FOR ME, THERE IS A LOT OF TRUTH IN THESE WORDS

"Going to the woods is going home."

~John Muir~

DOWNY WOODPECKER AND OTHER THINGS

A lot of times when I go to take a photo of the birds outside, they will fly away.  I have often told my dear other half that I am going to attach a sheet up at the window, cut a hole and stick the camera lens through.  I believe he thinks I'm joking.  I would also take one of the kitchen chairs and sit down in comfort for a while to see if I can have more success.  

I didn't have to do any of that today.  I noticed the Male Downy Woodpecker perched on one of the rails.  He stayed still for the longest time.  I was wondering if he had spotted a hawk and was hiding.  I have seen them literally under the thickest part of the lower deck raiI, looking up at the sky, and sure enough I saw a hawk circling above.  I stared at this one for quite a while and decided to grab my camera, thinking he was going to fly away.  But I got right up there, took a few photos and he remained motionless.  Meantime a pair of Mourning Doves landed, along with a Blue Jay, and he still stayed until I decided to make sure he was okay.  When I opened the patio door he flew up into the trees, so that was good.

Another thing that happened this past week, we were out on the deck chatting with someone, and I saw movement in my neighbor's garden.  I was pleasantly surprised to see a fox jump over the fence, run across the grass, make a left turn and disappear into another neighbor's garden. Our visitor wasn't as excited as I was, but he lives more out in the country, and I suspect this is a regular occurrence for him.  I mentioned a little while ago that I had looked out the front window one night to see fox kits playing in our front yard.  I have been looking ever since and there has been no sign until I saw this one.  It was very healthy looking, had the most beautiful shiny coat.  No photos but a sweet memory.  I borrowed the fox photo from my go to place - pixabay.com.

We ran a few errands and on the way back we went through the drive-thru at our local coffee shop.  When Gregg handed me my coffee I noticed the name and said, "I think Drake may have gotten my coffee."  We were already driving home so no turn around to see.  It was my regular order.  I showed him the side of my cup and said, "I think I am going to call you Drake from now on."  "Thank you for my coffee Drake!"  "You're welcome!" Drake said.

Here's my doggy fix for today.  Doggy's human had just come out of the coffee shop and was getting ready to cross the road.  "Would you like to be called Drake Doggy? I think that name would suit you."  I passed the name on as I think my human is going to get tired of being called Drake."

We followed this truck for a while.  I looked at the words and the design and immediately identified a kindred spirit.  I am ready for the forests and the mountains, to lose my mind and find my soul.  It is one of my favorite quotes.

I am still in the middle of my garden post and thought I would send this to be going on with.  

FALL LEAVES

This is one of my online jigsaw puzzles I wanted to share for November, and below are a few of the trees in our back yard.  The quote below fits me perfectly.  I love Autumn in every way.

"See it, smell it, taste, it, and forget the time of day or year. Autumn needs no clock or calendar."

~Hal Borland~

We were running errands a few days ago and I couldn't stop taking photos of the leaves.

It has been unseasonably warm so far.  I still look forward to getting into chunky sweaters and snugly gloves, smelling wood smoke on the air as we walk around the neighborhood in the dark, coming back to a mug of hot chocolate to take away the chill, wrapping myself in a thick throw-blanket and curling up at one end of the sofa to read a good book. Lovely!

This cheeky little fellow jumped into the car.  He surprised the heck out of me when he appeared in this photo, looking a bit confused.  No, not really, just working a little magical playtime into my day, on my laptop.  He is from Saturday and is also in my signature at the end of my post.  You get everywhere cutie!

Silly little squirrel just told me a knock-knock joke.

"Knock-Knock!" he says.  "Whose there?" says I.  "Orange!" he says.  "Orange who?" says I.  "Orange you glad it's Autumn?"  I keep telling him to stop with the groaner jokes, but he just won't listen.

"Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale."
~Lauren deStefano~

"The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. As age comes on, one source of enjoyment after another is closed, but nature’s sources never fail."
~John Muir~

We have a lot of leaves to sweep up, but they are still falling from the trees like rain.  They look so pretty!

Next day Gregg took this of one of the berry bushes at our local shopping area, and there are those Autumn leaves again.  The birds will be happy with all those bright and delicious looking berries.

I took a photo of this beautiful tree on our way home.

And that's all for now.  

NATURE'S PEACE...

 

WILDERNESS

Dall Sheep in Denali National Park, Alaska in May 2018

“Wilderness is a necessity there must be places for human beings to satisfy their souls.”

~John Muir~

A JOHN MUIR QUOTE ABOUT GOING HOME

"Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wilderness is a necessity."

~John Muir~

WHEN ONE TUGS...

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”

~John Muir~

KEEP CLOSE TO NATURE'S HEART...

“Keep close to Nature’s heart...and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods.  Wash your spirit clean.”

~John Muir~


Thanks for looking and whatever you are doing today, may it be a great one.