I left for work early so I could hit the Great Meadows NWR on the way in. Colors were a bit muted because of the cloud cover. 

Fall is upon us. My favorite season of the year. I am very tempted to take a vacation day to enjoy all the beauty New England has to offer but work is very intense at the moment. I may have to settle for photography along my commute as was the case this morning.

Today was a pretty big day for Nicolai. He was featured on the front page of the Boston Globe, was interviewed on NPRs All Things Considered by Michele Norris, and met the Founder and President of the Free Wheelchair Mission at a dinner gathering thrown in his honor. The Globe is reporting that Nicolai is the youngest disabled climber to summit Kilimanjaro after checking with officials in Tanzania. NPR reported that I am an accomplished professional mountain climber (who knew, I always thought I was a professional engineering manager). Don Schoendorfer, pictured here with his low-cost wheelchair design is an MIT mechanical engineering graduate who founded the Free Wheelchair Mission and whose work has made it possible for nearly a quarter of a million disabled poor to receive the gift of mobility.

Link to NPR Interview

Link to Boston Globe Article

I believe this bee was either dead or extremely considerate of the photographer. It did not move at all. Perhaps it was drunk on pollen and sleeping off the hangover. I guess if you are a bee and you are going to kick the bucket, this is not a bad way to go out. 

Aliza who lives only two houses away is very athletic and loves the outdoors just as much as Jeanine. The two enjoyed hiking and biking but had to forgo the planned kayaking because of high seas. 

Jeanine and her best friend Aliza spent the weekend in Acadia National Park with a group from the Appalachian Mountain Club. As she left, I handed her a camera and told her not to come back without photos. I think she did a pretty good job. I don’t know the name of these hills but I know what I would call them. She also managed, to my total dismay, to photograph a Bald Eagle, something I have been trying to do for almost three years now. The image is rather small and photographic jealousy prevents me from posting it. 

Kyle had his hair cut today (or so I am told). I remain tempted to get out my shears and finish the job. He swears the stylist took off six inches. 

Last month I was insisting that Maya was part canine. Now I am inclined to suggest something in the monkey family. 

After work I found Maya and her friend Gianna on the playground in the park where Kyle was playing soccer. His team won again and they are now 9-0. 

It was really a terrific day and now my only worry is how I top this next year. 

Our convoy stops at a local summit to enjoy the sunset. 

I am more of a walk quietly in nature kind of guy, but I have to admit that riding these things on the back wood trails was a ton of fun. 

Originally, I had planned to end the day with a Moose Safari but members of the team discovered that we could rent ATVs for the same price and the group opted for the later. 

Saying good bye to the river was difficult but this was not the only event I had planned for the day.