Autumn in the Air

We went out to our land today to haul back our recycled wood and windows for future building. The air was slightly crisp, but the ground was covered with the scarlet leaves of low-bush cranberries and Labrador tea.

We have an outhouse built and the foundation for a 20 by 24 cabin and a vision, but that's it. Paul drives the 4-wheeler down our home-made trail and I walk along behind lost in thought.

I have a love-hate relationship with peeling logs. I hate the shoulder-wrenching work of it, but I love the smell of the newly exposed sprucewood, the insect and hidden world revealed from under the bark and the mottled new skin of the tree.

I always use a walking stick on the mossy, tundra like trail. In an attempt to become less obsessive, I'll not number this list or count the items, but these are the reasons I use a walking stick:
It prevents my hands from swelling since it is held chest high.
I use it for pointing out the sights (much to my husband's chagrin).
It gives me an extra "foot" for shifting weight back if I start to twist an ankle.
It makes a handy arm extension when crossing streams.
It's good for testing the depth of a hole or puddle.
It gives me a false sense of security that I could wave it to look bigger in case of a wild animal encounter.
I use it to dissect animal scat to see what was eaten.
I use it to turn over rocks, look under leaves and so on.
I lean on it during breaks.

Today was beautiful and felt like the beginning of Fall. The smells and sounds are unbeatable this time of year. You really have to work hard to sweat and the breeze makes the leaves flutter and fall. Can't be beat- another reason to live in the North.