Afternoon Light in the Fall, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

I always forget how much more boat there is under the waterline on a sailboat until I see it like this. There is some kind of profound message there.



At the Safe Harbor Marina in Plymouth, many of these boats will soon be removed from the water and stored on land for the long winter days ahead. The Mayflower II is visible in the distance at dock.



The Mayflower II is getting ready for winter, too. The dingy dock that would normally be in the foreground is gone and almost all the boats normally at their buoys in the harbor at right are gone to spend the winter on land.



I don't often see the harbor water calm but, here it is with just the receding rolling ripples from a passing boat to add another pretty element to the scene.



Maybe it's like this in other seasons but, I notice it more in fall - a special quality of late afternoon light as it is here on the way back home through Chiltonvillle, a village of Plymouth. 

It's a special place this Plymouth area.

Fall - A Country Lane, Chiltonville, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Every year I enjoy viewing this property at different seasons to capture the variety.

Looks like a very nice driveway to go home to.

Out and About, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

In a normal year, this scene would be thronged with humans, walking the waterfront, stopping to view the hallowed "Plymouth Rock," housed in this classic structure.



Lacking people, I stretched out this vehicle for additional subject matter.



The normally bustling downtown has neither pedestrians nor automobile traffic. (It is also worth noting that the April 1st implementation of paid parking on the street has not yet begun!! A bright spot in the pandemic era.)



And speaking of bright spots, spring continues unaffected by the trials and tribulations of humankind.



One of the few patches of wisteria I have seen in the town, adjacent to a red maple.



More azalea.



Rolling farmland in Chiltonville, one of the many villages of Plymouth.



 I am not exactly sure what these creatures are but, I am staying on my side of the fence.



No fence between us but, I am on my side of the window glass with a point and shoot zoom to capture this skittish red-shouldered hawk perched looking for lunch in Manomet. He is fond of fresh frog. Ah, springtime.

Cold But Not Much Snow, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Low sun and cold at the National Monument to the Forefathers in Plymouth (built in 1889).



Late afternoon sunshine on the Spire Center for Performing Arts in Plymouth. Plymouth Harbor in the distance.



Late shadows in Chiltonville.



Full moon, low tide, and wintry cold at Manomet Point.

Fall is Falling, Manomet, Chiltonville, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

There is always one to be first and start the show......



......and slowly it progresses with each shorter day.......



.....the grasses start to fade.......



....and the colors explode like fireworks.

And soon enough, we'll enjoy the wonder of a white blanket of snow. Oh, yeah!

Continuation of Fall, Manomet, Chiltonville, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

The reddish trees across the pond have already peaked and dropped - the yellows are soon to follow.



This panorama features a fall view from a sunroom.



The grass is still green but not for much longer on the rolling hills of the village of Chiltonville.



And on Old Sandwich Road, long shadows in early afternoon are clearly a sign that winter is just around the corner.

Out and About, Chiltonville, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Winter calm in the snow-dusted fields of Chiltonville, a village of Plymouth. And yes, I added a texture in post-processing.



A view from the "high ground" overlooking White Horse and Priscilla Beaches. It's been a mild winter so far - most of the remaining snow is in melting plowed piles.

Sheep Grazing, Chiltonville, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

A sheep has great peripheral vision seeing forwards and sideways and a little bit rearwards, too, all without turning its head. Of course, if you've ever tried to sneak up on a sheep you already know this. (If you tried in your youth, I suspect alcohol was involved).  And yes, I'm pretty sure this is a sheep and not a goat - (but I did look up the differences to be sure).

Note the ear tag number. When I was a young boy, I worked on a dairy farm. To this day I remember a particular cow with an ear tag number 38 who enjoyed kicking any young boy foolish enough to step too closely behind her in the wrong spot. To this day, I'm careful when standing in line at an public event if the person in front of me is wearing a sports jersey with the number 38.

Baaaad.

Around Town on a Fall Day, Manomet, Chiltonville, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

It's that time of year again when nature's palette comes alive in New England. (Click to view a higher resolution version if your device supports that action).



These sights are from random locations in the Plymouth villages of Chiltonville and Manomet.



Sometimes just subtle golds complement the greens.......



....and other times, fiery reds and oranges predominate.



Fall coloring makes a good complement to an old red barn.



Meanwhile, a pine forest wonders what's all the fuss about.



It's a fuss I never tire of seeing - nor the slight chill in the air as the days grow shorter in preparation for the first white blanket of snow to appear.  We have it all - hot, cold, warm, cool, sunny, cloudy, snowy, clear, windy, rainy, icy, calm - sometimes, all in the same day or week! New England weather - if you don't like it, wait a few minutes, it will change.

Old Sandwich Road, Chiltonville, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

"Hey, get out of my face!"

I was walking along Old Sandwich Road enjoying the beauty of the breeze whispering through the towering pines and ran into this old guy - he was not happy having his picture taken. You know how ornery some old men can be sometimes.......

Elsewhere along the road ........

It is hard to beat the pastoral charms of new England.

Fall, Chiltonville, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Just when I thought that the fall color was over for this year, I stumbled upon a new spectacular scene. This one is in Chiltonville, a village within Plymouth.



This area of rural Plymouth is bathed in afternoon sunlight.



It is such a treat to happen upon an unexpected scene of nature's beauty - a definite advantage to occasional aimless wandering.

Old Sandwich Road, Chiltonville, Pinehills, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Tall pines, healthy and otherwise, line the route of Old Sandwich Road (OSR) through Plymouth. OSR is called the oldest public road in America and overlays an original footpath of the Wampanoag Native Americans. Parts of it are paved and parts aren't - always a subject of local controversy - some want more paving some want less.

There is a section that has suffered a blight in recent years, stripping the boughs of their needles. This black and white rendering against a cloudy sky makes a nice high contrast image.



The stripped trees make some dramatic long shadows in the late afternoon.



Farther along the road in a healthy section, there are a few deciduous trees to provide more subtle color to complement the green of the pines.

Nice place for a squirrel to call home - the nest at center above.