tranquility and high hopes

12.15.21 ~ mallard on Avery Pond, Eastern Point
his green head looked blue in the sunlight

It had been a month since we took a walk at the beach, when it was a windy day and we didn’t stay long. Walking in the woods has been our first choice since then. But Wednesday we woke up to calm winds so I put on my thermal layers and we went for a nice long beach walk. It was 36°F/2°C. First stop, Avery Pond.

the reeds by the pond looked so pretty in the sunlight
peaceful Canada geese
mallard floating by

Someone had seen hooded mergansers on this pond but no luck for me this time. Onward to Eastern Point Beach. It was a sunny day but there was a big cloud out over the water of Long Island Sound. Things were quiet and we had the whole beach to ourselves.

winter by the sea
falling tide
unusual purple-red seaweed
unusual orange-pink seaweed
gull keeping an eye on me
stray oak leaf
weeds in dune grass
New London Ledge Light from behind the dune
pine cones
driftwood with barnacles

I didn’t shiver from the cold even once. Connecticut’s positivity rate was 7.15%. My sister and I finished decorating the tree for the grandchildren. (Forest birds and animals, nisse, stars, snowflakes, hearts.) I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we all stay healthy and test negative the day before they arrive. Everyone is fully vaccinated and boosted except for the three-year-old…

23 thoughts on “tranquility and high hopes”

  1. Another great post. I loved your walk. If I had been there I would have put my long johns on too and joined you. What a great place to take a walk. Hope your Christmas is safe and happy.

    1. Thank you, Peggy. It would have been nice to have your company on this walk, so many things to see, and thoughts to share and wonder about. The right clothing greatly enhances the experience. Wishing you and yours a very Happy Christmas! 🎄

    1. It sure did help, although if there had been a biting wind it might have been more of a challenge. I couldn’t get over the color of those two pieces of seaweed. We’re doing our best to stay safe and I hope you are, too!

  2. A beach to yourself! How wonderful. That doesn’t happen in FL. I, too, am concerned about the increase in COVID cases. Happy that my girls are coming home this year and just hope we can all stay healthy thru the holidays.

    1. It was very pleasant having the beach to ourselves. My guess is the colder it is the fewer brave souls there are willing to take a walk there. 🙂 Wishing you and your loved ones a safe, healthy and happy holiday, Anna!

    1. Me, too. Miss the little ones so so much! Thank you, Kathy, the sunlit reeds were spectacular, one of those fleeting moments one remembers for a very long time.

    1. It’s amazing what little surprises one finds washed up on the sand, bright spots of color on what seemed to be a dull winter beachscape!

  3. The mild weather recently was most welcome, but I guess we’re back to ‘normal’ temps. Your photos are beautiful, Barbara, as always. I esp. love the reflections in the water around the mallard.

    1. Thank you, Eliza. The sun was highlighting reeds, reflections, ripples in the water and mallard colors in fascinating ways. We’ve been more careful to check the thermometer before going outside these days, the temperature fluctuations are keeping us all on our toes!

  4. Barbara, you made a usually blah landscape come to life with your pictures. The geese photo is really great and the reflections – wow. And you know I love any duck shot – sorry no Mergansers for you that day. The water is so still and peaceful there. How nice walking along and not seeing another person … my kind of walk for sure. What do you make of the colored seaweed? I hope it is not a warning of something in the water. We had an issue several years ago concerning the Ecorse Creek which runs through Council Point Park, but also flows near a residential neighborhood before ending at the Detroit River. People who lived near the Creek’s banks said every time it rained, their grass would take on a fluorescent glow in a bluish-green color. They never did find the reason and I never heard anymore about it and it has to be a decade ago, if not longer.

    1. Thank you, Linda! I know nothing about seaweed and I’m not even sure if those specimens are actually seaweed. But most of the vegetation I see in the wrack lines around here is an olive green or brown. A fluorescent glow in the grass sounds pretty ominous. Another unsolved mystery…

      1. I guess everyone forgot about it Barbara, but it stirred up some controversy at the time and some of the people moved as they worried about toxicity. It makes you wonder where the colorful aquatic plants came from?

        1. I do wonder… it was such an unusual find. I’m starting to think it might be coral from a tropical coral reef? Apparently we have coral off our coasts but from what I can find on the internet it’s brown and shaped a little differently than tropical corals.

          1. You know I was wondering about coral too and also was thinking of someone with a fish tank and no longer wanted it and dumped the fish in the water, the contents of the aquarium on the beach. People being people sometimes. Sigh.

  5. Your walk was pleasant. I like the mellow colors of all that you saw except that orange-pink seaweed. That’s weird, but obviously natural so who am I to judge.

    Happy Holidays to you and yours. 🎄

    1. I’m not fond of that salmon color either but it sure stood out, letting its freak flag fly. 😉 I kind of miss the colors of the other seasons, but mellow is nice for a little while. Wishing you and your loved ones a Happy Holiday, too! 🎄

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