Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Fallin’ into Fall




There is something to be said about Autumn in NY.

The weather, perfect! Sunny, breezy, warm but not humid and for weeks-length rain seems to have lost its candor.

Westchester lights up with an explosion of foliage colors.. yellows, oranges, reds and greens.  Simply put, It's BREATHTAKING!


For one short season, I can walk the woods, jog the trails or just breath in the beautiful hues without sneezing it all back in a spatter of allergies.

It’s the Indian summer. It’s my Indian summer. And it never ever gets old!



Outside my window, my trees are beginning to show some yellow.  Squirrels have gone crazy collecting their winter stock of nuts. Looks like it’s gonna be a long harsh winter if their hyper panic mode is any indication.

But for now, I have decided to take this Fall, probably my last, by storm.. Canoeing in the Hudson, Hiking the trails of Greenburg, Nordic Walking the Woods, and just giving my summer tan a boost at Rye Beach..

Fall encounters

Last Fall, Tamara and I had a long encounter with a family of deer.  The male politely tried to shoo us away. It moved its head in a rhythmic movement. It was fascinating to watch! Obviously the angry animal didn’t think we were that interesting in return. We were upsetting their grazing routine. 

The deer kept repeating his head movement in hope that we might catch his jest and walk away. But we slowly moved closer, mesmerized. The movements became frantic, its head almost touching the ground every time it bowed.  Then came the warning hums. Then the hooves thumping dust all around. 

At that point, I stopped and just stared. Following my cue, Tamara trustingly just waited, totally taken by the baby deer standing behind its dad. The little one, just like mine, was closely gaging her parent’s every move, ready to run at the first signal, fully assured that we, grown-ups totally knew what we were doing!  Poor kids!!!!! Both animal and human.


The deer and I seemed to connect at some deeper level, because we both turned our heels and decided to run for shelter at exactly the same time J 

This game was not fun anymore. The animal clearly took me for an idiot for not picking all these hints, and I felt like I have trespassed enough and it was time to go back to our human existence. But for that one moment, I wondered… why is it that a chance encounter with a wild deer in the woods next door would be so revealing? Why did I understand what that animal wanted to communicate so much better than I understand most humans when they talk to me… hmmmmm.. More encounters to come!