I have few photo pairs for you - and in one case a trio of images - all which answer the question "And then what happened?"
![soft sumac budding branch](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tRtE_Z_fNnWtImOeacz81tWMkjsOdDy8VaTTpT1s7ufq2Tk752afgQst9doqQnwDHL2vM69mfrBzOoITl50jznUs5VePZgYfkmBI1Fu4HL4wF7rH_CbgRDiynL6yIXwMfW=s0-d)
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?
![sumac sprouting](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_ucfJSXvPs7uiNHeZOYaQ_EjffrU8NLiPhv5yy0kvmUBuJAp-E3AKJwEMFWQ29ByktPN-4YZLuTUID2lxIdfQ_Q2SdqMlm6rx-_ZoiNiL9DwCGBlzrNEFoYUsuAqYVKB1B7=s0-d)
Well.. then I came back and photographed it just four days later. Four sunny, warm summer-like days later. Magic happened.
![contrails on water](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_v-7xAjAB0_sc59CujmS_3W5TwgXOsMLDfdEjx7srWCNDgJy-Ikw_er34jgLutCQnHHVqFcc8YBfs8EWfgOs6UP95y1_p_bc3tWTpjWR-Ocu7R3zeRwXArDOqVmEktQ5e4=s0-d)
This hazy image is a reflection of contrails as seen in my local pond.
![contrails](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sWxKHNI2cXMs-FtxZ14kY-YSLbB7oZykrBnwWmTrze0n4R1ap108DuFKrFMcdqD7TP4dER0gieW1vW7HZYF47jGIAmBdly_AyhdKZyrq3bn0jvUc7yRhaa7FfHTIM5nFr5=s0-d)
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?
![willow contrail and heron](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vjvW1kxT4AWMds4LvLFC8Lb-Dd1Jix2B_CIKYPS23ptRPkjhbbVnp88cTn3OPCy7cf2zSdKyMIoyQJt_W6pstq9qgWchOFAQvp1i6uKUPu22bvyleRSVwDvFhFav4YZx0=s0-d)
A vocal heron in flight filled my viewfinder. His long bill was open in mid-GROK! A lovely surprise.
![having a ball](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sMpYFKoorIuDAyLLThNbJt2qfP5kX7demHE1ZFOSaRaakCfzuAEOx-FyYIvezqxoFDreJ4EBxRui9uOj3BuAVDAAdhsfCYPJdSvygNMMpOuX_cxCHGWvkNGcWjI0hwPosT=s0-d)
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?
![floating](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tDZua9vZKGs53zJCT-TaH2lZS5hf7wRbrhbgc8Y1Ik-Mx4md1XhvjRSsdnZdlehLTuwcqJ0TjEDBk5k2Q95aRyCxFdH7RPXIsPQbr9w01JMAKwi65kpqhKhPyK58uuic4J=s0-d)
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.
![ready for take off](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_s_CSsIMlYPn0ngPLy3lBG6-9DUshjlfKMXGDNw9QtBHi4uKQE1gBnjPJbrfO8yP3C-H_h546Srfw31ta95H8uMOu-SCgc5e39awthlMhRZ58AGNE-wahuebJBZBRU8Y24=s0-d)
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?
![nose dive](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_silrIc7tqnYAu0VVx3ZW5Ybu__iv_56EQ_ghS60ANmDXTn2Wk4EiTN3bJZUm5y39D5eDGrH0-sYIZK0IwOymdxFKKQo0RrdaaP3Ll1NLmUHW2Cq6b0c_VbR7UWbHa_eS4=s0-d)
He found her. Perhaps. He took such a quick nosedive off of the branch, it couldn't be anything else. Perhaps.
![grape hyacynth2](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sJ3n3BQJ89Iqk_58iEaLMLpVt4GSgwGUSvO0lTFzNvgMZixn5TXIx5B54ECOqyiAOYRfEgfbgrapielFCe3yJXOgkBimZSrWfJxl3KWwTuX91OmYV_Pg2jAaB7otJHG3Wr=s0-d)
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?
![shepickedthem](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_s6X7sOyb1Cbn31XlHKO9IGDXcG5VPCmKpnwjfh3WbvzmJgnrcO3cXRChuglvmhj75P4vPsJPy4GazZ_S5_hTaDak_n7aj-YVd-FVkyGhRohfUlxZqgDbI-PcO2nKtYmoQ=s0-d)
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.