quiet

As I walked in the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge I spent some time watching a flock of Canada goose in the water. Quiet water and a quiet bird created a perfect reflection.

on the dike

In honor of National Wildlife Refuge Week the dike between the North Pool Overlook and parking lot 4 is open for walking this week at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. It's an area of the refuge that can be experienced if you opt to take a "behind the scenes" tour; other than that it is usually off limits.

After my time volunteering at the visitor center yesterday afternoon I headed into the refuge to walk the dike. It was a beautiful afternoon and a wonderful almost solo walk. I walked, I stood and watched birds, I absorbed the beauty around me.

color in oak leaves

I don't remember seeing so many oak leaves painted in beautiful colors before. I remember green fading directly to brown; I'm happy to change that memory this season.

soaked!

I headed out for a long (exercise) walk this morning under cloudy skies. With a temperature in the low 70s I wore summer weight clothes, no rain gear.

The light got progressively darker, and then the rain started. The rain was light at the start, then heavy. I was soaked by the time I finished but with summer-like temperatures I was quite warm. My shoes are stuffed with crumbled newspaper to speed up the drying process.

In spite of the wet it was a very good walk!

peaceful

Inland waters are calm, creating a flat surface that reflects a subtle cloud cover.

sea gull standing

The sky was gray, and intermittent light rain was falling. It was a good day for me to walk along the coast, and a good day for this sea gull to stand on the edge of a boat and look around.

changing leaves

Today was a good day for a walk in the woods, a search for autumn color. Pops of orange and red stood out from the still predominantly green leaves.

chasing butterflies

Wednesday morning is volunteer time at the Stevens-Coolidge Place. As we worked in the gardens I took a break periodically to watch the butterflies. Even as the flowers fade, the butterflies remain attracted to the zinnias, stopping to feed, flitting off again, always moving quickly.

I returned this afternoon to wander through the flowers, standing still to watch the butterflies. I attempted to capture butterflies with my camera whenever one of these beautiful creatures decided to pose for me.

Monarch butterfly perched on a zinnia

red

It's another sign of autumn, a bright red splash of color against still-green leaves.

mixed seasons

A walk at Maudslay State Park this afternoon highlighted mixed seasons.

Bright pink dahlias are still in bloom in one of the gardens. The flowers feel like summer, yet some of the leaves on the trees have started to change into their autumn clothes.