Moose

It's that time of the year when a moose's interest turns to love. Yesterday I was walking on the Appalachian Trail with a friend when up ahead I saw a dark form in the woods. "Moose!" I grabbed my camera and crept ahead.

It's dangerous out in the woods now,and I'm not kidding. Bull Moose want some loving and they really don't have much to fear, and the hormones coursing through there system makes them not too afraid. They have been know to charge cars,trains hikers,cows, just about anything that they feel is a threat to their territory or their chances of scoring. I had a friend get treed by a moose a while ago. He spent a good half hour in that tree.

Alces alces

I'm back!

A series of events at home had conspired to keep me busy and needing focus on other things.

Today is the last program of the year for the Wilhelm Reich museum and hopefully after that I will be able to change focus and get on with some other projects. The market is doing well for me,(I'm an equity trader by day). My mom has Parkinson's and there are times that what she needs is more important than my own time. And one of my aunts was diagnosed with cancer. The outcome for her is looking good.

I have spent some time getting pictures and even had a couple of great days out with a friend. So, here goes!

Summer is ending and the goldenrod has been just incredible this year. Down towards Farmington the fields were a carpet of gold. This is one of my favorite flowers, I just love the color and the variety and abundance of insects that visit goldenrod (Solidago spp) is great. I haven't really had the chance to get some photos this year, but there's always next year.

It's also a bittersweet end to the summer when I see the first blooming of goldenrod. It means cool weather is coming, and I always hate to see summer end.

We had some cool nights last week, it did drop down to 40 and after having 70-80's that was too much of a shock.On the day the front was coming through, I went out to Little Kennebago Lake with a friend. It was overcast and threatened rain, which of course it did. There is something about being in a kayak in the rain that makes it more fun.

So I got to see some of the locals. A cow moose, a few common loons and a common snipe.

Farmington

On a beautiful,warm fall day down in Farmington, the leaves were still out, meanwhile in Rangeley, most of the leaves are down.

Autumn

It struck me this morning. It's dark! Quite a difference from back in June when I was awakened at 4 am by the brightening day. Now at 5am sunrise is still an hour and a half away, and the day ends at 6:20pm. Back in June, I could watch the sunrise over Bigelow, and now it's closer to Saddleback. Doesn't sound like much, but from the wild edge of things, it's something else. When the weather clears,I'll go out and try for some more star photos, and of course it's the moose rutting season. Time for more caution in the woods. I have been hearing them more often. I'll get out and set up a camera trap, and see what I get.

The view from there.

Last week I went up a local mountain, Aziscohos Mt. Trees are changing fast,and the colors are great this year. There used to be a Maine Forest Service firetower up there, but the state gave them up and finally cleaned out the structures. Hence the concrete posts.