amaryllis bloom |
been a busy week.
haven't had time to venture into cyberspace...
which is kind of a good thing.
you can get lost out there...lose track of time,
and come out feeling like you've been drugged.
this morning we're heading to O'Leno State Pk to do an overnighter,
so i wanted to hurry up and get this post done (which i've been planning all week).
i'm hoping to get some cool pic's at o'leno,
of deer, maybe rabbits, hawks...butterflies, turtles.
last weekend we took the canoe out back again. where we used to hike.
the water has gone down maybe 6 inches or so...but it's been canoe-worthy for the past 9 months.
weird.
weird.
trees, vines, bushes...under water.
last sunday we were able to canoe much farther than we were ever able to hike!
a lot of the brambly vines have died and with some maneuvering
and pulling down of those thorny vines...we were able to get to an open area.
a pond.
we had heard the was a pond back there...somewhere. we found it!
a White Ibis (either in winter plumage or a youngster) |
another White Ibis |
i love dead wood. like bones. |
supposedly this 'pond' which is now part of all the surrounding water which leads into our back yard,
is on the property of a horse farm...although we didn't see any horses.
not this time. no 'gators either. or turtles.
(unlike last time, emo slept through this venture. maybe next time he'll come for a ride.)
* * *
back on solid ground.
a few butterflies spotted this week...
a Spicebush Swallowtail |
a Phaon Crescent |
Phaon Crescent |
a Red Admiral |
and for the finale...
emo & otis
up a tree
as usual.
"In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods; they have not forgotten this."
~Terry Pratchett
(RIP Terry Pratchett)
life's a journey. enjoy the ride.
laura
Hope you're having a fabulous weekend out with nature!!
ReplyDeletewe did!! thanks!! a few pic's to follow in next post!! :)
DeleteLooks like a fun time, going out in the canoe..The pond and water lilies are pretty. Love the butterflies.. And your cute kitties.. have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteThanks eileen! yes, it sure is fun to go canoeing out back...and maybe if the water ever recedes enough to hike again...maybe there will be treasures that wash to the surface!! :)
DeleteThat looks beautiful! I need to make time to get to my local nature center soon.
ReplyDeletethanks rommy!! yes!! nature!! the best medicine...for anything, or nothing! just go!! :)
DeleteHeerlijke foto,s en de laatste mag er ook zijn.
ReplyDeleteThanks bas!! for your kind words!! :)
Deletelove your two tree climbers. :) and great old snag in the water - looks like a deer antler. :) canoeing into the woods like that is very cool.
ReplyDeleteTHANKS theresa!! yes, it's really very weird canoeing through all the trees like that!! very cool...but very strange!
DeleteBeautiful images, the Ibis, butterflies, canoeing etc etc.
ReplyDeleteThanks bob for your kind words!! :)
DeleteI remember how keen Emo was to come with you last time Laura :) I think the last quote is so true, cats definitely know their worth :) Tres belle images.
ReplyDeleteThanks!! maybe next time...emo will come along again. i'm sort of glad he didn't this time because when we reached the pond, there was lots of grass growing on top of the water, and emo might have jumped out & been in for a real shock!!
DeleteI just adore taking canoe trips with you all like this. When you're absent from the daily blog roll I know that soon you'll be back with delicious captures that only you can deliver to me, anyway! Don't ask about my winter hanging on.
ReplyDeleteThanks karen! so glad you had fun on the canoe trip! :)
Deletedon't worry...your spring will be pushing in soon. weird weather here, it has gotten into the low 80's and then over the weekend, down to the 40's!! good sleeping weather!
Excellent birds! And butterflies... I love the fauna and flora of FL, it's a whole other world to me. It snowed on the east coast this morning : / (hopefully it stops before the first official day of summer!) I enjoyed the virtual canoe trip here!
ReplyDeletethanks lauralee!! yep, lots of critters down here in FL...it's the tiny biting & sucking ones i don't really care for all that much!! :)
DeleteMany thanks for your very nice second visit. Very cool finding the water lillies like that, and the Íbis, Wow you got so close, wonderful captures.Lovely butterfly shots too! I hope your visit to the State Park was fruitful!:) See you after Easter!:)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by here too!! yes!! the water lilies!! i love them...so pretty. as are the butterflies!! :)
DeleteWell, with the clothing was not only beautiful lilies alligators and ibis sitting on a tree. Butterflies are wonderful. Yours sincerely.
ReplyDeleteThanks giga! yes, it was an exciting day to find the pond!! and the butterflies!! a sure sign of spring!! :)
DeleteOoh love your canoe worthy backyard, that is so cool! Butterflies are beautiful . I'm pretty sure that's an immature ibis. Have fun at that State Park. I remember your posts about it from a while ago. I remember the name but the dumb spell check on my IPAD will NOT let me type it.
ReplyDeleteThanks sallie! i guess you are the second person to say you think it's an immature Ibis!! so that's what i'll assume it is!! :)
DeleteOH, and we did have fun at that state park...O'Leno...pic's next time!
Hi Laura,
ReplyDeletethe Ibis in the tree is perfect for those birds, there are unfortunately not in the wild, and the water lilies are super nice on holiday in Sweden in 2014 there was a pond where only color Pink water lilies grew end ....
regards Frank
Thanks frank!! PINK water lilies!! would love to see them!! in fact, i'd LOVE to see sweden...but since that will never happen...it's nice to see some of the land i'll never get to...through your blog! :)
DeleteNice to see you have a pond! Let's hope it doesn't get much more watery than that...
ReplyDeleteLovely butterflies, I can't wait to see them again around here.
~
yeah, the butterflies are a sure sign that spring is in the air!! yay!!
DeleteGosh that ibis is beautiful - and so many gorgeous pics of watery tree trunks and butterflies. I hope you had a fantastic camp, and I'm looking forward to seeing some shots from it!
ReplyDeleteSadly we are catless at the moment, but I'm not going to get another one until I come back from Europe this summer. It's nice to see your tree climbers :)
THANKS alexia!! it's pretty strange canoeing through all the trees like that!!
DeleteEurope? nice!! where to? can't wait to see YOUR pic's as well!! :)
You took some beautiful shots of those butterflies.
ReplyDeletethanks michelle! now that the temps are starting to warm a bit (well, sort of...yesterday was in the 40's!!)...i love seeing the butterflies!
Deletesuch wonderful photos
ReplyDeletei feel as though i went on an adventure
those bugs sure like the water lilies, me too ;-)
and the butterflies, oh my, they are so pretty.
Wishing you a wonderful time away!
Thanks tammie! yes!! you noticed all the bugs on the lily!! i didn't see them until i transferred the pic's to the comp!!
DeleteMy backyard? No water. How does your canoe handle snow?
ReplyDeletei guess the canoe would handle snow just fine, as long as you used it like a sled!! :)
DeleteWell, maybe this is good news in the long run that when the water finally recedes that you will be able to hike to the pond...until the brambles grow back. ;) That is a beautiful pond with lovely wildlife. And furbabies up a tree! Who can resist. Have a wonderful time on your overnight and a great week. :):)
ReplyDeletehopefully we will be able to hike to the pond...IF the water ever recedes enough. i hope so. but i think even after it recedes, it'll be SO mushy...like quicksand...for a long time!! :\
DeleteI love the glimpses you allow us to have. The pond exploration, the birds, butterflies and the glory of lovely cats and our dear Terry Pratchett.
ReplyDeleteIt's so nice to read you again! ♥
THANKS magaly! it's nice to be back...and read you too! :)
DeleteHow utterly lovely, all of it! You live in a little pocket of paradise! Your cats are the luckiest! They probably have dreams of that large billed bird.
ReplyDeletethanks linda sue! yes! you're right about the cats dreaming...sometimes, emo in particular, looks like he's swimming in his dreams!! :)
DeleteA few years ago while my daughter was still in high school we saw Terry Pratchety at a private book signing at a library in Minneapolis! I took a picture (several) of them as he signed her books!
ReplyDeletecool karen! thanks for stopping by again! :)
DeleteSo with all that water, do you get mosquitoes? So beautiful, but I am constantly thinking....bugs.....:)
ReplyDeletehi chris! yes!! lots of mosquitoes...and ticks...and...well, everything! fortunately, the 'skeeters' haven't been too bad...not yet...the weather's not HOT yet!!
DeleteSo much beauty you discovered on your wonder wander!
ReplyDeletethanks laura! yep, so much wonder...always! :)
DeleteHi Laura...Just gorgeous photo's of what your seeing and experiencing. Sure was a nice feast for these snow blind eyes ; ).
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
Grace
thanks grace! hoping that your snow blindness comes to an end soon...and everything starts turning green... :)
Delete