The Duck Pond and Oxbow Trail - Part 1

I drove down Blue Mountain Road, in the Santa Clara Tract of the Adirondacks, to take the dogs for a short hike to some quiet waters. But along the way, I saw this updated sign for another trail and decided to hike here instead. The dogs were thrilled to be on any trail:

There was no one else parked at the trail head and, as usual, we had the entire forest to ourselves:

I drove this old road once and may do so again the next time, now that I know it's safe, so we can explore farther:

It was a happy, fun experience for the dogs:

A white Aster was blooming everywhere, along with fields of Goldenrod. I think I've identified the Aster as the Flat-Topped White Aster, Aster umbellatus. As for Goldenrod, there are so many species that I didn't even try:

We don't really hike very far these days, but we enjoy our little walks and experiences in nature:

I've worked for several years now to retrain the dogs to stick close by me and not run ahead. They are getting better, but it's been difficult to break them of bad habits:

And it's a blessing for me to see them all so happy. Little Jack, the terror of the Shelter just a few months ago, is a joy to watch as he runs and plays:

We veered right at a fork in the trail and headed downhill toward the oxbow:

The oxbow is a sinewy section of the St. Regis River which got off from the main river many years ago when the St. Regis washed out a new shortcut. It stretched out before us, pristine and lovely, with two small mountains in the background. I headed toward the water, hoping to find some easy access points:

The dogs were happy to go wherever I went, so we set off to explore:

We never did find a good access to the water, but I decided to follow a deer trail off along the side of a hill, stopping for a few Lowbush Blueberries along the way. I'll post about the deer trail tomorrow:

Around The Farm In September

The neighbors had only one cow still due to calve and she was late. Finally, she gave birth to this bull calf. He was extra large and it was a difficult birth. He couldn't stand for a couple of days, so they milked the mother and hand fed the "little" one. He's now fine:

I walked over to see him and, while I was at it, to say hello to his mom. She looks intimidating here, I realize, but she's sweet and gentle, even more so than my own cattle:

My Rose Mallows burst into bloom, beginning in late August:

They are even bigger this year than last year:

My little rooster marches around the property, clearly feeling like the king of the farm:

Amish families have been piling their hay into small stacks. A day or two later, they drive through the field, collecting them and piling them into a much larger mound:

My front yard, with wildflowers (Butter-And-Eggs), Tree Hydrangea and Rose Mallow:

The apple trees have been littering the ground with windfalls and the New England Asters have been in full bloom:

Some trees have produced abundantly and some have not:

My little bantam hens keep making nests at the base of the bushes where I can't find the eggs. Egg production has been reduced because of the season anyway, but it's even lower because so many eggs are hidden outdoors. I'll find them this autumn, after the leaves are all fallen:

The pear tree has produced a bumper crop this year:

Do you remember the dead Meadowlark I found by the barn? I'd forgotten about it but one day found its skeleton, back by the barn where it'd begun. It's fascinating to see what lies beneath all that skin and feathers. A few yellow breast feathers still clung to the skeleton: