Thankful for the Blue Ridge Mountains along with the magical world of Mother Nature that is in these mountains. AND that I get to live up here witnessing that magic every day.
Wishing you a lovely Thanksgiving.
Thankful For The Magic Of Nature
Thankful For Friends Over The Decades
So many dear friends over the decades. Each one special in their own way. This is next door neighbor Bonnie on the left and me on the right. Best of buddies. And even now still making friends. Collecting friends like there’s no tomorrow. So thankful for each and every one of you.
Thankful For Special Moments
I’m thankful for special moments. Moments never to be repeated. Thankful that sometimes I’m able to capture those moments as a photograph. This is one of those moments. My Dad’s hand reaching out to hold his great-granddaughter’s tiny hand.
So Much To Be Thankful For
So much to be thankful for, not only during this Thanksgiving season but throughout the year, including precious family.
White-tailed Deer
Wondering when the Black Bears (Ursus americanus) will return in their usual numbers. Their population has dropped dramatically due to mange in this area.
In their absence White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are taking advantage of the situation. Under normal circumstances I see way more bear than deer. But now deer seem to be ubiquitous.
More Traffic On The Road
Last night I posted a blog about a turkey on my road, but I didn’t mention that this sort of “traffic” is not unusual. Last night’s turkey, and these, above, are Domestic Turkeys.
There’s another sort of turkey traffic too. Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo). Though the Domestic Turkeys tend to stay away from the woods further up the road, the Wild Turkeys are more often seen up here in the woods.
And then there are chickens that cross the road. I have no idea why they cross the road. Other than to get to the other side.
But my very favorite traffic crossing the road, over all the years I’ve been up here, these little pigs that decided to take a stroll. I’ve only seen them once, but I’m so glad I was able to capture an image.
Turkey In The Road
No telling what one might see in the middle of the road these days. Tis the season!
Out The Backdoor
A matter of a few feet from the back door of the cabin, in the middle of a path. Discovered a couple days ago. Photos taken this afternoon. No telling when or where you’ll find mushrooms popping up.
This one is a Russula pulchra. Just 2 inches across.
I love capturing fungi in pixels. So many colors. So many sizes, shapes and textures.
One Of Many
The American Robin (Turdus migratorius). Wikipedia calls this a migratory bird. But that is certainly not the case with many of them. This morning 15 or 20 of them showed up at my little pond and bird bath as they often do year round. Quite the gathering.
During the autumn and winter they roam in large groups looking for berries and other wild fruits to satisfy their needs. Spring and summer they dine on a wide variety of invertebrates, including the one that I think of right away when I think of Robins, earthworms.
Red Blueberry Leaves
There are a dozen or more mature Blueberry Bushes around my cabin. Each with its own personality. Many with red twigs to accent the snow and ice that fall during the winter. Others have one last “leaf hoorah” with a brilliant show of red before the leaves finally fall to ground. November is the time to catch the show, with or without snow or ice, it is spectacular.