2021 01-09, 4824 - THE TOP OF THE GLADE – The weather has provided an opportunity for winter walks to places we often do not easily get to this time of year, including visiting the top of the Glade and the back country ski trails down the front of the mountain. It is so peaceful and rejuvenating.
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2021 01-07, 4822 - A SNOWY WALK THROUGH THE TUNNEL – With only a few inches of snow on the ground and a light coating on the pine branches overhead, I walked through the tunnel into a world full of hope and dreams as I journey to the far reaches of the Cosmos. I came back refreshed.
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2021 01-06, 4821 - A VISIT TO THE CABIN – Usually by now the ground on the mountain is covered by enough snow to prevent me from driving the truck up to the Cabin. So far this year I am still able to make an afternoon visit for a hike in Nature. Any day that could change, and out will come the snowshoes.
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2021 01-04, 4819 - ANOTHER HEART – Just before the snows of winter I discovered another heart-shaped rock in a stone wall. I knew that I was being reminded of the importance of power of heart-based loving energy filled with positive intentions. I love finding hearts wherever my journey takes me.
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2021 01-02, 4817 - HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL – As we start our journey in this New Year, Nature has reminded me of the positive signs that it provides on our walks. Recently on a section of land we do not visit very often my wife discovered what appears to be a spring. Hope does spring eternal for 2021.
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2020 12-31, 4815 - THE RETURN OF THE ICE SCULPTURE EXHIBIT – Each morning it is my intention to look out my windows and observe something unique, positive, and special that Nature provides me as I begin my day. At the moment it is the return of the constantly changing ice sculpture exhibit in the brook.
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2020 12-30, 4814 - BACK AGAIN – Nature melted the snow cover on the mountain and valley, creating a brown landscape, and with the stroke of her paint brush she painted the landscape once more in a coating of white. This time of year we resolve to change old negative habits that come back again. Keep painting.
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2020 12-29, 4813 - HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW – The white snow cover, just before Christmas, disappeared during the intense rain and warm weather. The ground is mostly bare again. Still, Nature has provided an opportunity to walk through the woods and explore places the snow would have kept us from.
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2020 12-27, 4811 - WALKING IN A STRAIGHT LINE – I followed a set of animal tracks as I walked along the old road. I knew it was a wild animal because they were in a straight line rather than a dog that will bound here and there. People are like animals. Some walk a straight line in life where others do not.
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2020 12-26, 4810 - WINTER WALKS – Our walking habits change in the winter as my leg doesn’t like to walk through deep snow. We often drive to the Center’s parking area at the back of the land and walk the old Class VI road. It is a wonderful way to connect with Nature without needing to take a lot of gear with us.
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2020 12-25, 4809 - A SPECIAL GIFT – During this special season in the Christian world as well as in other religions, gift giving is fairly common. So it was the other day during a snow storm when Nature gifted us with a visit from a pair of cardinals. To us it was a beautiful sign from the source that we were loved.
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2020 12-24, 4808 - HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS – This is the time of the year that people look forward to reuniting with family and friends. However, this year is different and fortunately, through social media at least, we are able to connect with the knowledge we will be able to hug each other soon.
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2020 12-23, 4807 - DETAILS – Recently we stood at the top of the Lupine Field, and the light was just right to see all the details in the mountains across the valley. There were many little mountains that came together to create the bigger ones. People often see details very differently than others. Perception.
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2020 12-22, 4806 - THE TRANSITION HAS BEGUN – Today marks the beginning of the return of growing sunlight. It may be only a few seconds a day at the moment but within a month we will begin to see the changes. It is also a transition for all of us into a year filled with positive changes.
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2020 12-21, 4805 - WINTER HAS ARRIVED – Finally winter has arrived, signaling the shortest day of the year. I look forward to the return of daylight starting slowly at first, and then by spring I believe that we shall be well on our way to life and Nature both planting the seeds of a positive future.
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2020 12-20, 4804 - PERFECTION – Here in the mountains Nature has provided us the perfect winter scene, fir trees covered in soft fluffy snow. It is like living in a holiday card and an image really needed this time of year. Some only think of the work of moving the snow. I prefer to see the beauty.
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2020 12-19, 4803 - STUDYING AN OAK LEAF – I am constantly amazed at the uniqueness of all things in Nature, from a single oak leaf to the patterns of color in the feathers on birds, to the sky. No two oak leaves are alike, as no two persons are the same. We are, after all, a part of Nature.
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2020 12-18, 4802 - I WONDER WHAT IT’S THINKING – I was able to get a picture of a titmouse perched on the edge of bird feeder as it gazed in the window. I wondered what it was thinking, if birds actually think. Maybe it was there to help me think and see life from a different angle.
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2020 12-17, 4801 - COASTAL DECORATING – I find it interesting how different parts of the country use their local materials to decorate for the holidays, like lobster traps on the coast of Maine. Wherever you are, it is a chance to use your creative ability to bring a smile to others.
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2020 12-16, 4800 - LIVING WITH SANTA – I grew up in a house that contained the last old fashioned hand crank telephone company in the country. My father used to answer calls to Santa from the town’s children each December. One day in the middle of summer, one child heard his voice and, wide eyed, said, “You’re Santa!”
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2020 12-15, 4799 - A SILENT WORLD – Although the drizzle had stopped, the mountain was covered with a thick fog. The world below had fallen silent, something we seek when we visit Nature. At that place in time, the whole universe and beyond was connecting to me with a loving energy of peace.
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2020 12-14, 4798 - LUNCH WAITING – The single pinecone rested on the surface of the new snow waiting for a squirrel to wander by for lunch. I thought of all the nourishment Nature provides for the wild creatures as well as for humans. My soul is always nourished when I am out in Nature.
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2020 12-13, 4797 - THE FIRST CUP OF TEA – Recently we hired professionals to remake the chimney and install a wood burning end heater in the cabin. I built a fire, put on some water to boil and enjoyed my first cup of tea made in the Cabin. Life is filled with many moments like this.
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2020 12-11, 4794 - IMPASS – The snowstorm caused a lot of havoc in the foothills. Some people were out of power for several days. When I tried to drive up to the cabin, I found the road was impassible. I got my chainsaw, and it two days to get to my destination. Life is full of impasses. We have options.
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2020 12-10, 4794 - IMPASS – The snowstorm caused a lot of havoc in the foothills. Some people were out of power for several days. When I tried to drive up to the cabin, I found the road was impassible. I got my chainsaw, and it two days to get to my destination. Life is full of impasses. We have options.
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2020 12-09, 4793 - A VIEW OF THE MOUNTAIN – As I drove through the village I was struck by the beauty of the mountain with its fresh coating of snow hanging to the trees. From this location the mountain looks big. From where we live, it is called a hill. There are many ways to view a mountain.
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2020 12-08, 4792 - VIEW FROM ABOVE – On a recent visit to Camden Hills State Park on the coast of Maine and before the snow, we got a bird’s eye view of the harbor below. Life has more than one view when we take the time to realize we can be above a situation or we can experience being down in it.
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2020 12-07, 4791 - A MAGICAL COATING: A SNOWY WONDER – The wind blew through the night and what we thought was going to be a major snowstorm turned into a magical coating of white. It has arrived just in time to help us feel a sense of normalcy during this season of holiday celebrations.
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2020 12-06, 4790 - TOO BIG TO DECORATE – We used to decorate a small evergreen tree on the edge of the orchard during the holiday season. Over the years it has grown. At one time we used a stepladder, but now it is about 20 feet tall and too big for us to decorate anymore. Nature has taken over.
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2020 12-05, 4789 – LIFE IN THE WOODS – I recently harvested some firewood for my son from some dead trees in the woods. I used to workup six or more cords a year, but now rely on oil and kerosene. Still, it was nice to reconnect with the process. My life is still in the wood now, only different.
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2020 12-09, 4793 - A VIEW OF THE MOUNTAIN – As I drove through the village I was struck by the beauty of the mountain with its fresh coating of snow hanging to the trees. From this location the mountain looks big. From where we live, it is called a hill. There are many ways to view a mountain.
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2020 12-01, 4785 - DUCK WATCHING – I’ve enjoyed watching ducks since I was a child growing up on the edge of a bog; from their appearance in the spring to their flocks of young in the summer to their last appearance in the fall. Recently I captured a photo of mallards on a small pond that reminded me of my past.
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2020 11-30, 4784 - HIGH WIND, HIGH TIDE, BRIGHT SUNSHINE – The conditions were right for Nature to manipulate the photo I took to create a dramatic black and white scene on a bright brisk sunny day. It was another moment in time that will never be the same again.
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2020 11-29, 4783 - ALL TUCKED IN - The windjammers moored in the harbor are all tucked in for the winter, covered with a protective layer. People in the mountains are also preparing for the storms of winter, tucking in their spring projects for a few months. Still, each day brings a new opportunity.
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2020 11-28, 4782 - AN OCEAN-SHAPED HEART – It seems as though the more I focus on heart gratitude, the more I find hearts, including a boulder covered by the ocean during high tide. The water has shaped it into the form of a heart. Just another reminder that we are surrounded by love in Nature.
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2020 11-27, 4781 - DAZZLING BEAUTY – I have said many times that the sunrises and sunsets seem to be more brilliant and dazzling than in the past. Maybe it’s just me, or perhaps the changing environment has something to do with it. I find a lot in Nature to be dazzled about, especially now.
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2020 11-26, 4780 - A SIMPLE HEARTFELT THANKS – Today, Thanksgiving Day, I am reminded of the hard winters the pilgrims experienced when they first came to this country, and they found a way to say thanks. In this year of the pandemic I am thankful for all of those that are helping us make it through.
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2020 11-25, 4779 - WISDOM IN THE TREE – Recently I saw a blur of movement as I drove the old road. I paused, rolled down the window of the truck, and saw a barred owl perched on the limb of a tree. I thought how the wise tree was host to the wise owl. Nature has a lot to teach us.
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2020 11-24, 4778 - NOVEMBER ROSE – A flash of color caught my eye as we walked along the edge of the ocean in Rockport, Maine. It was a rose still blooming in late November. I thought of the splashes of color I often find in drab landscapes and realized there are human roses dotting the landscape of life.
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2020 11-23, 4777 - FAMILY FOREST – We take a lot of pride in our new sign that identifies the land as a family forest. One of our greatest joys is to share our hiking trails and beautiful views with those looking to find a peaceful place to reflect and connect to the energy of Nature.
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2020 11-22, 4776 - NOVEMBER LANDSCAPE – The skies of November look foreboding as if it could snow at any time, but the temperature is setting record highs. I wonder how the winter will be this year and if the rest of the season will be warmer. The earth seems to be changing even though I am enjoying the warmth.
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2020 11-21, 4775 - LEDGE BY DAY, OPENING AT NIGHT – The ledge across the valley presents a mystery connected to its nightly existence of perhaps being a bridge to the underworld celebrated by ancient shamans who guided souls to a place where they could enter and leave the earth plane.
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2020 11-20, 4774 - A LOT OF CHEWING – Recently we cleaned out the storage shed that we acquired a couple of years ago; it was still full of the previous owner’s contents. We discovered an infestation of carpenter ants that had chewed through wooden boxes. Nature is fast to reclaim what is left alone.
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2020 11-19, 4773 - CANDLE POWER – There is a small plant that this time of years looks as if it has candles decorating its top. I understand they used to be tall trees thousands of years ago that have adapted to climate changes. Some people can adapt where others falter. Maybe success is inner candle power.
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2020 11-17, 4771 - A STASH OF CONES – While wandering off the trail through the woods, I discovered a large stash of cones at the base of an old log. I smiled as I thought about the wildlife hunkering down for the winter like all the people who have been stashing away toilet paper due to the pandemic.
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2020 11-14, 4768 - PAST ITS PRIME – The old pine which is still standing after many years of battling the elements, appears to be past its prime. I can only imagine the stories it could tell. There are many people past their prime who still have wisdoms to share with those who will listen.
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2020 11-12, 4766 - BOUNDARY MARKER – Recently while walking through the woods, we spotted a standing stone that looked out of place. On further investigation we found blaze marks on some nearby trees that marked a boundary line. We have many boundaries in life that are good to mark.
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2020 11-10, 4764 - FLURRIES – This time of year when the temperature is below freezing, I can see the snow flurries drifting across the valley. I am reminded of the snow globes that, when shaken, the scene inside is blurred until the “snow” settles. That is a good lesson for life when we have a snow flurry in our mind.
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2020 11-09, 4763 - JOURNEY THROUGH THE TUNNEL – There are many tunnels on the mountain, all places where my mind can journey to magical places out in the Cosmos filled with dreams and guidance. When I come back to the world around me, I am refreshed and ready for the next step in my soul’s journey.
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2020 11-07, 4761 - A DECORATED STUMP – As the seasons duel each other for control of the weather we experience days of cold and snow and days of abnormal warmth. During this time I focus on the smaller joys of Nature such as a snow decorated stump. There is so much beauty to experience in life.
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2020 11-06, 4760 - LOST IN THE LEAVES – The brook has disappeared again. There is still a trickle running under a blanket of leaves. At the same time there is a lot to discover now that the leaves have dropped. Nature gives us a lesson for life as we often lose our dreams when they are covered by life. They are still there.
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2020 11-04, 4758 - I CAN SEE THE GLOW AGAIN – Now that the leaves are off the trees in front of our big window I can see the alpine glow again reflecting on the mountains across the valley. Just as the glow each of us has inside, sometimes it seems as if it has disappeared until rediscovered.
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2020 11-03, 4757 - THE MAJESTIC WHITES – The first time I saw them was over fifty years ago as we crested Wakefield Hill on the way for a teaching job interview. They took my breath away. I still get the same feeling as I approach the Lupine Field from the orchard and I know we are home again.
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2020 11-02, 4756 - SETTING THE TABLE- The trees carefully arranged their leaves on the stone table providing a delicious feast for the North Wind, and it didn’t take long to gobble them up spreading what was left on the ground. All of Nature is celebrating this beautiful time of year. So am I.
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2020 11-01, 4755 - THE HEART OF THE MOUNTAIN – I looked at a photo I had just taken of Mount Chocorua covered with a fresh coat of snow in the late afternoon. There in the shadows I saw a heart shape as well as the outline of a canine. I realized I was looking into the soul of the mountain.
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2020 10-30, 4753 - AND SO IT BEGINS AGAIN – And so winter begins showing its snowy face, coating the evergreens with a fresh coat of white, contrasted by the rusty oak leaves. The scene was peaceful, as the sounds of the world were silenced in the softness of the moment. The brief interlude was welcome.
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2020 10-28, 4751 - HONORING THE SETTLERS – We have wanted to restore the old graveyard on the land for a long time. Every year or so we cut the new growth and now are beginning to consider how to restore this long neglected place where the Daniel Jackson family is buried. We honor their lives.
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2020 10-26, 4749 - BUILDING A STONE WALL – We do not have a shortage of rocks on the land. In fact there are many stone walls built two hundred years ago. My wife wanted to outline the flower garden we inherited by the Cabin and so over a week we moved a lot of rocks…Yankee ingenuity.
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2020 10-25, 4748 - NEXT YEAR’S FIREWOOD – A few years ago I thought I was all done cutting up firewood, but with the cabin and a small wood end heater, I am now gathering a wood pile. There is something about the smell of wood smoke that takes me back in time; it is nice to discover it again.
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2020 10-24, 4747 – BEAUTIFUL-BLEAK – It is interesting how we combine words (such as “wicked-good”) that mean the opposite to describe situations. To me the beauty of a bleak mid-fall landscape on a misty moist day is the opportunity to tune into the positive loving guidance of the Cosmos.
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2020 10-23, 4746 - PICKING OUT NEXT YEAR’S HOUSING – As I approached the Lupine Field I spotted a bird sitting on one of the birdhouses. Looking through my long distance camera lens I realized it was a Bluebird. I read someplace they pick out next year’s nest in the fall. I sure hope so.
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2020 10-22, 4745 - RED LEAVES AND FERNS – Nature has provided many little beautiful scenes this fall for me to observe as I walk the land. It is these components that combined together, make up the landscape of Nature. Each person, when combined with others, makes up the landscape of life.
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2020 10-21, 4744 - LEAVES THROUGH THE WINDOW – I love to observe the leaves through our large window all year long, from the early buds in the spring to the last one to drop in the fall. This time of year they are especially mesmerizing, and I am grateful for the opportunity to be the observer.
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2020 10-20, 4743 - SUNLIGHT AND LEAVES – It seems as though this year more than ever I have been aware of how sunlight can enhance different views of Nature. Leaves that are still hanging on the trees when seen through sunlight create a beautiful image. Life gives us a chance to see it from different angles.
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2020 10-19, 4742 - THE RETURN OF THE BROOK – The brook has returned after the recent soaking rains. Hopefully many of the wells in the area that had dried up are also replenished. We all experience creative droughts from time to time. It is always good to have something in our minds to bring the flow back.
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2020 10-18, 4741 - CRACKLED – The tree with its ugly crackled bark reminded me of a type of antique glass with an applied finish that over time became crackled. That reminded me of people that over time show the effects of life’s wear on their bodies. They may appear crackled, but inside their core is still clear.
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2020 10-17, 4740 - HANGING ON – The red maple tree close to the orchard hangs onto its colors longer than the trees close to it. We are greeted with a beautiful red hue as we approach the cabin. People have the opportunity to experience the hanging on feeling long after a positive experience.
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2020 10-15, 4738 - FADING COLORS – The foothills are now past their peak colors as the leaves are fading and dropping from the trees. To me the landscape takes on the appearance of a different time period, perhaps as it may have been a couple of hundred years ago. The clues are still there.
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2020 10-14, 4737 - THE FIRST FIRE OF THE SEASON – There are many rituals to celebrate the fall season wherever you live: the first apple crisp, the choosing and carving of a pumpkin, and the first fire in the woodstove. Rituals, large and small, help us celebrate and create special memories.
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2020 10-13, 4736 - THE UPS AND DOWNS OF MOVING A SHED – It was time to move the small shed out of the way of an upcoming logging operation to a place close to the Cabin. Fortunately, our neighbors stopped by to help. As we almost had it moved, the shed fell on its side. Amazingly it survived and so did we.
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2020 10-12, 4735 - DELICATE BALANCE – In a recent rain and wind storm a large dead tree broke apart and fell over, leaving a large section delicately balanced high up in the trees. It will probably come down this winter, but right now it is a reminder to keep watch above as I walk the trails.
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2020 10-11, 4734 - AUTUMN ART – People from all over the world come to the White Mountains in the fall in an attempt to capture the autumn art created by Nature. As a daily observer of Nature all throughout the year, my goal is to always be on the lookout for the small arrangements often passed by.
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