15 minute observation next to the Truth and Lies boulder in Smugglers notch
I sat right underneath the “Really Big Rock” in the above drawing and observed my surroundings. The most prominent sound was the wind and the occasional car that drove by since I was roughly 15 feet from the road. I also heard people faintly discussing the boulders in both English and French Canadian. Additionally, the sound of thin and dry sticks rustling next to each other in the trees above brings me to my following observation and probably the most drastic change. The leaves had all left the trees, now littering the ground and road. The single Northern Red Oak that was situated directly across the street from me was left baron and looked smaller than it did last time, which was probably an effect of the lack of leaves. The Yellow and Paper Birch that made up most of the forest was also empty, creating a somewhat lonely atmosphere. The last time I visited, the leaves on the ground still retained some of their colors; however, this time, they were all brown and beginning to melt into the soil to feed the surrounding plants and animals. I was also able to spot three Chipmunks and a grey Squirrel.
Catch you next time climbers,
Stay sending!