Nature In Action

So, I'm sitting on our deck admiring the beauty of this Great Blue Heron and I grabbed my camera to get some shots.  I'm snapping a few here and there as he prances from the yard up to the bank of the canal when I discover that I'm not quite the "National Geographic" photographer.  

 Because this is the shot I ended up getting.  Why?  Well, while I was taking a photo shoot of a heron, a gator decided to lunge from the water and make a try at having it for a meal!  I was not expecting that to happen, lol!

   When the gator struck the bird flew upwards and back from the edge, but someone wasn't giving up just yet.  See its eyeballs peeking over the bank?

Yeah, I think I'd be changing my location, too!

I get so much enjoyment just cruising through my yard and observing the wonders of nature.  But last week I stumbled upon a sight that just blew me away.....something I'd never seen before.   We have a Crape Myrtle that is coming back after my husband pulled the mature tree down due to vines smothering it.  When I walked past it that day, I noticed that it was LOADED  

with Lady Bugs (aka Lady Beetles).  I thought the plant must be infested to have so many, surely!  They were as beautiful as they were diverse.  

Missing Him

It was so hard, those first years after my dad passed away.  Gone too young to enjoy his retirement; too young for his grandchildren to grow up knowing him as little more than a distant memory.  But it did get easier with each year that went by. 

New Life Chapter - God's Plan in Action

Dragonflies darting about by day, the sun dancing on their wings making them appear like Woodsprites, zipping back and forth through the oak grove in our back yard. Birds singing and guessing their names as I listen to their song. Sunsets each day, a beautiful gift from God. Frogs croaking and crickets chirping in the dark. Yes, my camera and I are going to like it here very much.

A Natural Kind of Day

The rain is falling softly, like in a tropical forest.  And all I hear are the songs of the birds rejoicing.  Today the Titmice are coming sometimes by pairs to the feeders with the males announcing their arrival each time.

The Blue Jays eat as if it’s their last meal, arriving in clusters of four or five, each waiting their turn….or not! Ha!

  

The Dove, usually arriving in pairs, tip-toe through the yard making their way to the small piles of seed lying at the base of one of the feeders, hoping to gather a meal before a cat or another bird spooks them away, while the males chase off other males who dare enter their territory.  

 Meanwhile, three or four fat squirrels forage through the yard creating little dimples, until they spot that snack of feed over where the doves are.   

And today we welcomed the arrival of a new guest…the Carolina Chickadee.

Fourth Generation

Thanksgiving.....a time for family to gather all in one place at once to enjoy one another, catch up one each others lives and give thanks for all that we have.  This year we held our gathering at a local park and held a photo shoot along with our dinner.  Portrait photography isn't my expertise and having 30 plus family members was quite challenging, but I think we all did a pretty darned good job and we got some great shots.  This made me want to do it all again, but in the Spring at a time when everyone isn't pulled in all directions.  Because in spite of having everyone in attendance on Thanksgiving, we still didn't have everyone present at the same time.

October Beach Wedding - 2nd Shooter