Roaming About

A Life Less Ordinary

Category: Nature (page 19 of 19)

A Crisp and Tick-free Walk Today!

February 27, 2016 / / 8 Comments

I have been known to write long blog posts. The Six Word Saturday initiative  conflicts that habit: in six words, you describe your life. The perfect posts for blog visitors who don’t like long stories, but do appreciate a quick update. This is my first try – hence the quick explanation – and I might make it a habit, if readers like it. As a bonus, I’ll throw in a few photos to brighten the words up a bit! 🙂

Pond in winter
Rock ledge
Frozen pond
Henry on the trail
Scott, Mark and Mickey

A Storm is a Storm. Or is It?

February 26, 2016 / / 6 Comments

I am lying in bed with the curtains open. In the seven weeks that we have been here, house and pet sitting in Kent, CT, we have never closed them. We like to wake up with the sun and see the moon and stars on a clear night. A habit from when we lived on our boat Irie for eight years. It is pitch black in the woods. The trees are creaking ever louder, while the wind is increasing. I hear rumble in the distance. Soon, it becomes full on thunder. I am glad the dogs are sleeping deeply. Mark seems to be in dreamland as well. The wind whistles through the barren branches. The wind chimes on the porch sound like church bells. The sky lightens up. It happens in a split second. Then, it is dark again. Why do storms always approach at night? Continue reading

Keeping Our Cool on Valentine’s Day

February 15, 2016 / / 2 Comments
Happy Valentine!

Happy Valentine!

It is Sunday, February 14th, 2016. Mark usually gets up earlier than me and therefore takes the dogs out. Today, I jump out of bed as well, to join him. Not because it is Valentine’s Day, we don’t really care about commercialized holidays, but because I am curious about something I have never experienced before. The media have been hyping it up and we have been keeping an eye on it as well: today is by far the coldest day in decades, and certainly in my whole life… The lowest temperature was scheduled at 6am. Mark and I joked about it last night, but refused to leave our warm bed this early for the sake of possibly freezing. It is 8am now and, based on our weather information, it is still pretty darn cold outside: -12°F with a wind chill of -34°F (-24°C with a wind chill of -37°C)!!!

“Are you ready?” Mark asks, while the dogs are wagging their tales and I finish putting my winter coat, wool hat and walking shoes on. Mark wears our one set of winter gloves. My warm pockets do the trick of protecting my hands.

“Sure,” I say. I’m always ready for a new and exciting experience. Continue reading

Living in a Winter Wonderland

February 13, 2016 / / 2 Comments

It started snowing about a week ago. The forecast predicted about an inch in Kent, CT, but when we woke up on Friday, everything was covered in a thick layer of snow, about five inches of it. Our fridge was empty and we had planned to go grocery shopping for the weekend, since we expected visitors on Saturday. Our low-to-the-ground Prius, however, was comfortably parked in the garage and not up to the task of driving over a relatively steep, long and submerged driveway. Luckily, the snow plow arrived early afternoon, so we could still set out to the stores of New Milford, about a half hour away. By the evening our fridge was sufficiently stocked again. We are a little more vigilant now, when snowfall is predicted.

Ice fishing in South Kent
Surrounded by snow
The snow plow came, then it snowed a bit more overnight. Mark loves the shoveling exercise and wants to make sure we can leave any time.
Snowy yard
Looks like perfect icing on a cake!
We keep the footpath to the front door shoveled. It is a very easy chore.

Continue reading

Kent Falls: Startling… in a Good Way!

January 20, 2016 / / 0 Comments

After our little muddy adventure a few days earlier, Mark and I decided to leave all pets at home for a quick excursion. Henry and Mickey kept the birds – Koo Koo and Tu Tu – company, while we drove off to an attraction barely 15 minutes away: Kent Falls State Park.

It was the weekend. It was winter in New England. It was grey. It was bleak. But… it wasn’t raining, let alone snowing, and it was above freezing: the perfect time to see some waterfalls! Continue reading

Snow-ish Walks

January 18, 2016 / / 2 Comments

The first snow of the season had fallen. It was time for our morning walk, to sniff the air and the scents, to stretch our legs, and to take care of business. When I opened the front door, a cool breeze entered the house. Mickey lifted his chin, took in the white surroundings and decided he wanted nothing to do with it. I convinced him to at least walk down the steps. That brought him to the closest bush. After lifting his left leg, he immediately turned around and sat at the door. Waiting… Henry, on the other hand, loves the outdoors, snow or not. He took off into the bushes, tiptoed in the snow and returned when he decided he’d had enough.

Snowy yard
Can I go back inside now?
Henry stands guard

Continue reading

First Snow in Umpteen Years

January 15, 2016 / / 4 Comments

I look up from my book “The Art of the Book Proposal”. My eyes venture to the bird cages. It is pleasantly quiet in the room. Mickey and Henry rest at my feet. Tutu and Koo Koo are well-behaved. They like to have company and to feel part of the family. Then, my gaze rests on the window. Small, white particles are falling down. Is it snowing? Soon, the flakes multiply and a white layer covers the balcony, grill and outside furniture. How exciting…

1/8 inch

Continue reading

Joy of the Seasons

November 12, 2015 / / 1 Comment
Surrounded by colors
Leaf playing with Sophie
So many leaves!

In the past, whenever autumn came around in the northern hemisphere, I was sure to receive an email from my mom, mentioning the burst of beautiful colors surrounding her on walks. With the Dutch equivalent of “You should see all the trees! They are turning yellow, orange and red. So pretty…” she tried to convince me I was missing out on the magical change of the seasons. I would agree it must be spectacular – I grew up near the forests – but I subconsciously shivered, looked out of our boat’s windows at the blue sky, the turquoise water and the white beach and tried to imagine wearing a thick coat, while actually being pretty comfy in my bikini. Nope. Perpetual summers were definitely better! Continue reading

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