Thursday Hikers

Hi! I’ve had the most perfect hiking day; the mid October weather and color just knocks your socks off ! Professional musician Lynn fashioned a piccolo from a dead branch with fungi for frets (frets?). Lynn always adds music and fun to the day. The gang has invested in $4 lighted close up lenses from Science oversupply and we are hooked on seeing things up close. How about a tiny mushroom with gills on the top and the bottom?? Our first stop for long views revealed the whole Holyoke Range. We’ve actually hiked most of it, but , of course, not all of its vasty trails. That’s Mt. Tom on the farthest right of the range, the one that sticks up highest. Once again heroics were offered to keep falling trees from doing any damage (to the dogs, hikers are on their own); sucking on Sassafras leave stems was the tasty sport of the day. An Indian Cucumber displayed its own autumn colors and the view of the Green swamp was pretty – but remote! It’s surrounded by a sort of moat of black oozing stuff, and has lots of poison sumac, so we just had a look and went back to the steep and gorgeous trails. Mushrooms of every type and color abounded, here is just one: the deadly Amanita – I think. I wish I could send along all the other fungi photos. A stretch of trail ahead of us was abruptly covered in yellow leaves. Was it indeed the Yellow Brick Road?? Bag lunches with a great view of the Holyoke Range, then back down, and with such radiant color underfoot. Last photo: already sprouted acorns of the Chestnut Oak tree. They were All OVer the Place!!! I’ll be planting them in pots today. I’ve got enough of them to ask,”Anyone want a Chestnut Oak sapling?” It is simply wonderful out there. I know that it also is where you live.
Last note: Some of you know that my life’s pal, Suzie, died recently. I brought her spirit of fun and friendship along with me today. I think of her all the time. Up, up and away dear friend!!! Love. Penny