Summertime Flew By!

Hello Everyone,

Did those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving enjoy the holiday? We spent the day with family, had a lovely meal, and later visited Mom with a sampler plate. She could not be with the family yesterday. We came home feeling very peaceful after a pleasant day.

I hope you all had a wonderful summer. I've been told by friends who live faraway that they had heard we "had a terrible summer with a lot of bad weather" here. I have to say that despite what people have heard, we actually had a very beautiful summer. Any bad weather that there might have been seems to have gone all around us, missing us completely.

Mom is back in the nursing home after having setback, but she is on the mend again and hopefully will be returning home in a week or two. Never let it be said that the human spirit isn't strong. :-)

While I no longer am able to get out for my daily walks, we make the best of our time by stopping by nature places on the way to Mom's or on the way back home, so we do get our nature fix in bits and pieces. Occasionally, we make some day trips on Sundays, rather than doing what should be done around the house. Hey, we only live once. The house can wait!

One afternoon, we drove across the state and enjoyed some seaside scenery.

This was an old barn window reflecting a scene where we saw the sailboat above and the boats in the pictures below.

While it was a very beautiful day, the wind was strong.

Driving around, we spotted this canal. There were houses dotted along this canal and others in the area. What a pretty place to live!

On another day, we stopped by this waterfall to relax for awhile and listened to the rush of the water.

In the woods, we spotted a number of these pretty little Golden Crowned Kinglets.

Along the shore, a Little Blue Heron waded and fished

Greater Yellowlegs and reflection

It was a big year for Osprey. We saw many nesting pairs and watched as the young ones fledged

While taking a walk in the woods, we spotted this chipmunk having a snack

What would you do with sea grasses that washed up on shore? Would you build a replica of a Native American hut, and then turn it into a bird watching station? Inside was a seat to make yourself comfortable and observe birds that came to visit a nearby feeder.

A boat sat idle on the shore. Oh how tempting it would be to get out on the water.

This is a plant called Salicornia. Looking out over the green and golden marsh grasses, bands of pink dotted the landscape.

Back home again, two of our "babies" now full grown. They still live in the tree outside my house. Sadly, one of them was hit by a car this year in front of our house, but the remaining three still play in the garden and run us into the poor house eating the bird seed. :-) I don't mind. I love them to pieces.

They still come to the cut part of the tree, sleep in the sunshine, and look at me through the window as I stand there looking at them.

Just up the street, we happened to spot Veronica the Red Tailed Hawk. She is wild and free, but comes to this place to grab a few "free mice" that are sometimes put out for her. Just look at that beautiful red tail!

One of the trails I sometimes walk.

Well, our favorite swan is still at the pond. For awhile she had a companion, but she seems to be alone again.

Bet ya thought I was going to say "Canada Goose"... ah ha ha... Not so fast. Much smaller bird, smaller bill... Maybe a Cackling Goose? http://www.sibleyguides.com/2010/09/bill-size-not-shape-distinguishes-cackling-and-canada-goose/

Well, yes, I know it's not actually summer anymore. We did have a beautiful autumn, too. I will be putting together some pictures of autumn around here- and yes! It will be before winter! ;-)

See you again soon!!