Having been on the go so much I decided I’d take the next couple of days to relax and spend time with my family. Being out west I don’t see them as often as I’d like to and seeing them all once more is a real treat. As usual Winnie was the little celebrity, winning the hearts of everyone she met.
My brothers and I decided we would all go for a hike together one day and set off to explore a waterfall in Hamilton. The trail took us through the woods, a sunlit canopy of leaves high above sheltering us from the blazing sun. Norman had brought his dog Jarlaxle, both him and Winnie ran through the brush together as they played about, covering themselves in burrs. This would haunt me a bit later and I spent around 4 hours picking them all out of her fur.
The journey took us to Felker’s Falls, a natural wonder among the tall cliffs that surrounded it. We stayed for a bit, taking turns going behind the falls and appreciating the scenery before returning to the trail once more as we set off back towards the vehicles.
Norman was going camping later on so we said our goodbyes and Jesse and I decided we’d venture to see another waterfall. The trek took us to Sherman Falls. A short walk and we’d arrived at the waterfall where we decided to climb up for a better look. It was a peaceful area, shaded and calm. We sat down and enjoyed the view. With the rest of the day ahead of us we went back to Jesse’s place and spent the rest of the day hanging out.
The next day I got to meet my niece Xayleia once again. It always makes me feel old when I see how fast kids grow and Jesse’s daughter had grown quite a bit, now sharing her creative thoughts in abundance for us to listen to. A wild little monkey she climbed about on the doorways and danced around, it reminded me of my own childhood being an energetic youngster.
While in Brantford I reached out to another old friend I hadn’t seen in years, my friend Deanna. We had spent countless hours together as teenagers, having been apart for so many years we had plenty to share with one another as we caught up. I realized I’d missed her quite a bit as we talked, we had both lived such different and unique lives that it was fascinating hearing one another’s stories, sharing our lives with its various ups and downs among the many adventures we had taken. It came to say goodbye and although it was tough, not knowing when I’d see her again, we gave each other a hug and went our separate ways.
My parents spend a lot of time working on their garden, a pretty awesome hobby as it keeps them on their feet in the golden years. The product of their labor is a beautiful property full of vibrant flowers that brings a colorful decoration to their home.
The rest of the time in Brantford was spent mostly with my immediate family, relaxing and enjoying one another’s conversation. I don’t know when I’ll see them again so I made sure to enjoy the time I had before setting off towards the next adventure.
