Whether we choose to stroll or run through life, a park bench is the ultimate stopping place. Sometimes we need to sit and breathe and watch as life continues to scuttle on by.
On this day, a tiny dog trotted by while wearing a backpack. Other dogs on leashes dragged their owners along as they chased squirrels up trees. Girls in frilly dresses joined in on the fun and chased more squirrels up trees. I started to feel sorry for the squirrels but in a flash they were back to find food among the fallen leaves. Off in the background of it all, the trees gave out a last gasp of color and glowed with all the stored up energy of summer.
“Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.” – John Muir
On an unrelated goat note, thank you to Britt Skrabanek for this post and thank you to the Goat Club for making me laugh. Anyone can join as long as you like goats and really, who doesn’t?
Sheila Hurst 
Ah.. beautiful serenity…Love that bridge on your first photo 🙂
Thanks Andy! I just kept taking pictures because everything kept glowing. Hope you’ve been getting out there to enjoy the colors too.
I’ve been lucky to get some sunlight here in Vancouver, but boy I miss summer 🙂
Me too – I love the fall colors but it’s already starting to get a little too cold out there!
Beautiful photos & I love your line “the trees…… glowed with all the stored up energy of summer.”!
Thanks Linda! I love how everything glows this time of year. It really seems like everything’s giving back all the soaked up summer sun. Happy Fall!
What a beautiful park! Is it near you? Lovely words to accompany your lovely pictures. 🙂
Thanks Carrie! It’s Boston Public Garden. I don’t get there often enough but it’s the perfect place to just sit and watch everything. Unfortunately though, there were no goats to be seen.
That’s because they were all hanging out on Twitter.
That’s true – the dog wearing a backpack was pretty funny though!
Wow, you ladies have way too much fun on Twitter. Now I see why Carrie wants me to join! By the way, I believe it’s the sheep that says baaaaaa baaaa. The goat says meh-eh-eh-eh…. You know, I have a whole blog on seeing cows every day (and you do too, by the way), but it sounds like Sheila’s thing is goats.
Yes we do and now you’ll have to join! Bring your goat and maybe a cow or two.
What a lovely reminder. Sheila, that we need to slow down and take in all that we are surrounded by from time to time, and to notice the things that we might someday miss being able to see.
Your posts help to remind me of that same thing. Thank you.
Such lovely photos! I love the idea of taking pause on a bench and watching the world around you. I half expected to see a goat peering at us from behind a tree in one of the photos (but a dog with a backpack is pretty great too!).
Hahah – I wish our goat had been there! That really would have been a photo opportunity. I can’t believe I didn’t even get a picture of the dog with the backpack. People are going to think I’m seeing things or something.
Lovely post and lovely post! I love to just sit down in the middle of nature (wild or man made) and just listen and watch. I try to teach my kids to see the benefits of sitting still in the middle of it, but sometimes they do get distracted by chasing squirrels. And I don’t feel one bit sorry for those furry pests! 🙂
There were so many dogs and kids chasing squirrels that even squirrel haters might have felt a little sorry for them. It must be one of those things all kids love to do. It started to look like so much fun that I almost jumped in on the squirrel chasing.
You’re welcome to come chase the squirrels in my garden!
Watch out – I just might show up there someday!
It’s amazing what you see when you stop and sit for a moment. Parks are so lovely especially in the fall.
That’s true! I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen a dog with a backpack before. It made me wonder what could be in that backpack. 🙂
LOL. Or what possessed him to pack it? 😉
Hahah – exactly! He must have had some good dog treats in there. He looked pretty proud.
Nice! My cares will fall from me like autumn leaves after tomorrow’s wedding is over. Then I will hibernate like a bear.
Hahah! That sounds like a good plan. I’ll be thinking about you. I’m sure it’ll be beautiful. Enjoy the day and the hibernation!
I want to go to your park bench! Holy cow, gorgeous! BTW, that Muir quote was on our wedding announcements! We eloped to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and got hitched outdoors, lakeside under the mountains. It was magic. I made my own announcements (with the help of a friend who printed them) and that quote was on the back of each envelope.
That’s funny about the quote! I hadn’t heard that one before and just recently came across it. There are so many of his quotes that I love. That’s the way to do a wedding. I could picture it all there under the sky.
We’ve always tended to head towards outdoor cafes for taking in scenery, but now we’re officially starting a hunt for the nearest park bench!
I’m glad to hear that! All kinds of strange things go on in those parks. I just wish I could have stayed longer for the opportunity to see more crazy things.
Oh, one of my favorite spots to wander and people watch on a Sunday afternoon! Beautiful captures!
Thank you! I used to try not to get people in pictures but it is more interesting with them in there. I wondered if that could be you in that last one because she’s taking a picture.
Sheila a breath of fresh air in a long day, stunning photo’s by the way. Thank you.
Thanks Kath! I hope you’re surviving Nano and conquering that mountain.
Sheila I finished 21 days in will put a post up soon.
That’s great -congratulations! I can’t even imagine finishing so soon. You must have really been inspired.
Lovely! However, our village only has an official park for the children. However, you have seen a few photos from here and ma vie en rose. I shall stick with the café! 🙂
I’ll keep trying to tempt you to visit, but from your photos I can see why you don’t want to leave!
Ah, but perhaps you would… at least a visit to Paradise! 🙂
Perhaps the tempting is also on the other side of the pond? N’est-il pas?
Oui, vraiment! 🙂
I know that garden! lol. I don’t get to visit that one often at all, but there is one in a town much closer which we get to stroll through now and then. And I love watching squirrels at this time of year. They can get pretty rowdy!
Those squirrels are crazy, especially when they start throwing their acorns all around! I hadn’t been there in a while so it was nice to sit and soak up the scenery. The squirrels and dogs were pretty entertaining.
Gorgeous post, Sheila, and I especially love the pic of the bridge.
Thank you! I’m glad you could hop over the ocean for a Boston park visit.
Ah, what a nice, relaxing post to see this afternoon. 🙂 Especially given how dark and cloudy it’s been all day.
I like goat cheese. Does that count as liking goats? 😉
Of course it counts! Anything goat related is fair game. If that’s not a reason to join Twitter, I don’t know what is. 🙂 It’ll be nice to look back on those colorful days during the next few months. The leaves are already mostly down here and those pictures were just taken about a week ago. Now it’s about time to rake it all up.
It’s funny how alluring a park bench can be. I notice I’ve taken photos of several. I’m not sure why they capture my attention so often. They just do.
They are perfect resting places and the best ones are in good people watching spots. I’ve also taken a few of just the vacant benches. I guess they’re usually in scenic places and they add to that scenery somehow by making us think of resting and relaxing there.
That third photo, with the bright yellow leaves against the brilliant blue sky, is lovely!!!!
Thank you! Everything just kept glowing that day so it was nice to sit and admire the glow.
nice Sheila, are you at the public gardens?
Yes – finally made it over the bridge for a day during the long weekend. We still have to go for that swan boat ride sometime! 🙂
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
I FORGOT I WAS FOLLOWING THIS FINE ARTIST!!!! OOPS. 🙂
Hahah – thank you! It’s practically impossible to keep up with everything in this crazy blogging world. I’m glad you liked it and hope you have a happy Thanksgiving!
THANK YOU….AND THE SAME TO YOU!
I sense peace in those photos ❤
Thank you. It was a peaceful day. I recommend sitting on a park bench as much as possible. 🙂