Photo Journal

Magic of June

In early June the world of leaf and blade and flowers explodes, and every sunset is different.

John Steinbeck

Heart of a Rose

nestled within her silky white petals

baby sunbeams reach

with tiny arms and fragile hearts

to their mother

June 5 fallen leaves caught by the petal of a Japanese dogwood blossom

June 7 Eastern Gray Squirrel chewing on a green pine cone

June 8 - A cluster of flowers on the mock orange tree, backlit by the rising sun in the front yard

June 8 - Robin building her nest in an old lilac bush by the driveway

June 10 - Cabbage White Butterfly settles on the wild herbs by the roadside

June 11 Tiny Pine Squirrel ate seeds fallen from the river birch outside the front door

June 12 - a bee sat, unmoving, near the eye of a wooden step

Spring being a tough act to follow, God created June.

Al Bernstein

It’s been a quiet week of gardening, resting and getting ready for summer here. Seeing flowers bloom. Watching the little wild things emerge and come looking for food. Walking down to the lake in the early morning. Wandering around the neighborhood. Summer will be here soon with all its busy activity and social commitments, and that will be good too, but for now I’m really soaking up the quiet.

Thank you for letting me share a few of my favorite moments of this week. Hope your week was beautiful too.

June 12 - A rainbow fragment unexpectedly appeared across the lake as I was walking back up the bluff stairs

Going Home again

Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.

Terry Pratchett

an unexplained ruin in Joshua Tree

my last desert hike

I stumbled on a ruin

crumbling into dust

and realized I was ready to go home

home again - water everywhere

home where water flows freely

pussy willow blossoming

where spring blossoms riot - bursting through their skins

Allium breaking through

Narcissus looking down

where narcissus is already in full bloom

Ferns unfurling

where the forest floor fills with ferns

single-minded squirrel

where squirrels sneak up to steal suet

living in the land of tulips

where the silky tulips glisten

swimming silently by

and silent mallards swim

lily of the valley

where lily of the valley is wet with dew

solitary tree on the edge of the dunes, overlooking the channel

and a single tree keeps vigil over the grassy dune.

Where we love is home - home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.

Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

I loved the magic of Joshua Tree, but I am so happy to be back home. I am grateful that you are here with me.

Wild Neighborhood

Any glimpse into the life of an animal quickens our own and makes it so much the larger and better in every way.

John Muir

I’ve had so many animal visitors, and chance encounters right in the neighborhood lately. I try not to move too quickly, and sometimes I get lucky. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

The Dove, on silver pinions, winged her peaceful way.

James Montgomery

I saw this dove sitting on the fence while I was walking, so pretty against the blue sky. Just as I took the photo, she lifted her wings to fly away. I thought I might have missed her, but I was really lucky.

Mourning Dove

With wind ruffled feathers,

a mourning dove

lands on the lamppost-

singing a gentle,

faraway song.

(listen)

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Mourning Doves like to land on the electrical post in the alley behind my apartment. I love not only to sit and listen to their calls; but to watch as they do it. The entire throat expands - and it almost appears as if the sound comes directly from there; they don’t open their bills. It is the male who makes the long mournful cry; a call to woo a female. Far away and longingly sweet.

On another afternoon, a little squirrel climbed onto the balcony wall, and hesitated… looking at me, then looking away, then moving a little, then looking back…and I did pretty much the same, with my camera. Mutual curiosity.

There are so many big sea birds here; it’s easy to forget the little tree birds; but this bright yellow palm warbler stood out against the concrete stairs in the park when I was walking there.

The iguana on the left is getting pretty bold - it was walking along the balcony wall one afternoon - right behind our planters. The one on the right is a little more cautious - hiding in the palm tree, trying to be inconspicuous.

A white Ibis hops onto the park fence as I pass, another lucky photo. It flew away after I got only this one picture.

Nature surrounds us, from parks and backyards to streets and alleyways. Next time you go out for a walk, tread gently and remember that we are both inhabitants and stewards of nature in our neighbourhoods. ~ David Suzuki

And here’s a little moment of zen. Hope you have a wonderful week. Thank you for being here.