"In leaves no step had trodden black"

(View from the Sleeping Giant's chin.)

Jay and I went back to hike around at The Sleeping Giant State Park. Since Sunday was possibly the most beautiful day we have had this month, we weren't the only ones there. We ended up having to circle the parking area twice before finding a spot.

Luckily, we picked some of the less traveled trails and were able to keep away from the maddening crowds. Although we did cross paths with a nervous mother who almost frightened her child off the side of the mountain. She kept exclaiming over the safety of her little girl while at the same time letting her slightly older son jump around like a mountain goat. Her most colorful warning was "There's not any snow to cushion your fall. There's nothing."

Aftering scaling up the giant's head we took our time meandering back down. We were swarmed by ladybugs and had to detour around a garter snake but the combination of foliage colors and gorgeous slanting fall light made the day.


Spot the Ent?




Trees through branches


Ground-floor leaves


Valley of Light


Jay's Eye-view


Jill's Eye-view


Calle de hojas

The local news had a shocking expose last week about the supposed "Foliage Flop." People take their leaves quite seriously out here. My stint on the Great Plains has made any fall seem like a magnificent event.

True to form we got a bit turned around on the way back -- all part of the adventure.