Scenes from Today's Walk

My day off and I head right for my old stomping grounds to shake off the stress of the week. Here are some of the pictures I took on my walk.

In Ballard Park the main path in the northern part of the park follows a rock wall that forms the rim of the quarry that is the centerpiece of the park. These rocks are often covered in ferns, vines, moss, and lichen.

 Futher along the trail are some bent and twisted trees which add character to the place.

And looking back after we've passed all that, just to get a different perspective.

Up on the overlook, you can see some touches of fall in the hills to the west. We don't get the spectacular fall foliage that the rest of New England gets. The Atlantic Ocean, and especially the effects of the Gulf Stream, keep our air warmer than inland and north of Cape Cod (where the Gulf Stream bends east and out into the middle of the ocean). While we do get some color, mostly the leaves remain green late and then suddenly turn brown and fall off the trees in the first late November wind storm.

 Out of the park and down Hazard Rd. to Gooseneck Cove we come across a gathering of Great Egrets. During the summer these birds seem to live seperate lives, but just before they migrate south in the fall they seem to want to hang out together.

Down Hazard Rd. to Ocean Drive, and west to the Green Bridge. The Cormorants are still hanging out on Tern Rock.

Brenton Rd. runs up the western shore of Gooseneck Cove, and there's some pretty pricey real estate there. Here are some examples.

Around the corner on Ocean Drive I found a patch of Butter-and-Eggs.

 Up Brenton to Hammersmith to Beacon Hill Rd. on the "country lane" segment of my walk. There's a very interesting stone wall surrounding the Swiss Village Farm which runs along Beacon Hill Rd. and there are two wooden gates in it which I find interesting.

Just around a bend in Beacon Hill Rd. from these gates are some Maple trees showing some autumnal touches.

Finally, on the way back into town I came across this patch of Swamp Asters beside Brenton Rd.

And that was what I found interesting on my walk today.