More This and That from the U.P.

Someone once left a comment on my blog which was one of the best compliments

I ever got.

(S)he said:

"I like your blog because you take ordinary pictures of anything and everything

and

make them extraordinary".

Wow. I was thrilled. The comment blew me away.

Because since retiring and getting into this new, confusing hobby

of photography, it has opened me up

to loving nature again.

Ten times more than I loved it before.

Because, by capturing photos, (especially macro photos)

you begin to look at the ordinary things

in a very different way.

The details.

The colors.

The patterns.

The beauty leaps out at you, hits you on the head and says:

"See? Why didn't you appreciate me BEFORE?"

"I have ALWAYS been here, waiting for you".

So, today,

I am sharing some of the things whispering to YOU...

"Please notice me....I am here, waiting for you to see the miracle that is ME."
 

(Do you hear them?)

Does anyone know the name of these pretty pink wildflowers? We saw them along a wet ditch in the woods:

I think this is a catbird?:

An old bridge:

The road beyond the bridge. Shall we follow it?:

Like maybe our ancestors did?:

A beaver pond at dusk... the setting sun lighting up the lily pads and water flowers:

The promise of yellow water lilies blooming soon:

A tiny hummingbird at my feeder:

A dragonfly, waiting to land on you to give you good luck and fortune:

I hope you

get an opportunity

to

see the beauty around you today.

This and That from the Woods and the Lake...

Today, I am posting a collection of photos I have taken in the woods and out on our lake over the last few weeks. Enjoy!:

While taking a hike on the secluded shores of Lake Superior, we spotted this green plant growing inside an old, dead log:

I returned to the pond where I took the lily pad pictures in the spring.

To my delight, there were lily pads that changed into fall colors now:

There are still wild asters growing along the roadsides, along with butterflies:

A late sunset with storm clouds rolling in over our lake:

On the same hike on the secluded shores of Lake Superior, we found this humungus fungus growing on an old log:

Color on our bay!

This shot is looking back at the street where I live on the lake from our pontoon. My house isn't visible, it is just out of sight way on the left side of this picture on another small bay:

The same butterfly on the asters, this time with spread wings:

Those lily pads, now in color.....loved the "carpet on water" they formed with all their fine, fall colors!:

Love those clouds reflecting on the water....right before the sun set:

I was surprised and delighted to be able to still see dragonflies about in the autumn foliage:

As the sun set further, I HAD to take one more photo of those clouds reflecting in the water on our lake:

I hope you have been able to go outside where you live and experience the autumn splendor that nature is providing now, too.