A walk with mom...

On Mother's Day, after our visit with my Grandma, my mom and I took the dogs down to Tod Inlet.

The trails lead you down through the woods to a pretty inlet which used to be a cement factory in the early 1900's.

It was part of a limestone quarry which now holds the world famous Buchart Gardens.

Along the way you pass by remnants of the factory. I believe this would have been part of a pipeline that brought water up from the creek...

Down the trail you go where shells of old storage sheds appear...

The original smoke stack from the cement factory still looms in the distance.

There was a small industry town built here where migrant Chinese workers lived in tiny shacks.

Years ago before it was a park, we would come down and find old bottles, coins and dishes in the woods.

Others lived here as well in bigger houses where only foundations survive today.

Lilacs which were planted long ago have now gone wild and scent the air on these warm spring days...

And funky old maples line the path...

A few of the storage sheds are still in place, although time is starting to camoflauge them...

There are piles of these cement pilons stacked in areas near the water.

Some were still in the Inlet as part of a large wharf for moving the cement onto barges...

The boxes on top of the wood pilons are part of a program to bring back the Purple Martin, a large swallow. 

Looks like a great day for kayaking!

A few Trilliums are still in bloom as well as this rare Pink Lady's Slipper orchid...

The Inlet is now a Provincial Marine park and many boaters moor here in these quiet, sheltered waters....

So the dogs had fun, we had fun, the weather was gorgeous...all in all I would say a perfect day!

When we got back to my mom's, my dad treated us with pizza, wine and a bouquet of carnations for me...

How sweet!