Walking a Path

Late afternoon and I headed to Great Meadows to catch the autumn gold.
Soon after I started around the pond I spotted a woman with a heavy camera dangling like a pendulum. Her body assumed a heron like pose—her neck barely able to hold the weight. She stared at the water—the way you'd stare if you think there's something special swimming around.
"I'm looking for a shoveler," said the woman as I passed by.

I continued walking — marveling at the colours and the way the wind played with the reeds and the leaves.

At one point a white low to the ground animal with a long tail scurried past me—no photo.

It had been an hour and the woman still stood at the same place. "See anything she asked?"
"Reeds, leaves flying like flags, and an albino animal ..."
"It's an albino mink? I took its photo yesterday."
"Find your shoveler?"
"No, but I'll be back," she answered.