A Return To Harper Falls - Part 2

We'd just arrived at Harper Falls, a magnificent cascade on the Grasse river, and I decided to continue on up the trail to the top of the falls. We passed a lot of interesting mushrooms along the way. This group had caps the color of leather and stems which were mottled like giant slugs:

These were the color of freshly baked bread - or perhaps slightly toasted marshmallows:

We arrived at the top of the falls but, due to my bad ankles and painful, awkward gait, I was unable to get close enough for any good pictures. The dogs watched me try and then erupted with joy when I decided to retrace our steps down the trail to the base of the falls again:

When we arrived at the base of the falls, I noticed this very large mushroom, the color of butterscotch:

Fergus was a very good boy and smiled most of the way:

At that point, there was nothing left to do but begin returning to our car. So off we went:

When we arrived at the stream which still showed the effects of the Hurricane Sandy flooding, the dogs ran right into the water to cool off and get a drink:

It was a peaceful scene and my dogs were very happy:

This beautiful mushroom was, I think, a white Chanterelle. They are supposed to be edible, but my identification skills are nonexistent and I would never, never try eating one:

We were nearing the trail head when I spotted this cluster of apples at the edge of the trail. I looked around for the apple tree which had produced them and found none. Then I remembered being told that some people leave small clusters of apples in the forest for "the little people." I figured that someone considered this forest to be of a charmed or magical type. Given the beauty I saw all around me, I was good with that:

And the variety of large, colorful mushrooms certainly added to the magical forest designation. This cluster of pink and brown parasols was just past the apples:

We passed back over the little bridge, returned to our car and the dogs hopped back in with as much enthusiasm as they'd showed jumping out when we arrived. Dogs are always happy to go on an adventure:

A Return To Harper Falls - Part 1

The weather forecast was for a hot, sunny afternoon and I'd been working pretty hard around the farm. Deciding to take a break, I loaded the dogs into the car and headed down to the town of Russell, along the Grasse (AKA Grass) River, to find Harper Falls. I pulled into the empty trail head and let the dogs out:

The trail began as an easy walk, just fine for my problematic ankles. The only problem was keeping the dogs from running too far ahead. They were full of energy and enthusiasm:

They wouldn't stay close, so I made do by calling them back when they got too far ahead. Little Daphne thought it was a fun game, and all the extra running just added to her joy:

We crossed a little bridge over a tiny stream. There was a rocky cliff to the right of the bridge, over which a torrential waterfall must cascade during the snow melt. But this time of year, it was just a trickle:

Hurry up, Dad, we want to run more:

The next stream had no bridge and, in fact, I saw lots of evidence of flooding and figured it must be from Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Clover and Daphne stopped for a cooling drink and a little bit of splashing:

Fergus and Seamus joined them:

And then we continued on our way through a hardwood forest:

It was a short hike and before long I heard the roar of a waterfall. We all quickened our pace:

As soon as Harper Falls appeared, I realized that I had, indeed, been there before. Clover ran down to the rocky shoreline:

I was having a lot of trouble negotiating the sharp, slippery rocks, but the two Papillons considered it great fun:

Seamus and Fergus were intimated by the rocks and wanted to stay where it was safe. The Papillons joined them and watched me struggling to get back across the sharp rocks and up the bank. I decided next to continue on the trail to the top of the falls, but I'll post about that tomorrow:

Russell, New York - Part 2

This is a continuation of the photos taken in the little town of Russell, New York:

Another white church, this one looking rather prosperous:

A country home with big trees:

And a home painted robin's egg blue:

A very old and large home in need of painting:

I thought this was a third church, but just realized it's the same church as pictured above, but from a different angle. Oh well, here it is again:

There really wasn't any part of Russell that wasn't rural, but soon we passed into real farm country:

With a large, functioning barn out back and what appeared to be a sugar house:

A friendly old farm home with neighbors' silos in the background:

It wasn't all old fashioned by any means. This farmer had wrapped his big, round hay bales and stored them outside in the field. I have since discovered that these are actually "baleage," a sort of baled hay which is wrapped to allow it to ferment, much like haylage. It is left unchopped like dry hay and ferments less than haylage, so is better for feed than either one, at least by some accounts. But as I said, it was a modern farming innovation in this gorgeous rural landscape:

A handsome home beneath a big, country sky:

When I passed this busy, functioning barn I decided to put my camera away and get to the trail head without any more delay:

Russell, New York - Part 1

We were on our way to go hiking, the five youngest dogs and I, and had just passed through the rural town of Pierrepont. It was still very early in the morning, so when we entered the town of Russell, I decided to take some more photos:

Russell had a sort of town center, though not a very big one. It had a tiny park with a gazebo, a couple of churches and an old steel bridge over the Grasse River:

But what I enjoyed most was viewing the farm homes and hunting camps along the rural roads:

Picturesque farms under a big sky:

Comfortable, friendly living:

This place confused me and I wasn't sure if it was a home or not - and if so, if it was occupied:

An old farm home being painted and a well kept barn out back:

A tall, traditional church steeple:

A satellite dish for TV reception and apple trees for autumn harvest:

Set among farm fields and forests:

An enclosed porch on an addition to a very old farm house:

A town-type house up on a hill with autumn decorations. Russell was just a small town, but I took more photos and will present them tomorrow:

Another Delightful Small Town - Russell, New York

I'd hiked the Wolf Lake Loop Trail with my four younger dogs in the morning and was on my way back to the farm. We'd passed through the town of Edwards and some lovely farmland on our way. Then we crossed over the Raquette River and into the town of Russell, New York:

Russell is small and rural. There was a white clapboard church up on a hill:

And a surprisingly large and impressive municipal building:

A fire department:

And a highway department with what appeared to be old Army trucks parked in front:

Another white church with a nice steeple:

And a small town park with a gazebo:

But my favorite part of Russell was the farm fields just outside of the village. As I've said before, this is real hay country:

And cattle country, cattle who are grass fed, healthy and contented:

Hay fields as far as the eye can see with attractive old farmsteads nestled beneath Maple trees:

More cattle and an old farm house:

I took the wrong road out of Russell, but I had a map and was enjoying touring the country. I passed through a tiny hamlet called Pyrites (pie-RIGHT-eeze) and turned onto Pink Schoolhouse Road. I was particularly taken with this picturesque country church, situated comfortably in the trees and with old fashioned Spirea in bloom: