On the day before Halloween, I got Pippin inside, and while I was upstairs, I spotted him resting on the big beam that goes out over my living room. Pippin loves walking across that beam and looking out the windows. I've always enjoyed seeing him using the beam like a tightrope. I have taken several pictures of him from below, but this is the first picture looking at him from above. He is looking off to his side into the living room.
Pippin started walking back towards the railings, and I took this next picture really quick as an example of his tightrope walking skills.
I decided that while I was standing in my loft area, I would take this picture of the view that Pippin and I both enjoy. The distant foothills are slightly seen beyond the trees.
Earlier this summer, I had a physical therapy evaluation, and while it was decided I didn't need to resume physical therapy, I was now required to take walks! This was my
favorite of things that I was asked to do, since I love taking walks anyway. This walking track in the picture below that goes around the old Dresser factory building is just behind my house on Harrison Road. The factory is now
Berea Municipal Utilities. My family used to take walks here when I was growing up, but Daddy and Emma started taking bike rides instead and the walks mostly stopped. This hill has also been a family favorite for sledding in the wintertime, though I prefer not to sled. The garage in the distance was just built in the last few years, and I find it a bit intrusive, right next to a tree that I love to walk by. The path goes right around the tree and behind the garage. I still enjoy the beauty of the tree, even with the garage and piles of gravel right there. Since I've started taking walks here again, I've walked a few times with my family, but I've preferred to take solo walks, going at my own pace and thinking my own thoughts while enjoying the nature around me. Of course, friends would be welcome too.
This is late afternoon after I took those last pictures of Pippin and my view out my windows. It was mostly
cloudy by this time. I was lucky to get the sun shining in this picture.
While walking downhill on the sidewalk to get to the track, I always pass by this birdhouse perched on a tall post. With its multiple rooms and balconies, I like to call it a bird motel, with a lovely view of the foothills beyond. Of course, birds don't have to pay to get in, and they can stay as long as they want to.
Here is the track winding around the trees on the far side of the factory. Brushy Fork Creek winds around this parts of the track, though it is mostly out of view. Where the track straightens out again in the distance, there is an opening where I can walk right up to the creek. My family had always passed this by on our earlier walks, but this summer, right after I was asked to start taking my regular walks, I joined family down there. Hazel,
Aren and Sage were with us, and Sage was liking it there. Since then, I've loved being down by the creek on my own.
Here is the view looking directly across the creek. The creek was pretty low on the day before Halloween. This was the first time I had brought my camera. You can see a little bit of the near bank covered by leaves. I've enjoyed seeing leaves drifting in the water.
I looked to my left to take this picture. The creek was at a stage that it was possible to walk alongside it, though I've loved it when the creek is higher too. I've watched the change from summer to fall while standing here on different days. Many leaves have fallen in my presence.
Here I am looking the other way towards the direction the water is coming from. I'm always amused by the root sticking up into the air and coming back down again. The branches sticking up from it makes it appear that the root is pretending to become a tree!
When I finally left the creek, I went back up to the track and turned around to look at the creek behind me. The trees offer a nice frame. I just love being out on my own down there, rather uninterrupted by the few people walking along the track.
After following the track back
towards the road, I left the track when it curved towards the factory, and continued on through the grass to the road. This wooden bridge was not far from me. My pastor Kent Gilbert lives in the house on the other side. The Quaker meeting house beside his house is out of view in this picture. Kent just moved in last year after living outside of
Berea on Scaffold Cane Road. I love having Kent as a neighbor. His dog Murphy and my family's dog Rusty are best friends. Kent has greeted me out here on my walks.
Earlier this summer, the church gathered here to do our first creek
baptism. My family and I joined many church members looking off the right side of the bridge where Kent was in the water with the guys being baptized. My family had brought Rusty with us, and after the service was over, Rusty loved running around with Murphy. Emma encouraged Rusty to go down the wooden steps with her and start swimming in the water. After some hesitation, Rusty decided he liked going swimming.
Standing on the bridge and peering into the water has become a big part of my walks. I still have to be careful when cars pass by, but I keep enjoying it here. At this time, the creek was so low that many rocks were exposed, so I decided to wait for more rainfall before I took pictures looking straight out from the bridge. However, directly below me was a beautiful view of the reflection of two trees along with the leaves in the water. I took this picture, and immediately my camera battery gave out. This was my last picture of the day.
When going out on yesterday afternoon's walk, I took my camera again, with it charged back up. It was much sunnier this time, with blue skies. The views from the bridge weren't much better, but I enjoyed this glimpse of the water through the trees when I was standing on the road.
I thought it would be nice to take a picture looking down the dead end part of Center Street where I live. This is the point after Harrison Road breaks off of Center Street, leaving the rest of the street to be quite free of traffic. My house is hidden from view. It is to the right at the end of the street. I wanted to share the fall colors on my street before the remainder of the leaves fall from the trees. Walking along this street has been a nice way to both begin and conclude my walks. I have loved living right on the edge of town.
Right after I took this picture, I started hearing my neighbor Tina's voice calling to her small white dog Gloria. I walked further, and saw Tina, her daughter Iris, and Gloria standing by the road. Iris is about 23 months old at this time, and she was very excited to see me. She happily greeted me while Tina was talking on the phone. After Tina was done with her phone call, we had fun spending time together. Iris showed me how she could push around her toddler tricycle, and I enjoyed seeing Iris leading Gloria on a leash. Gloria was
ultimately confined to a post in their front yard, while Tina and Iris brought out a doll stroller to show me. Iris enjoyed sitting in the stroller even though she is a bit big for it. I took this picture of them in front of my house, while they were looking at the leaves. Iris is smiling at me and holding a leaf in her left hand. I enjoyed showing Tina and Iris this picture as well as my pictures of my walks and Pippin on my beam. Being with them was a fun conclusion to that day's walk. I like the late afternoon sun shining upon them. Tina's husband Jason came driving up soon afterwards, and I got to see Iris go running up to her daddy for a big welcome before I said goodbye.
