Hiking @ Goldsmith

We found a new place for a nature walk: Goldsmith Woodlands in Andover.  We covered about half of the trails in a two-hour walk.

The town provides a rough map.

flowers
Just a random bush. I think they’re rhododendrons?
kids
All three kids, two human and one dog, heading down the trail
trail
Looking down the trail. Most of the trails are about as well-groomed as this.
bessie's point
Looking out from the end of the trail at Bessie’s Point (click to expand)

 

Who Will Remember My Name?

They say that when you die
you’re not really dead
until no one remembers you

I was a conqueror
A thousand stone faces
remember my deeds

Most graves say nothing
They tell no stories to the living
The dead can find sweet relief

Not so for me
I am doomed
to live forever

— H. Walker Jones, May 2017

That was one angry duck…

I’m sitting in the living room, minding my own business, working from home (as you do), when I see a large bird land in the neighbor’s yard, followed by a male mallard duck. Being me, and curious, I checked and sure enough, the first bird was a female duck.

After they finished doing … whatever it is they were doing in the neighbor’s yard, she popped up on the fence and started quacking. Loudly. For a LONG time.

She was up there for a good two minutes, quacking angrily. And then she moved…

Yes. That’s my car. With an angry duck on it. She flew off along with Mr. Duck. You can almost hear the “Honey! Wait for me!”