Tennessee ~ A walk in the woods

A couple of years ago our cousins decided to leave the Pacific Northwest and move to Tennessee. They have been keeping us updated on the progress they have made in making a beautiful, rural area their home. The property has an established woodland and the Dogwood trees are starting to bloom as well as the wild violets. A few ferns have started shooting up their delicate fronds; a sure sign of spring.

Australia ~ Secret Rainforest

A friend of ours recently moved to a very rural area of Australia and in his travels around the new place found a spot that hasn't been seen by man for many years. What he found was a hidden gem of native plants that are as beautiful as they are unique. He has graciously shared a few pictures for us to enjoy.

Easter Sunday ~ Birds along the back roads

We enjoyed a wonderful Easter buffet at our favorite restaurant followed by a leisurely drive to the nearby wildlife area. An abundance of hawks on the lookout for a meal as well as Canada geese and several varieties of ducks bobbing around the wetlands were great to see but hard to photograph. We spotted a couple of rooster pheasants who quickly ducked under cover and two owls, a Great Horned and a Barn Owl. As we passed the area where the Sandhill Cranes usually are this time of year we were disappointed to find not a one however, we decided to take a back road that we hadn't traveled since last summer and to our delight found the Cranes in a farmer's field. They were a bit hard to count as they were quite far out but it looked like about 30 of them were busy making a meal of whatever the plowed field had to offer. (Remember, you can click on the pictures for a better look!)

Barn Owl also called a Night Owl~ 13 to 15 inches tall 
with a 31 to 37 inch wingspan

Sandhill Cranes ~ 2 ft 7 in to 4 ft tall
with a 5 ft to 7 ft wingspan

Pretty little pansies

Something to brighten up any day and just the thing for a cloudy day! I love pansies, big and small and these are just gorgeous! These are the first of the season offerings at a local store and they just needed to come live at my house.

April Fool!

Well, well... we start the day with a little snow. Not so unusual for us this time of year but not what I was hoping for today it's just too cold to be out doing yard work. Outdoor plans get changed to indoor activities. Guess I'll just have some coffee and relax with a couple of seed catalogs!