If it's Tuesday, it must be . . .

It's May, and if it's Tuesday, it must be a MetroPark kind of day!  Today it was back to Englewood MetroPark where I took a different path . . . mostly down by the water.  Again I was fascinated by the shadow and light, and the reflection of the vegetation in the water.

I thought this was a snake when I first glanced at it.  I was VERY glad I hadn't screamed once I realized it was just a tree branch.  There weren't a lot of people around, but I still would have felt absolutely foolish.

I loved the contrasting colors on the wood - it reminded me of an Appaloosa horse.

There were so many interesting shapes going on with this plant that I HAD to take a few pics of it; this is the best of them.

This little guy posed for a little while, then took off.  He had heard enough of the "click, click, click" of the camera.  He probably never thought he'd be stalked by paparazzi in his own backyard!

I loved the color of this bloom, as well as the way it peeked out from all of the surrounding greenery.

  
There were a LOT of berries for the birds and squirrels!  I didn't take any so they would have plenty.

Caught this guy trying to hide from me.  I guess the squirrel network was down or he would have known he wouldn't be successful.

The path was blanketed with this plant - I tried to walk where it wasn't growing because it looked sunny and beautiful.  I didn't want to trample it.

This tree had some MAJOR texture going on.  It almost looks like rock rather than a tree trunk.

This picture only shows about 1/3 of the tree; it was huMONGous.   I tried several different angles to try to capture the enormity of it, but this turned out the best.  I couldn't get very close, which made it more difficult.

Can you find the two (yes, TWO) woodpeckers in this picture?  I'll bet Jenny @ I'd Rather Be Birding! spotted them right away.

And, ending with my favorite picture of the day, and wondering if I could pass it off as a fog enshrouded shot rather than the reflection in the water . . . regardless, I think it looks more "artsy" or brooding than a straight shot of vegetation.


It doesn't surprise me that I was fascinated with pictures using the water for reflection, because I've been doing a lot of reflecting the last couple of days.  Yesterday was not a good day with Mom, and she seemed to want to pick a fight.  I know it's not something I should take personally, but it hit me wrong at the time, and it got me really down.


It took a while, but I finally worked through it.  I have to remember that I am not responsible for Mom's mood or her happiness.  I am responsible for not intentionally irritating her, but not for how she reacts to anything.  That was further reinforced tonight at the presentation by the Alzheimer's Association.  There are times when it is necessary to redirect attention to reduce the anxiety and frustration, which are the times Mom tries to pick a fight.  She is probably still tired from the excursion on Saturday, which also intensifies her anxiety and frustration.  Since she is highly functioning, most people think Mom is pretty much her old self.  Some times she is.  Most of the time she isn't.  She's not far from it, but far enough that she knows it (deep down, even though she really doesn't want to admit it).


I'm very thankful for the staff at Friendship Village who understand what dementia does to people and how little things can have a big impact on their behavior.  I'm thankful for groups like the Alzheimer's Association that provides education on issues regarding dementia.


Mostly, I'm thankful for a God who provides a literal walk in the park as a way to clear my head and enable me to think again, not react to things.  

Present from Mother Nature

I am so stinking excited that I can hardly sit still!  It's kind of a dreary rainy Mother's Day in SW Ohio, but Mother Nature gave me a fantastic present this morning!

I happened to walk past the open back door and saw there were two of my red headed woodpeckers (I know, they are really red bellied woodpeckers, but I rarely see their bellies, and you can't miss those red heads) at the suet feeder. I grabbed my camera and eased out the door, but by the time I got close enough, one of them had flown off.  Not a problem as the more brightly colored male stayed behind and let me snap away.  Had to laugh when I saw the squirrel underneath the suet feeder picking up whatever the woodpecker dropped!

Then, after seeing the squirrel suet bandit at work, I noticed a blue jay near the squirrel!  I had my camera, and a blue jay was visible.  Hot diggity dog, YES!!!!!  I finally got my first shot of a blue jay this year.  No, I could not be satisfied with just one.

Look at all of those beautiful shades of blue!  How gorgeous is he?  

This clothesline hasn't been used for drying clothes in over a year; I'd rather the birds make use of it . . . and I've decided to "train" the trumpet vine to use it and have a little "bower" area in the backyard . . . a little shady spot to retreat to.

He was trying SO hard to hide from me, but he doesn't have a clue how determined I can be when it comes to getting my blue jay shots.  It took me a while, and it was tough to focus, but that Irish/German stubborn streak suits me well in times like this.


Here I was thinking I wasn't going to be able to get out and take pics today, and I end up being able to take some pics I've been wanting for over a month.  No, I didn't get to one of the beautiful MetroParks, but I am very happy with the fauna and flora in my little back yard sanctuary, especially when I can get shots of some of my favorite birds.


I am also perfectly aware that most people are not fans of the blue jay.  That's fine.  I am, and always will be.  The colors of the bird alone are enough to be crazy about.  And, as territorial as they can be, they also act as sentinel for other birds, warning them of potential danger.


Psychologists say that scent is the strongest human connector to memory.  For me, sound is not far behind.  The call of the blue jay takes me back to summers at my grandparents' house in West Virginia just as quickly as the smell of fried chicken or chocolate filling for one of Grandma's chocolate pies.


I am amazed all over (and again, and again, and again) when I think of how spectacularly beautiful our world is, and how it all works together.  The way the squirrel sat under the suet feeder this morning, counting on the woodpecker to drop food his way; the blue jay's warning cry; the bees that pollinate flowers and create honey; the flowers that bloom and feed the birds and butterflies.  I cannot believe that was an accident.  This all had to be created, and my Creator is awesome and amazing in many ways.  Today I am completely overwhelmed by how much beauty is available to me just in my own backyard and neighborhood.  I am completely and totally blessed, and blissed out by it all.

Thorns

It's been kind of a rough day, so I took my book, my camera, and myself outside to try to wind down.  I was hoping to sight some different birds (blue jay, please!!!), but really just wanted to sit in the sun and RELAX.  Unfortunately, it was HOT.  OK, not Afghanistan hot, and I was wearing a t-shirt and capris and had gone barefoot.  But, for early May in SW Ohio, it was hot.  And I'm being a big baby today.

I kept trying to distract myself from dwelling on what was eating at me, so when I saw this little guy scamper across the patio, I had to make sure he got his 15 minutes of fame (such as it is).  I thought it was funny when he suddenly stopped and sat up to make sure it was safe to continue on; I had heard the same odd sound he had, but he was more curious than I was!

I'm trying to decide if one or more of these critters are responsible for tipping the bird feeders to get at the seed, or if it's another critter that I don't want to think about having in the back yard!  What I DO know is that it tends to happen when the seed mix is a bit heavy on the cracked corn . . . where's Nancy Drew when I need her to solve the Mystery of the Cracked Corn Caper?

After I'd read for about 10 minutes, then leaned back and tried to let the bird songs relax me, I was still plain old antsy!  So, I got up, picked up some pruning shears, and decided to cut back a couple of bushes to make it easier for my neighbor to get into her car (she's in her late 80s and parks next to "my" Japonica and Lilac).  Then, I really went to town on the invasive honeysuckle at the side of the house.  I'm guessing I'll have to cut it back about every 2 weeks just to keep it from spreading (just like those darn trumpet vines).  I spotted this plant above and came back w/ the camera after I was finished w/ the pruning.  I don't know what it is (probably another weed or invasive plant!), but thought it was delicate and pretty.  Hope I don't have to eradicate it!

I think this bud is from the only rosebush left from the original owners of the house (think 1950s).  Mom was kind of hit or miss on pruning it, and I don't know anything about roses, so this will be yet another plant to learn about and try to coax into more production.  And of course, as I was trying to "encourage" the plant to stand up straighter by using one of those wire hooky things that stick into the ground, I stuck myself pretty good with a thorn.  I didn't realize it had broken off at first, but it sure made itself known when I barely brushed it!  It wasn't deeply embedded, so I was able to pull it out with my fingernails, then washed my hands with soapy water.

Yeah, it was an "aha" moment.  I had a mental thorn that I wasn't letting go of (I was working it in deeper every time I thought about it).  It was in deeper than it should have been, and it was all my fault.  But how do you pull out a mental thorn??  For me, it's a visualization process I have to go through.  I had to visualize pulling that mental thorn out of my head, then put it in a box, wrapped it up in beautiful wrapping paper, and finished it off with a big huge beautifully crafted bow.  I have to do that first, because the next step is visualizing handing this beautifully wrapped gift to God.  I don't like taking anything back from God (although I do it all of the time, I do NOT like it), so now if that thorn starts to prick at me, I remind myself that I gave it to God and He will handle it in His time and His way.  When I remember to let go and let God, life is so much better.

Sweetest Day

I had a feeling it was going to be a great day when I started on my morning walk . . . well, after I turned around and got my cell phone that I'd left on the charger.  I'd decided to take my camera with me to get pics of the "new" elementary school that took the place of two schools I'd gone to.  I was looking all around me as I made the trek, and found a few interesting things to photograph!

We're just getting to the end of April, and here come the pine cones!  That just messes with my sensibilities somehow.

This reminded me of a miniature wreath . . . Christmas in APRIL????

A couple of Irises almost ready to bloom!  This is so strange to have the plants so far along already.

I thought this was a funny angle . . . perspective IS important.

This is the new school.  It combined two elementary schools that were back to back.  I went to 2nd and 3rd grade in one, then 4th-6th in the other.  With the fencing, and the cupola, I think it looks more like a prison than an elementary school!

I love construction equipment, and this particular piece had some interesting shapes to it!

I think there is something drastically wrong with the next three pictures.  It's getting close to the end of April, when most kids are more than ready to be playing outside, yet the playground at the school is off limits.  The old playground has been torn down, but the kids can't use this lovely equipment!  I can only assume it's a liability issue since no protective/cushioning cover has been put down around and under the equipment.  I think somebody messed up their planning BIG TIME.

I liked this tree stump . . . it has the weathered and aged, interesting character look to it.

 

This house is where I attended first grade.  Back in the day, there were so many elementary school age kids that we didn't have enough schools to house them all.  So, the builder of all of the homes in the community offered the school system the use of homes for kids to attend first grade for a rental rate of $1/year each.  The houses were modified slightly to be able to accommodate approximately 25-30 students.  Many of us walked home for lunch because the only other option was to bring our own - no cafeteria here!  It was a great experience since kindergarten was not required at that time.

I got a nice 2 mile walk, some interesting pictures, plus a trip down memory lane (remembered where several friends lived when we were in school as I walked by them, and then some of the fun stuff we did).  Then I got home to find the animals ready to entertain me!  The squirrel cracked me up with the way he was perched there on the end of a branch; he kept looking for something, but I never figured out what it was.

I don't know why, but I haven't noticed many robins the last few springs.  This isn't the first one I've seen this spring, but it's the first one I was able to get a shot of.  I did finally see a blue jay in the redbud tree, but I didn't have my camera with me.  :-(

Then, just as I was thinking about getting up and going inside, a minor miracle occurred.  A red bellied woodpecker flew onto the redbud tree, closely followed by a beautiful cardinal!  It's not clear as I'd like, but I managed to get a picture with BOTH of them in it.

The icing on the cake?  When visiting Mom today, it was a pretty darn good visit.  She was joking around and laughing.  It's so wonderful to have those kinds of visits.  More icing on the cake?  I spent the evening with friends, talking and laughing and having a great time.  It's definitely been my sweetest day so far this week (and maybe this month).

Today's Symphony brought to me by DP&L . . .

What a gorgeous day in SW Ohio!  I wanted to be outside at 1:00 partly because it was such a beautiful day, but also because Doolittle's Raiders (from WWII) were being honored at Wright Patterson Air Force Base with a flyover of the B-25s.  Unfortunately, although most flights pass overhead, this one did not.

Fear not!  While I was not entertained by the B-25s, there was plenty going on in the connecting back yards to keep me entertained for a couple of hours.

I headed outside just after noon to enjoy the sunshine and pleasant temps.  Set up the camp chair and had my book and drink handy, as well as my camera.  I read for a little bit before I checked out the clouds, and sure enough, it was another beautiful sky day with pretty clouds (not necessarily interesting shapes).

Nope, no B-25s in the pics (I did double check!).

I took a little tour of the back yard, and found more of the lily of the valley in bloom.  I was beginning to think that the last freeze had killed them off, but they must be hardier than they look.

Of course, I had to check my re-blooming lilac, and it is still beautiful and still blooming!  I may be adding more of these to the back yard . . . I definitely need to add more lilacs (I think I would feel that way even if that was the only bloom in the yard!).

The peonies are well under way; love them, but hate the ants!

And the mock orange is also getting ready to bloom!

I don't know what this plant is . . . can anybody help me out with it?  Mom's memory of plants and what had been planted where is kind of iffy these days.

All of the shots of birds I got were very similar to ones I've already posted (and of the same kind of birds), so we'll just skip them.  Did get to watch a squirrel come bounding through the yard for a little while though.

And if that wasn't enough to entertain me, Dayton Power & Light had crews in the neighborhood trimming trees around the power lines.  After the windstorm caused by Hurricane Ike blew threw the area almost 4 years ago, leaving many people without power for up to two weeks, the utility companies took a lot of grief for having let the tree trimming go for too many years.  There are some pretty big trees in our area (around 50 years old) that haven't been cut back a whole lot.  There were crews working at 3 different houses close to me.  I took just a few pics of the guys high up in the trees; it really was kind of fun to watch.

So much excitement and entertainment in two short hours.  I think I'll need to spend more time hanging out in the back yard.  I had planned on some nice relaxing quiet time; although it was relaxing, it certainly wasn't quiet!  With chainsaws going in at least 3 yards and my amazing neighbor, Mr. B, mowing his lawn, I was treated to a mechanical motor symphony.    Bravo gentlemen, bravo!