Bee Haven Acres… Tales From The Farm

I am so happy that you are here to spend the morning with us.  Your early arrival, before the sun rises,

gives you the chance to say good morning to the barn cats, horses, 

donkeys, and birds – 

before they all hurry off to enjoy their breakfasts and get their busy days started.

Now that we’ve finished morning chores, let’s gather the dogs and take a walk together.  It’s always good to earn our breakfast!

 As the crisp autumn air whispers through the trees, we are reminded of the breathtaking beauty that awaits us in the woods. 

  It’s a perfectly sunny morning and colors are at their peak.  

Fog lies in the valleys,

 but we are on a ridge and the air is clear here.

I’ll bring the camera – you only need your senses and your sense of wonder to fully immerse yourself in the magic of the season.  Our trek will be a celebration of the season’s beauty, a time to reconnect with nature and each other.  So, wrap up warm, and let’s embark on this autumnal adventure together.  I promise you, dear friend, this walk will be a memory to cherish long after the leaves have fallen.

As we walk alongside the woods, we approach the entry to the trail we will take.  

It truly looks like a magic portal in the brilliant morning light.  The ground beneath our feet is crunchy with fallen leaves –

a symphony of textures and color and scents that invites us to explore.

Breathe in the invigorating air – cool, crisp, and rich with the scent of earth, dampened by the morning dew, and decaying leaves.  Let the rustle of leaves beneath your feet remind you of Nature’s serenity.  We walk silently, taking in the kaleidoscope of colors and letting the peacefulness of the forest soothe our souls.

The sun casts a warm glow – illuminating the vibrant hues of the trees…

the orange of sugar maples…

the yellow of hickory…

green oak leaves turning to rust…

and the contrast of maple-leaf viburnum against the (ever) green of holly…

The distant “caw” of a crow reminds us how these woods, once filled with the morning song of myriad birds, now remain the winter home of only a handful.  

Let’s stop for a minute and just listen… so much stillness.   Through the woods, in our Field of Dreams, we hear the melodic strain of the song sparrow.  

Jack will turn on his Merlin Bird ID app so we can know whose songs remain.  The woods are silent, now, except for one distinctive, charming whistle, high above our heads…

 it’s the call of a lone Brown Creeper (a rare one, indeed).

He sits high up the mosaic trunk of the tulip poplar tree just beyond our sight.

Close by, a squirrel chitters nervously – the dogs have invaded his territory.

We walk along and keep our eyes peeled for things that might go un-noticed. 

Long gone are all of the varieties of mushrooms and slime molds from our September adventures.  October has been quite dry, and there are only a handful of species to see.  I assume there might be more that we don’t see that are hidden beneath a carpet of fallen foliage.

Most abundant are puffballs, and Angel wings – so lovely, but highly poisonous – beware.  It seems that mushrooms bearing the name “angel” might be poorly named, as the varieties that I know of are all poisonous.  

Perhaps the names mean “eat one, and meet the angels”? 

We walk along the trails, able to see so much deeper into the woods.  Much of the forrest understory has died back exposing the leaf-covered ground.  It’s a peaceful walk, as the dogs run ahead, exploring with their noses.   We’ve covered a lot of ground in our walk… it’s been almost an hour.  

After a good round of “zoomies”, Forrest seems like he’s had enough exercise.  It’s time to head for home.

I don’t know about you… but I’ve worked up an appetite.  Care to join us for breakfast?