Let’s Take A Walk

I’ve lived in New England for over thirty years, and so I’ve seen the seasons come and go. I’ve seen the leaves change. I go through my days saying, “oh, pretty” and then moving along. Yet every October there’s one day that stops me in my tracks. The beauty of it all can not be ignored. It is so gorgeous that it affects me physically, like a musical passage that goes straight from your ears into your core. Yesterday was one of those days.

The field across from my house doesn’t have sharp, brilliant colors, but it does have light that comes in low and warm.

The path into the woods is lined with pine needles.

Further in the trail is carpeted with fallen leaves.

Look around at your feet and find moss and fungus.

The woods glow in the afternoon light shining through the leaves, like stained glass.

Look up.

Not too long ago these woods were fields, with grazing animals. The trees are not that old, some fifty, some eighty years old. But a few pines have been here longer than that.

Walk out along the stone wall, a remnant of those farming days. Now ferns and wild grapes soften the edge of the field.

It was a short walk and we are back home.

Today it is clouding up and the light isn’t glowing through the leaves. The wind is blowing and a freeze is expected. This landscape is ephemeral. Still, it is lovely out. I’m going to declare today a “too beautiful to work” holiday and take the dogs  far into the woods all the way to the Hemlock Forest. When I come home I’ll get down the box of winter gloves and scarves. We’ll be needing those soon.

 

Comments:

  1. That’s beautiful Terry, thanks for sharing. I noticed the little white chicken is hovering in the corner of the hen house. Is she OK?

    • Betsy is going through an uncomfortable molt. Bare skin and pin feathers coming in. I think that she’s feeling sorry for herself.

      • Poor Betsy, I don’t suppose she is a hen that would mind you removing the feateher casings off some of her pin feathers. I know some hens like it and others don’t. Or putting in another cat litter box with sand, ash and diatomaceous earth just for her to take a dirt bath in.

  2. Thanks for sharing the lovely pictures and story. It makes me miss the change of seasons I experienced growing up in Wisconsin. Here in southern California we go from hot and dry to cool and wet and most trees stay green.

  3. Isnt new england the best. I have lived here all of my 54 years and never want to live anywhere else. Each season has its pros and cons, spring, new life but muddy, summer, fresh produce but hot and humid, fall no cons just beautiful, winter, peaceful and pretty, freezing.

  4. So beautiful! See that lichen on the rocks? (I think it’s lichen, not sure of the organism) Long ago, before digital cameras, we took pictures of lichen on rocks like those with a macro lens. Another spectacular world right there, just on those rocks! Life on earth is so amazing. It’s good to stop and take it in now and then. Thanks for the beautiful pictures and the reminder to look at this beauty before it fades to snow….which of course is another beautiful canvas…

    • Yes, it is lichen. I’ve always wanted to be a fabric designer and would do a collection based on lichen, rocks and bark. Wouldn’t that be lovely?

      • OMG yes! And you’d have to include leaves! We walk the battlefield in VA quite a bit, and you know how oak leaves congregate on the path and make the most amazing designs?

  5. That was very beautiful and refreshing! I’m also in Southern CA, and we just got cooler evenings and rainfall this week. It looks a lot more like fall in December…

    By the way, I was wondering why it is important to clear white pine seedlings? Has there been trouble with white pine in your area? Or is it just to keep the pasture clear?

  6. Thank you for the daily gentle therapy break. Your pictures are so calming and peaceful. I know you love and appreciate all you enjoy around you, and thanks for sharing with us.

  7. Beautiful photos. They really capture the autumn season and the changing colors. I’m sure you and the dogs enjoyed your scenic walk. What a great way to spend the day.

  8. How fortunate you are to be able to just walk across the road and into a beautiful new world!! Thanks again for sharing I’ll bet the lichen would make a lovely dye bath for wool.

  9. Thanks for bringing us along on the woods stroll. As a longtime West Coaster, I always thought the whole ‘fall color in New England’ thing was exaggerated. Then I visited family in western Massachusetts during leaf season and spent my entire time there with my jaw dropped and my heart stopped, gazing at the amazing explosion of beauty, light and color. I’m not sure I could put up with the spring and summer weather, but oh gosh, the fall is really something else. I also love all the old stone walls and disappearing fields. It is amazing how quickly the old farms and cleared areas have reverted to woods since the decline of early settlements and subsistence farming. Apparently the Spirit of New England wants trees.

  10. So much beauty to behold. I know just what you mean about that one special day. We cannot travel to New England this year so thank you so much for this journey.
    Rebecca