Some Guelph graffiti

Guelph's most remarkable graffiti is getting old. These shots were taken Friday at lunchtime in the rain, which is all we got from Isabel. The first one seems especially appropriate as we're approaching an Ontario provincial election on October 2.

Hike along the Eramosa

I realize this looks similar to the last picture of Danny, but it's how I'm getting used to seeing him, a camera to his eye whenever I let him out of my reach.

Yesterday morning we walked downtown and visited the farmers market, unexpectedly meeting several friends from my choir. Last night Les drove us to the Robin's Nest, a wonderfully peculiar gay and lesbian bar in Cambridge, where we saw more people I know. Jon brought someone he met several weeks aog, Robert, who coincidentally lives in the same Toronto neighbourhood as Danny.

Today we hiked out of town for two hours, pausing to hold one another in a quiet, grassy place under a willow beside the Eramosa River. These fine September days are numbered, and I was pleased to share one of the last of them with Danny.

I was delighted when he spotted a smooth green snake after I practically stepped on it. I had never seen one before. It started to slither away. Then, reluctant to move off the warm, sunny trail, it stopped for some portraits. Danny's will undoubtedly turn out better, but I couldn't resist posting one below the cut. Apologies to anyone who is ophidiophobic, but I think snakes are fascinating, beautiful creatures, and Opheodrus vernalis is particularly elegant. I get thrills from spotting new plant and animals species, so indulge me.

Next we spotted a flying bug, which I might have ignored if Danny hadn't asked whether it was a dragonfly. It had an ungainly flutter, its long wings shining in the sunglight. It turned out to be a preying mantis.

I appreciated the company of someone so observant in territory familiar to me but not to him. The long walk tired him out. After a late lunch, Danny zonked out for a couple hours.



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