It is reaching that point where the days are too short for an afterwork walk in the park. This evening I escaped to Orchard Hills for a brief walk on a mild November evening.
We both wanted to get outdoors for a walk, but the weather was rainy and cold. In the end we decided to visit and all-purpose trail in South Chagrin. When we arrived, the day was as expected. Our happy surprise was the change in the day as we walked.
We make two visits a year to The Wilderness Center. One visit covers the trails on the "dog" site of the nature preserve. The other is an afternoon out for us. Today was a day out for the dogs. The trees were either bare or nearly bare as fall wears on.
We started with a brief visit to Cuyahoga Valley National Park before visiting Brecksville Reservation.
The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad train did not pass by while we were there. The old station was quiet. I'm not sure this is even running during COVID-19.
We made a return visit to Holbrook Hollows to find a newer geocache hide and enjoy a walk on the trails. The sky was blue when we arrived, but clouds moved in during our walk. We returned as the rain was starting, but enjoyed a visit.
There were new geocaches in an area on land that had been transferred from Pymatuning State Park to the State Game Commission. We were hoping for a few bird spottings to go with the caches. Our first sighting was a wild turkey spotted in the vegetation.
When we reached the area near the water, Ali spotted three large birds in distant trees. We quickly confirmed they were three juvenile bald eagles. I was at the limit of my zoom and Phineas was making holding the camera steady difficult, but three eagles in a group are a wonderful sight.
It was a special occasion so we talked about a visit to Malleys. This was not an easy decision. We hadn't been in a restaurant in over seven months. We drove to the local ice cream parlor with an agreement we would not go in if either of us wasn't comfortable. The place was empty with the exception of two other couples. There was also someone waiting on the three tables and one person preparing the treats. We decided to sit down. It was weird. The tables around us were mostly blocked off. The ice cream was wonderful. For a too short time we were able to be out together. Almost as soon as we arrived, we were putting our masks back on and leaving. We were both hopeful for some day in the future when we can stop in without wondering...
I was looking for a place to unwind and hopefully spot a few birds. Mentor Lagoon offers so many opportunities to see birds. It seemed the perfect place for an evening to unwind.
These are rare sights with one or two a year being the most I ever see. This one was in the yard. I was happy to spot it before I moved the mower through the area.
I spent the morning doing chores with a plan to visit Ashtabula County for an Adventure Lab at covered bridges. My plan went smoothly until I reached the first stage of the Adventure Lab at Harpersfield Bridge and found I could not get a signal.It was frustrating trying having the answer and trying to get a signal while working to avoid the maskess fools.
As was east to visit her mom so I was sitting the dogs. After work and covering chores, I was able to make a visit to Orchard Hills. The evening, fall light made for great colors with the fall fields. I hoped for more bluebirds like a few days prior, but the trees were quiet.
COVID-19 has created some strange times. The small open pavillion in the park had been rented for a wedding. The reception included a very loud sound system which could be heard throughout the park (maybe why there were no birds). It was that weird time where people give toasts and listen to themselves talk. After the groom finished professing his undying love for the bride and how was going to miss wild parties with his bros, the best man got up and decided to detail a number of the drunken parties. It was all weird and couldn't be unheard.
We made a visit to Orchard Hills for a walk before I started my work day. It was a wonderful day to be near the pond. On our way back we were treated to bluebird sightings.
