Earth Day, April 22, 2018

post #383
       Busy day today -- starting with time in the woods with my daughter and granddaughter. There are some flowers, but not as many as usual, and the trees feel late as well -- not much greenness yet.  It was a rough cold long winter. It seems to me that the world climate struggles to make the many adjustments that are part of the honest-to-gosh climate changes that are happening.

      A few photos from a day that was supposed to be cloudy (and therefore better for photos) but today was, in the end, pretty sunny. Still, it was a good way to spend Earth Day.

starting out, with the two dogs

a loyal Murry moment, by R. 

T. leading the way

wood betony, yellow, along the path, surrounding a single bluet

       

Actually, there were a lot of fiddle heads (new fern leaves) but we didn't pick any to eat.

There were not many trillium out yet! These are white ones, kind of basic, always lovely.

wild yellow violet

photo by R of a mayapple, with its flower still just a tease in the center

photo by R., happy hikers

A girl's gotta keep up with her recording and notes while out in nature.  Does anyone recognize my college reunion hat? now belonging to a better head size than mine? T. prefers the bow in front.

boots in the creek

I was trying for a photo of her upside down so it might look as if she had lost her top two teeth instead of the bottom two.... I know, crazy of me, and I didn't quite get the look I had in mind. That's what I get for trying to pose a photo!!

           So, another Earth Day has come and gone, and I still can't figure out why it's so hard for some people to accept that climate change is happening and could be less of a mess if we'd all pay attention and take responsibility for our one and only world. Is it really so hard to imagine what could happen if we don't rise to the occasion? Soon? Please, everyone, think about it with an open mind.

the wonder of water in the wild, flowing or frozen or foggy

post #172
       The threat of impending rain got me down to our waterfalls Friday morning. My friend, also an Ann, was able to come with me.  I wanted to be sure we saw the ice before it all melted.  In addition, there could be that wonderful early morning foggy light.  That is exactly what we had, and it makes for some magical moments.  It is always beautiful down there, but also unpredictable, changing, and unusual.

          First, on the way to the big waterfall, icicles on the creek bank, followed by a detail of this photo:

   The following photo is of the first waterfalls, taken by my husband, Frank, on Wednesday:

      I made the two following photos there on Friday, from the path, still headed toward the big waterfall:

This is farther along the path, in the area of what we call the second waterfall.

Now: the top of the big waterfall, showing the ice funnel made from the water going over the cliff.  I am standing on the forested hillside before going down to the bottom of the "big waterfall".

Ann up close and personal with the ice pile

      Along our way to this place, we had been startled by the loudness of a big crash.  We figured it was ice falling from somewhere.  Had we arrived here 10 minutes earlier, we might have seen it as well as hear it.  In other years the ice from the top of the falls has occasionally met the sculpture of ice piled up at the bottom.  Stunning.

      Oh, that foggy mist I mentioned earlier:  this is what I saw when I turned around from looking at the ice pile, the cliffs, and Ann:
       

      It is hard not to end by showing this late winter plant that Ann identified, one of the earliest wildflowers to bloom in the forest: a round-lobed hepatica.  To me it is full of beauty and hope.  However, I also hope we have more ice; I'd like to try for some more photos....

     

Sweet! Spring sweep, before summer sets in!

post #137
NOTE on Tuesday evening - I did post this on Sunday, but I seem to have then erased it!  MY BAD and MY being a DITZ!  along with my apologies.  I have now managed to reconstruct the post (8 pm Tuesday), so here's my second try: 

        A friend in Bolivia emailed today that they are "bracing for winter".  Oh my.  He did add that their winter means "temps that average about 68 degrees and bright sunny days and bright blue skies."  I had already decided not to delay posting the spring photos from this year that have so far not made it on to my last four posts.  Now, in addition, I would like to dedicate today's post to all those in the earth's southern hemisphere who haven't seen spring in many months....

ferns unfurling by the creek (see last week's post)

wisteria, with its ant helpers

the principal's office at the high school on Senior Prank day

This senior was taking my photo for a county project, but she had to tolerate my taking her photo as well.  Thanks!

lovely evening light on the way home from town last week

Thanks to this Angus bull for the fine pose

and to this calf for being curious!

     When I did get home that day, I took these two images of this dogwood tree, within a few minutes of each other.  All I changed was where I was standing. I rarely use Photoshop, and I didn't do that here. Beautiful, beautiful symbols of spring.

      This last photo was one of my first spring photos, taken in March.  Today I am thinking it is one of my favorite photos so far this year.  I didn't know what kind of tree or shrub it was or what the hanging things were --- but luckily there are ways to search out such information.  These are hanging catkins on an American Hazelnut.  Such discoveries in the woods that come from looking with my camera are a continual amazement for me.

    I apologize again for having erased (by mistake) the first version of this blog, but luckily I had kept a list of the photos I had used.  Thank you, George Ella, for wondering where Sunday's post had gone to.  Here's to life's second chances.