The Rain, the Park and Other Things

I've been away from my own computer for over a week now but should be heading home pretty soon. I hope to be back to a more normal blogging visit schedule but I can't say for sure. This summer will be one of running around, touching base here and there. I'll probably have a few more details about that as the season progresses.

The following photos were taken over the past month. I hope you enjoy them.

There's an Alice Walker quote I like which says "I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it." I sure don't want to piss anyone off so when I saw this beautiful purple bloom, I had to stop and snap this shot.

This was the view when Frank and I were on our way home after a mini trip north.

A short while later, the blue skies clouded over and the rain began.

Of course, rain is good for the earth, particularly at this time of the year. This robin is waiting patiently for a worm to appear - or so it might seem.

It's good for providing puddles for little one to stomp in.

It's also good to keep ponds at full capacity and to encourage the growth of beautiful greenery.

And fungi.

A couple of neighbourhood kidlets trying their luck at catching fish while I tried my luck at catching a shot of them.

These two were all lovie dovie, each taking turns to coo impressively and flutter their wings. I suspect that there are Mourning dove eggs hatching as I type.

That's all, folks. Come on back in a few days for a few more images.

It Could Be Verse (but it isn't)

Please join me now as I fondly remember
These scenes from a day trip we took in November.

We filled up for gas first, and saw something funny
This passenger looked quite a lot like Bugs Bunny

We traveled along 'til we reached Garden Hill
And left food for the kitty at old Fudge's Mill

Continuing along on our one day vacation
We saw geese headed south in their flying formation

The Capitol Theatre - a blast from the past
I treated this image with an old-fashioned cast

Top-loading mailboxes 1, 2, 3, 4
All nestled outside of this heavy, black door

This aged building evoked a nostalgic feeling
The paint job so old it was crackled and peeling

Still another ahead had a sign up above
Brought me back to the 60s - the days of free love

Dark clouds quickly gathered and it started to rain
We knew it was time to head back home again

I hope you enjoyed this little diversion
Thanks for joining us on our mini-excursion.

Commonalities

Something is happening to my summer. It's beginning to fade despite my best effort to make it last forever. Ah well the beauty of it all is that it will be back again next year. And even better, it's not quite over yet. I hope you enjoy the following photos taken over the last few weeks.

Tennis anyone? OK, so it's not a tennis racquet but rather a dollar store piece meant for badminton. There it sat beside a citronella candle, probably from the same store. And there I sat with my camera in hand. What else was I to do but snap a shot?

Not to give the impression that dollar stores get all of our business but they really do come in handy sometimes. I'm guessing that these colourful bottles of bubbles were purchased there too. It's all a guess because everything in these first two photos was found at Frank's place and really, where else are you going to buy toy racquets, anti-mosquito candles and bubbles for Benny to chase and burst?

I can't remember where we were driving to or from on this day, but the rain had begun, and I liked the way it streamed down the windshield in small rivulets, allowing a peek at the cars' lights, like little bubbles ahead of us. The window was a lot clearer than it appears. I was trying to focus on the lights and water droplets. Can you tell it was a hot, muggy kind of rain?

Where there's rain, there are puddles. This is one I tend to photograph fairly often. It's not as large as I've seen it before. Then again we'd not have very much rain at this point in the summer. Don't puddles make you want to return to your childhood just for a moment so that you can stomp around in them without looking like the neighbourhood loon?

This umbrella wasn't made for rain. It's the kind you latch onto the arm of a chair so you can sit in the hot sunshine and still have some shade. Colourful, isn't it?

Speaking of that, when I snapped this shot of a Queen Anne's Lace, I thought that the underside of it kind of resembled the inside of an umbrella. If you ever pull one of these flowers out by the roots, make sure you give it a good sniff. It's related to the carrot family and the root smells just like carrots. Did you know that?

And finally, since we're enjoying the flowers, here's a photo which I meant to include with the previous "purple" post but I forgot. Milkweed grows all around the field near Frank's place and it does its best to attract Monarch butterflies. It does a pretty good job of it too. Had you noticed that up until now, I've ended every photo description with a question?

How about now?

Ordinary Miracles

Ordinary Miracle was written by Glen Ballard and David A. Stewart, and performed by Sarah McLachlan at the 2010 Olympics opening ceremonies. Please remember to click on each image to enlarge.


It’s not that usual
When everything is beautiful.
It’s just another ordinary miracle today.





The sky knows when its time to snow.
You don’t need to teach a seed to grow.
It’s just another ordinary miracle today.




Life is like a gift they say.
Wrapped up for you everyday.





Open up and find a way.
To give some of your own.




Isn’t it remarkable?
Like every time a raindrop falls.
It’s just another ordinary miracle today.




Birds in winter have their fling.
And always make it home by spring.
It’s just another ordinary miracle today.






When you wake up everyday.
Please don’t throw your dreams away.





Hold them close to your heart.
Cause we are all a part.
Of the ordinary miracle.





Its seems so exceptional.
Things just work out after all.
It’s just another ordinary miracle today.





The sun comes up and shines so bright.
It disappears again at night.
It’s just another ordinary miracle today.

The Short Goodbye

Last week, Frank and I drove up to the cottage for a quick overnight stay. The purpose was to retrieve a few things left over from our last visit, in the hope that we'd be back for a few more days before season's end. That didn't work out as we had wished, but we did spend a lovely few hours enjoying the sights, sounds and smells for one last time this year. Join me, will you?



We arrived to a blanket of autumn leaves. This was the view of the cottage as seen through the windshield. It had been rainy and cool, and a fire would have been nice, but the wood was too wet for that. (please click to enlarge)





We decided to go exploring along the shoreline. The lake was far more shallow than it was during the summer. Most of what you see here is usually well under water. (please click to enlarge)





This beautiful hunk of wood helped decorate the rugged shoreline. (please click to enlarge)





From the other side of the property, you can see that the boathouse ramp scarcely touches the water now, and the dock would require us to make quite a jump if we were to tie a boat to it. (please click to enlarge)





On a neighbouring property, Benny teetered on a rock and wondered why he wasn't frightening the faux loons. He figured it out eventually. (please click to enlarge)





Frank noticed a multitude of snail shells all along a small bay area. There were also hundreds of feathers to be found nearby and for long stretches of shoreline. We were thinking that it might be a popular killing area for a hawk or other predatory bird. Maybe even our eaglets which I saw for one last time when they perched on a semi-distant tree. Like last time, we didn't see the raccoons, but by morning all of the food that we left for them had been eaten. (please click to enlarge)





Since there was no longer any running water, we had to use the outdoor facilities. The leaves made for a lovely, swishy walk over to the outhouse and back. Don't bother to bring anything to read - it's rather dark in there. A couple of candles and a book of matches made for a good nightlight though. (please click to enlarge)





Be careful not to slip on a wet leaf on your way back to the cottage. (please click to enlarge)





Early the next day, we started packing up for the drive back home. A few of Frank's beloved fishing rods will help get him through trout fishing this autumn. (please click to enlarge)





The drive back home took us through heavy rain showers at times. (please click to enlarge)




The school bus up ahead of us was sure to stop at every set of railroad tracks. I liked the bright reflection of his lights on the wet road. (please click to enlarge)





It was a short visit - less than 24 hours but this past season provided many fine memories upon which we'll reflect fondly through the winter. (please click to enlarge)

Thanks for joining me! I'll have more autumn photos in just a few days.