A Country Weekend

There has been a lot happening in the country this weekend. The vegetable garden is growing by leaps and bounds. We now have tiny tomatoes growing on the vine and sweet basil to go along with them. Some of our broccoli was ready to cut. How exciting!



I have been taking pictures of anything that will be still for any length of time...

....bluebirds


...dragonflies


...tiny frogs


...and turkeys!


Well, only one turkey.


It has been paying a visit to our pond each morning for a drink.


Today it put on quite a show.


After strutting around for a while, it decided to roll around in the grass and shake out its feathers. I'm not sure what it was trying to accomplish, but it sure did look funny.




Life in the country is very laid back and relaxed, but it is never boring. Right now we are getting some much needed rain. I think I'll turn in for the night and fall asleep listening to its song. Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

Through My Lens

Yesterday, after the rain, John and I went for a walk so I could practice using my new camera. It was early evening and the air was still cool from the day's rainfall. We could hear the birds in full chorus hiding in the trees above us. I really do mean that they were hiding. I could hear them all around me, but I just couldn't see them. It is almost as though they knew that I wanted to photograph them.

We walked through the woods down our back drive to the road. We were strolling down the road when a deer crossed in front of us. I hurried to take the lens cap off of the camera and focused hoping that it was not alone. Sure enough, several others bounded across the road allowing me to get some pictures.



When we returned to our driveway we were able to capture a couple of pictures of one of the bluebirds that have taken up residence in the box that my dad put up for me. They are very shy and usually fly away before we get too close. We had seen the male and the female both holding worms in their mouths sitting on the power line earlier.






The babies must have been very hungry for both mom and dad to be so busy.



We were so excited to see so much wildlife on our evening walk. When we returned home, there was more wildlife to be found. Our girls were playing bocce ball with a friend. Now, that can really get wild!



I couldn't resist taking pictures of my hostas covered with raindrops. There is something special about little drops of water on the big green leaves of a hosta, don't you think?



Some of you may remember a previous post about my vole killer, Mo. Well, I found her sitting in her watchful position. Don't you just love animals that earn their keep?

As you can see, I am enjoying using my Mother's day gift very much. Capturing special little moments in time is truly priceless. Don't you agree?

Relax!

This has been one of those weeks. You know the kind that I am talking about; the kind of week that has been so full of activity that you don't know whether you are coming or going. Can you identify?

It is already Thursday and the week feels as though it has gone on forever. Being busy would be okay if I felt as though I had accomplished anything, but the activities I have been involved in are the kind that you can't look back and see results. Most of them involve trips to appointments and such.

I have found that when I have stressful events occurring in my life, the best thing I can do is take a walk. Needless to say, I have taken several walks this week. I try to grab my camera once in a while just in case I see anything interesting as I amble about. This week I decided to try to capture serenity in my photos to help me to remember to relax. I thought that maybe others would enjoy a relaxing moment as much as I do, so here it is. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the walk.


My gravel driveway is about a fourth of a mile long up hill. The hill actually gives a pretty good work out, but at the top I am rewarded by a pretty little bluebird that has made her home in the box that my dad put up for me. Until we put up the box last year, she tried to build a nest in my mailbox.



At the end of the driveway, a look to the right shows the solitude of where we live.



A look to the left shows even more of the solitude of our country life. We do have neighbors within a mile of our home, but we do not see them very often. During my walk, I may see one car (on a busy day).



I do not like to walk listening to an ipod, instead I enjoy listening to the sounds of nature and spending time with the creator of it all. Telling Him my problems always seems to make them much more bearable.

Of course what goes up, must come down, so the walk back down the driveway is probably the most relaxing part of the stroll. The wild blackberries growing around the pond look very promising this year.



The sounds of the birds, scent of the blooms, and the feel of the gentle breeze is enough to melt away any amount of stress that one may have.



Well, I am off to another busy day. Hopefully, I will find time to walk and relax. May you also find a little time in your day to relax and enjoy your surroundings.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me." John 14:1