Tuesday, September 6, 2011

A Rainy Day Walkabout

Irene does some damage on Market Street
Good morning, Friends! It's raining, it's pouring and the old man is definitely snoring. After Irene, I didn't think we'd see much rain again for a while, but it started yesterday, and hasn't really stopped. 


I went for a rain walk yesterday, and I picked some moss for some terrarium building. I spotted a few interesting things along the way, too! Unfortunately, the photos didn't turn out that nice because I was so worried about getting my phone wet while I was trying to focus. I'll show you what I found, anyway. 


First, these flowers at right smelled soooo good! I was walking down Penn Street when I got a whiff of a sweet, mellow perfume. I looked around and saw this flowering vine on several different fences. As I walked closer, I realized that it was also the source of the scent! I love these flowers anyway because of their resemblance to a starry sky at night, and they always seem to grow with such wild abandon. I hadn't actually caught the full strength of their power until recently! Their heady fragrance is enough to lift me off to another planet!


Gingko saplings


















When I got to the edge of the woods by the cemetery, I started looking around for some nice moss. I saw some gingko saplings that I took note of for a future excursion with K. He's been doing some serious bonsai research! He's amassed some of the more common accoutrements, and is ready to start controlling those little trees... so we've been keeping watch for some starters. A little maple tree planted by a squirrel would work fine, but people tend to pull them out as soon as they find them. Squirrels don't always choose the best locations for their plantings.


A baby bunny!


I also saw something that I at first took for a squirrel hunkered down in the grass. It turned out to be a baby bunny! It was pretty well hidden for a while, then as I stood there, it resumed eating and I could tell exactly what it was. I had to do serious digital zoom to get a close enough image... so it's a bit pixellated. Sorry! It was so cute!! I just adore rabbits, most especially after finishing Watership Down!


I did see lots of squirrels cavorting amongst the trees and hedges. They seemed to be very busy, but at what, I can't imagine.


The birds were singing overhead, and robins were bob-bob-bobbing along beside me, looking for some fat worms brought out by the rain. I never feel lonely when I'm out walking! There's just too much going on around me!


Ferns? Could be nice in a terrarium...

I saw a few plants that I considered for my future terrarium... things that looked like tiny ferns, but which could end up being some type of weed. It could have been a kind of yarrow... I'm not that familiar with all the wild plants of Pennsylvania yet. I took photos and noted their locations if I decide to return for them. They were growing all over the place and wouldn't be missed.

I lifted up some segments of moss, and placed them in my plastic bag that I'd brought along inside my canvas bag. I also picked up some litter as I walked. I figured that I was taking something, so I should also give something, even if the giving was a taking of garbage. K and I both try to help out by picking up litter on our walks. (If we don't like to look at it, then why not pick it up and throw it into a recycle bin or garbage can? Makes sense, right?)

You all know I love seeing wild mushrooms when I'm out walking... and I wasn't disappointed! Of course, I was looking for morels! but alas, I found a few interesting little shrooms in a patch by a tree. K's parents have a little trailer for their truck out in their backyard, and underneath are growing these same little mushrooms. It looks crazy there because they only grow in the shade of that trailer, and no where else... like a white shadow! I should've taken a picture, but forgot.

Sorry so blurry...
And I saw this one, bright, lone tangerine dream. I tried to get a good picture of it, but with the rain coming down, and me not wanting to ruin my phone, I didn't succeed. Still, you can see how it contrasts brilliantly with the green moss! So pretty! Less blurry in person. Ha ha.

And the last thing I wanted to share with you all today is this little gem that I took on my way to work a couple days ago. The sun had been out since Irene hit, making the world a bright place for all... and drawing out Mother Nature's smaller creatures... including two monarch butterflies that I haven't seen here until that day.

It was feeding on the nectar from  this wild butterfly bush (doing its job!) and let me get quite close to it. Its partner was up too high for me to try to photograph. But this one was right at my level... and it was stunning. I felt so lucky to get close to these colorful butterflies! I hope you enjoyed the little nature walk with me. I'm off to get ready for work, and take a walk in the rain! I'll have my yellow boots on, of course!

xoxox

3 comments:

life is happy most of the time. said...

shari! these photos are beautiful! i hope you have had a wonderful summer and please send some rain this way! miss you love you!! xoxoxo

Lublyou said...

you saw a bunny!! what a luck!! the white flowers look amazing, too!

Beach Coast Style said...

what lovely photos! I almost think I am on the photo journey with you. you pictures are always so crystal clear.

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