“I never was one for rushing through a country. I like to take my time breathe the air, get the feel of it. I like to smell it, taste it get it located in my brain. The thing to remember when traveling is that the trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. Travel too fast and you miss all you travel for. “ Louis L’Amore
A coot and a turtle inspect each other. -- Photo by Pat Bean
Travels With Maggie
The mile and a half walk around 40-Acre Lake at Brazos Bend State Park is one of my favorites. While I’ve walked it many times, each time around is different.
Some days the stroll to the observation tower is filled with black-bellied whistling ducks. On other days its egrets and herons that dominate the shallow shore line and swampy wetlands.
Brilliant common yellowthroats like to hide in the reeds, and a northern harrier or two can usually be seen circling in the sky above. One day I had to turn around because the path ahead was lined by huge alligators. I had Maggie that day and I decided I didn’t want her to become just a tasty morsel for those toothy jaws, not to mention that I didn’t want to become dinner either.
Observation tower midway along the hike around 40-Acre Lake. -- Photo by Pat Bean
This past week, it was the coots that dominated the lake. While not the most glamorous of birds, I love watching them. On this day, perhaps because I felt I was one with nature as I had the trail all to myself on this off-season, week-day, the coots let me get close enough to see the glow in their red eyes.
Bean’s Pat: The Fairy Tale Asylum: My Miss Havisham
http://thefairytaleasylum.wordpress.com/ It’s Margaret Michell’s Scarlet O’Hara for me. I had read the book, “Gone With the Wind.” four times by the time I was 12.
Pat Bean's blog 
Hi,
Sounds like a lovely park to go walking in.
I love the photo of the bird and the turtle, that is really unusual, a great shot.
I can just imagine the view from the tower, it would be spectacular, I’m assuming it is a great place to watch a lot of the wildlife. 🙂
I can’t pass a turtle up. They photograph so interestingly. Thanks for the kind words. And yes, the view from the tower is awesome. This day a northern harrier flew past within 10 feet of me. Wish harriers were as easy to photograph as turtles.
You have a good eye for a photo, Pat.
I consider that a high compliment. Thanks Bob.
I simply can’t imagine reading Gone with the Wind before turning 12! Wow. That’s awesome! And you read it several times. I stand impressed.
“Gone With the Wind” was one of the books in my grandfather’s collection that were stuffed in an old bookcase after he died. I read them all, mostly classics like “Treasure Island and David Copperfield. I didn’t like the way Mitchell’s book ended, and gave the words “tomorrow’s another day,” a different meaning each time. The first were happy endings that Scarlet and Rhett would get back together, the last time was that they wouldn’t. And then I didn’t want to read it again after that. One of the books in the collection was “Forever Amber,” which I later heard junior high kids talking about as “that dirty book.” Had to dig that book out and read it again. I never knew the book was dirty, and still didn’t understand when I read it again. I was a late bloomer, perhaps because I read so much.
Captured the reflections in a great way Pat Bean.!! Especially, even the log/cement slab has a reflection in a sense.. underwater. Dint even know where the boundaries of air and water merged here!!