Autumn Color - Part 2

I was driving home from dropping Fergus and Seamus off at the groomer, and photographing the autumn color I saw along the way (see also Part 1, posted yesterday):

This corn field was half harvested, and a silage wagon stood waiting for the activity to begin again:

Yellow gold and green:

When I got to my own road, I knew of a small corn field surrounded by brilliant color and I was looking forward to photographing it. It had been recently harvested:

I parked next to the road and walked down the dirt lane to get a better look at the autumn color. Sometimes I walked out into the corn stubble to get a wider shot:

Spectacular color:

I'd thought this red was maple but when I got closer, discovered it was not. I didn't recognize the leaves, but a glimpse of the trunk suggested it was probably American Hornbeam, also called Musclewood because of its smooth, sinewy look:

I'd expected that this lane by the corn stubble would be spectacular, and it did not disappoint:

Oranges and reds:

And nearer the ground, there were plenty of purple New England Asters:

I stepped back into the corn field for this shot:

I was just leaving when I noticed this maple branch, a burst of electric color out of a wall of green:

Days Mill Road, Hopkinton NY - Part 1

Days Mill Road is nearby, woodsy, rural and beautiful. I like to drive it every so often just because I enjoy the scenery. It has mysterious, gated lanes which lead back into the woods and fields:

Another gated lane, this one appearing to have a residence back there, almost out of sight:

I passed a tiny brook, dappled with sunlight as it burbled through the rocks and bends:

Many of the homes, like this one, were nearly hidden behind trees. It made it hard to get photos but I'm sure it makes it a pleasant place to live:

There were small clearings alongside the road, inspiring me to think there were once homes or cabins there:

And stretches of tall Red Pines:

This small barn was nearly smothered in young trees and the afternoon sun made it difficult to photograph. I wanted to take the picture from the other end, where the door was, but that would have required pointing the camera directly into the sun:

A comfortable country home with outbuildings, patios and screened porches. This patio had a large dog chained on it who wagged his tail at me as I stopped along the road:

A large hay field which stretched way back to the forest in the distance:

A small barn with a basketball hoop:

And a house to match:

A shed with firewood and cedar fence posts, next to a stone retaining wall. There still was more to see on Days Mill Road and I'll post Part 2 tomorrow:

The Glories Of Summer In Farm Country, Part 2

Yesterday I presented Part 1 of a summer afternoon drive along rural roads where I marveled at the pastoral beauty all around me. I'll begin Part 2 with a neighbor's geese who honked loudly and waddled quickly away when I aimed a camera at them:

Daphne seemed fascinated by the corn fields passing by her window:

And this is the scene which originally inspired me to drive home and get my camera: A hillside, covered with Black-Eyed Susans and Wild Thyme, with a red barn in the background:

A barn surrounded by clucking hens, with a statue of a cow out front and an enormous Great Pyrenees inside:

I passed by woodlands, both hardwood and conifer:

And several women sat and chatted on the porch near anAmerican flag. The rose bush was in full bloom and the trees provided lots of afternoon shade:

And old home with what appeared to be a modern barn:

A field of soggy ground with fences running through it. I don't know how or why they erected those fences, but they did make an attractive scene:

Wildflowers, barbed wire fence and forest:

A brick home, shaded by giant trees with roses in bloom:

And an unexplained farm lane leading into the woods which caused my mind to imagine all kinds of possible destinations:

And the last photo of my journey was of my neighbors' cows. They were very interested to see what I was doing. I don't know if that's because they know me (they do) or because they're interested in all human activity: