Paddle!

A few years ago my husband and I sold our motorboat and purchased kayaks!  Some folks thought that was a crazy decision while others were curious and eager to learn more about paddling.  Regardless, we have enjoyed our time in these small vessels as there is no roar of a motor but just the subtle sound of paddles dipping in and out of the water.  And, although my husband may not always find the physical exertion so relaxing, our experiences in these boats have helped us appreciate the beauty in the landscape that we previously 'flew by' with the throttle wide open. 

BEE Happy!

While taking photos of some flower gardens and the bright yellow coreopsis, I encountered numerous bumble bees, including the large decorative variety featured in one of today's photos. In the other pictures, the gardener included a butterfly net and decor as this particular area attracts numerous winged-visitors. Hence, be sure to enjoy all the delightful blooms in any flower garden but also take a second look for the not-so-obvious birds, butterflies, insects and whimsical features that make this outdoor space so unique. Of course, all of this is guaranteed to help you "BEE" happy!

Evening Sky

"Softly the evening came. 
The sun from the western
horizon like a magician
extended his golden wand
o'er the landscape;
Twinkling vapors arose; and
sky and water and forest
seemed all on fire at the
touch, and melted and
mingled together."

--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
(from Evangeline, pt. II, sec. II)

Fetch!

While at a recent family gathering I took these pictures of this dog as it thoroughly enjoyed every opportunity to retrieve a tennis ball!  Now, to be honest, several family members often give the dog's owner a lot of grief regarding this "Puggle" (a Beagle-Pug mix) named Chloe; however, when I saw how adorable she looked in these action shots, I just had to feature her on my blog!   So, if you also enjoyed these pictures of the athletic-looking Chloe, leave a comment and I will pass along those positive remarks to her master.

More Clematis Emerge

Throughout our area many varieties of this ornamental vine with their attractive large blooms continue to blossom. Whether on a trellis, arbor, fence or post, the blue, violet, wine-red, white, pink and yellow colored blossoms are easily visible to any passerby. In the featured photos you see some of the gorgeous blossoms along with twisted emerging blooms as they begin to open. Take a walk and look for these climbers as they twist their tendrils around a support and paint the landscape with blooms shaped like bells, saucers and stars.

Red Admiral Butterflies

In early May I spotted several of these butterflies spending time feeding on various flowering shrubs and bushes. At the time I eagerly snapped photos, hoping to capture a few decent shots of this gorgeous winged creature, and had no idea as to its identity. So, after a little investigation, I discovered that this species is the Red Admiral Butterfly who spends the winter in the south as it can't survive in the cold. Of course, like other butterflies, then they lay eggs and die; however, in the spring the next generation repeats the cycle of migrating north and repopulating northern states. The next time you are outdoors be on the lookout as you just might encounter one of these beauties!

The Grand Canyon

With the summer travel season in full swing, today I included some scenes from a visit to the West Rim of the Grand Canyon.  Although these pictures simply provide a peek at this magnificent landscape, the views do give a glimpse of this immense rugged landform as well as the surrounding desert terrain.  Unlike the South and North Rims, this area is not part of Grand Canyon National Park as it is located on the Hualapai Indian Reservation.  And, in case you were wondering, this is the site of the glass "SkyWalk" that extends beyond the canyon edge and allows tourists to view the Colorado River from approximately 4000 feet above! 

In the background tourists enjoy breathtaking views from glass SkyWalk