I haven't posted a blog in some time now so I thought I would just put together several, well, many pictures I have taken over the summer months.
This is a picture of my brother-in-law Gregory and his wife Lizette.
I was very happy they came with me. They also like to walk, but most of it takes place on the beach in CA.
A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows.Doug Larson
Horsetail. I guess this weed was once used as a scouring pad
Honeysuckle from last spring
The wild cucumber vine reaching out for something to hang onto. Isn't it just beautiful?
The wild cucumber blooming, which it is doing right now
Taking a much needed rest. The male mallard is just hangin out in the water near by
This year I was so lucky. I saw bluebirds a few times.
The wild Iris
This little guy looks like he's been stuffed!! YIKES. I wanted Lizette to see a woodchuck but we didn't.
The pelican. They are so beautiful as they come in for their landing
A lot of showy lady slippers on the trail this year
This is the only picture I got of the beards tongue. The DNR decided to mow the edges of the trail and totally destroyed them. They were ready to bloom, some had, but they were all cut down. Just like that, they didn't even think about it. They also cut the yellow lady slippers off their stems. I can't believe it. I was waiting for months!! for those wild flowers to appear and in an instant they were gone.
There is a picture of a snake coming up after this picture. I know one person, in particular, who would want to know that.
Beginning to look like a goose
Soaking up the sun. I told a friend about the snakes I saw today and questions just flew out of her mouth, like how many of them did you see? what color? how big? do they hang around in groups or do they like to be alone? She didn't draw a breath. These questions are from the person who would want to know there is a picture of a snake coming up. She doesn't even like pictures of snakes :):)
I have grown to love the merganser.
Vireo nesting, so cute
I guess this was the year for hummingbird moths
The nuthatches and chickadees are coming back to feed. They have been busy raising their families but now they are back eating sunflower seeds out of my hand.
I really really LOVE Black Eyed Susan's
Kinda out of focus but I'm posting it anyway for I like the idea of it
More Black Eyed Susan's
The beautiful Bindweed flower
The false sunflower
A couple of hummingbird pics
We have about 8-9 hummingbirds drinking sugar water
Bandi
Just a few of my tomatoes. The only veggie I planted this year
Our flowering crabapple tree. Full of apples. The hummingbirds just love sitting in this tree
My dock with loosestrif growing over it. I know, it is an invasive weed, but kinda pretty
Found this critter in the river. I dedicate this picture to Michael. For those who know Michael you will know why
Just another dock picture
A very white lilly pad growing out of the very mucky Mississippi River
A couple of more hummingbird pictures. I spent a few hours sitting on my deck today
The red winged blackbirds are gone now. Have been for a couple of weeks. Sad. They are very annoying, but they are only around in the summer.
I saw a Mink on the trail this year. It came running towards me. When it got a little to close I yelled STOP. It did and then ran the other way.
The trail is a place where you will find a lot of diversity. People running, walking, biking, roller blading, fishing off the bridge, swimming, wading, in the winter snowmobiling, sking. Where you will find different cultures, races, genders, ages and languages. Yes, heard German the other day. The trail is a place where you will find each other getting along, all within a width of 10 feet. We smile at each other, laugh with each other, look at different animals, wild flowers, birds. Where we say good afternoon, evening, morning. I just love the trail
