Tuesday Afternoon By the Thames

After getting a clean bill of health from my doctor yesterday afternoon, I took a drive south of Norwich to the Stoddard Hill State Park Boat Launch in Gales Ferry in search of train tracks with the hope of maybe catching an afternoon Providence & Worcester train making its way north. I found the perfect spot by the tracks but unfortunately, I didn't find any trains. I tell ya, freight trains are tricky buggers but I guess that's half the fun in trying to photograph them - you have to catch one first! It's turning out to be a great lesson in patience!

Still, it wasn't a wasted trip as I found something just as nice to photograph:

What with no trains clackety-clacking down the tracks for me to take pictures of, I decided that the two swans were would be perfect subjects for the afternoon:

In addition to having the company of the swans, as I was hanging around by the tracks another car pulled in next to mine and I was soon joined by a rather nice gentleman who had stopped by to take in the scenery after attending to some business he'd had in the local area. He was from Enfield, which is more towards the middle of the state, and said he enjoyed this part of the state whenever he had the chance to get down this way. We talked for awhile about trains and the river and photography before he decided that he had to head north for the day and bid me good luck with my photography. It was actually a rather nice way to spend the afternoon even though I suppose talking to strange men by the side of the river might seem a bit dangerous to some; he really didn't strike me as the serial killer type, though!

Before giving up on the trains for the afternoon I was rewarded with this beautiful view:

So ... no trains but it wasn't a total loss and perhaps next time I'll get lucky - though I'm seriously thinking of bringing along a lawn chair, a blanket, and a thermos of hot coffee just in case I'm going to be there for awhile waiting!