Reflection's Flora and Fauna

Time for Annuals at the Gulf Shore of Alabama

2012-03-05T18:26:00.001-05:00

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The azaelas are pretty much in full bloom here on the Gulf Shore. Man and I had to stop at Home Depot and Lowe's today, the garden centers are open and flurishing.

Photos taken with my smart phone.

Immature Great Egret

2012-03-04T06:33:00.011-05:00

*Taken in Gulf State Park on February 25, 2012. Can be easily confused with the Great Blue Heron White Form, except for these black legs. See, again, Wikipedia.
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False Rosemary (Conradina)

2012-03-03T06:20:00.002-05:00

* The flower itself is small, about 3/8 inch to 5/8 inch. Thank you macro and Sony! LOL You can read more about it on this Wikipedia page , it is interesting to note there are 7 species. According to the Wikipedia page this species could be Conradina canescens - False Rosemary. "This species is found along the gulf coast of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, as well as in the sand hills of central Florida. It is the most common and widespread species in the genus." It has also been suggested that it may be Conradina grandiflora - Largeflower False Rosemary. "This species grows in counties along the Atlantic coast of Florida. It is listed as a threatened species in the state of Florida."

** Thanks to friend Donna and the staff at Gulf State Park for their assistance in the identification process. We all tend to lean towards the Canescens species.
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Toadstool or Mushroom?

2012-03-02T09:40:00.000-05:00

False Garlic (Nothoscordum bivalve)

2012-02-27T22:52:00.000-05:00

* Identification thanks to friend Donna.

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Winter Flowers, Errr, Empty Seed Pods

2012-02-21T14:29:00.000-05:00

* This one is for you Barb, thanks for asking!
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Great Blue Heron, Fishing at Gulf State Park

2012-02-15T19:46:00.001-05:00

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There have been several appearances of herons here at Flora and Fauna, most have been great blues. Man captured this one while we were walking in one of the burned (July 2011) areas of Gulf State Park.

One ?benefit? of the burning is we can see the lay of the land and the birds and water fowl so easily. Man walked out as far as he could on dry solid land to get this photo, as far as he could without spooking the heron. Just a few mores steps after this photo and it flew off.

Love trying to capture them with the Sony and love the way they slowly walk and stalk their dinner in the shallow waters.

Mother Nature's Valentine

2012-02-14T06:18:00.014-05:00

Happy Valentines Day from Man, Carol and Mother Nature.

A Lightening Strike?

2012-02-11T15:07:00.000-05:00

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This burnt tree is in an area where there are no other trees or brush that appear to have been burned. This tree is just standing there all by it's lonesome. So, we figure, it was the victim of a lightening strike.

Mother Nature and her brats, powerful stuff - -

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Sunflower at the Beach

2012-02-05T06:27:00.005-05:00

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Believe this is beach sunflower, Helianthus debilis.

Sea Worms Leave Their Mark

2012-02-04T06:07:00.006-05:00

That deep groove in this sea shell is caused by a worm of some kind. I am going to leave you to do your own research on this, ewwwwww, worms, more ewwwwwwwwww. But the groove is kinda neat.

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Sea Oats Spreading It's Seed

2012-02-03T07:00:00.016-05:00

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Sea oats. The seed head breaks off during the winter, either by wind, human or animal intervention, and the seeds which are down deep inside are give the opportunity to spread. Rodents will take the seed pods deep into the earth. Sea birds will break them open, spilling the small seeds about for the wind to blow around, the sand eventually covering them. They will then sprout and help to keep the sand dunes from moving around.

Footprints in the Sand

2012-02-02T07:55:00.000-05:00

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Believed to be the footprints of a bobcat, taken from the boardwalk to the beach. There were footprints on both sides of the boardwalk, going in the same direction, it was headed towards Gulf Shores.

Feathers at the Seashore

2012-02-01T12:49:00.000-05:00

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Photos taken - - just cause - -

Shades of Pink

2012-01-26T06:47:00.001-05:00

First Yellow Flower of 2012

2012-01-24T22:43:00.000-05:00

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It is not a great photo, but it is yellow and bright and cheery. I hope it makes you smile today.

Love of Reflections, Framed by Pines

2012-01-20T06:26:00.000-05:00

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You know how I love reflections.

Winter Dried Bloom

2012-01-19T06:01:00.001-05:00

These dried flowes are petite, measuring about 1/3rd to 1/2 inch wide. Identification not attempted.

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Castles in the Sand and the Sentry

2012-01-11T22:41:00.000-05:00

Walkin' in the Moss

2012-01-09T06:35:00.000-05:00

Spanish moss that is, hanging gracefully from the limbs. It does not show as well in photos, or I have not figured out the trick to making it show well. Man and I walked about 1.5 miles on this path the other afternoon. It was quiet and wonderful.

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Moon Rise, 4:30 in the Afternoon, Alabama Pine

2012-01-07T09:19:00.000-05:00

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What's not to like??

The moon was seen rising in late afternoon several days last week. I neglected to get photos, until one afternoon when Man and I were walking one of the trails. The moon was low in the sky and I loved how it looked rising over the Alabama pines with the cloudless blue skies.

Sittin' On The Roof

2012-01-03T06:21:00.001-05:00

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Herring gull, Gulf State Park Fishing Pier.

Palm Frond Fingers

2012-01-02T06:42:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year from Reflection's Flora and Fauna

2012-01-01T06:33:00.001-05:00

The old (2011) giving way to the new (2012). May 2012 grow beautifully for all your family and friends.

Man and Reflections

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Green-backed Heron and a Reflection

2011-12-29T13:48:00.001-05:00

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This guy was sitting in this small waterway one campsite away for several hours, undisturbed by all the traffic. It really did not move much when I walked down to take photos. Identification tentative, made from my copy of "Birds of North America", National Geographic Society.

Merry Christmas from Reflections and Santa Carol

2011-12-25T06:33:00.001-05:00

* Please visit Reflections From the Fence, where the true meaning of Christmas is depicted.

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Where is the Sled? Time to Get to Work.

2011-12-24T07:09:00.000-05:00

Reindeer Moss

2011-12-23T06:23:00.002-05:00

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Identified by a local resident as reindeer moss, if you google that name you will find it may also be called caribou moss, reindeer lichen, or, Cladonia rangiferina. There is a Wikipedia page here, which claims it is indeed food for reindeer. Photos taken here in Gulf State Park on December 15, 2011, we have not seen any reindeer in the wild. There are several very large banks of it growing on the side of a hiking trail.

Closer: it is as light as air.

And, let Sony zoom:

I Stand, Then I Fly

2011-12-21T15:03:00.001-05:00

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Man and I took advantage of a warm day to go sit on the beach. We usually walk, but not this time. Man proceeded to fall asleep. From my lawn chair I sat and watched people, tried to take photos of buildings and the beach in the mist. The longer I sat, the closer the gulls would get. I snapped a lot of photos, and decided to try and capture "take off". First, the one legged stand:

Then, take off. This gull pretty much flew right at me.

I caught this one from the side. Take off - -

It was rather nice to be able to sit for a long while and be quiet and take photo after photo. Something I rarely get to do, Carol liked it!

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Osprey

2011-12-20T18:11:00.001-05:00

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Same bird, Sony zoomed to the max, Carol holding her breath, acting as a tripod. The first photo shows how far away it was, no cropping done, note the burnt tree. The last photo was cropped to show the bird as large as I could manage with the photo editing software.

Ocean Dew, Mist and Fog Decorate Me

2011-12-19T18:23:00.000-05:00

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Believe this is a primrose, it is a morning bloomer, fading away as the day progresses. This morning it was covered with heavy mist and fog.

Winter Seed Pods

2011-12-18T17:54:00.000-05:00

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Taken during some walks around Gulf State Park, December 2011.

Jellyfish and Portuguese Man-of-War

2011-12-15T06:17:00.004-05:00

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Found laying on the beach at Gulf Shores on November 23, 2011. Blended in so well with the sand I am not sure how I saw it. But, I did. Now, I am in no way an expert, but, I suspect this is a jellyfish, interesting the red streaks. (No expert, but, learning!!!!)

The next 3 photos were taken December 1, 2011 off the Gulf State Park fishing pier. I did zoom with the Sony to take these photos. The first two photos were only cropped, no color correction was done with the photo editing software. This is very close, colorwise, to what I saw with my eye.

The following photo, is the same one as above, but, I did do an "auto correct" with the photo editing software. Auto correct will give stunning results sometimes.

On December 9th, Man wanted to see if he could find a jellyfish on the beach. What we found instead was Portuguese Man-Of-War. Lots of them, way up the beach, further than we usually see shells that have washed up.

* There is an interesting article on the problems caused by jellyfish, here. You can read about the Portuguese Man-of-War, here. Nasty business. Purple flags are still flying as of December 14th. Won't be doing any beaches any time soon barefooted, I can promise you that.

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Lost, One Feather, Water Resistant

2011-12-14T06:19:00.000-05:00

Red and Purple Flag Day at the Beach

2011-12-13T06:36:00.000-05:00

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It was gray, blustery, rainy and the red and purple flags were out.

Red Flag - High hazard. Dangerous rip currents/surf conditions. Avoid entering the water.

Purple Flag - Sea pests present (jellyfish, man-of-wars, sharks and/or sea lice). This flag may be flown along with any of the other flags.

Even the sea gulls and other sea shore birds were grounded:

After the Burn, Turning Green

2011-12-12T06:37:00.000-05:00

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There was a huge fire just north of the campground here at Gulf State Park, Gulf Shores, Alabama at the end of June 2011. It burned about 900 to 1000 acres. It did not burn down this viewing/resting abode along one of the walking/hiking trails.

It did, however, burn all the area to the east, where Man is looking. These bull rushes and grasses have come back since the fire. The naturalist here told us that this area was totally burnt, and now, we can begin to see it turn green again.

The Pelicans of Gulf State Park Pier

2011-12-11T06:35:00.000-05:00

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The water was very clear this day on the pier. These pelicans seemed to be waiting for the local fishermen to clean their fish. Maybe they knew they would get a treat.

Below, clear enough we can see the webbed feet of this pelican in the water.

Below: I got a kick out of how everyone was facing one direction, except for a loner.

Below, a bit of a row over the fish treat a local fisherman tossed to them. Mine, no mine, no mine!

The Armadillo

2011-12-10T06:27:00.001-05:00

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One afternoon Man and I decided to investigate one of the hiking/walking trails that we have not been on here at Gulf State Park. It starts at the beach road and goes north east towards Orange Beach. The entire trail (one way, no loop) is 1.75 miles. We were not really dressed/prepared for a hike, he did not have on his hat and the sun was shining (melanoma survivor, needs his hat) and I really needed another layer of coat or sweater and needed my walking shoes. So, we decided to just do a bit of the trail and see how things worked out.

Well, we only walked about .6 or .7 of a mile total, but, things worked out quite well. We saw our first armadillo, ever, alive, not road kill, up close, less than 6 feet away and not one bit skittish! We have been traveling in the southern states since 2001, less 2 years that we could not leave Michigan for health issues. We have not seen that many dead armadillos either. A couple (stuffed, err preserved, of course) in visitors centers in parks. NEVER alive. NOT ONE! But, now we have!

(Yes, I know, silly things like a living armadillo do excite us.)

We heard brush and grass rustling, and my first thought was, oh, lordy, an alligator (now those do NOT excite me, au contraire, they scare the beejeebees outta me!).

But, no, twas not the feared alligator, but, instead was:

I took a number of photos, but, of course, most of which show little more than the two above, and a lot show less, as this armadillo was very focused on digging around and enjoying it's dinner. I did get a few of part of it's face, sorta. I said to Man, OK, time to finish our walk, I turned to leave and Man started practically screaming, "Get that photo, get that photo". I turned, basically pointed the camera, no time, hurry, was not sure Sony even had time to focus, shoot - -

And, SCORE!!

(Photo was slightly edited, contrast, brightness, cropped).

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Let Me Introduce You to Sam, the Tame Pelican

2011-12-09T06:28:00.002-05:00

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Sam is a tame pelican, who has been tagged and lives around Gulf Shores Alabama. These photos were taken on December 1, 2011 on the Gulf State Park fishing pier.

Below: Snack time, thanks to a local fisherman.

Hmmmm, almost as if Sam were saying, "What do I do with THIS now??"

Great Blue Heron, One Legged Stand, It's Cold Outside

2011-12-08T06:15:00.003-05:00

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Man and I went to the fishing pier last week, it was a bit blustery and chilly, but the water and sky were crystal clear. This guy (gal?) was honkered down behind the building, almost to the parking lot, my guess he (she) was there trying to stay out of the wind.

When I moved just a little, trying to get a different angle to shoot from, I discovered he was standing on one leg, not unusual, but, still interesting to see.

* Wait till you see what other water foul we were introduced to while on the pier.
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The End of the Hike, FIR*E

2011-12-07T06:30:00.029-05:00

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Summer of 2011 brought more danger and heartache to Alabama, and particularly to Gulf State Park, Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Due to the drought (they are still close to 20 inches below a normal year's rainfall) there was a fire. I have seen figures that it burned between 900 and 1000 acres of the park.

This is what it looks like in one of the areas that burned.

Below, a closer look:

Man and I have been taking long walks here in the park, it is a park made for walking and biking. While walking in this burnt area the other day, the trail suddenly stopped:

If you look at the left side of the photo you can see the charred remains of the foundation timbers of what was a bridge crossing this small canal of water.

For the "Good News" resulting from the fire of 2011, you may find this article interesting, I know, I did.

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December's Rose

2011-12-06T06:27:00.000-05:00

Sunset and The Pines, Gulf State Park, Gulf Shores, Alabama

2011-12-05T07:09:00.000-05:00

* Due to the flooding of salt water from hurricane Ivan in 2004 almost all the stately tall pines died in the flooded area (acres and acres were flooded). The pines are coming back now, but, it will be a few more years before the new growth matches these few remaining pines in the park in height.

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The Rose and The Palm

2011-12-04T14:23:00.001-05:00

*And a BK burger place in the background, sometimes buildings are such a bother!
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Reflections in the Water at Middle Lake, Gulf State Park, Gulf Shores, Alabama

2011-12-03T15:40:00.001-05:00

* Middle Lake is a fresh water lake. During hurricane Ivan (2004) it was flooded with salt water, it had to be drained and refilled a number of times to leach the salt out. It is stocked with fresh water fish for fishing, and several times the fish all died because there was still too much salt contaminating the lake.
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The Owls of Gulf State Park, Alabama

2011-11-30T06:36:00.009-05:00

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There is a very nice nature center here at Gulf State Park, Gulf Shores, Alabama. They have these two owls out back on the deck in a very large cage. We need to go back and learn more about them, I have a feeling they may have been injured and are kept here as they cannot be allowed to live in the wild.

Sanderling, a Tentative Identification

2011-11-28T06:13:00.002-05:00

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Believe this is the sanderling. I was rather pleased with this photo, these small (about 8 inches tall) beach loving birds are always on the move. My copy of the National Geographic Society "Field Guide to the Birds of North America" describes the sanderling, as a sandpiper, that "feeds on sandy beaches, sprinting just out of surf's reach to snatch up mollusks and crustaceans exposed by the retreating waves." I'll say they sprint! LOL

*This photo was not cropped, it was re-sized, but, not cropped. Yep, I got rather close, and the Sony's zoom got me closer still.

Sea Oats

2011-11-26T06:07:00.004-05:00

Beautiful in Black and White, Updated

2011-11-25T13:09:00.003-05:00

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Have no idea what this bird is, we saw them several times while in Utah. They are simply stunning when seen flying. Now identified by Lynne as a black-billed magpie. Thanks Lynne.

Its Thanksgiving?? Ooo, I Gotta Take a Quick Bath

2011-11-24T15:12:00.000-05:00

*Photos taken November 23, 2011 at Gulf Shores, Alabama.
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Surf's Up, Mother Nature is Brooding Up A Storm

2011-11-23T11:36:00.000-05:00

* Not flora or fauna?? I mean, really, just WHAT are you looking at??? What do you mean those surfer dudes are not fauna? Geesh, I was showing off the seagrass flora.

Two Babies, Llamas or Alpacas, That is the Question

2011-11-18T21:12:00.001-05:00

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These two baby llama or alcapas live near Shephedsville Kentucky, they were about 4 feet tall from their hoofs to the tops of their heads.

Thanks to friend Ron for asking, which are they?? I believe they are Alpacas, but, even looking at the Wikipedia articles on them both I am confused.

Alcapas, here and Llamas here.

I was leaning towards identifying these little dolls based on face structure and size until I read this information on the Wikipedia page on llamas. "The llama and alpaca are only known in the domestic state, and are variable in size and of many colors, being often white, brown, or piebald. Some are grey or black."

Here is another photo, including an adult, the quality is marginal.

The Pumpkin Patch

2011-11-16T06:33:00.009-05:00

*Gotta say a couple of those pumpkins look like they had something strong to drink, eh?? A little tipsy there fellas, just sayin'
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Sedum

2011-11-14T18:15:00.000-05:00

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From the archives.

Yorkie Ewok

2011-11-13T06:10:00.008-05:00

Its a ewok, oh, no, its a yorkie. When Cappy gets wet outside he gets wrapped up, swaddling style, till he dries. The pink tongue thingy is for awwwww effect. Does it quite well, doesn't he??

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Double Sun Rise

2011-11-12T06:11:00.002-05:00

What appears to be a double sun rise is in reality the sun and it's reflection in the swamp behind our home. That swamp is home to snapping turtles, mallard ducks, peepers galore and several "gangs" of geese.

*As frequently happens when I write a post, I wonder, what is the correct term for a bunch of geese, so, I googled the term, and over at Wikipedia I found this information:

The collective noun for group of geese on the ground is a gaggle; when in flight, they are called a skein, a team or a wedge; when flying close together, they are called a plump.

Nice, but, mmmm, what are they called when they are IN the water??? Visited several web sites, and never found the answer to the specific question "what are they called in the water". Did find a reference to "flock" tho. So, I am going with flock. We have several flocks in our swamp, they sing and honk in the early morning, Mother Nature's children singing a strange kind of music. Lucky for us, that swamp is far enough away that the honking is not real loud, until a fight breaks out - -

Not sure how I got from a double sunrise to a gaggle/flock/plump/wedge of geese, but, LOL, I did! And, I learned something along the way.

Good morning all, may you have a wonderful day.

Thank You to Those That Served

2011-11-11T06:21:00.000-05:00

Artie Orchid

2011-11-10T06:27:00.007-05:00

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Well, I believe it is an orchid. No matter, it is purple and it is pretty. That is all it needs to be a success. Photo was edited with "Watercolor" filter.

*Friend Barb asked in her comment: Was this an indoor plant, and how did the "watercolor" filter change the photo?

Decided to respond here, so, Barb, yes, indoor, inside a greenhouse. And, here is the photo without the watercolor filter. Easiest seen changes are in the middle of the flower.

Greenhouse Visitor, Lots of My Favs

2011-11-09T06:09:00.002-05:00

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Recently Man and I visited Holland. NO, not The Netherlands. Holland Michigan. While there we visited the Windmill Island Gardens. It was the last day they were open for the year, the crowds were sparse, the weather favorable, the visit pleasant. While we were wandering around in the greenhouse, cousin Marilyn called, Man took the Sony and shot a few photos, including this one of Moi, in my 7th heaven. Greenhouse (love of flora and fauna), techy stuff (cell phone), family history (Marilyn and our discussion) and travels with Big Butt and Tana (we were staying in a local campground). Ya, lots of my favs!

*OH, and wearing my fav color, purple! LOL
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Contemplating Life In The Garden

2011-11-08T06:26:00.000-05:00

Fall Fungi, Big 'Uns

2011-11-07T06:23:00.018-05:00

Size is deceiving in these photos. This collection of fungi was about 5 inches tall and maybe 8 to 12 inches total diameter. Large enough that I could see them growing from clean across the yard.

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Barrels of Apples at The Orchard

2011-11-06T06:34:00.020-05:00

Harvest Time

2011-11-05T06:25:00.006-04:00

Gone South For The Winter

2011-11-04T06:18:00.002-04:00

A Gourd And It's Tulips

2011-11-03T06:14:00.005-04:00

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Well, tulip tree leaves - -

Just About the Last Color

2011-11-02T06:32:00.012-04:00

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Just about the last of the color in our front yard. Five days later it snowed! Just a little, but it was snow.

*Yes, the red sugar maple in both photos is the same tree. The monster tree (just turning yellow) at the far left of the second photo is an oak, it was cut down, came back with multiple trunks, and has grown happily like that for more years than I know. We moved here over 16 years ago, and it looked like this then. It almost never drops limbs. It is not in our yard, but, I will say this, ALL those leaves do blow into our yard every year. LOTS of leaves!
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Just a Shadow of Myself

2011-11-01T06:30:00.005-04:00

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T06:39:00.000-04:00

Peacock

2011-10-30T06:37:00.005-04:00

I Just LOVE Greenhouses

2011-10-29T06:16:00.005-04:00

Country Road, A Fall Ride

2011-10-28T06:26:00.016-04:00

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First look up - - -

Then, look ahead - -

Sea of Short, Tiny Daisy Wanna Be Look Alikes

2011-10-27T06:11:00.008-04:00

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OK, you can guess from the title I have no idea what these delightful, small, ground cover type of daisy wanna be look alikes are. Taken in Salt Lake City in Temple Square on June 10th, they are only 4 or 5 inches tall.

Short does not mean they are not tall on delightful.

Sedum, Yes, I Bloom Too

2011-10-26T06:37:00.007-04:00

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Some do not realize that sedum blooms, it does, see:

Beautiful, isn't it??

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MickeyDee's Rose, From the Archives

2011-10-25T06:10:00.004-04:00

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Salt Lake City Utah may have the most beautiful roses I have ever seen, between mid May and mid June the roses all around the city were outstanding. Everywhere I turned there were more roses, Temple Square, neighborhoods, restaurants, even at MickeyDees (McDonalds). This rose was growing at MickeyDees. Just a little something different to accompany your burger and fries. Looks like a few aphids are enjoying lunch at MickeyDees too! LOL

TOTALLY OUTSTANDING!

Panda Plant, Kalanchoe Tomentosa

2011-10-24T06:33:00.006-04:00

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A succulent, a native of Madagascar.

My Sumac

2011-10-23T09:17:00.000-04:00

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Beautiful red sumac grows at the edge of the woods in our yard here in SE Michigan. I love sumac in the fall and the more the better. Interesting thing about sumac, it seems to have a short life, and some years there is a large show, other years almost none. Photo taken from our deck October 9, 2011.

Fall, Mums, Gourds And This Yellow - - What?

2011-10-22T06:21:00.006-04:00

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Gorgeous isn't it, just not sure what it is.

Got More Water?? I Need One More Bath Before Winter

2011-10-21T06:21:00.009-04:00

Tulip Tree Pods

2011-10-20T06:01:00.009-04:00

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Look hard, you will see it, a pod hiding with the leaves. Man and I have a tulip tree growing in our front yard, or trying to grow. It struggled for several years to gain any size, finally the last year or so, we are starting to see some real growth. Still no seed pods tho. I can't wait!

The Burning Bush and it's Waterfall.

2011-10-19T05:40:00.000-04:00

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See it, back there in the back left, a beautiful burning bush. One thing about burning bushes, they are either burn your eyes out glowing red or they are blahhh. Mine this year, blahhh. Obviously, these are not mine! LOL

Kousa Dogwood, Cornus Kousa

2011-10-18T06:27:00.002-04:00

It's That Purple and Bee Thing Again.

2011-10-17T06:35:00.014-04:00

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Yes, I love purple (who knew?) and yellow is pretty nice too. Believe these are asters and someone does not care if he/she is hanging upside down or not, the nectar is yummy and necessary at this time of the year in lower Michigan.

Reflection of a Late Bloom, the Water Lily

2011-10-16T06:22:00.001-04:00

Photo taken October 3, 2011, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was a glorious and warm weekend, the the water lilies just refused to believe that it was fall.

Glowing Red in a Bright Fall Sun

2011-10-15T06:20:00.000-04:00

A Mum Puzzle ?

2011-10-14T06:23:00.000-04:00

I am not really into puzzles, but, the moment I saw this photo, that is what I thought of, what a great puzzle this would make!

A Bit of Red, and a Bit of Orange, and a Bit of Yellow

2011-10-13T06:12:00.007-04:00

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Sugar maples or any tree for that matter, that turn shades of red in the fall, are highly valued and appreciated. They knock our socks off with the glow and glare, and we love it.

Yellow Mums, Auto Levels Art

2011-10-12T06:27:00.002-04:00

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Usually when I load a photo into Adobe for editing and resizing, the first button I click is "auto levels" . Many times I love what it does, other times I don't like the fix or I just don't think it is accurate in the changes it makes. Sometimes I just don't see any change. THEN, there are times when the program does something so startling I gasp in horror, OR delight. Sometimes I at thrilled at the results, like today, totally love the color of the foliage, who knew?? Well, obviously, Adobe did! LOL

Hiding Behind the Sumac, Peaking Over the Ornamental Grass

2011-10-11T06:30:00.002-04:00

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Abstract Modern Art, Seed Style

2011-10-10T06:13:00.001-04:00

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How's this for a fancy smancy seed?? Just LOVE how those smaller stems curl and wrap around the main seed, so artistic! Have no idea what it is, but, thought it was amazing, and tall, about 6 feet tall, if I remember correctly. It was quite a distance from the sidewalk, and there was this big hunk of fence between me and the plant - - - Thank you Sony, your zoom did good! LOL

Fall Harvest Wagon

2011-10-09T06:37:00.001-04:00

Winter Is a Comin', Gathering Time

2011-10-08T06:23:00.020-04:00

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While in Holland Michigan last week, Man and I visited the Windmill Island Gardens. While in the greenhouse my phone rang, I handed the Sony off to Man. In ran this little dude (or dudette) and Man had some fun shooting a few photos. Seems this little one is preparing for winter, as he (or she) could not stuff any more nuts in it's mouth pockets, so resorted to carrying the extra food. Gotta stock up for winter.

(Below, if you look carefully, you can see that both mouth pockets are stuffed full.)

Dude or dudette is a chipmunk, by the way! LOL

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It's Fall, Woolley Bear Wanna Be?

2011-10-07T06:05:00.001-04:00

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Traditionally and according to just a little online research, we learn that the woolley bear is usually dark brown and black. So, who is this guy??

Bird of Paradise

2011-10-06T06:12:00.002-04:00

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Holland, Michigan. October 2, 2011.

Smoke and Color, From the Smokies

2011-10-05T06:20:00.003-04:00

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From the archives, the Great Smokies National Park, Fall of 2003.

Gourds

2011-10-04T06:29:00.005-04:00

It's Pie Time!

2011-10-03T06:27:00.002-04:00

There is NOTHING Like a Crisp Fall Apple..

2011-10-02T09:29:00.001-04:00

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Except maybe one with maple leaves - -

Touch of Fall

2011-10-01T06:40:00.002-04:00

Goshen Got Your Wagon?

2011-09-30T06:20:00.010-04:00

Taken in Goshen, Elkhart County, Indiana, end of September 2011.

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Pines 'N Snow, Bryce Canyon Utah

2011-09-29T06:35:00.002-04:00

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May 9th we awoke to snow at our campground in Bryce Canyon, Utah. It can be pretty.

*Over at Reflections From the Fence today there are more snowy Bryce Canyon Utah photos.
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