Collection from my walkabout at Alumni Filed Park in Hackettstown New Jersey.

It was an overcast day on the trails but per usual the park never disappoints and the encounters were numerous. Some unexpected like my sighting of an owl on the trail-not quite what I expected but an owl sighting non the less. The usual suspects were spotted as well. Even though I see the red-wing blackbirds and the deer and now the sandpipers along with the rest of the residents of the park every encounter reveals something new to me- a behavior, a new color of their fur or feather, even the flora grabs my attention. Like a skunk cabbage leaf growing on the river bank in an unexpected location growing larger. My eye is drawn to something different or out of place while I walk the hatchery ponds or woods or paved trail of the adjacent River Front Park loop. Like the hunter I continually scan my surroundings looking for disruptions in the patterns of the landscape I have learned so well. My captures are the results of my daily observations and these are the stories of the day.

Walking my local trails was amazing this week. So many experiences and encounters.

Amazing day exploring the Schittz Creek section on the Musconetcong River. Such a unique tributary on the river. Access is tricky in warmer months as the water lever drops and gets choked with lily pads. Nice to venture out with the higher water due to the snow melt run off.

Daily writing prompt

What movies or TV series have you watched more than 5 times?

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A BIG thank you to the Mansfield Senior’s Club- especially Louise Hall Wojnar- for inviting me to speak at their meeting.

Out for my morning walkabout at Alumni Field Park. I spent some time with a small riffle on the Musconetcong River just off trail. Nice way to start this last day of 2025. Happy New Year!

Downstream view of the Musconetcong River on a mid afternoon walkabout at Alumni Field Park in Hackettstown. What seemed to be a very quiet walk at the park with seemingly not much activity turned out to be another one of those outings where it just unfolds in front of you. Sometimes you just have to be open to your surroundings and be in the moment and the magic reveals itself.

I got off the trail at certain pointes and explored the forest and came upon some interesting finds…mushrooms, interesting fallen and rotted trees that from the trail seemed ordinary but unclose were amazing to the eye.

The park was filled with lots of gray squirrels-seemed like that was all I saw. In all the sightings of unexciting gray squirrels I did notice one that had just come from digging around in the mud-its face covered in the black goo and paws as well. This was something unique and different that I had never experienced with a gray squirrel. It is these unique moments that I seek out especially with the common we encounter on a daily basis are all around and seem “boring”.

While out and about be in the moment and let those unique moments present themselves to your eye. You will be amazed at what you will see.