Showing posts with label canoeing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label canoeing. Show all posts

Saturday, March 28, 2015

out back...still under water

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.


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



Monday, February 23, 2015

aye, aye captain...uh...emo

before i get to the captain emo thing...
here's a Red-bellied woodpecker in side yard.


* * *

where i used to wander out back,
in the woods,
finding treasure...
like bones, owl pellets, 100 yr old turpentine clay pots...
we now have 3-4 feet deep water!
wow!!
it's been like that ever since we moved back home in november.


anyway...we decided to take the canoe out there.


we loaded up...pushed off...and then heard emo back on shore YELLING!!
we turned around to see what was up.


emo wanted to go for a ride.
he jumped in the canoe!!


rather than being a back-seat driver, he opted to ride up front...


...the captain of the canoe...giving orders...
"LOOK OUT FOR THAT DOWNED TREE!"
"WATCH OUT FOR THAT MESS OF BRAMBLES!"

and...
"HEY!!  A TURTLE! WHOAAAA!! GET THE CAMERA MOM!!"


this turtle has to be the biggest turtle i've seen in a looong time! 
bigger than the ones on the rivers, or in the lakes.

anyway, it's tough canoeing back there. lots of downed trees & thickets of dead bushes & vines.
pretty cool. and weird. 
really, i prefer the hiking. i wonder if the water table will be getting back to normal any time soon?!

a couple of days later...BOTH emo & otis are patiently waiting to go canoeing!


luckily, we haven't spotted any alligators out there!

* * *
speaking of 'gators...makes me think of dinosaurs.
i saw this lizard (anole) on the side of the house, just peeking from under the eave.



stay cool. be safe.
laura

"the world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful."  ~e.e. cummings