Duck and Jasmine Entoxication

There is Fall in the air, and it was a cool dry weekend. Yea!
We went to the woods, and the river. The Jasmine was blooming all around, and it smelled sooooo wonderful "everywhere".

This log man greeted us in a Disney-like manor.

We had a restful weekend feeding ducks, fishing, and getting out in nature. One of my favorite ways to spend time.

The China Fishing Hole

It doesn't take much to make me happy.

Junk makes me happy.

And my husband is glad when it is free. That's why we have a metal detector. But I forgot it when we left to go fishing. There is a wanna be treasure hunter in us both.

I saw a little piece of blue sticking out of the mud about 10 feet from the rivers edge at one of our fishing holes. I started digging at it with a stick and came up with 6 pieces of blue and white. That was weekend before last.We went back for fishing this last weekend, I took and small spade, and dug up more in the same spot, which I have dubbed "The China Fishing Hole".

I also found some green and pink, more than I have pictured here. So much more fun than fishing in my book. Especially when none of my fish have been big enough to keep.
And you can't make jewelry, or mosaics, or much of anything out of fish,,, just supper.
I will take a big shovel "and" the metal detector next time. Let the man fish. I have better things to bring in. I just "know" there is more glass in that spot.
One mans trash is another mans treasure!

This is just a shot of the sail boats on Lake Guntersville, a favorite place of mine.

Gifts from Nature

Thunderstorms can be dangerous for some. Odd thing is, when I found this nest and lifted it up, many more broken blue shells were directly under it.
We went to the river at sunset, I needed a water fix. I also just new there was a show of some kind there. It poured and hailed on the 10 min drive. Looking to the west was the sun. To the east was the clouds. Such a color difference!

There was lightening in the clouds, but I didn't catch any shots of it.

The darker cold clouds are meeting the warmer light clouds and the lightening comes.

That dark cloud sort of looks like a spaceship. The wind was swift and we were blessed with rainbows on the way, and a fireworks of lightening on the way home. Now its popcorn and TV.

All is well.

Sunday Drive

It was such a nice day, we went for a drive, and as I am usually in need of a water fix, we went to the Tennessee River.

It is the closest thing to the ocean that is available, and holds its own treasures. Like the shells. They were abundant here, I about passed out a couple of times picking some up, I don't need any more shells, but I cant resist. It reminded me of the many times we searched for shells on the ocean beach. We walked the river a bit and enjoyed poking around and, telling stories. We also went to a couple of our favorite backwater fishing holes to see what was going on. Watching a big bass jumping out of the water catching bugs is good entertainment, the noises of nature are pretty special too. It makes me wish I had a video recorder. We watched an ant moving something bigger that himself for a long time. To be quiet with my man and observe together. I loved it.
I cannot resist looking at horses, they are such amazing animals.

Love-In-A-Puff

Thank YOU Belinda!!! Your visit and comment yesterday, taught me much, made me remember once again of the amazing planet we live on. I Googled it,,,,The vine is indeed called Love-In -A-Puff, also Heart Seed, and Balloon Vine. What wonderful names! Love-In-A-Puff is my favorite, I think. It is perfect for the valentine holiday theme. The seeds are hard to capture on film, but there is indeed a white heart on them. I think there is an art project here. ...anyhow, I had fun learning about it, and I will never forget its name. I will be germinating some seeds soon.

While I find myself homesick for the Pacific Ocean & Oregon, I am reminded of the amazing and mind boggling amount of beauty in every state, and in every land, if we look. How can one say there is no God, when the evidence is all around. The grand creator has given us such treasures in the design, color, sounds, smells, and textures of nature.

I also have the nerve to be judgemental. Sometimes I say,,"God what "were" you thinkin when you created that!" (I am referring to some bugs I don't care for) We silly humans are such critics.

Coming to Alabama has been an eye opener as far as nature is concerned, I have seen things I never would have, if I had not come here. I suspect there are many more treasures to discover. I am glad I have a husband (he grew up here) who loves nature, will catch firefly's for me, picks wild flowers for me, finds feathers and bug wings, teaches me to fish, and shows me everything he knows about the swamps and the woods. I have never known anyone who hears every small sound and movement, and treats it with wonder and respect. The stories he can tell,,,,,,he is my Heart Seed.

A few feathers gathered, and a pair of bug wings. Gifts from my Valentine. I love you.