… And all things earliest loved by me, —
The bird, the brook, the flower, the tree, —
Came back again, as thus I heard
The cardinal bird.
~William Davis Gallagher
nature
At the end of the day
A small plane landing at a local airport just as the sun was setting.
“End your day with a smile, a happy thought and a grateful heart.” ~Clint Walker
Out on a limb
The American Black Vulture is a little more dapper than his fellow scavenger, the Turkey Vulture, sporting glossy black feathers and a gray neck and head. The Black Vulture is also said to be more social and prone to maintaining family ties. We spotted these as they were taking in the view from the top of a tree at the Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge.
“When you are out on a limb, the whole world is at your feet.” ~Unknown
Patience
“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Cedar Waxwing
It is always a joy to catch a glimpse of the Cedar Waxwings when they wander into our area searching for berries. Their high pitched whistle, as they call back and forth to one another, usually gives their presence away.
“I love berries. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, black berries, anything with an ‘errie’ in it!” ~Jordin Sparks
Common grackle
This adult male grackle was foraging for food amongst the needles of a cypress tree. His shiny black plumage took on a glossy-iridescence when struck by the bright sunlight.
In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary. ~Aaron Rose
In search of the Sandhill Cranes
After spotting three Sandhill Cranes on farmland near our house, I was curious to find out why the cranes were in the area. I did an online search and discovered that “Hop-in Refuge”, located not far from us in West Tennessee, is a wintering home to several thousand Sandhill Cranes each year. Used as farmland during the summer, it is then flooded to provide habitat for birdlife during the winter months. I was excited to go on a road trip in search of the Sandhill Cranes. We found that though the refuge is closed during the months of November thru February, there are plenty of cranes to see dotting the farmland in the surrounding area.
“Blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventures.” ~Unknown
Sunrays
We’ve had so many cloudy days lately, that it is good to see the sun — even if it is just peeking out from behind the clouds.
“Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain’t goin’ away.” ~Elvis Presley
Curiosity
I was watching this squirrel scamper about in a pine tree, when suddenly he stopped and turned to look at me. I guess that we were both a little curious.
“The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.” ~Dorothy Parker
Sandhill Cranes
During a walk on our country road, I heard a strange bugling sound that I was unfamiliar with. Looking around, I saw three tall birds standing off on the other side of the field. They were Sandhill Cranes searching for food in a harvested corn field.
“When we hear his call, we hear no mere bird. We hear the trumpet in the orchestra of evolution.” ~Aldo Leopold
walking on a country road 