Perfect

It had been far too long since our last escape from city life and with the weather being more than you could ask for in terms of beautiful this past Sunday, we spontaneously decided to go for a hike.   An easy, but rewarding hike through some forest heading downhill to this river. 

Along the way, we spotted some flowers which signalled a search,

which led to some forest grown snacks.  Nothing beats the melt in your mouth sweetness of sun warmed, wild strawberries!

Our timing coincided with the most extravagant show of wildflowers I have seen.  It's not uncommon in Western Canada to spot the wild Alberta rose.  I actually had a wild rose bush in the backyard of the first house we lived in, back in British Columbia, making it very easy for me to gather rose petals, rose buds and even rose hips to use. This particular rose has a cleverly camouflaged resident - a crab spider waiting for unwary prey (can you see him?).

Unlike the wild rose, this wild lily was a surprising find.  I was telling my sons that it has been years, (when I was growing up in Saskatchewan), since I last spotted one and what a rarity they have become.  Next thing I know,  along the way into our hike, we encounter a glade that was the home for at least a dozen of these blooming beauties.  I was thrilled!

So many species of flowers were showing their colours, that it was a feast for the eyes, everywhere I looked.

There was such variety, such colour that I felt as if I'd been given a glorious gift.

I hardly took more than a couple of steps, before I was stopping to photograph some new flower I spotted (I was testing the patience of my fellow hikers with all my photo stops - they were keen to get to the river).

I took more than 70 photos on our little hike (not all were of flowers ;o).  Once we arrived at the river, we spent time exploring its shores.  Frogs were found (it doesn't matter how old my sons get, their curiousity to find creatures remains unabated) and my youngest even crossed paths with a wayward baby bird. After a quick photoshoot, this little wanderer was set free to reunite with his momma.

We also found perfect spots to rest and test the water with bare toes (the water was waaaaaaay too cold for any wading).  It was refreshing and a deliciously beautiful place to relax.

This is what some of our route to the river looked like. When alerted to the fact I wanted to take this picture, (how cool is a slope covered with wildflowers as a setting?) my family purposely stepped behind trees.

Instead of trail blazing for our return trip, we actually walked a trail that paralleled the river.  Lo and behold, great portions of the trail were surrounded by the most lush showings of wildflowers.

Just click on the above photo to see more clearly this snippet of wildflower (and red clover) abundance. 

 Nature's flower beds not only looked resplendent, the scent was every bit as sweet as can be imagined.  It was perfect.