“Aye, I’m tellin’ ye, happiness is one of the few things in this world that doubles every time you share it with someone else.” ~Sir Harry Lauder
Tennessee
Attracted to the Mistflowers
As you drive along the country roads of West Tennessee in the late summer and autumn, you are likely to see a burst of pale bluish-purple wildflowers growing along the way. The Mistflower grows in clusters, and its fluffy-looking flowers are magnets for butterflies, moths and other insects which are attracted to its nectar.
“There are many things in life that will catch you eye, but only a few will catch your heart. Pursue these.” ~Michael Nolan
Black and Yellow Garden Spider
One of the spiders that I have seen frequently this summer and fall is the female Black and Yellow Garden Spider. She is conspicuous because of her large size and bright color pattern. Her orb web is also large in size, sometimes reaching up to two feet. The web is normally decorated with a white zigzag band of silk near the center where the female can often be seen waiting patiently for or enjoying her prey.
“The spider’s touch, how exquisitely fine!
Feels at each thread, and lives along the line.”
~ Alexander Pope
Standing among the duckweed
This spot at the Reelfoot National Wildlife Refugee is one of my favorite places to stand and listen to silence, intertwined with the occasional sweet sounds of nature.
“In mid-wood silence, thus, how sweet to be,
Where all the noises, that on peace intrude
Come from the chittering cricket, bird, and bee,
Whose songs have charms to sweeten solitude.”
~John Clare
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds
“While it may seem small, the ripple effects of small things is extraordinary.” Matt Bevin
Great blue heron in an inlet
As we drove past this inlet, we spotted a Great blue heron standing motionless in the shallow water. We backed up, stopped, and enjoyed the beautiful scene.
“Let’s find some beautiful place to get lost.” ~Unknown
Napping sparrow
This sparrow found a nice, quiet, partially sunny spot on the side of the birdbath to take a little siesta. It was hard not to yawn as I watched this peaceful little scene.
“… May we learn to honor the hammock, the siesta, the nap and the pause in all its forms.” ~Alice Walker
Busy pollinators
Presently, the fragrant flowers of the White Snakeroot plant can be seen along the edges of the road, especially flourishing in the filtered sunlight of the tall oak trees. Being one of the last wildflowers to bloom in the autumn, it provides a valuable source of nectar for a variety of busy insects.
“It’s not so much how busy you are, but why you are busy. The bee is praised. The mosquito is swatted.” ~Mary Flannery O’Connor
Taking in the view
“Wherever you may be … take a few minutes to just sit and enjoy the view …” ~Unknown
Enjoying the Sedum Plants
This is the time of year when the sedum plants are in bloom. I particularly enjoy the late afternoon, when the sun brings out the colors in the star-shaped flowers and a variety of small insects stop by for a visit.
“Nature is to be found in her entirety nowhere more than in her smallest creatures.” ~Pliny the Elder (Roman Scholar)
walking on a country road 