I traded texts with some good friends, this past week, discussing the weather in their parts of the country. Some with rain. Temps in the 70’s. One even went so far as to mention having a “crisp fall morning.”
Jealousy ensued.
It’s been quite a while since I had a day in reasonable temps…and, frankly, I had to drive 14hrs to get to it.
Not surprising, though, that when this morning rolled around and the decision was made to not make the usual Sunday drive, I, instead, grabbed my camera and tripod, then ventured back up to Huntsville State Park.
It was, after all, only “the high 70’s”…at 7am.
Okay…I think the humidity percentage was higher than the temp, perhaps by twenty points, but at least I wasn’t immediately poached upon stepping out of my car.
My glasses…and camera lens…both fogged mercilessly and repeatedly, though. Shame on me for not setting the car to 80 degrees for the drive.
Of course, once one steps onto the trail and leaves the campgrounds behind, the tacky feeling on the skin loses much of its ability to capture my attention.
Although I managed a few good shots of the … ummm … “lake,” it was hard to avoid getting the bass fishermen and their boats in the shots, at least until I reached the area with more water plant growth.
I always thought the aquatic plant life was supposed to be great for bass fishing, as it provided a maze of roots and stems that both hide the fish and nurture their various food sources. Of course, I also found quite a few of these friends in the area, too…
Maybe not too great a neighbor for any fish small enough to fit into its mouth. The shore also played host to a good number of my favorite winged residents, this morning!
Sorry about the blurriness in that one, but he just would not sit still long enough for me to completely setting into a position.
I don’t usually include a pair of shots from the same location, but the second Heron, I think, warranted it.
The close-up. Note the staring eye…
Wider view, with the far shore in view. Such beautiful birds.
Of course, after the initial stretch along the water, the path turns away and into the woods. In there, the fungi start to appear more often, sometimes with amazing views if one is willing to get on the ground and really close in on them.
I love the colors and the textures…
The rolling terrain even offered up a few spots where the relatively low sun played off the few available spider’s webs, as well.
Eventually, two miles later, I returned to the car just as the temps and humidity were conspiring to make the day “uncomfortable” for me. Good timing. Into the AC and onto the roads home.
Yes, I look forward to cooler temps.
Yes, I would like to see leaves changing color for reasons other than drought or extreme heat (or both).
Yes, I miss being somewhere where trout fishing is at least a vague possibility.
But, until one or more of these come to pass, yes, I will venture into the available woods when time permits, to rechange, enjoy nature, and remind myself of the beauty inherent in the land as it was meant to be.
Oh, also, this.
Not in the park, but a more and more frequent visitor to our back patio.
Tight lines…