Woods and waters: September 28 2025

I took a walk around a reservoir where I love to walk anytime of year. We are still in early fall and the colors are not at their peak yet, so there is much more green than yellow.

I took a little side trip to the same area where I broke my foot almost three years ago. (I wrote about it in this post in which I described going through a Jack-o-lantern festival in an electric wheelchair.)

I regularly visit this spot, as it’s “off the beaten path” and there’s a boardwalk that takes you to a wildlife viewing area.

That boardwalk was where I broke my foot — slipping off the edge so that my foot torqued and several bones snapped.

It has been nearly three years and my foot has been fully healed for over a year, but I remember it like it was yesterday!

It was just so startling. I had been standing there enjoying the fall colors one gorgeous day in mid-October, and the next thing I knew I was flat on my back in that marsh area to the left (which was fortunately dry at the time) howling in pain. There was no one to hear me. I had to call my husband to come and get me. Thank goodness I had my phone.

Anyway, when you continue around the corner on the boardwalk, you come to this nice wildlife viewing area, where you can see geese, ducks, herons, egrets and other water birds, including swans.

After my little foray, I continued back on the main path. It’s a full three mile walk around the reservoir, and it was a perfect day for it. I started out wearing a sweatshirt but quickly had to remove it and tie it around my waist.

Here are some more pics from the rest of the walk.

The bees are enjoying the late summer and early fall flowers.

On one bay of the reservoir, there was a large flock of mud hens. They are very cute with their perky little faces and white beaks.

Maybe you can see them a little better in this cropped version of the photo.

Thanks for taking a stroll with me on a beautiful early fall day in Minnesota!

Photo credits: All of the photos in this post were taken by me and belong to me, unless otherwise noted.

My bio: I am a fiction writer and photographer based in Minnesota. I have had a lifelong love of fiction writing. I am earned my MFA in writing from the University of New Hampshire. My short stories go de have appeared in a range of literary journals and anthologies, and my first short story collection, Somewhere in Minnesota is available on Amazon US as well as international Amazon sites., Barnes & Noble or from the publisher.

Want to know what I'm publishing and where? Visit my website, www.jaynalocke.com, or follow me on X, aka Twitter, at www.twitter.com/@jaynatweets or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/authorjaynalocke.

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Walking