new stuff, post started on Sunday, finished on Monday

post #184
       Greetings [on Sunday] from the parking lot of a McDonald's on my way back from 48 hours off the grid.  I was with a very good group in an enchanted forest  -- which means we were within a healthy forested place in an area of southeastern Kentucky where there are plenty of stripped hillsides, abandoned logged areas and multiple coal tipples.  The actual enchantment comes without phones or internet, however!  Just the beauty of those early spring flowers that bloom and go before the formation of the canopy of those trees will soon make.  I will be sharing some photos from this special place next week.
     
PART B - written on Monday, April 7, 2014, happy birthday to Ed if you ever read this!

        I am now home, plugged in, with some recent photos to share, after five weeks of posting milkweeds, milkweeds and more milkweeds!   Actually, I look forward to finding new milkweed seedlings and watching them grow.  That way by late June I will finish a full year of observation.
        SO, first there are images from our last gasp snow.  It came from the northwest and plastered the sides of even the skinniest of trees -- on their northwest side.  It was actually beautiful, an "of the amazing moment" event.

driving back from town along the ridge, right after the storm

       

These cattle are on the right,

as I drive farther along the ridge.  I like the one yellow sign, that may not show up on small screens.

It also snowed at home, of course, and this is the view out the window.

another small yellow sign, this time a sign of hope, from the penultimate storm

I welcome the beauty of this new season:

Oh my goodness, I'll need to spell FORSYTHIA!  (Note: I had spelled it correctly! I also learned this bush is a member of the Olive family.  I didn't know.)

Coming from behind

but paying attention!

A neighbor left his or her calling card....

In the coming weeks I am building a collection of photos of a nearby road that is stated to be drastically changed.  I don't know if this barn will survive the surveyors or not, so I plan to appreciate this artistry while I can.  

I am so proud of the folk artists in my area.

   Many of us hope the Route 32 road project is scaled back to do a better job of honoring the rich heritage of this area.  I am talking both about the communities along the way and about the flora and fauna and especially the pristine creeks around here.  Anyway, more on that soon.