Last night I went for the best walk I’ve had in a while. We’ve had high heat, high humidity and a ton of rain the last couple weeks which hasn’t encouraged walks.
I started around 5:00 PM without much of an idea where I was headed.
At one corner left would take me home in half an hour or right in two hours. I went right.
I haven’t felt so calm and at peace in months as I did last night.
Robert Frost wrote “The Road Not Taken” about a similar situation.
I enjoy getting lost in the details of houses and landscapes as I walk by. You never know what you’ll see.
The picture at the top of the post is an old mill-pond. There’s a guy on a canoe or kayak somewhere in there. The pond is on a seldom traveled dirt road where it’s always calm and quiet.
Walking through a different neighborhood I stumbled on a giant boulder or ledge. I’m not sure which. If I were standing in front of that rock my head would be in the shadow.
Near the rock a Caterpillar D5N sits waiting for work. It’s a BIG machine.
I stumbled on a Callicarpa closer to home.
This picture, taken in early August, shows Callicarpa blooms. Purple berries will be coming soon. If anyone knows the species please let me know.
The picture below was a surprise. I walked by a hidden stream and glanced over to see a Cardinal Flower in full bloom. Cardinal Flower is a native in Connecticut but I rarely see it in the wild. I don’t know if this plant grew on its own or planted/tossed in the stream.
We’ve had a lot of rain the last couple weeks and that stream is normally a trickle this time of the year.
This post reminded me of The Road Not Taken by Bruce Hornsby, on of my favorite musicians.
Thanks for joining me on my walk. I look forward to sharing more pictures with you soon.
Comments
2 responses to “An Evening Walk – The Road not Taken”
Hi John, I’m new to your website but started watching your pruning tips and came to appreciate your knowledge and advice immediately. Thank you so much for sharing.
One year ago, my wife and I had someone completely redo our shrubs along the front of our home in Alabama, which is in complete shade about 10 months of the year. Recently, while weeding, I discovered a small bed of large mushroom type outcroppings. Should I remove these things prior to using a “Weasel” to loosen the mulch? Do you think loosening up the mulch will discourage their return or do you suspect there may be a more serious problem?
Bob,
Is the area moist most of the time? If you have moist mulch and shade it’s possible to get Artillery Fungus and you DON’T want that. Make sure the grade moves water away from the house and water doesn’t puddle in the mulch. Google Artillery Fungus to see how much damage it can do to the siding of your house. Contact your local county extension agent or a knowledgeable local landscaper to make sure the grade is ok and you’re not going to have trouble with Artillery Fungus. When you say mushrooms and shade my concern is Artillery Fungus first.