Chimney Bluffs State Park

We went to Chimney Bluffs State Park early this morning. The sun was in my eyes when I saw the park sign so I backed up and parked. I knew immediately that this was the wrong place to park when I got to the lake shore. This picture is down the beach with the bluffs in the distance. (There is a parking lot where you are a few meter from the bluffs)

You should see this if you have parked in the right parking lot and you didn't walk 1/2 mile.
On the high road back to the picnic parking area where I parked, you can see things in a different perspective. Also the trail is right up to the cliffs, in fact the path is partly eroded in spots leaving a drop of 25-30 feet straight down then you tumble for another 50 ft. Grenville made it but he had me on tenterhooks until we got closer to sea level.

Birds and Snakes

Hummingbirds again.
A Northern Water Snake that looks very angry. He has good reason since Grenville just got done shaking him up before I could stop him. Grenville found him in the path then attacked as I was coming over to see what he had. The snake is not poisonous, but does have a very infectious bite. And I really don't want Grenville hunting for snakes since there are rattlesnakes in the area.

Of Italy Valley and South of Naples

A view from the Finger Lake Trail (www.fingerlakestrail.com) over looking Italy Valley just south of Naples. It sounds like I took a trip to Europe, but this is New York outside the ashfault and skyscrapers.
The bee is busy gathering food, but far in the background the turbines sit idle due to the lack of wind.

The exercise machine

This is Grenville's, my dog, exercise machine. We keep him in the the neighbors yard and when Grenville comes out to play he runs with Grenville in pursuit. The chances of Grenville ever catching him are slim as there are too many sheds, homes etc with escape tunnels all ready.

Indian Pipe some months later.

Found these Indian Pipe fruit and looked back at my old shots from July and found the same patch in flower. This is really exciting.
I need a self portrait what do you think?

NYS Fair

We stopped off at the New York State Fair in Syracuse, NY. I don't know who the mascot is but I assume he belongs to the Fair since he was greeting everyone at the entrance as we were leaving.

I don't know who these guys were but they were GREAT. Two were on stilts like this and a third was on the ground as a trainer. The guys on stilts could maneuver the animals like they were real. They heads moved side to side twisted and the mouth opened and closed. You would think they were actually riding the beasts.This was fun to watch the goat that is leaving had it's head under the stall trying to get someone else's fadder. When that failed he started rummaging around the stall and the gate opened so he decided to take a stroll. There was a shout and he returned. I think he knows his name and so does the owner. Maybe this was not his first run in with the law.

Doves and Lilies

Mourning Doves and Water Lilies found in the swamp.