Saturday, June 26, 2010

More This and That.....

We get out in the woods
whenever we can
to enjoy nature
and of course for me to take some photography.

So today, this is
a collection of some of the things we have seen
over the last month.

One of my favorite spring wildflowers
are Marsh Marigolds (commonly known as "cowslips").
They grow where there is a lot of water:



We were visiting my brother, and there is a marsh right on Lake Superior
where I can sometimes spot ducks or birds...

On this day, I got so excited!
I saw a blue heron in flight and hoped he would land close:
He
flew around...

and

around.....

and
around....

And finally landed!
This shot is a little blurry, as I hurriedly took it because he was looking at me
and thinking of taking off again:



I think I heard him humming: "Hit the road, Jack....":


So, even though I got some blurry shots, I was glad to get any of him at all.
because right after this one, he indeed
took off!:



Nothing prettier than
apple blossoms in the spring!
I am so lucky to have a small apple orchard in our front yard:




Except maybe
the gorgeous Trilliums!!:

Unfortunately, many of the spring flowers
bloom only a very short time
and then
go away.

I was so happy we got out into the woods
to see some animals and wildflowers on the day we went.

***************************************************************************

Did you send me a

FLOWER PHOTO

yet?

You only have FOUR days left to enter my June FREE Photo Contest!
and get your picture into me ASAP!
at

18 comments:

  1. RNSANEJune 26, 2010 at 8:21 AM

    Somehow, four hours sleep does not seem enough as I recover from my five day hospital stay. I just cannot seem to sleep. I came home with Ambien but I keep forgetting to take it. Guess I will do that tonight, about 6PM!

    So here I am, at 5AM, loving the wonderful pictures on your blog. What a nice beginning to the day!


    At 65, I've done it! My poetry book - Life's Journey by Carmen Henesy - is out on Amazon!
    ( Poems about the things that have been important to me in my journey through life, some humorous, some sad, some that may have meaning to you as well )
    http://www.amazon.com/Lifes-Journey-1-Carmen-Henesy/dp/1451547366/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1274652997&sr=1-1

    ReplyDelete
  2. Linda ReederJune 26, 2010 at 10:11 AM

    Yep, I entered. And yes, don't we all just love those beautiful, gawking but graceful great blue herons, who squawk so coarsely while lifting off so effortlessly.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sharon WagnerJune 26, 2010 at 11:35 AM

    Yes, the minute you stop walking the heron usually flys away. I'll have to participate in your flower challenge sometime. And I started following. I hope you'll check out my blog as well.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Betsy Banks AdamsJune 26, 2010 at 11:55 AM

    Hi Joan, I love your 'This and That' post today... The wildflowers are gorgeous and so is that heron.

    Hope you have a wonderful weekend in Upper Michigan.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

    ReplyDelete
  5. Linda MyersJune 26, 2010 at 12:15 PM

    Whenever I see a blue heron, I feel like it's a miracle. They are such beautiful birds, it seems like they should be exceedingly rare.

    Thanks for the great shots.

    ReplyDelete
  6. CiCiJune 26, 2010 at 12:16 PM

    I am getting up a little more nerve, I just copied the rules for entering your monthly photo contests. We shall see if I get a photo done this month or wait till next month. But either way I like your pictures so much. The heron is so fun. The flowers you photograph are such clear and nice colors.

    ReplyDelete
  7. MikeJune 26, 2010 at 2:17 PM

    What a beautiful part of the world that you are lucky to live in!

    ReplyDelete
  8. fayeJune 26, 2010 at 2:48 PM

    Did I see a gator in the background
    of one of the Heron shots ??

    Those apple blossoms are very pretty.
    I am not very plant and flower savvy.
    ( the only one in my family that
    didn't inherit the green thumb ).
    But I do enjoy looking at flower photos and trying to place the name with the ones I see while out and
    about... you are helping with that !!

    ReplyDelete
  9. rumaJune 26, 2010 at 4:17 PM

    The flower has beauty such as a white crystal...

    Thank you.
    ruma

    ReplyDelete
  10. Alan BurnettJune 27, 2010 at 4:58 AM

    What a splendid collection of photographs. I would send you a flower photograph but flowers die if I go anywhere near them, so in the interests of horticulture, I will resist the temptation.

    ReplyDelete
  11. BethJune 27, 2010 at 10:19 AM

    So many amazing pictures! You really have a great eye!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Two Greyhound TownJune 27, 2010 at 10:57 AM

    Beautiful photos as always!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Catherine@AGardenerinProgressJune 27, 2010 at 8:11 PM

    I love Blue Herons, as long as they aren't in my pond. They are so big when you see them in person. I love the Trilliums and apple blossoms.
    I will try to go through some pictures to find one to enter. It's been overcast so much here that so many don't look very clear. Thanks for the invite!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Pat TillettJune 27, 2010 at 11:47 PM

    great photos and narratives Joan.
    I love those blue herons. They look absolutely prehistoric...

    ReplyDelete
  15. Mike SimmonsJune 28, 2010 at 12:06 AM

    Blue Herons should be our state bird. Nice capture. I too like the Trilliums and apple blossoms. Well done!

    ReplyDelete
  16. BianaJune 28, 2010 at 2:26 AM

    Beautiful! Seeing your brid photos remind me that I must have some bird-photos somewhere. I will try and post them tonight. Great photos, as usual! have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  17. The Retired OneJune 28, 2010 at 10:49 AM

    RNSane: Congrats..a book! How exciting! Sure hope you can sleep soon..maybe it is also all the excitement?

    Linda: thanks so much for entering...it should be so much fun.

    Sharon: I hope you do enter, and soon...we just all do it for fun. I will stop by your blog soon.

    Betsy: Thanks, dear..and I hope your knee is feeling better too.

    Linda: It is rather rare to see a live one out in the wild..I love it everytime it happens!

    Technobabe: Oh, don't be intimidated..go ahead and enter every month..it is so fun to see what everyone submits and each and everyone is special to see how they interpret the theme of the month...I'll be waiting for yours!

    Otin: Thanks, we feel very lucky to live here. It really is truly beautiful. Maybe you can come up and visit sometime!

    Faye: No gators here...we are wayyyyy too far north for them to survive! ha

    Ruma: What a beautiful description and nice thing to say! Thanks!

    Alan: You can go to a park and shoot someone else's flowers, silly! I am waiting for you to submit some photos to these monthly contests..so get going. Ha

    Beth: Awwww, thanks, Sweetie!

    Two: Gosh, thanks...I love the humor in your posts too..it always makes me smile.

    Catherine: That is great...love for you to enter..you have such gorgeous flowers shots!

    Pat: They do, don't they? I always think of flying dinosaurs when I see them too.

    Mike: Thanks a lot!

    Biana: I love birds...tiny or big..I am just fascinated with them and their beauty.

    ReplyDelete
  18. SquirrelQueenJune 29, 2010 at 1:02 AM

    The apple blossoms and Trilliums are beautiful. We do have to enjoy them quickly before they are gone.

    The blue heron seems to be teasing you, maybe I will pose and maybe I won't.

    I will be submitting a photo if I can make up my mind on which one. You know I'm always coming in just under the wire. LOL!

    ReplyDelete

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