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.

Flowers, Fungi and Ferns - Oh My!

Update July 2: I did a little further digging (so to speak) and came up with an identification of the mystery fungus below. It would appear that it's Xylaria polymorpha (Dead Man's Fingers). It has the ability to morph into different appearances, so that is probably why I didn't locate what I'd expected to see a few days later. Thank you Tammie Lee for attempting to provide a solution. That prompted me to look into the coral fungi where I eventually found what I was looking for.

Most of these photos were taken at least a few weeks ago. They're what seems to be left over on my hard drive and just happened to work out with a flower, fungi and fern theme.

Apple blossoms at the height of spring.

Doesn't this looks like a beautifully-sculpted bowl?

This area is deep inside a well-shaded cedar grove. In the morning, one single shaft of light beamed through to illuminate this fern.

This is the view behind a sunlit flower. It almost looks as if a wee faerie could take up residence here.

Or perhaps right here.

Late day sunshine bathes a field of ferns. Magenta phlox punctuates the picture nicely.

A solitary flower, which looks a lot like the wild chicory I see a bit later in the season - except it's not blue. It's doing its best to grow toward the sunlight through the chain link fence.

This triple capped mushrooms could almost pass for a plate of sloppy pancakes. There's more interesting green fungus all down the right hand side of the stump. And just below that, we noticed a most unusual fungus - something I've never seen before...

Tubular, metallic silver and teal. Frank and I both got busy snapping photos of this one. Notice how some of the tips appear to be either two blips blending into one or one beginning to separate into two? I'm betting it's the latter. If anyone has any idea what this is, please let me know (Leah? Maybe your Mike knows?). It was gone without a trace when I went back to look for it just a few days later.

Further Google sleuthing has identified the fungus for me. Eerily enough, they're called Dead Man's Fingers or by the Latin name Xylario Polymorpha. Here's my source.

A pretty yellow iris looking like sunshine itself.

And just a tiny bit more yellow in the middle of this spring blossom.

Happy Canada Day to all my fellow Canadians!