“Hello Rabbit’, he said, ‘is that you?’
‘Let’s pretend it isn’t,’ said Rabbit, ‘and see what happens.”
~A. A. Milne
Laying low
wildlife
Muskrat
This muskrat was intently feeding upon vegetation on the edge of a flooded farm field near the Mississippi River. His concentration was so focused upon his task that I was able to take several photos before he realized I was there. Finally he looked up, spotted me, dove underwater and quickly swam away.
“Courage consists not in blindly overlooking danger, but in seeing it, and conquering it.” ~Jean Paul
Wild Turkey
While out for a drive, we came upon this flock of wild turkey foraging for food on the ground out in a field.
“Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.” ~Edward Sandford Martin
The Wily Coyote
Though I sometimes hear distant group howls late at night — a sound that makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck and sparks instant fear in the eyes of the family dogs — it is rare that I see one out in the open during the daytime. This coyote crossed the road in front of our car and quickly made its way to the back of an open farm field.
“Good reputation is the first requirement for a trickster.” ~Unknown
Sing
This tiny frog was sitting on a blade of grass in our backyard. I believe it is an Upland Chorus Frog. Tennessee’s Watchable Wildlife describes it’s call as “short, raspy and rises in pitch; sounds like someone dragging their thumbnail over the teeth of a comb.” Not a terribly flattering description of this little frog’s singing voice, but I sure do enjoy sitting on the screen porch at night and listening to its chorus.
“Every life composes a song of its own.” ~Jeff Veach
Messing with the dog
The Rabbit
… He sat down close where I could see,
And his big still eyes looked hard at me,
His big eyes bursting out of the rim,
And I looked back very hard at him.
~Elizabeth Madox Roberts
Driving along the levee
Levee road along the Mississippi near Tiptonville, TN
Flock of red-winged blackbirds searching for grain
Eagle’s nest high in a tree
Foraging skunk
Duck blind and duck decoys
Landscape along the levee
Eagle nesting along the Mississippi river
Fox squirrel sitting in some trees
Barge going down the Mississippi
Mourning doves sitting on telephone lines
Sycamore tree
Deer running across a field
“Sometimes, the inessential is essential.” ~T. L. Rese
Deer at dusk
“You may seem alone but you are not, for there are always eyes watching you. All the wildlife of the woods, the insects, birds, and animals, are well aware of your presence no matter how softly you may tread, and they follow your every move although you cannot see them.” ~Thalassa Cruso
A Yellow theme
On my walks this week, the yellows of this season as summer fades into autumn have really been popping out and catching my attention. Here are a few photos from those country road walks.
“Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons.” ~Jim Bishop
walking on a country road 