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We strolled for a time behind this couple along the Mer Bleue Bog boardwalk this weekend. The larch (tamarack) trees were at their most vibrant yellow, the sky was the bluest of blue, and of course, the young woman's camel-coloured coat so perfect against this backdrop of fiery golden yellows, earth tones and blue. It was a most glorious day :)

“Mer Bleue provides a unique opportunity to see a northern boreal landscape located within minutes of a large city. This 7,700-year-old bog provides habitat for many species of regionally rare and significant plants, birds and other wildlife. It also supports plant and wildlife populations that are typical of northern boreal bogs.” (1).

“Mer Bleue Bog is one of the largest bogs in southern Ontario and arguably the most important natural area in the Greenbelt. Ecologically, Mer Bleue is an especially valuable example of a northern ecosystem — more typical of the Arctic than the Ottawa Valley — and it has been designated an internationally significant wetland under the United Nations' Ramsar Convention. The most striking feature of the area is the bog mat itself, a “sea” of deep, saturated peat overtopped by open heath and stunted to moderate-sized black spruce and tamarack trees. The mat is home to a variety of plants, some of which are rare, but almost all exhibit unusual characteristics enabling them to survive in the demanding environment. Those interested in education can stroll around the 1.2-km interpretive trail on a boardwalk that crosses a peat bog, while those wishing exercise may hike up to 6-km through forest on the edge of a sandy escarpment.” (2).

Sources: (1) <a href="http://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places/mer-bleue" rel="noreferrer nofollow">ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places/mer-bleue</a>