There's no place like home... Part 1

I live on a country road out in the mountains of western Massachusetts.  Things are wild and beautiful around here during all the seasons.  Half of the road is paved and half is dirt.  There is something kind of romantic about a dirt road.  However, the reality of mud and potholes does do a number on our vehicles.  We've been going for walks this past week and enjoying how spring is showing it's face.  There is a lovely swamp at the bottom of the hill right down the road.

The ice is almost melted which means the canadian geese have returned and the wood ducks too.  They will raise their babies here this spring and summer.  It's nice to have our wild neighbors return and I can hear them "talking" to each other in the evenings.

I took a walk on Weds. with my friend and her son.  There was a parked car at the swamp and a woman stepped out and yelled up to us, "There's a Bald Eagle down here!  Come and look."  We ran down the hill and stood there in amazement as we saw the huge and majestic bird perched on a tree branch over the water.  Eventually it hopped off it's perch and took to the skies.  It soared in circles above the water getting higher and higher in elevation and slowly glided off over the mountain and out of sight.  What a neat thing to see!  I hope to see it again.  I've been back with my camera to see if I can catch a photo but so far no luck.

At the same swamp this week my husband saw an otter catch a fish and eat it on a rock.  I'm hoping to see the otter sometime on my walks as well.  There is a lot of great activity around here.

Down the road a ways from the swamp is a hay field with a maple tree in the middle of it.  It is one of my favorite trees on my road.  There is space around the tree to see and appreciate it's full shape.  I dream of getting out there one of these full moons to sit under it for awhile to take in the moonlight.  The nights are getting warmer.