Buffalo gal Lena leads Elk Island trek
Nora and Glen celebrate 30 years of marriage with nature walk
One dog, two hats, four ducks and several ponds full of frogs helped Nora and me celebrate 30 years of marriage on May 25. We marked the day by attending morning Mass, walking in Elk Island National Park and enjoying East Indian food for dinner before collapsing on our respective couches for some post-supper shut eye.
The dog was Lena, our seven-month-old pooch, who prefaced our hike by roughhousing with another dog for several minutes before sniffing and sauntering her way along our 12-kilometre stroll at Elk Island. The highlight of Lena’s walk was the discovery of a bison rib shortly after we had finished lunch.
When Mama and Papa disapproved of her intent to bring the bone with us and together captured that rib and tossed it away, Lena was not pleased. “If I can’t have the bone, I’ll eat bison poop the rest of the way back to the car,” she resolved. Who knows what the result of that will be?
Nora and Glen had already implemented their decision to buy each other Tilley hats as anniversary presents. Better to keep the sun out of our eyes and reduce the sunburns. Tuesday was the first time we wore our hats together, and the purchases were deemed a success.
Our first encounter with some mallards came early in our trek when we spotted a pair swimming peacefully in a slough in the thick of the forest. Much later, we were startled when another pair flew squawking out of their nest in a tree as we passed by.
We encountered frogs intermittently singing their springtime serenade in full one-part harmony at several points on our journey. What a treat for the senses!
That was about it for wildlife on our four-hour walk on a 14C afternoon at the national park just a short drive east of Edmonton. Oh sure, there were flies, dragonflies, coots and numerous other birds, but none of the moose, bear and elk for which the park is famous. The only bison we saw were from our vehicle. At calving season, that is just as well. We had no desire for a skirmish with a mama bison.
Our only close call with large wildlife came at Elk Island the summer after we married. After we had spotted a mama moose and her youngster feeding in a slough, the mother stumbled upon us a few minutes later in the thick brush. Good thing moose cannot see well. Nora hid behind one tree and I ducked behind another, and the confused mother went crashing through the forest.
Since then, we’ve enjoyed numerous enjoyable walks, hikes and even a Camino through France and Spain with no threatening wildlife encounters. Nora remains a strong hiker, but my arthritic knees and weight gain have slowed me down.
The pandemic of the last year has been a trial – or more – for many people, but for Nora and me, it has brought a deeper relationship. As well as coping with the pandemic restrictions, I have retired, and Nora has been laid off from her job. We now see a lot more of each other than previously.
About 175 people attended our wedding at St. Joseph’s Basilica and reception at Edmonton’s Polish Hall that cloudy day in 1991. But a marriage is more than a wedding, and mostly a marriage boils down to two people living day to day and building a family, in our case, with four lovely daughters who now live outside Alberta. There’s lots of tenderness and celebration too, but if you cannot muddle through the meshing of two different personalities, the romance doesn’t carry far.
To date, with the help of God and family and friends, we’ve muddled pretty well. It seems like the best times are just beginning. It also helps when we find a day of small joys with Lena, the buffalo gal, a few ducks and masses of frogs which outnumber the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Buffalo gal Lena leads Elk Island trek
Congratulations to you and Nora. Kudos on the Camino as well. My wife and daughter did the Spanish leg three years ago.
Congratulations to you both! Lee and I join you in the 30 years club in July. Sounds like you had a really lovely anniversary celebration! Here's to another 30!