Vetch and the Bumble Bee

I finally caught a Bumble Bee collecting pollen from wild vetch blossoms.  I've always loved Bumble Bees with their sunny laid back dispositions.  They are VERY good-natured--not minding too much that a large camera lens follows them along through the flowers! 

I've loved wild vetch since I was a child--to me they look like little birds.  There are many varieties of wild vetch.  Each is quite lovely when examined close up.  There is a mother-of-pearl quality about some types of vetch.

Kitten's Mittons - Shadow Shot Sunday

To our great sadness we decided to take Buttercup back to the shelter.  After a month, she was still too afraid and would not bond with us.  She spent most of her time under our bed, or crammed into as tiny a corner as she could find behind our furniture.   

We were about to leave when we spied a tiny furred face pressed against the bars of her cage.  It took only a moment to know THIS five-month old kitten was meant to come home with us.

Her formal name is Audi, but we call her Bootsie, KittyBootz, and KittenKins.  Yesterday she had a wonderful time following me around the house, watching what I was doing with intense interest.  We have found a darling little friend who fills our house with smiles and fun!

For more wonderful shadow shots visit Shadow Shot Sunday!

On the Right Track

We went out to dinner with friends to celebrate our Anniversaries.  We have been doing this for more than 15 years.  Three years ago we found a wonderful place for our tradition--we share dinner at a fabulous local restaurant, where one must park some distance away, then walk across the railroad tracks.  That evening, to my husband's joy (he loves trains) a train was coming.

I was totally fascinated by the light gleaming from the rails. It reminded me of part of an old song which I barely remember--something about starlight on the rails.

You can find more wonderful reflective photographs from around the world at Weekend Reflections.

Have You Ever Heard of a Thimble Berry?

These flowers are called Thimble Berries.  When they ripen, the petals brown and fall away, while the center becomes a succulent red berry.  It is shaped like a little cup and though there's hardly enough for a mouthful, these berries are the essence of sweetness.  

I should probably also add here, that Thimble Berry leaves are also known as "nature's toilet paper..."  

These lovely yellow flowers also grow wild near my parent's home.  At first I thought they were buttercups, but my sweet Sis Clytie did some research and discovered these are actually large leaved Avens.

These incredibly pink blossoms were all over the pine tree--I thought the color was magnificent.

This is a flag, or wild Iris.  When we were kids--we watched for these each spring.  There was something magical about their arrival in the Forest.

This is an iris whose rich colors caught me by surprise and filled my eyes to the very brim.

Emerald Elegance

Here are more drops of pitch from the great bejeweled Fir Tree. If you look closely, you can see the surrounding forest is reflected within, upside down.

I find myself in awe of their beauty.

Heart of the Sea

There's something magical about the seashore.  Our time at the beach last week was no exception.

My sweet Sis loves the ocean, but she hasn't been able to visit there for many years.  I wished she could walk with me, as I stepped across the sun-soaked rocks, listening to the roar of the waves on that perfect day.

Then I saw it.  A lovely sheen of heart made of what looked like sand--floating on the surface of a tide pool.  Beneath that heart the sun threw a beautiful shadow.  I could hardly believe my eyes.  I knew this lovely Heart of the Sea was something extra special--a gift from God, especially crafted for my Sister.  

To see more wonderful hearts visit Clytie's Random Hearts! 

For more fabulous shadow shot pictures from all over, be sure to check out Shadow Shot Sunday!

Heart's Blood - Weekend Reflections

On our last walk together, Sissy showed me a treasure trove of jewels. A place where pitch from the heart of the tree drips down the bark, leaving bejeweled drops of sparkling beauty.

Neither one of us had ever seen red pitch before--but there it was.  Straight from the heart of the giant fir tree.

Above I've added a closeup of this amazing jewel of nature.

You can see more wonderful Reflections from all over the world at Weekend Reflections.

Shy as a Daisy

Daisies are such friendly flowers!  I caught this lovely lady peeking out through the variegated mint in my garden.  She wished us a good afternoon and then hid her face as the winds whipped the trees into a frenzy.

Dory Boats, Starfish and Ocean Waves

It was our 27th Wedding Anniversary.  For three years we've celebrated our wedding anniversary in Pacific City, Oregon.  This is an enchanted place where just about anything could happen.  We were blessed--the weather was fair, the wind crisp and cool.  Here you see Teacup Rock against a spectacularly blue sky.

One can meet the most interesting people walking along the beach.  I thought this young fellow with that wonderful hat was the very picture of magical quality of our weekend.

There was a minus tide which allowed us to walk along places normally covered by the sea.  In particular I enjoyed the colorful starfish curling into the face of the rocks.

I worked hard to capture the teal green of the ocean when the sun shown through the waves.  I was finally able to capture a sense of that illusive color in this sparkling wave.

Above you see one of the most spectacular and fascinating aspects of Pacific City. Every morning the Dory boats go out to sea.  The Dory is a small, shallow-draft boat with high sides, a flat bottom and sharp bow used in commercial fishing.

The boats take turns coming back to shore.  Around mid-afternoon, there's a blast of horn to warn surfers a boat is coming in.  One can watch a Dory boat gather it's strength to fly at the beach full-tilt--engines are unhinged so when the boat  hits the sand, it slides up out of the water, halfway up the beach.  It is a thrill to watch as they come in one after the other!

We climbed the sand dune, where the pathway branches out along the spine of the cliff.  That's where we found this funny fellow.  I can't figure out if he's just grouchy, or if he's puckering up for a kiss!  I call him the Muffin Man.

While we were sitting together on these cliffs, in the cove just below the Muffin Man we saw a great grey whale!  It is the first time I've seen a whale in real life.  I did not get a good picture of the whale--but the memory was magical. 

This rainbow colored rock wall was just above a cave where the water pounded and sighed.  Up on the curve of the rock, I was sure I could see the outline of a mermaid.  Can you see her?  She's silhouetted against the colors of the rock.

Our 27th Anniversary was absolutely lovely.  We came away with so many wonderful memories--it was REALLY hard to go back home!

Caterpiller Dreams - Weekend Reflections

On our last walk, I was so busy looking at the amazing clouds in the skies above, I almost missed this small fellow.  My Sister Clytie was the first to notice this bright little caterpiller sporting sparkling dewdrop diamonds on a patch of green clover.

You can find more wonderful pictures from around the world at Weekend Reflections.

Bluebells in my Garden

I have never seen such plush color or formation of Bluebells in my Garden before.  The flower faeries have been extra busy this Spring. 

Their blooms are nearly gone now, but when they were in full blossoming, I was sure I heard the winged folk playing their whimsical tunes in the rain.

Introducing Princess Buttercup

After five days hiding beneath the bathtub, our kitty is finally out and about.  She's still a little shy, as you can see.  

It wasn't long before we noticed she didn't seem to like the name Tinkerbell.  She'd become a little twitchy when we called her by that name.  The three of us were watching The Princess Bride together, when I jokingly cried, "Pawincess Buttahcup!" 

Her ears snapped toward me.  Surprised at her instantaneous reaction, I repeated the name, "Princess Buttercup?!"  She turned her head and looked  into my eyes.  I am sure she was smiling.

Then my husband said, "Buttercup!"  She stood to her paws and walked up his chest to purr her approval.

So here she is, introducing our new furry friend, Princess Buttercup!

Lily of the Valley

When I find the fragrant Lily of the Valley carpeting the ground around the pond, I am enraptured.  The beauty of this exquisite plant with its white blossomy bells smites my consciousness. 

It is no wonder the song-writer wrote, He's the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star.  He's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

Have a perfectly lovely day!

Hidden Treasure - Shadow Shot Sunday

On our last walk through the abandoned Mega Church, Sissy showed me a charming discovery, inside the wall, where vandals had bashed waist-high holes into the sheet rock. 

A small brown wren had built a lovely nest within.  I gasped.  The brown speckled eggs snuggled into the heart shadow of nest were indeed Hidden Treasure.  A few days later Sissy called to say they'd hatched!  You can see these funny, wide-mouthed young'uns at Clytie's fascinating blog Random Stuff. 

It seemed the perfect entry for Shadow Shot Sunday, Mother's Day AND to celebrate the wonderful day my darling Sister Clytie was born!  Be sure to drop by Random Hearts to wish Sissy a Happy Birthday!

It's about Thyme

Spring has indeed made herself known when the Thyme begins to bloom.  The bees especially love these blossoms and even the hummingbirds seem to be interested--though these flowers are very tiny.

All kinds of herbs are beginning to blossom and bloom.  They seem to be thriving even more than normal.  Probably due to our warm, wet winter and all the rain we've had this spring so far!

Nature's Emeralds - Weekend Reflections

How wonderful to step into morning's first light to glimpse such splendor.  A queen couldn't be adorned more spectacularly than this lovely green leaf of Spring.

For more incredible Weekend Reflections around the world visit Weekend Reflections.

Nose to Nose

A storm rolled through yesterday--I caught this cloud face nose to nose with what looks like a fat little whale.  The little fellow's tail is hidden behind the tippy top of the tree.  I know I have a great imagination, but the face seems pretty clear to me.  I have not touched this photo up in any way, other than adjusting the levels. 

It is so amazing what one can see in the clouds.

A Moss Heart for Sissy

I was up early morning in the mountains, when I caught this sweet moss heart with my camera.  I knew this heart must be especially for my darling Sister Clytie, Queen of hearts. 

If you get the chance, pop on over to Sissy's heart page Random Hearts.  Her photos are incredibly creative and unique, not to mention inspiring!

Backyard Hummer

There are scads of these tiny birds zipping in and about in our backyard.  They are a never-ending source of amazement and amusement.  I was barely able to capture this one little lady hummer as she ate from the feeder.  What a darling little bird.  Here she is bobbing up to watch us in between eating. 

Shadow Singer - Shadow Shot Sunday

Perched upon rhythms of shadow, this sweet songbird regaled us with a lilting tune.

You can find more fabulous shadow shots at Shadow Shot Sunday.

In a Squirrel's Eye - Weekend Reflections

Whilst sitting on the swing in our backyard, we were so delighted when one of our dear little squirrels took time to drink from the pond before scampering up into the trees.  We've named this little fellow Charlie!  He seems fearless and loves the peanuts we put out for him.

For more fabulous pictures check out Weekend Reflections!