5.25.17 ~ twilight at Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center photo by Timothy Rodgers
The pale stars were sliding into their places. The whispering of the leaves was almost hushed. All about them it was still and shadowy and sweet. It was that wonderful moment when, for lack of a visible horizon, the not yet darkened world seems infinitely greater — a moment when anything can happen, anything be believed in. ~ Olivia Howard Dunbar (The Shell of Sense)
barred owl photo by Mark Musselman South Carolina
Last night, we took a magical evening walk in the woods, an owl prowl, offered by the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center. And something wonderful did happen! We saw and heard a family of barred owls, a mother and three fledglings!
Before the walk we listened to a lecture about the owls found in Connecticut, some common, like the barred owl, others rare, like the snowy owl. We met a little rescued screech owl who was blind in one eye. And there was a lab where we got to crack open a sterilized owl pellet and find the bones and teeth of swallowed rodents. A very informative and enchanting evening!
On a recent trip to Georgia to see Nate & Shea, Julius and Dominic we visited an adventure park where I spotted this female golden pheasant, which is native to the forests and mountains of western China.
3.19.17 ~ female golden pheasant Wild Adventures, Valdosta, Georgia
As I was photographing the rather plain female, I happened to look down and saw a colorful male briskly walking straight toward me. What a face!
male golden pheasant
I darted out of his way and captured a side view as he quickly made his way over to his mate.
3.19.17 ~ Dominic and sulphur-crested cockatoo ~ Valdosta, Georgia
A child’s world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood. ~ Rachel Carson (Rachel Carson: Witness for Nature)
3.19.17 ~ Dominic and blue budgie parakeet ~ Valdosta, Georgia
The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month. ~ Henry Van Dyke (Fisherman’s Luck & Some Other Uncertain Things)
Nature is not a place to visit, it is home – and within that home territory there are more familiar and less familiar places. ~ Gary Snyder (The Practice of the Wild: Essays)
3.21.16 ~ second day of spring in Groton, Connecticut. The small dumpster is for construction debris from our bathroom renovation.
It’s been snowing! I’ve come back from my twelve days in North Carolina, where spring has already sprung, big time!
3.13.16 ~ daffodils blooming in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Poor Katherine… it’s no fun when it’s so nice outside but you are miserable with a fever and a very runny nose. And you don’t want to get out of your pajamas or comb your hair or let go of your bunny or blanket… And your visiting Grammy still insists on getting some pictures of you!
“Katherine and Hopkins the bunny.”
“Maybe I will try taking a little walk.”
“Getting warm, time to take off this jacket. Yes, I do know that one pajama leg is scrunched up and I don’t care!”
“Maybe Daddy can get the blanket draped over my shoulders just the way I want it.”
“Then again, maybe not. Oh well. Feeling warm enough so I’ll just sit here with Hopkins and Daddy again.”
Several hours later – it must have been at least 80°F in the afternoon!
“Mommy persuaded me to get dressed and follow her out to the garden, but I still don’t feel well…”
“Mommy & I fixed the position of a slate stepping stone that had shifted over the winter”
I had a lovely time visiting the little one and her parents. Their new house is beautiful. Larisa and I planted some seeds in her vegetable garden, re-potted a couple of plants, discussed colors for painting the walls, took walks, ate out several times, and went shopping for all sorts of things for the house and for clothes for Katherine. I also got to spend time with my friend from high school, Susan, who lives only two miles away. We got caught in a scary thunder and hail storm one night on our way home from having dinner out. Yikes! And I had plenty of time to work on my ancestor table (see sidebar) while the family was at work and daycare.
Now that I am home work on the bathroom has stalled as we wait for the floor tile to come in. But a lot got done while I was gone. The new closet is framed out, the electrical and plumbing are all done, and the walls are up. And I’m looking out my window at about 5 inches of snow – quite a contrast to the daffodils down south!
The flowers of late winter and early spring occupy places in our hearts well out of proportion to their size. ~ Gertrude S. Wister (Women Know Everything!)
Fossen means waterfall in Norwegian. The attraction at Steindalsfossen is that one can walk under the waterfall, which was an amazing experience for me. I’m told this is one of the most visited tourist sites in Norway. The souvenir shop (above) was near the bottom of the waterfall, where the path started which led up to the waterfall.
a troll welcomes us 5.25.15 ~ Steine, Hordaland, Norway
Located in the village of Stein, along Hardangerfjord, we visited when melting snow made Steindalsfossen extra full of rushing water. The waterfall is 151′ (46m) high. We were impressed!
5.25.15 ~ Steine, Hordaland, Norway
along the path we saw plenty of sheep and lambs 5.25.15 ~ Steine, Hordaland, Norway
5.25.15 ~ Steine, Hordaland, Norway
about halfway up, looking down
5.25.15 ~ Steine, Hordaland, Norway
yours truly, trying to give some perspective
me again, under the waterfall 5.25.15 ~ Steine, Hordaland, Norway
Dan & Fran ~ 5.25.15 ~ Steine, Hordaland, Norway
Fran – it was a great place for contemplation 5.25.15 ~ Steine, Hordaland, Norway
looking back down ~ 5.25.15 ~ Steine, Hordaland, Norway
5.25.15 ~ Steine, Hordaland, Norway
There was a platform at the top of the path, beyond the walk under the waterfall. From there the souvenir shop below and nearby village of Stein could be viewed.
5.25.15 ~ Steine, Hordaland, Norway
We felt pretty lucky on this trip. We kept arriving places when almost no one else was there, and then as we were leaving, a tour bus (or cruise ship as happened in Flåm) would show up with loads of tourists. As we went back down the path we encountered a big group of people from that tour bus you can see down there in the parking lot. We were grateful we had Steindalsfossen to ourselves as long as we did.
On this day we woke up in Bergen, rented a car, and made our way out of the city to Hardangerfjord. We spent most of this day driving the length of the fjord (179 km or 111 miles) and enjoying the scenery, making a couple of stops. The first thing we spotted was this tiny island with a little building sitting on it. It was so picturesque we looked for a spot to pull over so we could take pictures of it. As we were waiting to cross the highway we heard shrieks of delight and turned to see two girls coming down the side road on a bicycle. I got this picture (above) as they were turning around and getting ready to head back up the hill. They were gone as quickly as they appeared!
So then we walked across the highway and took lots of pictures of the little island, wishing we could somehow see the other side of it! It might be a boathouse?
Dawn-awakening coves, hammer-blows of light against the sky and out there in the fjord mouth, birdsong, clamorous, crescendo as from a works yard, the strident assembly of a brand new day, a sun will soon be ready for launching! ~ Stein Mehren (Early)
This pretty scene (below) was also to be appreciated – I love how the mountains were reflected in the fjord.
