SEVEN Swans a Swimming......(well, Ok...TWO then!)

We have snow now here in the U.P. (Upper Peninsula) of Michigan.

But, I still had autumn photos to show you!!

In fact, I haven't even gotten out to take any winter photos for you yet!

(I'm slacking!)

But hopefully, the photos today will please you

and

get you in the Christmas Spirit..

Now all together now...

let's sing the Twelve Days of Christmas together, okay?

Go ahead.

Start.

I'll catch up to you when you get to...............

SEVEN Swans a Swimming!!!

Ok.

I lied.

I only have TWO swans a swimming for you today...

but

they are such beautiful creatures when you find them in the wild...

We drove out to a pond I jokingly refer to as our "secret pond" with my husband.

He had just said..."we probably won't see anything today, because most of the ducks have already migrated out of here. It is too late in the season".

We rounded the corner and something white caught BOTH of our eyes.

He stopped the truck so I could walk in closer,

just in case there was something on the pond.

Imagine my thrill, when I saw

not just ONE

but TWO

gorgeous swans swimming and eating by a beaver hut!

My heart nearly stopped while shooting these. I was so afraid they'd see me and fly away:

Do you know what kind of swans they are?

Trumpeters?

Mute?

Tundra?

You can read about them HERE.

I was very happy that they were close enough to get with my 300mm lens!

They are so elegant and graceful!:

I want one for my bathtub.

Oh, wait. I don't HAVE a bathtub.

Wonder if he'd like it in the shower?:

They are even dramatic in black and white:

I could've watched them ALL DAY!:

They did look my way and noticed me.

I sucked in my breath.

They ignored that.  (They must have thought it was the wind).

(thank goodness).

Besides.  I think they were more hungry than worried about me:

One of them stepped on top of a log so we could see his entire self.

As suspected, his entire self

was gorgeous.

Such a showoff.

But, who could blame him?:

I bet they were named King and Queen

at the Homecoming Dance:

They mate for life.

Did you know that?

You can bet that I will be back there

next spring

to see

if I can catch

their beautiful babies.....

Oops.

I might've scared them away

with all

that baby talk...

Didn't mean to pressure them.

Ok.

Who am I kidding?

Yes, I did:

Let's leave them alone for a while...

They need some privacy.

After all, how ELSE am I gonna get

to

SEVEN swans a swimming????