Friday, July 29, 2011

Cut-leaved Geranium


Cut-leaved Geranium (Geranium dissectum) after rain ...

To see reflections from around the world, join us for James' "Weekend Reflections"!

To see beautiful flowers from around the world, join us for Tina's "Weekend Flowers on Friday"!


Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Have You Ever Wondered What Deer Are Saying?


Mmmmmm munch, munch, yummmy ...


"Someone's watching us!"


"Really?"


"I have an idea. Let's pretend to leave ..."



"And watch her from the woods! She won't even know we're still here!"

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Surprise Reflections


Can you guess where I am seeing these reflections?


A view from a little further out ... I'm sure you can guess it's some kind of critter.


Sleeping on the tree ... Oh! It's nocturnal!


Did you guess it was a moth?
Antheraea polyphemus to be exact (don't be too impressed, it took me half an hour to find it online)!
What you can't tell from this shot is how huge this thing is ... the wingspan is about 6 inches (from the tip of my pinkie to the crease of my wrist)!!!

It's the biggest moth I've ever seen! It visited me on Thursday morning, spent the day on the tree, and was gone by Friday morning.

To see reflections from around the world, join us over at James' "Weekend Reflections"!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Flowers ... After the Rain ...


Common vetch flower, Vicia sativa


Blueberry blossom, vaccinium

To see reflections from around the world, visit James' "Weekend Reflections"!

To see wonderful flowers from around the world, visit Tina's "Weekend Flowers on Friday"!



Thursday, July 21, 2011

Weed Stem Heart


I love how the stem of this weed has wound around itself ... and has turned itself into a heart!

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

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

When It Pays to Do Your Homework!

This morning I caught this baby deer playing and cavorting in the destroyed area of the woods across the street ...


While mom lurked nearby, keeping a close eye on her offspring ...

Because I was so upset at the clear cutting of the underbrush in the "green space" that I posted about yesterday, I became convinced that something should be done. And I was the one who needed to do it.

I looked up a city zone map ... and zoning regulations.
Then I e-mailed the City.

"The owners of {*&^%@ SW (*&^%} Road are clearing native underbrush from an area listed on maps as "important" green space and "wetlands". They are using heavy equipment and chainsaws to cut trees, and rip out existing native habitat. Is this acceptable under zoning section 4.118.(.09)*? This area has been forested since at least 1890's without disturbance and houses many native and natural species, both flora and fauna."

I got a response that my request had been forwarded to the "appropriate department" and I would hear back from them within 3 weeks.

2 hours later, there were City workers examining the site!

This is the response I got from the City early this afternoon ...

"Resolution Summary: Thank you for your concern. We have visited the site and have contacted the property owner via phone and will continue to work with them and monitor to ensure this native habitat area is properly maintained. Any additional questions let me know."

YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One person really CAN make a difference!!!

*Zoning section 4.118.(09): To the extent practicable, development and
construction activities of any lot shall consider the use of habitat-friendly
development practices, which include:
A. Minimizing grading, removal of native vegetation, disturbance and removal of
native soils, and impervious area ...


Monday, July 18, 2011

The Brown Side of "Green"


They came at mid-day ... the tree eating monsters.


Ripping and shredding the underbrush of the woods.
Devouring all that lay in their path.


Leaving behind a mangled tangled mesh of once-living shrubs and plants.


The trees, once home to flying birds and burrowing critters, now just so many pieces of debris.


Or firewood.

RIP dear woods.
Goodbye dear plants.
Foxgloves, thimbleberries, false hellebore, trilliums, ash trees, sword ferns, licorice ferns, lichens and mosses, vetch, Indian plum and more.

Sigh.
All to make the "greenspace" more like what we think it should be. Neat, tidy, perfect.
Just like nature, right???

Friday, July 15, 2011

Forget-Me-Not


Small-Flowered Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis laxa)
(click on picture to enlarge!)

These tiny flowers have their own beauty ...
You just have to look really close!

To see reflections from around the world, join us at James' "Weekend Reflections"!

To see beautiful flowers from around the world, join us at Tina's "Weekend Flowers on Friday"!



Wednesday, July 13, 2011

The Spider With the Evil Grin


(click picture to enlarge)

Was this spider mad because I stuck my camera in his face?
Apparently not!
It would seem he was plotting retribution that I dare not imagine!!!
See the evil grin?

I did what any brave nature lover would do.
I ran.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Oh Deer ... It's Haunted!


I took a long walk today ...
I saw this beautiful green dragonfly, and followed it for a while.

I wound through the woods and ended up behind the abandoned church.
I knew I could cut through the property - a shortcut home!

I snuck through the hole in the fence, onto the church property ...
Where I saw this beautiful dragonfly, perched on a stick.

I was startled by a sound. I looked up and 2 young men were running from the building, as fast as they could - they jumped the fence and were gone.
As they ran, one of them yelled to the other "See? I told you it was haunted!"

I couldn't resist. I went inside the building, and listened.
Silence. Then ... clink ... more silence ... clank ...
I crept forward toward the sounds ...
tick, tick, tick, tick!

I carefully leaned around the wall ... and suddenly!!!!


Oh deer! I guess the building really IS haunted!!!

Snicker.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Osprey Nest Surprise


Why did the osprey build her nest on the cell phone tower?


She just wanted a little place to 'call home'!!!

I'm sorry ... I just couldn't resist.


Thursday, July 7, 2011

Onion Blooms As Heart!


At first I thought the onion flower had a funny looking hat ...
Then I noticed it was an upside-down heart!!!

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

Monday, July 4, 2011

Enjoy These Free Fireworks!






The most beautiful fireworks show around - from Nature to Me to YOU!

Happy Independence Day to the US!
Stay happy. Stay safe.
Enjoy the fireworks in YOUR life!


Sunday, July 3, 2011

Yellow Flower Identified!


This delicately beautiful flower caught my eye as I walked down our country road.
There were 5 or 6 stalks (about 4 feet tall!), with pale yellow flowers and feathery purple centers ...


I took some pictures to aide in identification and headed home to check my favorite-plant-identification-book-of-all-time "Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast" by Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon.

Nothing was even close!!!

So I went online. Google has a new feature where you can drag your photo into the search bar and it will attempt to match it.
All I got was a page of yellow and purple cartoon characters, and one oriental picture.


Then I tried a wildflower identification guide - I input the characteristics of the plant and ...

This beautiful flower is a Moth Mullein, "Verbascum blattaria"!
I went back to my Plants book and tried again ... had I missed it the first time? No luck. It wasn't there!!!
So I wrote it in.

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Pink Rose Shadows ...


The sun turns a pink rose into a mysterious shadowy realm ...


Where a subtle heart hides below!

To see shadows from around the world, join us over at "Hey Harriet's" Shadow Shot Sunday!

To see hearts from around the world, visit "Random Heart's" Guest Heart Thursday!

"Random Challenges" has issued a challenge for "June Flowers"!

AND ...

There is still time to post YOUR flower over at Tina's "Weekend Flowers (On Friday!)"!

I hope you take the time to visit each of these wonderful memes and challenges!

Friday, July 1, 2011

June Rains Remembered ...


Birdsfoot Trefoil (Lotus crassifolius)

Sissie and I took a long walk shortly after the rains stopped last week ...
The beauty of "Nature's Jewels" surrounded us, turning even common weeds into gem-encrusted works of art!

(click on pictures to enlarge!)


Beads of water on the Indian Plum (Oemleria cerasiformis) turned the world into a magical place!


Raindrops on the grass seeds reflected the surrounding fields and forests ...


And revealed globes of mystery.

To see reflections from around the world, join us over at James' "Weekend Reflections!"

I am also submitting this post to "Weekend Flowers (On Friday)!" - over at "Goodies for a Pleasant Life"!