Looking about, storing images

Saturday August 2 2008
A walk in the woods with Hope B.
Funny how there are new things to see there a mere 24 hours later.
(See yesterday's post for details of that walk and our all day date.)

Wood lice! The tree is NOT being attacked by spiders, it is being cleaned by wood lice, who are the size of a speck of flour, and are scurrying beneath the web like membrane they have created on the tree. In a few days they will move on as a colony to clean another tree, leaving this tree healthier than when they arrived.

Yesterday's white mushroom has now turned golden, as if the heat of the day had served to bake it like a cookie in an oven.

The second tiny mushroom that I saw yesterday is now fuller, and has a blue damsel fly visitor. If only I had raised my camera back a fraction of an inch...but as it was, the fly was gone before my finger tip was released from the shutter release on my camera.
Pretty good shot anyway I'd say.

The poke berry clusters are still mostly green.

I love that the green berries and the riper blue black berries are supported on PINK stems.

PINK!

How fun!

A large wounded toad hopped wobbly across our path. Had it been bitten or stung, or was his pierced skin from a misadventure in a bramble patch?
It made me sad to see him thus, but I am powerless to change his destiny.

Ski boats disturbed the calm water, forming wakes that turned into a brief episode of crashing surf.

It was hot, and by the time Hope and I finished walking and talking it was almost eleven in the morning. A three mile walk is a great way to start the day, even if it means being drenched with sweat.

Later in the day B. and I ran an errand while our house was being shown. We returned home via a back way and I saw these heart shaped leaves vining up a pine tree. I don't know what the vine is called or if it flowers, but if I was staying I would definitely want some of this in my yard. Much nicer than bare tree trunk, and the heart shape is just so cool.

The gardenia is surprisingly blooming again.

I find myself stepping outside to inhale the fragrance, knowing I will likely never have such gardenia abundance again.

Our "wish bone" flowers are blooming nicely in the patio pots. Can you see the tiny white upside down wish bone on the roof of the flower's mouth?

I enjoy all the colors that wish bone flowers (aka: torenia or monkey flower) come in.

The flower is an annual and self seeds abundantly.
I wonder if it can be grown in Utah?

My Louisiana Walking Lily is also blooming out of season. Are my flowers just coming out to say good bye?
I have read that this lily can be grown as a house plant. Something to think about....

Sometimes the flower's shadow is almost as lovely as the flower itself.

Our "Cowardly Lion" begonia leaves are looking great. I doubt that we will be able to take this hanging plant with us though, and I don't know if it will grow from a cutting.
Dang.
I loved having a plant named "Cowardly Lion". That name makes me smile.

The blue jays have left a feather behind, and I tucked it into amongst the blue berries I was snacking on just to keep track of it. Hmmm..maybe there will be another color theme photo contest sometime.

I wanted to try to photograph the feather, and discovered it was more difficult than I would of thought. The flumes create an optical effect that is different when photographed than what is seen with the human eye. Sort of like what happens when a computer screen or television screen is photographed.

We're getting close to moving now. We have our tickets, and a date to leave. The moving company will be packing everything; whatever I pack will not be insured.

Obviously I am not packing another thing!

Lately I am very much reminded of the final weeks of pregnancy, specifically a second pregnancy. I remember knowing that while it was tiresome being so large and heavy, I also knew that a baby inside is far less work than a baby born. I knew the demands would come, and unstoppable they would be, and that the baby would actually be someone I didn't know at all...perhaps a happy mellow soul or an angry irritable dab of humanity. The changes would take some getting used to!

I remember having everything ready for the baby, and the house cleaned and the suitcase packed. And then waiting....just waiting.

We plan to spend this week taking care of a few minor details, perhaps going on a short trip, perhaps just relaxing with some good books. Lots of conversations. We know we will never have this kind of time to waste again...there will always be vacation or travel or home repairs to address in the future.

I'm still a week behind on my posts...but by the time we leave, I should be caught up. Lots of wonderful things have been happening...things and events that I want to share.

Maybe that is an element of blogging that I had overlooked before: The opportunity to revisit good things as though they were happening right now.

What a blessing to have so many good things happening in my life that I actually got behind on blogging them!