Heading North

The original 130 acre farm here was defined by only two straight lines that met at a right angle and the Unadilla River.  Here we are looking to the North at part of one of those original property lines.  This is the longest straight line that defines what is ours.  The retreating glacier deposited many different appearing land forms here.  The bedrock ridge is behind us and is disappearing into glacial till.  Ahead of us is higher ground that is entirely glacial material.  The visible depression carries away a steady water flow that oozes from the bedrock.  From the first time that I walked here, I wanted to build a stone dam to form a respectable sized pond.  That project remains only a dream. 

This depression was formed when a large chunk of the glacial ice fell into meltwater.  The till dropped here covered the ice creating a long level land form.  Eventually the ice melted and the soil dropped into the resulting hole.  A Dead Ice Sink is frequently filled with water but this area contains a deep deposit of sandy ground that quickly carries away water.

This picture is looking Eastward toward the Dead Ice Sink.  It shows the long soil deposit that may be the highest ground that we own.  To me it looked like the level deck of an aircraft carrier since the ground sharply falls away in all directions..  To the right several lower and smaller fields can be found.  This ground was drier and was used only as pasture for the dairy cows.  Views of the ridge are spectacular and we still spend a great deal of time walking here.

Our property line crosses this feature as the land drops away on the far side.  We have always referred to it as the Gravel Bank Hill since a gravel bank was opened there about seventy years ago.  When we purchased this land the highway crew of the Town of Unadilla yearly took away enough gravel to cover the taxes on the remains of the original farm.  That arrangement ended when we acquired this land.

 

The Gravel Bank Hill drops sharply to river bottom land.  Walking that property line when some snow covers the ground would be risky so we will have to imagine the sharp drop to this pipe that marks the end of our walk to the North.  A left turn will have us walking to the West.

Seasonal Beauty

It is my understanding that this is the time of year when hordes of people pay money to ride on buses or trains to see our seasonal color displays.  This is a season of incredible beauty and we find it close to home.  We own everything in the foreground and have the landowners permission to walk the distant ridge.  Twenty-two years ago when we first walked this land, the similarity between this ridge and Diamond Head impacted me.  Here the ridge runs to meadow rather than ocean and we encounter prickers not beaches when we approach.  Ours is without question truly majestic at this time of year.

This is not your typical fall color picture.  The scraggly white pine tree has finished putting on its winter coat.  Fallen needles litter the ground in sharp contrast with the new green needles.  This process of renewal is a true wonder.  The tree is never bare.  New needles push away the old in scattered spots among the branches.  Green is always the dominant color but since no golden brown can be found hanging on the tree the cycle has ended.  Walking on newly fallen pine needles is hazardous.  They are slicker than new ice and show no signs of danger there.

This is diamond head as seen from the high ground to the left in the first picture.  Our numerous briers, as seen in the foreground, are a source of a different color.  They are an invasive nuisance and a source of many scratches but they also sweeten spring air.  The newly opened leaves release a pleasant scent as do the flowers that follow.  It is best to see their good side since they are firmly here to stay.

Here is a long view from the nearby level ground that is close to where the previous picture was taken.  A dead ice sink forms the bowl shaped depression to the right.  Our twisted lumpy land makes for interesting walks.

This picture was taken from the same high ground as the previous two.  My garden by the woods at the far right of the picture is marked by white metal post tops and brown grass mulch cut from what looks like lawn.  It is in fact mowed meadow complete with horse manure!  No one walking on it could mistake it for lawn.

Looking north from the high ground around the dead ice sink, one sees our home.  It is rather easy to imagine the type retirement life that has been ours here.  We feel fortunate to have found this place and treasure our time spent here.