Westmount Park on a wintery Saturday evening- the park’s gazebo and the “comfort station”.   For many years the city employed a person to look after this building.  For budgetary reasons, the position was eliminated in the 1970s – along with those of 3 municipal firemen. The last employee (missed by the parents) was treated to party organized by the local residents.

Beautiful moon beams made the park appear quite magical during our evening dog walk.

Following a (very) long period of overcast skies – the sun emerged, early Sunday morning, offering spectacular views of the mountain and the park.

 A version of this article appeared in the Westmount Independent – March 2, 2016

One of our favourite movies during the holiday season is “A Charlie Brown Christmas” – although produced in 1965 it has stood the test of time and become a season classic. In one scene, Charlie Brown hangs a single glass ornament on the spindly Christmas tree he brought home causing it to bend.  He remarks: “I’ve killed it. Oh! Everything I touch gets ruined.”

I have often wondered if Westmount Park contains a pine tree, similar to the one depicted in the movie.

As luck may have it, during our many walks through the park, I have noticed a pine tree that very closely resembles the one depicted in the movie.   With its tall and spindly shape, it can be easily overlooked in its location near the lagoon south of the clay tennis courts.

This particular tree is a Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana) also known as: scrub pine, gray pine, Banksian pine, black pine, and in within Canada, princess pine or Hudson Bay pine. Interestingly, its scientific name honors Sir Joseph Banks – the British naturalist who also arranged Captain William Bligh’s expedition to Tahiti on the HMS Bounty – a voyage that ended with a mutiny.

Jack pines are native to the north-eastern states and across Canada – in fact, their northern latitude extends further than any other American pine.

They are easily identified by their long needles, in bundles of two, and their unique shape caused by a twist from base to tip. In addition, they are the sole pine species containing cones that twist at their tips. These cones can remain closed for many years.  Normally, forest fires result in the opening of the cones causing the distribution of seeds on the ash bed.

Next time you pass by this lonely-looking pine, remember Linus Van Pelt’s description: “I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It’s not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love.”

Walking through the park on a (very) cold Friday evening – the outdoor skating rink has been flooded and is “open for business”!

Westmount Park during an exceptionally mild winter morning.

Westmount Park covered with a blanket of fresh snow.

Another New Year – for some reason, the years are starting  to pass by far  too quickly.  Perhaps it is because of our  current  Gregorian calendar – adopted in the 1500s – that needs an update!

Now that winter has (finally) arrived – it provides a new “medium” for pictures.  This is sample from our evening walk. Our dog was very excited to see the freshly fallen snow!