Conservation Area

 It has been a while since I have hiked through the conservation area near where I used to live.  After picking up my mail I visited part of the trail system today.  There have been some changes.  Trails now have names and there is an official looking 5K trail that people can take.  The maps are all updated and pretty.  

I did my own thing and looked for the bridge that Bel helped build back in the day with the Boy Scouts.  It was easy for me to find walking there, not so much when I tried to figure it out on the map, mostly because there are a few bridges in the same area and I totally forgot about the pond feeding it until I got there today.  I'm happy to say that it is still there.

Other things I am happy for today:

• There were a few things I wanted to see while visiting this area.  The bridge was one and the gnarly old oak tree was another.  According to the new updated map the tree is a red oak and is circa 1750.  The tree and the house I live in are close to the same age.  I think the house will last longer.  It was nice to see the tree still standing.

I see a graceful dancer.

• There was this collection of cairns that kept someone busy.  Perhaps while their walking companion used the bench beyond.  

• The following seems to be left over from Halloween.  Someone at the post office has a dark sense of humor...

This appears to be a postal worker crushed under an Amazon box--
Wizard of Oz style.

☮

Currently reading:  The Middle Ages: A Graphic History, by Eleanor Janega and Neil Max Emmanuel.

Currently listening to: Gilgamesh, translated by Stephen Mitchell, narrated by George Guidall.

    I finished listening to the story today but apparently most of the book is the history of the story.  I have another two hours to finish it.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Through the camera

 When I get home from work I am usually pretty tired.  Somedays I am able to push through to get other things accomplished.  This was not one of those days.  I fell asleep for a little while.  After that I was able to push through doing the dishes and taking a walk with Keziah, Gideon, and Aesop-the dog.  Other happy things for today include:

• Watching Gideon ride his scooter.  He is getting much better at it this summer, more confident.

• Our walk was along a bike trail that is alongside Interstate 89.  It seems like it should be a peaceful place but the cars are loud in some places.  Finding the entire trail is on my bucket list.  We've done this part before and it seems to have a definite beginning and ending.  Walking this today has reminded me that there are trails that stem from this one that could someday be explored.

Under the highway...

• Here are some pictures that highlight some happy things.

Keziah and Aesop.

Highway bridge.

Waterway.

I love how the black-eyed Susans are adorned by the oak leaves.

Trying to be artsy.

This vetch is a little different from what I have seen on our property.
Lens identifies this as crownvetch.  We have cow vetch.

Lens is split between this being white campion or night-flowering catchfly.
Had the flowers been open, it would be easier to tell the difference.

Family!!

☮

Currently reading: Backpacking: A Hedonist’s Guide, by Rick Greenspan and Hal Kahn.


Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Daffodils

 It turns out that staying up late playing Minecraft with TF last night and spending most of the day outside today makes me very tired.  Just when TF and I were getting ready to close up our games for the night, an opportunity presented itself and we ended up playing for about another two hours.  It was fun and happened after midnight, so counts for a happy thing for today.  Other happy things are:

• The daffodils and forsythia are blooming.

• A person we know from the SCA came over today to give us a consultation on some of our plantlife.  She showed us the best ways to prune the fruit trees and then we had a lovely walk on the property and visited for quite a while outside.  She may have convinced Zed to get rid of most of the autumn olive trees and some of the Norway maples.  A few others as well.  She agrees that the witch tree is most likely an oak.  

• After she left I took a nap.
• I walked around the property again later by myself.  This time I walked the two loops for about a mile distance.  It is almost time to bring the lawn mower or weed wacker back there.  I had the GoPro with me and took a short video with some distant birdsong and traffic.  
• Two more friends visited in the evening.  It was great to see everyone.  

This was supposed to be the skyline, 
but there is the bonus of one of our visitors.

• During the day some of the tree buds opened.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

Stay safe.