ME II: The trees are doing tricks!

· Maine Event

Today was a gorgeous day for a long walk. Blue skies forever, sun but not too hot, low of 39° and a high of 58°. Tonight it will get down into the 30s again. We walked out to the Evergreen Cemetary, which is much farther out toward the edge of the city limits. It is a more modern cemetery (from 1855) but also has many trails and wooded paths through an unused part of it. They have cross-country skiing there in winter. It is really a large space that people use. It is the largest cemetery in Maine at 239 acres (Wikipedia).

We slept in and then went to the Farmers' Market. That was successful. Then about 11 we met up with RJ and walked out to Woodfords Corner where we had lunch at a Maine-style taco place. It wasn't bad but it wasn't exactly what you'd expect from a taco. Then we kept walking until we reached the cemetery which has so many trees that are turning brilliant colors. I'm pretty sure it will be better next week but it was stupendous already. We went on several walks on trails that were wooded and rocky. Then we went back a different route and stopped by Vientiane Market which has a small menu and kitchen in the back of a market of packaged food. We got take-out Green Curry which we had for dinner and it was absolutely wonderful. Much better than expected and might qualify as one of the best examples of Green Curry in a long time. I already want to go back! It is a Thai market but clearly, they are Lao. I'm interested in exploring the menu and finding some dishes that lean more in the direction of Lao food next time. After that, we walked home and collapsed after walking 12 miles. Then laundry and other cleaning activities commenced. What a wonderful day.

Canadian Goose crossing as we were leaving the Farmers' Market - don't they know it is time to go South!
Farmers' Market goods: leek, cabbage, 2 lettuce, radish, carrots, butternut, carrot/horseradish kvass, half-sour dills. I asked for full sours but they don't seem to know the difference between full and half-sour dills. I like my sauerkraut (we got it last week) more fermented too. So glad there are fermenters at the farmers' market as my crocks are far away. What did you get at your market?
Color on the way as we started out on our walk to Evergreen.
Deering High: pretty nice school and it is long it goes two full blocks out in both directions.
Amazing to think that this was once green.
Nice house and nice tree.
Dahlia garden on the way...
Evergreen is turning yellow, orange, and red!
This tree was putting off so much neon light that being near it felt really different. Then a few steps beyond that when they were all going you had the feeling of being in a cathedral where you are a little speechless and lightheaded.
This one was more like a champagne color. Just incredible.
Pathway of color with all the beauty bouncing off each other and changing the light.
Trees turning on the trails too.
Stick art.
Mushrooms!
Check this out. Totally outrageous.
Matt decked out in camouflage...
On the way back...
Casual color on the way back. What a nice day.

Take time to appreciate the beauty around you.

Sending love, Tawnia

And indeed there were birds to be seen:

  1. Blue Jay
  2. House Sparrow
  3. Canada Goose
  4. Mallard
  5. Black-capped Chickadee
  6. White-throated Sparrow
  7. Yellow-rumpled Warbler
  8. American Crow
  9. Rock Pigeon
  10. White-breasted Nuthatch (Tawnia identified this one on the wing as it passed!)
  11. Herring Gull
  12. Pileated Woodpecker. This is a woody-the-woodpecker style bird that flew over the Taco place. Come to think of it, the taco place was called Bird & Co
  13. Easter Bluebird
  14. Red-bellied Woodpecker - a new bird for me
  15. Gray Catbird