing what they are meant to be doing. Like right now I’m happy because I am doing this and my bf is happy because he is scrubbing a bunch of golf balls. You do what works for right now, you putter and you come together, you may fight but you just keep doing you and if you’re lucky you become symbiotic and there’s a flow.

I am re-reading my favourite book right now Rule of the Bone I may have spoken of it before here but I am sure there’s newbies who I do not expect to dig back although I am always delightedly surprised when readers are like oh yeah I remember that. Or dream about me.

Anyway, Rule of the Bone is by Russell Banks and there is a lot of Rastafarianism wisdom in it I found it in my library in highschool and was instantly shook. I also read the Darling by the same author and I recco both to you but yeah to re-acquaint myself with this literature I see my true self again and the girl I was when I first found it and how the world has changed since, it has aged well but it accurately encapsulates an era of grunge and also includes a motorcycle gang and triggering sexual misconducts too, yikes.

The best parts of it however is when the protagonist goes to Jamaica and before that when he’s living on a school bus in an abandoned field and meets his Rasta buddy I say no more except you really get to nail down your Patois when you are reading this shit and your skiddy dialect altogether and as a writer, personally, I need to read it’s like breathing in and out – to write you need to read you need your salt and you need your pepper too.

I feel like I have been consuming way too much and have read the entire internet I need to come back to creating content again but mostly for me (not for you no offense), but yeah of course part of me is interested in seeing where this goes and who cares who knows I mean if you’re gonna do it just do it and shut up right haha.

People would say I punch you in the face with my writing and then punch you again with a picture okay maybe I just said that about myself and am paraphrasing like if they even say anything about me at all I also am always just practicing comedy here too and if you’re not in on the joke or get it you can go into a hate-reading mode it is nothing new to me like why does she do this or that? Maybe just appreciate that I do it at all and stop questioning it because I have asked nothing of you.

A rock pile near our friend’s place no can’t divulge the co-ordinates my mom has adorned my nana’s garden with the rocks she finds but has since let-up a little on taking them because they are for all to enjoy. One of the silver linings of this pandemic is the creativity you get to experience via others finally geeking-out and flexing those parts of themselves right??? yes.

Aw my heart.

Wow, great uhh, address. Lol.

Can you believe I waited this long until posting a selfie? I am “making a point”.

I love this donut so much thank you for injecting some kitsch in to Burlington thanks a bunch for really reals.

Pretty sweet have a bud who lives so close to us with a backyard set-up like so.

My chalk art was trying to do tropical sunsetting I googled it was aiight but a bit hot messy in the end we all drew a bunch of stuff love this bike path very much so.

haha our car’s reflection.

I got yelled at over the bullhorn we still make fun of it just let it roll off yer back everything is comedy pretty much right now.

This was a surprise location hike there’s lots to explore out here.

Alrighty, my fingers are tired and it’s a heatwave it’s time to do the thing, live the life — this has been great. To be continued I will be back with more.

As always,

your pal Raymi

oh and ps. if you need a lot of golf balls for a good price, get in touch lol.

Wandelpad wanderer

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We just came back from a walk. I saw my ducklings as adults that we fed in the spring. Whimsical MUCH!!? Pictures at the end of the post.

Ate this last night, we made it. Actually I got all the stuff out of the fridge and was mental support, as in, dragged him off the couch. People just need a bit of motivation and you still get half the credit. We don’t drink much (snore) but we eat like cray. I am having a Saturday beer right now though. When you get up to have coffee I am already beering it. NICE.

Front yard, jungle English YOLO garden. When we went to the movie bf said that Mitty was a Yolo movie. Bahaha TRUE.

A blue sky in the winter is like, oh right, that’s nice.

Replete with sky porn.

I have pictures of this stretch of road blanketed in spooky mist during a sunset, very neat.

Shut up you slot. “Loot locked out” according to google translate. Aka don’t leave valuables behind. I’ll keep you posted once confirmed.

If blind, you will also be allowed to enjoy this park despite not being able to see anything, you can feel the leaves of various things growing and then read about them cos there’s brail all over the park. How nice.

Handi-captains forevs. There but for the grace of God go I. Wandelpad for honorary mention. (footpath).

Plants get so much rain water here it’s like a g-damn jungle. No complaints yo.

I’m like a sasquatch, all blurry and I blend in. I had those oxblood wrecking ball doc’s #FIRST #Miley BTW. I’m flattered, really.

So we meet again necklace tree. I am obsessed with you. No shame, all fame.

Trying to get the flash to go off. This bitch needs backlight not below light. Frig.

We’ll def do this again though.

I told you it was windy! Some trees could not deal tho.

Goodbye mystery crazy-named Dutch tree!

Storm junkies at play.

Continue reading →

To tree or not to tree

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I waited for forever for a photo of how camouflaged I was amongst nature. It didn’t ever really happen. Cool joke bro!

Christmas man was the best though. Time to cash out to some tv I’ll make a blerg post for ya tomorrow all about the all abouts kay, thanks, bye my babies are here :). Gonna watch the Bling Ring. I watched it a few days ago already but it’s one of those watch again type of things.