Tag Archives: Hiking

Fall Colors

 

Last week, I went on a hike to check out the fall foliage.  Driving in the car, the leaves on the trees I passed were really bright so I figured they‘d be the same on the trail.  They weren‘t.  The foliage on the trail looked like it hadn‘t even begun to change.  There were a few trees here and there that were bright, but most were still green or a drab yellow.

 

There were a few trees around one of the ponds that caught my eye…

 

Fall Colors on Tunk 1

 

Hiking to the top of the mountain (Tunk, to be exact), I not only got to admire the beautiful view, but I found the foliage I was looking for…

 

Fall Colors on Tunk 2

 

Win.

 

 

Until next time…

 

[-_-]

 

~A.M.

Not A Botanist

 

“Damn it, I’m a photographer, not a botanist!”  Which is why I can’t identify half the plants, shrubs, and flowers I see while hiking.  I can tell the difference between deciduous and coniferous trees and I can identify things like daisies, buttercups, irises, lilacs, Lotus blossoms, etc., but  beyond what’s common knowledge, I’m typically lost.

 

So, when I came across this in a marshy area of the trail I was hiking one day, I had no idea what it was.  But while hiking another trail on another day, I came across an information plaque that labeled this a “Pitcher Plant.”

 

Strange Plant

 

And here’s the underside…. Odd…

 

Strange Plant (underside)

 

 

 

Until next time…

 

[^_^]

 

~A.M.

Old Rusted Truck

 

As I mentioned last week, while hiking on a brand new trail (well, the trail itself wasn’t new, it was just new to me), I found an old rusted truck sitting among the trees.

 

Old Truck 5 (Full view)

 

Old Truck 1

 

Old Truck 2

Broken Windshield

 

Old Truck 3

 

Old Truck 4 (Rear Window)

Shattered Rear Window

 
I don’t know how long it was there or what the story behind it is (it would be cool to find out somehow), but it was an interesting find.

 
Further proof that you never know what you’re going to find when you get out in nature!

 

 
Until next time…

 
[^_^]

 
~A.M.

Go Take A Hike!

 

As those of you who follow my blog know, I’m an avid hiker. I always get excited when I find out about a new trail (especially when it’s one nearby where I live that I never knew about).

 
Recently, I found out about two new trails (both were rather short, only about a mile each) not too far from my town. If that wasn’t awesome enough, on my way to find the trail head, I passed this little pond/lake/stream area and notices something I‘d never seen before. At first I wasn’t sure what I was looking at. The water was littered with greenery and little blobs of white. Pulling off to the side of the road and getting out of my car, I realized that I was looking at lily pads and wild Lotus blossoms! I’d only ever seen Lotus blossoms in pictures and in nature documentaries on TV. I’d never seen one up close in real life and I had no idea they even grew in the wild in Maine. Needless to say, I was super excited! They were beautiful!

 

Lotus Blossom 1

 

Lotus Blossom 2

 

Lotus Blossom 4

 

I got a little creative with this shot in post production…

 

Lotus Blossom 3 (Artistic)
Now, this wasn’t meant to be a pretty shot, I just wanted to give folks an idea of how many there were (and this is only a fraction).

 

Lotus Blossom Pond

 

 

Then, on the first trail, as I was hiking along, I came across this little guy (or gal). Again, I’d never seen anything like this and I’ve seen my share of insects.

 

Metallic Blue Dragonfly

 

 

I saw a green one on the second trail…

 

Metallic Green Dragonfly

 

 

But backtracking to the first trail, I came across an old abandoned truck, but I’ll tell you about that next week and share some shots I took seeing as this post is already pretty image packed.
So, folks, go take a hike! You just never know what you’re going to find when you get out in nature! [-_^]

 

 

 

Until next time…
[^_^]
~A.M.

Unexpected Encounters

 

And no, I’m not talking alien abduction, though that would certainly qualify as an unexpected encounter!

 

Anyway, on a recent hiking trip, while I was standing by my car getting my gear together (like a girl scout, I’m always prepared), I happened to see movement in my periphery.  When I looked up, what should I see walking along the road toward me?  This gal…

 

Curious Deer

 

Good thing I had my camera handy.

 

 

Until next time…

 

[^_^]

 

~A.M.