When I say Falls, I’m not talking Niagara…
In October, these are dotted with bright foliage…..
And cascade gently down the hill.
No barrel required.
Which is good, because it’s a hard look to pull off.
Selfies you shoot into the sun so you can see your hands holding your phone reflected in your glasses are so much easier.
Did I mention there were rocks?
And tranquil pools…
As well as some pretty nice views?
Well there were.
Moose.
When you think of Maine? You think of lobster… and moose. But let me tell you, I’ve lived here on and off since 1978 and have seen exactly one moose in the wild. Granted we live in the Mid Coast region and they’re more prevalent up north, but still… one in 41 years is not a good ratio.
So when we crossed the border into New Hampshire after leaving the Moose Cave in Grafton Notch….. and I saw numerous signs warning of the dangers of moose crossings?
I thought, yeah.
We’ll never see one.
Until we did.
Right there on the side of the road…
A moose!
Happily munching away on some swamp grasses.
A real live moose!
And I was halfway out of the car to get some really good pictures when the husband said no. This was a teenage male and though he was probably too young to rut…. it was that time of year.
So I had to stalk him from an open window instead.
But I saw a moose!
My second in 41 years…
And then all too soon he was tired of us….
And headed back to the woods.
Goodbye moose….
I may not live long enough to see another wild one of you, but thanks for showing up and making my day.
As I said before, the fall colors were all over the place. We had an early turn this year so by the time we got to the mountains, many places were past peak foliage. But that doesn’t mean they weren’t still spectacular…
Rusty oranges…
Muted greens and yellows…
Peaks of reds.
Even speckled with rain, I’ll take them.
It’s different around each bend.
And around each bend?
Another outhouse for the husband to christen.
The journey continues….
It was a little dreary the day we left, with rain threatening in the distance… but we made good time and actually arrived too early to check into our resort.
What to do. What to do…
Who am I kidding?
It was margarita time.
So we found a chicken themed bar…
And settled in for lunch. Liquid and otherwise…
It was a funky place…
Basically a converted farmhouse with lots of quirky little rooms.
And though they don’t look wonderful….
The homemade chicken croquettes were to die for.
Bellies full, we headed out.
Fall color was intermittent during this trip. Some places gorgeous, others past peak.
We got to Newry, still too early to check in… so we explored.
Found a covered bridge….
Built in 1872…
And enjoyed the views.
It was peaceful…
And smelled like autumn.
For those not familiar…
That means fresh air, apples, a hint of wood smoke, and dry crackling leaves.
Nectar of the Gods.
Down the road a ways, we had a laugh.
We followed the sign, but found neither hole nor Frenchman.
But we did pass a camp….
With the perfect name.
That says it all.
I love the country!
The photo files need purging again so…
Mother woodchuck and her last baby.
The other 3 have taken off for parts unknown.
And I get the feeling this final child isn’t the brightest bulb in the pack.
Someone needs to tell him we eat from the bowl, not sit in it.
Or lie in it for that matter.
Our beautiful buck is back.
Which makes me nervous as it’s hunting season.
Fingers crossed no one breaks up his family.
This little devil was perched on the feeder bar waiting for an unsuspecting meal the other morning…
I saw feathers on the lawn later in the day, so mission accomplished.
The flies have been thick for the past few days and target the deer mercilessly.
It’s my opinion this doe was sticking her tongue out at the flies…
And not the photographer.
Finally, who needs video games….
When you’ve got real live angry birds right on the back lawn?
It’s Fall y’all!
Autumn is my favorite time of year.
Crisp air, apples, pumpkins and fiery trees….
And though I live in New England…
And see Mother Nature’s glorious show every October….
I never tire of it.
I’m a certified leaf peeper…
So when I crash my car into one of those pretty colored trees because I’m driving home one handed snapping pictures for my blog?
I’m telling the police it’s your fault.
And will expect you lot to start a GoFundMe page for my car repairs and hospital bills.
If you haven’t guessed by now, I take a lot of pictures.
My life may not be fascinating…
But it’s damn sure well documented.
And what’s a blog for if not sharing random baby deer photos from earlier this summer?
Not much to comment on.
Just enjoy the sweetness…
While I organize my photo files.
And if you’re not into cute furry 4 legged babies?
Then tune in again next time…
When I’m sure to have more meaningless drivel.
Remember a while ago I posted a picture of the sunflower seeds the chipmunk from Hell had planted in my petunias… and how they were growing?
Well over the past few weeks they grew tall and budded, and then started disappearing. One by one… shredded, stripped of leaves, and gone.
I’ve seen a few grasshoppers, so I thought maybe that was the reason.
How pathetic is that?
One lone stalk remained.
Then I woke up this morning and saw….
A woodchuck…
On the table.
That’s something I hadn’t seen before.
First there was a little pole dancing….
Then he got down to business.
So now I know why there won’t be any blooming sunflowers this season.
He made short work of it and left me this…
As well as this…
Yes, I could have yelled and scared him off, but I admit … I laughed instead.
We’ve had woodchucks all year and they haven’t touched a single plant, shrub or flower. Which if you’ve ever had woodchucks, you know is highly unusual.
So I let the little devil have the sunflower.
The fact that he can even get his fat butt up on the table to begin with is comical and worth the price of a sunflower to view.
I woke up this morning to fog.
Hanging over everything like a gentle blanket of white…
In some places there was a sharp delineation.
As if it cut by a knife.
But as it started to lift…
I looked way out into the back yard by the woods and saw…
A piner!!
I did!
And in the 17 years we’ve lived here?
Not one single porcupine sighting… until now.
There’s elusive creatures, solitary by nature. Shy, quiet and slow… but apparently willing to high five in Philly.
(I totally need to visit Philly now, damn it.)
Sadly, while we see plenty of them dead on the side of the road…. we’ve never seen one at our house since the majority of our property is open lawn or field and they prefer the wooded areas.
So… a piner!!
I was thrilled… and attempted to creep across the back lawn to get a better picture. Naturally, I don’t creep well and he spotted me….. and shimmied down the tree before I could get close.
But I saw a piner on our property and have blurry photos to prove it.
Yay me!
Here’s a piner eating corn on the cob.
Note to self – buy corn on the cob.
Because my photo files are filled with critter pics.
A wet fox.
Two wet foxes.
Okay, okay… moving on.
Baby woodchuck.
These pics are a month or two old, they’re not babies anymore.
I can’t tell you exactly how old because my stupid camera’s date and time setting is broken and everything registers 1/1/1980.
Why? I have no frickin’ clue.
Buck, on the field line.
Doe, in the field.
Wet skunk.
Wet skunk and deer.
This next one is blurry, but how often do you get a shot of a deer sticking her tongue out at a skunk?
Skunk Rule #1?
Do not be rude to skunks.
They will make you pay… and the photographer’s house will stink for a week.
More woodchucks….
Eating apples.
And woodchucks eating deer grain.
More deer.
And deer eating deer grain.
More skunks.
More foxes.
Skunk and fox.
Please remember Skunk Rule #1.
There is no Skunk Rule #2…. when the tail goes up?
Run.
More woodchucks.
I’d like to tell you that’s all the photos…. but it’s not even close.
That’s all for now though.
No….
My husband didn’t clean out the basement.
Or the barn.
I’m not talking miracles here.
But finally…
After watching, feeding and photographing the deer in our backyard for the past 17 years?
A doe brought her fawn!
Bambi made an appearance.
And isn’t that just the sweetest?
River's world..... 