Postcard: Scotia Barrens Pond on a Sunny Saturday

Saturday morning dawned mild and sunny, with perfect blue skies and nary a cloud. My husband wanted to go jogging in the nearby Scotia Barrens, and I accompanied him, sort of, walking and taking pictures while he jogged.

We went our separate ways initially. I took the path to the left just as we got there, and went down the hill and past the beaver ponds; my husband went right, out along the top of the ridge.

A half-hour later we met at one of the many lower beaver ponds and sat on a large downed tree, near where we'd actually seen a beaver dragging logs into the water on a prior visit. No beavers today; no doubt, they were all snug in their lodges, counting sheep or whatever it is that beavers count in their dreams.

I had carried a daysack containing some treats: a thermos of a mocha coffee concoction that is my husband's favorite, snack bars, oranges, bananas, and yogurt. We sat in the sun and enjoyed the day, and I looked for salamanders. (And found a few fat ones, it being early spring and all.) Finally, it was time to head for home.

This is a photo I took during our walk back up the hill and out of the game lands together. This scene might look familiar; I blipped a closer view of the pine tree in the middle once before, near dusk on a winter day. You can see that photo here and learn a bit more about the history and ecological significance of the Pine Barrens.

I wore tall Gore-Tex boots to keep my feet dry; and so it was no problem to be standing along the edge of the water, even one foot in it, to take this shot. (I blipped the reflections in the water my foot was in to take this shot once before, in late December.)

But today it was glorious and blue and lovely, like a postcard of what a central Pennsylvania early March day ought to be.