A few more photographs from our latest drive.
Often when we go off on one of these outings, we take random turns without worrying where the road may take us.
It’s one of the luxuries of modern technology. With a GPS you will always find your way home.
Though we have been here long enough now that we inevitably end up on a familiar road.
This is the road to the cat barn.
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A few were sunning themselves.
Hard to capture from a moving car.
As we turned onto this road I caught sight of an especially shapely tree, but we had passed by before I could even lift the camera. So we made a note to take the same road again in the opposite direction. Unless we do it soon the tree will be in leaf.
I want its naked form!
Though I am sure it is lovely with clothes on too.
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We parked by the river and took a short walk.
More naked trees.
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Woodpecker holes.
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We discovered a ruin but when we went to investigate, it was just an old fire-pit and quite unexciting.
Maybe it was used by fishermen at one time.
At first I thought it must be a deserted cabin and I imagined living there with just the sounds of the river and wind in the trees.
But there was no evidence of walls or a living area.
Just an old chimney.
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Fast flowing water always draws my attention…
…after all I am an Aquarian.
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At first glance, you might think “barbed wire”.
(Grant scoffed!)
Almost as bad, these are the tendrils of an invasive creeper which holds fast, everything it attaches to.
Maybe the equivalent of:
Endless miles of industrial cables.
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Everywhere you look.
No doubt the invasive creeping vines arrived here in the wake of human travellers.
Big cities are themselves an assault on Nature and when living in such places our minds must of necessity switch off to the constant damage our species inflicts upon the planet.
But up here you can’t fail to notice and cringe.
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For a few minutes I examined pretty lichens
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And staggered about on the steep bank realising I should have changed my footwear.
Somewhere in this merry dance it seems two ticks climbed aboard. Luckily I was wearing tan coloured pants and on the way home I happened to look down at the right moment. Or the wrong moment, as far as the ticks were concerned.
Ticks are one thing about this part of the world that I could really do without. Ehrlichiosis made me as sick as I have ever been and put me in hospital for 3 days. But I was lucky. Lyme disease stays with you.
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Boots would have been a better bet but I had not realised how unstable my current foot gear was.
In my world, shoes come in Too sizes:
Too big and Too small.
The size that technically accommodates my feet, hurt no matter the type, shape, cheap, expensive, they all hurt.
So I get a size larger and slop around, which is not the best thing for walking in the woods or on river banks.
Whether it is the change of seasons, I don’t know, but my feet are currently protesting. They even fuss about the bed sheets.
My inheritance.
To be precise, my feet don’t hurt. Just now they are only sore. Last year the right one did hurt and I found a lovely doctor who fixed it.
Aren’t you delighted that I have shared this with you?
Isn’t that what we do now? Share things?
Overshare?
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As we left the Battenkill, the sky was exhibiting enthusiasm.
Such jolly little clouds! Dodgem cars!
Our train station, which is now owned by a local brewery and run as a tasting room. On certain days of the week a food cart parks in the adjacent lot and from what I understand, on occasion there is also musical entertainment.
We have not been there but by all accounts it is very pleasant and it is certainly an ingenious way to re-purpose an out-of-work train station.
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Sun spots.
Bursts of enthusiasm!
It’s not poetic. These are just the thoughts and words that come to mind. I am a simple soul.
That’s a good use of a former train station. I have been lucky with Lymes Disease. There are around 4,000 new cases each year in the UK< but I have avoided it so far.
Best wishes, Pete.
I would have freaked when I saw the ticks! Shoes, BTW, either look good or fit – they cannot do both…
I gave up on looking good long ago!
🤨
Lovely lichen. It’ll be here long after we’ve gone!
Thank you, Carolyn, fr a lovely musing tonight!
Joanna
Thank you, Carolyn, for the lovely musing tonight!
Joanna
Looking at your train station – there is now train service between NYC and Middlebury Vermont – I would that would run near you? Friends are traveling that way to our 65th reunion this coming June.
Middlebury is way north of us. I’m not sure where trains would run but no doubt down through Albany and along the Hudson.
Another lovely drive in places you wouldn’t normally get to if you don’t make an effort, right? And you have a nice variety here – river, forest and sky! I also like the old train station and agree, if an old building can be used for a new purpose, I’m always happy!