End of Year Sunbow

I was at the gas station when I noticed the sunbow ...
(The sun was off to the right of this shot)
That almost-rainbow that appears on a cold day,
When feathery clouds wisp across the sky ...
Tethered as I was to the gas pump,
I couldn't get a better shot,
But I kind of like this one!

To see reflections from around the world, visit James at "Newtown Area Photo", and join us for Weekend Reflections!

Snow on Pine Tree

Last night it snowed. Great fat wet flakes mixed with the rain. Then it stopped.

This morning dawned icy, what little snow had fallen was now frozen to everything it touched.

Including this small pine tree. But what I really noticed was the center of the branch I was looking at ... I see (icy?) a heart! Do you?

To see hearts from around the world, visit "Random Hearts", and share YOUR heart on Guest Heart Thursday!

A Sparkling Raindrop

Raindrops and sunshine make for beautiful sparkles - and amazing reflections.

Last Leaf ...

A bit of sunshine between showers
Highlighting the last fall leaf ...

Still hanging on
Waiting for drier weather
To find the earth.

I am one with this wintertime leaf!

Morning Has Broken ...

The early morning sun peeked through the trees, catching the frosty fog.

The plants seemed to glow as the sun woke them up.

Frosty drops of dew covered the grass ...

Brrrr, another chilly day has begun!

On The Second Day of Christmas ...

Title: Two Turtle Doves
Size: ACEO/ATC, 2-1/2" x 3-1/2"

Notes: Made with product packaging foil, and an old shirt I got at the Goodwill already decorated with lace and ribbon

Seagull Reflection, Weekend Reflections

A lone seagull on the sand, surrounded by sea, sand, and his own reflection.

To see reflections from around the world, visit James at Newtown Area Photo - and join us for Weekend Reflections!

Apple Seeds ... Guest Heart Thursday

What a wonderful place for Mother Nature to hide a heart!
In the middle of an apple I was cutting up!

To see hearts from around the world, visit Random Hearts - and share YOUR heart on Guest Heart Thursday!

Cedar Tree Reflections

The rain finally stopped ... giving us the first sunny day in a long time.

I was drawn to the cedar trees out by the road ... their raindrop-bejeweled branches glistening and reflecting the sun.

The early winter sun made the cedar seem to glow from within, it's intricate patterns revealed ...

Down to the very tips.

I even saw a beautiful rainbow, smiling at me.

Cedar trees are special - ancient people called them the Trees of Life.
I think maybe they saw what I saw this morning.
In the sunlight after the rain ...

To see reflections from around the world, please visit James at Newtown Area photo - and join us for Weekend Reflections.

More Beach Shots

Reflections on the beach at Pacific City, Oregon.

Monday's snow covered the sand ...
But the reflections were still as beautiful ...

It was so hard to leave ...

To see reflections from around the world, visit James at Newtown Area Photo, and join us for Weekend Reflections.

To participate in Weekend Nature, visit Gemma at Greyscale Territories!

Beach Heart Rock

The tide was coming in ... we had to keep running up the beach to avoid the cold bubbly water. It was at the edge of the tide line, just after a wave receded ... that I found this beautiful heart rock.

Complete with rainbow bubbles.

What a blessing to spend 3 days at the Oregon beach with my sissie ...

Happy Thanksgiving, to all who celebrate today!

To see hearts from around the world, visit Random Hearts - and join us for Guest Heart Thursday!

All Fluffed Up

Baby it's COLD outside!
This little guy is all fluffed up -
To stay warm.

New Autumn Leaf Heart - Guest Heart Thursday

I found this beautiful variegated heart shaped leaf peeking out from between the fallen oak leaves.

To see hearts from around the world, visit Random Hearts, and share YOUR heart on Guest Heart Thursday!

Forest Mushrooms - Puffballs

I can't seem to get enough of the fungus!
I found these beautiful puffballs in the woods yesterday.
Mushrooms were everywhere!

It wasn't until I cropped the photo that I noticed the tiny little transparent worm below.

And yes, I see the heart!

Autumn Mushrooms, SOOC

One thing about the 'rainy season' here in the Pacific Northwest ...

The forest is overtaken with mushrooms of all shapes and sizes!

These pictures are taken straight out of the camera, cropped and re-sized only.

To see more 'Straight Out Of the Camera' images, visit SOOC Sunday!

Now THAT's a Mushroom!

I very nearly stepped on it - with it's covering of fir needles and such. It was on a faint path going into the woods from the road. I didn't see it at first. When I did, I couldn't believe my eyes, so I cleaned off the forest debris and took some pictures.

I put my hand next to it to give an idea of how huge this beautiful fungus really is.


To see Nature from all around, please visit Gemma at Greyscale Territory, and join us for Weekend Nature.

Ladybug With Heart

I found this cute little ladybug in the parking lot.
She was resting with the Autumn sun reflecting off her back, on a broken and rusty planter (see Random Trash).

I asked her if I could take her portrait, I took her lack of answer as a "yes".

Then I saw the heart she wanted me to share!

To see Reflections from around the world, visit James at Newtown Area Photo, and join us for Weekend Reflections!

To see hearts from around the world, visit Random Hearts - and share YOUR heart on Guest Heart Thursday!

Fall Leaf After Rain

The oak trees are nearly shed of their leaves.
Most are brown, but some still cling to their summer green.
And fall, nonetheless.
To the ground, to be softened by the November rains ...
By Spring, they will be part of the earth
That renews life.

Dog Cloud With Rainbow!

The fog burned off early yesterday afternoon, leaving a streak of high clouds near the sun.
That's when I saw the rainbows.
I started taking pictures of this amazing beauty ...
When I realized I had captured this dog cloud!
Do you see him?
He's a happy little rainbow critter!

When we were kids we would find shapes in the clouds, but then I forgot to remember to look up. My sissie Beth changed that with her cloud portraits ... now I not only look up ... but I think of Beth every time I do!

You can find Beth's cloud paintings on her blog Beth's Artworx.
You can also find amazing cloud shapes on her new blog, Geometric.

Ghoulish Spider Feast - Happy Halloween!

A spider enjoys her Halloween feast ... a yellowjacket that is nearly as big as she is!

Happy Halloween!

This is my submission this week to Gemma's Weekend Nature meme.
Please come join us to feast on natural beauty from around the world!

Nature's Jewels - Diamond Reflections

I call them "Nature's Jewels" - these sparkly diamonds that appear only after the sun breaks through after a heavy rain ...

To see reflections from around the world, visit James at Newtown Area Photo, and join us for Weekend Reflections!

Face in Moss Heart

I found this moss heart after a light windstorm in September.

I didn't notice the happy face in the heart until later!

To see hearts from around the world, visit Random Hearts, and share YOUR heart on Guest Heart Thursday!

Now THIS is RED!

Ah the colors of Autumn!
Aren't they gorgeous?

Living Dangerously - Weekend Reflections

While waiting for my uncle to get out of the doctor's office, I took a short walk. I happened upon a flock of geese near the main road and watched as they wandered closer and closer to the traffic that zoomed by ... apparently unconcerned.

To my relief, the geese seemed to understand the dangers, and stuck to the grass.
Whew!

The ducks, on the other hand, played it safe ... coming close only to the reflections of the cars in the background.

To see reflections from around the world, visit James at Newtown Area Photo - and join us for Weekend Reflections.

A Short Autumn Walk ...

For the first time in several weeks I felt well enough to go for a walk, tired of being tied to the house with the flu.

Even in this short time, things have changed.

Autumn has arrived.

Thistle down glows in the sun ... it's burden of seed now at the mercy of wind and rain ...

I was joined for a short time by a deer ...
But she was too fast for me, and headed in the opposite direction.

It felt good to be back outside.
To discover Fall.
To breathe the cold air,
And enjoy the patches of sun.

Joy.

Yellow Caterpillar ...

I found this beautiful yellow caterpillar near the road ...
A true reminder that Autumn is here ...

As I continued, I found another.
Then several more.
They were all yellow.

I've never seen a yellow caterpillar like this before.
I wonder what kind of moth or butterfly it will become ...
I can only imagine it will be as beautiful ...
In it's next life.

Dried Up Mushroom Heart

I was walking on the Metro property ... across the field where the woods once stood ... (back before the so-called green space "preservation" group shredded everything in its path to make room for them to plant 'native plants') ... but I digress!

Across the mounds of shredded trees and shrubs, are growing strange and unusual mushrooms such as I have never seen around here before ... maybe I just didn't notice them before?

Anyway ... one of the unusual fungi had forged through the chipped plants during the last rainstorm, then dried away again after the rains stopped.

When it dried, it turned into this interesting heart!

To see hearts from around the world, visit Random Hearts, and join us for Guest Heart Thursday!

What a Hoot!

I was wandering around in the abandoned mega-church, when I heard a noise high above me in the ruined ceiling rafters ...

Something was flying around in the space between the ceilings.

Finally he stopped. And looked at me.
A beautiful juvenile barn owl.
One of two in the nest in the ceiling ...

Last year the owls chose a vent to raise their young, with disastrous results. They lost their entire brood.

I was so glad to see these cuties alive and well ... and thriving!

I've just discovered Gemma over at Greyscale Territories has a meme called "Weekend Nature". This will be my first submission to this theme!

Bird Flying With Berry - Guest Heart Thursday

I was trying to get a picture of the birds (I think they were robins) snatching berries from a tree across the street.

As I took a shot, the bird I was trying to capture flew away. I thought I missed.
I was shocked to see the amazing picture of this beautiful bird in flight, carrying dinner off into the woods to eat at leisure.

And it wasn't until after I looked at the picture closer that I noticed the hearts in the tail of this beautiful bird.

To see hearts from around the world, visit Random Hearts - and join us for Guest Heart Thursday.

Autumn's Delicate Shadows - Shadow Shot Sunday

Autumn is sneaking up on me.
I looked up yesterday and the trees were different ...
A few yellow leaves now peaking through the green,
Slowly falling to the ground.
Catching the delicate shadows of the tiny dried grasses ...
Pretty soon Autumn will be here full blown ...
For now, I will have to look for the signs.

And enjoy the last bit of summer.

To see amazing shadows from around the world, visit Hey Harriet - and join us for Shadow Shot Sunday!