Reprieve . . .

We are having an unusual warm spell the next few days.  I don't mean we'll be in the 90's.  Highs will be in the mid to high 70's.  Given that we had frost a couple of times this week, these temperatures are wonderful.

Fall is here, and winter is not far away.  We get our first appreciable snow the end of October.

I went for a short ride.  I came across several woolly bear caterpillars.  I've given up trying to determine if they are can prognosticate winter weather.

I decided to paddle Dead Creek.   I have not paddled it this year.  Soon duck season will be here, and I won't want to be near the Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area (I find the bullet holes in the sign ironic!).

Most of the bird-life has gone.  There are still great blue heron about.

Dead Creek has wide areas for paddling, and tiny little passages.  I like to explore the tiny passages - you never know what you'll come across.

In one isolated area, I came across more blue heron.

The water is very still in Dead Creek.  I loved the reflections in the water.

More reflections . . .

To the west, I could see the Adirondacks . . .

. . . and Snake Mountain was to the east.

Occasionally geese were overhead.  Dead Creek will be chock full of waterfowl as the fall migration continues.

The sumac are now deep red.  The sun was getting lower in the sky, and the moon is rising over the Green Mountains.

I hope to keep paddling until the water freezes in mid-winter.