Breathtaking Walk in Fall

Fall is one of the most beautiful times of the year. The weather is cooler and yet the skies still shine so blue that one would expect warmth to follow. As I parked my car and gathered my camera gear to go for my walk I did notice that despite the date there was certainly a bit of humidity in the air and still the sounds of bugs hummed around me.

I began to walk and quickly noticed the beautiful colors around me. It certainly was not peak foliage but the beauty of the evergreens and green leaves mixed with reds, yellows, and oranges of the changing leaves made for a painting before me.

Mushrooms grew large and seemingly out of control along the start of the trail. Different colors and shapes that offered their own beauty for one to enjoy.

The first opening I came upon a Kingfisher that let me know of its displeasure as it flew off to a new and distant perch. A pair of Goldfinches landed on a dead snag and tweeted their beautiful little song. The water was calm with reflections crystal clear and perfect replicas of their real life counterparts.

As I continued on a dragonfly buzzed around me ,as big as a helicopter and every bit as agile, and certainly got my attention with its large size. It landed on a leaf before me. It was a magical moment of Nature's beauties coming together. The dragonfly with colors of blues and black combined with glistening wings set upon a leaf with red and green bursting colors. I watched in amazement as it clung to the leaf and the arrangement just seemed as if out of a fairy tale or a dream. I was able to watch for as long as I wanted and snap images to my content. I decided to move on and the perfect arrangement stayed together as I moved past.

Puddles with reflections of colorful leaves soon appeared. Frogs that lined the edge of the pools hopped back in to hide in the mud colored water as I moved past.

The further I went the more peaceful I felt and the smell of the forest was becoming stronger. Filling my senses more and more, each step the smell of pine and the freshness after a rain crept further and further into me. Up ahead movement caught my eye and I slowed my pace.

A few Juncos danced among the branches calling to one another. I made my own calls and soon Chickadees appeared too. A Crow joined the fray with its loud CAW CAW CAW and even a little bright yellow Warbler flew in for a view. As I continued to call even a nuthatch or two came forth followed by one Blue Jay too. So many sounds, so much to enjoy!!!

As I stop my calls the birds slowly disappear. Soon the forest is almost quiet. My ears now pick up new sounds with my heightened senses as I can now even hear the leaves landing as they fall from the trees. My senses fully alive and my body bursting with energy.

I surge at a snail's pace down the trail. A creek meanders under a bridge as I pass over it. In no hurry to go anywhere the creek flows gently until it fades into the distance. I continue until suddenly...

NOISE erupts before me. Wing beats.....FLAP FLAP DRUM DRUM FLAP DRUM until a Ruffed Grouse explodes from the bushes in front of me and straight up towards the trees across the trail narrowly missing a large pine before it disappears as if it were a ghost. As my head turns quickly back to the new noise coming through the brush my eyes meet those of a Gray Fox now on the trail before me. A brief pause before it darts back into the thicket and off towards safer grounds. The noise begins to fade but it is not quiet at all.

My outer being was calm and steady but my insides jumped from me like I had SEEN a ghost. Now my heart beating replaced all other sounds and my breath was taken.

I slowly made my way back towards the car. Each step suddenly had to be controlled and slowed to have my body return to normal from the outer body experience it just had! Soon enough nurturing Nature and her sounds returned to me. A leaf caught in a spider web caught my eye. The rest of the walk was magical.