Mt. Auburn Cemetery is one of my favorite walks; its lush paths meander and are lovingly named.
At the top of a hill, this tower defies you not to climb it (it’s as cool and dark inside as you might imagine) . . .
And you almost fall down these treacherous steps, thinking I’m going to die in the cemetery.
The grounds are chock full of nature. A bird watching mecca, Mt. Auburn celebrates the diversity of wildlife with a sign by the front gate where visitors can note on a chalkboard any unusual birds or creatures they’ve spotted with the date and location. Along with lots of birds I’ve never heard of, I was surprised to see sightings of groundhogs and coyotes. That made me look over my shoulder more than once. The cemetery is spread out over a wide swatch of land, but I didn’t think it was big or remote enough to harbor coyotes.
On my walk, I spotted more run-of-the-mill but still noteworthy creatures like bunnies, chipmunks, squirrels, and this puffed up robin:
Puffy robin
And by this pond, replete with weeping willow,
I spotted a toad that sat nestled in the weeds, waiting for flies:
Mr. Toad, flycatcher
A very full day of walking, nature and escaping the clutches of the coyote.
