We got out a few times in October, before the weather turned too cold. We saw some of our usual suspects: Common mergansers and mallards, loons, blackbirds and kingfishers, a hawk or two, a painted turtle and a beaver.
Loon. Kettle Pond 9/27/24
Common mergansers. Grafton Pond, 10/4/24 Common mergansers. Squam Lake 10/13/24Mallard flying. Ompompanoosuc River, 10/3/24Flock of mallards. Connecticut River 10/2/24Common loon. Grafton Pond, 10/4/24Common loon. Long Pond, 10/6/24Red winged blackbirds. Ompompanoosuc River, 10/3/24Kingfisher Connecticut River 10/2/24Hawk. Ompompanoosuc River, 10/3/24Young ring-billed gull. Grafton Pond, 10/4/24Beaver. Kettle Pond 9/27/24Painted turtle. Grafton Pond, 10/4/24
We also found a few interesting things: rocks that look like elephants, a large black ball with a handle, a log that looks like a wolf. The foliage turned colors and the leaves fell. The mornings were cold and the valley was full of fog.
Rock that looks like an elephant . Kettle Pond 9/27/24Connecticut River. 10/21/24The wolf log. Squam Lake 10/13/24Mt. Cardigan. Grafton Pond, 10/4/24Kettle Pond 9/27/24 Color on the point. Squam Lake 10/13/24 Long Pond, 10/6/24Paddle to Great Island. Squam Lake 10/13/24Sun thru the fog. Connecticut River 10/2/24Rowing in the fog. Connecticut River 10/2/24Jane in the fog. Connecticut River 10/2/24
Most of the birds have flown, and the kayaks have been put away for the winter. It was a good season.
The end of the summer has come. Many mornings are foggy, the leaves are changing color, and we are using coverings on our legs to keep warm. We paddled several times on the Connecticut and the Pompy and once on Indian Pond, seeing the usual suspects.
Mallards in fog. Connecticut River 9/4/24Mallard on a log. Connecticut River 9/24/24Ducks on a log, Mink Brook 9/11/24Mallard on a log. Connecticut River 9/17/24Mallards. Connecticut River 9/21/24Mallard. Ompompanoosuc River 9/19/24Mallard flying. Ompompanoosuc 9/5/24 Wood duck taking off. Mink Brook 9/11/24Male wood ducks. Mink Brook 9/11/24Mallard and green heron share a log. Mink Brook, 9/17/24Green heron– stare down. Mink Brook 9/17/24 Green heron. Connecticut River 9/11/24Green heron. Mink Brook 9/24/24 Bald eagle. Mink Brook 9/24/24Bald eagles. Connecticut River 9/17/24Peregrin falcon. Ompompanoosuc River 9/5/24White throated sparrow. Ompompanoosuc River 9/19/24Cedar waxwing. Ompompanoosuc River 9/5/24 Kingfisher. Indian Pond 9/8/24Hay bales from the setback. Ompomanoosuc River 9/5/24 Web. Mink Brook 9/17/24Not an owlet (cat tail seeds) Ompompanoosuc River 9/19/24Leaf reflected. Connecticut River 9/12/24
We haven’t be out much this month what with appointments, bad weather and being down with a respiratory infection, but when we did go out, we enjoyed what we saw. We went to North Hartland Lake several times, seeing eagles, herons, turtles as well as some other birds, animals and plants. Unfortunately, the recreation area is now closed for the season.
Cormorant. North Hartland Lake 8/3/24Humming bird, North Hartland Lake 8/3/24Common merganser. North Hartland Lake, 8/31/24Mergansers watching for eagles(?) North Hartland Lake, 8/31/24Egret, North Hartland Lake, 8/31/24Painted turtle. North Hartland Lake 8/3/24Painted turtles. North Hartland Lake 8/1
3/24Great blue heron. North Hartland Lake 8/3/24Great blue heron landing near the dam. North Hartland Lake 8/13/24Great blue heron landing in a tree. North Hartland Lake, 8/31/24
Great blue heron. North Hartland Lake, 8/31/24Great blue heron by the dam. North Hartland Lake, 8/29/24Yellow flowers,North Hartland Lake, 8/31/24Red leaves. North Hartland Lake 8/13/24Immature eagle stretching. North Hartland Lake, 8/29/24Eagle changing directions. North Hartland Lake, 8/31/24Immature eagle flying over me. North Hartland Lake, 8/31/24Immature eagle flying. North Hartland Lake, 8/31/24 Immature eagles. North Hartland Lake 8/13/24Adult eagle. North Hartland Lake, 8/29/24
We also paddled out of Wilder a few times and the Pompy.
Mallards at the boat launch. Connecticut River 8/25/24Turtlehead. Connecticut River 8/28/24Osprey diving. Connecticut River 8/23/24 Foggy morning in Wilder. Connecticut River 8/23/24Kingfisher, Mink Brook 8/15/24 Bittern. Ompompanoosuc River, 8/22/24Mallards. Ompompanoosuc River 8/22/24Green heron. Ompompanoosuc River 8/22/24Butterfly on Jeruselam artichoke. Ompompanoosuc River 8/22/24Hawkweed (?) going to seed. Ompompanoosuc River 8/22/24Joe Pye weed. Ompompanoosuc River 8/22/24
We have been out several times in the last few weeks. North Hartland Lake is now open for boating, after being closed for more than year after last year’s flooding.
Remains of last year’s flooding. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Bald eagle adult. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Immature eagle. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Two immature eagles leaving a tree. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Immature eagle flying. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Great blue heron. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Kingfisher. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Beaver. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24Beaver splash. North Hartland Lake 7/27/24
The Connecticut River to Mink Brook is a favorite. It is easy to get to, and almost always has things to see (and there are places to pee).
Canada goose at the boat launch. Connecticut River 7/24/24Canada geese. Connecticut River 7/24/24Mallard duckling and mama. Connecticut River 7/24/24Mama mallard and ducklings. Connecticut River 7/24/24Mallards on a log. Connecticut River 7/25/24Mergansers. Mink Brook 7/30/24Wood ducks. Connecticut River 7/24/24Female wood duck. Connecticut River 7/30/24Male wood duck. Connecticut River 7/30/24Cormorant. Connecticut River 7/25/24Cormorant walking on water. Connecticut River 7/25/24Hornet nest. Mink Brook 7/25/24Eastern phoebe. Connecticut River 7/25/24Kingbird. Connecticut River 7/30/24Fledgeling robin. Connecticut River 7/25/24Robin. Connecticut River 7/30/24Dog in Mink Brook. 7/30/34Underwater water lily. Connecticut River 7/24/24
The Ompompanoosuc River is another favorite.
Song sparrow with lunch for the family. Ompompanoosuc River 7/20/24 Mergansers taking off. Ompompanoosuc. River 7/20/24 Young merganser. Ompompanoosuc River 7/20/24
We joined Jane’s brother and sister-in-law on Lake Fairlee and saw loons and pink water lilies.
Loon and chick. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Baby loon. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Loon and chick. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Loon family. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24 Loon. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Loon calling. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Loon parents. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24 Gull. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Kingfisher. Lake Fairlee. 7/28/24Pink water lilies Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Pink water lily. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Water lily. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24Painted turtle. Lake Fairlee 7/28/24
I went to our family compound on Squam Lake for a week with my sisters and their families.
Nabil, Gene, Ruthe, Scott, and Jain on the porchJain Archie, Ruthe’s friend.On the porch with the Lymans and friendsNabil and Lisa looking for Ruthe’s glasses.Nabil Uri on the dock Lisa Scott working on the TreacleSunset
On Saturday, the Dave Himot family and Jen Bellows, Wyatt and Aysha arrived.
The younger generation playing cards ToesFloating on noodles Dave with beerDagwood in his carrierClouds building into thunder stormGeneJenn BellowsPhil and LisaDinner is served
The next day our cousin, Kate Bowden and family, and Jared Lenz and family came. The Lenz family hadn’t been to Squam for more than 10 years.
Jenna, Kate, RutheJennaSage, formerly known as LydiaDaveBodieAysiaSamSophieBodieEileeUriTaco nightNancy at the campfireSleeping in the dining room
When Uri flew east on Wednesday , he sat next to a person who coughed the entire flight. By Saturday evening he wasn’t feeling well, tested positive on a Covid test and went to bed. The boys who were supposed to sleep in his room, ended up sleeping on blow-up mattresses in the dining room. Bil took Uri back to White River Junction on Sunday
Starting the swim to Great IslandOn the way to Great IslandWe made itOn the way backJenn and Dagwood paddle a rescue canoeDave and JaredDave made it round trip!Hawk inspecting the swimmers
Each morning Kate lead a yoga session.
Yoga on the dockJennaJaredLoonBodie on the blow up loon.GenePhilRutheSimone, Nabil’s partnerSophieShoes by the door
We climbed Mt Rattlesnake one morning.
Sam and BodieOn the way upBodie and SamRuthe making it to the topNabil and SimoneBarb’s family: Jenn, Dagwood, Wyatt and AysiaBarb points out our house to Jenn HimotThe David Himot familyThe Lenz familyThe MaynardsWaiting for the last of our family.Ruthe made it!
Another fun activity was a “treasure hunt”. Teams competed against each other, solving clues that lead to the next clue.
Aysia, Wyatt and Kate work on a clueGo girls, one of the teamsAnother team: Dave, Sophia, Russ and TateOne of the cluesThe winners: Sage, Sam, Lisa, Phil and Bodie
Renny celebrated his 80th birthday.
Singing “Happy Birthday”The birthday cardRenny with his new sweatshirt
We made tie dye shirts and wore them for a group picture the next day.
Working on the shirtsOne technique was to crumple the shirt in a plastic bag and squirt dye on it.Sadie rinsing out the excess dyeThe group in their shirts.
