An Autumn Stroll

With Thanksgiving behind us and the November days now coming to a close, I wanted to take this time to remember one last autumn walk from our trip to the mountains last month.

On the back side of Leavenworth is a small island filled with several nature trails and a small park.  It's a wonderful place to take a nature walk.

Those who know me well, know that I love pictures of empty chairs and empty paths filled with curves.  It reminds me that you never know who's going to enter your life or what you might find around the corner.  It this case, the path opened up to the beautiful Wenatchee River.  In the Spring when the snow is melting off the mountainsides the river is a favorite spot to go white water rafting but this time of the  year the water just meanders quietly past the fall trees.

It was spawning season and as we waited patiently along the riverbank, from time to time we would suddenly hear the splashing sounds of a salmon as it made it way up the gentle current.  The scene looked like a painting hanging in an art gallery somewhere.

 Once you leave the river there is a lovely little park with benches where you can just sit and enjoy the day.  If I lived in the area I would come here and spend a couple of hours as often as I could.  

Imagine being able to just sit here and read a book or spend some time in quiet reflection.

Walking around the grass I started noticing clusters of pods in the trees and in pieces on the ground.  I went over to take a closer look.

I picked up a pod and discovered that what I was holding was a chestnut!  This particular species is called a horse chestnut.  I don't think these are edible but I loved their smooth shiny skin and the rich brown color.  I took a handful home to place in a dish.

 There was something about this picture with the lamp post that made me think of The Chronicles of Narnia.  Can't you just picture a snow scene with Mr. Tumnus coming around the corner to meet Lucy for the first time?  Wouldn't that be a surprise!

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Now I am going to leave you with this one last picture taken at Deception Falls on our our way home.  If we were standing there today it would be covered in a blanket of snow as it is only a few miles from Stevens Pass which just opened up for the ski season this week.  

And so we say goodby to November and hello to winter which is just around the corner.  There is even talk of a little snow here on Monday.  We shall see.