A Few More of My Favorite Things...

A few of my favorite things aren't things. They are people. People like my sister and my daughter. These two extraordinarily special people are extra special when wrapped in fleece, boots and in the company of one super precious canine pal. They are all triple special when gathered together for a long, leisurely, warm & sunny walk in the crisp autumn Maine woods.

Though most of the leaves have fallen in the past few days, there were a few stubborn beauties, hanging on to their youthful colors. Kind of reminded me of my sister and I-you know, not giving in to aging-not succumbing. Not yet anyway!

Beech trees wearing yellow...

Alders going to seed...

Oaks donning a red blush...

Birches going for the minimalist look...Ghosty and Halloweeny-it's what all the birches are wearing this season...

My recent doctor ordered Lyme disease lab test just came back negative yesterday-so what do I do to celebrate?!? Head into the woods of course and wade blissfully through the tall marshy grass, just where the ticks roam! I mean really, can someone tell whoever is in charge-Mother Nature perhaps-that the planet really doesn't need ticks!?! I am no biologist, but I am pretty sure they don't really positively impact any eco -system enough to be beneficial!! Hideous creatures.

My outdoor savvy, wildlife biologist sister checked that I had tucked my jeans into my socks and offered me her sassy Kelley green "rubbah" boots to wear, to protect me. They even have a hot pink lining! What a woman she is.

We spent a few hours soaking it in, being led by our official scout, Nuala-the bionic dog. Really. This gal has more metal in her new knees than a robot. Or is it her hips? Elbows? I am not clear on the anatomical labels for the canine species... My sister will be ashamed that I can't recall this very important detail of her child's life experience...

Here she is, sniffing ahead, just to make sure the coast is clear.

My sister has been keeping tabs on the resident beaver(s) in these parts-making sure they don't get into trouble. She showed us many signs of their industrious work.

She even went so far as to do a little work on one of the dams the beavers have built. Never one to shirk getting dirty, she got right in there. With purpose. With passion. I thought we might lose her in the current. Her camera was gingerly extracted from her coat pocket by a branch she had employed as a tool-luckily it narrowly escaped certain doom by a tiny side branch. What an adventure!

All this and we were treading dangerously into nap time for Ava, who all the while rode on my back in her new best friend (and my back's new foe!), the backpack.

I can't remember the last time I wasn't ginger around a mud puddle-the last time I waded right in...

It was a throw back to our childhood in the O-O land. (You had to be there-a few of you may have visited, but for those of you who haven't had the distinct privilege, the experience involved a stream on our childhood home's property, an inordinate amount of skunk cabbage and a few strong sticks...)

My grown sister and I standing in rubbah boots, in a puddle, with my daughter on my back. How often does that happen? A sweet thing, I think.

Upon return to my sister's house, we sat in a leaf pile to reflect on our travels.

Someday, these will be our old days. Let's make them worth remembering...