Spring on the River

The colors of spring are a most welcome sight after a long winter.

And this year was no exception.

The river was running a little high.

The trees were starting to bud.

The warm day had a slight breeze that kept the annoying black flies away.

It was such a treat to take a stroll through the field that led to the river.

The bees were happily buzzing from one dandelion to the next - the first food flower of the season for them.

Little May flowers and sweet violets grew in patches in the shorter grasses.

The maples were sending out their seeds as the birds called their spring songs from up in the branches.

Mother Nature sure knows how to bring joy to the soul.

Each season has its own special gifts, and this day was one of Spring's finest.

 

Winter Color

Just after a fresh snowfall, when everything is still covered, black and white are the predominate colors in the winter.

The red of the cardinal birds stands out beautifully in the trees.

The blue of the sky beyond those trees is just as vivid as the red birds.

But it's pretty hard to find other colors in a winter landscape after Mother Nature lays down a new snow layer.

That was the case today on my afternoon walk - no cardinals or blue sky to be found.

Just a lot of black and white with varying shades of gray in between.

There was one stray flash of color though that caught my eye as I passed by.

The white of the snow against the lime green of an overturned pail really stood out.

It beckoned me to take a closer look.

My phone was small enough to fit between the thorny branches and get close enough to capture the shot.

A winter abstract, with a splash of color - makes for an interesting composition.

 

ABC Wednesday - G is for Green

This was one of the prettiest dragonflies that I have seen.

When I first saw it, it was on a leaf in the garden, and I almost missed him because he matched that leaf so well.

So, I followed him around until he landed on something that he stood out against.

It took a while, and I guess he was tired, because he stayed quite a while on these rocks.

He didn't fly away as I closed in on him.

This was the closest I could get with the lens I had on the camera - not my macro one which would have done a great job with his details.

He was beautiful, and I have yet to see another one like him - perhaps this summer I might get a chance.

My eyes will be peeled.





This is the twelfth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details. 

ABC Wednesday - T is for Tractor

It was old and green and had been sitting out in the elements for who knows how many years.

The rust had taken over most of this antique tractor, and the seat was missing - whatever it had been made of was long gone.

She had a lot of good hard to find parts on her that someone who restored these old tractors should have wanted.

But we couldn't find a taker for this old girl.

So she ended up at the scrap yard.

A sad ending for a once fine machine that was someone's pride and joy back in the 1940's.

This is the eleventh round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details. 

ABC Wednesday - D is for Dragonfly

D is for Dragonfly..........




 

He flew around my head several times, and I was surprised to see what a beautiful color he was when he finally landed.

Of course, I didn't have my camera at the time, so I went running inside to get it.

I was happy to see that he kept to the same area when I got back outside.

He finally settled down, and slowly I crept up on him as not to frighten him.

Not exactly the pose or as close as I would have liked to photograph him in, but I was happy to capture his beautiful color nonetheless.

 

This is the tenth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

ABC Wednesday - V is for Verdant

V is for Verdant..........




 

So green and lush is this field in the spring.

Quite a contrast to the brown of the fall that has yet to be covered in snow.

The hope of the spring is what keeps those of us, who are not too fond of winter, going.

I will say, it has been nice to not be covered with that snow yet.

But it will come as it always does.

 

This is the ninth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

ABC Wednesday - T is for Tubes

T is for Tubes..........




 

We travel this back road each spring in our search for our delicious fiddleheads.

We pass several streams and several farms in this beautiful region.

But upon passing this farm beside a stream, we noticed these strange white tubes following alongside the river's edge.

We couldn't figure out what they could possible be, and decided to take a look inside of them.

Not wanting to be spotted by the landowner, we made it quick and were surprised with our find.

Inside each one was a tree seedling.

Not sure what kind of trees they were protecting, but each one was a single stick.

It's hard to see in the photo, but there are hundreds of these tubes all along the river.

It will be interesting when we go back this spring to see how they are doing.

 

This is the ninth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

ABC Wednesday - O is for Ocean

O is for Ocean..........




 

It's my most favorite place to be - the Ocean.

And this shot was taken on a hot summer day.

The tide was coming in, and by the time we left, none of the dark rocks were showing.

I have never seen these Maine waters look so green as they did that day.

Usually they are dark blue like the waters further out in the background.

A gorgeous day, a beautiful photo, and a great memory!

 

This is the ninth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

ABC Wednesday - D is for Drops

  

D is for Drops...........




 The pretty daffodil blooms had passed, and the green leaves were all that remained. Knowing that they must turn brown and dry up before they are removed from the garden we let them lay until about mid May. Then they get braided - many patches of them fill the flower bed. The summer flowers grow around them, covering the braids that are beginning to turn brown. All the life and goodness of the flower has returned to the bulb under the ground - ensuring it will grow next spring. I love the way the water beads up on the leaves after a rainstorm. 

 



This is the ninth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

Gate Blocking the Field - My World

  Gate Blocking the Field - My World



  Last week I showed an image of a path that lead to a field. This week's post is the entrance to that field. That pretty path of last week is way over on the left of this field - too far to see in this photo. The farmer is the one who holds the key to this gate so he can get in with his tractor. All that crushed stone was added in the last year. Before it was there, the mud was ankle deep all year round as there is a little stream that runs right across that entrance. 

Path to the Field - My World

  Path to the Field - My World



  The whispy clouds had just the right pose. The spring green buds on the trees add their own special touch. The blue sky was perfectly vibrant, and the sporadic green grass creates a beautiful lead into the scene. This path leads to field of grass that is used for haying by a local farmer. A most beautiful spot in the spring! 

Fiddlehead Ferns - My World

  Fiddlehead Ferns - My World



  We have been picking three times this season - yesterday was the last trip. These delicious treats of spring are only here for about a week. Then they become unfurled and are beautiful ferns for the rest of the year. Cleaning them is a big job - they must be rinsed until the water they are soaked in is clear. After four soakings and rinsed under running water, they are ready to be cooked. We spent the afternoon blanching and cooling them for the freezer. They will taste oh-so-good this winter when we pull them out for a meal!

ABC Wednesday - M is for Mouse

  M is for Mouse............




We were in a public park with many people around. We just happened to be standing next to an area that was roped off - and I caught him out of the corner of my eye. Nestled in the lush clover was this little gray mouse - having a snack in the late afternoon sun. Nobody else paid him any mind - but I just had to snap his photo. And all the while thinking - glad you are out here and not running around under my house where the mouse traps are. He knows where he belongs - out in the great outdoors - which is perfect for all of us.




This is the eighth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

Green Swamp

Green Swamp

A scene from late spring of last year.

 

The swamp down our road - so beautiful all decked out in green.

 

And the clouds posed so perfectly in that beautiful blue sky.

 

It was one of those days when everything came together just right for a walk along the edge of the swamp.

Green Lily Pads - My World

Green Lily Pads - My World






No frogs or water lilies on these guys.

This image was taken at the beginning of fall - all the flowers had bloomed and gone.

Not sure where the frogs were, perhaps it was just a bit too chilly for them.

These lily pads were huddled against the shore in just this one spot.

The rest of the lake was lily pad free.

ABC Wednesday - G is for Green

G is for Green............







Lots and lots of green.

Back to the swamp for this one - the little lily pads are crowding their way to the surface.

They all want a piece of the sun and they almost completely cover the top of the water.

They are a smaller variety, so perhaps that is why there are so many.

This little environment is supporting many different kinds of life, and is is good to see it so healthy.

This image was taken towards the end of July - I was hoping to catch the water lilies in bloom.

We went back a couple of weeks ago to see how they were coming along, and it was quite a disappointing scene.

I will post some pics in the next couple of weeks of my beloved swamp.








This is the seventh round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

ABC Wednesday - D is for Dog

D is for Dog............







A very common word for the letter D - dog.

He was not easy to capture at first.

This Beagle dog was in a new place, and he was following his nose everywhere.

After about a half an hour, he was more than ready to take a break in the soft grass.

That was the perfect time for me to grab a few shots of him.

A friend was dog-sitting him, and that was the only time I ever saw him.

I am not usually around dogs, so I am glad he was gracious enough to pose so nicely for me to photograph him.








This is the seventh round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

ABC Wednesday - C is for Cuke Curl

C is for Cuke Curl............







Last week's post was a bean blossom from the garden.

This week's post is from the garden too.

I caught this delicate little vine of a cucumber plant in the early morning - curled up beautifully.

By lunchtime, it was stretched out straight, looking for something to hang onto.

Since this photo was taken we have enjoyed the delicious cucumbers these plants have produced.

Many blossoms and tiny cukes are still coming so we should be enjoying them for quite a while!








This is the seventh round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

ABC Wednesday - B is for Bean Blossom

B is for Bean Blossom............







A couple of weeks ago, the green bean plants in the garden were filled with these pretty little blossoms.

Green beans are such quick growers, we have had two great meals of them already.

We staggered the planting over a couple of weeks to try to stretch the growing season of them out a bit longer.

We will get another meal, but I fear they have pretty much produced all they are going to for this year.

The few that will be left will be for the hungry gardener who loves to eat them raw - just picked from the plant - Me!








This is the seventh round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

Lots of Lily Pads - My World

Lots of Lily Pads - My World






The swamp that is home to the Blue Herons has been taken over by the Lily Pads.

There are so many that the surface looks to be all green.

And upon a closer look, there are lots of water lily buds too.

Hopefully we can get back down there at the right time to catch them all in bloom.