Steve`s Country
For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Nature’s Art #42.
Hello everyone! I hope you are all well and able to enjoy the day a little. It has been beautiful and sunny most of the day here which made for an enjoyable time walking down to the river. And of course, sitting on the bench looking out over the water, watching all of the ducks who were not very cooperative today. For some reason they all seem to like the far side of the river, though 2 were on my side until I arrived. Then they quickly decided to swim to the other side. However, they ended up going considerably downstream in that fast current. Even though the river level has dropped about 8 feet, the current is still very strong out there, swirling around as it does. Doesn’t really bother the ducks too much, but even they have a hard time swimming across that current. Except the goldeneyes, they seem to have an easier time of it. And there was 2 of them down there today, but they only flew past further upstream, out of range of my camera.
And now for some spring pics for our look at art in nature this week…
In the above picture we have the “tinder polypore”. This is another mushroom, not very colorful but a piece of art anyway. This one would be from last year. They are not edible, very tough and woody and once dried like this one they were used at one time to start fires. They burn slow and steady so were ideal for the purpose.
And in the above pic we have some new greenery poking up from a tiny patch of soil on a large rock outcrop. I’m not sure what it is, but the way the leaves are arranged makes for an interesting piece of art.
And in the above pic we have a piece of river ice hanging in the air above the rocky shore. A piece of art that is melting fast now.
Well, there we have it for this week, I hope you have enjoyed this selection. Have a wonderful day everyone, stay safe and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2020 Steve McLeod.
Daily Pics #119.
Good morning everyone on this beautiful Tuesday! Well, it is a bit wet out there with some light showers, but that just brings out the wonderful spring freshness that everyone loves so much. Except maybe Muffin. She doesn’t really like rain any more than snow since it means she can’t have the door open. Otherwise she’s okay with a light rain, but heavy rains and thunderstorms she does not like at all. The biggest problem, for me, with rainy or cloudy days, is the fact they are not the best for photos. Although some rainy day pics can look nice, I much prefer a sunny day pic. It just has a much more cheery look to it. Found out yesterday that tick season has begun once more. Didn’t think it had been warm enough for them yet, or dry enough, but such is not the case. So now I need to check myself thoroughly every time I come back from a walk to make sure I haven’t brought any unwelcome guests home with me. We have lots of deer ticks in this area and that means Lyme disease, which is not a pleasant experience. And many people here have had it over the years.
But right now let’s take a look at something much nicer than ticks, from my spring walks to the river…
In the photo above we have a trio of happy mergansers swimming fast and cheerful on the river. The female is in the middle of the two males, possibly trying to decide which one would make the best mate.
And in the above photo a beautiful mourning cloak butterfly sunning itself on a rock. These butterflies hibernate here and come out early in the spring. This one nearly landed on my hand but finally decided the rock was a better spot.
Well, that’s it for today’s pics, please stay safe everyone, have a wonderful day and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
© 2020 Steve McLeod.
