Starting Home On A Fine November Day

I'd packed up the car and was all ready to leave the farm for home. But since I was outside with my camera to photograph the Snow Geese anyway (see yesterday's post), I also snapped a few pictures of the area on such a fine December morning. I began with my neighbors' barn across the road, their horses and calves grazing in the pasture:

My own house and barn where I hope retire and raise Red Poll cattle:

After I'd walked across the road to see the Snow Geese, I turned back toward my own place and shot this photo from my neighbors' point of view:

But of course it was time to leave, so I loaded all the dogs up into the car and headed southeast along the Port Kent Hopkinton Turnpike. This narrow road took me right through the Adirondack wilderness. I had to stop when I saw this amazingly red display along both sides of the road:

The dogs watched with concern as I bounced around investigating these great, colorful berries and snapping pictures:

This is Winterberry Holly, a nondescript shrub with a particular fondness for wet places - nondescript, that is, until it sets its fruit. It then provides an astounding display of color and beauty for the wintertime:

And it's good wildlife food too. Once I'd become aware of this wonderful shrub I began noticing it many other places also, including someone's front yard in the town of Saranac Lake:

I continued on along the Port Kent Hopkinton Turnpike until the St. Regis River came up alongside the road (or was the road which came up alongside the river?). How could I not stop and enjoy such beauty?:

This wild river engaged my senses with lovely sights and sounds as well as the aroma of Balsam Fir filling the air:

It was quiet, pristine, peaceful. I recorded 38 meditative seconds of it to share.


But of course I had six anxious dogs waiting for me in the car and many miles to travel. I glanced back through the Balsams at my little red car and then headed back to resume the journey home: