The Number 7 - and Some Flowers

Surprise! The Great Blue Heron in my header has flown away and left nothing but blue water behind. It's time for a sunny change. It is my fourth revamp since I began blogging - oh... about - nay, exactly seven years ago, today. This cheery sunflower will adorn my blog for the next while - however long that may turn out to be. To help kick-start the new look, the images in this post will be all about the flowers found around here - either wild or in our yard. I hope you enjoy the bouquet.

Since this is my seventh blogiversary, I decided to look back and see who my first seven visitors were - those who still stop by, that is.





The first comment ever to land on my blog came from Frank, of course. He was the one who encouraged me to start blogging. Thanks, Frank! He isn't doing any blogging himself, these days but he does still stop by for a visit. Hopefully he'll start writing over at his Baron It All blog and perhaps posting photos at Canon Fodder again soon.







By my second post, Crabby began commenting. So, aside from Frank (always #1), she has been my longest standing, consistent visitor. She leaves great, funny comments and has a fine, humour-filled fitness blog of her own called Cranky Fitness.







It was mid-October before Leah began stopping by. She continues to post wonderful content over at her blog, The Goat's Lunch Pail and so very kindly keeps on coming back to my cyber world whenever I post. She's having surgery for bowel cancer, this week. Please keep this always-grateful, inspiring lady in your best thoughts.







Shortly after that, the lovely Sue from Photowannabe left me a comment, and like those mentioned above, she too continues to visit regularly. Among other fine posts, she likes combining her wonderful photography with the alphabet. Stop by her blog to see what I mean.







It was New Year's Eve when Shammie first stopped by. She was known as ex-Shammickite then but eventually, she decided that once a Shammickite, always a Shammickite so she soon dropped the "ex." But she's never dropped my blog, and I'm most grateful for that. Give her a visit over at Rook's Nest.








It was March 2008 before Out and About in New York City photographer Daryl left her first comment. She was sent by David McMahon from Authorblog who originally did the Post of the Day. Later he handed that baton over to me, and the POTW was born. He no longer blogs but many of you beautiful people are here because of David and for that, I will be forever grateful.








My seventh regular visitor who still visits today is the lovely and funny Michelle from House of Lime. She too, found my blog through David. Michelle/Lime is a fine writer with a terrific flair for humour. You won't regret it one bit if you stop by her blog for a visit.

Thank you, to all who have come by over the past seven years. And for sticking with me. The blogging world is a very encouraging, affirming and supportive community, and I'm thankful for, and enjoy each and every one of you who so kindly stop by to comment. I also appreciate those who silently lurk. If you're one of the latter, and have never commented before, I'd love it if you said "hi!" Maybe just this once?

More photos coming up soonish.

And Then What Happened?

I have few photo pairs for you - and in one case a trio of images - all which answer the question "And then what happened?"


I photograph this soft, fuzzy branch often. In all seasons. At all times of day. In all kinds of weather. From all angles. It's a young growth of sumac just behind the fence, alongside the walking path at my park. On this day in early May, I noticed that the buds were just about ready to open. And then what happened?




Well.. then I came back and photographed it just four days later. Four sunny, warm summer-like days later. Magic happened.





This hazy image is a reflection of contrails as seen in my local pond.





I looked up to snap a shot of the matching scene in the sky above. I decided to click a second time, from a slightly different position through the willow branches. A loud "GROK!" reached my ears. And then what happened?
 



A vocal heron in flight filled my viewfinder. His long bill was open in mid-GROK! A lovely surprise.





There have been some changes around my park over the past year. There are new benches, information areas which discuss wildlife and plant life in the area. There is a beautiful tree carving depicting the creatures which grace us with their presence. And there's talk of a couple of other things to come. One day, these bright orange balls appeared in the pond. I wondered about their symmetry and figured out pretty quickly that they were anchored down like that for a reason. I had a vague idea what they were about but I wasn't certain. And then what happened?





Just a few days later there were multiple hexagon-shaped pieces surrounding the place-keeping balls. Eventually, plant life will sprout from these forms and a floating island will be born. That orange glow behind it all was my first snapped sunset of the season. I'll have more from that evening coming up at some point.





On a dull evening, just before dusk, I heard this cardinal atop the tree, singing his heart out for a mate. And then what happened?





He found her. Perhaps. He took such a quick nosedive off of the branch, it couldn't be anything else. Perhaps.





Grape hyacinths are growing randomly in my front yard. I posted a different photo of them in a previous post. For this one, I had to get up good and close to them with the macro lens - they're so pretty. And teeny-tiny. And they look so colourful dotting the otherwise boring grass. And then what happened?



They ended up looking even prettier when my adorable neighbour Lily decided to pick them.

And that's what's been happening around here. More photos in a few days.

I Must Have Flowers

Earth laughs in flowers.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

The spring's first dandelion shows its trustful face.
~ Walt Whitman





Where fall the tears of love the rose appears, And where the ground is bright with friendship's tears, Forget-me-not, and violets, heavenly blue, Spring glittering with the cheerful drops like dew.
~ William Cullen Bryant





She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
"Winter is dead."
~ A.A. Milne




You cannot forget if you would those golden kisses all over the cheeks of the meadow, queerly called dandelions.
~ Henry Ward Beecher
 




Each flower is a soul opening out to nature.
~ Gerard De Nerval






Oh, tiptoe from the garden
By the garden of the willow tree
And tiptoe through the tulips with me
~ Al Dubin





Blue thou art, intensely blue; Flower, whence came thy dazzling hue?
~ James Montgomery

I must have flowers, always, and always.

~ Claude Monet

At Jill's request, I have linked this post with her Weekend Garden Party page. You might want to give her and her other posters a visit for some fine spring greenery. 'Tis the season, after all. Jill's beautiful photography can be seen regularly at She Who Carries Camera.

At Laura's request, I have also linked this post to her I Heart Macro page. Laura's blog is a lovely, peaceful oasis. You'll enjoy her photography immensely and marvel how she so often find heart shapes in nature. This post is about macro photography though. Head on over to Shine the Divine.

The Colours of the Spirit

Nature always wears the colors of the spirit. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

The very pink of perfection. ~ Oliver Goldsmith

There's something very soft and dreamy about a tiny pink blossom about to open.

Birds have wings; they're free; they can fly where they want when they want. They have the kind of mobility many people envy. ~ Roger Tory Peterson

This was supposed to be a photo of a grackle on that branch but the grackle thought otherwise. He wins. But so do I.

How brave a ladybug must be!

Each drop of rain is big as she.

Can you imagine what you'd do,

If raindrops fell as big as you?

~ Aileen Fisher

I snapped several dozen photos of this little lady. She was very accommodating.

These flowers, which were splendid and sprightly, waking in the dawn of the morning, in the evening will be a pitiful frivolity, sleeping in the cold night's arms. ~ Pedro Calderon de la Barca

These were once tiny peachy-russet coloured blossoms. They're still pretty even when their petals are missing.

The concrete walkway is a masterpiece…

chalk lines of sunshine yellow, serene blue,

cotton candy pink and soft grass green

create a wonderful place where children drew

~ Theresa Ann Moore

Some creative children decided to brighten the sidewalk... and my day.

Birds sing after a storm; why shouldn't people feel as free to delight in whatever sunlight remains to them? ~ Rose Kennedy

The late day sunlight caught the tree's branches and the Redwing blackbird's tail feathers, and turned them all to gold.

Rise and put on your foliage, and be seen

To come forth, like the springtime, fresh and green.

~ Robert Herrick

That beautiful sun shines her spotlight once again. These lovely new leaves are backlit by her warming rays.

Blue thou art, intensely blue; Flower, whence came thy dazzling hue? ~ James Montgomery

These pretty little Grape hyacinth, standing on tippy-toes, trying so hard to appear large in stature - when in truth, they're only about three inches tall.

Some people are uncomfortable with the idea that humans belong to the same class of animals as cats and cows and raccoons. They're like the people who become successful and then don't want to be reminded of the old neighborhood. ~ Phil Donahue

My next-door neighbour, Caroline came to my front door suggesting I head out to the back yard with my camera. From her own yard, she could see this daring (and darling) little bandit trying to figure out my anti-squirrel bird feeder. She wasn't overly greedy or destructive, and left the feeder intact with plenty of seed for the birds. She's been back a few times since. Did I ever mention how very much I love raccoons?

Everybody has to believe in something. I believe I'll have another drink. ~ W.C. Fields

This was a long walk on a sunny day. Have a seat. I'll pour you a beer. There's also wine, juice or water, if you prefer.

Thanks for joining me on another stroll. I'll have more photos in a few days.

A Lucky Mom

I'm a lucky mom. I've got two loving, intelligent, funny sons and both of them happen to be home with me for Mother's Day for the first time in four years. Jeffrey will have to head back to RMC in Kingston later today but he had an unexpected leave to come home this weekend, and so he did. I'm going to sit back and enjoy my time with my boys. I hope you enjoy the Mother's Day flowers in the photos below.

Happy Mother's Day!

"Some mothers are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same, and most mothers kiss and scold together." ~ Pearl S. Buck





"You don't raise heroes, you raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they'll turn out to be heroes, even if it's just in your own eyes." ~ Walter M. Schirra Sr.





"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new." ~Rajneesh





"Whatever else is unsure in this stinking dunghill of a world a mother's love is not." ~ James Joyce





"Youth fades, love droops, the leaves of friendship fall; a mother's secret hope outlives them all."
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes





"A woman has two smiles that an angel might envy, the smile that accepts a lover before words are uttered, and the smile that lights on the first born babe, and assures it of a mother's love."
~ Thomas C. Haliburton





"If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do well matters very much." ~Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis





"Making a decision to have a child--it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. " ~ Elizabeth Stone





"A mother is not a person to lean on, but a person to make leaning unnecessary." ~ Dorothy Canfield Fisher





"My son, when you were born, you brought me happiness, as you grew, you made me laugh and brought me joy, now you are a man, and you make me proud!" ~ Catherine Pulsifer