January 2, 2012

 Took a walk on the PB trail today.  The winds blew all this snow onto the trail and then the snowmobilers.  IT WAS A MESS!  

 But, the wind left a lot of nice snow drifts

 The beginning of the sunset, about 3pm

"Sunsets are so beautiful that they almost seem as if we were looking through the gates of Heaven."

Happy Winter Solstice

"It has often been said that the greatest joy tends to follow deep sorrow. What is so wonderful about the winter solstice is that once we are past that moment of time we can look forward to brighter skies."

Winter Solstice and still no snow. 

But, you don't need much snow to get "snow art"

The fat muskrat and his shadow

I have been known to feed chickadees sunflower seeds, they have been known to hide their seeds in the pine cone.

So beautiful in black and white

Can you find the rabbit?  He thought he was hiding from me, silly rabbit

The red breasted Nut Hatch.  This bird is very friendly

This picture, and the next, was taken at the water front.

Maybe, just maybe, the trail will look like this soon

"It speaks well for the human spirit that our greatest religious celebrations take place at winter solstice time, as people radiate warmth of fellowship and love on these dimmer days. The festivals of darker days are really celebrations of light."

OH MY

 I was standing on the PB trail bridge at sunset tonight and this picture is the direct result of the next picture

what an amazing evening.  I have never been on the trail at dusk, but after tonight I will do it again and again.  In the right hand corner of this picture there is a tiny dot in the tree, it is an eagle.   

Fall

It was a moody day on the trail.  The day was Thursday, the Month September and the date 29th

It was, by far, the moodiest day that I have experienced on the trail

Sorry for the sun glare in this pic but I had to show you the wildness of this day, so windy, with  dark clouds, also clearing where the sun hit the yellows and they danced with the warmth laughing at the darkness that the clouds produced.

The sun laughing

the beginning

 my favorite moons come in October

The deep reds against the brown, my goodness

The European Larch is dressing for fall

Yes, the flowers are blooming in October

Watcher of the river

Observe the beauty this world offers, it will help you let go of the negativity

can you pick out the flower from the leaves?

If you stand out, alone, don't worry, others will soon follow

The color of August

August is the color of sunshine

The golden color 

August is a melancholy month for me. Thank goodness it's color is so alive, fun... a hint of energy

August leads the way to whimsy, fantasy that summer will not end. 

Live in August, the sun brings growth, energy, and a feeling of lightness

For September brings RED, sweaters and introspection of the spirit for...

The glistening water of August will bring the cooler days and nights of September which brings thoughts of the hard crust of snow, isolation and a time for deep thoughts for the soul

"These are a few of my favorite things"

 What a beautiful gift given to my sister and I today.  This baby eagle was first sitting in a secure spot in the tree then climbed up on the very precarious limb and positioned itself and tried several times to take off, finally got it right.  OOHH how Priceless

Did you know that we are in the year of the rabbit?  I'm a rabbit in the Chinesescope :) And this is the first bunny that I have seen on the trail in 3 years. Do I dare hope that they are coming back?

The white water lily pad late July. Their simply beauty takes my breath away.

This picture actually captured the way I felt when I saw it. The butterfly, the waves of the water. It was a lazy, layed back beautiful July day

Trying to hide little chipmunk???

Berries everywhere on the trail

A view from my dock.  

Lately I see the shadows before I see the real thing

Out of the murcky waters of the Mississippi comes this white beauty

The wild black eyed susan, just nothin like it. They are every where on the trail and my camera seemed to take on a life of its own for I couldn't pass by a black eyed beauty without snapping away

Milkweed with a monarch caterpillar 

 I just LOVE wild flowers for they grow together in amazing ways

 I think the color of July was purple. 

 You cannot miss a white flower on the trail. They pop out with all the green and yellow

 I have been told that the white vine amongst the cattails is cucumber vine. It is everywhere on the trail and makes wonderful shapes winding around its prey

The trail is now bursting with wildflowers along with different types of grasses. I can feel autumn on her way