The Marsh - November and December - Vote for your favorite month!

East Meadow River Marsh: Haverhill, Massachusetts.  A beautiful, unspoiled and undeveloped piece of nature that became my photographic project for the entire year of 2014.  Busy Rt. 110 literally crosses over it on its way from Rt. 1 in Salisbury west through Haverhill and on.  

Every week (I missed a few, I admit) I stopped by the marsh with my camera.  As the year went on I felt a growing sense of propriety.  "My marsh" I would say to friends. 

Here it is!  My last blog post for the year - November and December.  Look back at the other marsh posts and vote for your favorite by leaving a comment!

Reflection of exploding, brown cattails. Nov. 4

Yellow leaves and berries almost gone from the oft photographed bush. Nov. 4

A foggy day, my favorite! Golden browns with a hint of green. Nov. 12

A dusting of snow and ice changes the scene entirely. Winter on the way. Nov. 26

The marsh becomes monochromatic in late fall and winter. Nov. 26 

December - will there be snow or a deep freeze?  Wish I could string holiday lights from branch to branch!  Or tie glitzy bows around the trunks.  What am I saying?  I love this marsh exactly as it is!

2 weeks later there is not much difference.  December looks like November! Dec. 12

A different perspective - all reflection. Dec. 12

Only the evergreens look alive.  Animals burrow under. Dec. 15

Dec. 15

The decay of fall is incased in ice.  Dec. 30

I will cast the first vote.  I vote for May!  I loved the changes that happened so rapidly in that month.  What do you think?  Vote!  What was your favorite month at the marsh?

Hunter's Beach - Hidden Gem of Acadia

The trail to Hunter's Beach is easy.  The footing is tricky.  Wet roots provide the biggest challenge.  It follows a lovely little brook through dense forest to a cobble beach opening directly onto the Gulf of Maine.  The beach is a great place to catch the sunrise and see smooth cobbles, chunks of bedrock polished by the tireless waves.
You cannot get there on the Loop Road.  Instead, take Rt. 3 south from Bar Harbor towards Seal Harbor.  Turn left onto a small road angling towards the ocean which later reconnects to Rt. 3.  Look sharp as you are liable to miss the tiny parking lot at the trail head.  Down the road a bit you can find the trail head to the cliff trails or you can start up from the beach and climb the cliff trail.

Hunter's Head will be to your left.

Hunter's Cliff trails to the right offer exciting views of the beach and the ocean.

Hardly anyone knows about this peaceful little corner of Acadia.  Finding it feels like wonderful discovery all your own.
The cliffs are not for faint of heart.  One can walk out onto to rocky ledges for a wonderful view.

View of Hunter's Head

Close up of the lichen and moss on the cliffs.