Crafty Nature?

I don't think many people who know me would ever accuse me of thinking inside the box.  Today has proven no exception!

I started the day finishing off one craft project, and trying another (no photo of it yet, that's another post!).  I made three of the "Awards" pictured for the nurses who participated in the skits during the Alzheimer's Association presentation.

That's a little plastic pink pig I spray painted gold, a small wooden plaque I spray painted the stone finish, and a small craft stick I used my label maker to cover.  How easy it was (once I found the right plaque and craft stick) to do this!  The surprise will be when the nurses get them; I'm trying to see if I can get the Executive Director to present them in a staff meeting.  And yes, these are the highly coveted Hammy Awards.


While I was waiting for some of the sealant and/or glue to dry, I lounged outside enjoying the backyard atmosphere again.  I waffled for several hours about where I'd go today to get some more nature shots, but finally went with a friend's suggestion.  I went back to Wegerzyn Gardens.

But, once I got there, I didn't take my previous path; nope, I took a LONG and meandering path.  I don't know what the plant above is, but I thought it was interesting, and I liked how the background washed of colors complement the colors of the buds.  Crafty nature.

Love how there's something growing on the roof of this building.  I'm not sure if it's grass or what, but it's certainly interesting.  Crafty Nature.

I know some of you will laugh when I admit I didn't know chipmunks made chirping noises.  I thought I was hearing a bird when I ran across this little guy.  Loved how he froze when I got "close enough" and then turned around, ready to run when I took another step.  Crafty Nature.

Loved the sun shining so the railing made a nice pattern on the "boardwalk".  Crafty Nature.

I think the sun was the main reason for most of my interesting shots today, especially this fern.  From another angle, with the light hitting it differently, it looked rather boring.  I found this kind of mesmerizing with the symmetry and contrast of the dark dots with the lighter frond.  Crafty Nature.

Found plenty of evidence on this tree of woodpeckers in the area!  Crafty Nature.

I thought this was a beautiful addition - the quote says "The energy of the mind is the essence of life."  Crafty.  Nature.

I have some of these pop up in the middle of the back yard!  Volunteer strawberry plants.  Crafty Nature.

I have no idea what this plant is, but it certainly stopped me in my tracks and almost demanded I take it's picture.  Crafty Nature.

I don't know if I can describe this tree adequately.  I was in the middle of the path and I leaned my head back to look up.  This is what I saw directly above me . . . the branches arching over the pathway (it seemed they were about a gazillion feet above me, too).  Crafty Nature.

Yes, even Mother Nature re-purposes!  Plants growing out of a fallen branch or log.  Crafty Nature.

I wasn't sure how the photo above would turn out.  I really like it though.  The sun was shining SO brightly that while my view showed a lot of leaves in varying shades of green, the result was an almost complete black.  I need to clean the camera lens because I can see the "flare" spots from dust or spots on the lens.  I like them here though . . . maybe I'll hold off on that cleaning!  Crafty. Nature.

This is called a "gall" - where a fungus or parasite infested the tree, and the tree responded.  Crafty Nature.

 I'm guessing this is the red-headed step child of the moss family.  Crafty Nature.

Does anybody else think "The Scream" by Edvard Munch??  Crafty Nature!!

A couple of topiary dogs "guarding" an entrance to the Children's Discovery Garden.  Crafty.  Nature.


Not only was it a day of crafts and nature, some of the crafting was to benefit nature, and some of nature was definitely crafty (in almost every aspect of the word).  adjective cunning, scheming, sly, devious, knowing, designing, sharp, calculating, subtle, tricky, shrewd, astute, fraudulent, canny, wily,insidious, artful, foxy, deceitful, duplicitous, tricksy, guileful 
open, simple, frank, innocent, ethical, naive, honest, candid, ingenuous, wet behind the ears


I'm liking the idea of crafty nature; it certainly keeps me on my toes and keeps me looking for new and interesting.

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.  

Parade of the Redheads

Life has been going non-stop lately, and while I have a ton of things I should be doing, today became a "Calgon, Take Me Away" Day.

Initially my plan was to spend about an hour to an hour and a half outside watching the birds and/or reading.  I stuck to that plan very nicely as the birds cooperated!  Papa Cardinal above was my first visitor, and he allowed me to photograph him for a change.

Next, I saw these sparrow on the opposite side of the feeder, and liked the image that came through.

Papa Cardinal must have told Mama Cardinal it was her turn to come pose for me.  I've seen a female cardinal a couple of times, but it's been even shyer than the males.

Went back to my chair and read for a while, and when I got up to stretch a little, I took my camera "just in case" when I peeked around the corner of the garage.  Glad I did because this guy was showing off for me!

After the woodpecker flew off, I had to check out my peonies, which are just starting to open up.  I took a few shots of them and the honeysuckle, working my way closer to the suet feeder.  When I finally took the camera off of my eye, I was shocked to see this little woodpecker busy at work within a couple of yards.

I'm having a tough time deciding if this is a Downy Woodpecker or a Hairy Woodpecker, but I'm leaning toward the Downy because of the length of the bill . . . until I see it in a different angle . . . and then I'm just as sure it's the Hairy Woodpecker!

My flamboyant friend returned and showed off a while longer.  Have I created a situation where birds fly in for their portrait sessions?  He seemed to have enjoyed showing himself off from all angles (there are a whole lot more that I didn't share!).

After I came inside from birding and reading, my original plan was to get some cleaning done, along with some laundry.  But, when I checked the mail and saw a movie from Netflix, that agenda changed.  The movie was "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" and I'd been wanting to see it for a while.  Knowing the next couple of days are going to be super hectic, I figured this was the only time I'd have about 2 1/2 hours I could carve out to watch it.  So, I did.

It certainly was an extreme contrast to the colorful outdoor experience I'd just had!  I've read all 3 of the books, and have seen all 3 of the Swedish version movies, and I'm leaning toward them as the better movies.

Now it's getting on toward the evening, and I'm feeling much more relaxed.  I'm glad I took some Calgon time for myself.  Now I think I can manage to squeeze in some of that cleaning and laundry before I go to bed and get up and start going, going, going tomorrow.

Thank you, my red fine feathered friends!  You certainly helped me chill out and relax so I can knock a few more things off my to-do list.

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.