A Walk In A Boreal Forest

I'd worn my new ankle braces for about a week when I decided to try a short hike. Besides, the weather was lovely and the dogs were anxious to get outdoors and run. So I drove to Blue Mountain Road in the Santa Clara Easement of the northern Adirondacks, parked and let the pooches out:

I chose the trail to Madawaska Pond, knowing full well that private landowners had posted the last segment of the trail against trespassing. I only wanted a pleasant, easy walk through the Boreal Forest with my dogs and to test out the new braces:

Daphne was a happy dog and seldom stopped to rest:

And the scenery was spectacular. The black flies had begun but weren't biting (much) yet. They were swarming and pesky, but not painful. They ruined many of my photos by swarming in front of the camera or landing on its lens:

The air was perfumed with sweet Balsam and Pine. Ravens croaked and White Throated Sparrows sang from the trees:

Fergus and Seamus had both been sheared the previous day and Fergus seemed embarrassed by his new haircut. I didn't tell him so, but he really did look kind of silly:

The forest on either side of the trail was dense and almost impenetrable, so we stayed on the road:

We crossed over a roaring brook:

It was only a short trail and I didn't even walk to the end of it. I just walked until my legs began to feel a bit tired and the black flies had exasperated me. Then I turned around and called the dogs back toward the car:

Seamus' new haircut:

The "Silly Sisters," Daphne and Clover, hung together as they explored the mossy sides of the trail:

We hadn't gone far, so we were back at our parked car in a jiffy. It had been just right. I got to try out my new braces, the dogs had gotten to run, and we'd all enjoyed an afternoon in the Boreal Forest: