A ramble around the pond at Pocomoke River State Park

Reflections of autumn. (The pond at Pocomoke River State Park yesterday.)

If you catch a fragrance of the unseen,
like that, you will not be able
to be contained.
You will be out in empty sky.

Any beauty the world has, any desire,
will easily be yours.

As you live deeper in the heart,
the mirror gets clearer and cleaner.

~ Rumi, excerpted from Out in the Empty Sky

The Bald Cypress trees are turning to gold.

Yesterday I went for a hike around the pond and on the Trail of Change in the Pocomoke River State Park.  If you’ve been visiting my blog for a while, you might recognize the name or remember something of the trail.  I’m not sure but I think I’ve probably used the Trail of Change as one of my Walktober posts in the past.  I know I’ve shown you the pond during the autumn months.

Gold and red.

There are two sides to the Pocomoke River State Park, on either side of the Pocomoke River (Pocomoke, by the way, is said to mean “black water” and the water is indeed dark from tannins).  There is Milburn Landing located on the north side and Shad Landing located on the south side.  I went to the Shad Landing side yesterday because that’s where the Trail of Change is situated and because of the pond.  I always head to the pond before hiking the trail to see what’s going on with the trees, the light, and the reflections.  It’s a small pond with a variety of trees planted around it although it is heavy on the Bald Cypress trees which are incredibly beautiful when they put on their fall colors.  I should correct that.  They are incredibly beautiful to me any time, in any season, but they do have a lovely golden glow in the autumn.

Reflections painting the surface of the water.

There was more fall color in the foliage than I was expecting.  Both the dogwood and bald cypress trees were almost at peak, and the sweet gum trees have been changing for weeks.  As you can see from the photo below, some of the trees (mostly in the background) are still quite green.

A wider view from one end of the pond.

Yesterday was a full day.  I had an appointment with the hygienist and dentist (the twice yearly cleaning and check-up), and an appointment to get my eyes checked (it’s been a couple of years).  I am somewhat excited about getting new glasses.  Not just because I will be able to see better.  I am getting new frames.  I looked at some of the sedate styles of frames, those probably more suited to my age group, and then decided upon a pair that send out the message: Fun.  The optician who checked the fittings for my new glasses stated that the frames are “quite fashionable.”  Since I am not a fashionista in any way, shape, or form, I suppose it is nice to be fashionable for a change.  But really, I picked them because they are colorful and fun.

In the corner where the shadows were gathering.

I left home around 9 AM and I was out on the hiking trail by about 3:30 PM.  There were some errands to take care of in between appointments and I enjoyed a delicious lunch at Mallards on the River, a relatively new restaurant on the Pocomoke River in Pocomoke City.  (Pocomoke, by the way, is a fun word to say.  The Little Wookie had a good time with it after we took him there to see the otters and other exhibits at the Delmarva Discovery Center in Pocomoke.  He also likes the word “Ocracoke,” a word he learned when visiting the Outer Banks of North Carolina with his parents.)

Not many fall colors here.

Today we’re awaiting the wind and rain from what was once hurricane Willa.  Her remnants will be coming through tonight, and they have already issued gale warnings.  The weather folks don’t think we’ll get a lot of rain from it, but the winds could knock down a few more trees.  It looks like the people north of us might have a rougher time with it as it develops into a coastal low (aka nor’easter).  As with all things weather related, we’ll have to wait and see what, if anything, develops.

Walking towards the back of the pond.

A round of robins dropped by at lunchtime today, scattering across the front lawn to partake of whatever it is they were eating.  Worms, perhaps, or insects of some kind.  Maybe seeds.  There are a lot of seeds floating around right now, most of them from the groundsel trees (also called salt bush).  It’s almost a magical thing to walk around out there when the sun is hitting the floating seeds of the groundsel trees, making them shimmer and glitter.

The robins overwinter with us and it’s not unusual to see a large group of them in the wild cherry trees feasting on the dried cherries during the winter months.

A backdrop of reflections.

There was also a flutter of tree swallows flying over the meadow and what was once a meadow but is on its way to becoming a forest.  I am not at all sure what they were eating since they are known for eating flying insects.  I didn’t notice many bugs while I was out and about on my walk, but it might still be warm enough that they’re out there flying around.  I’ve read that during the migration through this area they eat bayberry and red cedar berries, but the swallows I saw were swooping over the meadow and trees.  Perhaps they were landing where I couldn’t see them and then quickly taking flight again.  The swallows are on their way Elsewhere for the winter months, preferring warmer climes.

Leaning into each other.

I reckon that’s enough of my rambling for this cloudy Friday.  Thank you so much for stopping by and walking around the pond with me.  We’ll get to the Trail of Change sometime soon (I hope).  It looks like the rain will be here soon.  I don’t think it’s worth a trip out to the Point unless you want to walk in the wind and rain.  Sometimes I like to do that, but not when it’s as chilly as it is today.  Tomorrow’s sunset might be worth the trip.  We usually have amazing sunsets after a good storm.

Be good, be kind, be loving.  Just Be.  🙂

The Hunter’s Moon. Some astrologers say this year’s Hunter’s Moon asks you to remember who you really are.

A few of the 10,000 reasons to be happy:  896)  An October hike around Pocomoke River State Park.  897)  The anticipation of new glasses.  Reading has been difficult lately.  Seeing far away has been difficult, too.  I am both nearsighted and farsighted.  Lucky me.  And I mean that, by the way.  I feel lucky to be able to see and lucky that there are things that can be done to correct my vision.  898)  The birds that visit us during the winter months.  The robins and tree swallows were featured by Mother Nature today.  899)  Apples and apple cider from a local orchard.  I picked those up while out and about yesterday.  900)  A morning walk in the maze that M seems to be creating in the meadows and future woods.

Sunset at the Point yesterday.

The Walktober reminders:  This year’s dates are October 14th through the 28th.  I hope you’ll find the time to walk and participate.  (If you need more time, all you have to do is let me know.  If you’re unfamiliar with Walktober, you’ll find a link to a post about it in the sidebar, over there to the right.  Or, if you’re using your phone, maybe it’s at the bottom somewhere.)  I will probably do the round-up of the posts/walks on November 1.  That date depends on whether or not anyone needs and asks for more time.

The Official Walktober Post, the one that you should link to for pingbacks (or you can leave a link in the comments), is this one:  A Monday meander: The Walktober Post.  No worries if you leave your link on one of my other posts.  I’ll be on the lookout for them.

Last night’s moon and clouds.