Down in the Pawpaw Patch

Fall is for walking. The smells are musty the sounds are crackling and the views are warm and ever changing.

We had completed Saturday’s chores and Sunday morning woke with reward in mind. Walking on the trail in a nearby state park was the solution to a lovely Sunday morning in late September. As we crossed over hilly terrain we came across a valley of pawpaw trees. Quite a few still held their lingering fruit. The fermented fruit smell greeted our nostrils as we passed under the large leaves of the trees just above our heads. Beneath the branches were scattered orbs in colors of pale green, yellow and some a deep maroon plum in color. A few had been sampled by wildlife but most remained untouched as they lay in their bed of fallen leaves.

We could not resist and so selected the least damaged and proceeded to sample the sweet, creamy, custard fruit cutting carefully around the large black seeds.

This gave us sustenance for our continued hike toward the little lake and then the view of the distant ocean just beyond.

As we were crossing one of the boardwalks, this little fellow was also out enjoying the warmth of the fall day.