Summer Hodgepodge

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

 

Blossom

“Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night.”

Rainer Maria Rilke quotes (A Dedicated to my daughter Erin and my step daughter Kimberly

The picture above and below are from my Flowering Crab Apple tree

Happy Mother's day

Nature at her best

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

After months of not seeing any deer on the trail they are finally showing themselves.  Probably because the bow hunters aren't there any longer. They have taken enough deer!!!!

I usually see deer all year round and it didn't amazing to me to see them.  NOW, it is rare and I get excited seeing them again.

The tree swallows are claiming their nesting places.  They are so cute

A Bluebird?? A rarity to me.  So beautiful

Spring's birth. How amazing this process is. The first buds are showing off their tiny leaves. Close to unfurling 

The first turtle I have seen this year.  I was very excited to discover it. Now waiting for the hummingbirds to arrive

The grass on the trail is greening up

The Marsh Marigold has arrived.  I didn't know what this flower was. But a couple of people informed me. Thanks

The wild cucumber's are showing off. They are everywhere

The Chickadee checking in on her babies

The Common Merganser.  The top one is the female, the bottom the male.  However, I thought the female had ragged "hair" on her head.  Maybe this one is a young female.

 One of the many willows on the trail.  Several are growing right on the shore out of the rocks

 I did not know that this was poison ivy.  I just thought they were some kind of berry. Oh dear

 I love when the European Larch starts showing off its' leaves.

That blue sky. Kind of an eerie picture.

Thanks for taking the time to walk the trail with me.

Kits

Today was amazing and I didn't even take a walk. I'm not feeling well so decided against a walk today.  I have been watching a fox hole for months now with no luck.  My friend Judy told me that she did see the mother fox and her kit yesterday.  So on the way home I decided to park close to where they were and walked 1/4 mile. I was completely and utterly satisfied. More happening in that short distance than many days I walk 8

  

 First, I saw two loons.  Yes, they have been here but I haven't seen them. 

 And THEN, oh my they are so cute!!!!!!!!!!!  

Just look at that face.

March 2012

It was 74 degrees today.  And today is March 16th!!!  It is suppose to be 72 tomorrow.  My goodness

GEEZ  It is taking me forever to get a post out so I'm just going to publish it without trying to get it right. There is so much going on

This picture of the Chickadee was taken after the last wind/snow storm we had, that was also in March. What a psycho month

AND what a psycho post for I'm going to be jumping all over the calendar. 

Everybody has their own ideas of what the "signs of spring" are.  Before I started paying attention I figured that seeing a robin was it. Well, I haven't seen a robin yet but there are many other signs. The following are examples of what some other signs of spring might be.

I "heard" spring on Tuesday, March 6th.  Standing on the bridge I was lucky to hear the whistling sound of the Golden Eye flying towards me. How exciting.  I think they are the first duck back. 

It is Sunday, March 11th and I just saw a red winged blackbird!!!

OK, back to the trail and the wonderful color that is out there. The gold and red are brilliant next to the snow (this picture taken a couple of weeks ago)

This squirrel was pissed off at me for standing there. Ya see, I put seed out for the birds and he wanted to eat

There is no snow left on the trail as of today. Today bikers, roller bladders, runners, walkers were all able to navigate the trail without worry of having to turn back.

A lady bug on the snow in march??? sorry, had my sunglasses on so she isn't focused

the pussy willows are so beautiful right now.  they glimmer in the sunshine-- all silvery. You can't miss them

FLying over the bridge on the trail

Trumpeter swans in front of my house on the Mississippi River

 In the reflection you can see an eagle, teeny tiny reflection

 caterpillar in march (not sure if this is a wooly bear)

 I wait and wait for the fox to appear.

 SO much color

 chickadee collecting for her nest

Bittersweet

Today, Sunday March 18th, I DID see a Wooly Bear caterpillar

Last night we had company over for dinner. They both said they were bit by a mosquito, yup, I don't believe it either.

Pay attention “out there” you will notice all kinds of changes.  Go outside, get to know nature.Then you will KNOW that there is more to life than just yourself. There are miracles all around you.   Nature is doing her best to teach me patience.  How to live a simpler, quieter more introspective life.   Also, thank you Michael and Judy for helping me see that nature is very healing.  Michael for the years of long discussions about spirituality and finding it in nature, and Judy for showing me HOW to slow down and actually SEE what was surrounding me.