Over Columbus Day Weekend, I headed north for a few days. I love heading north. I like the quiet and the beauty and harshness of nature. I am totally unplugged up there – no phone and no internet. There is electricity but no running water in the camp. It’s a very simple life. A life less cluttered.
The scenery was exceptional. I thought with the lack of rain that the leaves would be dull, but those red and yellows popped and the evergreens gave everything a depth to it. I am sharing a few pictures, taken by my sister, Laurie, that don’t do the views justice but will give you an inkling of the beauty of fall.
Naturally, I took a book with me. Well, to be honest, I took five books with me. My brother, Tim, made an attempt to convince me to leave one or two home – we were only going for three days – but I would have none of it. What if I didn’t like one?
I chose The Light Between Oceans by M.L.Stedman to start my weekend reading. I fell into the story from page one. This book has been popular at Topsham Public Library, and I wanted to read it before I saw the movie adaptation, and I was not disappointed. I am not spoiling anything by saying that much of the story takes place on an island only inhabited by the lighthouse keeper and his family. In the northern Maine setting, I was able to imagine the cut-off feeling of being the only family living on a remote island. Certainly, it was not the exact same thing, but it was a little bit closer to that feeling of solitary living.
When I wasn’t reading, I was visiting with relatives or walking in the woods with my brother and sister. This photo was taken on one of those walks. We were surprised by two Moose calves coming out of the woods a few hundred feet in front of us. They gave us a look and then sauntered on their way. We never saw the mother, but a little while later, I spotted the bull moose on our left. Can you find him? (Click on the picture and it will show you a larger version.)
I hope you get out to enjoy some of this beauty before the cold arrives.