Drowning in a river, drowning in a river of tears ~ Eric Clapton

Sadly I have found myself in that dark place once again. A place I had worked so hard to leave just a few years past.  In just a few short months I have gone from being the happiest I'd ever been, to the depth of despair. I'm not sure why I'm sharing this, because I don't know for certain that anyone is reading this blog.  At any rate, I seem to plod along through each day searching for both my purpose, and things to be grateful for.  I know full well the many things and people to be thankful for.  As for my purpose it escapes me yet.  My whole life, the one dream I've had, that has meant so much, has been that I might be someone's special companion, someone's mom, someone's partner to grow old with.  As more than half my life has passed me by, my dreams too, escape me.  Oh, I had given up on being a mom to anything other than cats and dogs a long time ago.  Sometimes I weep for not having a child of my own, but I've accepted that now.  But to live so long without the comfort, reassurance, love and all that goes along with "good" relationships, it's been a long hard way.  I think one special person comes along during a lifetime, someone you connect with on all levels.  I have had two such people come through my life, one has been unobtainable, the other just cast me off only a month ago.

I'm trying to get back to the person I was before this recent blow.  Evvy and I are returning to the woods more often, the one sure place I feel comfortable.  As far as I can see, the world out there has gone bad, the people, the environment, the politics, the economy, just everything.  I spend way too much time alone, I did it before all this.  Nevertheless I know who I can rely on, it 's been me all along.  I should think I won't give up my power to another person again.  My footing precarious but moving forward.

Fine Finish to an Early Spring Day

Despite the forecast for rain, the day remained dry.   However, my day started out with a cold shower!  My ancient water heater finally gave up the ghost.  I'm wondering if this is payback, for buying my awesome new camera.  My motorcycle has been stuck in the mud outside the shed, for two days now.  I had left it out one night.  The next day, the motorcycle sunk up to the rims.  I couldn't budge it.  So my sister and family came up today to help, easily pushing the bike back into the shed.   

 

I worked a late shift last night as a security guard at Cheshire Medical Center, until 2:30 a.m.  I haven't worked a night shift for a while.  It had been a lonely slow night walking the deserted hallways, and dark offices.  Then around 10:30 p.m.  the intoxicated people started arriving in various states of inebriation.  They rolled in right up until I went off shift.  All decidedly remorseful for their overindulgence.  The facial expressions are universal, a blank stare at anything. The occasional switch, or jolt, trying not to puke.  Some had trash bags around their necks like giant bibs.  If they let fly, none of the mess got on their clothes, it all went into the bag...ingenious.

Funny, watching people wheeled in with trashbags around their necks, made me think of big kids getting ready to be fed in a giant high chair.  These big kids were just as vulnerable and needy as babies.  It was both amusing, and disgusting at the same time.  What was most disturbing was to see a teenager come in, maybe more intoxicated than any who had arrived.

He had lost control of "both ends" stinking up the whole ECC.  I wondered what the future held for this person.

Anyhooo, this evening I took Evvy up on Watkins Hill where the cows will soon be grazing. Evvy dashed all around the pastural hill, stopping often to sniff the aged cow flops.  As we walked back home, I was awestruck by the brilliant colors of a gorgeous sunset.  The photo I took is looking west, obviously down County Rd.

Morning Walk with Evvy

Evvy and I went for an early morning walk last Friday. We hadn't really ventured far over the winter. So I drove up over the Whipple Hill Rd to see what was new. I took my fabulous new Nikon D3000 camera. A purchase I surely can't afford, but gave to myself as a gift for an hellacious couple or three weeks prior. I looked for artistic compositions in everything. Evvy was content to run around smelling the spring time smells. To her it must have been like being a kid in a candy store. I could hear Tom Turkeys gobbling in the distance. I called to them, but my hen call seems to have been more of a strangled cat sound. Needless to say, no Turkeys came our way.

We continued down the old Rapids Road, now just accessible by snowmobiles, ATV and four wheel drives. Only the slightest bit of snow and ice remain. Evvy took full advantage of any melting snow she could find. She loves to roll and slide herself along the snow like an Otter.
Pretty funny actually.

There is a stream that runs from Whipple Hill down to Rapids Rd. Just past the sand pit entrance, I followed the stream back up hill. There is what appears to be an old dam. With the spring run-off, a beautiful waterfall had been created over the stones. I got some great close-ups of moss, and evergreen ferns. I must have taken close to 50 photos. I couldn't wait to return home and check the pictures out on my computer. 

After Evvy had sufficiently smelled the smells, chased chipmunks, and eat nasty things, she headed for the truck. I heard Red-Winged Blackbirds, and now I am sure Spring has sprung.
I have started seeds of Tomatoes, Burpless cucumbers, Basil, Rosemary, Lemon balm, and a flower I don't remember the name of. My little seedlings are already sprouted, and will soon have to be transplanted to pea pots. That is if the cats don't eat them, I may actually have some good plants to put out after last frost.

Snowmobiling? Go south

If you want to go snowmobiling, you'll have to go south! That's right, all the snow is in the mid-altlantic states. Up here in in Walpole, there has been no new snow. Evvy and I have been able to take ours hikes with no snowshoes or skiis. Each time I go out I make a point of looking for wonders of one sort of another. Last weekend, Evvy and I were up on Derry Hill, the Galloway property. I decided to follow a well worn deer path, then I was distracted by another set. Evvy was running through the trees and broken tree limbs on the ground. She was in her own little world. We were at the edge of a recently cleared piece of land. Looking to the north, a small log cabin with few amenities, is habited by one of the reclusive Galloways. No electricity, no running water.

Anyway, Evvy and I walked the edge of the field to keep out of the gusty wind. Even though the recent days have been filled bright sunshine, the wind reminds us that it is still winter. As Evvy contented herself by eating frozen kibble(deer skat), she completely missed the Snowshoe hare bounding away from us. I was lucky to have seen it, because they are nearly all white this time of year. There was no chance of taking a photo of this beauty, he was way too fast. So I borrowed the picture above, from the internet.

Evvy and I took another hike on Sunday, up Sheep Hill. The view from there is spectacular, facing Bellows Falls, VT. You can see several ski areas, and hear the trains that stop in Bellows Falls. Once again we tried to stay in the woods as much as possible because the wind was blowing quite hard. We did not see any creatures, but tons of tracks. Mostly deer and coyote. It's funny I see coyote tracks in abundance in some places, and barely any in other locations. The southern slopes with White Pines, and recent logging seem to be attractive for the coyotes, turkey and deer. The snowshoe hare seem to prefer thicker stands of young white pines, with branches low to the ground. They also like the brambles and downed hemlocks to hide in. I don't see quite as much coyote traffic in the deeper woods, but more deer. The deer like to yard up in the thicker woods, upslope. I have found many deer yards with anatomically correct, melted beds.

I haven't found a single shed, and always wonder if Evvy will find one for me. Usually in the spring, Evvy will run ahead and return with various deer bones. Once she found an entire deer leg!

Bayport Inn

The Bayport Inn isn't your ordinary Inn. It's a biker, tourist bar & grill.
The place is owned by a local doctor!
Sure there are the usual Harleys, but there is also an awesome view of the marshes, and of course the bar cats. This is but one of two we saw. We sat on the back deck in glorious warm sunshine! The art here is different, a stiff fisherman in his rowboat and "Neverude" outboard. There is a small channel just below the deck. The tide was out so we could see small crabs scurrying around on the mud. The wading birds were everywhere, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egrets, Little Blue, and Cattle Egrets scouring the marsh for their lunch.

I enjoyed a yummy fish sandwich, with fries of course. Then on to the Bayport fishing pier where we watched the Skimmers, and Royal Terns
argue over a Needle Fish. I caught the skimmer as he was just taking off. Out by the bay, it was much cooler even in full sun. Nevertheless, beautiful to take in on the last day of my vacation.
Tomorrow I'm back to dial-up, freezing cold & ice, and work. That is the cruel reality of the return to New Hampshire. But I will return to the sunny south again and again.

Armadillos & Sandhill Cranes

I did get to Starkey Park on my bike this afternoon. I was fortunate to have a deer walk across the bike path, ever so slowly. The whitetails are much smaller here. The deer I saw today was probably no more than sixty pounds, but beautiful nonetheless. Then I saw a Curulean Warbler! What a brilliant sight he was, in his blue-green finery. I saw several other warblers but couldn't get close enough to I.D. Many, many Armadillos. I took this short clip of a larger Armadillo.

The temperature was in the sixties at the start of my ride, but in the fifties on my return. I don't know if my skin is sunburned, wind-burned, or frostbit! I was in shorts the entire time.

On the ride back I saw a man entering the bike path from a nearby parking lot. He had a small Cairn Terrier with him on a leash. The little dog had a choke collar on. I witnessed this man swing the dog by the neck like a rag doll. The dog swung out ahead of the man, then to the ground. The man then noticed me, and pretended to give a rat's ass about the dog. I was livid. The man's girlfriend then emerged, and I wondered if she had any idea what a creep her boyfriend was. I wanted to turn around and tell her, but I restrained myself.

I collected my thoughts and continued along my way. As I got closer to the park entrance I found a pair of Sandhill Cranes relaxing. One was resting on its heels! Quite amusing really.

It's Getting Warmer

Finally! It's warmer out this morning than it has been in many days. I will enjoy taking a bike ride through JB Starkey park later on. Yesterday I ventured into the park for a hike. In the sun, I fell to the temptation of laying down on the soft sand and sucking in the Vitamin D. Perfect. After a while, I got up albeit alittle dazed from the hypnotic affects that basking can bring. My goal was to find sleeping snakes, but I never did find any. Instead, I found this peculiar fungus on many of the trees, from Live Oaks, to Cypress. I had not seen this fungus before, and wondered if it was something new to the area. I did find several small Armadillos rooting around the Saw Palmettos. They were however too fast for me to capture on film. Usually they are much slower, or I am much faster. I saw a wren, and heard several warblers. My birding skills are not honed well enough to know all the sounds, so I can't always identify the bird by its song. However, I can tell the difference between warbler songs, and say a Catbird, or a Red Wing Blackbird.

These Hooded Mergansers were swimming on the pond behind my mom's house. They have been coming to the pond every day. Note that the males are rallying for the females attention. These guys would to do a funny thing with their crests, raising and lowering their heads in a funky, jerky stretch.These are Cypress trees, large exposed roots plunging into the water. This area provides many artistic opportunites for photography, or painting, mmmm perhaps I will be inspired to create a watercolor.

Now for the bad news many animals have died this week due to the continued cold. Sea Turtles, Manatees, and thousands of fish have washed up on local shores. Strawberry and Kumquat crops have been decimated. A very sad state of affairs here in Florida.

Here are the Red-Shouldered Hawks

Here are the pair of hawks I mentioned in the earlier post for today. Today turned out to be just a bit warmer, into the 50's. I went to the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa. A great place to bring kids, or to just be a kid at heart. Lots of hands-on stuff to do. There are also some great films shown in the Imax theaters at MOSI. Tomorrow should be even warmer, so I'm hoping to get out to JB Starkey park to explore the natural environment there.

It feels like Winter in Florida

For the last several days, Florida has been in a deep freeze. Records are being set, crops, and animals that are used to warmer climes, are dying. I have been wearing a down vest over a fleece jacket or sweatshirt everywhere I go. Even inside the Tampa Aquarium! Most places here have no heat. Homes are heated with electricity or fireplaces. There have been many incidents of house fires due to folks being unfamiliar with what we would consider basic fire precautions. One family had their charcoal grill going in the livingroom! The house burned down. "Here's your sign". The sun is shining brightly today, but it is deceiving, for the temperature outside is about 40 degrees, maybe. There are a pair of Red Shouldered Hawks outside the kitchen window. Their feathers are "poofed" to help insulate them from the cold. My mom says this pair has been together for years. They have remained in the area and frequently come to the backyard pond for fish, or vulnerable land creatures. Many of the amphibias creatures have hunkered down in the mud, including the alligators, turtles, and frogs. I haven't seen a single Florida Anole since I arrived. They are under leaves, or other insulated dark places. Frankly, my wanderings here have been very uneventful so far. But the weather will become warmer again, hopefully before I head back north. I love to take hikes/bikes through the JB Starkey Park nearby. When I do, I'll be sure to look much closer for birds, and other creatures that have been hiding from the cold.

Thanksgiving Moose

Yesterday I was completely blessed to see a young bull moose like this one(courtesy of vividlight.com. I wouldn't have known he was standing outside my kitchen door, except Evvy was going out of her mind. Evvy saw, or heard, or smelled the moose, then went nuts.....more so than usual. So, I looked out my bedroom window and down to the small space between the house and my shed. There he was. I was amazed. He stood there, presumably listening to Evvy barking next to me. After pausing, he ambled down my driveway, and into the road.
And what is with moose standing in the road? It's like they have a death wish. Anyway, there was no traffic at the moment. I attempted to take a picture of him from my livingroom window. But the flash on my camera was "on". The flash reflected back, at me. I haven't uploaded the photo yet. I suspect the picture is less than noteworthy. In any case, the moose finally jumped the short stone wall across the road. He walked right up the steeped part of the hill, and into the fog. One other lucky person saw the moose. A lone vehicle eastbound on the road stopped to watch. I thought, I am so thankful to continue having such great wildlife sightings lately.

Three Bear Afternoon

No photo today....just the story. It's the second day of rifle Deer season. Yesterday, I walked to my neighbor's stand, where I found Josie sitting. She had been there since 0445, and hadn't seen a thing. I guess she must have been bored to tears because she talked most of the two hours I sat up there with her. So I decided that afternoon's hunt was a wash. No problem I went with it enjoying the place, and listening to Josie tell her story. Then her husband, came tromping through the woods. Making plenty of noise as he arrived. No surprise, he said he hadn't seen a thing either. We all talked for a minute or two, then he tromped away down the hill to his house. I decided that was enough for me. I bid farewell to Josie, and decided to walk back up the hill to sit for a while. I came across three more hunters! I sat under a long dead maple tree contemplating "Opening Day". I think maybe there are too many hunters out there on opening day, especially when it falls on Veterans Day. Many who have the holiday off, hunt. Too many loaded guns walking through the woods...what could go wrong?

Anyway, today was a different story. I came home from work, and set right out to the same area around Derry Hill. I drive in, park, and walk to a suitable spot. So as I began driving up Derry Hill Rd. I noticed a huge Black Bear in the corn field. Evvy and I often walk that field. We have found many, many, piles of bear skat there. This bear was probably close to 180-200#. When he heard my truck, he stopped munching, and looked up at me. He looked in fine shape, as he made a slow gallop across the field. What a great sight! I was psyched.

Onward, I parked my truck and walked to a spot where I had heard a lot of activity yesterday. I sat down, trying to get comfortable on the bright orange butt warmer. Not ten minutes later, an ATV comes up and over the ski mobile trail. I wondered if it was my neighbor. As she drew closer, I saw the bright orange outfit. I just shook my head in disbelief. Like "what the heck?"

Josie saw me and stopped to tell me she and Larry had been out there all day, and hadn't seen a thing. She said, "Ronnie got an 8-pointer over in Westmoreland". I don't know Ronnie, but anyway. After a few minutes, she headed on down the hill past their stand to her house. I could hear her for many minutes.

Then silence, save for the red squirrels and chickadees. Occasionally, I would do my lame deer bleet sound. I heard something coming my way, and hoped it wasn't my neighbors again :-) No, this sound was different. I was standing at this point, as "it" drew nearer. I thought, this is it! My first deer....ever.

Finally it past the point where the darkness, brush, becomes an open area. Another bear! This bear was smaller than the first, maybe 120#. I stood perfectly still as the bear came closer still.

The bear continued toward me, stopping every third step to sniff, and look around. He came all the way to me. I could easily have kicked him. He just stopped there in front of me, I did not make eye contact lest I give myself away. He looked around, sniffed some more, for several moments. I thought this was the coolest thing ever! I was not the least bit afraid. He turned around and walked back the way he came, stopping now and again for a sniff of the wind. When he was out of sight, and sound, I sat back down. It was about 3:30 then.

I decided I would stay until dusk, then walk back to the truck. At about 4:15, I heard something walking toward me once more. I trained my scope in that direction in hopes that elusive buck would appear. As the animal emerged from the brush, I thought, "No way!". The bear was back. Once again, he made his methodical march toward me, with stops along the way. I smiled from under my wicked cool scent-lok camo balaclava. Sitting statue-still, I waited for the bear. He came up close again. I could see that his claws were a good two inches in length. No wonder bears can climb trees. No wonder Josie, and I hadn't see any deer.

I watched his nose turn up and down and around as he tried to figure out what I was. I was not afraid. Black bears do not typically attack people for no reason. Besides, I felt sure that if I sprang up at this point, that bear would definitely ~!@#$% his furry pants. I thoroughly enjoyed this visit between me and the bear. After he was sufficiently convinced I was not that interesting, he walked past me this time. Mr. Bear headed up the hill. I waited until I couldn't hear him, then I got up and walked back to my truck, satisfied that this afternoon was the best hunting so far. By the time I got to my truck it was dark. I thought "some people go their whole lives never seeing a bear in the wild......I saw bears, three times in two and half hours....priceless".

Is This Your Cat?

This beautiful cat has been living under my shed for the last several days. She rarely if ever comes out. I first saw her while walking on Derry Hill Rd. with Evvy. The next thing I know, she's under my shed. I live a short walk from Derry Hill, but I have no idea why she chose my shed, over more plush accomodations at my neighbor's hay barn. After days of feeding her, and listening to her try her best to be ferocious(I rarely buy this attitude from cats). She approached a bowl of food, half purring, half yowling. It was kind of comical actually. Today, she finally allowed me to pat her, purring loudly. Still she won't venture more than a couple feet from the shed. ANY strange noise sends her back under.

Yesterday I put a wool blanket under the shed as it was freezing last night. She loved it, and I find her there every time I check on her. As you can see she has lovely soft long fur. She is so thin from being on her own for who know's how long. Her face has more orange hues than you can see in the photo. Her coat is still in great condition, though she does have fleas. I was able to get a quick look at some of her teeth, and she appears to be a young adult, no tartar or missing teeth. Just a great looking cat. I have made up some posters with her photos on it. I'm going to post one on the bulletin board at Burdicks and Agway. Someone must be missing this cat. And I really hope that someone did not just drop her along the road because they couldn't afford her. I have three cats of my own, so I'm not in the market for four at this point. I wouldn't dream of abandoning the girls I have.

Halloween Hike

How scary is this! This is the exact kind of tick I keep finding on me, and Evvy. As I looked up info on the tick, I found that some call it a "dog tick", some call it a "deer tick". No matter really, any tick can carry diseases. Today only one tick on me, one on Evvy. We drove over to a Nature Conservancy trail off of Rte. 63, not far from here. At the trailhead there are a couple of cellar holes, with a brook running through the site. The trail heads uphill, some steep terrain on this trail. Then we took a trail called "Cave Loop" but I never did see any caves, not even a boulder cave. There was an imposing cliff, and small boulder field. All in all though, just a good workout with sounds of gun fire off to the west. It is hunting season after all. What I did find troubling is this. Someone had defecated off the trail. If you know dogs, then you know what Evvy did. The smell is unmistakable. When we returned to the trailhead, I left a note at the kiosk. There was a sign-in sheet with space for comments. I reminded people to dig a hole and bury their excrement. There's barely anything more gross than riding in a small truck cab with a panting dog who has just eaten human poop.

Have mercy.

Mt Gilboa

I think this has been the worst year yet for tick infestations. Every single time I've been out with Evvy, ticks have found us. I check my pant legs often while I'm walking. The other day, I removed no less than six ticks from my pant legs at various points in the walk. Today I found two on me, and two on Evvy when we returned from our walk. I am careful to avoid tall grass, and especially goldenrod plants that hang over the trail. Ticks seem to love those plants.

Anyhow, this morning was fresh on Mt. Gilboa. There had been rain yesterday, so everything smelled so good. Wouldn't it be great to bring that freshness into the house? I put a bright fluorescent yellow jacket and bell on Evvy for her safety, as hunters are in our midst. We walked to the top of Mt. Gilboa which is pretty much in Westmoreland to the southwest of Christian Hollow. The top photo isn't the ocean, but you might think that if you look quick. It's the Cold River mine in Westmoreland, easily accessible from a well worn ski mobile/logging road that runs from the Rapids Rd. in Walpole over to Rte 12 in Westmoreland to Mac's Convenience Store.

When we first arrived at the mine, I thought of an old movie, "Planet of the Apes" don't ask me why. It looked so barren at first, moon-like. But in the sunshine, it was soooo warm. I could have taken a nap on one of those flat boulders. I could see Highland Hill to the south, and several peaks to the west. I always wonder if there are trails to walk all of those hills. I'd like to find out.

The second photo is a plant that I found. The area is loaded with this fragrant plant. When you crush the leaves, it smells like lemon. I'm sure I've smelled this in some handcrafted soap. I don't know what it is. Maybe a fern of some kind? The leaves are leathery, and the stock has a reddish color. If you know what it is, let me know. I couldn't find it in my wildflower or fern guides.

Indian Summer?

Hard tellin. We didn't have much of a summer, and fall has been unseasonably cold. But today, at 60 degrees, it was spectacular, and perfect for a mountain bike ride. I haven't been out for a ride in quite a while, so I take less risks, and go much slower down the hills. Normally, I would just sail down those wooded paths. Now the leaves have covered rocks, and roots, so it becomes more precarious. Maybe it's that I'm getting older and the thought of injury is daunting.

I rode up to the High Blue vista which is one of my favorite overlooks near Carpenter Hill. I had looked the area up in the History of Walpole. I found that it had been referred to as "Sunset Rock", as many west facing vistas are. I could clearly see Mt Snow in the distance.

Meanwhile, Evvy enjoyed waiting anxiously at the back door for any chipmunk that might happen by. She's "good like that". She always lets me know when there's a chipmunk at the bird feeder. Evvy tries with all her might to dig through the french doors, barking the whole time. Quite startling actually when you're otherwise occupied with reading quietly.

Birthday Hike

Sunday was my sister Kim's birthday. She and I are 47 years old for three weeks....Irish Twins.

We joined several other hikers on a 4+ hike/bushwhack to three hilltops in Stoddard: Brooks Hill to Melville Hill, and on to Dakin Hill. We started at the Aten Lodge near "Shinbone Shack" in Stoddard, NH. We walked up the Aten Rd. for about .25 mile, then left up a steep dirt drive to a trail which breaks off from there. The trailhead is not marked, but is well known by locals. The trail used to be known as "Meetinghouse Rd.".

Brooks Hill and Melville Hill are also known as "Twin Hills". Back in the day, these hills were pasture that overlooked Granite Lake. Kim's husband, Alan Rumrill gave us a bit of the history. His grandfather owned a great deal of the hundreds of acres in the area. He would move his cattle from pastures in Stoddard all the way to Brighton, Ma to market on foot! He would make a stop just before arriving, to allow the cows to drink all the water they could, so they would appear more "robust". Alan told us there had been Merino sheep farmed in the area until the woolen mills in the closed.

The foliage was stunning, as it is all over this region. Lots of reds and oranges popping out. We saw signs of bear, moose, and deer. Unfortunately as is usually the case when walking with a crowd, we didn't see any of these animals. We stopped at a cabin on at the edge of Chandler Meadow. What a perfect spot to watch the Canada Geese getting ready to head south. I could easily imagine a big bull moose walking in the swampy edges of the pond.

After our hike, we celebrated Kim's birthday with a great meal, and Grolsch at the Elm City Brewery, in Keene. Perfect Sunday.

September is Leaving

At long last I got a chance to take a long walk through fields and woods near my house.  I have been so busy learning how to be a Clinical Medical Assistant, I've scarcely had time for anything else.  But this morning, Evvy and I set out on our four mile loop which takes us up over Sheep Hill, around it's western side and back to County Rd. via Galloways cornfields.  The hunters were out in their tree stands.  I thought if they were waiting for deer, they'd wait quite a while.  I've seen only one set of deer tracks in that area.  On the other hand, if the hunter was looking for Turkey's he'd be in luck.  The Turkeys were/are there, in small number.  Deer have much to feast on this year with a bumper crop of acorns, and apples.  So they can go wherever they want, whenever they want.  It might make them harder to find. 

Anyway, there had been a frost during the night and a fog had settled in.  What a sight looking over toward Derry Hill.  The foliage color is beginning to pop, there's a crispness in the air.  "Ranice" a Jersey from the Crescent Farm, said she loves the cooler weather.  It's  hard to tell from the look on her face.  

Perfect Sunset/Moonrise

Last night a bunch of us hiked up Pitcher Mt. with great expectation of both a beautiful sunset, and awesome full Corn Moon.  We were not disappointed.  In fact both were spectacular, and there were some professional photographers up there as well, catching the views.  At one point, I stood at the top of the mountain with the Moon to my left, and the Sun to my right.  They appeared to be at the same height in the sky.  It was as though you could draw a straight line from one to the other.   Off in the distance below we could see a large flock of Turkeys in a field.  There was some debate whether we were seeing a herd of deer, or turkeys.  Of course the deer hunters in the crowd believed the dark spots moving in the field were deer.  It was my sister who corrected us, and said that in fact it was a flock of turkeys - killjoy!   

After the sunset we hiked back down and drove to Highland Lake where we enjoyed wine, samoa's, and good company by the light of a cozy chimenea.   Surprisingly enough, somoa's go quite well with red wine!  

Fall Begins

I've been busy getting ready for winter around here.  Replacing clapboards, scraping and painting the house.  I've recaulked the shower, fixed ceiling tiles, and building a dog house for Evvy.  The mornings have become more crisp which is refreshing.  Still I have hoped for a longer summer. The next several days promise to be great for Labor Day weekend, so I'll make the most of it.

Evvy and I continue to take our long walks in the morning.  I caught this great picture of a small

pond nearby.  It was about 7:30 a.m. I think.  Evvy waded among the reeds eating grass, and avoiding the bloodsuckers.  I sucked the marrow out of the moment, so peaceful.

This morning we took a walk along the boundary of the Faulkner Conservation area.  I saw some flourescent pink surveyors tape marking a trail.  Being the super sleuth I am, sort of, I decided to see what lay at the end of the trail.  I thought for sure I'd find a grow of marijuana.  I'd tell the local Drug Task Force, it'd be great!  Instead, but thankfully, I found a stand of Blackberry bushes just dripping with fruit.  So as Evvy continued to explore, I filled my fanny pack with berries.  I think the area had been visited by others, animal and human alike, as many berries had already been picked.   I will enjoy the fruit I did manage to pick, maybe in a muffin, or on my cereal.  Or, maybe I'll freeze them and remember summer in the middle of winter.

Summer....finally

I went to the Walpole transfer station the other day.  Always looking for a bargain!  The "reuse" center is great for finding replacement coffee carafes for the coffee machine.   Or a thermos!  But the prize this day was a weathered wooden bench frame, and a matching chair.  They looked as though they had been next to the ocean, a nice shade of gray.  I left the chair, but took the bench home and revitalized it. I think it turned out pretty well.  I had to add a support for the middle of the seat, then the seat and back.  All that is left to do is stain the new wood gray, to match the weathered parts.  The bench will be perfect for my back porch, or the lake.

The second photo is one I took while out on a lengthy motorcycle ride on the backroads through Greenfield, and Lyndeborough.   This unusual place had a sign posted that read, "Yankee Siege".   There is a trebuchet (catapult),  a large caldron, heavy equipment, and a miniature castle.  All with a stone wall around it.   Not much grass to speak of, but on a far hillside someone was tending to a large garden.   I have no clue what this configuration of miscellany is about.  Across the street is the Yankee Farmer, and a Wapack Trailhead.    It's interesting, and really strange.  I "Googled" the Yankee Siege and learned that the trebuchet is used to "chuck pumpkins" of all things!  Every fall there is a competition, worldwide even, to see how far a pumpkin can be thrown.  Last year the Yankee Siege won.    Perhaps this fall, I'll do another motorcycle ride to Greenfield to watch this.....maybe not.