Snowy North Field Perimeter - Part 2

I was driving around the outside perimeter of the north field to see and photograph the wintry beauty (see also Part 1, posted yesterday). I stopped when I saw this snowy pine. It looked like a Scotch Pine, though I've never taken the time for a closer look. I didn't do so this time either, but maybe I can remember it in the summer:

There are remnants of a stone wall along the perimeter, though they are so old that it is now difficult to discern:

And there are still piles of old farm refuge - tires, farm equipment, pipes, etc. I removed close to a hundred old tires, but more keep appearing:

I came to the two big Sugar Maples which provide such nice color every autumn:

I own the woodland off to the right in this spot, and it did my heart good to see an Eastern White Cedar growing there:

Some giant rocks were piled along the woods, apparently removed from the field before it could be used. I have heard a story of how the former owner had someone clear the rocks but never paid them. He also never paid for his new silo, so they came and dismantled it - which is why I now have a silo base but no silo behind the barn:

One lone Beech tree still held onto its golden leaves:

This was my path. The north field lay to the left and the woods to the right. I had a narrow path between them, a path which I have to bush hog each summer in order to keep the weeds down. But this photo shows the great beauty I experienced as I drove the perimeter:

In places, remnants of an old barbed wire fence still separated the field from the woods, and Birch trees began to show along the edges:

Another shot of an old, leaning barbed wire fence, with woods just beyond:

The brushy places had such an abundance of small branches that they appeared extra white:

I think these dark, withered berries were those of the Shadbush, sometimes called Serviceberry. They should be blooming again this spring:

I turned left, heading back to the house and barn, with the county road to my right. There is a row of cattails along this section of road:

The most beautiful sight of the trip was this Foxtail Grass. The seed heads were so white from a coating of snow that they looked like extra fancy, hybrid ornamental grasses in miniature. Alas, the photo doesn't do them justice. They were exquisite. They were also my final photo. I put my camera away and began using the tractor to remove the snow which the town had piled at the end of my driveway:

Snowy North Field Perimeter - Part 1

We missed one nor'easter, but got caught by the second one. The morning after, I decided to get on the tractor and drive around the outside perimeter of the north field to see the snowy sights. I drove past the cattle and horses in the south field as I headed up the gravel road for the north field:

Just past my north field are the remains of a former house trailer. This collapsed shed used to be their front entrance. It also sheltered the fox kits which I photographed  last spring. You can see those baby fox photos here:

That trailer used to have old fashioned pink roses which grew by this fence. They still bloom each year, though they are now in so much shade that I'm not sure how long they can continue:

I turned left to travel along the outside of the north field fence line. I planned to photograph the snowy beauty which surrounded it:

This open field used to be connected to mine, but they were separated when the property was sold:

I often drive down the gravel road after a snowstorm to photograph snowy pines, but hardwood trees are also pretty after a snowstorm:

I stopped to photograph this wild grass, which offered a bit of wintry beauty:

These brushy woodlands, with lots of small branches to collect the snow, looked dazzling:

I came to the corner of my field, where I'd turn left at the gate and follow the back fence line:

White birches didn't look quite so white with all that glittering snow around them:

At the corner of the property was the apparently dead trunk of an old tree which had sprouted and is now growing up again. It occurred to me that I'd never bothered to notice what kind of tree it is. I'll try to do that when the leaves are on it:

I passed an old lane which leads down into the woods and off into another field, a tiny portion of which I own. I've been piling brush along the side:

As I traveled along the edge of the field, I looked back toward my barn and house, with the neighbor's red barn across the county road:

The tractor is the best way to travel in deep snow. I sit high up where I can get a great view and it can pretty much go anywhere. If, however, I did get stuck, I could use the bucket to push my way out of a tricky situation (I've had to do it before). There was more to see along the perimeter, though, and I'll post Part 2 tomorrow:

Happy Dogs In The North Field

Our unseasonably warm weather was continuing even though the autumn color was almost over. The cows had been moved to south field, and I decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to take the dogs for a quick romp in the north field. Needless to say, the pooches were ecstatic about another mini-adventure:

They ran and played while I snapped photos and tried to keep them from rolling in cow manure:

They smelled many interesting things but did no cow pie rolling:

Keeping five dogs together is not easy sometimes, but I tried to do so. I also maneuvered my position so I wasn't pointing my camera into the sun:

I walked toward the eastern corner of the field and then urged the dogs toward the west, along the fence line. It was all the same to them, a place to run, play and sniff interesting smells:

Daphne struck a "skunk pose," Seamus locked onto a fascinating odor, and both Fergus and Clover were captured in mid-romp in this photo. Heaven only knows where Jack was at this moment:

And then Jack came running to join the doggy fun:

We skirted the north end of the field, following the fence line:

That big maple tree was beautifully colored:

Paper Birches punctuated the scenery as the dogs ran past. Seamus proved that he's not yet too old to run and play (although he did need lots of sleep when we got back to the house):

Jack began some frenzied rolling, but I am glad to report that it was just for joy, not on cow flop:

Jack was still rolling when I decided it was time to head back toward the house. I put my camera away then, however, because any pictures after this would have been pointed directly into the sun. The dogs were happy and this little excursion put me in a better mood also:

Autumn On The Rutland Trail - Part 2

The dogs and I were hiking on a section of the Rutland Trail on a fine autumn day (see also Part 1, posted yesterday). The scenery was magnificent:

 I saw these Milkweed seedpods and wanted a picture. As common as Milkweeds are, I seldom see the exploding seedpods. These always remind me of my childhood, when I wandered the fields behind our house:

The dogs were happy and exploring every inch of the trail ahead of me:

 There wasn't much color except for Red Maple saplings:

 Paper Birch grew along the trail:

And Wild Ginger. Alas, I've never seen their odd flowers, which are born beneath the leaves in April and May:

These cones notified me that there were White Pines nearby:

Not that the trees were hidden. Indeed, they were the tallest trees along the trail:

This section of trail runs through wetlands, and water in one form or another borders both sides of the trail. There are "No Trespassing" signs in places, but with all the water, I couldn't see how anyone could stray from the path:

We arrived at the spot which previously had a foot of water covering the trail as the pond on the right emptied itself into the marsh on the left. But this time, someone had built a bridge and we were able to keep exploring. Previously, I'd always had to turn around here:

The pond on the right was large, bigger than it appears in this picture, and beautiful:

But the bushes began to grow up along the trail, hiding the water on both sides:

And we came to another bridge, this one a steel grid with rubber mats over it. We'd never been this far before so I didn't know if it was new or not:

 And despite the late season, I began to find wildflowers in bloom. These were Heart-Leaved Aster:

 Tall Meadow-Rue was not in bloom, but its distinctive leaves gave it away. I'll post Part 3 tomorrow: