Foggy landscape.
I expected it—the rain. It was a light rain in morning, just enough to dampen things. Not much wind, but still more leaves fell—as they began suddenly to do last night, steadily, gently, resignedly. By the end of today, in fact, I’d guess as many leaves had dropped in the past twenty-four hours as in in the rest of fall so far.
Birch.
I whiled away the bulk of the day—working, answering phones. Then, toward late-afternoon, dog and I made our move.
Coincidentally, after a day of gentle rain, as soon as we drove out of the driveway, a downpour happened. All the way to Beech Hill, I had my windshield wipers on “high.” So we drove right past the Beech Hill entrance and visited the post office instead. By the time we got there, the rain had let up; and by the time we returned to the hill, all we had to contend with was a little mud and fog.
Chickadees at the parking lot. Leaves dropping steady, gently. We ascended swiftly. I heard a robin. The photogenic birch stood there in the fog.
I heard a jay. Couldn’t check for coots at the lake. In fact, I couldn’t even see Beech Nut from where it usually appears as we near the final curve in the trail. Couldn’t see it until we’d gotten very near.
No other hikers on the hill today. Just fog. Near silence. Only distant sounds. A couple of times we stopped, in fact, so I could just stand in the fog and listen. The moments felt otherworldly, dreamlike, as suspended in a glass paperweight or something.
Jack and Beech Nut.
I love moments like that. But one of the reasons they’re so precious is because they’re fleeting. We started walking again and soon had descended the hill.
Tonight all remains wet and drippy. And remnant leaves still fall.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 3:30 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Black-capped chickadee (voice)
2. American robin (voice)
3. Blue jay (voice)
Elsewhere
4. House sparrow
5. American crow
6. Herring gull
7. Wild turkey
Tags: American crow, American robin, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, herring gull, house sparrow, wild turkey
