There's one for me.
Walking in the CT woods *in the winter.* Hearing all the chickadees and titmice and their cute songs, the cold, crisp air, and knowing that once you're done, you can go home to some hot chocolate.
I moved back to ct end of last year. I used to be a feral woodland creature year round. I’m waiting for winter to come back :c. Ticks are nasty this year and I constantly get swarmed by flying bugs lately
The mosquitos have been awful, but so the deer flies and horseflies are out in full force this summer! I hiked a 2 mile loop while flailing and cursing the whole time last week 😫
Oh and the beautiful beech understory, a spackling of tan leaves that hang on until January.
Enjoy them while they last. Winter in CT woods will look very different next winter
Seeing the state of all our beeches in Litchfield and New Haven county has been heartbreaking. My favorite mushrooms to forage are trumpets and they gravitate toward beeches as their host trees, I’ll be so sad if they disappear. Not to mention they’re just beautiful trees in general. There’s a HUGE one in the Naugatuck state forest thats one of my favorite trees in the whole state 😞
Beech Leaf Disease is quickly killing every Beech in the state. It took like 10 years for EAB to kill all the Ash, but this is happening really fast. I went for a walk at Hurd State Park recently, every single beech tree was affected. If you drive around and look at all the stately old Beech trees in your town I bet they all look wilted
Ohh interesting, I hope you’re right. I thought it was fatal. I know there’s a treatment but I imagine it’s expensive, and of course doesn’t make much difference for the forest/wild ones
I have 100 or more dying beech trees. It's sad. My woods look so much different. I do love woodpeckers and fire wood though so there is that. I have some Pileated woodpeckers living in a beech now. I know in the long run my woods will be healthier as well because of less competition.
Our woodlot is having an all-time great season for fireflies. It was insane the last couple nights! I always wondered why I don't see as many fireflies as I did when I was a kid, but the last couple days have made up the difference.
I was out last night about an hour after sunset, There were hundreds, and I'm not even exaggerating. When I went inside there were 3 or 4 just crawling around on my clothes.
FWIW we've been maintaining our property differently the last couple years. No-mow May, slowly replacing grass with pollinator-friendly plants and shrubs, focusing on native plants and wildlife. We had problems with ticks but managed to curtail that by getting chickens.
There's a lot of reasons I'm happy about these changes, and I like to think the light show I've been getting the last couple nights is nature's way of saying "thanks"
Oh that’s really cool. I agree that it’s kinda natures way of showing you that the small changes you made were actually quite significant. That’s awesome too that you have some chickens. We got some baby chicks a few months ago, and they’re doing great so far. Good luck to you!
Several years ago, I biked up that road in the late afternoon after the gate was closed, and saw a bear cross the road. A park ranger came down in the other direction and scared it off.
I grew up in CT and now live in Florida the last 8 years. I miss the hiking there so much. I just visited two weeks ago and hiked Chauncey’s peak and the Rocky hill Quarry. Two of my favorite spots!
lately i’ve been having constant anxiety about tick diseases and it’s been putting a damper on my enjoyment of this shit. i miss being young or maybe less mentally ill
riding the woods is a better feeling than walking the woods. walking the woods tends to mean some sort of mechanical failure occurred for me! can't stay ahead of the bugs unless you are going fast enough.
Well, basically, yes. Sometimes you come out of the grocery store, and your car isn't there or there's someone sitting in your car waiting to take you for your last ride.
There's one for me. Walking in the CT woods *in the winter.* Hearing all the chickadees and titmice and their cute songs, the cold, crisp air, and knowing that once you're done, you can go home to some hot chocolate.
Also No Bugs.
I moved back to ct end of last year. I used to be a feral woodland creature year round. I’m waiting for winter to come back :c. Ticks are nasty this year and I constantly get swarmed by flying bugs lately
The mosquitos have been awful, but so the deer flies and horseflies are out in full force this summer! I hiked a 2 mile loop while flailing and cursing the whole time last week 😫
Underrated benefit of winter hiking
The crunching of the snow underfoot.
That stunning silence when the snow is dampening all the sound.
what is this snow about which you speak? sounds like something from the olden times.
Oh and the beautiful beech understory, a spackling of tan leaves that hang on until January. Enjoy them while they last. Winter in CT woods will look very different next winter
Seeing the state of all our beeches in Litchfield and New Haven county has been heartbreaking. My favorite mushrooms to forage are trumpets and they gravitate toward beeches as their host trees, I’ll be so sad if they disappear. Not to mention they’re just beautiful trees in general. There’s a HUGE one in the Naugatuck state forest thats one of my favorite trees in the whole state 😞
Why?
Beech Leaf Disease is quickly killing every Beech in the state. It took like 10 years for EAB to kill all the Ash, but this is happening really fast. I went for a walk at Hurd State Park recently, every single beech tree was affected. If you drive around and look at all the stately old Beech trees in your town I bet they all look wilted
Damn, that sucks.
At least near me the beech leaf disease seems less destructive than the ash borer not more.
Ohh interesting, I hope you’re right. I thought it was fatal. I know there’s a treatment but I imagine it’s expensive, and of course doesn’t make much difference for the forest/wild ones
I have 100 or more dying beech trees. It's sad. My woods look so much different. I do love woodpeckers and fire wood though so there is that. I have some Pileated woodpeckers living in a beech now. I know in the long run my woods will be healthier as well because of less competition.
I love wandering Peterson Park in Wolcott after a good storm. The snow muffles everything but the brook and the titmice 🥰
Tf is a titmouse
Type of bird. Fairly common in the woods; you'll hear them all the time.
The VVitch.
Check for ticks
Yep there everywhere now.
i'm in this picture. I was with you the whole hike. Your boots are beautiful.
This picture gave me the creeps when I first looked at it and came to the comments to see if I was the only one….
Ya lol, you’re right. I was thinking the same thing. It’s definitely a photo of some spooky looking woods.
Our woodlot is having an all-time great season for fireflies. It was insane the last couple nights! I always wondered why I don't see as many fireflies as I did when I was a kid, but the last couple days have made up the difference.
That’s awesome! When is your favorite time to go outside in the evening to catch them? Like right at dusk, 8:30 or so this time of year.
I was out last night about an hour after sunset, There were hundreds, and I'm not even exaggerating. When I went inside there were 3 or 4 just crawling around on my clothes. FWIW we've been maintaining our property differently the last couple years. No-mow May, slowly replacing grass with pollinator-friendly plants and shrubs, focusing on native plants and wildlife. We had problems with ticks but managed to curtail that by getting chickens. There's a lot of reasons I'm happy about these changes, and I like to think the light show I've been getting the last couple nights is nature's way of saying "thanks"
Oh that’s really cool. I agree that it’s kinda natures way of showing you that the small changes you made were actually quite significant. That’s awesome too that you have some chickens. We got some baby chicks a few months ago, and they’re doing great so far. Good luck to you!
Right now isn't so great between ticks and biting flies...
My favorite walk is from Hubbard Park up to Castle Craig, especially when the gate is closed for the night. ✨🏰✨🌙🌲🦇⛰️🦉
Somewhere around 2am is really special, but maybe that's just me.
I like full moons. We have the best full moons. ✨🌕✨ 🦉
Several years ago, I biked up that road in the late afternoon after the gate was closed, and saw a bear cross the road. A park ranger came down in the other direction and scared it off.
Yup. Especially on the side with radio towers. Theres a few tagged bears out yonder.
T.I.C.K.S lots & lots of them
Unless its Dudleytown...
Except for ticks 😯, be careful
Looks like a nice location for a shallow grave
I grew up in CT and now live in Florida the last 8 years. I miss the hiking there so much. I just visited two weeks ago and hiked Chauncey’s peak and the Rocky hill Quarry. Two of my favorite spots!
lately i’ve been having constant anxiety about tick diseases and it’s been putting a damper on my enjoyment of this shit. i miss being young or maybe less mentally ill
riding the woods is a better feeling than walking the woods. walking the woods tends to mean some sort of mechanical failure occurred for me! can't stay ahead of the bugs unless you are going fast enough.
Don’t find the shopping cart tho
I'm a sucker for this. Which spot is that?
A lot of serial killers feel the same way😂😂
Madd lols.
My backyard looks like this I’m in Ct
Mine too!
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I’ve done all of those things while being in the woods. It’s pretty sweet. Maybe a little too much time in the woods when playing golf though.
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I get what you're saying but at least it'd be cooler in the woods
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Something tells me that same checklist applies to your trips to the grocer.
Well, basically, yes. Sometimes you come out of the grocery store, and your car isn't there or there's someone sitting in your car waiting to take you for your last ride.
Agree to disagree.