DESPITE HUNTER’S SHOTGUNS WE KEPT ON WALKING

ONE OF OUR FAVORITE AREAS IN THE HULLETT MARSH IS WALKING ALONG THAT GRASSY BERM AT TOP RIGHT…..THOSE BERMS RUN FOR MILES IN THE MARSH & ONE CAN WALK FOR HOURS ALONG THEM WHILE OVERLOOKING ALL THE MARSHY WETLANDS IN BETWEEN…IN THE FOREGROUND IS A CANOE OR KAYAK DOCK

Remembered to switch the little button on our thermostat from A/C to Furnace last night & sure enough I woke up this morning with our furnace running.  A cool 54F outside & a toasty warm 70F in the house.  Nice.  From my recliner I could see a patch of blue sky through the pine trees so knew Pheebs & I would be heading off somewhere again first thing.

MORNING STARTED OFF UNDER SOMEWHAT SUNNY SKIES

BY THE TIME WE REACHED THE MARSH DARKENING CLOUDS BEGAN ROLLING IN & A MONTH FROM NOW THAT CORN WILL BE GETTING CLOSE TO HARVEST

A YELLOWING FIELD OF BEANS IN THE DISTANCE

Rather than take our usual 20 minute walk around the pine forest trail I decided we would head straight away over to the Hullett-Marsh & take ourselves for a longer more scenic walk atop the one of the many berms.  Skies weren't quite as clear as I had earlier thought making our breezy walk a bit on the cool side but how refreshingly clear the Autumn air.  Sounds of shotguns around us told me hunters were afoot so we kept our walk out of the forest & on top of the raised earthen berms where we were clearly visible.  Nothing like shotgun blasts to totally destroy the usual peaceful ambience of the 2200 hectare wildlife oriented Marsh.

JUST ENOUGH SUNLIGHT LEFT TO HIGHLIGHT THE MARSH’S GOLDEN ROD

We traveled around to 3 different areas this morning finding two of them hunter free & much quieter.  Although skies were beautifully moody with their dark ominous clouds it wasn't the best lighting for any wildlife we might have seen.  Too many dark areas & one really needs sunshine on bird feathers or animal fur to bring colors out.  But no matter, we had a nice bug & heat free walk for a change & how nice is that on a mighty fine September morning.

LARGE DARK CLOUDS SOMETIMES COVERED THE MARSH IN SHADOW

LOOKING SOUTH ALONG THE BERM WE WE’RE WALKING ALONG….HUNTERS WERE IN THE WOODS TO OUR RIGHT & AHEAD OF US SOMEWHERE

LOOKING NORTH ALONG THE BERM IN THE DIRECTION WE HAD JUST COME

OUR VIEW TO THE EAST WAS MAINLY IN CLOUD SHADOW

THIS WHITE EGRET WAS SO FAR AWAY IT APPEARED LITTLE MORE THAN A WHITE DOT ON THE FAR SHORELINE WHEN I FIRST SPOTTED IT

MUST SAY IT WAS BREEZILY COOL WALKING INTO THE NORTH WIND ON OUR WAY BACK TO THE JEEP

SPOTTED THESE 2 CAUTIOUS LITTLE FELLOWS ALONGSIDE THE ROAD WHEN LEAVING THE MARSH

In one of the areas we came across a group of horseback riders & I remembered seeing them in the Marsh last year & the year before about the same time of year.  The group was just heading out with a couple Hounds in the lead.  Watching them mount up & move out I noticed something about these riders that had we not spent time in the South-west these past 9 years I would have missed.  Looking at the photos below can you see a difference between Northern riders & Southern riders.............

 

AS THEY HEADED OUT ACROSS A FIELD I COULD HEAR SOMEONE BLOWING A WHISTLE SO AM GUESSING THIS IS SOME KIND OF A TRAINING EXERCISE

NOTICED THE DIFFERENCE YET?? …… IN THE WILD & WOOLLY SOUTH-WEST ALL THESE RIDERS WOULD BE WEARING COWBOY HATS NOT BASEBALL HATS

Decided to forego a long country drive & simply headed the short 11 miles back home again.  I think all the fresh air & walking tired me out a bit.  Pheebe too because she had a big snooze soon as we got home.  Not me though, I had over a hundred photos to edit.

 

TWO WILDLIFE VIEWING STANDS IN THE HULLETT-MARSH

Know what else I like about being home alone......I never have to spend hours in front of the kitchen sink doing dishes.  I have 1 spoon, 1 fork, 1 knife, 1 small plate, & 1 cereal bowl that after each use I rinse off & simply use them over & over & over again.  No dishes piled up, no cooking messes to clean & everything stays neat, clean, & organized.  No fuss, no muss, no bother:))

JUST A BEAUTIFULLY COOL AUTUMN MORNING FOR A RELAXING WALK WITH MOTHER NATURE

In a comment on my Friday night post this question was asked.....Does Pheebs ever eat actual dog food? She sure seems to be a people-food-loving dog!  Yes, Pheebe does have her own food & eats her main meals twice a day.  Compared to her dog food what I share with her is very miniscule.  When I use the word 'share' it  does not mean I share 50/50.  Remember, I am an only child so ‘sharing’ is not a buzz word for me.  And no I do not share everything I eat with Pheebers either.  So in a nutshell no, 'Pheebs does not run on people food'!!  And for those who have wondered but never asked……….no, Pheebs does not share her dog food with me……………………. 

 

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A passenger jet was suffering through a severe thunderstorm. As the passengers were being bounced around by the turbulence, a young woman turned to a minister sitting next to her and with a nervous laugh asked, "Reverend, you're a man of God, can't you do something about this storm?"  To which he replied, "Lady, I'm in sales, not management".

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A new hair salon opened up for business right across the street from the old established hair cutters' place. They put up a big bold sign which read: 

"WE GIVE SEVEN DOLLAR HAIR CUTS!"

Not to be outdone, the old Master Barber put up his own sign:

"WE FIX SEVEN DOLLAR HAIR CUTS"

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And for those of us getting up in years.....The Senility Prayer:  
God grant me the senility
to forget the people
I never liked anyway,
the good fortune
to run into the ones I do,
and the eyesight
to tell the difference.