After a week of blustery, wet and chilly weather this morning we were greeted by a sunny October blue sky and mild temperatures. Finally finally finally. The kind of autumn day in New England that makes you want to close the door on your cluttered house and point your car in the direction of the nearest mountain for a day of a body stressing hike. That would have been perfect but those leaves.........those darn leaves. The trees let loose of their leaves this week with all the wind and rain. Under that October blue sky there was a sea of gold, waiting to be raked into piles. And rake we did........all day long.
We still have some "hangers-on" so our job isn't done yet. I often wish that all the trees would just drop their leaves at once. Or else a big wind would come along and blow everything beyond my borders. A pipe dream.
A few
weeks ago, before the leaves fell, we were able to take some time for a
walk on the boardwalk at White's Woods. A picture perfect September
day.......almost. So perfect that I couldn't wait to take pictures. Couldn't wait to get my camera out.
But
wait.........oh nooooooooooooooo. Where IS it?? Oh come onnnnnnnn. Not again. I am
always leaving my darn photo card at home. I even bought two of them so
I could always have one in my case to take care of those senior moments. I looks like I have moved into a perpetual senior world.
It looks like Paul is going to have to do the picture taking......again. I will be trying to figure out ways to avoid him.
I haven't been on the boardwalk in years. I forgot how peaceful it is. We saw birds, swans and eagles. And very few people.
We meandered through the cool and shady woods.
Over the river within sight of one of several beaver dams.
A fantastic walk through the swampy marshy area, something you normally would never be able to do without the addition of the boardwalk.
We came across a big green frog. So peaceful basking in the sun. But whenever I think of swamp I immediately think of, you know, S_ _ _ E. I just KNOW they are slithering around in there somewhere. I'm trying to relax but it's hard. That thought is always in the back of my mind. I make my "fears" known to Paul but all I get is a "don't be silly, Midge". I look over the edge of the boardwalk and THERE_IT_IS...My worst nightmare.
OMG OMG OMG..Noooooo......There it was. A BIG FAT water snake. (I am having a really hard time even typing under this picture.) Oh ewwwwwwww............. The instant I saw it I heard in my head the sound effects from the shower scene in Psycho. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuIQJ-l16b4. Doesn't that sound make your stomach clench with fear? Exactly the feeling I get when I see one of these things. This is not "just a little garter snake", although there really is no such thing as "just a little" garter snake. These things are so nasty and aggressive. I once saw one chase a poor little child out of the water and on to the sand at the pond where I USED to take my kids swimming. USED to because that was the incident that led me to successfully talk Paul into getting a pool.
The rest of that boardwalk walk was VERY long and I walked VERY gingerly....really really. We were there in the fall when the water was low. So what happens in the spring when the water is higher. Do they just slither onto the boardwalk and lie there sunning themselves, blocking your forward progress? It was a beautiful walk but I have to re-think going back there. Maybe I will just stay home and rake leaves..or plant flowers....or mow the lawn......or pick our thousands of black walnuts from the ground.
