Walktober 2018

Flipping the reflection. (Reflections on the pond at Pocomoke River State Park.)

The walks are the unobtrusive connecting thread of other memories, and yet each walk is a little drama in itself, with a definite plot with episodes and catastrophes … and it is naturally interwoven with all the thoughts, the friendships, and the interests that form the staple of ordinary life.

~ Leslie Stephen

My favorite hiking partner is hidden somewhere in this image. Or maybe not so hidden. I spotted him right away.

Walktober has been a little popular this year.  So many participants and so many good walks with which to fill this post!  We had a lot of new folks this year, too.  Thank you to everyone who participated and to everyone who put the word out.  I have enjoyed each and every walk, and I am profoundly grateful to each of you for sharing a little piece of your world and life.

On with the show now, right?  Get comfortable.  We have a long way to go in our travels and walks this year.  Because I do the round-up in the order in which the posts were published, we’ll be zig-zagging to various places around the globe.

Still making my way around this pond. It’s not very big, but each step brought another wonderful view of the trees and reflections.  Those little knobbly things at the bottom are bald cypress tree “knees.”  The tree on the right with the bare branches reminds me of a ballerina wearing a pink tutu.

Princess Katie, in Katie does Walktober, was first this year, as befitting a princess (because of course beautiful princesses should go first!).  Katie takes us to town to see pumpkins and gourds and other seasonal decorations.  Then she invites us to visit one her favorite parks where she likes to run free (when nobody else is there) and enjoy the breeze.  Please be sure to take some treats along with you when you visit Katie.  She posed so beautifully that she deserves a reward or two or three.

Bald cypress needles.

Frank was next with On Walktober 2018.  Wow, Frank!  Croatia!  Frank takes us on a hike/walk in Plitvice (PLEET veet seh) National Park where water is a major feature.  It’s also registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The scenery is stunning.  I’ve never thought about going to Croatia before, but I’ve been thinking about it since enjoying this walk with Frank.

We’re on our way to Weymouth in the U.K. next.  Sallyann, in Walktober 2018, takes us for a stroll along the Weymouth prom.  She included a few rest stops for us, including one where we can indulge in some delicious ice cream.  I loved all the watery sights, especially the boats, and could practically smell the salt air.

Lighting up the reds.

Our next walk is in Whiting Forest, part of Dow Gardens in Midland, Michigan, in Dawn’s post Walktober in the trees.  Dawn (Katie’s mama) takes us on a fun tour of the elevated pathway that’s up in the tree canopy, and then back down to earth with a walk between the trees, a place we both agreed is more comforting.  There are some beautiful fall colors in Whiting Forest.  Dawn ends with a mystery so you’ll have to follow her to the next post to find out what’s around that curve.

Once the mystery is solved, it will be time to travel far from Michigan to Tongariro National Park in New Zealand.  Samuel from Eiwawar is our guide as we visit Turangi and Tongariro where we explore some amazing sites/sights, and have the opportunity to meet (and learn about) some beautiful ducks.  Samuel also takes us to Mount Ngauruhoe, which Peter Jackson used as Mount Doom in his Lord of the Ring movies.

In the right light.

It’s back to the U.S. to join Eliza on her Walktober 2018.  Eliza invites us to walk the loop (trail) around her property, starting in her yard at the golden Katsura tree, then it’s off to the woods and the river.  Eliza even has her own waterfall with a couple of chairs placed just right where you can sit, relax, and enjoy the sight and sounds of the waterfall.

Sandra from Wild Daffodil invites us to return to the England for her Walktober, and to join her (and her grandchildren) on a magical walk where we find some fairy fungi, sunken lanes, a hare (or is it a camel?), and cows.  The photographs of the sunken lanes truly are magical.

Gracefully leaning over the water.

Time to head to Germany and the Bavarian countryside to walk with Cathy of Words and Herbs in her Walktober 2018.  Cathy shares with us a walk that she has been taking regularly and I can see why she would want to go back again and again.  The scenery along the way is gorgeous, with some lovely fall colors.  I particularly like the little dog ears popping up in one of the photos of the footpath covered with autumn leaves.

Debbie from Musings by an ND Domer’s Mom leads us on a walk around Lake Shelbyville in Central Illinois on her Walktober 2018.  We start at the visitor’s center and then walk by the lake and over the dam where we can get a glimpse of people fishing, a sandy beach, and flock of birds who fly up to meet and greet us.  It’s a lovely, blue-sky, sunny day walk.

Under the bald cypress, where the light likes to play.

Peter, The Outlaw Gardener, takes us on a visit to The Rhododendron Species Garden which, if I got this correct, is located between Seattle and Tacoma, Washington.  I love, love, love botanical gardens and I’ve put this one on my list of places to visit someday.  Peter took some amazing photos of the beautiful paths and the breathtaking autumn colors.

Dale, from A Delectable Life, and her walking partner Zeke, are next with a REAL adventure in her Walktober 2018 to Marie-Victorin Park where we admire the fall colors and take a forbidden path (doesn’t that sound exciting?).  Dale captured some wonderful light and colors in her photos.  Be sure to stick around for the sunset.  It’s worth it.

Somebody gets a little obsessed when it comes to bald cypress trees. It’s as if they are made for the light of autumn.

Time to travel back across the pond to Ireland to meet up with AJ from Ouch!! My Back Hurts!! (I know what you mean, AJ) who guides us on a Saturday Stroll around Arklow.  If you’re of a mind to listen to some music, follow AJ’s link to his post with Van Morrison’s Streets of Arklow.  It’s a wonderful accompaniment to the overview of Arklow, walking along the waterfront, and the beach.  There’s a tent and campfire if you want to stay the night and watch the beautiful sunrise.

Lisa, also known as Daily Musings from A Day In The Life, has done something a little different:  Walktober By Car.  (That’s entirely within the rules, in case you’re wondering, since there really are no rules.)  As someone who takes a lot of road trips (even going to the grocery store is a road trip when you live in the Middle of Nowhere), I really appreciated this.  The fall foliage was wonderful and there is even a spooky stop just in time for Halloween.  The video, with music, will give you a better feel for the drive, too.

We’ll be leaving the pond soon. (I probably spent too much time here, but it was so beautiful that I almost forgot I was at the park to walk the Trail of Change.)

Last but certainly not least, we join Merril from Yesterday and Today who takes us Walking Through Time and Colored Space with her beautiful poetry, lovely photographs, and timely musings that always offer something we need in this day and age:  Hope.

One last look before we leave.

Once again, a big thank you to everyone who participated this year.  I hope I didn’t miss anyone but if I did, I apologize.  Please let me know and I’ll add you to this post.  There were quite a few walks this year and it’s possible I overlooked someone.

My walks are all over my October posts so I didn’t do an official participation post.  Today’s images are from the hike I took a little over a week ago at Pocomoke River State Park.

Moving towards the Trail of Change. The dogwoods were quite colorful.

Be good, be kind, be loving.  Just Be.  🙂  And keep walking.  We’ll be doing this again next year.

Row of dogwoods on the way to the trail.

A few of the 10,000 reasons to be happy:  916)  So many beautiful walks from so many beautiful places.  917)  The wildlife around here.  It’s a little like living in one of those safari parks without the exotic animals.  Yesterday I saw our resident fox, a small herd of deer, a heron fishing in the pond, and two bald eagles.  At the same time.  918)  A sudden uptick in activity and interest in our newly formed anti-littering group.  It’s exciting to see it start to grow.  919)  Coffee, because I really needed it today.  920)  People with hearts so big that it appears they could take in the entire world and still have room for more.

Entering the woods on one of the side trails that goes to the Trail of Change.