Wednesday, 9 October 2019

Thursday, October 3rd, 2019


Winnipeg, Manitoba

On the Trail of Spirits

Yesterday, I asked a resident, and my host, Amie, how to get to the nearest trail.  We stood in front of her home on this gorgeous clear-sky morning while she gave us directions.  The location is one of those swirly-street neighbourhoods in the suburbs. 

"Turn right, then left, then right..." she said, with a ‘this’ and a ‘that’ added on.  It got complicated.  A crow flew over our heads. 

"How about I follow that crow?"

"Follow the snow," she said half-assertively and half-humorously.

So I followed the crow, and after making two turns the crow was just waiting, like a guide, perched on a street lamp post.  On the second flight, he led me to the trail.  "Caw! Caw!"

Today, in Winnipeg, I found myself at an entrance of the Sentier Bois-des-Esprits, or the trail of the woodland/forest spirits.  This well-worn path is majorly blessed with stones (not asphalt), is off-white in colour, and has many sub-trails adjoined to it, muddy and dark.  Deer are aplenty here, yet it appears that the grey owl dominates.  It can be heard but not seen.  At least a couple of pedestrians and I both stood, looked above to see if we could spot the source of the spooky sound.  "Hoo Hoo Hooooo!"

My trekking today came after much prep-work with Vrnda and Daniel for organizing an upcoming leader's meeting in British Columbia, and it occurred just before night-fall.  The entire day was over-cast except for a mere seven minutes when the sun was just about to set.  It spread this red glow over the tree tops to enhance the moment.  Birches, oaks and other forest beauties had captured a touch of warmth before darkness put them to bed.

May the Source be with you!
5 km

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