Chick, Chick, Chickadee!

I love Black-capped Chickadees!

This pretty chickadee is hunkered down at one of my feeders. Their usual behavior is to grab a black sunflower seed and head for the trees to eat it, but not today! Lucky me! :)

~Determination~

Snow,
heavy, wet snow
blankets canes and leaves.
Canes bend, tips gently touch the earth.
Leaves, curled and brown
become vessels of life.
Nature naps in winter
to bring new life in spring.

It is mouse?

These tiny mouse footprints in the snow

remind me of a story.

When my daughter was about three years old, her aunt, my youngest sister, had a gerbil, Herbie Rumplestein IV, for a pet. It was not uncommon for my mother to catch a mouse in a trap every so often, and to be rid of it she would flush it down the toilet. Such an occurance happened one day when my daughter was visiting Grandma and with a very concerned voice she questioned, "It is mouse?", fearing Herbie Rumpleskin IV may have been the victim.:)

Number One Grandson

Just yesterday he was a toddler

sticking his tongue out at his mother. :)

Sleeping Garden

The garden slumbers; resting, rejuvenating, preparing

to emerge again at winter's end.

Winter Haiku

Quiet reflection

snow laden branches shiver

winter awakens

Fun in the Yard!

Three Behind the Tree

Three of my favorite people in all of the world. :)

Yew Berry

Blustery Day!

My little feathered friend is fluffed to the max as she wards off the chill from the wind. She likes to perch on the raspberry canes, so I don't prune them until spring. :)

Pondering Goat

Billy Goat Gruff appeared to be deep in thought as he watched children playing on the kiddy tractors at the local apple orchard. I think he was waiting for someone to buy and feed him some kibble from the machine near his huge pen and play area.

Meandering

A common sight across the Iowa landscape is meandering

streams and dredge ditches.

I spotted this raccoon fishing for his dinner one sunny afternoon.

He seemed oblivious to my presence as I watched and photographed him.

Quiet Pines

Barn~Storm

A quiet country road but for the rolling thunder in the distance

Sky in the Pond

Beautiful sky, glasslike water, breathtaking reflections!

Karl L. King Bandshell

Located at Oleson Park, this beautiful bandshell recently underwent

major renovations. It was originally built as a project of the Works Progress Administration, one of the New Deal agencies created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Ground was broken in 1936.

Vivid!

Peeking Bunny

This bunny has been visiting my yard all summer long

and gets bolder as the days pass, coming closer and closer to the house.

Dusk~Soft~Light

Storm Silhouette

Conefower Duet

Dewdrops on Hosta

Iowa's Loess Hills

Pronounced, 'luss', the beautiful, rolling Loess Hills

make up a large portion

of the western border of Iowa.

Bride Model

I made Maddi her very own bridal veil for her 'dress-up' chest.

She modeled it for me and with each click of the camera

she would change position and strike a new pose. :)

Hummingbird

This female Ruby-throated Hummingbird visits my delphiniums

almost daily, but she's a bit camera shy. :)

Taz/aka Grumpy

Taz doesn't like to be bothered...............especially for photos!

Hollyhocks

Childhood memories wouldn't be complete without remembering

the hollyhocks that grew beside almost every garage in the

neighborhood. Pink, red, white; their towering stalks were

abundant with beautiful flowers. If you were lucky enough to

have a push-on clothespin handy, you could make a doll, with the skirt

being made from the huge hollyhock flower.

Dreaming Chairs

Chairs atop a hill overlooking a beautiful valley, perfect for pondering and dreaming

Weathered

Old barn tucked into a hillside in the Loess Hills of Iowa

Pining

Chicken begs at the door to be let out, but as her name suggests,

quickly wants back indoors where she feels safe.