We woke up to snow, not just on the ground but flying through the air as if someone had shook the 'great snowglobe' we were stuck in. I didn't know it was going to snow, and my immediate thoughts went out to the new tulip and iris shoots I had found sticking out of the ground the previous evening. I checked the forecast, a few showers would pass then the sun would come out. That's all I needed.
A quick discussion with the monkey elluded that he wanted to bike, I wanted to hike. That narrowed our choices of location to a biking/hiking trail. We had just completed the Eastern Trail at the Scarborough marsh, so that option was out. It's hard to find a good place this time of year, not knowing if the snow has melted or not. I knew one town where it would be pretty much obsolete - Portland.
We threw our stuff together and made the 20 minute trip to downtown P-town. It had stopped snowing at the house and we drove back into the tempest which was a good thing - not many people would be out yet. This trail tends to get really busy really quick. We rounded Munjoy Hill and a quick overlook of the grassy knoll beckoned us to come and play.
We parked the truck in the lower lot and watched the "Lionel Plante Sr" barge leave with two dump trucks, a propane truck and a few utility trucks. You couldn't have gotten me on that thing if my life depended on it, but they happily set sail in the direction of Peak's Island.
We went east along the trail, heading toward Portland harborside. The first thing to catch my eye were about 5 Song Sparrows who were singing in the scrub brush and examining the grasses next to the railroad tracks. So good to see them back! We saw many more pockets of them as we walked along, to the total of 13 by the time we were done. Northern Mockingbirds were aplenty as well, one of them perfectly reinventing the sound of a fire truck siren from atop Munjoy Hill. He's probably been living too close to the fire station for too long. A couple of Fox and House Sparrows, Robins, Chickadees, Grackles, Red-Winged Blackbirds, Cardinals, and Mourning Doves along the trail, Eiders, Mergansers, Buffleheads and a Pied-Billed Grebe within the cold Atlantic waters all made the list. A few hot joggers were also duly noted (I never pass up a man who runs.... "Come on, chase me!".
The train was running so we got to watch that chug by. It's amazing that it still runs, and being a boy the monkey was in total awe.
By the time we headed back towards the truck there were more people than I could count on both hands in sight at all times, I was convinced that our timing was impeccable. We landed back at the truck tired, chilly and very happy.
"Where are we going now", the monkey asked. :)
A quick discussion with the monkey elluded that he wanted to bike, I wanted to hike. That narrowed our choices of location to a biking/hiking trail. We had just completed the Eastern Trail at the Scarborough marsh, so that option was out. It's hard to find a good place this time of year, not knowing if the snow has melted or not. I knew one town where it would be pretty much obsolete - Portland.
We threw our stuff together and made the 20 minute trip to downtown P-town. It had stopped snowing at the house and we drove back into the tempest which was a good thing - not many people would be out yet. This trail tends to get really busy really quick. We rounded Munjoy Hill and a quick overlook of the grassy knoll beckoned us to come and play.
We parked the truck in the lower lot and watched the "Lionel Plante Sr" barge leave with two dump trucks, a propane truck and a few utility trucks. You couldn't have gotten me on that thing if my life depended on it, but they happily set sail in the direction of Peak's Island.
We went east along the trail, heading toward Portland harborside. The first thing to catch my eye were about 5 Song Sparrows who were singing in the scrub brush and examining the grasses next to the railroad tracks. So good to see them back! We saw many more pockets of them as we walked along, to the total of 13 by the time we were done. Northern Mockingbirds were aplenty as well, one of them perfectly reinventing the sound of a fire truck siren from atop Munjoy Hill. He's probably been living too close to the fire station for too long. A couple of Fox and House Sparrows, Robins, Chickadees, Grackles, Red-Winged Blackbirds, Cardinals, and Mourning Doves along the trail, Eiders, Mergansers, Buffleheads and a Pied-Billed Grebe within the cold Atlantic waters all made the list. A few hot joggers were also duly noted (I never pass up a man who runs.... "Come on, chase me!".
The train was running so we got to watch that chug by. It's amazing that it still runs, and being a boy the monkey was in total awe.
By the time we headed back towards the truck there were more people than I could count on both hands in sight at all times, I was convinced that our timing was impeccable. We landed back at the truck tired, chilly and very happy.
"Where are we going now", the monkey asked. :)
Would YOU ride on that with all those trucks? Can you say no fingernails?
Pussywillows!
Ft. Gorges
Mackworth Island
Cousin's Island
Ft. Allen Park
I wouldn't suggest putting your dog waste in this trash bin
Song Sparrow
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