“Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the Earth are never alone or weary of life.” – Rachel Carson
Ring-billed Gulls
birds
A place to rest
Mourning dove sitting on the limb of a pine tree.
“Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” ~Unknown
Using his head
A woodpecker peeking out of the hole of a hollowed tree branch. In one of the photos, you can see him throwing a wood chip out of the hole.
“Even the woodpecker owes his success to the fact that he uses his head and keeps pecking away until he finishes the job he started.” ~Coleman Cox
A pause in the flurry
A Tufted titmouse briefly resting on a crepe myrtle branch.
Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset. ~St. Francis de Sales
On the lookout
An eagle perched in a tree along the Mississippi River
“You can observe a lot just by watching.” ~Yogi Berra
Downy Woodpecker
This downy woodpecker and some of his friends have been busy lately drilling holes in our pine trees. I even heard one tapping on the house early this morning. They are pretty birds and interesting to watch, but you have to keep an eye on them to make sure they aren’t doing real damage.
“Parents need to fill a child’s bucket of self-esteem so high that the rest of the world can’t poke enough holes to drain it dry.” ~Alvin Price
Eastern Bluebirds
One afternoon while I was out walking, I saw a small group of bluebirds foraging for insects. They sat in bushes and low limbs of trees waiting, and then dropped to the ground to capture their prey. Their beautiful blue color really made them stand out against the neutral colors of the landscape.
The bluebird, famous for the scrap of sky
Borne on his back – an indigo so bright
That just a glimpse of his distinctive flight,
All swoop and flurry, captivates the eyes
and makes us smile …
~George Bradley
Listening to the squabble
The Blue Jays started quite a loud squabble in my neighbor’s back yard. This robin, wanting no part of the falling-out, quickly cleared out of the way. She came flying across our back yard and found a branch up high in one of our pine trees to listen and wait out the commotion.
“Pick your battles. You don’t have to show up to every argument you’re invited to.” ~Mandy Hale
White pelicans over the Mississippi
A large flock of migrating white pelicans has returned to spend some time along the Mississippi River. It’s hard not to be impressed by this beautiful sight.
“The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it.” ~Richard Bach
Northern Flicker
A Northern Flicker dropped by this morning to get a quick drink of water from our bird bath. This isn’t a bird that I normally see in our backyard, so it was a treat to get a glimpse of him.
… to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter; to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wildflower in spring – these are some of the rewards of the simple life. ~John Burroughs
walking on a country road 