Picture of the Day - 10/26/09

Today was a super day for photography! I only had to work four hours this morning, so I was able to spend sunrise photographing an old farmhouse and barn in an old apple orchard. Silver Lake, near where I'm staying, had a layer of fog, which made for some moody fall color shots. The morning proved bitterly cold and frost had formed around the edges of most of the foliage. I was glad to climb back into a warm car after photographing the lake and barn! Once I finished my consulting job near Chelmsford, I headed to one of my favorite spots in Massachusetts - Waldon Pond - down near Concord. There's 1.7 mile path around the lake and I took my time enjoying the last vestiges of the fall color season. The smell of fallen leaves was in the air and the temperature had warmed up to perfect conditions for a long walk. I visited the site of Henry David Thoreau's cabin, which at the time was built on land owned by Ralph Waldo Emerson. The foundation stones for the cabin and chimney were excavated in 1941. There's a marker where the chimney foundation was laid - also stone markers where the corners of the cabin and woodshed were located. He had a wonderful view of the lake and lived there from 1845 to 1847. Traditionally, visitors to the site now throw a stone onto a large pile near the cabin site. I added mine to the pile! In his book, "Walden; or Life in the Woods", in the chapter on Baker Farm, he stated, "Rise free from care before dawn, and seek adventures." That's what I did today - and it felt good!