by Anura Guruge
on June 6, 2023
Follow Anura Guruge on WordPress.com
Click to ENLARGE.
The three photos shot in the dark are in our yard (from my midnight amble). The others are from this morning’s amble — many from our beach area. I like the seas of dandelions that are out. All much easier on the eye & body than snow & ice. Enjoy. I certainly am.
by Anura Guruge
on June 6, 2023
Follow Anura Guruge on WordPress.com
This morning during my daily amble. This is a HUGE open field that ‘they’ ‘brush hog‘ multiple times a year though it is just wild, brush. So the growth is ideal for deer. That said I don’t see any/much deer here. I am sure I have seen some (given that I have walked this field for 17 years) but I can’t remember a specific instance.
I am fairly sure that much of this — i.e., my lack of sightings — has to do with MY V. LATE start to each day. I rarely if ever make it to this field before 10am. That, even I know, is late for deer.
Ironically, 400 yards from where this deer stood, is a well used (& constantly repaired) large deer target. Poor deer.
Both dogs were with me. They didn’t see it or smell it (though I can’t tell you which way the wind was blowing). The deer sure saw us. Watched us for a minute or so (as you can see in the photo). Then took off into the woods behind it. Wonder whether I will see it tomorrow?
by Anura Guruge
on June 5, 2023
Follow Anura Guruge on WordPress.com
It was unexpected. I do belong to that Facebook group. I check them out a few times a day to see what is happening in Maine. Saw this, to my DELIGHT, last night. Made my day. SMILE. After all these years & all those books, I still get a kick to see that people like one of my books. Makes it all worthwhile.
Yes, I am NOW planning to write another AMBLING GUIDE though this one will NOT be for the ‘Bold Coast‘. North of it. SMILE. Must get another book published & that is going to take another 4 months. SMILE.
by Anura Guruge
on February 5, 2023
Yes, it is true that this is my 2nd ‘car’ (or to be precise SUV). But, I don’t drive the other, i.e., my accursed 2021 ‘Volvo XC60‘ that much either. The Volvo is my long-distance car — for 600 — 900 mile trips. In a normal week I will use it probably once. 15 months after I leased that I have 10,000 miles on that — & that was mainly from long trips to the ‘Bold Coast‘.
Bottom line is that I just do not drive that much. People just don’t get that. No, I am NOT housebound. I go out AMBLING everyday even in the bitter cold. SMILE. Just don’t drive very much NOW. I think I am compensating for all the driving I have done in my lifetime. There was a time in my life, in the UK, when I was driving 1,000 a week, every week. So, I don’t miss driving.
I have a 10,000 mile/year lease on the Mazda. I doubt whether I will exceed the 30,000 miles at the end of the 3-year lease. I might end up buying the lease & then selling it.
Have a 15,000 mile/year lease on the Volvo. I doubt whether I will go over. But, depending on the trips I make I will certainly get past 30,000 miles.
by Anura Guruge
on January 27, 2023
NO, I wasn’t ill, nor was I housebound.
I was out & about everyday. Just didn’t have a need to DRIVE. That is fine by I. Yes, I lead a charmed & interesting life.
I do NOT miss driving.
I like to walk. I like to AMBLE. I like to hike. Driving is just to run errands OR to go to INTERESTING places.
I tell people that I can go for days without getting in a car. They don’t get it.
This is why my cars need to be TRICKLED CHARGED in the winter. They don’t get driven enough.
I drive the Volvo once a week — typically when I go to Rotary.
The new Mazda CX-30 is my car for local errands. That too typically gets used once a week. It is averaging less than 250 miles a month. At this rate, when my 3 year lease in done, it might have 12,000 miles. SMILE.
by Anura Guruge
on July 30, 2022
Follow Anura Guruge on WordPress.com
This was during my daily 4.5-mile amble.
I saw the two adults (probably the parents) cross the road. Then I saw this LITTLE shape scramble after them. I thought it was a small bird. Then I realized that it must be a BABY turkey. WOW. Precious. It was little. Cute. Then I saw a second.
When I caught up with them there were three.
From what I have learnt from a quick Google is that the babies are called ‘Poults’ during the first month. I don’t know how old they are. Not big. Then I had to think of the size of an egg. Yep, makes sense. They can’t be too big.
by Anura Guruge
on October 10, 2021
Follow Anura Guruge on WordPress.com
What are the chances of finding a phone that you accidently lost, during a fall — on your own, at dusk, on a gnarly wooded trail?
Well I did. Much to my amazement, against odds stacked against I. I am areligious. But, I kind of attribute this to a huge backlog of good karma. (SMILE) I still can’t believe I found it. But, I did.
Here is the story …. THE MIRACLE at ‘Cutler Coast’, Maine.
It was last Sunday, October 3, 2021. I was on my way to Lubec for a 4-night trip to my beloved ‘Bold Coast‘. I had left home, in New Hampshire, at 7:20am, & was slowly meandering my way up. It was close to 3.30pm when I got to ‘Cutler Coast‘. I was going to do a quick amble to the coast, along the ‘Coastal Trail’, get some pictures & head back. As the 2nd & 3rd photos testify I indeed managed to do that. I made good progress.
On the way back, not that far from the coast, one of my feet got caught on an exposed, raised tree root & I fell. Not too badly. No harm, no pain. I was wearing a hooded sweatshirt. Since it was already getting dark I had my sunglasses tucked into the sweatshirt at my neck & my Google Pixel 5 phone in the ‘hand warmer’ pocket. The sunglasses went flying, to my right, when I fell. I saw & felt that. I poked around, found them & tucked them back. I thought I was FINE. (I wasn’t.)
I got to the car just ahead of 5pm. I was happy. Bar the small fall it had been a great amble. I was going to get a drink. I wanted to take some pictures of the car park. I patted my pocket for my phone.
NO PHONE!
NO PHONE!
I looked all over. Checked the boot of the car. Then the reality sunk in.
It too must have fallen out when I fell.
Would I be able to find it?
There were three empty cars in the car park. I had no one with me — NOR another phone with an active service. So, I could NOT call my phone to see IF I could hear it ring. My Garmin watch does have a ‘Find Phone’ option — but it was stating (quite correctly) that my phone was not in range.
It was now past 5pm. My watch told me sunset was at 6:30pm. I just had time to hike the trail again.
And that is what I did.
Along the ‘flat’ parts & those with boardwalks, I galloped. I didn’t amble. I was running. I got towards the end of the trail. I could see the coast through the trees. I knew I had gone far enough. I turned back.
I started closely studying the green scrub to the right of the trail. My glasses had flown to the right & I had a hunch that my phone too must have flown in the same direction.
I got myself a stout stick. I started beating down the brush on the side with it as I walked. I didn’t have to go far.
I SAW IT!
Given my advanced age & that I don’t share it much, I CANNOT remember my cell phone number! So, I have it written on a bright green strip of fluorescent green so that I can get t it when I need. As luck/karma would have it, my phone had fallen face down. The back of the phone, with the fluorescent green label, was facing me. The fluorescent green label made it stick out. I FOUND IT.
I can’t tell you I relieved I was.
It was indeed a MIRACLE.
Tons & tons of accumulated good karma.
THE MIRACLE at ‘Cutler Coast’, Maine.
by Anura Guruge
on September 20, 2021
Rowen, our 9-month Newfie was totally uninterested (which was good). Tied her to a nearby mailbox (of a friend). She did not impede.
Saw it on the road at the start of my morning amble. It was tiny. But, most days I miss little given that my eyes are always on the lookout for photographic opportunities. Could see that ‘she’ was in distress. Moving a bit but not making an attempt to fly. I was only 100 yards from home BUT couldn’t leave her in the middle of the road. 9-month old Newfie was totally uninterested (which was good). Tied her to a nearby mailbox (of a friend).
Called wife. Two folks walking their dogs saw that I was stopped & was up to something. They knew that that was atypical. They paused & then, luckily, decided to go back the way they had come. Then a BIG truck came rumbling by. I stepped in the middle of the road & motioned for them to go around me. They did. The bird was spared.
Wife came with a box lined with tissue paper. She took her home & I continued my amble with the Newfie. I gather that after about 1/2 hour in the house & sun the bird started getting more active & when left on our deck jumped out of box & FLEW AWAY.