This one of the things  I love about fall. I was driving to Misquamicut in Westerly when I came upon a bunch of cars stopped by the side of the road, and this is why. Egrets staging before they leave for warmer states. A beautiful sight and totally worth stopping for.

The woods are looking a bit less ravaged than they did in September after the gypsy moth infestation. We had to give up hiking altogether for most of the summer, because it was too hot, especially for the dog.  The drought persists, though, and every stream is dry. It still feels great to be back on the trail.

We spent a weekend in Brattleboro, Vermont, an interesting town with some intriguing views.

Our dog actually thought she was going to be invited into this pastry shop. Dogs are so optimistic.

Look at the top window. There’s a group of dead houseplants there. A wee bit creepy – as if someone left in a terrible hurry.

We took the slowest possible way home, along a country road that wound from Vermont to the Berkshires. I had to stop and take a photo of these friendly horses, who hurried up to the fence when they saw us.

I will leave you with another image from a recent hike in RI. Can you spot the corgi?