Walk Around...

Yesterday, we went for a walk around the property. Even though it's just right outside our door, it's an activity that I rarely get to enjoy. Usually I'm too consumed with other things, but I made it a priority to soak up some autumn air.

The property is covered with leaf-littered trails that lead off into the woods. The still image does not capture the gentle shower of golden leaves or rustling of the branches in the breeze.

Along the walk, I found yarrow (also known as knight's milefoil). It looks very much like Queen Anne's Lace, but lacks the single dark reddish purple flower in the middle. The story goes that Queen Anne was tatting lace and pricked her finger. The drop of blood is that single floret in the center and is one way of distinguishing Queen Anne's Lace from other similar species.

Salt blocks and bird feeders are placed along the forest's edge. Deer and wild turkey are often seen down there.

I found an old tree, half fallen over covered in fungi and lichens. The picture to the left is a snapshot of the gnarly trunk. The center picture is a close-up of one of the fluffy, white fungi growing upon the trunk. The picture to the right is the berries of a dogwood tree not far from the partially fallen tree. I love the bright red of the berries and the buds of the blossoms, already present seasons in advance.

The walk around ended with a stop in the garden. The tomatoes are doing beautifully and we are amply stocked. The cabbages are also doing well. But the most obvious successes in the garden are two GIANT pumpkins. We had wanted smaller ones for pumpkin pies. These ones are MASSIVE. When they're ready, we'll have to go down with a wheelbarrow to haul them. They're that big! Before they are harvested, I'll take a picture with something to show scale. The above picture really doesn't do them justice.