Plymouth

Frank and I at the hotel bar in Plymouth, England....nine years ago this coming July. Best trip ever! Still keep in touch with Frank (Florida) and Val (New Zealand). Oh, and don't forget Bear, also in the picture, but then that's a different story.

Trappers Run Trail

First Spring Walk

 Today it has poured rain all day but yesterday was beautiful....warmer and sunny. I set off to Lake Erie Metropark for my first walk in months. I was looking for spring. My first encounter with life forms were these three guys (and a dog) out in their kayaks. Other than that the spring pickings were slim....just a few budding branches. Everything else was still gray and gloomy. There was, however, a lot of bird activity. I didn't notice any migratoires but the locals were out in full force.....Northern Cardinal, American Robins, Hairy Woodpeckers, Black-capped Chickadees and Red-winged Blackbirds. It was so good to be out in the fresh air after a winter being cooped up with a knee injury and one flu bug after another.

Love the reflections  (click to enlarge and note the little dog in the front of the blue kayak)

 Some life out there....more in my backyard though.

 A lovely pair of Downy Woodpeckers

 A pair of Red-wings

 I have to comment about the noise....some kind of frogs chirping, geese honking, and a huge flock of gulls making a hell of a racket. This Canada Goose was making so much noise and when all the other geese and ducks flew away, he was hurrying to his mate (I think) and honking the whole while. Couldn't figure out why they didn't fly off. Will ask the interpreter on Saturday when I see him at Crack O' Dawn.

Bye guys....hope you had a great day.....I know I did.

Be Gone Winter!

Egrets

 Snowy Egret

When I go to visit my family in South Carolina, I am out everyday taking pictures. I love going to the marshes and ocean to shoot these Egrets. I think they are so comical and they don't seem to mind posing for my camera.

 Great Egret

Great Egret on one leg!

Sunshine and Bluebirds

It seems a long time coming.

St. Joseph Oratory

Waiting......

Through the Seasons

Lower Huron Metropark

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter

The PawPaw Trail

 I loved this nature trail at Lower Huron Metropark....it's no longer maintained by the park and the sign has been removed but I bet you could still find the trail....I'm going to look this summer. It is a short trail, which I appreciate, and there is always something to see......ducks and Herons etc. Another thing, there is no one there but yourself. Definitely going to check it out.

 Liam and Emma walking the Pawpaw

This is at the beginning of the trail, at the top of a little hill. People used to prop walking stick against this fence. I would use one and then put it back when I left.

 Lots of wild flowers...pictured below a wild Columbine.....so beautiful. Above a Trillium.

 Me doing a selfie 2012

At this point I was using a Sony Cybershot, point and shoot camera...before I got my Canon SLR.

 Emma and Liam, 2010
Emma is almost 18 now and off to DePaul University in the fall. Liam is 15 and in high school and plays 3 sports. Oh, so long ago

I heard the clear, beautiful song of a Northern Cardinal in my back yard this morning....

St. Joseph Oratory

(click on photos to enlarge)