Wild Swans!

When taking our usual ride out in the woods to see what we could find,

we found a

beautiful

beaver pond.

It had a huge beaver house in the middle....

and

looking out at the beaver house,

I was surprised

to see

four

large...

SWANS!!!!

Mostly they just slept.

They were quite far from us, at the other side of the pond,

but I did my best

to use my zoom to get them the best I could.

Here are three of them...two sleeping and one wondering what the noise was:

I was trying to be as quiet as possible, so they wouldn't get scared and either

swim away or fly off.

It must have worked, because she tucked her head back in for another nap:

I loved the big piece of "driftwood" looking wood behind them too:

The fourth swan was sitting across from them...also having sweet dreams:

I wonder what swans dream about?:

A shot of all four swans and the huge beaver house behind them:

They never woke up the whole time I snapped pictures of them....

we quietly left, leaving them to their slumbers:

We saw them one more trip out...and then yesterday when we checked to see if they were there?

They were nowhere to be found....

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.

Fabulous unFolding Ferns!

We went for a ride in the woods about a month and a half ago

and

it had just rained earlier in the day.

Everything was this intense, neon green color.

I felt like it was a tropical rain forest in the north.

But what really hit my eye

were

these brilliant, artistic

unfolding ferns.....

I just fell in love with them.

So here are some shots of the unfolding ferns....

I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Just look at this twisty, convoluted fern

that nature designed to come up through the soil

and unfold

right before our eyes!:

(If only I could pack as well when we go on trips and I am trying to stuff my suitcase!)

I loved how the sun hit these ferns coming up from the forest floor:

The sun hitting the head of this fern reminded me of when

you first light a sparkler on the 4th of July:

A twisty tied curl (along with a bug!):

It's spring....

it had to wear a wooly hat to keep warm

while sprouting:

A bunch of newborn ferns!:

By now, they are full grown, huge ferns.....

but

I like them best when they are newborns......................................................

This and That: Spring Photos (A little late) Again!

One thing I like about spring and summer,

is the return of

GREEN!:

Even the pine trees look fresh and new.

And the birds begin having their young.

This Mourning Dove is fluffy.

Maybe she is pregnant?:

And the damselflies

come out again!:

Along with ducks.

Here is a Common Merganser and his mate:

And the dandelions come up, bright and yellow.

Which brings: BUTTERFLIES!:

When the Trilliums bloom, they are a brilliant white.

As they get ready to die,

they turn a pinkish purple:

And even though a few posts back, I showed some bees on my apple blossoms,

I have to show at least

one more:

A handsome

brown-headed cowbird!:

Thanks for re-visiting Spring with me,

even though it is summer now...

I don't mind going back in time, how about you?

Oh...NO!! I DID forget one!!!!

I am sooooo sorry...

I 

DID

forget someone's entry

into the June FREE PHOTO CONTEST!!

Below is the entry I forgot to list 

along with all the other entries:

This one is from Far Side. She has two blogs. One is called: "Far Side of Fifty" and the other one is called: "Far Side of Fifty Photos".

Isn't it beautiful????

I think I had forgotten to include it because she was so good at getting her entry in early.

(No good deed goes unpunished!)

Please accept my sincerest apologies, Far Side..and thank you for letting me know I had forgotten to list yours!

So PLEASE, go BACK to 

THIS BLOGPOST

and 

review all the wonderful photos that were entered into the contest, including this one....

one more time.

I will be contacting the judges soon and they will be shown all the entries

(including the one above) to pick one winner.

Once again, good luck everyone!!

Happy Fourth of July!!!

Happy Independence Day, USA!!!

Today, I am spending some time with some family and friends (houseguests)

and having an Open House after the parade

that goes right by my front door.

On July 2nd here, we had fireworks.

Our little community goes ALL OUT

for that....

I haven't processed my photos from them yet,

so

instead

I am giving you some photos

from last year's fireworks.

I hope your day if full of friends, happiness

and rest.

I thank the Force for the freedom we have here in my homeland.

My ancestors fought for it.

My Dad was in three wars to protect it.

I honor, appreciate and cherish it.

How about YOU??

Happy Independence Day, everyone....

have a great weekend!!

REVISED: Here They Are: June's Photo Contest Entries!!! (and announcement of JULY's FREE PHOTO CONTEST THEME!)

I know you have been waiting!

This month, the FREE PHOTO CONTEST's theme was:

FLOWERS!!!!

And we got some beauties!!!

SIXTEEN entries!
(I have revised this blogpost, as I had forgotten the lovely photo by Far Side that is now listed).

I thank all of you for wonderfully embracing the theme and providing us 

with fantastic shots!

So, grabba cuppa coffee (or tea!) (or Diet Coke!)

sit back,

and INHALE

these gorgeous flowers!!!:

This one is from Blissed Out Grandma. Her blog is called: "Blissed Out Grandma".

This one is from Biana. Her blog is called: "A Little Something Something".

This one is from SquirrelQueen. She has two blogs. One is called: "Through Squirrel Eyes" and the other is called: "The Road to Here".

This one is from Insanity Kim. Her blog is called: "A Parent's Life to Behold, A Life on Insanity and Bliss".

This one is from Lynn. Her blog is called: "For Love or Funny".

This one is from GrannyAnn. Her blog is called: "Ann Tucker Blog".

This one is from Djan. She has two blogs. One is called: "D-Janity".

This one is from Tatyana. Her blog is called: "My Secret Garden".

This is from Linda Reeder. Her blog is called: "Linda Letters."

This one is from Larry. He has two blogs. One is called: "Larry's Creative Zone" and the other one is called: "Larry's Photo a Day".

This one is from Bossy Betty. Her blog is called: "Bossy Betty".

This one is from Pat. His blog is called: "Extremely Overdue."

This one is from J.J.  Her blog is called: "JJ in L.A."

This one is from Sara. Her blog is called: "Greyt Days".

 This one is from Beth. She has two blogs. One blog is called: "Mundane and Magical" and the other blog is called: "What I Should Have Said".

This one is from Jill. She has three blogs. One is called: "A Bubble in the Stream of Consciousness", one is called: "That Disney Blog" and one is called: "Thumper Awards".

 This one is from Far Side. She has two blogs. One is called: "Far Side of Fifty" and the other is called:
"Far Side of Fifty Photos".




*****************************************************************
Weren't they FABULOUS?!!!!

You guys NEVER fail to amaze me as to your talents and your artistry!

Thank you so much for entering!

 And, if for some reason I forgot to publish an entry, if you do not see an entry you sent me in this blogpost today, CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY!  
(I think I got them all here, but it has been a busy month for me, so it is possible I skipped someone that sent in an entry!)  I sure hope not!

If I don't hear from anyone by July 7th, I will contact the judges to choose the winner....
and I will post the winner around July 15th....

Good Luck EVERYONE that entered....they are all winners in my eyes!!

*************************************************
And what is JULY's FREE PHOTO CONTEST's
THEME??? (you ask breathlessly!)

(Drum roll, please..........)

July's theme
is....

"ACTION or MOTION"

What does this mean? (you ask)

I'll leave that up to YOU!!!

You can "freeze frame" anything or anyone in motion, or you can "blur" a shot of action/motion...be it an animal, a person, a sport, water, you name it.....

just make sure it depicts "ACTION or MOTION".

I can't WAIT
to see
what your imagination(s) will enter!!

Now get out there and get busy.

(Yes, that means YOU!!)

You don't have to be a blogger to enter.

Just follow THESE RULES
and
send me your "Action/Motion" photo by midnight on July 31, 2010.