Kirkfield Excursion

A chance encounter put me on an irrational trail yesterday … and its been a lot of unjustifiable fun.

While visiting the Art Gallery of Peterborough I asked the opinion of the only other person in the exhibition, Theresa. That conversation led to others and it was a great talk which inspired. Since we had run the gambit of topics, Theresa made a recommendation before we said goodbye—I should look for rocks in Kirkfield sometime. Before leaving town, I found Kirkfield on a map, and realized that it was an additional hour-and-a-half in the opposite direction from home. So, I sat at the last stop light out of town feeling a strong pull to be, “foolish”.

vanDonkelaar_kirkfield-3

I went to Kirkfield. Yes, I had better things to do and no promise of any success, but there was sunshine and I wanted to move within the ebb and flow of the day’s unfolding. After arriving at the local Lift Lock, I scoured the pile of rocks that had been blasted to make the canal under a bright blue sky. I found fossils, iridescent pebbles, and rusty bits of slag (I think …); nothing that will make pigment colour, but treasures nevertheless.

While the conversations, travel, and exploration were all nourishing yesterday, it was the choice to do something joyful and unjustifiable that really set the day apart. Coming home after dark to family and dinner was all the more delicious because of it.

1 thought on “Kirkfield Excursion”

Leave a comment