DRAGONFLIES AND A TURTLE AND A BEE

The first time I noticed the dragonflies out there was over the weekend.

And the turtles were enjoying the sun.

There were also a lot of bees ....

flitting from flower....



to flower.




I am joining Nature Notes, with my thanks to Michelle for hosting this wonderful meme.   You can click on the link below to visit Michelle's blog and to visit the other participants.

Nature Notes

NATURE NOTES AND A SECRET GARDEN

I found my own secret garden at Oatlands.  It was a charming little area, a pond full of waterlily pads, and several frogs, one of which I shared here.  

I could have stayed for a couple of hours or more, with its peace and tranquility.  It would be a great place to bring a book, or just to meditate.

I had it all to myself until Gregg caught up with me and we enjoyed it together.  

As often happens and because of our mutual hobby of taking photos, we occasionally get separated as we focus on different things.  I told him I was heading here. I saw it at the end of a long pathway with a wall of hedgerows and trees on each side.  In this photo I am looking back at where I came from.

He hadn't heard me and we lost each other. Maybe I hadn't told him and just thought I had.  That happens and yes I am smiling.   At times I get so intensely focused on where I want to go. He wandered in another direction, and later texted to ask where I was.   I eventually saw him at the end of that long path as he retraced his steps and followed my directions.

I had already been in the secret garden for 20 minutes and was waiting for him to catch up, totally mesmerized by how many frogs there were in the pond. 

After a while it became a game to see how many I could find, and I was once again in touch with my inner child.

I found several as they weren't exactly quiet.

Cell phones and texting are useful at the right time.  The garden is large enough that it would have been a long time before we caught up with each other.  In days of old when our son was young, we always chose a place to meet up if we were ever separated.  Maybe Gregg and I should start this practice again.

It was hard to leave but eventually we moved on,

passed this handsome statue....

 and with one last look at the secret garden, I knew we would be returning.  We have added it on our list of places to go back to.

I am sharing these with Michelle at Rambling Woods.  You can click on this link to visit Nature Notes and also see other participants of this great meme.

NATURE NOTES

Walney Visitor Center 
Ellanor C. Lawrence Park

This is another place we enjoy going to, though it is the first time we have visited this year.   It has been raining a lot lately and was muddier in parts, but here are a few photos we took from our walk.

Don't you just love the aroma of honeysuckle blossoms?  I always seem to notice it more on a warm night when sitting outside.  I am looking forward to those warm nights, it's been a bit chilly of late.

There were a lot of mushrooms around, because of all the rain I guess.

These were growing on a pile of mulch....

and there were much smaller ones between the blades of grass.

The stump of an old tree trunk attracted my attention.....

The opened seed pod looked like a piggy nose.

Say what?

This friendly little stone piggy is actually residing at Meadowlark Gardens near the Fairy Garden, but I borrowed him just to go with the photo above it.

The bird box was high up in a tree, waiting for new arrivals.

There were buttercups everywhere....

and a few other wildflowers.

I have more from Walney, to be posted at a later date.  In the meantime I am sharing these with Michelle whose blog has all kinds of wonderful photos and information.  You can click on this link to visit Nature Notes when it becomes available, and also see other participants.

GREAT BLUE HERON

I haven't taken any bird photos this week, so I am sharing these from my archives of a Great Blue Heron fishing.

I am joining with the following, with my thanks all our hosts.  You can click on their names to visit other participants.

Eileen at Saturday's Critters

Misty at Camera Critters
Anni at Bird D'Pot

Stewart at Wild Bird Wednesday

TREES

J. R. Tolkein

The Fellowship of the Ring

All that is gold does not glitter, 

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes fire shall be woken,

A light from the shadows shall spring;

Renewed shall be blade that was broken,

The crownless again shall be king.

1) The clearest way into the universe is through a forest wildnerness.
~John Muir~



2) The creation of a thousand forests in one acorn.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson~



3) Shade for man and shelter for animals, planted in your name, may you be the same for those around you, every year the same.
~Nancy J. Cavanaugh~




4) A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.
~Greek Proverb~


5) I am ending with a poem from one of my favorite poets, Mary Oliver, called When I Am Among the Trees

When I am among the trees,
Especially the willows and the honey locust, 
Equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
They give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,
In which I have goodness, and discernment,
And never hurry through the world
But walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves 
And call out, "Stay awhile."
The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, "It's simple," they say,
"And you too have come 
Into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
With light, and to shine."

~~~~~~


I am sharing with the following memes as they become available, with my thanks to all our hosts.  If you click on their names you can visit other participants.

The Team at SkyWatch Friday
Tanya at Willy-Nilly Friday Five
Cath at Fun Friday Favourites

BIRD D'POT, NATURE NOTES, WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY

Another one from the archives.  I remember this crow, raven perhaps?  He was watching us very intently as we stopped at one of the many sites during our trip of the Southwest.

Linking with the following, with thanks to Anni, Michelle and Stewart for hosting these fun memes.

Anni at Bird D'Pot

Michelle at Nature Notes

Stewart at Wild Bird Wednesday