This turtle was moving a fast turtle speed as it tried to get away from my prying eyes. The garden provided cover,though the terrain was uneven and rough in spots. Its shell provides cover for a heavy price. It elongates its neck and little legs. This allows it to move faster than you might think. I was unprepared for its speed as I tried to snap some pictures.
Look at those back legs stretch and push. I let it get away. This particular turtle had places to go.
Actually many birds are coming back since I started regularly feeding them. The birds have changed over the years. Some are here whether I feed them or not. Since supplying a variety of seed and suet, most of those lost have returned. One prime example is the Downy woodpecker. I see them regularly once again. The chickadees are also back consistently. I have yet to see the red-breasted nuthatch. I have my hope that by winter I will see some.
The anemone is a part of the buttercup family. They are commonly known as windflowers. This bee looks like it has passed out... Too much nectar? I have a lot of unanswered questions. According to Bob Dylan, "the answer is blowing in the wind"...
Dragonflies are more common around my pond than the damselflies. I don't know why. Perhaps the damselflies are shyly blending in with the flowers and foliage. I have noticed a few over the years. Their numbers are far fewer than the dragonflies, at least in my garden. Long ago I had a lovely Bonica pink rose. The aphid pest loved this rose. It would regularly attack it. Here is a damselfly gladly helping to get rid of the aphids. It is another example of a beneficial insect in the garden. They love to eat bad bugs.
We adopted Little Girl from a divorcing couple that had several dogs. They split up the dogs between the two of them, and decided that neither wanted the cat. Little Girl never liked the dogs, and frequently hid where she would not be bothered. We agreed to adopt her. She immediately ran under our bed when we got her to our home. After a few days she ventured out. When she realized that there were no dogs around she became comfortable and loving. She was about 3 yrs old when we got her. She lived for about 15 years with us before she died. She has been gone now for over 10 years. She was mostly an indoor cat, though once my husband let her outside, that was where she wanted to be. She always came inside when she was called and when her food dish as rattled. I miss her. We have never gotten another pet. I do enjoy the wildlife that visits our yard. Long ago, we even had two young stags visit our bird bath. It was a dry year.
These pictures still make me laugh. The barn was dark, and these darn goat ears would shake,sway,flick,and twitch. The only thing they could not seem to do was stay still. They were just kids, and I had a new camera that I was learning to understand. I had a reference book and little experience. These pictures were the result. Perhaps the camera clicking contributed to the chaos.
I can open my eyes to see the glorious sun. My body needs a few more feathers to fly. One day I will outgrow this nest
Here are some of the baby's relatives enjoying the nearby birdbath.
I was going through old pictures. I found the one above. This made me wonder--Do birds Pee? I googled this.The information said "no". Then I googled do hummingbirds pee? The answer came back "yes". They are one of the few birds that do. So now I know and you do too.
I also found some pictures of a hummingbird grooming. I chose this picture since the setting is a pyracantha. Compare its long pointy beak with those thorns. They are almost the same size. Be careful when you are photographing wild things.
Here is a view of the moon from my backyard. Granted it was not taken recently. The moon today looks the same as it did back then. Granted from this distance differences might be hard to detect. My backyard has changed since then. The picture you see here shows no detail of the trees in the dark. Today the moon might not be visible from the point where I was standing. Trees grow bigger and wider and can obstruct our view of the sky and moon. I can still see the moon by sitting in certain locations. To get a really good view of the moon from all directions I would need to leave my backyard. I am at a point in time where searching for the perfect view is not always important in the grand scheme of things. I am content to look at the gorgeous pictures captured by others. Home is where I am needed the most.
Can you see those thorns? The female cardinal is not intimidated.She patiently waits for those green berries to turn the color of fire orange.This shrub can grow up fairly tall, though the branches are spindly and can curve if not trained to grow upon a trellis or wall. This plant can be very lovely if it is espaliered. It was in my garden already growing wild before I discovered it. It is gone now.
I might consider bringing one back. However, much thought would need to be given as to where it could grow and be enjoyed by the birds, and yet minimize my risk of getting pricked. It is a member of the rose family.
movingforwardslowly 