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There have been so few fine days this month, we’ve taken full advantage where we could, with the result that I am off to a very late start today….
But for now I’m going back to the other side of Lake Paran, as promised.
On the way I called STOP to get a photo of pretty meadow phlox that are blooming everywhere.
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On the other side of the lake, there was a slope which offered a different perspective and choices.
Making the right one was important.
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Steps or a long, gentle ramp?
Or neither. There are times, you see, when either choice would be a challenge, but in that case it’s unlikely I’d have been there in the first place.
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We took the steps..
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…which offered a selection of angles from which to capture the lake.
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It’s a small lake and it was a grey day, yet it offered a pleasant vista.
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Despite being a holiday weekend it was wonderfully quiet, a gift no doubt of the weather.
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It was almost serene.
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On a warm day, people would be lounging about and jumping in the water.
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We hoped to see water fowl but the only evidence of birds were the ubiquitous red-winged blackbirds that seem to like being near water.
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We walked along the shore toward the ramp and halfway up found the entrance to a trail.
We decided not to investigate that day.
But I did pause to look at…
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We continued on. The restaurant was not open but does not have the air of being abandoned. I wondered if it would have opened for Memorial Day as so many such places do, had the weather been more suitable.
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Because we chose the steps, walked along the shore, opted not to explore the woods and stopped to look at the fieldstone, we found ourselves in just the place to encounter an elderly woman (younger than me, I daresay) who hesitated while on her way for a fast dip in the lake. (Also hardier!)
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Strangers seldom engage us, but the lady apparently saw us gazing out over the lake and asked had we seen anything, by which she obviously meant birds.
“No, just red-wings”, I said and asked what one might expect, which led to her mentioning a nearby trail, which we promptly went to find.
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.https://www.parkmccullough.org/visit-us/
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The entrances to the trail are adjacent to the Park-McCullough Mansion that you can see in the above link.
The house is not open to the public currently, although you can explore the beautifully kept grounds and we will be doing so at a later date as it looks very interesting.
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In the meantime we set out for a preliminary exploration of the mile around trail.
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Vast meadows full of native grasses and wild flowers which offer habitat for ground-nesting birds.
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Open in daylight hours free of charge to the public.
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The sort of place we’ve longed for, on our doorstep!
Perhaps you can guess where we went this morning.
Chance encounters!
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It looks so very similar to where we are in Wales, even the sky at the moment.
Thank you, Carolyn, for the spectacular photography of the beautiful places you were exploring.
As it is quite late here, I will read your post in more detail tomorrow!
Joanna
Thank you, Carolyn, for the spectacular photography of the most beautiful places! As it is quite late, I will read your interesting post tomorrow!
Joanna
Lots of return visits are needed, I think.
The lake looks serene. It seems like you’ve been experiencing the same weather as us in Southeast QLD. It’s been a very wet May, which is unusual for this time of year. But for the last few days, we’ve had 28C during the day – highly unusual as winter is in a few days!
Your post, Carolyn, looked so interesting that I needed more time to read it, and it’s worth every minute of the walk through the woods of the Robert Frost Trail to Lake Paran, with all the native flowers, green plants, such as beautiful phloxes, and the birds. I was intrigued by the Stockbridge Munsee Community, as it reminded me of the wonderful book The Last of the Mohicans. The beautiful place devoted to the memory of Rose Alice McGovern was worth passing by, and Lake Paran needs more visits, as it is a spiritual experience. It is good to know that you are strong to hike a 2-mile walk to Lake Paran!
Joanna
I love the tranquility and inviting feeling that your photos of Lake Paran reflect (yes, even on this grey day). And then that lovely trail – oh yes, this is my kind of day. You’ve captured stunning photos here Carolyn.
A great find, especially on a day when it was so quiet and peaceful. You seem to have the same weather as us at the moment. After the long dry spell, we are getting all the rain we missed, and it has arrived over 3 days!
Best wishes, Pete.