The Arboretum

Amidst the concrete jungles of our day to day; between the Home Depots and the Walmarts; just past the Starbucks and the residential compounds that we so proudly and quickly built up, lies a place where the land still remains untouched. A place where you can still wander and find yourself lost. Follow the proper path and you can navigate yourself to a special spot where the sound of silence, which is to say the total absence of any unnatural occurrence of sound, and you can once again realize that the structures and pillars of our neighbourhoods have taken something away from us, despite our "need" to have them there. Boasting itself as Guelph's best kept secret, The Arboretum, in all its 331 acres and 39-year history, is one place that so easily comes as an example.

By no means am I a man who knows trees, shrubs, greenery or any other type of flora on this Earth. Though I've tried to care for many plants in my past, they always seem to fall victim to my inability to understand what it is they need; I've even managed to kill a cactus, an aloe plant and multiple shoots of bamboo. With all that being said, however, there is no part of me that doesn't appreciate the beauty in the life of a forest. I find the history of a tree to be incredibly captivating in its ability to sustain life and grow in such unique and intricate ways. So when I set out on the first path of today's adventure, I was confident in my experiences to return positive and lasting emotions.

Without knowing which of the many trails to start out on, I inquired with the kind lady behind the information desk just inside the main building. In addition to being approachable and friendly, she was also generous enough to donate thirty minutes of her time in giving me a synopsis and brief history of the area, as well as point me in a direction that she thought to be most rewarding. Heeding her words and not being one to question the likes of experience and knowledge, I began walking towards the Nature Gardens and hiking trail.

I wont dwell on every fine detail of this experience, it is certainly an adventure that one has to take on their own, but I will say that through swamp, field, forest and garden, I could not take in enough of what so much time and patience had awarded me, nor anyone else who has marched along the paths of The Arboretum. There is a certain romance in knowing that life cannot be sped up, that what stands, thrives and lives here now has taken up until this moment to do so.

With all of the natural beauty distracting me, I thought on more than one occasion how disoriented the maze-like paths had made me, with more forks in the road and more "which way" decisions to make than one visit could possibly fit in, I can certainly see myself returning soon, only to a different point of departure. It should also not go without mention that with a place relying on the tides of new each season and each year's completely unique and complex weather patterns, I can see how no two visits would ever be the same.

Now, with that in mind, there are a couple of things that I would do to more wisely prepare myself before heading back out, and, likewise, a few suggestions I would make to you as you make your trek into the woods.

First: bring some form of mosquito repellent. The little buggers are big, plentiful and nasty, I itch and scratch now between almost every key stroke.

Second: pack a lunch. There are more picnic areas, resting places, open fields and benches than I can realistically count, so it seems the perfect place to bring the Ouderkirk and Taylor alfresco basket I was talking about not too long ago.

And finally: pack along some binoculars. Now, there are two reasons for this suggestion. As you may have guessed it, there are an abundance of wildlife denizens throughout the area. Everything from butterflies, birds, rabbits, groundhogs, deer, fox and who only knows what else live in the forested areas, and I think that being able to see them from afar as they graze, without startling their state of being would be a great side of things to observe. Further to that, and on a note that may only apply to the foolish actions of yours truly, I'd recommend the spectacles for another reason entirely.

See, I believe strongly in heading off the beaten track. By sticking to the road well travelled, it seems to me that you will more than likely only see what is expected to be seen, but when you veer off on your own, there is a whole world of reward and opportunity awaiting. Unfortunately, with that there is also a world which may not be so welcoming. So, when I see something in the middle of the woods that looks odd and out of place, I think to myself "Hmmmm, I wonder what that could be?" and when I approach nearer the object of my keen interest and realize that it's only a sign constructed at the hands of man, I might then say "Oh, it's just a sign, no importance, I should just turn around and get back on the trail" or, I could say "Hmmmm, I wonder what it says?" And when I reach the sign, which faces the other direction, and I work may way around the shrubbery that has overgrown the sign which now clearly has no purpose than to intrigue your narrator, only to see the faded lettering of 'Poison Ivy Ahead' I may say to myself "What the !*&# do you mean ahead? Ahead is the way I just came from!"

So you see, had I been playing closer attention, or had my binoculars handy, then maybe I would not have been standing and trekking through a field of the horrible plant that I've been taught since such a young age to avoid. I don't know just yet if the oils have affected me, it may not show for a couple days still, a period of time in which I will live in constant question, but I beg of you not to let my my experience and naivety scare you away. I would still do it again, refusing to believe that the path always followed is the only way to get where your going, it just may be the path less itchy.

So, having explored much of the area and learning quite a bit as I did, I returned to the desk of the kind lady who started me out on my adventure and I thanked her for my experience. Before leaving she loaded me up with information, pamphlets, brochures, maps and the promise of my return. This place, as she advised and I have witnessed, is a great place to simply stroll for an afternoon, get lost for an hour or to set up a picture perfect wedding ceremony. It is open year-round, so enjoy what the rest of the Summer has to offer, explore the multitude of colour it gives in the Fall, cross country ski on its trails in the Winter and take advantage of the fresh new beginnings of the Spring by stepping foot inside The Arboretum in Guelph. In addition, you can also sign up for one of their many guided tours, join a weekly class, play on their disc golf course or just meander slowly down a newly discovered trail. No matter what you do, every time you do it, it will be a whole new experience.

The Arboretum in Guelph

Access off both College Avenue and Victoria Road

Free admission year-round

http://www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum/index.htm

PS In conclusion to my post-script on the previous blog, I have done some investigating as to why there were so many uniformed officers outside my building the other night. I know that many of you were expecting some ultra-dramatic climax, admittedly so was I, and perhaps my baited choice of words had implied such a thing; but, and I'm happy to say, there isn't one to deliver. In many stories and movies we hope for something shocking and extreme to take us into the epilogue, but when it comes to real life situations, those are exactly the scenarios we should like, wish and hope to avoid. And so when I found out that they were responding to an escalated domestic situation, to which they arrived in time to prevent any dire or brutal Hollywood ending, I was happy, relieved and comfortable again in my home.